Landmarks of Orleans County, New York, Part 17

Author: Signor, Isaac S., ed
Publication date: 1894
Publisher: Syracuse : D. Mason
Number of Pages: 1084

USA > New York > Orleans County > Landmarks of Orleans County, New York > Part 17

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A full explanation of the part taken by citizens of Orleans county in the removal of Morgan requires a statement in some detail of Morgan himself. For the popular opin- ion on this subject is as far from the truth as the granite statue, so conspicuous in the old burying ground at Batavia, is unlike the appearance of Morgan while in the flesh.

From the year of my initiation into masonry (1846 ) I have earnestly sought the truth in relation to this affair, not to vindicate Free Masons who were responsible for it, but to place on record the facts as they occurred. For nearly forty years I have forbore publication, preferring to continue my gleanings that my successor might be the better able to finish the work ; nor should I have gone into print at all but for the utterly false and scandalous charges against our brethren made by Thurlow Weed in the last days of his life. Blind, bed-ridden, paralytic, a wreck in mind and body, the old politician reiter- ated from the memories of fifty years statements so detrimental to Masonic history and so adverse from the truth, that I should have been recreant to my trust as historian had I not accepted the challenge and placed in bold lines the falsity of the story.

From 1846 to 1860 I spoke to a hundred persons, more or less, citizens of Batavia, Canandaigua, Rochester, Medina, Albion, etc., who had been personally acquainted with William Morgan. The united testimony of these persons was that he was a low- minded man, a sot, a bummer, unprincipled, an ignoramus, a worthless fellow. In 1824 he came to Rochester as a journeyman bricklayer, bringing with him from Canada a

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Masonic certificate ( "diploma ") of membership. This proved afterward a forgery, but enabled him at the time to gain admission into the lodges, and even during two years to visit a number of lodges through Western New York as a sort of instructor.

Morgan was a drunken fellow, and in his cups boastful aud loquacious. In a frenzy of his falsehood he had claimed to be a captain in General Jackson's army at New Or- leans. Needless to say, the lie was cut from whole cloth. In another carousal he sneered at Free Masonry, and acknowledged that he had got into the lodge by fraud. This was serions, and the order entered upon a series of inquiries which fully ex- posed him as an imposter. The surrounding lodges were warned of the discovery. Morgan was threatened with severe penalties if he persisted in his imposition, and early in the summer of 1826, the matter seemed to be quieted down, but then it was dis- covered that Morgan was engaged with a printer named Miller in the preparation of an exposition of Masonry.

The governor, De Witt Clinton, an ardent, Mason and an astute, sagacious man, ad- vised the brethren to pay Morgan for the work as far as finished, destroy the printed sheets and offer him sufficient inducement to return with his family to Canada. This was done ; the printed sheets were cremated in presence of witnesses, and a receipt for the money paid him ($100) was given by Morgan. A farther sum of $400 was promised if he would leave this State. But an obstacle was interposed here which those who study this curious bit of history do not take into consideration. Morgan was in jail at Batavia, or rather in the jail limits for debt. It was known, too, that several creditors were preparing to present claims upon him the moment he was re- leased, the amount approaching a thousand dollars. A tavern keeper in Canandaigua had charged Morgan with the theft of a garment some months before, and to get Morgan away from the jail limits at Batavia, he swore out a criminal warrant and placed it in the hands of a sheriff's officer to execute. Taking with him a small posse, the officer went to Batavia, arrested Morgan and brought him to the jail in his own county. This was Monday, September 11. It has been clearly established that the whole movement was undertaken by consent of Morgan, who on the Sunday night previous, had accepted the plan, " to prepare a home in Canada, and to lay aside all pretence of being a Mason." The Masonic fraternity on their part agreed to send his family to him as soon as he had a home for them, and to pay him $400.

Arrived at Canandaigua, the charge of theft was withdrawn and Morgan was further detained by virtue of an execution for a debt of $1.65, due to a person in that place. This was 7 P. M. of September 11, and thus ended the first act of the drama.

During the Monday, Tuesday and Tuesday evening the Masonic brethren, in confer- ence with Morgan, perfected their plans and engaged carriages and drivers for the de- portation. About 9 P M., the execution having been lifted, Morgan was released from the prison, entered a carriage and was driven that night, with several stoppages, as far as Rochester and Hanford's tavern, four miles beyond. There the party turned west over what is well known as the Ridge road. At the change of horses, breakfast was had, and about 6 A. M. the second movement began.

Conversing with citizens of Orleans county twenty-five years afterward, I inquired particularly whether Morgan was hoodwinked, bound, or under any restraint whatever.

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Jeremiah Brown, a member of the Legislature, who drove the carriage from Ridgeway ten miles west of Gaines, declared with vehemence that he was not. He kept a hand- kerchief over his eyes when the sun was hot, as they were much inflamed; but no restraint whatever was placed upon him. He sung, walked, slept and drank gin at the taverns at his discretion. He got out where he pleased and when he pleased. He helped to stop a runaway yoke of oxen. He picked up and petted a little child who had fallen and was crying. "Never did maiden leave parents more willingly to ac- company her lover than Morgan left New York. He bad escaped his creditors. His pockets were full of money. A new career was open to him. He was as happy as a gin-sodden creature of that stamp could be."

The persons who drove the carriage to Rochester and from Lewiston to Youngstown gave the same sort of testimony. Orson Parkhurst, who acted as coachman from Rochester to Gaines, made similar declarations. James Mather lent his horses to the party as they came to his residence, and his brother Elihu got on the box. For this they were indicted, and during three years Elihu was put to much trouble and cost to clear himself of the charge of abduction, while James, for refusing to testify against his brother, was attached for contempt of court and fined $25.

Isaac Allen, two miles west of Clarkson, had lent his horses to the party to be used until they reached Mather's, and for this he was severely questioned by the Grand Jury of Orleans county. Refusing to reply, he was committed for contempt of court, detained in prison a few days, and then discharged. The State prosecutor announced that this estimable citizen was punished as an example to other contumacious wit- nesses.

Another witness (in Niagara county) submitted to a fine of $100 and four months imprisonment rather than pander to the popular excitement.

Jeremiah Brown had, to use his own expressive language, "a heap of trouble." As early as February, 1827, he was subpoenaed as a witness at Batavia, tried at Lock- port June, 1830, and not for a year or two after that was he freed from the entangle- ments of " this pesky case."

This is all the Morgan history, as far as Orleans county is concerned.

He arrived at Youngstown on Thursday, 1 A. M., and was confined for a short time in the old disused powder magazine of Fort Niagara. At a conference with Colonel King, he expressed his consent, in the most explicit terms, to the deportation thus far carried out. On Sunday night, the 17th, a party of Canadian Masons took charge of him and conducted him into the interior of the country. There the wretched man who had betrayed every one who trusted him, betrayed them. No sooner did they leave him than he changed his name, purchased a horse and struck down the river as far as Montreal. There he sold his horse, and from that point he fades out of history. There is not a particle of evidence as to his course afterwards.

The second introduction of Orleans county into the Morgan affair is connected with the amusing episode of Timothy Munroe. It seems that, stimulated by the hope of re- ward, emissaries of the anti-Masonic party had for months during the fall and winter of 1826-27 been engaged in dredging the bed of the Niagara River near its mouth in hopes to secure the body of William Morgan. Daily canards were sent forth from the

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scene of operations and the public mind kept in a state of agitation on this subject. Even while the trials were going on in Canandaigua a handbill was circulated, "that the body of Morgan was on its way, fish-eaten, ironed, gagged, etc.," but nothing was found, and after May and June it was admitted that the body, if there, must have fallen to pieces.

But now new food was supplied the public appetite, and for a few days Orleans county was alive with intelligence. At Oak Orchard Harbor, forty miles east of Niagara River, a body was found on Sunday morning, October 7, 1827, which at once was accepted as that of William Morgan. It was in a frightful condition, horrible to eye and nostril, and the carrion birds were preparing to pounce on it, when some per- sons watering their horses, discovered the body and gave the alarm. The coroner was summoned and, assisted by a jury of twenty-four persons, performed his duty. De- scription of the body : "Length, 5 feet, 10. No scars or noticeable marks. About 46 years of age. Remains of heavy whiskers and thick hair on the head. Teeth of ordinary character and sound. Package of religious tracts in pocket. Verdict, found drowned. Body decently coffined and interred."

Newspaper notices of the affair were made as usual. One of these fell under the eye of Thurlow Weed. His instant decision was that the body was that of William Morgan. Collecting a number of persons who had known Morgan, he hastened to the spot, and on October 13 the body was taken up and removed to Carlton. Mrs. Morgan was sent for and came in company with a number of friends. On Monday morning the little village was thronged with visitors. Another coroner, one Robert M. Brown, was employed who, with his twenty-four jurymen, opened the coffin and in- spected the body, which was now " black, bloated, putrid and offensive beyond any- thing conceivable." By this time the bunch of whiskers had disappeared (for Morgan wore no whiskers). All the hair from the top of his head had been removed (for Mor- gan was a bald man). The ears were filled with long white hairs (for Morgan's ears were thus adorned). But none of the witnesses on the first inquest were questioned. Mrs. Morgan, after a hasty glance at the carrion, turned away and signed a sworn statement, "that she was fully convinced in her own mind that this was her hus- band."

Coroner's verdict : "That the said William Morgan came to his death by drowning."

So a grand funeral prosession was formed in which representatives from every town- ship in Orleans county participated; and right through that Goshen of Western New York, along the lanes that were sweet with ripe apples, and past houses where little boys, playing, asked their mothers the meaning of the ceremony, and through the upper half of Genesee county, went the crowd loudly proclaiming that Morgan was found at last, and the mystery was solved. Circular notices were scattered on the wind de- nouncing his murderers, and throwing out horrid threats against the Free Masons. One James Cochrane occupied the steps of the Court House and made a funeral sermon. But the principal citizens of Batavia, both Masons and anti-Masons, refused to give credence to the supposed discovery, and in a very few days more the truth was brought to light. The body was that of Timothy Munroe, a resident on the Canada shore, opposite Fort Niagara, who had been drowned while crossing the river (September 24), two 22

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weeks before the Oak Orchard developments. His wife and son, seeing the newspaper accounts, came to Orleans county and thoroughly identified the clothing, boots, tracts, etc. Going on to Batavia, a third inquest was held, the body being again exhumed, and the matter established beyond all controversy by the verdict, "This is the body of Timothy Munroe, who was drowned in the Niagara River, September 26, 1827."

But these things have passed away. Not a person is left who participated in either of those three examinations. A third generation is occupying the land thus strangely agitated. Free Masonry has revived and hard feelings we may have entertained are forgotten. But let it stand on record in Orleans county, that the principles of Masonry neither justify murder nor abduction; that all our dealings with William Morgan were for his benefit, as well as our own security ; that the course pursued with him was under counsel of the wisest and most prudent men of the day, and that to his own breach of contract is due all that is of mystery and uncertainty in the whole affair.

In this connection it is proper to quote the following preamble and resolutions from the minutes of Genesee Commandery No. 10, K. T., then located at Le Roy and now at Lockport, under date of April 20, 1827.

WHEREAS, The principles of national and personal rights secured to us by our fore- fathers are the best calculated to secure the peace and happiness of mankind; and, whereas, in a firm adhesion to these principles depend the welfare and safety of indi- viduals and our government; and, whereas, the great principles first taught in our insti- tutions are "Thy first homage thou owest to the deity ; the second to the authority of civil society ; honor the father of the State; love thy country, be religiously scrupulous in fulfilling all the duties of a good citizen ;" therefore

Resolved, That the duty we owe to those principles is paramount to all others, and any deviation from them meets with our entire disapprobation ;

Resolved, That the late outrages perpetrated on the person and property of William Morgan and David C. Miller are a violation of the laws of our country and this institu- tion, and that we will hold any member of this order who will not use all lawful means to discover the fate of the said William Morgan and bring the perpetrators thereof to justice, as an unworthy member and one who ought to be expelled.

Resolved, That we as a body disclaim any knowledge or participation in these un- paralleled outrages ;

Resolved, That we disapprove the conduct of the editors of public journals, who have refused or neglected to publish any facts in their knowledge, respecting those outrages, and who have endeavored to palliate them by publishing falsehoods and vague reports ;

Resolved, That we approve the independent stand of those editors who have published all the facts within their knowledge in regard to the Morgan affair, and that we will cordially support them in their efforts to promote the end of public justice.

Resolved, That John Hascall, C. A. Smith. and T. D. Moore be a committee to corre- spond with other committees to discover the fate of the said William Morgan and bring the guilty to punishment ;

Resolved, That these proceedings be published in the Le Roy Gazette.

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The first revival of Free Masonry in Orleans county took place in the latter part of the year 1843, when seventeen brethren, nearly all probably members of Fredonia Lodge No. 246, signed and forwarded to the Grand Lodge, stating substantially that they were residents of the towns of Clarendon, Murray and Kendall ; were Master Masons and had been in good standing; that no lodge existed nearer than thirty or forty miles of them ; that "the times are propitious ; anti-Masonry is dead. The acrimony of our fiercest enemies has subsided into apathy ;" and that therefore they were desirous of forming a new lodge in the town of Murray, to be called Renovation. The signers further stated that in hope of a favorable reply to the petition, they had elected Aretas Haskell, first master ; Elijah W. Wood, first senior warden, and Jeremiah Avery, first junior warden. The warrant was issued June 8, 1844, to the above named officers, excepting that Aaron Baldwin was made junior warden, and the lodge was called Renovation No. 97. The first meeting was held April 1, 1844. The records of the Grand Lodge show that Joseph Nixon, said to be a Knight Templar, installed the officers of Renovation Lodge on August 12, 1844. It appears as far as records show, that meetings of the lodge were not held very fre- quently for some time, nor with regularity ; the place of meeting for installation was at Sandy Creek. Meetings were held at other points- in . Medina, August 13, 1846; at Eagle Harbor in 1850, and after August, 1850, in Albion ; on December 8, 1845, E. W. Wood was elected master ; Abel Baldwin, senior warden, and S. Lewis, junior war- den ; on November 30, 1846, the following officers were elected :

Elijah W.Wood, master ; Alexander Coon, senior warden ; Silas Knapp, junior warden ; Oren Britt, treasurer; Levi Davis, secretary ; C. C. Phelps, senior deacon ; B. F. Tow- ner, junior deacon ; Isaac Knapp, and Ora Lee, stewards.

In 1848 the officers were the same as during the preceding year, ex- cept secretary.

The next record of election gives the following officers for December 4, 1848 :

Silas Knapp, master ; Alexander Coon, senior warden ; B. F. Towner, junior warden ; Oren Britt, treasurer ; Isaac Knapp, secretary ; C. C. Phelps, senior deacon ; H. Farwell, junior deacon ; H. N. Beers and Joseph Nixon, stewards ; S. T. Grummond tiler.

The record for 1850 is not given, but the officers were as follows :

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Elijah W. Wood, master; C, C. Phelps, senior warden ; L. Pullman, junior warden ; L. D. Spaulding, treasurer ; W. H. Drew, secretary.

The officers elected December 16, 1850, were :

Elijah W Wood, master ; W. H. Drew, senior warden; Lewis Pullman, junior war- den ; L. D. Spaulding, treasurer ; Charles A. Danolds, secretary.

On December 8, 1851, the following officers were elected :

William H. Drew, master; Lewis Pullman, senior warden; Lorenzo Spaulding, junior warden ; Elijah W. Wood, treasurer ; Ozias S. Church, secretary.

On December 20, 1852, the following were elected :

William H. Drew, master; Lewis Pullman, senior warden; J. Downs, junior war- den ; J. Starkweather, treasurer ; A. G. Beebe, secretary.

On December 12, 1853, the following were elected :

Elijah W. Wood, master; S. F. Benjamin, senior warden; A. J. Weeks, junior war- den ; John Young treasurer ; E. R. Tanner. secretary.

On the records of February 6, 1854, appears the following :

" The undersigned would respectfully state that we wish to withdraw from this lodge for the purpose of organizing a lodge at Medina. Silas Knapp, Isaac Knapp, P. D. Beecher, Curtis Barnes, S. F. Benjamin."

Permission of withdrawal was granted, and on March 13, 1854, similar consent was given to request for withdrawal from H. N. Beers, S. T. Grummond, James Sheppard, and C. Ashton. This led to the organization of Medina Lodge No. 336, noticed a little further on. The masters of Renovation Lodge No. 97, from and including 1854 to the present time, have been as follows :

Elijah W. Wood, 1854; A. J. Weeks, 1855 ; Elias Beach, 1856-57 ; E. R. Tanner, 1858; George Mather, 1859-63, and 1868, 1872 and 1873; Orlando Hardy, 1864; Wil- lard H. Storms, 1865 ; George W. Barrell, 1866 and 1876-79; Thomas Bell, 1867, and 1869-71; Samuel H. Taylor, 1874-75 ; Albert S. Warner, 1880-81; Alexander Hayes, 1882-84; Samuel R. Cochrane, 1885 ; Charles D. Ross, 1886-89; Gurdon W. Fitch, 1890-92; W. Crawford Ramsdale, 1893-94.

The officers for 1894 are as follows :

W. Crawford Ramsdale, W. M .; Lyman S. Linson, S. W .; Byron V. Botsford, J. W .; George S. Hutchinson, treasurer; Alph H. Sears, secretary ; Orville H. Taylor, S. D .; Wells D. English, J. D .; Charles E. Hart, S. M. C .; William D. English, J. M. C .; Rev. F. S. Dunham, chaplain ; John B. Bordwell, organist ; R. O. Smith, tiler.

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Medina Lodge No. 356. On the IIth of January, 1854, the following Master Masons petitioned for a dispensation to organize a lodge with the above name :

Samuel F. Benjamin, Curtis Barnes, Peyton D. Beecher, H. Beecher, H. M. Beers, William Bidleman, Silas Knapp, Isaac Knapp, James Sheppard, S. T. Grummond, Ira Barnes, John W. Culver, Alexander Coon, and Jeremiah Brown.

The petition was recommended by Cataract Lodge No. 295, of Middleport, and granted February 1, 1854, with the following officers :

Samuel F. Benjamin master; Curtis Barnes, senior warden ; Peyton D. Beecher, junior warden.

At the annual communication of the Grand Lodge for 1854 a warrant was granted to Medina Lodge No. 336, the warrant being dated June 20.

Following are the officers of this lodge for 1894:

Everett M. Baker, W. M .; Irving L'Hommedieu, S. W .; Henry Pease, J. W .; George W. Frary, treasurer; George A. Newell, secretary ; Edward W. Tripp, S. D .; Edward E. Crook, J. D .; Louis E. Henion, S. M. C .; George S. Helenbolt, J. M. C .; Peter F. Hevenor, tiler.

The following are lists of the masters, senior wardens, and junior wardens since the formation of this lodge :

Masters-Samuel F. Benjamin, 1854-55; Silas Knapp, 1856; Christopher Whaley, 1857-58; Benjamin C. Blake, 1859-60; Christopher Whaley, 1861-62-63; Ira Barnes, 1864; Benjamin C. Blake, 1865; Samuel F. Benjamin, 1866; Benjamin C. Blake, 1867; Homer Belding, 1868; William H. Watson, 1869; Jacob Gorton, 1870; Benjamin C. Blake, 1871; Henry A. Childs, 1872-73-74 ; Lyman F. Zimmerman, 1875 ; Samuel C. Brownell, 1876-77 ; Edmund L. Pitts, 1878-79; George A Newell, 1880; Henry A. Childs, 1881 ; Edward Posson, 1882-83-84 ; William P. Tanner, 1885 ; Ed- ward Posson, 1886-87-88-89 ; Francis Barker, 1890; John Cunningham, 1891; Edwin B. Simonds, 1892 ; Everett M. Baker, 1893.

Senior Wardens-Curtis Barnes, 1854-55 ; Christopher Whaley, 1856; Benjamin C. Blake, 1857; Ira Barnes, 1858; William C. Brown, 1859-60; George C. Cook, 1861; George F. Welch, 1862; John Allen 1863; M. L. Barrett, 1864; Christopher Whaley, 1865; Nelson Deline, 1866; George Ward, 1867; William C. Brown, 1868-69; I. Morris Knapp, 1870; Erwin A. Bowen, 1871; Lyman F. Zimmerman, 1872-73-74 ; Samuel C. Brownell, 1875; Edmund L. Pitts, 1876-77 ; Jacob Gorton, 1878; George A. Newell, 1879; Edward Posson, 1880 ; John T. Cothran, 1881 ; William P. Tanner, 1882-83-84; George Snaith, 1885-86; Francis Barker, 1887-88 ; John Cunningham 1889 ; Edwin B. Simonds, 1890; Everett M. Baker, 1891. 92 ; Irving L'Hommedieu, 1893'

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Junior Wardens-Peyton D. Beecher, 1854; John W. Graves, 1855; Benjamin C. Blake, 1856; Ira Barnes, 1857; William C. Brown, 1858; J. T. Rindge. 1859; George C. Cook, 1860; R. J. Bordwell, 1861; M. S. Barrett, 1862 ; A. J. Fay, 1863 ; John N. Sherwood, 1864; George Ward, 1865; George H. Alford, 1866; D. A. Van Wie, 1867; Silas A. Snell, 1868 ; Jacob Gorton, 1869; Henry A. Childs, 1870; N. G. Brown, 1871; Samuel C. Brownell, 1872-73-74; Edmund L. Pitts, 1875 ; Myron S. Newell, 1876-77 ; George Schemerhorn, 1878; Edward Posson, 1879; John C. Thurston, 1880; William P. Tanner, 1881; George Snaith, 1882.83-84 ; Francis Barker, 1885-86; John Cun- ningham, 1887-88 ; Frank R. Downs, 1889; Everett M. Baker, 1890; Irving L'Homme- dieu, 1891-92 ; Henry Pease, 1893.

Murray Lodge No. 380, F. & A. M., was organized in the village of Holley May 16, 1855, and received its charter in June following. The number of charter members was twenty, and the first officers as fol- lows: D. D. Sprague, W. M .; O. Hardy, S. W .; George N. Bowman, J. W. In the fire of October 25, 1866, the lodge lost all of its prop- erty, but it was fully insured. Again in July, 1874, fire destroyed the lodge property at a loss of $600, the charter being burned. The offi- cers of the lodge for 1894 are as follows :

George H. Sheffield, worshipful master; Henry J. Buell, senior warden; Courtney P. King, junior warden ; George N. Bowman, treasurer ; Hiram B. Joslyn, secretary ; Alfred M. Potter, senior deacon; Bruce B. Atkins, junior deacon; William A. Bissell, senior master of ceremonies; David H. Partridge, junior master of ceremonies; S. Fisk Manly, tiler; Rev. A. D. Abrams, chaplain; Webster E. Howard, marshal.

Yates Lodge No. 675, F. & A. M., Lyndonville, worked under a dis- pensation from October 29, 1867, to June 20, 1868, when a charter was obtained with Noah Shepardson, W. M. The masters of this lodge have been :

S. G. Johnson, 1869 ; Uriel Timmerman, 1870, 1874, 1878-79; A. B. Fisk, 1871, 1873, 1875-76, 1892; Joseph S. Spalding, 1872, 1877; George A. Waterbury, 1880- 81, 1885-86, 1889, 1893-94; Morell Dates, 1887; H. B. Fuller, 1890-91.

The lodge has now 150 members. The officers of this lodge for 1894 are as follows :

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Landmarks of Orleans County, New York, Part 17

Author: Signor, Isaac S., ed Publication date: 1894 Publisher: Syracuse : D. Mason Number of Pages: 1084

Author: Signor, Isaac S., ed
Publication date: 1894
Publisher: Syracuse : D. Mason
Number of Pages: 1084