History of the city of Columbus, capital of Ohio, Volume II, Part 102

Author: Lee, Alfred Emory, 1838-; W. W. Munsell & Co
Publication date: 1892
Publisher: New York and Chicago : Munsell & Co.
Number of Pages: 1196

USA > Ohio > Franklin County > Columbus > History of the city of Columbus, capital of Ohio, Volume II > Part 102

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Resolved, that this Encampment pay out of any funds in the Treasury a reasonable com- pensation to Sir John Snow for instructing Sirs E. Griswold and B. Latham members of this Encampment, in the lectures so as to enable us to perform the ceremonies of conferring the degrees of Knighthood with propriety, and that all the necessary expenses incurred by said Sir Knights while acquiring the same be paid also by this Encampment.

Later we find thirty dollars were voted for this purpose which were declined by Sir Knight Snow in an affectionate address.

The rules, regulations, statutes and by-laws were very elastic along in 1825. In January of this year we find the following : " On motion, unanimously resolved that the by-laws of this Encampment, so far as relates to the admission of candi- dates, be dispensed with." About this time it was a charming exhibition of knightly courtesy to make the Sir Knight recommending a companion the com- mittec of investigation. During all the period which we have traversed the fees for the orders were $25. In 1825, at the May meeting, General George Sanderson was elected. He for many years lived in Lancaster, where he died and was buried with knightly honors a few years since. He was one of the charter members

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of Lancaster Encampment in 1837. At this meeting the Recorder was allowed ten dollars per annum for the faithful discharge of his duties; also ordered that the reasonable expenses of Sir Bela Latham and Sir Ezra Griswold be paid from the funds of the Encampment so long as they shall continue to discharge the laborious duties of Prelate and Junior Warden.

On December 23, 1825, Thomas Corwin applied for the orders of Knighthood and with Charles R. Sherman was elected January 12, 1826. Charles R. Sherman was the father of Senator John Sherman and General W. T. Sherman. Thomas Corwin was subsequently Governor of Ohio and one of the most distinguished or- ators of the country. Both also became Grand Masters of Ohio. Corwin was first commander of Reed Commandery at Dayton. At this meeting an application for an encampment at Chillicothe was presented by several Sir Knights of Chillicothe ; also a similar petition from Sir Knights of Lebanon and the vicinity for the establishment of an encampment at Lebanon, Ohio. At the next meeting the pe- titions of the Knights of Chillicothe and Lebanon were taken up and on motion of Sir Bela Latham their petitions were favorably endorsed. This seems to have been the last of these matters so far as Chillicothe was concerned. Henry Brush was knighted. At the meeting in February, 1826, a report was made to the Gen- eral Grand Encampment whence it appears fiftytwo Knights had been made since the organization of Mount Vernon Encampment. There had been ten admissions by affiliation and the indebtedness of Mount Vernon Encampment to the General Grand Encampment was $94. At the meeting January 3, 1827, nine petitions

were presented for the orders which shows a great interest had been awakened on the subject of Masonic knighthood. On February 22, 1827, the election of officers occurred. Affairs proceeded in the usual manner, with new candidates at each meeting, until September 12, 1827, when the storm of anti-Masonic excite- ment burst, and for three years no records of any meetings are found. At the last meeting, Highland Hurlburd and William T. Snow were elected, and Otto M. Her- ron and Joseph Grubb were knighted.

Here follows a gap, or interregnum, of three years. The first shock of the battle was past, and a meeting was held May 22, 1830. " The old Guard was there," with John Snow at the head, and with him were James Kilbourn and Levi Pinney, who had worked all these years since they petitioned as Royal Arch Masons for this encampment. At this meeting William J. Reese, of Lancaster, and William Nilly petitioned for and received the orders of Knighthood, and the same night were elected officers of the encampment. We append the roster : Com- mander, M. E. Sir John Snow ; Generalissimo, E. Sir Ezra Griswold ; Captain-Gen- eral. E. Sir Daniel Upson ; Prelate, E. Sir Bela Latham ; Sen. Warden, Sir Levi Pinney ; Junior Warden, Sir Jonathan M. Smith ; Treasurer, Sir Potter Wright ; Recorder, Sir Joseph Seely ; Swordbearer, Sir John Noble ; Standardbearer, Sir W. J. Reese ; Warder, Sir George Sanderson ; Guard, Sir William Nilly.

The rest is silence for eleven years. When next the encampment was opened on June 3, 1841, of the officers elected at the last mecting only Ezra Griswold, Bela Latham, Joseph Seeley, Potter Wright and Levi Pinney appear. William J. Reese was at that time serving as the Captain-General of the General Grand En- campment of the United States. He had issued a summons to the members of Worthington Encampment to meet, elect officers, and proceed to business. Mr. Reese, at this period, is said to have been one of the most impressive workmen in the rites of the order. He was tall and very erect, with a decided military air, great dignity and very graceful diction. lle was a scholar, and in all points a perfect speci - men of the gentleman of the old school. His work was done before the era of the templar uniform, but he was always as faultlessly dressed in the Masonic hall as ever at any evening reception. John Barney was Commander pro tem. Officers were elect- ed as follows : Sir John Barney, Commander ; Sir Ezra Griswold, Generalissimo; Sir

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Bela Latham, Captain-General; Sir James Donahoo, Prelate ; Sir J. W. Copeland, Senior Warden ; Sir Levi Pinney, Junior Warden ; Sir Potter Wright, Treasurer ; Sir Joseph Leiby, Recorder; Sir Caleb Howard, Standardbearer ; Sir S. Ivanus Baldwin, Swordbearer; Sir George Copeland, Warder; Sir B. F. Willey, Guard. John W. Milligan was proposed for the orders and, as ever before, under brighter skies, the encampment " disbanded in good harmony."

The next meeting was held in October, 1842, and the next in April, 1843. At this meeting the fees were reduced to the lowest constitutional limit, $20, and the officers were reelected.

On February 22, 1844, we read the following note; "On motion of Sir Knight Levi Pinney, Sir Knights Richard Stadden, G. M. Herancourt, William B. Hubbard and James Dalzill were unanimously admitted and recognized as mem- bers of this Encampment." William B. Hubbard, who was to exert so great an influence upon the fortunes of Templarism, was elected Generalissimo of Mount Vernon Encampment at this meeting and Bela Latham its Commander. Hub- bard attained the highest position in the General Grand Encampment, and Bela Latham became the Second Grand Commander of the Grand Encampment of Ohio. He died occupying that station after his reelection in 1847. At this meet- ing it was unanimously resolved to accept the order of the Grand Encampment made at its late communication at Lancaster authorizing and empowering this encampment to hold its place of meeting a portion of the year at Columbus and a portion of the year at Worthington, Ohio ; " and furthur resolved unanimously that the next meeting of this encampment, and until further notice, be beld in Mason's Hall in the city of Columbus. It was moved that the officers of this Encampment take such part of the furniture of the said Encampment as may be wanted at Columbus. On motion, adjourned to meet at Columbus on Saturday evening next."

Mount Vernon Encampment never returned to Worthington to hold another meeting. At Worthington sixtytwo candidates were knighted and ten were affil- iated, making a total of seventytwo. John Snow had been commander from 1818 until 1830. Frederick A. Curtis disappears after the first meeting, and we have already seen that Webb was dead when the charter was issued. Evidently the transference of the encampment from Worthington to Columbus (this we read between the lines) was not accomplished without heartburnings, for, on February 24, 1844, Bela Latham, the Commander, was authorized and empowered to adopt such measures as seemed to him expedient to procure for the use of this encamp- ment the residue of the swords, flags, banners, and other insignia and property belonging of " wright " to this encampment. On motion it was resolved to have the Recorder procure a copy of the order authorizing the removing of this encampment from Worthington to Columbus for a portion of the time. At the first meeting in Columbus we find that ten companions petitioned for the Tem- plar orders, not one of whom is now living. Mount Vernon Commandery came to Columbus from Worthington on horseback and by night to avoid an injunction, for at that time Worthington had many who relied on the legal injunction to set- tle Masonic matters.

The year 1844 was a year of great activity in Mount Vernon Commandery. Twentyseven meetings were held during the year after February 24. Up to this time we have found no blackball cast, and the only thing which shows the worldly- mindedness of the Knights and an increasing love of filthy lucre is found in their refusal to confer the orders on preachers any longer gratuitously, a thing con- stantly done in the early history of the encampment. It is worthy of notice that although Mount Vernon Encampment never again met in Worthington after its removal to Columbus under the permission of the Grand Encampment, the com- mittee on by-laws reported August 16, 1844, the following relative to meetings :

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" The stated regular meetings of this Encampment shall be held on the third Tuesday of August and February, semi-annually, alternately in Columbus and Worthington." At a meeting held May 19, 1847, the following resolution was passed :

Resolved that this Encampment recommend to the Grand Master of the Grand Encamp- ment of Ohio the granting of letters of dispensation to the following Sir Knights to wit : John P. Worstell, Platt Benedict, Adam Poe, John P. Dunnan, Joseph Hildreth, John Mere- dith, William S. Harris, Thomas Clark, second, William H. Newton, George W. Horne, Kimhall Porter, and H. Humphrey to organize a Council of Red Cross and an Encampment of Knights Templar and Knights of Malta to be held in the town of Toledo, Lucas County, Ohio, and that we are fully convinced that the granting of such letters will greatly conduce to the best interests of the order, and that the Sir Knights abovenamed possess undaunted courage and fortitude, soldiers well trained and zealous and panoplied with the armor of Christian virtues.

Resolved that we coneur in the name selected by said Sir Knights, viz, Toledo Encamp- ment Number Seven.

See how these brethren love one another, and this from Columbus to Toledo !

The Grand Lodge of Ohio has, it seems from these records, had its fads before " Masonic widows' and orphans' homes " claimed its attention. On December 26, 1846, we meet the minute of a circular from a committee of the Grand Lodge of Ohio on the subject of establishing a Masonic School, which was read and referred to Sir Knights Thrall, Latham and Donahoo. The committee buried it as far as we can learn. An item of interest is the banquet upon this occasion, at which refreshments were served at a cost of 873 cents for a Red Cross meeting. W. B. Thrall, afterward Grand Commander of Ohio, appeared in Mount Vernon Encampment May 30, 1846, was made a member by affiliation August 28, 1847, and elected commander on the same day, succeeding Bela Latham, who was first elected February 22, 1844.

In 1857 we find the following note : " A communication was received from the Grand Master of Knights Templar for the United States which was referred to a committee consisting of Sir Knights William Savage, Woodbury and John Stone with instructions to report at a special meeting in two weeks from this evening." The Recorder was directed to issue a summons to every member to be present. Twentysix are recorded as having responded. The matter considered was the withdrawal of Ohio from its allegiance to the general Grand Encampment of the United States. This action of the Grand Encampment of Ohio is of interest to Mount Vernon Commandery mainly because William B. Thrall, so long its com- mander, headed the rebellion in the Grand Encampment at Hartford. The Gen- eral Grand Encampment held in 1856 changed its constitution so far as the names of the subordinate Grand bodies were concerned, by calling them commanderies instead of encampments, reserving the term encampment for itself alone. The names of the officers were also changed. The Grand Encampment, which some had supposed must end from its own inherent constitution, took on new life and became permanent. This caused a great commotion in Ohio, and something of a storm in Indiana, but in no way to be compared to that in Ohio. Where William B. Hub- bard was best known there was the intensest feeling shown. Horace M. Stokes, Grand Master of Ohio, was on the committee with William B. Thrall, which reported the resolution adopted by the Grand Encampment of Ohio declaring non-allegiance.

William B. Hubbard was a proud, earnest and very talented Mason. He had very high regard for the dignity of the position which he held and adorned for twelve years. It can be truthfully said that Templarism in the United States owes more of its present prosperity and respectability to William B. Hubbard

Conrad Bon for

PHOTOGRAPHED BY BAKER,

Residence of Conrad Born, Jr., 588 South Front Street, built in 1869.

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than to any other man living or dead. The above cited episode aroused great bitterness of feeling, and doubtless had no small influence in shaping the course of Ohio under the lead of Thrall and Stokes, both of whom were Past Grand Mas- ters of the Grand Lodge of Ohio. For keen, cutting, bitter controversial writing, by men who could use the English language with all the " vim and vigor " in it, we commend as a model the protest of Lancaster Comandery Number Two, written by William J. Reese, found in the appendix to the proceedings of the Grand Encampment of Ohio, 1857. This was a special communication of the Grand Encampment of Ohio, at which William B. Hubbard appeared, and we think fully vindicated the position of the Grand Encampment of the United States. This meeting, which was held in Columbus, chronicles the first appearance of Enoch T. Carson in the Grand Commandery of Ohio. This trouble was not adjusted for many years, and during all this time members of Mount Vernon Com- mandery were conspicuous as leaders of the rebellion. When we read the reports, charges and countercharges, and the discussions of the " giants in those days," the whole matter seems much like a " tempest in a teapot."

The following Grand Masters of the Grand Lodge of Ohio, F. & A. M., were members of Mount Vernon Encampment: 1813, Henry Brush, knighted July, 1826; 1818, Chester Griswold, knighted March 20, 1818; 1819-23-29, John Snow, knighted ; 1824, Charles R. Sherman, knighted January, 1826; 1826, Samuel Wheeler, knighted January, 1823; 1827, John M. Goodenow, knighted January, 1823; 1828, Thomas Corwin, knighted January, 1826; 1830, William Fielding, knighted February, 1824; 1831, John Satterthwaite, knighted Jannary, 1823 ; 1833, Timothy Parker, knighted December, 1821; 1834-42, William J. Reese, knighted May, 1830; 1843-46, William B. Thrall; 1850, William B. Hubbard ; 1866, Thomas Sparrow ; 18 -- , William M. Cunningham. The following Grand High Priests were also members of this encampment : Henry Sage, William J. Reese, William B. Thrall, William B. Hubbard.

The Commanders of Mount Vernon Commandery, since its organization, were : 1818-41, John Snow ; 1841-43, John Barney ; 1843-47, Bela Latham ; 1847-52, Wil- liam B. Thrall ; 1852-53, William M. Savage; 1853-54, William B. Thrall ; 1854-55, D. T. Woodbury ; 1855 57 Dwight Stone ; 1857 59, William B. Thrall ; 1859-61, B. F. Martin ; 1861-65, Thomas Sparrow ; 1865-66, J. M. Stuart ; 1866-67, William A. Her- shiser ; 1867-68, W. S. Phares ; 1868-69, A. B. Robinson ; 1869-70, Thomas Sparrow ; 1870-71, Samuel M. Hotchkiss ; 1871-73, J. M. Stuart; 1873-74, Edward Morrell : 1874-75, B. F. Rees; 1875-76, James H. Cushing ; 1876-78, A. B. Robinson ; 1878-79, H. O'Kane; 1879.80, O. A. B. Senter; 1880-81, G. A. Frambes; 1881-82, C. S. Ammel ; 1882-83, R. R. Rickly, 1883-84, R. T. King; 1884-85, W. O'Harra ; 1885-86, J. T. Harris; 1886-87, J. T. Arnett; 1887-88, J. P. McCune ; 1888-89, W. H. Darrah ; 1889-90, D. N. Kinsman ; 1890 91, L. E. Valentine ; 1891-92, George L. Hamrick.

Mount Vernon Commandery has been represented in the Grand Encampment of the United States as follows : W. B. Hubbard as General Grand Master, and John Snow as General Grand Generalissimo.

Grand Commanders of Ohio, Bela Latham, 1845-46-47; W. B. Thrall, 1850 ; Deputy Grand Commanders, Thomas Sparrow, 1859-60-61-68-69-70; Thomas Orr, 1853; William A. Hershiser, 1867 : Grand Generalissimo, O. A. B. Senter, 1886, 1887 ; Joseph M. Stuart, 1872; Grand Captain-General, James H. Cushing, 1871, J. P. McCune, 1892; Grand Prelate, John Barney, 1843; James T. Donahoo, 1845 ; Zachariah Connell, 1857-58-59-62-63-64-65; Grand Senior Warden, Leander Ransom, 1844 ; Isaac Davis, 1845-46-47 ; Platt Benedict, 1849; J. W. Milligan, 1851 ; Grand Junior Warden, Doctor L. Woodbury, 1852; Grand Treasurer, Timothy Griffith, 1846-47-48-49.

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HISTORY OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS.

Mount Vernon Commandery was the first Commandery organized west of the Mountains. At her altars have knelt postulants from all sections of Ohio, and as far south as Granada and Natchez, Mississippi. " Dispensated " in 1818, which was 49 years after the first Knight Templar was made in St. Andrew's Lodge, in Boston, Massachusetts, its history now covers threefifths of that of the Templar order. Around it raged all the anti-Masonic excitement which followed William Morgan's abduction in 1826 ; for New York, Pennsylvania and Ohio, after Ver- mont, partieipated more in this excitement than any other States in the Union. Its altar fires, extinguished in 1827, were again rekindled in 1830 with a fitful blaze which expired after having illuminated William J. Reese with its dying gleams. Reese became afterward one of the most influential Templars in Ohio, and again revived the encampment. For a period of eleven years, or until 1841, Mount Vernon Commandery has no records of any meetings. If there were any they must have been held in that famous openair lodge, which Masonie tradition says was held in a low valley, while the anti-Masonie storm swept the country. Tra- dition is that tylers were hidden behind rocksand perched in treetops to observe the approach of "Cowans and caves droppers " during a long period, and that the meetings of New England Lodge could not be safely held in their regular lodge- room but they met in a certain eave location now lost. The records are silent on this point, nor do they give any indication, in 1827, or 1830, nor yet in 1841, why the craft was so long idle. Upon its removal to Columbus, Mount Vernon Command- ery entered upon a career of prosperity. Year after year, in the lengthening list of Templars made, we can trace the griefs and joys of the community in the ebb and flow of Templar enthusiasm. In 1862 one Templar was created, and in 1863 two. The valiant souls whose members recruit the Templar army, were at the front ready to " do or die " in the cause of humanity, and amid smoke and flame to "seal their faith."

So far as can be ascertained the Templar degree was first regularly conferred in a Masonic body in August, 1769. It was done in and by Saint Andrew's Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons in the city of Boston, Massachusetts. The modern heresy that the Blue Lodges can know nothing of the Masonie regularity of the " higher grades " of Masonry had not risen. The Red Cross degrees were not at that time a prerequisite to the order of the Temple, nor is it in England to-day. The present series of degrees in the Commandery was formed as early as 1783, for in an old diploma of that date issued by St. Andrew's Lodge, Number One, Ancient Masons, we find the following order: "Knight of the Red Cross, XXX Knight Templar, Knight Hosplar, Knight of Rhodes and Malta."

The General Grand Encampment of the United States was organized in the City of New York by the following named bodies, which formed and ratified a constitution for the government of Templars in the year 1816: Boston Encamp- ment, Boston, Massachusetts ; St. John's Encampment, Providence, Rhode Island ; Ancient Encampment, New York, New York ; Temple Encampment, Albany, New York ; Montgomery Encampment, Stillwater, New York ; St. Paul's En- campment, Newburyport, New York; Newport Encampment, Newport, Rhode Island; Darius Encampment, Portland, Maine. Not a single State organization participated. The following were officers of this body: Dewitt Clinton, New York, General Grand Master; Thomas Smith Neff, Boston, Deputy General Grand Master; Henry Fowle, Boston, General Grand Generalissimo ; Ezra Ames, Albany, General Grand Captain General ; Rev. Paul Dean, Boston, Gen- eral Grand Prelate ; Martin Hoffman, New York, General Grand Senior Warden ; John Carlisle, Providence, General Grand Junior Warden ; Peter Grinnel, Providence, General Grand Treasurer ; John J. Loring, New York, General Grand Recorder; Thomas Lounds, New York, General Grand Warder; John

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Snow, Providence, General Grand Standardbearer ; Jonathan S. Chriffilm, New York, General Grand Sword-Bearer.

On September 17, 1841, the General Grand Encampment of the United States issued its warrant to Robert Punshon for the establishment of the Grand Encampment of Ohio. In the organization of this body, which took place in 1843, five subordinate commanderies participated, to wit : Mount Vernon, Num ber One, located at Worthington, Ohio, dispensation for this body was issued March 14, 1818, the charter was issued September 16, 1819, and the organization under the charter was made January 27, 1820 ; Lancaster Commandery, Number Two, located at Lancaster, Ohio, whose charter was voted December 9, 1835, and issned in December, 1837, was organized April 4, 1838 ; Cincinnati Commandery Number Three, located at Cincinnati, Ohio, dispensation granted in 1840, chartered September 17, 1841 ; Massillon, Number Four, located at Massillon, Ohio, dispensation issued by William J. Reese, July 5, 1843, chartered October 5, 1844; Clinton, Number Five, located at Mount Vernon, Ohio; dispensation granted by William J. Reese, July 22, 1843. date of charter not at hand. All these bodies were known as encampments until the year 1862, when we find the term commandery taking the place of encampment. This change was proposed in 1858.

In 1826, a dispensation had been issued for the establishment of a com. mandery at Lebanon, Ohio, but this body had become extinct at the organization of the Grand Encampment of Ohio. We find that Mount Vernon Commandery had consented to its establishment in 1825, as well as the founding of an encamp- ment at Chillicothe which was not done until many years after.

Symbolic or Blue Lodge Masonry in Columbus .- There have been six Blue or Symbolic Lodges of Free and Accepted Masons organized in Columbus, Ohio Lodge, Number 30, was organized in 1815, and became extinct in 1836. Colnm- bus Lodge, Number 30, which arose upon the ruins of Ohio Lodge, was organized in 1841. In 1847 Magnolia, Number 20, was chartered and it took its number, 20, from a lodge which had become extinct at Belpre, Ohio. It was the custom for new lodges to assume the numbers of extinct lodges, so that precedence in num- ber is no evidence of seniority among the lodges in Ohio previous to the year 1850. There is no better evidence of the evil times on which Masonry entered, from 1826 to 1840, than the number of lodges which had ceased work. Goodale Lodge, Number 372, was organized in 1866. Humboldt, a German lodge, was organized in 1871. Within the year 1890 this lodge began to work in the English language. The four lodges now working are prosperous and harmonious. York Lodge, Number-, was organized in 1891. Ohio Lodge, Number 30, was instituted in Franklinton, Ohio on the eleventh day of June, 1815. Its charter members were: Abner Lord, first Master ; John Kerr, first Senior Warden ; Alexander Morrison, first Junior Warden ; Lincoln Goodale, Treasurer ; Joel Buttles, Secre- tary ; Benjamin Gardiner, Senior Deacon : Horace Walcott, Junior Deacon ; Caleb Huston, and James Kooken, Stewards; Samuel Shannon, Tyler. To these men were committed the interests of Freemasonry in Columbus seventyfive years ago. They were worthy of the trust. The other members of the lodge were : Benja- min Pike, A. B. Washburn, Onesimus Whittaker, all of whom were present at the constitution of Ohio Lodge.

The first man who was " raised" in this new lodge was Gustavus Swan. This took place October 16, 1815. The records show that his interest in the affairs of the lodge was active until his death. Eleven other Master Masons were made in Franklinton, the last of whom was Abram I. McDowell, the father of the late Major-General Irwin McDowell, who was born within the limits of the present city of Columbus. Abram I. MeDowell became Master of Ohio Lodge and con- ferred the symbolic degrees upon John L. Gill in 1828. William Armstrong had

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History of the city of Columbus, capital of Ohio, Volume II, Part 102

Author: Lee, Alfred Emory, 1838-; W. W. Munsell & Co Publication date: 1892 Publisher: New York and Chicago : Munsell & Co. Number of Pages: 1196

Author: Lee, Alfred Emory, 1838-; W. W. Munsell & Co
Publication date: 1892
Publisher: New York and Chicago : Munsell & Co.
Number of Pages: 1196