USA > Pennsylvania > Luzerne County > Wilkes-Barre > A history of Lodge no. 61, F. and A. M., Wilkesbarr?, Pa. with a collection of masonic addresses > Part 10
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5. Citizens.
The members of the Craft were all clothed in Masonic dress, with white gloves and aprons-the officers with the emblems of their office suspended by blue ribbons around their necks. The procession, headed by a band of music, marched down Market street, and on reaching River street was met by Kingston Lodge No. 395, A. Y. M., formed in usual Lodge order, which was placed at the head of the column, and the procession marched up River street to the site of the new Prison.
Arriving near the main entrance the column halted, and the Masons reversing their order of march, were conducted to their proper position surrounding the corner-stone. The officers having taken their respective places and stations, and order being obtained, prayer was offered by the Rev. Brother Eckman. After the singing of a Masonic ode, and the proclamation "Silence ! Silence! Silence!" by the Chief Marshal, the committee of arrangements, through Past Master Lewis, made the following announcement : " Wor- shipful Master, the committee charged with the duty of making arrangements for the laying of the corner-stone of the Luzerne County Prison, with appropriate Masonic cere- monies, have completed their labors. The arrangements are made, and the stone is now ready for the hands of the Craftsmen." There was then deposited in a cavity cut in the stone, a tin box containing the following articles, records, etc:
Holy Bible.
Copy of silver coins of the United States for 1868.
Copy of Rules of Court of Luzerne county, and list of at- torneys.
Luzerne county newspapers, and New York Herald and Philadelphia Age.
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Copy of specifications of Prison, &c.
Copy of Masonic ode.
Copy of Brother Conyngham's address delivered at the laying of the corner-stone of the Court House in 1856.
Copy of the address delivered at the laying of this corner- stone.
Book containing autographs of Judges of the Court, county officers, and members of the Bar.
List of the corporate officers of Wilkesbarré borough.
List of the Past Masters of LODGE No. 61, A. Y. M.
Copy of the Ahiman Reson.
Copy of the By-Laws of LODGE No. 61.
Copy of the Masonic Register of Pennsylvania for 1868.
Copy of the Masonic Register of Luzerne county for 1868. A Masonic apron.
The aperture in the stone being closed with cement, the stone was then laid according to the ancient usages, cus- toms, and landmarks of Free Masonry. Bro. Judge Con- yngham then delivered an exceedingly interesting address to the large audience assembled.
November 9th, 1868, the Lodge was assembled to receive a visitation from Right Worshipful Grand Master Richard Vaux, and his associate officers, of the Right Worshipful Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania. Fifty-one members of LODGE 61, and seventy-six members of other Lodges, were present.
In the Fall of 1869 the Lodge decided that a new Lodge- room, more commodious than the one then occupied, was not only desirable, but necessary. At the regular meeting of the Lodge in November, at which a large number of members was present, Bro. H. B. Wright offered to rent the Lodge appropriate rooms in his new building then in course of erection on Market street near Franklin. His offer was accepted by the Lodge, but on January 3d, 1869, at a special meeting-attended by only twelve members of
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the Lodge-the question was reconsidered, the offer of Bro- ther Wright was declined, and it was voted to secure accom- modations in the First National Bank building then being built on the south side of the Public Square.
In November, 1870, Bros. E. B. Harvey, E. H. Chase and T. S. Hillard were appointed a committee, to work in conjunction with a committee from Landmark Lodge No. 442, to furnish the new Lodge-room. The expense for carpets, platforms, desks, chandeliers, frescoing the walls, etc., amounted to $2443.67. Of this amount $100 was paid by Shekinah R. A. Chapter, and the balance was equally divided between LODGE No. 61 and Landmark No. 442. LODGE 61 met for the first time in the new rooms March 6th, 1871. On March 17th, from 7:30 to II o'clock P. M., the rooms were thrown open for the inspection of the members of the Fraternity and their friends.
During the years from 1869 to 1871 the Lodge paid out considerable money in charity, to destitute Brethren, widows of former members, and for the burial of deceased members of the Lodge. The sum of one hundred dollars was con- tributed to the Free Masons of Chicago, who had suffered by the great fire in that city.
In September, 1873, the new Masonic Temple at Phila- delphia was dedicated with splendid and imposing cere- monies. LODGE 61 was represented by a number of mem- bers, who took part in all the demonstrations of " dedication week."
During the decade of years just ended, very few matters of interest in the life of the Lodge transpired. We have added largely to our membership,-gathering into our fold many who are Free Masons not in name only, who will increase our strength and advance our power to do good. The Lodge is now in excellent condition, better in fact than it has been in for a dozen years past.
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A HISTORY
OF
" MARK MASTER LODGE NO. 61," HELD AT WILKESBARRÉ, PENN'A, UNDER THE SANCTION OF THE WARRANT OF LODGE 61 FROM 1822 TO 1824 ;- INTRODUCTORY TO WHICH IS A BRIEF ACCOUNT OF THE ESTAB- LISHMENT AND GROWTH OF ROYAL ARCH MASONRY IN PENNSYLVANIA.
5
S
" Those who have passed the Square, For your rewards prepare, Join heart in hand ; Each with his Mark in view, March with the just and true, Wages to you are due, At your command."
The Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania formally declared in the year 1798, and again in 1812 and subsequent years, that Ancient Masonry consisted of four degrees-"Apprentice," " Fellow Craft," "Master," and "Holy Royal Arch." For admission to the last-named (or fourth) degree, it was re- quisite that a Brother should be well versed in the first three
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degrees, should have "filled and performed the office of Worshipful Master in his Lodge to the satisfaction of his Brethren, or passed the chair by a dispensation of the R. W. Grand Master upon the recommendation of his said Lodge," and lastly, should be found, "on due trial and ex- amination, worthy of being exalted." A Lodge working in the fourth degree, was denominated a Chapter.
The Holy Royal Arch degree was, as the records show, worked in Pennsylvania as early as 1758, and for many years previous to 1795 there was established in Philadel- phia, according to ancient forms, a Royal Arch Chapter under the sanction of the Warrant of Lodge No. 3, whose work met with the approbation of visiting Royal Arch Ma- sons from different parts of the world.
It was the acknowledged right of all regular warranted Lodges, so far as they had ability and numbers, to exalt to the degree of the Royal Arch; and this right was never questioned till the year 1798, when a Convocation of Royal Arch Masons, from six States of the Union, was held at Hartford, Conn., and a Grand Chapter formed. In 1806. the General Grand Chapter of the United States was formed at Middletown, Conn., four State Grand Chapters only being present, namely : Rhode Island, Connecticut, Vermont and New York. No Royal Arch Masons from the Pennsyl- vania jurisdiction were present at, or took part in, the or- ganization of the Grand Chapter at Hartford, or of the General Grand Chapter, for a Grand Royal Arch Chapter had been organized in Philadelphia in December, 1795, under the sanction of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania.
The Pennsylvania Grand Chapter was, therefore, the first one organized and held in the United States. A copy of the " Rules and Regulations for the Government of the Grand H. R. A. Chapter, supported by the Ancient Grand Lodge of England," having been received in May, 1796, " Rules and Regulations for the Government of the Grand
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H. R. A. Chapter of Pennsylvania " were adopted February 24th, 1798, and confirmed by the Grand Lodge March 5th, 1798. The Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania continued, how- ever, to be the supreme Masonic authority in this jurisdic- tion-the Grand Chapter being held under the protection of, and supported by, the Grand Lodge.
Among the regulations adopted by the Grand Chapter at Hartford in 1798, and by the General Grand Chapter in 1806, was one which forbade the recognition of any person as a Royal Arch Mason unless he had "been exalted under the authority of some Warrant granted by a Grand Chapter." This rule was still in force in 1823, and caused muclı dis- satisfaction among the Companions of the Royal Arch de- gree in Pennsylvania, for the Grand Chapter of Pennsyl- vania did not, and could not, grant Warrants for subordi- nate Chapters.
At the meeting of the " Grand Committee " at Philadel- phia in February, 1823,* a sub-committee was appointed " to inquire if any and what grievances exist in Arch Ma- sonry, and that they report a remedy for those grievances or errors." This committee made a long report, wherein they stated their belief that the Grand Chapter of Pennsyl- vania, as then organized and conducted, stood "too much isolated from the Grand Lodge," and they recommended the adoption of certain measures-detailed in the report- calculated to unite the Grand Lodge and Grand Chapter "more closely, and therefore give increased life and vigor to the drooping state of Arch Masonry." Subsequently to the meeting of the "Grand Committee " committees were appointed by the Grand Lodge and Grand Chapter to con- sider and report on the expediency of changing " the system of government of H. R. A. Masonry." Finally, after con- siderable discussion and examination of the subject, the
* See page 61, ante.
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Grand Chapter was reorganized as an independent body, and a constitution adopted, at Philadelphia, May 17th, 1824.
The title of the new body was " The Most Excellent Grand Holy Royal Arch Chapter of Pennsylvania," and it was constituted of all the members of the Grand Lodge for the time being, who were R. A. Masons, and had received the honorary degree of Mark Master, had passed the chair of a Lodge by election, and been accepted and received Most Excellent Masters; also, of all Past High Priests, High Priests, Kings and Scribes of subordinate Chapters, possess- ing certain qualifications. The Grand Chapter was to have power to make its own By-Laws, Rules and Regulations ; to regulate and control the Rules and Regulations of sub- ordinate Chapters, Mark Masters' and Most Excellent Mas- ters' Lodges, within its jurisdiction ; to grant Warrants for holding H. R. A. Chapters, Mark Masters' and M. E. Mas- ters' Lodges. It was also declared, that, from and after the adoption of the Constitution of the Grand Chapter, no Chap- ter under its jurisdiction should " exalt any Brother to the degree of H. R. A. without his having previously become a Mark Master, Past Master, and M. E. Master." In issuing Warrants for the institution of new Chapters, power was to be therein granted to open and hold Mark Masters' and M. E. Masters' Lodges.
December 23d, 1828, new Rules and Regulations were adopted by the Grand Chapter of Pennsylvania, which, with few changes, have been continued in force to the present time. The requisite qualifications for an applicant for degrees within the jurisdiction of the Grand Chapter, were declared to be as follows : "For the Mark Masters' degree, that he shall have some visible means of an honest livelihood, and be a Master Mason in good standing. For the M. E. Mas- ters' degree, he shall be a Mark Master in good standing, and shall have duly passed the chair in some regular
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Lodge .* For the Royal Arch degree, he shall be a M. E. Master Mason in good standing."
Previous to 1824 the Mark Masters' degree was not re- cognized by the Grand Lodge or Grand Chapter of Penn- sylvania, but was worked as a " side," or "honorary," de- gree. How early the degree was worked in Pennsylvania, I have not been able to ascertain. The first reference to the degree that I have been able to discover in the existing records of the Grand Lodge and Grand Chapter, is under date of April 7th, 1806. On that day, at a meeting of the Grand Lodge, " a letter was received and read from the W. M. of Lodge No. 70, at Tioga Point, Luzerne county [now Athens, Bradford county], dated November 19th, 1805, re- questing certain information respecting the opening of a Mark Lodge and making Mark Masons." The records of Rural Amity Lodge No. 70 show that there was organized, in connection with that Lodge, a Mark Masters' Lodge in April, 1804, and that it continued to work at Athens for a number of years.
The next reference to the degree is in the report of a committee made to the Grand Lodge September 7th, 1812. The report contains the information that
"A number of Brethren belonging to different Lodges in this city [Philadelphia] have been in the habit of attending a Mark Lodge, held in Apple Tree alley, between Fourth and Fifth streets, which Lodge professes to work under a Warrant issued by the General Grand Chapter of the United States. This Lodge professes to give
* In Pennsylvania, up to the present time, the Grand Chapter has never recognized as one of its series of degrees the Past Masters' de- gree, so called.
For the past thirty years this degree has been a pre-requisite to that of Mark Master, in this jurisdiction at least ; and thus the order of the degrees, as fixed by the Regulations of December, 1828, has been changed to the following: Entered Apprentice, Fellow Craft, Master Mason, Past Master, Mark Master, Most Excellent Master, Royal Arch.
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the Mark in a different manner from the Lodges in this city, and de- clares it to be a degree beyond that of Master Mason, and as prepara- tory to an exaltation to the Holy Royal Arch."
The minutes of the Grand Lodge of December 16th, 1816, show that the Mark Lodge above referred to was established in Philadelphia in December, 1811, under letters of dispen- sation from the General Grand Scribe of the General Grand Chapter. Never having been ratified by that body, the let- ters were revoked in November, 1816, and the Mark Lodge ceased to exist.
The next reference, in point of time, to the Mark degree, is found in the minutes of the meeting of the Grand Chap- ter held May 20th, 1822, when the following resolution was offered, and referred to a committee :
" No person shall be admitted to this degree [Royal Arch] but he who hath been regularly initiated into the first degree of Masonry, passed to the degree of a Fellow Craft, and solemnly raised to the sublime degree of a Master Mason, and obtained the honorary degree of Mark Master Mason, passed the chair by election or dispensation, and received and accepted a Most Excellent Master."
At a meeting of the Grand Chapter held June 23d, 1823, it was
" Resolved, That it be recommended to all Brethren who now are, or hereafter may become, Royal Arch Masons, to make themselves acquainted with the honorary degrees of Mark Master and Most Ex- cellent Master, as the means of enabling them to meet and act with their Brethren in Arch Masonry throughout the United States."
From the date of the reorganization of the Grand Chap- ter in 1824, until May 15th, 1854, numerous Warrants for Mark Lodges were granted by the Grand Chapter. Never- theless, in December, 1859, there were but three Mark Lodges in existence in Pennsylvania, and their membership was 713. Those same three Lodges are the only ones now working in Pennsylvania. They are located in Philadel- phia, and are: Columbia Mark Lodge No. 91, Warranted
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March IIth, 1825 ; Girard Mark Lodge No. 214, Warranted January 16th, 1847; Excelsior Mark Lodge No. 216, War- ranted May 15th, 1854.
While gathering together materials for the history of LODGE 61, I came across-in various places-" remains " of the Mark Lodge held at Wilkesbarre under the sanction of the Warrant of LODGE 61. Those " remains " are herewith printed. This Mark Lodge was evidently organized in September, or early in October, 1822, and the Rules for its government were adopted in February, or March, 1823.
" RULES AND REGULATIONS OF MARK MASTER LODGE NO. 61, HELD AT WILKESBARRÉ : "
" Whereas the Right Worshipful Grand Lodge of Penn- sylvania granted a Warrant No 61 to a subordinate Lodge to be held at Wilkesbarré, or within five miles thereof, dated on the 18th day of February, A. D. 1794, with the rights and privileges therein mentioned ; and we the sub- scribers being members of the said subordinate LODGE No. 61, and Mark Masters, being desirous of establishing a Mark Lodge under said Warrant No. 61, do agree to the following rules and regulations for the government thereof, viz. :
" Rule I .- The officers of the Mark Masters' Lodge shall consist of a Master Overseer, Senior and Junior Overseers, Secretary, Treasurer, and such other officers as the Master Overscer shall from time to time appoint.
" Rule 2 .- The Master Overseer, Senior and Junior Overseers, Secretary, and Treasurer, shall be chosen annual- ly on St. John the Baptist's Day; but officers may be elected to serve until others are elected at the annual election.
"Rule 3 .- The regular times for the meetings of the Mark Masters' Lodge shall be on the Tuesday following the first Monday in January, April, August and November,
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at the Lodge-room of LODGE No. 61, at the hour of six o'clock in the evening ; and at such other times as the Mas- ter Overseer may direct.
" Rule 4 .- Each applicant who shall be passed to the de- gree of Mark Master shall pay to the Treasurer the sum of four dollars, which shall constitute the fund of the Mark Masters' Lodge.
" Rule 5 .- It shall be the duty of the Secretary to keep a regular account of the proceedings of the Mark Masters' Lodge, receive the evening dues, and pay them to the Treasurer.
" Rule 6 .- It shall be the duty of the Treasurer to receive the monies payable to the Mark Masters' Lodge, pay the orders of the Master Overseer when attested by the Secre- tary, and annually render a just account to the Lodge, and pay over the balance in his hands, if any, to his successor in office.
" Rule 7 .- The evening dues shall be twenty-five cents, but a special Lodge called by request of any applying Brother shall be at his expense.
" Rule 8 .- The Secretary and Tyler shall receive each fifty cents on the passing of each applicant to the Mark Master's degree; to be paid by the Treasurer out of the funds of the Lodge."
[Signed.]
" JESSE FELL, ELISHA BLACKMAN, 2d,
ANDREW BEAUMONT, ELEAZER BLACKMAN,
GOULD PHINNY,
H. GAYLORD,
JAMES STARK,
GEO. DENISON,
A. PARRISH,
HEZ. PARSONS,
EZRA HOYT,
ZIBA DEVENPORT,
HENRY COLT,"
" At a special Lodge held at the Lodge-room December 19th, A. D. 1822, A. L. 5822. Present, Bros. David Scott,
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W. M. pro tem .; E. Hoyt, S. W. pro tem .; I. Bowman, J. W. pro tem .; J. Fell, Sec'y ; H. Parsons, Treas'r ; G. Phinny, S. D .; A. Parrish, J. D .; J. F. Dupuy, Tyler. Entered Apprentice Lodge opened and closed, Fellow Craft Lodge. opened and closed, Masters' Lodge opened and closed, Mark Lodge opened." Bros. James Stark and Elisha Blackman " received the benefit " of the Mark degree.
" At a special Lodge held at the Lodge-room December 29th, 1822. Present, Bros. David Scott, W. M. pro tem., Master Overseer; I. Bowman, S. W. pro tem., Senior Over- seer; E. Hoyt, J. W. pro tem., Junior Overseer ; Jesse Fell, Sec'y ; H. Parsons, Treas'r; and E. Blackman, O. Helme, J. F. Dupuy, G. Phinny, Arnold Colt, Doctor Whitney. A Mark Master's Lodge opened in due form." Bro. Wm. Carlisle, Jr., " having served faithfully as a Master Mason," received the degree of Mark Master. It was moved and. seconded " that Bro. James Warner, a Master Mason, but not a member of this Lodge, be permitted to receive the Mark Masters' degree in this Lodge." The consideration of the question was postponed till the next Mark Lodge.
" At a Mark Master's Lodge held at the Lodge-room June 24th, A. D. 1823, A. L. 5823-St. John the Baptist's Day. Present, Bros. Geo. Denison, Esq., Master Overseer ; Jon. Bulkeley, Senior Overseer; Ezra Hoyt, Junior Over- seer ; Jesse Fell, Sec'y ; Hez'h Parsons, Treasurer ; and Brothers Dupuy, Helme, Parrish, Fisher Gay, Eleazer Blackman, Elisha Blackman, 2d, Gould Phinney and Doc- tor Whitney. A Mark Masters' Lodge was opened in due form. On motion the Lodge proceeded to elect their offi- cers for the ensuing year, agreeably to the second rule of their regulations, whereupon the following named Brothers were declared duly elected, viz .: Geo. Denison, Master Overseer ; Jon. Bulkeley, Senior Overseer; Ezra Hoyt, Junior Overseer; Jesse Fell, Secretary ; Hez'h Parsons,
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Treasurer. On motion, Resolved, That the Treasurer be in- structed to receive of the Brothers who have been passed to Mark Master in this Lodge, before the foregoing rules and regulations were adopted, and paid nothing, the sum of two dollars and fifty cents, to be placed in the funds of this Lodge."
" At a Mark Masters' Lodge held at the Lodge-room in Wilkesbarré, August 5th, A. D. 1823, A. L. 5823. Present, Bros. Ethan Baldwin, Esq., Master Overseer; Joseph Keeney, Esq., Senior Overseer; Ezra Hoyt, Junior Over- seer ; J. Fell, Secretary; H. Parsons, Treasurer ; and Brothers Freeman, Wm. Carlisle, G. Phinny, A. Parrish, and others." Bros. Samuel Maffet and James Warner " were Marked."
" Mark Masters' Lodge held at the Lodge-room in Wilkesbarré August 6th, A. D. 1823, A. L. 5823. Present, Bros. Ethan Baldwin, Esq., M. O .; Jon. Bulkeley, S. O .; Ezra Hoyt, J. O .; J. Fell, Sec'y ; H. Parsons, Treas'r ; and Brothers Blackman, Dupuy, and others." Bros. John W. Robinson, Samuel D. Bettle, and Arthur Smith proposed, balloted for, accepted, and "Marked." "On motion, Re- solved, That this Lodge present Bro. Ethan Baldwin, Esq.,*
* " ETHAN BALDWIN, a lawyer and a physician, came from Wash- ington county, Penn'a, to Towanda, Bradford county, Penn'a, about the year 1813. His residence was on his farm in North Towanda. As an advocate at the Bar he was famed for metaphysical compari- sons and illustrations, and his imagery was often sublime. He had a . taste for mechanics, with a fertile inventive genius. Among other things he invented a dirt-excavator for work on canals, which was said to have operated satisfactorily. He was badly disfigured by an explosion of steam in one of his experiments."
He was initiated a member of Rural Amity Lodge No. 70, F. and A. M., Athens, Penn'a, December 23d, 1817. He withdrew his membership August 3d, 1819, and became one of the organizers of Evergreen Lodge No. 163, chartered March Ist, 1819, and consti-
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with the sum of five dollars as a small acknowledgement for his favors in this Lodge, and with the thanks of the Lodge." Brothers Fell, Bulkeley, and Phinny were ap- pointed a committee to take into consideration the reduc- tion of the fee for Marking.
" Mark Lodge held at the Lodge-room January 6th, A. D., 1824. Present, Bros. Geo. Denison, M. O .; Jon. Bul- keley, S. O .; Ezra Hoyt, J. O .; S. D. Bettle, Treas'r ; James Warner, Sec'y ; and other Brothers. Bro. Ezra Hoyt presented his account* against the Lodge for $9.721/2, and on motion an order was drawn on the Treasurer for that sum."
" Mark Masters' Lodge held at the Lodge-room January 13th, A. D. 1824. Present, Bros. Geo. Denison, M. O .; Jon. Bulkeley, S. O .; Ezra Hoyt, J. O .; Jesse Fell, Sec'y ; Hez. Parsons, Treas'r ; and Bros. A. Smith, Jas. Warner, J.
tuted August 18th, 1819, at Towanda, Penn'a. He was Worshipful Master of the Lodge from December, 1821, to December, 1822. This Lodge ceased work in 1824 or 1825.
Union Lodge No. 108, constituted at Wysox and Orwell, Bradford county, Penn'a, in March, 1807, ceased work during the anti-Masonic crusade. It was revived June 24th, 1840, and removed from Wysox and Orwell to Towanda, where it is now at work. Ethan Baldwin's name is first on the list of names of the twenty-eight Brethren who re- constituted the Lodge.
MARK LODGE,
1823. To EZRA HOYT, DR.
May 8th. To wine, candles, and spirits . $1 8712
17th. To wine and gin at election I 75
Aug. 5th. To 12 gall. wine, $1 ; 1 lb. candles, .20 1 20
6th. To ; 3 pts. spirits, 871/2 " I 8712
To I qt. gin, .50c. ; 1 lb. candles, .20 70
To 4 square blocks . 25
Nov. 4th.
To I qt. whisky, 121/2c .; I qt. brandy, .50 62 12
To refreshments, and wood I 25
To I lb. candles 20
$9 72%
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F. Dupuy, Isaac Bowman, John W. Robinson, Henry Colt, Sam'I D. Bettle; and visiting Brothers Fassett, Miller and Lacey." "The committee appointed at our communication in August last made report as follows : 'Your committee appointed to revise the By-Laws of this Mark Masters' Lodge respectfully report: They have taken the same into consideration and recommend that the fourth rule which provides that each applicant that shall be passed to the de- gree of Mark Master shall pay to the Treasurer the sum of $4, be so altered that each applicant that shall be passed in this degree shall pay to the Treasurer the sum of $2.50, which shall be in full of his fees. And on all fees received of $4 on each passing since the rules of this Lodge were adopted, $1.50 on each fee shall be refunded. And they also recommend that evening dues mentioned in the 7th rule be reduced from twenty-five cents to the sum of twelve and a half cents.' On motion, the foregoing resolution was adopted. An application* from Bros. Thomas Hutchins and Daniel Collings to be advanced to Mark Masters, was presented and read. On motion, Brother Hutchins was balloted for and accepted, and on motion Bro. Thomas Hutchins was passed to the degree of Mark Master. Brother Collings was balloted for and accepted. On mo- tion, Resolved, That the Treasurer be directed to make out the accounts of such Brethren as have received Mark Mas- ters' degree since the rules of this Lodge were adopted, and present the same for settlement. Evening dues received, $1.50. Closed in harmony and brotherly love."
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