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 14
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* The Grand H. R. A. Chapter of Connecticut was organized at Hartford May 17th, 1798, by the six subordinate Chapters (of which Vanden Brock was one) then at work in Connecticut.
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and had conferred upon them "the degrees of Knight of the Red Cross, High Priest, and Sir Knight Templar."
At this meeting a code of by-laws was adopted, and offi- cers elected-Sir Knight Col. Eliphalet Bulkeley being elected to the first office, then known as Captain General. The other officers were First Captain, Second Captain, Mar- shal, Treasurer, and Secretary. Sir Knight Bulkeley pre- sided over Washington Encampment until May, 1806 .*
The first meeting of LODGE No. 61 at which Brother Bul- keley was present, was a special meeting held April 17th, 1806, he being at the time on a visit to his son in Wilkes- barré ; and " on invitation of the Lodge he delivered a lec- ture in the third degree, for which the Lodge returned sin- cere thanks." He affiliated with LODGE 61 September 8th, 1807-after he had taken up his residence in Wilkesbarré- and remained an active member thereof until his death.
On the festival of St. John the Baptist, 1815, he delivered an address before the Lodge and the public in the " Meeting House," Wilkesbarré.t
Brother Bulkeley died at Wilkesbarre January 11th, 1816, aged 69 years and 5 months. His wife had died only nine days previously, aged 69 years.
The following is from a brief obituary published in the Wilkesbarré Gleaner at the time of his death :
" His situation in life had given him a perfect opportunity to study character and to learn human nature, and well had he improved it. Full of anecdotes, and having a peculiarly pleasant manner of rela- ting them, he was a living volume of interesting biography. The young were instructed by his conversation, and the old delighted.
" The Ancient and Honorable Institution of Masonry found in him a distinguished votary. By his assiduity the deepest and most profound mysteries were fathomed, and to those who were found worthy, ex-
* The regalia and jewel worn by Sir Knight Bulkeley as Captain General, are now in the possession of his grandson, Bro. Dr. J. E. Bulkeley, of Wilkesbarré.
+.See page 47, ante.
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plained. He presided for a number of years over the Encampment of Knights Templar in Connecticut, and there was no degree known on this side of the Atlantic of which he was not a member."
Colonel Bulkeley had four sons and seven daughters. He was the first man in Colchester who indulged in the extravagance of giving his children two names !
JOHN CHARLES BULKELEY was the eldest son, born August 8th, 1772. He had a son Eliphalet, who married Lydia S. Morgan, of Salem, Conn., June 31st, 1830, and became dis- tinguished as a lawyer, being at one time a Judge of the Su- perior Court of Connecticut. He invested largely, about thirty years ago, in the Ætna Life Insurance Company of Hartford, when its stock was worth but little. He took the presidency of the company, and by good management brought the stock up to pay 24 per cent dividends, and to sell for $320 per share. He died very wealthy.
He had three sons : Hon. William H. Bulkeley, Lieuten- ant Governor of Connecticut from January 1881 to January 1883, and now a prominent merchant in Hartford, Conn .; Hon. Morgan Bulkeley, President of the Ætna Life Insurance Company, and now serving his third term as Mayor of Hart- ford; the third son was killed in the War of the Rebellion.
ELIPHALET ADAMS BULKELEY, Colonel Bulkeley's third son, was for many years a resident of Luzerne county, Penn'a. He was conspicuous as an anti-Mason during the " Dark Age" of Free Masonry, and in 1835 was the anti- Masonic candidate for Sheriff of Luzerne county.
FRANCES BULKELEY, the ninth child, was twice married ; first to Francis McShane, Esq., of Philadelphia, who died in 1813 ; second to Col. Henry F. Lamb, a well-known re- sident of Wilkesbarré for a number of years.
JULIA BULKELEY, the tenth child, married Steuben Butler, Esq., of Wilkesbarré .*
* Vide note to sketch of Judge Conyngham, post.
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JONATHAN BULKELEY, the second son of Colonel Bulkeley, was born at Colchester, Conn., July 8th, 1777. He was warranted as a midshipman in the United States Navy Jan- uary 2d, 1800, and assigned to the Trumbull, an eighteen- gun sloop, commanded by his cousin Capt. David Jewett .* This was during the quasi-war against the French.
Mr. Bulkeley remained on the Trumbull until July 10th, 1801, when he was discharged from the service under the " Peace Establishment Act."
In 1802 he came to Wilkesbarré, Penn'a, where he loca- ted and went into business. A few years later he removed to what is now Wyoming county, Penn'a, and resided near Tunkhannock until 1812, when he returned to Wilkesbarré.
In October, 1815, he was elected and commissioned Cap-
* Capt. DAVID JEWETT was the grandson of the Rev. David Jewett, who, having been employed as a missionary among the Mohegan Indians, was, in 1738, invited to become the minister of the Congre- gational Church at New London, Conn. No minister in the country stood higher among his own flock, or in the esteem of his brethren, than Mr. Jewett. In 1756 he obtained leave of absence from his con- gregation for several months, being called "by the Providence of God to go into the army as chaplain." This was a service to which he was afterwards very often called, not only during the French War, but in that of the Revolution. His animated manner and his ener- getic language made him very popular as an army chaplain.
His wife was Patience Phillips, granddaughter of the Rev. George Phillips, first pastor of the church of Watertown, Mass. Though laboring under the disadvantage of having but one hand, it is said that she could use the needle and the distaff, and perform all the other duties of an active housewife as well as most women with two hands.
Dr. David Hibbard Jewett, of the North Parish of New London, Conn., was the son of the Rev. David and Patience Jewett. He served as surgeon in the American army during most of the Revolutionary War. His wife was Patience, daughter of Major Charles, and grand- daughter of the Rev. John Bulkeley, first minister of Colchester. Their son, David Jewett, was born June 17th, 1772, in what is now Montville, New London county, Conn. He read law under Governor Griswold, and June 6th, 1799, was commissioned Master Commandant in the U. S. Navy, to take rank from April 6th, 1799. He was dis-
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tain of the Cavalry Company " attached to the 2d Regiment Penn'a Militia." In 1822 he was elected Sheriff of Luzerne county, and served in that office until 1825.
He was made a Mason in Wooster Lodge No. 10, Col- chester, Conn., January 21st, 1800. He affiliated with LODGE No. 61, Wilkesbarré, June 21st, 1814, and at the time of his death, which occurred at Wilkesbarré Marclı Ist, 1867, he was the oldest surviving member of this Lodge.
February 8th, 1823, he married Elizabeth Simons, a res- ident of Wilkesbarré, but born in Dublin, Ireland. They had two sons and four daughters.
Jonathan Eliphalet, the eldest child, was born in Wilkes- barré, November 16th, 1823. He graduated from Dick- inson College, Carlisle, Penn'a, in 1842, receiving the degree of A. M. in 1845. In 1846 he graduated from the Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia.
He served three years as surgeon in the Union Army, during the War of the Rebellion, and before and since that has practiced his profession in Wilkesbarré. He is a mem-
charged from the Navy June 8th, 1801, under the " Peace Establish- ment Act."
After service in the merchant marine of New York, Captain Jewett entered the service of Chili, and fought for her independence. Sub- sequently, he became " Brigadier General Effective of the Armada of the Empire of Brazil," which position he held for a number of years, being in close confidential relations with the Emperor, Dom Pedro I. In 1827 he married Mrs. Eliza Mactier, daughter of Alderman Augus- tus H. Lawrence, of New York. On leave of absence he lived with his family at Wilkesbarré, Penn'a, where, in 1830, his son-an only child-was born; now Rev. A. D. L. Jewett, D. D., of New York City. About 1836 Commodore Jewett returned to Rio de Janeiro, where he died in July, 1842.
Elizabeth, wife of Phineas Waller, and mother of Rev. David J. Wal- ler of Bloomsburg, Penn'a, and Nancy, wife of the late Hon. Oristus Collins of Wilkesbarré, were sisters of Commodore Jewett.
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ber of the " Pennsylvania State Medical Society " (was Vice- President in 1873), the " American Medical Association," and the " Luzerne County Medical Society."
He is a member of LODGE No. 61 (having been initiated therein February 6th, 1855), Shekinah R. A. Chapter No. 182, Wilkesbarré, Mt. Moriah Council No. 10, R. S-E. and S. M., and Crusade Commandery, No. 12, K. T., Blooms- burg, Penn'a. He was Secretary of Shekinah Chapter from December, 1858, to December, 1859.
Jonathan Bulkeley's second son, and youngest child, is Charles L. Bulkeley, Esq., of Wilkesbarré, and his third daughter is the wife of Asa R. Brundage, Esq., a well-known citizen of Wilkesbarré, and a member of the Bar of Luzerne county.
On pages 254-261 of Vol. XIII. of the Magazine of American History (New York, 1885,) is an article-written by the author of this book-entitled " An Old Masonic Char- ter." It is a narrative of certain incidents and occurrences with which Colonel Bulkeley, Jonathan Bulkeley, and the Trumbull were connected in the year 1800. With certain emendations and additions the article is herewith republished.
AN OLD MASONIC CHARTER.
While engaged in historical researches, a few months since, I discovered an interesting document, ancient but well preserved, though discolored and marked by the hand of time. It appears, on its face, to be a Warrant or Char- ter granted by the highest Masonic authority in France to a number of Brethren in the Island of St. Domingo, con- stituting them a Lodge by the title of "Chosen Brethren," and bearing date " 3d day of the 3d week of the 5th month in the year of Light 5774, Annoque Domini 1774." It is printed on a sheet of parchment, from an elaborately and
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artistically engraved plate, 18x19 inches in size. It reads as follows :
"À LA GLORIE DU GRAND ARCHITECTE DE L'UNIVERS
SOUS LES AUSPICES ET AU NOM DU SÉRÉNISSIME GRAND
MAITRE, LE GRAND ORIENT DE FRANCE A TOUS
LES MAÇONS REGULIERS UNION, FORCE, SALUT.
"Sur la demande présentée la premier jour de la premier Semaine du cinquième mois de l'An de la vraïe lumière Cinq mil Sept cent soixante et quatorze, par les frères composant la loge des Frères Choisis à l'Orient du fond des négres Isle St. Dominque à l'effet d'Obtenir du GRAND ORIENT des Constitutions pour leur loge sous le dit titre ; Vû la décision de la Chambre des Provinces du sixiéme jour de la seconde Semaine du cinqiuème mois de la presente année.
"Nous avons constitué et constituons à perpétuité par ces présentes à l'Orient du fond des négres Isle St. Dominque une loge de St. Jean sous le titre distinctif des Frères Choisis pour la dte loge * *+ à se livrêr aux travaux de l'Art Royal à la charge par * de se conformer exactement aux Statuts et reglemens faits et à faire en notre GRAND ORIENT et être inscrite sur le tableau des loges regulieres de France à la date du troiziéme jour de la seconde Semaine du troi- ziéme mois de l'An de la vraïe lumiere cinq mil Sept cent soixante et treize. Epoque des constitutions que le GRAND ORIENT * *
* : Regularisant les travaux de cette loge à l'epoque du vingt neuviéme jour du troiziéme mois 5772.
"En foi de quoi nous luy avons délivré ces présentes qui ont été expédiées au GRAND ORIENT DE FRANCE de Scellées et Timbrées des Sçeaux et Timbre de l'Ordre signées de nous et contre-signées par notre Secrétaire Général le troisième jour de la troisième Semaine du cinquième mois de l'An de la vraïe lumière cinq mil Sept cent soix- ante et quatorze."
The Warrant is signed by "Le Duc de Luxembourg, Grand Maitre," " Le Baron de Toussaint, Secrétaire Gén-
+ The stars in the above copy indicate obliterated words on the original parchment.
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éral," and by the members of three Boards or Councils denominated " Chambre d'Administration," " Chambre de Paris," and " Chambre des Provinces." Among the signa- tures of the members of the last-named Council is that of the celebrated Doctor Guillotine, the reputed inventor of the Guillotine. The Warrant also bears a certificate of registry " en la Chambre de Paris," signed by " S. Morin, Secrétaire."*
The history of this old document was not known to the person in whose possession I found it. Within the last few months, however, after investigations diligently made at Hartford, New London, and Norwich, Conn., I have de- veloped the following facts and incidents.
All readers of American history will remember that in the year 1797 the difficulties of the United States Govern- ment with France, consequent upon the ratification of Jay's treaty with Great Britain, reached a point little short of war. July 17th, 1798, Congress disannulled our treaties with France, and declared them to be no longer binding upon the United States. The same year additions were made to our regular army, and in 1799 a provisional army was raised and General Washington was created Commander- in-chief. The principal theatre of operations of this army was in the State of New Jersey, if I mistake not.
Early in 1800 acts were passed by Congress further sus- pending commercial intercourse with France and its de-
* Stephen Morin was a Jew, who, in 1761, was appointed by the "Grand Lodge and Sovereign Grand Council," convened at Paris, Grand Inspector to " establish in every part of the world the Perfect and Sublime Masonry." He proceeded in 1762 to the island of St. Domingo, where he resided for a number of years, and executed his delegated authority for propagating the " hauts grades " throughout the New World, personally and by deputation. Thus the island of St. Domingo is of special interest to Free Masons, as having been the first home in the Western Hemisphere of the Ancient Accepted Scot- tish Rite, and the source of Sublime Free Masonry in America.
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pendencies, and continuing in force the act authorizing the defense of American merchant vessels against French dep- redations. Provision was also made for the increase and the better government of the Navy. In May, 1799, prepa- rations were begun at Norwich, New London county, Conn., for building for the Federal government a sloop of war, to be commanded by David Jewett, Esq. The keel was laid in September following, at the ship-yard of Jedediah Wil- lett, and the work of construction was carried on with great energy and haste under the direction of Mr. Joseph How- land, agent for the government. The labors of the workmen were not suspended during Sundays, and scarcely through the night hours, until finally, in the latter part of Novem- ber, 1799, the work was completed and the boat ready for launching. 6 She was, altogether, a remarkably strong, well- built sloop, being completely coppered, and pierced for eighteen twelve-pounder guns.
In 1777 Willett had constructed a Continental ship which was named Trumbull in honor of "Brother Jonathan " Trumbull, at that time Governor of Connecticut, and it was determined to give the same name to this latest product of the Norwich ship-yard, not only in memory of the old boat but in honor of Jonathan Trumbull-son of " Brother Jon- athan "-the then Governor of Connecticut.
The figure-head of the Trumbull was an effigy of the Governor with his left foot on a cannon, the United States flag furled by his side, and a drawn sword in his right hand. The launch took place on the 26th of November, between ten and eleven o'clock in the morning, and was graced with the Governor's presence. Amid the acclamations of thous- ands of spectators, the new sloop glided into the water easily and gracefully. Her appearance was majestic, and commanded the admiration of the best judges.
She was taken down the Thames to New London, but when half a league below Norwich she grounded, and it
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was two days before she was again afloat. She was armed, equipped, and manned at New London, and lay in the har- bor there until March 7th, 1800, when she sailed for New York, under command of David Jewett, Master Cammand- ant. A few days after reaching New York, Commander Jewett received orders to join the United States squadron cruising in the vicinity of the West Indies. He imme- diately set sail, and in about two weeks reached the St. Do- mingo station.
On the 24th of April the Trumbull captured the French schooner Peggy, bound from Port Republicain (Port-au- Prince) to Bordeaux, having on board thirty-five tons of coffee and seventy barrels of sugar; armed with six guns and manned by eleven men. This was the first prize taken by the Trumbull, and it was sent to New London, arriving there May 25th.
In June, 1799, in the midst of the Franco-American mari- time hostilities, commercial intercourse was reopened by the United States with St. Domingo, the inhabitants of which island, having thrown off the French yoke, had been for some months under the rule of Toussaint L'Ouverture-a pure negro-essaying to organize an independent republic. But in May, 1799, Rigaud and Pétion, two able and educated mulattoes, becoming jealous of the ascendency of Toussaint, had succeeded in raising an insurrection among the mulat- toes. Rigaud, who had served in the French army in this country in the War of the Revolution, and who at this time was " General of Brigade, and Commander of the forces of the Republic in the Southern Department of St. Domingo," raised the standard of revolt, and usurped the government of affairs in the South and West of the island, where the mulattoes were most numerous. The favorable reception given by Toussaint to the English, was the plea urged by Rigaud in defense of his conduct. The real object of con-
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tention was power-the one being resolved to preserve the supreme command, the other equally desirous to possess it.
When the Trumbull arrived at the St. Domingo station, in April, 1800, the two chiefs, Toussaint and Rigaud, were carrying on an exterminating war against each other, which had been in progress for nearly a year. About the end of July Toussaint was very successful against his adversary, and after a siege captured Aquin, a southern maritime town, and got possession of Rigaud's portmanteau and papers, whereby the weak situation of the insurgents was exposed. Rigaud, finding himself closely pursued, sent a deputation with a flag of truce to Toussaint. Forced to consent to depart from the island within two or three days, Rigaud and a large number of his officers, with their families, embarked on two armed vessels at 'Aux Cayes the 2d of August, and immediately set sail. The vessel on which Rigaud was a fugitive was a twenty-two-gun brig, and it reached the island of St. Thomas in safety, although three United States sloops of War-the Augusta, Trumbull and Herald-were cruising near Aux Cayes. The other fleeing vessel-La Vengeance- was not so fortunate, for on the morning of August 3d she was captured by the Trumbull just outside the harbor of Jacquemel.
La Vengeance was a French schooner, pierced for ten- carriage guns, but armed with eight four-pounders. She was commanded by Citizen Panoyoty, who held his com- mission as Commander from General Rigaud. There were on board the schooner in the neighborhood of 140 persons, all natives of St. Domingo, and people of color, sixty or seventy of whom were officers. Among them were D'Artig- nave, Chef de Brigade, Commandant of the town of Jeremie and its dependencies ; one Adjutant General, and the prin- cipal part of Rigaud's état major. Several bags of papers, containing, among other things, General Rigaud's archives
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and military correspondence, were found on the schooner ; also $8,974.96 in gold and silver coin, some gold and silver plate, and a quantity of valuable wares and merchandise.
Three days after the capture of La Vengeance the Trumbull captured a large open boat in which were General Lyse, Commandant of Petit Trou, with his family and several officers. The prisoners, and cargo, consisting of forty bags of coffee, were taken on board the Trumbull and the boat sunk.
About the 20th of August the Trumbull and her prize, La Vengeance, set sail for the United States.
At the time of the capture of La Vengeance the Trumbull was under the command of Commodore Alexander Murray, Commander of the St. Domingo station. Some six weeks after the capture he received from Toussaint L'Ouverture a letter, of which the following is a translation :
" 16 Septr. 1800.
" I have received, worthy Commander, your favor of the 28th August, ult., and am impressed with the grateful sense of the marks of kindness and civility you have been pleased to show me. It gives me pleasure to be informed of your laudable instructions for preserving a good understanding between the respective officers of this island and the United States; it being the means of rendering both countries happy. I cherished the hope that, in the number of priso- ners taken by the Trumbull, certain persons might have been sent to me, from whom I might receive some useful information. Those I allude to I insinuated to Dr. Stevens* at the interview we had at Port Republicain, requesting that this favor might be solicited of the United States. They are the least culpable; the rest must abide by the consequences."
*Dr. Edward Stevens, United States Consul at Cape François, St. Domingo, in 1800.
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The Trumbull and La Vengeance arrived in the harbor of New London, Conn., on Saturday September 13th, 1800. The captured Haytians were delivered over to the United States authorities as prisoners of war, and on September 19th, seventeen of them were sent to Norwich, Conn., eighty- four were marched to Hartford under escort of the inde- pendent company of militia commanded by Captain Smith, and the remainder were imprisioned in the New London jail.
September 17th the Hon. Pierpont Edwards, * United States Attorney for the district of Connecticut, filed in the United States DistrictCourt at Hartford a libel "in behalf of the United States, and David Jewett, Esq., commander of the public armed vessel called the Trumbull-and the other officers and men of said vessel-against the schooner La Vengeance, her tackle, apparel, and cargo." Hon.
Richard Law, Judge of the Court, filed a decree on the 9th of October, as follows : " This Court having heard the com- plaint of the libellants as stated in their libel, and caused proclamation to be made, and no person appearing to claim the property libelled, or to show cause why the same should not be condemned ; and this Court having seen the papers found on board La Vengeance, and heard the evidence and exhibits of the libellants, do find the facts stated in said libel to be true as therein stated, and that the schooner La Vengeance is an armed French vessel of inferior force to the Trumbull, and that said schooner and all her lading, and the goods and effects on board are French property. Where- upon this Court is of the opinion that said schooner La Ven- geance, her guns, tackle, and apparel, and her lading, and the goods and effects on board at the time of her capture, are good and lawful prize, and as such ought to be con-
* Son of Rev. Jonathan Edwards, President of Princeton College, N. J. He was the first Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of F. and A. M. of Connecticut.
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demned to and for the use of the United States and the captors. * * * " On the 29th of October the schooner and her cargo were sold at public sale by the U. S. Marshal, at Howland and Alley's wharf, New London, and $4,260.70 were realized, which, added to the amount of gold and silver coin found on the schooner, gave the sum of $13,235.66 for distribution .*
Among the prisoners sent to Norwich was a mulatto who had been a Lieutenant under Rigaud. His name was Jean Pierre Boyer, and he was a native of Port-au-Prince, where he was born in 1776. In his possession, at the time of his capture, were found a complete set of the regalia and jewels of a Masonic Lodge, and a variety of Masonic documents, .such as forms for admission to the Fraternity, catechisms of the various degrees from an Entered Apprentice up to Per- fect Master, communications from the Grand Orient at Paris, and the Warrant or Charter hereinbefore referred to and now in the possession of the writer of this.
These documents were delivered into the hands of Col .. Eliphalet Bulkeley, then residing in New London, and were by him retained as curiosities.
The prisoners at Norwich were treated in the most humane. and benevolent manner. Wholesome food and comfortable winter clothing were provided for them ; they had the privi- lege of the jail limits, and were allowed to stroll about the town. It being ascertained by the Brethren of Somerset Lodge No. 34, Free and Accepted Masons, ; that Lieutenant Boyer was a Free Mason, he was taken in charge by the
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