CHAPTER XLVIII.

ASSOCIATIVE ORGANIZATIONS- I.

MASONIC BODIES.

BY DAVID N. KINSMAN, M. D.

The Mount Vernon Commandery. From the records of Mount Vernon Commandery Number One, now stationed at Columbus, Ohio, we learn that in answer to a petition signed by two Knights Templar (John Snow and Frederick A. Curtis) and five Royal Arch Masons, (James Kilbourn, Chester Griswold, Chauncey Barker, Levi Pinney, and Mark Seely) members of Horeb Chapter Number Three, located then, as now, at Worthington, Ohio, a dispensation was issued by Thomas Smith Webb, Deputy General Grand Master of the United States. The following is a copy of the document:

By Thomas Smith Webb, Esq., Deputy General Grand Master of the General Grand Encampment of the United States, to John Snow, Knight Templar, Knight of Malta and of the Red Cross;

Sir Knight: You are hereby authorized and empowered to congregate and assemble together in the town of Worthington in the State of Ohio a sufficient and legal number of Knights of the above mentioned orders, and to open a Council and Encampment in the said town and therein confer the said orders from such tried and worthy companions of the Royal Arch as may make application for the same, conforming in all your doings to the Constitution of the United States of America; this dispensation to remain and continue in force for the space of three months from the date hereof, unless sooner revoked, and at the expiration of which time the said dispensation to be returned to me, with an account of your proceedings, by virtue of the same, it being expressly understood that any work performed under this author ity is to be done in behalf of the General Grand Encampment and for the benefit of its funds, unless a charter should hereafter issue for the permanent establishment of an Encampment in said town consequent upon this dispensation. Given under my hand and seal the 14th day of March 1818.

THOMAS SMITH WEBB,

Deputy General Grand Master, General Grand Encampment of United States.

Under the authority of this dispensation Sir Knight John Snow summoned all of the Sir Knights living within the distance of forty miles to assemble at the

Masonic Hall in the Academy in Worthington, Ohio. On March 15, 1818, in obedience to this summons, Thomas Smith Webb, hailing from the General Grand Encampment of the United States and the Grand Encampment of Massachusetts and Rhode Island; John Snow, hailing from St. John's Encampment, Rhode Island; and Frederick Curtis, hailing from Ireland, as we believe, the only Templars in Ohio, met. They exchanged credentials, read the petition and dispensation, and under the authority of the foregoing dispensation proceeded to form and open a council of Red Cross Knights. The council then "resolved to proceed to confer the orders of knighthood on such approved companions as may make application for the same." James Kilbourn and Chester Griswold were elected and created and dubbed Knights of the Red Cross after which the council “disbanded in good harmony." Thus began the history of Mount Vernon Commandery Number One.

On March 17, 1818, Chauncey Barker, Levi Pinney and Mark Seely received the order of the Red Cross. On March 20, 1818, an encampment of Knights Templar and Knights of Malta of the order of St. John of Jerusalem was opened. "Chester Griswold having been proposed and elected, having been duly prepared and conducted through the various ceremonies appertaining to the orders with firmness and constancy, was dubbed and created Knight of the Valiant and Magnanimous orders of Knight Templar and Knight of Malta of the order of St. John of Jerusalem, the encampment was disbanded in good harmony On March 25, 1818, Chauncey Barker and James Kilbourn were created Templars. On April 10, 1818, Levi Pinney and Mark Seeley received the order of the Temple. This closed the list of original petitioners. Joseph S. Hughes and William Little received the order of Red Cross May 29. June 5, Roger Searle, Benjamin Gardiner and Pardon Sprague received the Red Cross. An encampment was then opened and Joseph S. Hughes and William Little received the orders of the Temple and Malta. Ôn the sixth of June Benjamin Gardiner and Roger Searle received the orders of the Temple and Malta. These two men were clergymen and their fees were remitted.

Thomas Smith Webb, who had been present at all the meetings, now disappears and on the twentyseventh of January, 1820, we find at a meeting of Mount Vernon Encampment the following roster of officers: M. E., Sir John Snow, Grand Commander; E., Sir Chester Griswold, Generalissimo; E., Sir James Kilbourn, Captain General; Sir Joseph S. Hughes, Prelate; Sir Chauncey Barker, Senior Warden and Sword-Bearer; Sir Mark Seely, Junior Warden and Treasurer; Sir William Little, Recorder and Standard Bearer; Sir Levi Pinney, Warder.

At this meeting the charter was received which had been issued September 15, 1819. In this document we find the names of the following Knights: Sir John Snow, who was the first Commander; Sir Chester Griswold, who was the first Generalissimo; Rev. Sir Roger Searle, who was the first Captain-General; Rev. Sir Joseph S. Hughes, who was the first Prelate; Sir James Kilbourn, who was the first Senior Warden; Sir Levi Pinney, who was the first Junior Warden; Sir Benjamin Gardiner, who was the first Treasurer; Sir William Little, who was the first Recorder. To this charter were signed the names of Dewitt Clinton, General Grand Master; Henry Fowle, Deputy General Grand Master; John Snow, General Grand Generalissimo; Ezra Ames, General Grand Captain-General. From the language of the charter we are led to infer that Thomas Smith Webb was already dead and that Mount Vernon Encampment was the last Masonic body to feel the touch of his fostering hand.

On

On February 22, 1820, the committee on accounts reported that after all just debts were paid there remained in the treasury nine dollars and eight cents. this evening the first election was held under the charter which resulted as follows Sir John Snow, Grand Commander; Sir Chester Griswold, Generalissimo; Sir Ben jamin Gardiner, Captain-General; Sir Joseph Hughes, Prelate; Sir Mark Seely,

Senior Warden; Sir James Kilbourn, Junior Warden; Sir Levi Pinney, Treas urer; Sir William Little, Recorder; Sir Pardon Sprague, Sword Bearer; Sir Erastus Webb, Standard-Bearer; Sir Chauncey Barker, Warder. "No further business appearing, the council was dissolved in good harmony."

On May 21, 1820, there was a meeting at which the Red Cross was conferred and these zealous Knights met no more until February 22, 1821. At this meeting a committee was appointed to compare the original and transcribed minutes. The committee on bylaws reported a code for the government of the encampment. "A very respectful communication having been received from Sir Benjamin Gardiner stating his reasons for non-attendance they were considered satisfactory by this council. Satisfactory evidence was given that Sir William Little was not within a distance of forty miles at the issuing of this summons for convening this encampment. It being made known satisfactorily that Sir John Snow was absent on Masonic duties, it was considered sufficient reason for his absence. Sir Levi Pinney being absent, and no reason being assigned, it is therefore ordered that a summons be issued requiring him to attend the next meeting and account for his absence." At this meeting the second election for officers took place. Chester Griswold declined the office of Generalissimo. Such a surprising circumstance is not known to have occurred again in the history of this body. At the next meeting, June 1, 1821, Pinney was excused. Platt Benedict, many years after efficient in Masonic labors in the city of Toledo and Republic, petitioned for the orders. On February 22, 1822, Samuel R. Miller, of Cincinnati, Calvin Conant, Elias Fowler of Putnam, Ohio, and Ezra Griswold, of Delaware, made application for the orders. The encampment voted to pay postage on all letters directed to members of this encampment, which was no small expense at that period. We find in 1823, that at a meeting on February 22, ten dollars were appropriated to be divided equally among the Sir Knights, members of this encampment, residing at Delaware, as a remuneration of their expenses in obtaining lectures for the benefit of the institution. On February 16, 1824, the petition of William Fielding, of Franklin, Warren County, was presented. This brother was long noted as a blue lodge lecturer throughout the country, and was Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Ohio.

To show that many points of interest have been dropped in these records, we cite the following: On February 23, 1824, Bela Latham was elected Prelate of Mount Vernon Encampment, yet the records are silent concerning whence he hailed or how he secured his membership. At this meeting a resolution was passed as follows:

Resolved, that this Encampment pay out of any funds in the Treasury a reasonable compensation 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 candidates, be dispensed with." About this time it was a charming exhibition of knightly courtesy to make the Sir Knight recommending a companion the committee 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

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 orators 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 petitions 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 General 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 excitement 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. Herron and Joseph Grubb were knighted.

The first shock of the "The old Guard was

Here follows a gap, or interregnum, of three years. battle was past, and a meeting was held May 22, 1830. 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: Commander, M. E. Sir John Snow; Generalissimo, E. Sir Ezra Griswold; Captain-General, 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; Standard bearer, Sir W. J. Reese; Warder, Sir George Sanderson; Guard, Sir William Nilly.

Mr.

The rest is silence for eleven years. When next the encampment was opened on June 3, 1841, of the officers elected at the last meeting 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 Encampment of the United States. He had issued a summons to the members of Worthington Encampment to meet, elect officers, and proceed to business. 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. He 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 elected as follows: Sir John Barney, Commander; Sir Ezra Griswold, Generalissimo; Sir

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, Standard bearer; 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 reëlected.

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 members 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. Hubbard 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 meeting 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 held 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 affiliated, 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 encampment 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 Templar 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 settle 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 black ball cast, and the only thing which shows the worldlymindedness 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 constantly 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 committee on by-laws reported August 16, 1844, the following relative to meetings: