GMButler
Contents
CALEB BUTLER 1776-1854
- MM 1803, WM 1811, 1812, 1834-1836, St. Paul
- DDGM, District 5, 1814-1818
- Senior Grand Warden 1818-1819
- Deputy Grand Master 1824-1826
- Grand Master 1840-41
- Signed Declaration of 1831
TERM
NOTES
BIOGRAPHY
From Proceedings, Page 1916-194:
M.W. Caleb Butler was born in Pelham, N.H., September 13, 1776, and died in Groton, Mass., October 7, 1854, age seventy-eight. He was brought up on a farm and his only preparation for college consisted in attending the academy of Daniel Hardy, in Pelham, less than a year. By studying privately and teaching some he fitted himself mentally and financially to enter Dartmouth from which he graduated in 1800, delivering the salutatory oration in Latin, which was the highest honor conferred by the faculty at that time. He remained in Hanover a year as tutor in an Indian school attached to the college. He was next employed by our Past Grand Master Isaiah Thomas, of Worcester, to correct the proof of a Greek grammar which Thomas was publishing. In 1802 he was appointed a Preceptor of Groton, now Lawrence, Academy, Massachusetts, serving until 1815 when he began the study of law. He became a successful counselor though he did little as an active practitioner in the Courts.
At the same time he became famous as a surveyor, and in 1826 was appointed by the Governor Chairman of the first Board of Highway Commissioners for Middlesex County, in which capacity he served until the creation of the Board of County Commissioners in 1828, becoming the first Chairman of that Board, and serving as such until 1841. He was Town Clerk of Groton 1815 to 1817 and 1823 to 1831; Trustee of Lawrence Academy from 1807 to 1836; elected to the legislature in 1829 but declined to serve; Postmaster for twenty years; Chairman of the Selectmen; and very active in civic life. He delighted in literature and delivered many public addresses. One of his few works which remain is a history of the town of Groton. He was Worshipful Master of Saint Paul's Lodge, Groton, in 1807 and several other years; also High Priest of Saint John's Royal Arch Chapter, of Groton. He delivered many Masonic orations from 1811 to 1816, and was present with the Fraternity when Lafayette laid the Corner-stone of Bunker Hill Monument with Masonic ceremonies, June 17, 1825, and also at its completion June 17, 1843. He served the Grand Lodge as Senior Grand Warden in 1818 and 1819; Deputy Grand Master from 1824 to 1826, and as Grand Master 1841 and 1842.
MEMORIAL
From Proceedings, Page V-550:
"The Committee to whom was referred the death of our late Past Grand Master, Caleb Butler, since the last Communication of the Grand Lodge, beg leave to Report:—
"That in the decease of our late M. W. Past Grand Master, Caleb Butler, who recently died full of years and in good old age, we are called to remember a worthy and excellent Brother, whose life and deportment were ever worthy of our highest confidence and the respect of his fellow-citizens.
"When an upright Mason is taken from our Fraternity to the Grand Lodge above, whether his path in life was elevated or humble; yet we delight as Brethren to cherish his memory: but particularly so, when he filled a distinguished station among us. And when we look back on our past history in this State, we are reminded that our departed Brother was a Mason of long and honorable standing; that he assisted in 1825 at the laying of the Comer Stone of the Bunker Hill monument, that he carried at that time a striking memorial of our illustrious Brother George Washington, the Father of his Country; viz:—a lock of his hair in a casket, now must carefully preserved, in this Grand Lodge; and that our deceased Brother ever remained firm and unflinching in that Dark Day, which for a season overshadowed our Fraternity.
"Therefore — Resolved, that we sincerely sympathize with his afflicted family in their sorrow and with the Brethren in the vicinity of his residence, and recommend that this record of his virtues be laid up in the Archives of this Grand Lodge, as a memorial of our affection and respect for his excellent, character and virtues.
Resolved, That the Grand Lodge room be put in mourning for the customary period.
From Moore's Freemason's Monthly, Vol. XIV, No. 2, November 1854, Page 62:
Groton, Oct. 30, 1854.
Br. Moore — At a regular meeting of St. Paul's Lodge, this day, held at Mason's Hall, the following resolutions were adopted :—
It has pleased the Ruler of all things, to remove our distinguished Brother, Caleb Butler, Esq., from the terrestrial Lodge here below, to join with kindred spirits (as we humbly trust) in the Celestial Lodge above. He died Oct. 7th, 5854, aged 78 years.
- Resolved, That in the death of our venerable Brother, the Masonic family have lost one of their brightest ornaments; our Lodge a true and faithful Brother, a profound mathematician, an intelligent and useful member of society, a learned historian, a counsellor at law, an able instructor of youth in the future walks of life; and, as having held several times the office of W. Master of St. Paul's Lodge — High Priest of St. John's R. A. Chapter, in Groton, Mass.; and the highest office in the gift of the Brethren to bestow — Grand Master of the M. W. Grand Lodge of the State of Massachusetts, in a time when it required the nerve and firmness of a knight in the days of chivalry to guide the Masonic helm.
- Resolved, unanimously, That his Masonic, Christian, moral and social virtues, will be enrolled on the tablet of memory to latest time.
- Resolved, That we as Brethren of St. Paul's Lodge, sincerely sympathize with his widow in her affliction, and invoke upon her, his children, and relatives, heaven's blessing.
- Resolved, That our furniture and jewels be clothed in mourning for three months.
- Resolved, That the Secretary send an attested copy of these resolutions to the family of our deceased Brother; enter them upon the records, and also send a copy to the Freemasons' Magazine, at Boston, for publication.
Dexter Blanchard, Secretary.
J. H. SHEPPARD (Committee)
DEDICATION OF BUTLER MONUMENT
On August 24, 1975, a Special Communication of the Grand Lodge was held to dedicate a monument to Past Grand Master Butler. Grand Master Stanley F. Maxwell and the Headmaster of Lawrence Academy, Groton, gave addresses.
REMARKS BY GRAND MASTER MAXWELL
"How pleasing to come here to Groton today to participate in an unusual but very meaningful ceremony.
"In these days of celebrating the Bicentennial qf the signing of the Declaration of Independence, we think often of only those men who were so prominent in the affairs of 1775-1776, I think of Revere, Warren, Hancock, Adams and a great many others. We have had many other 'giants' since those days and even today we have some outstanding men, but we need more - more who would have the caliber and standing of these earlier patriots and heroes.
"In almost every other part of the world today, political animosities, contentions ard wars interrupt the progress of humanity and the cause of benevolence. Today, we pause in this happy region of liberty and peace to pay our respects and homage to a man who, in the early to mid 1800's, was a 'giant' in his own right by teaching, consulting, and directing many of the destinies of this particular region.
"Most Worshipful Caleb Butler, Grand Master of Masons in Massachusetts in 1841 and 1842, was born on a farm in Pelham, New Hampshire, in 1776. While having a very limited education; by private study and some teaching, he fitted himself rnentally and financially to enter Dartmouth College, graduating in 1800 when he was given the Latin salutatory, the highest honor to be conferred.
"Most Worshipful Brother Butler taught for a year and then went to work for Most Worshipful Brother Isaiah Thomas of Worcester to correct the proof of a Greek Grammar. In 1802, he was appointed a preceptor of Groton (now Lawrence) Academy in this town, in which position he served for eliven years. He lived here in Groton as a much honored citizen for over 50 years until his death in 1854.
"Most Worshipful Brother Butler also studied civil engineering with special emphasis on surveying, and he became so proficient in this area that the then Governor appointed him Chairman of the Board of Highway Commissioners of Middlesex County. In 1828, he became Chairman of the Board of County Commissioners and served until 1841. After studying law, he was admitted to the bar in 1814. In Groton, Most Worshipful Brother Butler was instrumental in establishing the public library, and at one time or another held the offices of Town Clerk, Chairman of the Board of Selectmen and Postmaster. In 1829, he was elected to the General Court but declined to serve.
In Masonry, Most Worshipful Brother Butler had an enviable career. He became a Master Mason in St. Paul Lodge in 1803. He also became a member of St. John Royal Arch Chapter. He served his Lodge as Secretary in 1805-1806 and Worshipful Master in 1807-1808, 1810-1811 and again in 1833-35. He was District Deputy Grand Master of the then 5th District in 1814-1817; Senior Grand Warden in 1818-1819; Deputy Grand Master in 1824-1826 and Grand Master in 1841-1842. He was present at Bunker Hiil in 1825 when Lafayette laid the cornerstone of that monument and again on its completion in 1843.
"Three traits in the life of this man stand out. His constant and unfailing interest in the civic affairs of his town; his great versatility and energy, both mental and physical, and his hardy and courageous attitude. This then is the story of the man who is buried here and whose memory we today honor. That we have a Lodge, Caleb Butler, of Ayer, to bear his name should be an inspiration to all of us to take our full share of civic and social duties in these troublous and uncertain times. We pay our respects to the officers and members of Caleb Butler Lodge for having the foresight to renew the stone on the grave of our esteemed Brother Caleb Butler.
"For many years, in the laying of a cornerstone of a public edifice or a Masonic Temple, it has been tradition to pour upon that stone corn, wine, and oil, and so today, as the Grand Master of Masons in Massachusetts, I do, on behalf of the whole Fraternity repeat that ceremony.
(The Deputy Grand Master poured corn, wine and oil on the monument.)
"May the corn of nourishment abound in our land and may the blessing of the Supreme Grand Architect rest upon the people of these United States. May the wine of refreshment and concord bless the officers and members of Caleb Butler Lodge and may they be watched over and preserved by the Great Architect of the Universe.
"May the Supreme Ruler of the World bless our land with Union, Harmony and Love, and preserve the people in Peace and vouchsafe to them the enjoyment of every good and perfect gift. May Corn, Wine and Oil, and all the necessaries of life abound among men throughout the world; and may the blessing of Almighty God be upon this undertaking and may this stone be preserved to the latest ages, a monument to the liberality, the patriotism and the loyalty of the man who is memorialized here today. Amen."
REMARKS BY HEADMASTER WILLIAMS
Address by Benjamin Davis Williams, III, Headmaster, Lawrence Academy, Groton.'
"One snappy November afternoon, Caleb Butler, a 25 year old Dartmouth graduate and already a highly cultivated scholar, made his way into Groton up the road from Squannacook headed from Worcester to his home in Pelham, New Hampshire. Along the way he met William Lawrence, then a lad of 18 working on his father's farm. During the course of their chat, Caleb inquired of William the way to the home o{ William Merchant Richardson, a fellow Pelhamite and then preceptor of the Groton Academy, with whom he wished to spend the night before proceeding on to Pelham.
"Within two months o{ this casual encounter, occasioned (as he always maintained) 'by the hand of providence', Caleb Butler became the 6th Preceptor of Groton Academy. It is recorded in the Trustees' book that on January 19th, 1802, the Trustees voted to give Caleb Butler $160 and 1/2 tuition for keeping the school for the next six months. Mr. Butler, being present, agreed to take the school in 'this pecuniary compensation.'
"Thus began Caleb Butler's association with the Groton Academy which lasted until his death in 1854. He 'kept' the school from 1802 to 1810 and, again from 1812 to 1815, a total of 11 years, longer than all of his predecessors put together and longer than any other headmaster until the time of Mr. Fred Gray. During those 11 years he taught no fewer than 615 students among whom included Abbott Lawrence, a future ambassador to England; Amos Kendall, a future United States postmaster General; the Reverend James Walker, a future president of Harvard; the Honorable Joel Parker, a future Judge of the New Hampshire Supreme Court; Mr. William Lawrence Chaplin, a very prominent aboiitionist; and a host of others whose careers would be of local, state and national significance. In 1807, he was elected to the Board of Trustees, the only incumbant preceptor ever so elected, and remained an active member until 1836. His influence in shaping the fledgling academy was enormous. During the Spring ol 1802, he supervised the founding within the school of a 'social Fraternity', a kind of debating society at whose weekly meetings the student members read original papers on a variety of subjects and received criticisrns o{ their thoughts.
"For two years, 1808-1809, he hired a preceptress and with her ran a 'female school' as a kind of adjunct to the academy in which were taught embroidery and other feminine arts. Later in 1823, he was to be very influential in helping Miss Susan Prescott (one of his former students) to found a female boarding seminary which used the academy building for its school and which was to number among its graduates, the famed Margaret Fuller.
"He was instrumental in coaxing from the Trustees the first money spent for a library ($20 for an atlas and $6 for a map of the United States) and for scientific apparatus, ($110 for a telescope). Long after he was Preceptor he continued to use the telescope and often in the evening would set it up on Main Street and invite students to join him in scanning the heavens, (Amc Lawrence always encouraged Mr. Butler to use all of the books and apparatus which he gave to the academy in the 1840's.) Caleb Butler was the first to bring order into the record keeping of the school. We find that in 1809, the Board of Trustees voted at his request to purchase a book to record all the scholars admitted to the school and made it a duty of the preceptor to keep this book current. Caleb spent many hours poring over the confusion of previous records and eventually had them well in order.
"No history of American education would be complete without reference to the services which Caleb Butler and other like minded contemporaries performed. In the late 1700's teaching in academies was largely regarded as only a stepping stone to other professions (law or the ministry) and was engaged in by young men just out of college as a means to acquire money to settle debts or to accumulate some capital for further study. Caleb was one of a number of young men in the early 1800's who helped to transform this regrettable situation into one in which the profession of secondary school teaching became a respected and permanent career. He, the others like him and those of their students who carried on after them, soon raised the quality of scholarship at the secondary level to the point where universities such as Harvard were able to drop such subjects as arithmetic, English grammar and geography from their Freshman curriculum and to make those studies requirements for admissions. (One wonders how Caleb would react to the fact that many colleges today feel it incumbent, because o{ the poor preparation of incoming students, to reestablish those subjects in their freshman curriculum.)
"He best expressed his own educational philosophy in the following words:
"Extremes are not always the best means to accomplish ends. It is far from certain that the multiplicity of school books, modern experiments and contrivances to make study easy, are not a hindrance rather than a help to the full development and strengthening of the mental powers and faculties. The mind, as well as the body, requires exercise, energetic, protracted, even laborious exercise, in order to raise its powers to full perfection. If a 'royal road' to Geometry and all science has been discovered, it should not be exclusively travelled, especially by those whose destinies lead them over the rough mountains of unexplored territory. The minds of a Washington, a Franklin, a Bowditch, and a Webster, were not trained up to the high elevation they attained in schools, where all studies were made easy. A retentive memory is an essential faculty to the acquirement of knowledge; but it should be considered, that the exercises of a school are not solely for the purpose of storing up knowledge for future use; but to develop, cultivate, and strengthen the mental powers, and prepare them for action under all contingencies and occurrences of a life of business. If, in the education of youths, the memory only be nourished and strengthened, the store of knowledge laid up will fail in its application, for lack of judgement, discretion, discrimination; A practice too common, introduced in modern improvements, is, opening the whole cyclopedia at once to the students, not in separate parts, to be studied in succession, but for a progression in one and all at the same time. Grammar, Rhetoric, Logic, Ancient and Modern Languages, Chemistry, Botany, Geornetry, Algebra, Music, and Astronomy, must be crowded all together into a master's or a miss's brain, in a shorter time than is requisite to instrqct, profitably and successfully, in any one branch."
"Caleb Butler was given a standing ovation by the multitude assembled at the Jubliee celebration at which he spoke those words in 1854. The Rev. Andrew Bigelow, one o{ his former students, offered the following toast.
"Preceptor Butler! We feel that your presence here is the crowning blessing and honor o{ our banquet; where so many of your academic family afiectionately cluster around you! We offer you the flowing tribute of grateful and loving hearts. Our children have learned from us, and theirs will learn from them, to appreciate your character and venerate your name; a name which will be held in honorable regard while the annals of the town and of this institution shall exist. Serene and happy be the evening of your well spent life; very late be the summons which shall withdraw you from the scenes o{ earth."
"Unfortunately, Reverend Bigelow's prayer went unanswered for Caleb Butler died the following October at the age of 78. But is it indicative of the man, the scholar, the teacher that he died as the result of a disease contracted alter a fall from a ruit tree which he was pruning in his back yard, and during a period in which he was reading the works of Virgil and Horace in the original."
CHARTERS GRANTED
None.
