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JOHN ABBOT

Grand Master, 1824-1826; 1834.

June 14, 1854 (V-510). Memorial

Resolved. That we have received, with profound grief, intelligence of the sudden death of the R. W. and Hon. John Abbot, Past Grand Master of this Grand Lodge. He died at his residence in Westford, on Sunday the 30th, of April last, after an illness of about two hours, in the 78th year of his age. Thus, another link connecting the past with the present generation has been broken. Thus another star, ever diffusing a mild and cheering radiance, has sunk below the horizon to rise again no more.

Resolved. That we will cherish the memory of our departed Brother for the many virtues which adorned his life and character; as a friend he was true and trusty — as a counsellor safe and wise, and as a christian, may we not apply to him the language of the poet:

"Calmly he looked on either life, and here
Saw nothing to regret, or there to fear."

As a Freemason, the services which he rendered to the Fraternity were many and various. As Grand Master, as a Trustee of the Grand Charity Fund from its establishment to the close of his life, and as an officer in many other Masonic institutions, he devoted his time and his talents for the benefit of the poor, the unfortunate, the widow and the orphan. He discharged the duties of the numerous offices in which he was placed, with great ability, courtsey[sic] and fidelity. When the cloud of antimasonry arose and seemed to portend a storm, and it was deemed desirable to place at the helm a pilot of tried skill, integrity, firmness, and discretion, all eyes were turned to our departed friend, and although he had previously occupied the Chair for the regular term of three years, he was, again elected Grand Master, as it were by acclamation.

Resolved. That while he sustained the office of Grand Master an event occurred which will be forever memoriable in the annals of the Craft; we allude to the ceremony of laying, in Masonic form, the corner-stone of Bunker Hill Monument on the 17th. June 1825.

That grand and beautiful ceremony was performed by him, assisted by officers of the Grand Lodge, in the presence of six thousand Masons and tens of thousands of other citizens. We were honored on that occasion by the presence of a Masonic Brother ardently attached to the Order, known and distinguished throughout the civilized world, and beloved and revered by the whole people of America; we refer to the veteran General, La Fayette. He visited the Grand Lodge on the morning of that day; and on Bunker Hill, robed in Masonic regalia, he accompanied the Grand Master to the place where the stone was to be laid, and stood by the side of him during the ceremony. That day was full of interest to other classes of the community as well as Masons, The re-appearance of La Fayette after an absence of more than forty years - the presence of a large number of revolutionary soldiers, his companions in arms—the oration by Webster— the Masonic and military display — the gigantic procession, — all these presented a cluster of attractions and made the occasion one of unsurpassed brillancy [sic] and grandeur.

Resolved. That our departed Brother by his virtues and talents had secured the confidence and respect of those classes of society whose good opinion is of any value. He was often elected by his fellow-citizens to places of public trust and responsibility, and had been called by them to a seat in the higher branch of the Legislature of this Commonwealth.

Resolved. That as a token of our high respect for the memory of the deceased, the altar and jewels of the Grand Lodge be dressed in mourning for the term of three months.

Resolved. That a copy of these resolutions be transmitted to the son of the deceased, he being the only surviving member of the family."