MAStandishMonument
MYLES STANDISH MONUMENT
CORNER STONE LAYING, OCTOBER 1872
The Miles Standish Monument, Duxbury
From Moore's Freemason's Monthly, Vol. XXXI, No. 12, October 1872, Page 380:
Miles Standish, the first military commander at Plymouth Mass., was born at Lancashire, England, about the year 1584. He having served sometime in the army in the Netherland, he settled at Leyden with Mr. Robinson's congregation, and accompanied them to Plymouth in 1620. He was there chosen Captain, or chief military commander, and rendered those important services to the colonies in their wars with the Indians, which have rendered his name historic and perpetuated his memory. He lived in Duxbury from about the year 1625, to the time of his death in 1656. He was rough and passionate as a man, but a daring and skillful soldier, and au upright magistrate. About a year since an association was formed for the purpose of erecting a monument to his memory, on what is called Captain's Hill in Duxbury, which was originally a part of his farm. It is an appropriate spot, commanding an extensive view of the ocean and surrounding country, and will ultimately, no doubt, become a place of note and public resort.
On the invitation of the corporation, the corner stone of the proposed monument was laid with Masonic honors by the M. W. Grand Lodge of this Commonwealth, assisted by Plymouth Lodge of Plymouth, and Corner Stone Lodge of Duxbury, in the presence of the association the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company of Boston, and some thousands of spectators. The Grand Lodge was represented by the following officers.—
- Sereno D. Nickerson, Grand Master,
- P. L. Everett, Deputy Grand Master;
- William Parkman, Senior Grand Warden;
- [http//masonicgenealogy.com/MediaWiki/index.php?title=MAGLTCheever Tracy P. Cheever], Junior Grand Warden';
- John McClellan. Grand Treasurer;
- Charles H. Titus, Grand Secretary;
- D. W. Lawrence, and Edward Avery, District Deputy Grand Masters;
- Charles W. Moore, Corresponding Secretary;
- Past Grand Masters Winslow Lewis, John T. Heard, Wm. D. Coolidge, Wm. Parkman, Charles C. Dame, Wm. S. Gardner;
- Past Grand Wardens Gen. Wm. Sutton, Gen. S. C. Lawrence, J. H. Sheppard, E. W. Burr;
- Directors, Henry Endicott, George O. Carpenter;
- Grand Marshal, W. H. Chessman;
- W. S. Smith as Grand Deacon;
- John Viall, Grand Deacon;
- R. M. Field as Grand Steward;
- J. F. Newton as Grand Steward ;
- Lovell Bicknell, Grand Standard Bearer;
- F. A. Pierce, Grand Tyler.
The Civil dignitaries present, the ceremonies, speeches, &c. of the occasion may be found in the papers of the day, for which we have no room. The Grand Lodge was the especial guest of the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company, from which they received every attention in the power of that body to extend to them. At the dinner table, among other speeches was a graceful and appropriate one by Grand Master Nickerson, in answer to a call upon the Grand Lodge. The day was one of the loveliest of the season, and the occasion one of the most enjoyable of its kind.
MassMoments page Includes link to Boston Globe article
