Difference between revisions of "MassachusettsYear1871"

Latest revision as of 11:35, 7 August 2013

1871

WILLIAM SEWALL GARDNER, Grand Master

Charles Levi Woodbury, Deputy Grand Master
David W. Crafts, Senior Grand Warden
E. Waters Burr, Junior Grand Warden

A portrait of the Grand Master appeared on the Frontispiece and above.

QUARTERLY COMMUNICATIONS

(Held at Masonic Temple, Boston)

• 1871-1: 03/08;
• 1871-51: 06/14;
• 1871-91: 09/13;
• 1871-200: 12/13 (Annual Communication, continued to 12/14).

03/08 Agenda

• 1871-16ff: In the Grand Master's address, report on Star in the East Lodge, New Bedford.
• 1871-22: Due to the creation of the town of Ayer, Caleb Butler Lodge would now be empowered with jurisdiction in the town of Ayer, since South Groton "has no corporate existence."
• 1871-32: Report of the committee on the "Powers of the Board of Directors."
• 1871-44: Capitation tax revised to $7.
• 1871-44: Report of Committee on Charity.

06/14 Agenda

• 1871-55: Correspondence with the Grand Lodge of South Carolina, regarding the right of the Grand Master to make Masons "at sight."
• 1871-59: Correspondence with the Grand Lodge of New Hampshire, regarding doings at Carroll Lodge #57, Freedom, NH.
• 1871-65: Election of Wor. Charles H. Titus as Recording Grand Secretary.
• 1871-75: Motion to assess a $15 fee for each petition for healing; approved.
• 1871-76: Committee report on Grand Master's Address concerning the qualfications of officers present at various communications, and the credentials of proxies.

09/13 Agenda

• 1871-92: Singing of hymn, Come brothers of the Mystic Tie.
• 1871-93: Charles Marsh, Past Grand Master of California, introduced by Past Grand Master John T. Heard.
• 1871-101ff: Report by committee on the petition of Samuel Evans at December, 1870 Annual Communication, regarding features of "sectarian character" in ritual. Extensive reply with many historical precedents. Conclusion was that there was nothing that constituted "sectarian" in the proceedings and rituals.
• 1871-134: Report of the Committee on Charity.
• 1871-154ff: Invitation by the Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia to attend a banquet in honor of the Grand Master of England; Past Grand Mastere John T. Heard commissioned to attend; assorted correspondence on this subject.

12/13 - 12/14 Agenda

• 1871-209: Address of Grand Master Gardner.
  • Lodges constituted, officers installed:
    • Howard, South Yarmouth (01/10, by R.W. Joseph K. Baker, District Deputy GM)
    • Charles River, Medway (04/11, by R.W. George E. Stacy, District Deputy GM, "with a full corps of Grand Lodge officers")
    • Ezekiel Bates, Attleboro (09/06, by R.W. Charles W. Moore, Special Deputy Grand Master, "with a full corps of Grand Lodge officers")
    • Simon W. Robinson, Lexington (10/13, by R.W. Gideon Haynes, District Deputy GM, "with a full corps of Grand Lodge officers")
    • Good Samaritan, Reading (10/20, by R.W. Henry P. Perkins, District Deputy GM, "with a full corps of Grand Lodge officers")
    • Beth-Horon, Brookline (10/23)
    • Mosaic, Danvers (10/25, by R.W. George H. Peirson, District Deputy GM, "with a full corps of Grand Lodge officers")
    • Newton, Wilbraham (10/25, by R.W. William J. Sawin, District Deputy GM, "with a full corps of Grand Lodge officers")
    • Belcher, Chicopee Falls (10/28, by R.W. William J. Sawin, District Deputy GM, "with a full corps of Grand Lodge officers")
    • Occidental, Stockbridge (11/27, by R.W. Daniel Upton, District Deputy GM, "with a full corps of Grand Lodge officers")
  • Hall Dedications:
    • Huntington (02/28, by R.W. Daniel Upton, District Deputy GM, "with a full corps of Grand Lodge officers")
    • Woburn (03/18)
    • South Adams (11/22, by R.W. Daniel Upton, District Deputy GM, "with a full corps of Grand Lodge officers")
    • Fitchburg (11/23, by R.W. William F. Salmon, District Deputy GM, "with a full corps of Grand Lodge officers")
  • Report of the Grand Master:
    • Grand Master's expenses
    • Grand Lodge Debt
    • Sinking Fund
    • Grand Lodge Mortgage
    • Taxes
    • Board of Directors
    • Aid to Chicago
    • Acquisition of autographs of many Past Grand Masters presented by Past Grand Master Lewis
    • Invitation to centennial of Grand Lodge of North Carolina
    • Report on lodge status in Chile
    • Extended valedictory by Grand Master Gardner
• 1871-245: Auditing Committee report.
• 1871-248: Charity Committee report.
• 1871-249: Election of Rt. Wor. Sereno Dwight Nickerson as Grand Master, and other Grand Lodge officers.
• 1871-253: Report of Committee on Jewels of the Grand Officers.
• 1871-277: Committee appointed to revise and recompile the Constitutions and Regulations on or before the Annual Communication of December 1872.
• 1871-278 (December 14 session): Lodge of Instruction.

Grand Constitutions Amendment Proposals

• 06/14: 1871-67: Proposed amendment to Section 2 of the Miscellaneous Regulations, regarding membership in Lodges extended only to Master Masons. A revision of the proposal caused it to be laid over until the September communication. Referred to committee, 1871-80.
  • 09/13: 1871-129; accepted, but motion to amend indefinitely postponed.

• 09/13: 1871-127: Proposed amendment to Part 1, Article 1, Section 2, regarding the powers of the Board of Directors; referred.

• 12/13: 1871-253: Proposed amendment to Part 1, Article 6, Section 1, regarding election of Grand Officers; referred.

• 12/13: 1871-257: Proposed amendment to the Grand Constitutions regarding the jewels of Grand Officers; referred.

Grand Master's Address

• 03/08: 1871-16; regarding Star in the East, Caleb Butler Lodge and Ayer, the revision of the Capitation Tax to $7; forbidding association with "Eastern Star" as "female Masonry"; the death of M.W. Chilton of Alabama; the visit of M.W. Earl de Grey and Ripon, Grand Master of the Premier Grand Lodge.
  • Referred to committee, 1871-32, and reported, 1871-40.
  • 06/14: 1871-72, further report.
  • 12/13: 1871-258; committee report on December 1870 and March 1871 Grand Master's Addresses.

• 06/14: 1871-55; regarding the making of Masons at sight; correspondence with New Hampshire; the death of Bro. Charles Robbins; the resignation of Solon Thornton as Recording Grand Secretary; referred to committee 1871-72.
  • 09/13: 1871-136ff Report of committee:

• 06/14: 1871-74; committee report on December 27, 1870 Grand Master's Address.

• 12/13: 1871-209; Annual Report.

• 12/27: 1871-284ff; An extensive and detailed address on Henry Price, including a number of documents and facsimile reproductions.

Lodge By-Law Changes

• 03/08: 1871-44; Lafayette (Roxbury), Philanthropic, St. Matthew's, approved.
• 03/08: 1871-44; Bristol, Columbian, John Hancock, Old Colony; referred.
  • 06/14: 1871-80; approved.

• 06/14: 1871-54; Amity, Artisan, Fraternal, Hyde Park, Ionic (Easthampton), Monitor, Morning Star, Orient, Quinnebaug, Republican, William Parkman; referred.
  • 06/14: 1871-80; approved.

• 09/13: 1871-100; Adams, Adelphi, Doric, Essex, Joseph Warren, King Hiram's, Mount Vernon, Mount Zion, Orient, Plymouth, Quaboag, Revere.
  • 09/13: 1871-135; approved (Revere, Doric revised.)

• 12/13: 1871-208; Alfred Baylies, Gate of the Temple, Hammatt, Ionic (Taunton), Konohassett, Liberty, Martha's Vineyard, Merrimack, Mount Horeb (West Harwich), Norfolk Union, Roswell Lee, St. John's (Newburyport), St. Paul's (South Boston), Tuscan, Webster.
  • 12/13: 1871-276; approved, with modifications (Norfolk Union, Mount Horeb (West Harwich), Martha's Vineyard revised.)

• 12/27: 1871-284; Joseph Warren, Orphan's Hope; referred.

Necrologies and Memorials

• 06/14: 1871-72; Death of Rt. Wor. Charles Robbins, Past Junior Grand Warden; presented by committee.

Petitions for Charters

• 03/08: 1871-11; Charles River U.D., Medway; referred.
  • 1871-43; Granted.

• 03/08: 1871-11; Temple U.D., East Boston; referred.
  • 1871-42; Granted. A Special Communication was held to constitute it.

• 03/08: 1871-12; Aconcagua U.D., Valparaiso, Chile; referred. Note that there is also a communication from the Grand Lodge of Chile, translated beginning on page 1871-13.
  • 1871-29: Granted, with recommendations regarding relations with the Grand Lodge of Chile.

• 03/08: 1871-19; Star in the East Lodge, New Bedford, restored.

• 03/08: 1871-35; Dalhousie Lodge charter given rank according to its date of dispensation.

• 06/14: 1871-54; Ezekiel Bates U.D., Attleboro; referred.
  • 1871-79: Granted, with changes to By-Laws. A Special Communication was held to constitute it.

• 06/14: 1871-65; Quinsigamond U.D., Worcester, dispensation extended three months.
  • 09/13: 1871-93; petition for charter, referred.
  • 09/13: 1871-150; granted for First Degree only, and extended only by the GM.

• 06/14: 1871-66; Mariners' U.D., Cotuit, dispensation extended six months.
  • 12/13: 1871-208; petition for charter, referred.
  • 12/13: 1871-262; granted.

• 09/13: 1871-94; Occidental U.D., Stockbridge; referred.
  • 1871-150; granted.

• 09/13: 1871-95; Belcher U.D., Chicopee; referred.
  • 1871-150; granted.

• 09/13: 1871-96; Beth-Horon U.D., Brookline; referred.
• 09/13: 1871-96; Mosaic U.D., Danvers; referred.
• 09/13: 1871-97; Newton U.D., Wilbraham; referred.
  • 1871-151; granted.

• 09/13: 1871-98; Phoenician U.D., Lawrence; referred.
  • 1871-152; granted.

• 09/13: 1871-99; Simon W. Robinson U.D., Lexington; referred.
  • 1871-153; granted.

• 09/13: 1871-100; Good Samaritan U.D., Reading; referred.
  • 1871-153; granted, with slight alterations to by-laws.

• 12/13: 1871-261; The Massachusetts Lodge, Boston, for a replacement charter for the one destroyed by fire in the Winthrop House conflagration; approved.

Petitions for Dispensation for Lodges

• Dispensations, mentioned in Grand Master's Address starting on Page 1871-187:
  • Constellation, Dedham (02/09)
  • Hampshire, Haydenville (03/02)
  • Williams, Williamstown (04/03)
  • Greylock, North Adams (09/14)
  • Spencer, Spencer (11/03)

• 12/13: 1871-252; Thistle Lodge, Boston; "the circumstances of this petition were such," that Grand Master Gardner "desired to take the advice of the Grand Lodge upon the propriety of granting the same"; the petition was declined.

SPECIAL COMMUNICATIONS

• 03/15: 1871-46; Constitution of Temple Lodge, East Boston.
  • 1871-47: Constitution of Lodge.
  • 1871-47: Installation of Officers and reading of the Paul Revere Charge, "found in the Archives of the Grand Lodge."
  • 1871-48: Address of Grand Master Gardner, regarding the naming of the lodge after Sir John Temple, Bart., the first Consul-General from Great Britain to the United States.

• 06/27: 1871-84; Feast of St. John the Baptist, and Centennial Anniversary of Union Lodge; held in Nantucket.
  Note: this is the first time that Grand Lodge had ever been opened in Nantucket.
  • 1871-85: Grand Lodge procession to festival dinner, "which had been prepared in a spacious tent"; escorted by DeMolay Commandery.
  • 1871-85: Historical sketch of Union Lodge; oration at Methodist Church.

• 09/06: 1871-86; Constitution of Ezekiel Bates Lodge, Attleboro, by Past Deputy Grand Master Charles W. Moore.
  • 1871-86: Commission of Rt. Wor. Bro. Moore from the Grand Master.
  • 1871-88: Constitution and installation of Ezekiel Bates Lodge, "in accordance with the revised ritual in use in the Commonwealth."
  • 1871-88: Address by Rt. Wor. Bro. Moore and Past Grand Master William Parkman. Description of lodge hall and the organization of the lodge, along with a short biography of Ezekiel Bates.

Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument, Boston.

• 09/18: 1871-161; Laying of the Cornerstone of the Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument on Boston Common. Note: the construction of this monument appears to have begun only in 1874.
  • 1871-162: Grand Lodge procession to Boston Common, with Rt. Wor. Charles Levi Woodbury, Deputy Grand Master, as Acting Grand Master. A large number of military organizations, the Governor, the Mayor, and the Fire Department were also in the procession, which numbered about 5,000.
  • 1871-163: Address of General Cowdin; reply by Woodbury.
  • 1871-164: Inventory of items deposited in the cornerstone.
  • 1871-165ff: Description of ceremony, including spoken parts.
  • 1871-169: Proclamation by Acting Grand Master Woodbury.

• 10/16: 1871-172; Laying of the Cornerstone of the new Post Office and Sub-Treasury. Note: this event was attended by a large number of members of constituent lodges. Note that President Grant and Vice-President Colfax were also present, along with various members of the Cabinet.
  • 1871-169ff: Procession of Grand Lodge; note on proper dress (dark clothes, silk hat, white gloves; no canes or umbrellas; jewels of offices "suspended from a blue rosette on the left breast"; aprons.) Escort by Knights Templar.
  • 1871-185: Address by Postmaster-General Creswell and ex-Mayor Shurtleff; description of plate on cornerstone read by General William L. Burt, Postmaster of Boston.
  • 1871-187ff: Address by Grand Master Gardner and consecration ceremonies.
  • 1871-196: Hymn by William T. Adams to the tune America.
  • 1871-197: Return procession to Grand Lodge.
  • 1871-197: Resolution adopted to appropriate $1,000 for the relief of brethren in Chicago following the great fire.
  • 1871-199: Social gathering at St. James Hotel with President Ulysses Grant.
    • 12/27: 1871-283: Letter of thanks.
    • Description from Moore's Freemason's Monthly

FEAST OF ST. JOHN THE EVANGELIST

(held at Masonic Temple, Boston, 12/27/1871)

• 1871-281: Opening and roll call.
• 1871-284: St. Paul's Groton to be permitted to meet in Ayer at the Lodge Room of Caleb Butler Lodge.
• 1871-394: List of diplomas granted (2,107 in 1871).
• 1871-395: Communications from various Grand Lodges.
• 1871-395: List of lodges not represented at Grand Lodge in 1871.
• 1871-396: Grand Master's appointments for 1872.
• 1871-397: Installation of Grand Master Nickerson and other Grand Lodge officers; Grand Master Nickerson announced that he would conduct the installation according to the form used by Grand Master Henry Price when Grand Master John Rowe was installed in 1768; a detailed description follows. Note also that every living Past Grand Master was present for this ceremony.
• 1871-407: Presentation of busts of William Sutton and Charles W. Moore.

1871-411: Banquet. Speeches:

• 1871-413: Most Wor. Sereno D. Nickerson, Grand Master
• 1871-415: Rt. Wor. Charles W. Moore
• 1871-427: Rt. Wor. John H. Sheppard
• 1871-431: Declaration of Freemasons of Boston and Vicinity, 12/31/1831; reproduced in its entirety.
• 1871-451: Rt. Wor. Marshall P. Wilder
• 1871-454: Rt. Wor. William S. Gardner, PGM
• 1871-455: Rt. Wor. Abraham A. Dame
• 1871-458: Rt. Wor. Winslow Lewis, PGM
• 1871-461: Rt. Wor. George M. Randall, PGM
• 1871-468: Rt. Wor. John T. Heard, PGM
• 1871-470: Rt. Wor. William T. Coolidge, PGM
• 1871-474: Rt. Wor. Charles C. Dame, PGM
• 1871-477: Wor. and Rev. Alonzo H. Quint
• 1871-484: Wor. Lovell Bicknell
• 1871-486: Rt. Wor. Charles Levi Woodbury
• 1871-491: Rt. Wor. Edward Avery

LIST OF LODGES IN MASSACHUSETTS BY DISTRICT: 1871

There were 16 districts in Massachusetts in 1871, as well as districts for Chile and China.

Previous (1870)
Next (1872)
Years