The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1874-12-25
8. r. Grisaraore.
GRAND MASTER Or LOUISIANA.
[From the Heart and Hand.1

EAZE
1t is with pleasure that the Heart and
Hand to-day presents the face of this
jealous worker in the mission of Ameri-
can Odd Fellowship. He is better known
to our readers by the name which he has
signed to many pithy communications
that have appeared in our paper, Gun
Gle Silas !" but above is his own name
and title, and we propose briefly to give
q sketch, and q sketch only, believing
that the good face presents its own best
biography.
Brother Grisamore was born neal I'm
ion Church, Clark County, Indiana,
March s, 1926, received such an educa-
ton as the country schools of that day
afforded, and at the age of eighteen
commenced to teach during the summer,
for the purpose of obtaining means to
attend the academy at Charlestown, in
same county, during the winter.
In 1S46 he removed to Louisiana, set
tlingin the Parish of Assumption, where,
after teaching school for a year, he en-
tered into mercantile pursuits. In 1867
he located in the town of Thibodeaux,
his present residence, engaged in me-
chanical and mercantile business, his
occupation at this time.
He was initiated into Excelsior Lodge,
No. "a, of Thibodeaux, June 10, 1853,
where he took the degrees; subsequently
withdrew from No. "a and became one
Of the Charter members of Assumption
Lodge, No. 43, at Napoleonville, which
Lodge was instituted April 81, 1856. In
No. 43 he served successfully in the
offices of /. g., Treasurer, Secretary, Y.
O., and n. g., reaching the p. G.'s chair
in January, 1858.
So much for items. Having requested
Bro. sGrisamore to furnish us with some
data, ETC., he did SO in a private letter,
which, although not intended for publ
cation, but merely for our aid in max
ing this sketch, yet it SO truthfnlly in
dexes the brother that we take the liber-
ty Of publishing it:
whilst Vice Grand, was much absent,
and rode, at two different times, forty
miles to attend Lodge meeting, and fire.
the period | was in the n. CTS chair, my
residence was seventeen miles off.
81 was elected a Representative to the
CIR. Lodge of Louisiana inJanuary, 1860,
and received the appointment OF u. ID.
G.. M. at the first session which | at
tended.
sAt the close of the war, both Elk
celsior, No. "a, and Assumption, No. 43,
were found to have been pillaged; many
of their members dead or gone away.
There being no hope OF reviying As
sumption, No. AZ, it was agreed to merge
the two into Excelsior, No. "a. Enough
books and property were found belong
ing to both Lodges to fit up one, and in
January, 1866, the first meeting was
held. [ was then installed V. G., and in
June elected N. G.. Was Treasurer
from January, 1867, to 1870; then Sc
cretary to June, 1874, and am now Per-
manent Secretary. | vas Representa-
tive to the Grand Lodge of the State
from 1868 to 1872 inclusive, and ID. G.
M. for the same period.
Il was elected CIR. Warden, January,
1872, Deputy Grand Master in 1873, and
Grand Master id 1874. / have been a
member of Wildey Encampment, No. 1,
New Orleans, La, since 1871.
have never missed u meeting of
my Lodge unless when absent from
home. Visiting the Lodge is a labor of
love, and although [ have tried to be a
faithful worker, / think myself goodfor
twenty-five years lore. | am one of
those members who believe that Odd
Fellowship is progressiVe, and have ever,
opposed the great secrecy that some
throw around 1t. / think it designed to
elevate the moral character of man and
make him a good citizen, an honest man,
a kind neighb0r, and it should cease to
hide its light under a bushel, but rather
place it on the mountains tops.
was elected Mayor of Thibodeaux
Id 1860, and on the return OF peace wa
appointed by the governor to the same
position, and twice reelected; have,
with the exception of One year, been an
alderman of the town when not mayor.
/ have served four or five years, either
by election or appointment, as Presl-
dent of the Police Jury County Board
of the Parish of LafOurehe.
II am not an ardent politician, though
always taking a warm interest il the
general prosperity, and have thrown the
weight of my influence upon the side of
harmony and good will among the tur-
buIent elements disturbing the body
polite which have surrounded me. |
was one Of the Originators and founders
OF Yhibodeaux Fire Company, No. /, in
1859, and, with the exception OF one
term, have ever been its president. |
have never had any aspirations for
political offices, yet have, by some sing
ular fatality, constantly had positions
of trust in which no pecuniary profit is
found.
am an occasional correspondent of
newspapers, and for the last six years
have been the English editor of the
Thibodeaux Sentinel published in
French and Englishl, which, like all the
other positions, affords but little g
muneratiOn, but have done the work
rather than have the paper go down.
The above is an outline OF Uncle
Silas,n but sufficient, we believe, has
been given to convince all that the in
terests Of our Order will not suffer in
his hands.
How DETROIT LOVER WAS GofNG
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