Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-11-01

1 Va NUa AAs
Mitchell.
MACON, GA, October 31.-The Grand
Lodge met this morning at ten O'Clock In
the Grand Lodge hall. Over two hundred
and fifty lodges were represented. Grand
Master j. 1. Wright delivered an address
which was very interesting, and showed the
order to be in a most prosperous condition.
The usual standing committees were sp-
pointed, after which the body was called off
until 3 p. m, at which time It resssembled,
and Junior Grand Warden j. H. Estill read
a report on the Yorktown Centennial, which
was ordered printed with the regular pro-
ceedings.
collection was taken up for the Pensa-
cola yellow fever sufferers, and $125 was
contributed by the brethren. Reports were
read and adopted from the Grand Master
and also from the Committee on the South
ern Masonic Female College.
At the evening session presentation of
jewel to Past Grand Master James NJ.
-MohleY took place, sad eloquent speech
In behalf OF the committee on presentation
was made By Brother John s. Davidson, of
Augusta, and replied to by Brother Mobley.
A telegram was received announcing the
N0atH VI aSb OCpuby 0fdnQ MASTER w. Ia.
Mitchell, which took place at Athens to day.
Out OF respect to his memory the Grand
Lodge was called off until to morrow morn
ing.
Brother Mitchell was Professor of Law in
the State University.
The question OF granting charter to Lam
drum Lodge is sill in the hands of the COM
mittee to which it was referred.
The following report of Acting Grand
Master Estill, of ths Yorktown Centennial,
gives an interesting history Of Masonry in
| Georgia hundred years ago, and will be
read with interest not only by members of
the fraternity, but by many who are not
connected with Masonry:
SAVANNAH, October 81, 1882.
n. W. JOSIAH 1. Wright, @. II. Of the Grand
Lodge Of Georgia, r. A. II:
M. w. SIR AND BRoTHKR-By your ap-
pointment it was my pleasant duty to be
| your representative to the special COM
municstion OF the Grand Lodge of Virginia,
held at Yorktown on the 18th and 18Th days
of October, 1881, on which occasion Grand
Master Peyton s. Coles, assisted by
| the members of the fraternity who
had assembled from the North, South
| East and West, laid on that historic field,
| with appropriate ceremonies and In the
| presence OF an immense concourse, the cor
| ner- r-stone OF a monument to be erected in
1
| Corvallis army to Washington and Ro-
| chsmbesu, commanders of the American
| and French forces, one hundred years be-
| fore. The army which laid down its arms
| on that day had, despite the gallant efforts
| of the patriots, marched through the Caro-
| linas and Virginia, apparently invincible,
and It's fate virtually terminated the war In
| favor of the colonies. The two men whose
| efforts were conspicuous in bringing abou5
| this grand result were brethren Of the mYs-
tic tie.
Lafayette, the gallant young Frenchman,
who left the pleasures and comforts which
rank and wealth secured to him in his
native land to aid the struggling Ameri-.
cans, by his able generslshIp com
PEELED the British General to retreat
| to the Peninsula, and Washington,
whose foresight concentrated his forces |
around Yorktown and forced him to sur
render, were members Of the craft;
brethren who never "deemed it de- |
rocatorY to level themselves with |
the fraternity, extend their privileges, or
patronize their assemblies" In the group of |
patriots who assembled at Yorktown on |
that memorable day was another distin- |
gu;shed Mason, Samuel Eibert, General of |
| Continental troops in the Georgia Brigade, |
an officer on the staff of Washington, and at |
that time Grand Master OF Georgia. OF |
| this gallant soldier and upright Mason |
| shall nave more to say hereafter.
Oae of the most interesting features Of the |
CesteHnisl was the address of Past Grand /
Master Welliford. of Virginia. AlludiDg to |
the fact that the Contir entail Congress had, |
one hundred years before, ordered a monu-
ment to be erected at Yorktown, the |
brother graphically portrayed the scene,
had the Masonic fraternity then as
sembled to lay the erstone. At that
communication OF the Grand Lodge /
of Virginia would have been found "George
Washington, Edmund Randolph and John
Marshall, Of Virginia. New Hampshire
would have sent her John Sullivan; Massa-
chusetts her Henry Knox; Connecticut her
Israel Putnam; Rhode Island her William
Barton; New York her Robt. r. Livingston,
De Witt Clinton, Daniel d. Tomp~
kins and Morgan Lewis; New
Jersey her Aaron Ogden; Penn
sylvania her Benjamin franklin; Maryland
her Ohio b. Williams; North Carolina her
Richard Carswell and Williamson A. Davie;
South Carolina her Mordecsi r. Gist, and
Georgia her James Jackson"
The gifted orator did Georgia but simple
justice in placing in the list of distinguished
American Masons of the last century the
name of Grand Master James jackson; one
of the most illustrious of her sons; man
whom not only the fraternity delighted to
honor, but who appears in history brave
soldier and true patriot in war, and an in
corruptible statesman In time of peace.
Brother Jackson was twice elected Cover
nor of the State, aud was also a member
OF Congress and United States Senator,
besides filling many other offices
in the gilt of the people. He
was Lieutenant Colonel Of Legion OF Horse
during the revolutionary war, and was a par
ticipant in the battle of CoWpens and other
engagements in the South. In consideration
Of his services, Colonel Jackson was honor
ed by General Anthony Wayne with the dis.
tinction Of receiving the surrender OF the
town of Savannah when It was evacuated |
by the British army. Brother Jackson, while
Master OF Solomon's Lodge No. L. was
elected Grand Master OF the Grand Lodge |
Q7S9). Our records bear evidence that he
was jealous brother. who was active in
everything appertaining to the craft.
This distinguished brother, however, was
only one of many Free Masons who could
have represented Georgia at Yorktown
trust hundred q is years Sat oSE ago. ., and n.
to make brief mention Of several of those
ancient brethren who "met on the level and
parted on the square, in the olden time.
Samuel Ebert, General Of Continental
troops, Georgia Brigade, served with
distinction in Georgia and the Carolinas,
and was captured at the battle of Briar
Creek, near Augusta, and sent
prisoner to New York; when ex-
changed, being unable to return South he
offered his services to General Washington |
and was member OF his staH at the siege |
of Yorktown. He was an active patriot
serving not only as a soldier, but also as
legislator. He was Governor of Georgia in
1785. Brother Elbert was Grand Master of
Masons under the old djspensation, or Eng-
lish charter, succeeding the Hon. GREY
Elliott, and resigned the gavel on the forms |
ton of this Grand Lodge.
William Stephens, another uusWervIpp |
patriot in those "times which tried mems
souls,n and among the first to urge resist
auce to the tyranny Of the King, was
Chief Justice Of the new born State. and
after the revolution was District Judge Of
Georgia for a number Of years. Brother
Stephens was Grand Master In 1862. and
from 1893 to 1873.
Sir George Houston-An ardent supporter
Of the eauee of American liberty. member
of the first legislative assembly of Geor-
gla and q public spirited citizen. This
bro her was Grand Master from 1870 TO 1872
George Handley-A Colonel in the Revo.
lutionsrY army and Governor OF the State IN
178S. Brother Handley was your Grand
Treasurer IN 1856.
John Martin-Also Colonel in the Revo-
lutionary army and Governor of Georpis
filling that Office at the time that peace Was ]
dee AIRED. He was Grand Steward ia l786
Mordecai Sheftsll-Captain and Commis- 8
ssry In the Revolutionary army. A brother
whose name occupies a prominent place in
the history OF Savannah. He was an officer
fho nd Il a -