The Wilmingtonian., 1886-03-06
st. Johns Commandery No. L knights.
TenpfRrs.

st. Johns COmmandery No. 4 knights.
Tenpiars.
That St. Johns Commande,y was not the
first body of Knights Templars organized
in this jurisdiction is truth beyond ques-
tion, although the whereabouts fthe records
of the old Encdmpment are now unknown.
There are however a few papers iu existence,
that furnish sufficient evidance to demon
strate the fact that body called ''Washing-
ton Grand Encampment' existed in this
city, in the year of our Lord 1914. The fol-
lowing notice, of a meeting of that body, is
in the possession of a member of st. Johns
Commandery addressed to Joseph Day, who
was at that time, Tier of the lodges And
reads as follows Attend Sir Knights.
meeting Of Washington Grand Encampmept.
to be held at the town hall, this evening, at
O'Clock, February 7th, A. L. 5St4. by Or
der of the NJ, w. II. p. John Nelson, rccor.
der protein. To Sir John Sellers, John Pat
terson, Joseph Robinson, James Cochran.
John Hedrick, Jared Chestnut, John Cor
don, John Rambeau. Richard McCarv
Frederick Leonard, Victor DUPONT, Bepia-
min Chandler, Edward Wethel by, Thomas
q. Cable. This notice. was probably shown
to all, or nearly all of the above named per.
sons, as a cancellation mark, is affixed to all
out iour OF the names upon the paper.
Ihls eneampment has long since held its
asst meeting, aud is members have gone to
tAeir final resting place. OF its beginning.
and early history we are in ignoraoce ce of it's
progress, and ending, we can only conjecture.
The mason seeking for light looks upon the
tgw remaining relies of this Encampment
and asks, who were these Sir Knights? and
the few remaining papers furnish no clue,
beyond the rames given. Every vestIge OF
existence is lost of this body of men, save a
Few disconnected scraps, which assure us
only, that it lose, ilou ished, and swent ont
OF existence. St. Johns Cummaudery, is
not yet eighteen years old. Her records
since the ii st meeting under di>pensation
have been faithfully kept. Her fouude
still live. Yet out few of her members to-
| day know anything Of her origin, and the
Commandery h I've no record of the means
used, OF of the men who gave their time
and means to bring this body into existence,
1t is the purpose of the writer, to present to
The searcher after truth, a concise statement
nt the formation of this body, which will
differ materially from the generally accepted
| story of its origin, aud as before sad. is not
To be found in its records The first meet
| Ing called to take into consideration the pro-
priety OF organizing this Commandery, was
held in the masonic hall, in the Autumn of
the year 1861 in the building now occupied
by James Il Webb, on Market street below
| Third. This meeting was called at the in.
stance OF one of the founders OF the Com
nandery, who a short time before, while in
the city of Trenton, upon business connected
with the revival ui Royal Arch masonry, il this
jurisdiction was awaiting train at the sta
ton. The thought occurred to him that a
Commandery ought to be established in
| wilmington. He then determined to make
an attempt to accomplish nat object. The
| first step taken was to ascerta in who. in the
jurisdiction, We're Knights Templars. That
having been done, notices were served upou
them, requesting them to meet at THE mason
Ic hall, for the pa:pose of taking into cunsid-
GRAFTON, the proprieyy OF forming Comman
dcry III this city. The minutes Of that
meeting, show that there were present, the
following named Sir Knights. Daniel Nc.
Clihtock, Robert Bhpie, William II. Lee
George W. Stone, Samuel kirkpatrick and,
j. f. Mynich Sir Daniel McClint ock, was
called to the chair, and j. +. Mynicb
| chosen Secretary. The object of the meet
ing was stated, and after free Interchange
oil views Committee was app tinted to con.
fer with the Sr Knights who had not attend
ed the meeting, after which the meetinr
adJhurned to meet in one week from that
time. At the dttr appointed for the second
meeting, there was Out one person present.
aud thus ended TIN. tirst attempt tb urua,. izr
tile Commaudery. s'cpnd effort was
immediately Instituted! by stx Rival Arch
mas"hs' members of st. John' Chapter petit
tion'ng Palestine Cnnmandrry ro thsorIers
of knighthpol. rnaaH petitnnels hei,p
accepted they un'tcd with the original NOV
ers in the work. IHlt mai ray Of these
men were IN earnest, there udl now b., no
doubt get that tIrar was Il G,spo,itipn mn
tue part al ,ue T., rr.drt the work was
equally true: doubts NprreNprtsapl us stuIhr|
AS'i'uN ~ h''IlsS L 't Nhlk, aud other Ii INt-
Ions excuses nad', the question of xp-n,rs
was disin,sei, i,d ,ue N ttier lrmIioed in
abeyanee nntil un3 IT the uu,nhar prop ,snd
to advauG the m'r,sstry I'm Is. aS he haI l.,
The Chapter unicr sun,lar airc I'm ,tanee,.
Ihls bronght TIE matter 10 crisis, the
money was was ri sci At nui, b, Il n.o.rlta
conrbntinn A meeting was ordered to
Seciect officers Ia ba nlmel in the
petition to the Grand Master of Knights
lempla's, TO this eeting, all Of the Sir
knights residing in the cpty were invited
Those win responded, in addition to those
hithelto participating were S. A. Hodge
man, J. D. Billings, George W. Perry, w.
W. Lobdell and w, Il Thompson. S. A.
1Odgeman by his presence, the others with
assurances Of their co operation making
total of sixteen pers ms. George W. Stone
called the meeting 10 oder, 5. A. Hodge.
man was called t. the char, and j. +. Myn.
ich acted as secretary.
n, 10 6,ut;.,.J