The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1889-10-10
FIRST WOMAN MASON,
A Bonnie Scotch Lagsle,
The atery "a Told in Scotland,

In all the history OF Freemasonry,
from tho time Of ita origin, which 10
lost In legend, 10 this day, but two wo'
men have ever been permitted TO en-
tor behind the veil OF mystery ana take
the solemn Oatha OF the order
One or these was an English woman
whOAe story 10 we'll known, the other
the grandmother OF Mrs. wood,
now IN Canton, who has juat returned
from u tour IN Scotland The follow
ing 10 Mira SherwOOd'o account OF tho
affair:
erhore was nothing IN all my trip to
Europe the past summer which j 40
heartily enjoyed 40 my visit 10 the Old
tOwnA IN scotland, where no many OF
my ancestors lived and died. In and
about Strathayen, the homes OF tho
Wallacea and lruoea, every spot is full
OF historic intersat and near the place
we're fought 20 AN end o many OF the
great conflicts over religion and relig'
l0ua liberty, and between England and
scotland. Here, too, the air 10 full OF
the melody OF Burns, aud the scenes
are those which hOtung into immortal
"rheso old towns Of Lanarkehiro and
Ayrahlro have not been changed to any
extent 10y the introduction OF modern
Ideaa OF architecture, nnd the story and
Il half stunO houses With Their heather
tha'chod roofa, aro those OF centuries
past and gone.
olno ,aau 20 now held In feu tail, Just
~ it hna been for centuries, by tho bon.
net lords or ireohOlders, and by the VII.
laQera who are under the old feuddl
syslem. In the town OF Newmilna,
whelO tho Br0wnIngs and the Alex0n
dor Slniths OF our fanny liytu, aud
whelo my grandmother was made n
Mason, tntle have been but six changes
Ia tho last century.
AT this town Of Newmilna which |
visited | asked q very old lndy whom /
saw standing In doorway " she knew
OF any Smiths or Br0wnings IN the
place, and was highly pleased when she
introduced mo 10 u Mrs. Wallace who
proved 60 bB n cousin TO my father,
Her husband, Mr. Wallace, showed mo
tho old castle IN town aud the quaint
old ruIHs In the Vicinity,
III had, long ago, heard the story OF
my grRndm0theiB becoming u MnBoo,
but had given no orVdence TO II, think
ing perhaps II was one OF those legend
AIRY tales which 10 often creep into
family history. but as we were look
ing at the old home OF the Smiths, which
that family had called home for more
than 350 years, and the buildlng close
by II, which had been used for public
hall, | was gratilled 10 hear Mr., Wal
lace say without u word Of suggestion
from me, that In that old hall my
grandmother had been sworn into tho
Masonic Order
"My grandmothers name was Marga'
ret smith and her father was u villager,
She WAS the only daughter and was
known as the village beauty On her
fathers side she was OF the same fami.
ly As Alex N Ter Smith the Scottish
poet and her mothers side, Janet
Browning, OF the same family as k0bt,
browning, the we'll known poet, Az
IL was seldom tho country Lairds inter
marry with the villagers, her romance
In marrying my grandfather, the Laird
of Torfoot, had tho more Significance,
Her tnLutI WIN lllo lOuNlllk holi ~ Nho
little town, owning considerable prop.
erty, Including the old village Inn, con.
necled W th which was u succession OF
rambling buildings, In the upper part
OF one OF these was tho town hall, where
the Masons met.
any grandmother was but II when
she was sworn into the Masonic order,
She was In love, In girlloh way, with
n young man who was u Mason.
NTo crafty q womans curiosity
about tho secret order to which her
bethrothed helonged, ahe hid one even
ing, In an nlcove where the band bat or
etood when dances were given IN the
hall, and saw the ceremonies OF the
Masong. just before the meeting was
over she was discovered, brought out
OF her hiding place, and there made to
take the solemn 0nthB 10 Keep secret
what ehe had aeen and heard. This
was In 1903 OF theroabouts. The
Masonic lodge was established there In
i7yo, and was quite an old institution
even then In the place. Tradition does
not say that Bhe was ever an attendant
al lodge after that, but II does say that
ahe did not marry the Masonic lover.
"Seeing my grandfather on g white
horse one day, abe exclaimed, "rheIv ig
tha man who In TO bp my husband, and