Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1889-04-30
WASHINGTON A MASON
HsWtS INITIATED IN THE ORDER BhfUhh
HBWAS
History o. the Masonic Life and P-'-''''ls Oh d
D gl.slai Brothsr-Ssst'a O, 'l' V--
Fredericksburg Lodge.

In the Centennial season every mn
bes-ir, anon Washington public pom,
cal and personal history is eagerly sougl
after ana published. Washington also "a
an Interesting Masonic career, IT is sho"
nv ths records of Fredericksburg Va
Lodge he ledge in which Washi7g'o
w.s made a Master Mason. One oil u
most interesting chapters on this SUBJ q
,s nr.psrei by Mr.. S. j. Quinn
F,,d.r.essburg Lodge, and read at Moua
v.-,on las, summe-, on the occasion
+ns csiebatcn of the anniversary OF Wash
notion. initiation iato the mysteries
Dr. lodge. TIE tex. OF Mr. Qpian's e
marks is a. follows.
.,Ceorrs Washington, So the records nov
in the posse SION OF the lodge snow va
initiate in TIE Io5gsa Fredericksburg Or
tbs t,b i.vof November, 1852, passed t.
tbs5.or.-.f fellow craft March s l755
or5 r.7s.7 10 TIE subiims degree oi Aasttl
~. t1.s-f 1893. The officers tihci
g+i.r .ra iaifiatiou were p'uIsl camp
bsl sd Master, John Nelson ,. w.
Dr r.r. Ha'kef-t0u. j w jane
st,ano1sn. Treasurer. aud Alex WOOD
row \ c--r.ry. The records GA TIE locR1
5ifs-s-- aan the records oil, lodges these
dave are very meag-e, and give uoI hlns OF
ths irtr8iac. on and advance menl ln 1ia
sonry of our distinguished brother except
~ f,ct. of his receiving the several Ma
soui. degrees aud his presence az alde' emu
lodge meetings.
YOUTHFUL PROMINENCE.
II will be seen that Washington was i--
,tist-d b fore be vas 81 years O. age, az
arnlsr9 i.1 for which has puzzled many
Neslr writers. l. may have been pos
sibrs "a. .r those d-ys, when Masonrs
WA. inst ,.tstlishi Z les U iu trls country,
the Az at which one might apQy Tot in
nisrea ral no. been definitely oetes
minsT. AID Zach 'oigs ac'td rs D. ga"
proper Tue be is t1al tnat tee o. - as
Fredericksburg et ha- time, so lar as can
he g.. -taiseo. was working lrcep ncent
ofsU GRAND bodice ID he old country
having mo- charter or fispensauoa from
anvcf hem ID Washington might nave
been admit ed by a SPECIAL dip5nsalol
of Daniel Campbell, master VINO
vgss recorded as and eNeic.sen
the prerogatives of grand master,
as the lodge afterwards performed me
functions of a grand lodge q cnar-er.ig
other 70 yes. bat the lsts Past Grand Mas
ter. b. d. French. of the Dstrc, Of Co
lumbis bro.her well vsrssd il Masonic
history. ID an sddress delivered on t1ese
halloced grounds In ls3l asserted tnal
when W sui1gton's petition rcs p' resented
for 1iua-ou 40 one stopped 20 inquire
gha. his sge Fas He was 30 manly n
his a-p.rtrent and business Transaction,
AID had b-e1 so lpidlY promoted O. poet
lions OF olor, pnS aud trust that n- We.
regarded ls of mature age. He was APP
pom ed clv.y o- of Cuipepper unity az
st ths sNe OF seventeen years, or tle t-e '
nineteen le wa appointed Aoiutaut-Gcl
eral WIKI the rank OF Mai0r Do the Virginia
militia. AID 40 the age of twenty
became executor of the large c.
tates of his deceased brother, Law
renee vs. hiug'on Therefore ae was re-
gaided s Ot mature re enc 40 questions
were q l-d To rs .ly necessary, now
ever. ta trouble onr.,lvos about tine mat
ter. 10 VIII never 0e repealed. we nee.
not fesr thst another viii come into on
ranks in his minority, Tor as hos been 10
ruentIv sand by brother writing on tins
subject. no more Washiug,ons 7ball com.
in oar time. Mount Vernon snail 1o
give back ITS sacred deposit 90 bless a Da
6op. and that human TORN has not yt
been "a md I'D receive th ethereal hre C.
make DO mother We nlugiou.
OLD rEEDERICNSB kG LODGE
"F-on The time Washiog ou saw NJ
sonic Hght in bic 30 Sc until he en-
Tered into eternal .es- ir his 9th year
An during his adu- h.e-a period OF 4
vesr--re vas D member of t-e Frtdtucks
burr Lodge. ana in the proceeding OF TN
Grsrd Latg. of Virginia iu 1901, IN Or
death rumn OF Nc a. is reported o.
name of George WashiUgto1, past nasfei
The dste sl tleo,ear z-liol of FrsdtrcS.
burr Lodge "a not known. The nrst rec
ords We d- q OF ,he ledge commenced d
1872 and Fni'e no entry Ci ire k'na
made the manner in VIII ch the reCor
opens indicates that .he lodge md an *
isteure prior TO that time. L, has Bee
clsirisd .hat The 'odNe worked uoder
dispen.a .ioa rom the Grand Ledge at Ma.
sachuset.s but csreful investigation .
the records Of that Grand Lode
shows That such IS not the cas-,
and the conclusion is reache
trat frcu the time the o1g
wa G.. s-r.z q unrl jay 81, ll57. 10 N.
updt Ils u hoity of some teQrty gran
mas,ec or provincial. >rand master. 3
1857 tse .odge passed % le-Clu i-n cccl-
irQit "a ir.hI, cha. tlc &. ~ en1uid hes
cla-ts from Some grand body, and d
struct t1s o-uer mas .er DAME. %
bell. vto was thsu n Scotland. o. oo.s
a charter from the Grand Lodg, 0' 5 o
land, and appropriated iity p ulds az D..
charter ie The charter rrs oo.-lre
and SET recent corr polo. nte WtA %
grand seer. taIy of tina, gauo 3 IKE
Gloss Gre fact chat ul O-e hrew of ~
transaction The charter rs agtet July .
1858. ea7 is addressed to Col john Inou
con. master, Mt John NtilsoI, s. w ID
Robert Haibers ore, u. W Mr.. Jam
Srauehan. treasurer, AID Air B1bt ARA
stead. secre ary. This charter is roT
pos-e sion of the ldg. III O high state
preservation.
GRAND LODGE or VIRGINIA.
fredericksburg Lodge is one otthe d
Ioiess chat united in organizing the era.
Lodge of Nireiuia, ard took active part
all One preimiuaries that resulted IN 'h
organization To was one OF he lode
chat met iu William burg ou The 25d
June. l177, and sClemuly declared that
grand MASTER Tor this State is essential
heprospeit7 1, Masonry in general, an
recommended His ENceloucy Gen. Ge
Washington AS ggand master. Al CD
convention. JAS Mercer, of the Frederick
burg Lodge, presided Ia consequence
tie active duties OL Gen Washington
Commando o., the American forces, he 4.
obliged 90 decline the high honor tender
him. sind another convention was called
choose o Grand master and organize
..-,~4 r.HUa This convention assem- hl