Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-10-05

interior department and
nc the cal OF President
xo,, Dx,n Lincoln he enlisted with
NopAh -. the District volunteers
and after serving his time received an
honorable discharge. In 1865. at the re-
quest of Charles Knapp and Geo. W. Riggs
and other prominent capitalists OF that time,
he took charge of the National Union in
surance company, then just organized, as its
secretary. which position he has held ever since.
During the old form of government he served
two terms as a member of the common councils,
one term as vice president and both terms as
chairman of the committee on improvements.
His Masonic career began i'll 1868 when he be-
came a member OF b. b. French lodge. No. Is.
he became a charter member of Lafayette
lodge, No. 49, in December, 1868. and was
chosen master in 1865. In the following year
he was elected grand secretary of the Grand
lodge of the District, and filled that place for
five years. In 1880 he was elected grand mas
ter from the floor. He was exalted De-
cember Is, 1865, in Mount Vernon Royal
Arch chapter, No. 20, then under the regis
try of Maryland and District of Column
bia. As a member of that chapter in 1867, he
united with the other companions in this
city III the organization of an independent
grand chapter for the District having intro
duced the resolution for separation in the
Grand chapter. June l, 1861, he was elected
hrst high priest of one of the new chapters,
Lafayette. No. 5, and served two and half
years. He was grand secretary of the Grand
chapter from its organization until November,
1872, and then was elected deputy grand high
priest, serving one year. He was chairman of
the committee on correspondence of the Grand
chapter for ten years. In November, 1878, he
was elected grand high priest.
In 1874, at Nashville, Tenn. Ct being his
first appearance in that body . member). he
was elected G.G.R-A captain. At the same
the companion elected to that position
having declined the office, and August "a,
1877, at Buffalo, he was elected general grand
scribe Of the same body. At each triennial
convention he was promoted until he reached
the highest Office of general grand high priest,
which he now holds. tie 10 the only one who
ever held all the offices In that body, having
been promoted IN regular order. He received
the orders of knighthood in Columbia COM
mandery, No. 2. of this city in 1866 He afil-
lated IN DeMolay commaDdery In 1872 and was
elected eminent commander in 1877 from the
floor. In Cryptic Masonry he united in the
movement made in this city in organizing a
council Of Royal and Select Mssons in 1870. In
1871 he was elected thrice puissant grand
master. In 1878 he received The degrees Of the
Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite up to and in
GLIDING the thirty-second degree. To him and
bis efforts the fraternity are mainly indebted
for the fine Masonic temple in this city. aud he
has, within the past year, completed very i'm
and convenience of the fraternity beside hav-
ing added largely to the revenues Of the asso-
citation.
THE FIRST CHAPTERS HERE.
The following reorganization Of the history of
the Royal Arch bodies in the District is derived
mainly from Mr.. Edward I. Schultz's history of
Capitular Masonry in Maryland. "a Royal
Arch encampment' was established in the room
Of Federal lodge, No. Is. in this city December
IA. 1875. There are records to show that a
Grand chapter for Maryland and the District of
Columbia
body, however, appears not to have fourished
for January q, 1907, delegates from Washing
ton Concordia and st. Johns chapters Of Bal
| timore aud Federal, Washington, Naval and
Potomac chapters of this District assembled
in convention here and organized Grand
Royal Arch chapter for Maryland and the Dis
trict. This Grand chapter appointed delegates
! To attend the session Of the General Grand
| chapter Of the United States held at New York
in September, 1916. In the spring OF 1922 the
companions Of the District of Columbia held
| convention in Alexandria composed of dele
gates from Federal, No. 8; Washington Naval,
No. 4; Brooke, No. 6. and Potomac, No. 8, for
| the purpose OF forming Grand chapter for
themselves, and at an adjourned meeting held
| In September OF that year a dispensation was
| read from Dewitt Clinton, general grand high
priest, authorizing the formation Of the new
Grand chapter.
An EARLY ooNrRovHRsY
The organization Of the new grand chapter
was not consummated until February 10, 1924
Potomac chapter, however, continued under
the jurisdiction of the Maryland Grand ch ap-
| ter, which. on this account, retained the title
of Grand chapter of Maryland aud the District
Of Columbia, fact that caused considerable
feeling IN Washington and WAS the subject Of
a protest from the companions Of the District
The matter was settled at a session OF the Gen
eral Grand chapter in New York in 1926, the
Maryland Grand chapter dropping District of
Columbus" from its title and relinquishing
jurisdiction over the District OF Columbia, sx-
cept 30 far as related TO Potomac chapter.
This Grand chapter Of the District Of Columbia
seems to have terminated its existence sud
denly In 1888. Potomac chapter continued In
existence, but the other chapters appear to
have died natural death simultaneously with
| the Grand chapter.
REVIVAL OF INTEREST.
In ls40 an effort was made TO revive Capitu-
! lar Masonry in the District and An application
being made to the Grand chapter Of Maryland
charter was granted for Columbia chapter, No.
Is There was some controversy ss to thu
authority Of the Grand chapter Of Maryland to
thus extend it, jurisdiction without the consent
| Of the General Grand chapter, but the matter
was settled by action taken by the General
Grand chapter, placing the part Of the District
state Of Maryland under the jurisdiction OF the
Grand chapter of Maryland. New Chapter
we're chartered in this city under that authority.
and in 1883 the orig nal title, ..0rand chapter
| Of Maryland and the District Of Columbia. /"
was assumed by the Marylaad Grand ehspter.
Meetings we're held alternately in Baltimore
and Washington and cordial relation existed
among the companionS At the conclusion Of
| each eonvocstion banquet was held and IT,
utmost annity existed for many years.
ANoruEa EyToBr goR NDRPExpIxcx
Al the annual convecation Of the Grand
chapter. November, 1850, the representative
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