Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-10-07

O'Neil. prelate; Lawrence A. Spicer senior
warden; Charles A. Winship, junior warden;
Henry ID. Field. treasurer; Franklin Hurlburd,
recorder; Daniel p. Shaw, standard bearer;
Edward S. Fogg, sword bearer; John W. May,
warder; Moses N. Fuller, captain of the guard.
Apollo commandery, as its number indicates,
was the first body of Knights Templar in Hi
nols to receive a warrant for its existence from
the Grand encampment A dispensation was
granted it May 5, 1915, Sir William Frederick
Walker being the first grand commander. The
knights OF Apollo cOmmandery were the pio-
neer Templars in the northwest, for in those
days Chicago was frontier town and Illinois
and the neighboring states were the great
northwest. The lists OF its earlier members
include the names of many who have covered
the Templar history of the west with unfading
ulster. At convocation held December 10,
1S47. the commandery, or encampment as it
was then called, received from the General
Grand encampment perpetual charter, dated
September IL, lS47 ana John Roman Case was
elected first grand commander under this
charter. In 1858 Grand Commander Case was
succeeded in office by Reuben Taylor, and in
1854 James Van Zant Blaney was the grand
commander. In the latter year the encamp-
ment took part in the ceremony of laying the
corner stone OF the Masonic temple in Chicago
In 1856 John Herman was grand commander
and his immediate successors in Office were
Thomas Shirley and Hosmer Allen Johnson
Under the administration of the latter tine or
SanIzatlon changed its name from encamp-
ment to commandery and the title of its COM
handing officer from most excellent grand
commander to eminent commander, in con-
formlty with Templar usage, and took the steps
leading to the formation of a grand COM
mandery for the state of Illinois.
Hosmer Allen johnson was succeeded in
command by William Wallace Mitchell in 1851
and during his terms OF Office the commandery
received and entertained the Grand encamp-
ment, which met in Chicago in 1852 George
Waite Deering. Henry Ceilings Ramsey, Vim
cent Hubbard Hurlbert and benjamin Frank
lin Patrick successfully held the highest Office
in the commandery, and under their admins
tration the cOmmandery grew in fame and
strength. While Sir Benjamin F. Patrick was
eminent commander tine commandery took
part IN the ceremonies attending the funeral
OF President Lincoln. In July, 1867, the COM
mandery made pilgrimage to Detroit. After
Vincent Hubbard Hurlbers had served again as
eminent commander Theodore Luttrell Cur
ney was chosen to the Office. The command
cry attended the triennial conclave in st. Louis
in 1858 as the escort of the grand commander
OF Illinois.
Since then the history of the commandery
has been one in which its members take great
pride. At the triennial conclave in Baltimore
IN 1911 1t received many honors. In the great
Chicago fire of that year its asylum and all its
property and records were destroyed. The
Sir knights, with stout hearts. maintained their
organization, notwithstanding this disaster and
the trials and discouragements that attended the
panic OF 1873. 1t was a hard struggle, but the
commandery survived. and when. under the
command of Norman t. Gassette, it attended
the triennial conclave in Cleveland in 1877
was again a prosperous body, and in 1879 its
active membership had reached the number
of 567. making it the largest Masonic Templar
body in the world 1t took active part in the
arrangements for the triennial conclave in
1850, contributed with unexampled liberality
to the general fund. besides doing noble serv-
Ice IN the Inequalities extended by its men,
bers. 1t attended the funeral of President
Garfield in Cleveland
In July, 1888, the commandery made its
memorable pilgrimage to Europe, returning
home in September, after receiving many
honors in England. Since 1870, when Emf
nent Sir Theordore TGthill Quincy retired
from the Office of eminent commander. that
post has been filled successively by Charles
Holman Brewer, Eugene d. Myers, James
Hodge Miles, Walter A. Stevens. Norman T..
Gassette. Amos Granins. Henry Stanton Tiff
fany, Harris A. Wheeler and Dewitt C. Cregier
The commandery attended the st. Louis con-
clave, where, as usual, it received much atten-
ton.