Omaha daily bee., 1891-10-04
ECHOES FROMTHE ANTE ROOM.
Happenings Amongs't the Secret Fratorni-
ties.
RISE AND PROGRESS OF COVERT LODGE,
History of the Organization and
Growth OF This Lodge-A
Curious Monument-The
RebekRh Team.

ment OF any well known organization and for
that reason the story of the birth and growth
Of Covert lodge No. IL, A. H. and A. Nj. Of
this city, forms an interesting subject for
consideration.
At the quarto.centennial of the organiza-
ton Of this lodge, which was celebrated on
June % last, Past Grand Master Charles Il.
Coutant delivered an interesting address on
this subject from which the following is
taken:
July "a, 1865, a petition signed by Brothers
Horace 9. Newman, Jesse II. Lacey, James
5. Gibson, Charles W. Burt, William II.
Harvey, Harry p. Deuel., Il. V. Smith, w. A.
Little, II. II. Deloss, a. G.. Murphy, William
Eindley, Matthew e. Wilbur, and j. 81.
Sawyer, and recommended by Capitol lodge
No. 3, was presented to Grand Master Fur
mas asking that II dispensatlon be granted
them for the establishment Of Covert lodge,
U. ID.
The request was granted and the dispense
tion issued that date. 1t may not be easy
for any of us, and more particularly those of
limited residence, to fully appreciate the
conditions and circumstances existing u
quarter of a century ago, and out of which
has sprung the present modern city of
Omaha.
1ne CudnRcS JuaJ nave TAKEN place nave
been so constant, gradual and numerous, that
Wo fail to take note OF them in the aggregate
and we are apt to associate with any event
the surroundings of the present, unless we
purposely direct attention to the conditions
then existing.
We are not to consider the Omaha of to-
day, with all the improvements added in the
quarter century. that contribute so much to
the comforts and enjoyments of life. but a
struggling town, a mere hamlet, with UNI
n VA mi IITTb nl rn,Nn Hnplynl ~,
either side with long frame ranges.
No railroad had reached the town from
the east. More than two years
passed before the Northwestern, the
pioneer road from the east, reached
the river. The town was just then
beginning to enter upon that marvellous
growth incident to the commencement of
the Union Pacific railway. The road, what
little there was OF ii, began on the bottoms
near the present shops, and extended west
ward a short distance into the Platte valley.
Five thousand would be a liberal estimate
for the population. 1t is true the town had
ambitions-what western town at some time
has not hadt IL was the capital of a new,
sparsely settled, but promising territory ques-
tions OF statehood were being grappled with,
and who should be future governors and SEN
ators and congressman were subjects earnest
ly ana eagerly canvasSed. On the hill where
the present high school building now stands,
stood the plain white, unpretending capitol
of the then territory, and over all the ques-
tions discussed, and for the little town,
overshadowing all was the question, will it
be permitted to remain there.
Masonry in the territory, like the territory
itself, was living for the future. The earnest
and devoted men who had it in keeping,
were then but beginning its foundation.
The grand lodge session for 1865 was held
June %. There wore then in the territory
but seven chartered lodges and two under
dispensation, with an entire membership of
only BIS. Capitol lodge No. 3, the only lodge
in the city, had on its rolls only eighty mem
bers. Looking back today and Judging by all
the conditions then existing, the chartering
of an additional lodge seemed a doubtful ex-
pertinent. Not so, thought the brave and
earnest hearts who had the charge in keep
ing: not so thought Grand Master Furnas,
for on July "A, 1865, his dlspensation was
granted for the establishment of Covert
lodge, U. d., naming the following officers;
w. e. Harvey, w. M; W. p. Deuel., S. W..
Thomas H.. Delos, }. w.
July 81, 1868, in accordance with the dis
peusation granted by Grand Master Furnas,
Covert lodge was Instituted with the officers
named above, in addition to the following: j.
H.. Lacey, treasurer M. g. Wilbur, secre-
tary; w. A. Little, S. D.; William Fiudley,
j. D.; A. G.. Murphy, master OF ceremonies
James S. Gibson, steward; j. +. SAWYER,
steward.
The new lodge was named IN honor or
Joseph Benham Covert OF Cincinnati, o.
Brother Covert was well known TO many of
the early members OF the craft, who speak of
him in the warmest praise as a Just man and
upright Mason, earnest and interchangeable in
the discharge of every Masonic duty. Fol
over a quarter of u century he was tyler of
the local lodges at Cincinnati and for many
years was tyler of the grand lodge of Ohio,
holding that position at the time of his death.
Brother Covert was much pleased at the
honor conferred upon him in giving his
name to the new lodge. AS a token of his
esteem and friendship, at a communication
80 tl1 l-l -. lnll 10, 40 900 "a
received from him OF a beautiful gavel. made
from wood obtained near the grave of Wash
ington. AT the next meeting appropriate
resolutions were adopted ana forwarded TO
the donor. 1T.
Small as the city was, 1t presented plenty
of material from which the new lodge could
make its selections. AT the first meeting
five petitions were presented. During the
year tfty-two meetings were held and at the
next session of the grand lodge, Juue 20,
1866, Covert lodge mad upon its rolls as mem
bers William Il. Harvey, Harry p. Deuel., M.
O.. Wilbur, Jesse FL. Lacy, William A. Little,
Abner p. Murphy, James S. Gibson. Joseph
+. Sawyer, Charles +. Catlin, Charles w.
Burt, John Il. Chapman, George H.. Smith,
II. A. Murphy, Algernon 5. Patrick, Leopold
May, George w. Peck, William Ellinger, G.
Y. Wallace, Samuel Burns, Wiley B.. Dixon,
Jeremiah l.. Cooper, Charles Il. Whitmore,
L.. Culbertson, George w. Holman, jr., St. A..
ID. Balcombe, Charles II. Hayes and Joseph
Boyd.
On June 90, 1866, twenty-five years ago,
at the second days session of the
grand lodge, the lodge was duly chartered
and the grand lodge conferred upon the Of
ficers of the lodge present the right to seats
and votes at once, a favor rarely granted.
July 9, 1866, the lodge was duly
instituted by Grand Master Fur
mas with the officers above mentioned.
Its work during the tWenty-six year of it's
history as n chartered lod 80 and lodge U. D.,
shows 220 candidates raised TO the Master
Mason's degree, l9S have been admitted by
petition and demit from other 10 lges, and
that it has exercised u wise and careful dis
elimination and close and rigid scrutiny of
the material offered is shown by the fact
that ninety-one petitions for membership
have been rejected. 11N'
During the quarter century the angel of
death has visited the lodge thlrty-eight times.
OF the original petitioners for the cispen-
sation two only, H.. Il. Deuel. and James ).
Gibson, and of the original charter members
five only, IL. Il. Deuel., James s.. Gibson,
Algernon S.. Patrick, Samuel Burns and st,
A. ID, Balcombe, are At present members OF
the lodge.
Masonic.
In Christ's church In Dublin, Ireland, there
is one or the most curious Masonic monu-
ments Ia the world. IL is that OF Mrs. Aid
worth, perhaps tho only woman VINO was
ever really initiated into the mysteries OF
Masonry. She was Hon. Elizabeth St.
Leger, aud the only daughter OF Arthur st.
Leger, first Viscount Doner2ile. She mar
ried Richard Aldworth OF New Market. AT