Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1893-07-09
way 10 be Master. work will be- had At

| way 70 De MASTERS work Will be had at
| that time.
On Thursday evening Nelson Lodge.
| No. 80, will meet, and as work had ac-
cumulated OF late In one or more OF the
degrees, and which will insure a very
full attendance of the brethren of the
lodge.
Asye Shriners meet on the second
Friday OF the month, no doubt Osiris
Temple will hold session this week,
and to arrange, we trust, for a summer
excursion over the Arabian Sands, for
some weary fellow who desires to
change his rest and refreshments.
sEvENrY-sEvEN YEARS A MASON.
There died in Portland. Oregon, on
March z, 1898, q man who for four
years past has been acknowledged to
be the oldest mason in the United
States and undoubtedly in the world
whose name was William Gardner, aged
ninety-six yeaas, ten months and four
days. He was made a mason at the age
OF twenty-one years and at his death he
had been 3 member Of the fraternity
nearly seventy-seven years, was raised TO
the degree in st. Cyre's Lodge, Auchter.
mdchty, Fifeshire, Scotland, and his
certificate bore the date OF 1916, the
old style seal, and the signatures Of
Thomas Beyeridge, Right Worshipful
Master, and of John Guthrie, Secretary.
He was also made Royal Arch Mason
In Scotland in 1877, ami produced a Ger.
tlticate TO that effect when he came TO
the United States in 1925, with his wife
and five children, the former being
Grace Muckerzie, and whom he married
at the town OF his birth, where he was
made Master and Royal Arch
Mason, as mentioned above. BDo.
Gardner was educated In
the colleges OF Perth, and at the age Of
10 years was sent to Edinburg TO study
law with an uncle, but his pursuits for
knowledge did not flow in that direc-
ton, and he became a mechanic, and
finally q master cabinet maker, and In
consequence st the age Of II was In
business for himself.
AS was said before, he came 10 the
United States during the year 1898,
settled In New Haven, Connecticut, and
in the same year obtained the contract
and built the State House in that city,
who after completing the contract re-
moved to Camden, South Carolina,
where he founded the DeKalb Man
ufacturing Company, which became
one Of the largest cotton manufacturers
OF the south, and while he was thus
connected with that establishment, he
invented many valuable appliances,
which II he had patented would have
been worth millions of dollars TO him.
In 1855 the concern was burned down,
gnd he returning from business and re-
sided some years with his sons j. and
A. Gardner, prominent jewellers Of st.
Louis, then with his daughter Mrs.
Wilson and Mrs. Alexander at Arkan-
sas City. Kansas, afterwards with Mr..
and Mrs. Williams, at Portland,
Oregon, with whom he died.
1t is said OF the brother, that heswas
social in nature, jovial is disposition.
and ever appreciated a good joke. He
came OF good religious stock. one Of bis
uncles being one OF the signers Of the
of the ReformeTs' Convent at the church
at Pert Scotland.
Five children survive him, and are
Mrs. Grace Morris. OF Wheeling, w.
Va, Mrs. Alexander, OF Arkansas City,
Kansas, James NJ. Gardner, OF Newton
Center, Mass, Mrs. Agnes Wilson, OF
Portland, Oregon, and Mrs. GLIB, at his
native town in Scotland.
or the grand children living is Mrs.
w. n. Linch, daughter OF Mrs. Morris, OF
our city, and who is one OF the lady man
ayers of the Worlds Fair from West
Virginia.
Our worthy Brother Gardner was
made a Mason In 1916, colncident TO
the date OF the charter OF Ohio Lodge
No. /, OF our city, and in which Bro.
w. n. Llnch was raised In 1887 and Is
still member. Thus We have shown
that our city and Ohio Lodge No. has
a slight claim OF relationship TO him
both as q citizen as well as Mason.