The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1897-11-11
Past Masters of the Amity Lodge.

The Camden Herald in it's Biographical
Sketches of the Past Masters Of Amity
Lodge, No. 6, F. & A. NJ, includes the
following
FREDERIC LEWIS.
Mr.. Frederic Lewis, who was the
thirtieth Master of Amity Lodge, was
born in Belfast, Maine, Sept. 10, 1885,
and is the son of the late Frederic A.
Lewis, Esq He learned the trade of
matchmaker and jewelier in Belfast, and in
June 1857, removed to Boston, where he
worked at his trade for about two years.
In 1859 he came to Camden and began
business in the store Of Paul Stevens, on
the site now occupied by George Burd,
but afterwards moved to the store in the
old Masonic building which he occupied
at the time OF the great fire. After the
erection of the new Masonic Temple, he
went into the store in that building on the
site of his old store, where he now carries
on his business.
Mr.. Lewis served as Master of Amity
Lodge from May 1866, to Jan. 1867 on
account of the election of Mr.. Simonton,
then Master, to the office of Junior Grand
Warden, and in Jan. 1867 was elected
Master, and during his term the Lodge re-
ceived many additions to its membership.
Mr.. Lewis was the sixth High Priest of
Keystone Chapter, being first elected to
that office in 1876 and serving two terms.
He was elected High Priest the first time
during the period when the majority Of it's
members thought it was only a question
of few months at most when it would
have to surrender its charter. This, how
ever, Mr.. Lewis did not intend to permit
and went at work to revive it, which he
succeeded in doing, and it is due, to a
great extent, to the efforts of Mr.. Lewis
that the Chapter exists to-day.
THADDEUs r. sIMoNToN.
Hon. Thaddeus +. Simonton was born
in Camden, Maine, Sept. n, 1929, and is
the son of William and Elizabeth (Rob-
erts) Simonton. III received his education
in the common schools, Belfast Academy
Maine Wesleyan Seminary and Bowdoin
College, where he graduated in 1888 He
studied law with Nehemiah Abbott in Bel
fast, was admitted to the Waldo County
Bar in lS35, and began the practice of his
profession the same year with Hon.
Ephraim X. Smart, at Camden.
He was the first County Attorney for
Knox County, in 1860 81. In 1861 he was
appointed Deputy Collector Of Customs for
the port Of Camden and held that position
for eighteen years. lie was Grand Chief
Templar of the Grand Lodge, L. @. g. T..
of Maine, in 1850 and 1881. In October
1882 he purchased half interest in the
Camden Herald and bee anne the E iitor
and Manager, which pos ition he continued
to hold for some eight years. He was
State Senator from Knox County in 1885,
IS and was chairman of the legislative
committee ON temperance. He was elect
ed Presidential Elector in 1SSS, casting his
vote as such for Benjamin Harrison.
In 1890 he was appointed by Secretary
Window, Special Agent of the United
States Treasury, and held that office until
1898. He is the author of ''Picturesque
Camden the beautiful little volume de-
scriptive of Camden scenery and IN
| rivalled attractions as summer resort.
Mr. Simonton is good speaker and has
done much service for his party and for
the cause of Temperance on the stump
and on the platform in this and other
| States.
Mr.. Simonton was the twenty ninth
Master of Amity Lodge. He was first
elected in 1868 and was re- elected in
1866. He is prominent member
of the Grand Lodge Of Maine, having
served as Junior Grand Warden two years,
from 1866 to 1868. and two years as Senior
Grand Warden, from 1868 to 1870 He is
| also one of the charter members of Key
stone r. A. Chapter and was it's first High
Priest, serving in that capacity from the
organization of the Chapter in August
1866 until January 1869.