Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1898-11-17


Grand Euoampment Of Delaware, was
born in llIeaton Norris, near Man
chester, England, on May 18th, 1880.
He smiled from Liverpool on April 18th,
1913, and landed in Philadelphia May
2lst following. He resided at Kitchens
Mills, near Manyunk, for awhile, ard
subsequently at Upland, after which
he moved to Wilmington. He learned
the trade Of machinist with his father
and at the shops OF the Hollingsworth
IL Harvey 10 this city. but during the
time OF his apprenticeship also per-
fected himself in the trade of watch
and clock making. When the panic
OF 1857 struck the country and para
lyzed manufacturing business, he de-
voted himself to the clock and watch
making vocation and has followed it
since.
Mr.. Hirst is connected with various
secret societies, but it is. MS an Odd
Fellow that he is best known. He be-
came member Of Leipcrvillo Lodge,
No. 236, j. 90, f., of Chester, Pa.
July 23d, 1859, and his Trained photo.
raph now hangs on the walls OF that
lodges meeting room. He came TO Will
mington In July, 1854, and was adj.
mitted by card to Mechanics Lodge,
No, 4, on February 10th 1856. He
served in all the appointive and elective
Offices, excepting those of secretary and
treasurer, and was admitted to the
Grand Lodge of Delaware, July 10th,
| 1852 He was elected grand marshal July
| 18th. 1867, and also filed several APP
pointive offices in the Grand Lodge.
Mr., Hirst entered the encampment
branch of the order in 1856, filled the
| various appointive and elective offices,
and was admitted to the Grand En-
campment April 26th, 1866. July 18th,
1866, he was elected grand scribe. and
has held this office by successive an
nual elections ever since. He was
elected representative of the Grand
Encampment of Delaware to the Sow
ereign Grand Lodge, /. o. o. F., No.
vember 18th, 1884, and reelected No
vember 10th, 1886, serving four years
in this capacity.
Mr.. Hirst is also an active member
Of the Naomi Rebekah Degree Lodge
and served the lodge several years as
orgauist. He was. identified with the
Uniform Patriarchs from the time Of
their organization, in 1878, until the
act Of merging with P. M. Cantor
Delaware, No. l, of which he was o
charter member and is now an honorary
member. Mr.. Hirst was the first mem
Der Of the order in Delaware to have
conferred on him the "Grand Decora
ton of Chivalry" by the commander
in-chief personally, at Lbs Angeles
Cal, in September, 1888.
In 1874, Mr.. Hirst was selected as his
torian for. the Encampment jurisdiction
of Delaware. He is also the historian o
the order in this State and supplied thu
data for Delaware in the history o
Odd Fellowship published by order o
the Sovereign Grand Lodge. He il
also the possessor of the first veteran
jewel, for 25 years of consecutive mem
bership, presented to any Odd Fellow
in Delaware, which bears the inscrip
ton: Presented to Edwin Hirst, P
| G. R., by Hope Lodge, No. 81, l. O.. o
f., Dec. z, 1892. .
| At the organization of the Pas
Grand Officers Association, in Novem
Der, 1895, Mr.. Hirst was unanimousl,
chosen historian. He is the oldest, il
point of continuous service, Grand Sec
rotary or Grand Scribe in the Unitet
States, having been continuousl.
elected since July 18th, 1866.
1t is source Of satisfaction to Mr.
Hirst that in all his long and conspicu
Gus career in Odd Fellowship, he neye
solicited an appointment or sought
vote to elevate him to an elective Office
In all of, his associations with gran'
patriarchs not one has received in
formation from him for decisions whicl
were ever reversed or appealed from.