The San Francisco call., 1904-09-04


the Order of knights Templar in
California and on the Pacific
Coast was commenced in the
month of September, A. D. 1852.
At that time the subordinate bodies of
Templars in the United States were
entitled "encampments." Sundry
knights residing in San Francisco as
sembIed and framed a petition to the
General Grand Encampment of the
United States of America praying for
authority to establish an encampment
of the order in the city of San Fran
cisco. The petition was presented to
Sir Knight Benjamin Brown French,
the general grand recorder, at Wash
lngton, D. c., and in due time a dis
pensation, dated at Boston, Mass, No
vember 10, 1852, and signed by Sir
knight Charles w. Moore, general
grand generalissimo, was issued. This
instrument authorized the formation
of an encampment of Knights Templar
in San Francisco under the name of
San Francisco Encampment No. l.
The dispensaion named Sir knights
Gregory Yale, eminent commander;
Sir knight William B. Wakeman, gen
eralissimo, and Sir Knight Abram
Bartol, captain general. The other
parties named therein were: Sir
Knights Richard +. Knott, Garrett w.
Ryckman, Joseph Waterman, John H.
Brown, Luther 7. Wilson. James a,
McDougall. William H. Folger and
Henry A. Cobb.
On December %, 1852, a partial or
ganization under the dispensation was
effected and the following additional
knights were admitted as original
members of the encampment: Sir
Knights Peter A. Brinsmade Alex
ander G. Abell Charles c. Tracy.
Leander Ransom and Silas c. Field
On January 2, 1853, the organization
was completed by the appointment of
the following officers: Sir Knights
Peter a. Brinsmade, prelate; Luther
z. Wilson, S. W.; Henry A. Cobb, ].
w; John H. Brown, treasurer; Alex
'ander G. Abel, recorder; joseph Wa
terman, st. B.; Charles c. Tracy, Sd.
B.; James A. McDougall, warder, and
Silas c. Field, sentinel.
Little was done during the time the
encampment remained under dispen-
sauon. On November 1. 1853, a char
ter was issued by the General Grand
Encampment. officers under the char
ter were elected and San Francisco
Encampment No. l was thus fully in
vested and started upon the career of
usefulness and prosperity, which has
continued until it has now become one
Of the largest, most noted and most
influential of the bodies under the
control of the General Grand Encamp-
ment of the United States and the first
in formation, rank and character or
the Pacific Coast.
In September, 1856, the General Grand
Encampment at its TrienniaI Conclave
made sundry changes in the names of
the several bodies under its jurisdic-
tion and the name of San Francisco
Encampment No. 1 was changed to San
Francisco Commandery No. 1 and its
chief officer was thereafter entitled
commander. Sir Knight Leander Ran
son was on March 5, 1857 reelected
commander; Sir Knight James C. l..
Wadsworth, generalissimo, and Sir
Knight Alexander c. Abel captain
general In 1853. at the annual election.
Sir knight Alexander G. Abel was
chosen commander. Sir Knight James
c. L. Wadsworth was reelected gen
eralissimo and Sir knight Eli Cook
captain general. This was the last
election prior to the formation of the
Grand Commandery of California On
July 5, 1853, Sacramento Encampment
No. was organized and received a
charter from the General Grand En-
campment on February 6, 1854. On
February 20, 1856. the General Grand
Encampment issued a dispensation for
the formation of an encampment at the
City of Columbia, in Tuolumne County.
under the name Of Pacific Encampment
No. g. 1t received a charter on Sep
tember 10, 1856. The titles Of these two
bodies, under the change adopted by
the General Grand Encampment. were
subsequently changed to the term
commandery.
The Grand Commandery of the State
held its first conclave in the city of
San francisco on August H. 1858. We
- i ~
1 the grand officers at this conclave have
isince passed over the Dark River
At this conclave Sir Knight Eli Cook
presented a petition from San Fran
cisco Commandery praying that it's
name be changed and that it be here
after named and known as California
Commandery No. 1. The prayer was
granted and since that time the COM
mandery has been so known and des-
dgnated upon the registry Of the Grand
Commandery.
The names and time Of service of
those VINO have presided as command
ers of the commandery since it's or
ganization to the present time are as
follows:
Gregory Yale, 1928; Leander Ran
som, 1s54-55-5s-57; Alexander Gurdon
Abel, 1S5S-59-60- 81 81 1864 and 1872:
William Norris 1865; William Mason
Rundell. 1S66-67; Charles Louis Wig
gin, 1S6S69-70; Hiram Throop Graves,
1871; Joseph Bonaparte Scotchler, 1873
"a; William Henry Linow Barnes, 1875
76-77-79-S0-S1; George Tisdale Bromley,
1876; Reuben Hedley Lloyd, 1928;
Franklin Henry Day, 1884; Joseph Mil
Ter Litchfield, 1885; Henry Haven Pear
son, 1886; Michael James Heating, 1887;
Brilsford Pease Flint, 1888; Peter Dean,
1889; Richard Beverly Cole, 1890;