The San Francisco call., 1904-09-04

nary interest to the new Knights of
to-day At any rate, it will serve as
an example of how things were carried
OF in '53:
'9To the Most Eminent William c.
Hubbard, Grand Master Of knights
TempIar in the United States: The
petition of the undersigned, officers OF
three (encampmentS) commanderieS or
Knights Templar now existing in-the
State of California, under charter from
the Grand Encampment of knights
Templar of the United States OF Amer
lea. respectfully showeth
THAT on the first day of November
A. d. 1858, San Francisco (encamp-
menD Commandery No. l, held In the
city of San Francisco. was chartered
by the above named grand body; that
on the sixth day of February. A u.
1854, Sacramento (encampmenO Com
mandery No. 9, held in the city of Sac
ramento, was chartered by the same
grand body; that on the tenth day OF
September, A. d. 1856, Pacific (encamp-
ment) Commandery No. 3. held in the
city of Columbia, was chartered by the
same supreme body; and that since the
reception of those several charters the
three (encampments) communicates
above named having had their ofncers
duly installed, have been regularly anG
constantly at work under the said au-
thority, and have endeavored In all
things to comply with the constitution
and regulations of the Grand Ercanlr-
ment of the United States, and 10 pro
mote the interests and further the
proper extension of Christian chivaliy
within their respective jurisdictions
This petition of the undersigned
showeth: That it is believed that the
good of the order in this State ana
the convenience of it's members Will
be greatly consulted and promoted by
the tablishment of a Grand Com
mandery; and, as each of the comman-
deries before named have, at different
times since the reception of their sew
eral charters, adopted resolutions eX-
pressive of their ardent desire for the
formation of such grand BODY, the
undersigned, the regularly elected and
installed officers of these bodies, pro1-
Using obedience to the grand master
and the Grand EncamDment In all
things appertaining to the order. re-
spectfully request that you VIII issue
your warrant, authorizing the eStaD-
iishment and continuance of a Grand
Commandery of Knights Templar for
the State of California"
This petition was signed by the otfl-
GERS of the three Communicates and
was sent from San Francisco the 2Oth
of April, 1858. OF course, while the
warrant was expected. 1t was by no
manner of means a foregone conclu-
sion and all members of the cOmman-
deries were considerably relieved when
it really came.
And this was the way the Grand
Commandery of knights Templar COM
menced its first conclave in San Fran
cisco the 18th of August. 1858. For some
reason or other people seem to have
got the idea that the communicates had
some early difficulties to contend with,
but so far as know there was nothing
of the kind. All was smooth sailing
Many of the most prominent men of the
State were knights. and as all were
vastly interested and did all they could
to promote the order it stands to reason
that it prospered and grew strong and
influential. The commanders have been
men of strength and ability. as will be
seen from glancing at the list from the
first commander to the one of the pres
ent day. for they have been as follows:
Isaac Davis, 1885, Leander RANSOM,
1859: James Laurence English. 1850;
Alex Gurdon Abel. 1861; Charles
Marsh, 1862; Henry Hare Hart