Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-11-26

OF Bath. the Only American Initiated
into Masonry on Rock of Gibraltar.
Grand Lodge of England in the Rock of
| Gibralter, and so far as known is the on
ly American ever SO hOnored. In fact
| his raising vas of So much Importance to
| the Spaniards and others who part1ci-
| pated in the work that big banquet was
served in honor of the American and
members of the order came from many
miles around to witness the event.
In 1857 Capt Reed, then first mate Of
the ship Hope. Capt. Henry Merrill OF
Baltimore, was wrecked in AlSiers bay
where thu vessel lost her masts. Capt:
Merrill, Mate Reed and the remainder of
the crew refused to Civ her up and after
long and tedious work she was f1oated
and lowed into Gibralter She was so
before she was ready to continue her
voyage. While there Capt Merrill,
Mason. heard of St Johns Lodge and
frequently attended the meetings. He in
ton was readily accepted and he took his
/ degrees in regular order, entered appren-
tice, fellow craftsman and master Mason.
He tells that the night he was raised the
quaint old lodge room was filled with Ma
sons from the surrounding country,
mostly Spaniards, who came out of Curl
osity to see the American complete his
blue lodge degrees. After the raising;
of fellowship extended to him. Soon af-
ter, the ship set sail and never has Capt
Reed set, foot in the mother lodge. but
upon his return to Bath became affiliated
with Polar Star Lodge.
Capt. Reed was in the ship Roswell
Sprague. Capt. Lincoln Patten, when she
went ashore in the sos. % miles south Of
the Highlands of Navesink. She was u
new ship on her way from Cardiff to New
York and she went ashore in n BLIZZARD
but all her crew was saved. Capt. Reeds
last voyage was on the ship Alameda
about 90 years ago He then went into
the rigging business and not only was
employed as foreman rigger at the Bath
Iron Works for several years, but also
rugged the mammoth steamships Dakota
and Minnesota built by the Eastern
James j. Hill for the Oriental trade.
He also served in the Navy during
period of the Civil war. He was on the
ship Eliphalet Greeley at Callao. Peru
when the war broke out The ship dis
charged her cargo of coal and proceeded
to the Chincha Islands and it was some
heard of the battle Of Bull Run. The
ship proceeded to Antwerp and her COM
gmnder proposed to put her under the
English flag to escape capture. He was
long making mp his mind to do this but
when he finally did do so, Capt Reed,
who was mate under him. refused to sail
!. under the red flag and stuck to his de-
termination and the final interview be-
t"eCH tIle Cdplilln ana tne mate was Il
stormy 'one Capt. Reed gathered his
possessions and went ashore WITH pa
/. triotic determination. Waiting around
Antwerp for some time he got a chance
: to sail for New York in the ship Altoona
and once arrived there he lost no time in
seeking an enlistment office and was
taken into the Navy as an able seaman
on tha Sabine. Later he was transferred
to, the Cnadilla. gunboat which assis-
ted in taking Fort Fisher. He was then
transferred back to the Sabine, reportin.
to Admiral Porter and was made a mas
& 'ter.S mate. He remained on the Sabine
until the end of the war
Capt. Reed has been twice marril and
has five sons and one daughter.