Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1912-02-16
BRIEF historical Sketch
CONTINUED from page ~

OF the Otner three. II one IS inter-
ested in Masonic history he should
read the correspondence report Of
Gen. w. H. H. Beadle in the proceed.
ings of the grand lodge of Dakota for
1880. General Beadle is now South
Dakota's grand old man; the school
children erected a statute to him,
which was unveiled last November
in the rotunda of the new capitol
building at Pierre. He was for years
territorial superintendent, and to him
We of North Dakota owe the benefi.
cent provision that our school lands
can't be sold for less than SO an acre.
The rapid settlement of the north.
ern half of the territory of Dakota
after 1880 resulted in the establish.
ment OF 81 lodges prior to June, 1889;
with the passage Of the enabling act
authorizing the formation of two
states out Of the territory of Dakota
came the organization Of the grand
lodges for the new states.
Organizations Of Grand Lodge Of =
North Dakota.
The grand lodge of Dakota met IN
Mitchell, June 11-13, 1889, when with
the consent Of that body the lodges
located in North Dakota on June 10,
1889, organized the grand lodge Of
North Dakota. This convention was
presided over by Territorial Past
Grand Master DR.. Henry M. Wheeler
of Grand Forks. Leonard A. Rose
acted as secretary. The first grand
master was DR.. James w. Cloes, then
Of Jamestown, now of Tacoma, Wash.
Among the list of the first grand Off.
GERS were such familiar names as
Frank J. Thompson, John F. Selby,
Charles E. Jackson, David s. Dodds,
James H. Marshall. Louis B. Hanna.
The membership of the 81 lodges was
1882.
Present Grand Lodge Officers.
The growth of the Masonic order
in North Dakota has kept pace with
the natural development of the state.
It has now 102 lodges with a men,
bership Of S,O35. Some of the best
known men in the state have presided
over this body. The present active
grand officers are:
Robert Morrison, Pembina, grand
master.
William E. Hoover, Fargo, deputy
grand master.
Walter L. Williamson, Lisbon, Sc.
nior grand warden.
Frank E. Cousins, Bismarck, Junior
grand warden.
Clinton D. Lord, grand treasurer.
Walter L. Stockwell, Fargo, grand
secretary.
The headquarters of the grand
lodge are in the Masonic temple At
Fargo, where is found also the mag
nificent grand lodge library compris-
ing more than 5000 volumes.
The Masonic order stands for the
cardinal virtues of friendship, moral
ity and brotherly love, and desires to
do its part in the general upHft Of
mankind.
Early History Of. Bismarck Lodge.
There is a dearth Of Information
regarding the early history Of Mason
~ in Bismarck, since the records Of
the lodge were destroyed in the big
fire of 1898. It is known that the
Bismarck lodge was organized In
1876, receiving its first charter Janu-
airy IL Of that year. Col. G. A.
Lounsberry was the first Worshipful
Master. and many prominent men are
numbered among the charter men,
bers. The lodge held its meetings
over various stores and mercantile |
Establishments, the middle sos ind. !
ing It ensconced in the Baker block.
now the Bismarck bank building, |
from which It moved to quarters IN
the Dakota block. In 1896 the Masons
moved over the First National bank, |
where they remained until August,
1898, when the conflagration that
raised the business district Of the
capital burned them out completely,
destroyed their records, paraphernalia
and all lodge property. The organisa-
ton returned to its former quarters
in the Dakota block following the
fire where it remained until about
eight years ago, when It occupied the
lodge rooms in the Webb and Cook
block, where It continued to make it,
horro unti1 it removed to the Ma