Evening star., 1914-07-25

Sovereign Grand Commander James
Daniel Richardson of the Scottish Rite
Freemasonry for the Southern Jurisdc-
tion of the United States, provincial
grand master of the Royal Order of
Scotland and for many years a demo-
cratic leader in the House of Representa-
tives, died at his home in Murfreesboro,
Tenn. yesterday afternoon at o'clock
of valvular disease Of the heart. Mr..
Richardson had been in feeble health
for four years past. but 1t was only in
the last six months that his illness took
serious turn. He left Washington for
his Tennessee home June % He is sur
vived by Mrs. Richardson and three
daughters. Miss Ida Richardson, Mrs.
Annie Garrett of Chattanooga. Mrs.
Charles Byrnes, wife of Past Grand
Master Charles Byrnes. and one son.
The funeral will be held Monday at
his home at Murfreesboro under the
auspices Of the Blue Lodge of Murfrees-
boro. A knight kodosh funeral will be
held at midnight Sunday by the Scot
tish Rite Masons of Nashville.
Lieutenant Grand Commander George
F. Moore. who will be acting sovereign
grand commander of the Scottish Rite
until the election of Mr.. Richardson s
successor by the Supreme Council. may
go to Tennessee to be present at the
funeral
Gained Honors When Young.
Mr.. Richardson was born in Ruther-
ford county. Tenn, March 10. 1S43, and
was a lawyer by profession. When
quite a young man he was elected for
two terms to the Tennessee legislature.
serving in 1924 as speaker of the
I ennessee house of representatives.
When he was eighteen years old he en-
listed as a private in the 45th Tennes-
see Volunteers of the Confederate army
and served for three years as adjutant
of that regiment. After the civil war
he practiced his profession. When
elected speaker of the Tennessee house
he was but twenty-eight years old, and
later he served in the Tennessee senate.
He was elected to the Forty ninth Con-
gress as a democrat from the fifth dis
trict of Tennessee. and served eighteen
consecutive years. being leader Of tho
democratic minority when he refused
a denomination to Congress For q
while he was acting Speaker of the
national House of Representatives..
He became master Mason in Mount
Moriah Lodge. No. Is, Of Murfreesboro
October IL. 1867, having received his
earlier degrees in 1865 In Eutaw, Ala.
He became royal arch Mason in
Pythagoras Chapter, No. 20, June 2s,
Murfreesboro Council. No. %, and q
knight Templar June Z, 1853 in Le-
banon Commandery, No. Z, at Lebanon,
Tenn.
Advances In Masonry.
He entered the Scottish Rite October
9, 1881, at Nashville. where he was made
a fourteenth degree Mason, or perfect
elu, by Pitkin C. Wright and Albert
Pike; a knight Rose Croix the same
date, a Knight Kadosh October "a, 1881,
and thirty-second degree Mason Oc-
tober "a, 1881. at Murfreesboro. Oc-
tober 23. 1884. he was made a knight
commander OF the Court Of Honor. and
Grand Cross thirty-second degree
Mason Of the Court of Honor the same
date He was coronetted honorary in
spector general December 20, 1884, at
Nashville by Sovereign Grand Inspector
General Fred Webber, and an active
sovereign grand inspector general in
this city by Albert Pike February 28,
1885.
He was elected to honorary member
ship IN the the Supreme Council of the
tember IS. 1903; for canads October
Is, 1906: for Belgium July 26, 1907; for
Italy. which also made him grand
commander honorary for life. Decem-
Der 27. 1903; for Greece December 9.
1912. He was also elected an honorary
member Of the Grand Lodge of the
Royal order Of Scotland
Gains Exalted Position.
He was both grand master of Masons
and grand high priest of the Grand
Royal Arch Chapter Of Tennessee, and
when elected grand master of Ten
To nf a