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1870

Author’s Note

We are covering the history of our lodge loosely in chronological order.  The last installment of these Chronicles went until March of 1874, just about 10 years after our first meeting as a lodge at Brother Obediah Freeman’s house and just 3 years after we had purchased our first lodge property.  By March of 1874 we were creating a cemetery for the use of our Brothers and their families.  During the course of the recounting of our history some small details have been temporarily put aside some of which will be addressed here.  For example:

 

A red letter event occurred on December 3rd, 1870.  Brother Obediah S. Freeman stepped down from his position as Treasurer, a position which he had held for 6 years, and became the Junior Warden.  Brother A.J. Painter, our first Senior Warden became Junior Warden the previous year in 1869 and took Brother Freeman’s spot as Treasurer in 1870.

 

Generally the following years were filled with the month to month operations necessary for maintaining our lodge.  In September of 1874 a bill was presented by Brother R. Allin from Gillig & Mott for pump, pipe and fixtures for the wind mill in our lot, a total of $6.75.

 

It is noteworthy that at this point the Lodge Minutes gradually began to provide more detail.  By December of 1874 the results of an audit of lodge records found them to be in “pretty good order” but they recognized room for improvement.  The auditing committee recommended that the Secretary keep a Cash Book, “wherein shall be all monies received and orders drawn on the Treasurer to be specific what is drawn for.”  However, a Cash Book[1] appears to already have been in use dating from January 1867, but like the Minutes of this year, greater detail began to appear.

 

The following picture is from the Cash Book with a page beginning January 16, 1875 and contains entries that are typical.  Note the 4th line from the bottom; Brother R. Allin was given $6.00 for 2 dozen aprons.  As a side topic there are listed regular entries for oil.  It is doubtful that all of these entries were to keep the door hinges of our lodge operating at full efficiency; rather, it was oil for lamp light.  Before the 1840’s whale oil was the common fuel for lamps.  During the following 20 years “kerosene” was developed from coal and eventually petroleum.  By the time our lodge was founded, it is likely that the oil was from refined petroleum.

Page from the Cash Book of Elk Grove Lodge dated 1875.

 

During 1874 there were six degrees conferred, one brother was demitted, two suspended for nonpayment of dues and three joined us by affiliation.  Our lodge numbered a total of 27 members.  At the December stated meeting a committee was appointed consisting of Brothers R. Allin, O.S. Freeman and A.P. Stewart, to build a picket fence with “suitable gates on the north side of the lot and to procure and plant ornamentals on the same lot.”  The December 1874 Minutes also reflect that Brother R. Allin was installed once again, for the 4th time as Master of our lodge and Brother O.S. Freeman once again became our Treasurer for the 9th time!

In 1879 a local blacksmith was hired to make repairs to the lodge doors and replace windows.  In September of that year the Finance committee report on the accounts of the lodge noted a total of $1,072.74 cash on hand, a tidy sum for our brothers valued at approximately $21,224.00 in today’s currency.

 

LODGE JANITOR

A new position emerged in the Minutes of October of 1873, that of Lodge Janitor.  The first Brother assigned to this office was H.A. Smith.  There is no mention of compensation provided at this time.  However, in April of 1875 Brother N. Christophel was “appointed Janitor for the ensuing year, to be paid $6.00 for his services and the further sum of $10.00 for watering the trees in the cemetery twice a week and taking care of same.”  In January of 1876 Brother Christophel was again appointed to this position with the same compensation.  However, in September of 1877 Brother R. Allin, was ordered to obtain 6 spittoons for the use of the Lodge (stay with me on this).  In January of the following year, 1878, Brother Christophel stepped down as Janitor, apparently retaining responsibility for watering the trees in the cemetery, and Brother O.S. Freeman was appointed as Janitor.  In July of that year Brother McConnell made a motion, seconded by Brother Taverner, that the appointment of Brother O.S. Freeman as Janitor be rescinded and that Brother Christophel be reappointed.  The motion was carried.  The next month, August of 1878 it was again moved by Brother McConnell and seconded by Brother Kennard that the appointment of Brother Christophel as Janitor be “revoked” and that Brother O.S. Freeman continue in the office.  It was so ordered.  Now this is purely conjecture but it may be possible that the aim of our Brethren using the spittoons could have been less than accurate resulting in the brief and rapid succession of janitorial assignments.

LOSS OF BROTHER H.A. SMITH

You will note that in the previous paragraph our lodge’s first janitorial assignment was Brother H.A. Smith.  Brother Smith passed away on October 18th of 1877 and is our second Brother so documented.  His lodge activity as presented in the Tiler’s Registers and Lodge Minutes is presented here.

 

Brother Smith’s first appearance in our lodge’s records occurred in the Tiler Register dated September 18, 1869.  He was visiting us from Grafton Lodge No. 141 in Yolo County, California.  This particular lodge is no longer around and was likely absorbed by either Scepter No. 143 in West Sacramento, Woodland No. 81 or Yolo No. 195 in Davis.  It was during this time that our Lodge was meeting at Brother O.S. Freeman’s home on Bilby Road.  Brother Smith continued to sign in as a visitor until February 12, 1870 when the Tiler Register lists him as a Senior Deacon.  This doesn’t appear to be an assigned position at this time as other brothers filled in as well.  Then on May 14th of 1870 Brother Smith was assigned to a committee along with Brothers
J.M. Himan and O.S. Freeman, to procure a lot for a site for a lodge room.  The Tiler Register continued to list Brother Smith as Senior Deacon for the remainder of the year.  Brother Smith was then appointed to a committee to rent a lodge room, the Lodge Rental Committee.  Then in December Brother H.A. Smith was elected as Lodge Secretary.

Example of Brother H.A. Smith’s handwriting from a stated meeting dated November 28th 1871.  Brother R. Allin’s signature also appears as Worshipful Master.

 

 

Brother Smith continued to serve as as lodge secretary for the remainder of the year and as Tiler, Senior Deacon, Junior Warden, and Senior Warden through January of 1877.  In October of 1875 Brother Smith was selected as our lodge representative to the Grand Lodge.  In January of 1877 we get an idea that things may not have been going well for him as he presented a bill from a Dr. Bradford for medical attendance on himself and a child amounting to $22.00.  The bill was referred to the finance committee and paid.  Brother Smith continued to serve the lodge as Senior Warden through September of 1877, his final time signing in the Tiler Register.  The Minutes of a called meeting on October 20th provide the following information:

 

 

“Masters Lodge was opened for the purpose of interring the last remains of Brother
H.A. Smith.  A procession was formed and the Brethren repaired to the late residence of our deceased brother and conveyed the body to the place of burial and there deposited it according to the ancient customs and usages of the Masonic Fraternity.  A procession was again formed and the Brethren returned to the Lodge Room.  Masters Lodge closed.”

 

Upon their return to the Hall a Masters Lodge was again opened:

 

 

“Moved by Brother McConnell seconded by Brother Willis that an order be drawn on the Treasurer for $20.00 and the money be given to Mrs. H.A. Smith.  So ordered.  A committee consisting of Brothers Thomas McConnell, O.S. Freeman and Richard Allin were appointed to confer with Brother N. Stewart concerning the lot of Brother
H.A. Smith, deceased. Committee was appointed to prepare suitable resolutions of the death of Brother Smith and a copy of the same be given to his widow and also to be spread on the minutes of the lodge.”

 

 

The following month a committee was formed to write a condolence to the widow of Brother H.A. Smith and a bill for $50.00 was presented for a coffin which was paid.  Contained in the December minutes is the committee’s report, a copy of which was sent to the widow:

 

In Memoriam of H.A. Smith

Your committee selected to draft resolutions of respect to memory of our

Bro Hiram Abiff Smith Whose presence we miss from our assembly

And whose face will never again be seen in this Lodge room his Spirit having gone

To that Grand Lodge above where the Supreme Architect of the universe

Forever presides.  Beg leave to report their sad duty never again shall

His voice be heard here.  It is forever hushed in death, we mourn a brother zealous in

Masonry, his family mourn a devoted and affectionate husband and father, therefore

Be it Resolved that while we deeply mourn his loss and are solemnly

Impelled with the dispensation of Divine Providence, we bow to its decree

With Christian fortitude we bid him a last farewell, peace to his ashes

All Love to his memory, Resolve that we deeply sympathize with his family in

This, their affliction.  And Resolve that these resolutions be placed in the archives

Of the Lodge and a copy transmitted to his family

 

Richard Allin, Sec.

Committee for the Lodge, W.L. Willis, O.S.  Freeman, Thomas McConnell

 

In October of 1878 a final doctor’s bill of $20.00 was paid by the lodge.

 

Rather than being sad at his passing we should celebrate his life and his support of Elk Grove Lodge No. 173.  Our founding Brothers were undoubtedly made better for having known and worked with him and our spirits should be lifted for having such men in our Lodge.

 

 

The monuments of Hiram Abiff Smith and his wife Jane are located in the Elk Grove Cemetary.  If you look closely behind the two monuments you will see the name of Past Master
Thomas Moore Taverner, but that is another story.

[1] Lodge Cash Book from January 1867 to September 1888, located in the Accounts and Receipts section of our library.  Library reference number A&R 2.

 

-Brother Don Price, Lodge Historian

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