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The History of Freemasonry

by Albert Gallatin Mackey

Chapter 53 - The General Grand Encampment of Knights Templars in the United States

THE true origin of the Grand Encampment of Knights Templars of the United States is involved in some uncertainty. In the first volume of the "Proceedings" of the Grand Encampment of the United States, from the Preface we learn that from its formation in 1816 the proceedings, and also those of the Second Conclave in 1819, were not printed until 1859; and at that session the Grand Recorders Sir Knight Benj. B. French, presented the following paper:

"I have found it impossible to obtain a single set of the printed proceedings of this Grand Body from its origin. By the aid of our respected and distinguished former General Grand Recorder, Sir Charles Gilman, I succeeded in obtaining two printed copies of the proceedings of 1826, and more or less of these of each year up to 1847. By writing out from the original records the proceedings of 1816 and 1819, I succeeded in making two perfect copies of the proceedings up to and including those of 1856. One of these I sent to our M. E. Grand Master and the other I retained myself. These are, probably, the only perfect copies of our proceedings in existence, except the original written records in the office of the Grand Recorder. I respectfully suggest the propriety of having the proceedings up to and including 1856 reprinted. There are now no copies of the proceedings in my office anterior to 1847; only two of 1847, twenty-six copies of 1850, one hundred and four copies of 1853, and one hundred and thirty copies of 1856.'

In pursuance of instructions given to the General Grand Recorder, " What purport to be the Minutes of the 'Formation of the General Grand Encampment of Knights Templars of the United States,' was printed and distributed among the members of the Grand Body." The statements published were accepted as authentic, until within very recent years, when great doubts arose as to the correctness of the statements made as to those who constituted the membership of the Convention in 1816.

At the conclave in 1889, Past Grand Master James H. Hopkins presented a paper, showing the result of his examination as to the origin of the General Grand Encampment. This paper was ordered to be printed in the is "Proceedings," and that, in a reprint of the older "Proceedings," the history of the formation should be corrected, in accordance with his statement. The committee, how. ever, who had charge of the reprint, deemed it advisable to print the formation," as it was first printed, and as it appears in manuscript in the Minute Book of the General Grand Recorders and to publish in the Preface the facts as discovered in the paper referred to. This report was signed by James H. Hopkins, W.P. Innis, and Wm. B. Isaacs, names well known and highly tlonored, as worthy of all credence, by every true and valiant Knight Templar.

We subjoin a few extracts from Knight Hopkins's paper, for a better understanding of the "Formation of the General Grand Encampment." That record states that "at a convention holder at Mason's Stall in the City of New York on the 20th and 21st June, 1816, consisting of Delegates or Knights Companions from eight Councils and Encampments of Knights Templars and Appendant Orders, viz. : (1)

"Boston Encampment, Boston; St. John's Encampment, Providence; Ancient Encampment, New York; Temple Encampment, Albany; Montgomery Encampment, Newport; Darius Council, Portland, the following Constitution was formed, adopted, and ratified."

"Anyone investigating the history of the Order in this country, without any other information than this, would be bound to believe that this official record was entirely accurate and to be accepted as absolute verity. It can scarcely be doubted that those who, in

(1) Proceedings of the General Grand Encampment of the United States, 1891, Prefaces pp 3, 4

1859, caused the first 'proceeding' to be disseminated, had implicit faith in the correctness of the statements." . . .

"I have recently had occasion to look more fully and deeply into the facts connected with the early history of the Order in this country, and with the formation of the Grand Encampment, and I submit some of the results of that investigation. None but the weak, or worse, will hesitate to make a frank admission of error of opinion, when discovered rather than obstinately adhere to a position proved to be untenable."

"The Minutes of the Convention which formed this Grand Encampment, as first published in 1859, are a correct transcript from the manuscript on file in the Office of our Grand Recorder. How or why this entry was made. no living man can tell. That it is wholly inaccurate is perfectly demonstrable.

"The Official Minutes declare that the delegates from eight different Councils and Encampments, therein specified, met in New York on June 20 and 21, 1816 and formed the Grand Encampment.

"I have caused diligent search to be made for the records of the different subordinates mentioned. Some of them can not be found of a date early enough to throw any light on the subject; and of those still preserved there is no mention of any appointment of any delegates for the purpose named, nor any action indicating that the Council or Encampment had any part in the Work. The absence of any positive, affirmative Minute in matter of such importance is strong evidence that no such participation was had. But there exists not only negative proof that the subordinate sent no delegates to the Convention, but direct evidence that they did not.

"The Minutes of the Boston Encampment (Commandery), show that on May 28, 1816, the Treasurer was authorized to lend to the Grand Encampment (Commandery), the money in his hands to pay the expenses of the delegates from said Grand Encampment (Commandery) to the Convention referred to. Saint John's Encampment (Commandery), of Providence, by a vote, declined to make a loan to the Grand Encampment for the same purpose. Here is evidence on the records of two of the Commmanderies that they did not, but that the Grand Commanders of that jurisdiction did, send delegates to the Convention. Of the other Subordinates of Massachusetts and Rhode Island mentioned as participating, the Minutes of the one at Newburyport can not be found; those of Newport and Portland are silent.

"Then we have the positive testimony of the Minutes of the Grand Commandery of Massachusetts and Rhode Island, wherein it appears that on May 15, 1816, three delegates were appointed to confer with delegates from other Grand Encampments (Commanderies) upon the subject of a general Union of all under one head. On June 25, 1816, there is the report of these delegates and the action of the Grand Encampment (Commandery) of Massachusetts and Rhode Island approving of their action and changing the local Constitution so as to bring it into harmony with that of the General Grand Body.

"Although this official record is of no greater weight than that of our Grand Encampment, the corroborating and circumstantial evidence renders it conclusive that our record is wrong and that of Massachusetts and Rhode Island is correct.

"In addition to the Minutes referred to, more conclusive evidence has been discovered amongst the papers of Thomas Smith Webb. These papers were examined by our late Grand Master, W. Sewell Gardner, and by him vouched for as authentic and in Webb's handwriting. They consist of the Credentials of the delegates appointed by the Grand Bodies of Massachusetts and Rhode Island, New York and Pennsylvania, to represent them at a Convention in Philadelphia, a Minute of adjournment to New York with a copy of the Constitution there adopted.

"The Encampments (Commanderies) of New York which are reported to have had representatives in the Convention which formed this Grand Encampment were Ancient Encampment, New York; Temple Encampment, Albany; Montgomery Encampment, Stillwater.

"None of the early records of these bodies can be found, and the history of two of them is mainly traditional. It is quite certain, however, that neither of them belonged to the Grand Commandery of New York in 1816.

The truth of history requires of us to mention some things which may prove of interest, yet it will be found not to be very agreeable; yet like very much of the Ancient history of Masonry in all its branches, we will find great irregularities, according to our present ideas of how Masonic bodies should be organized.

"In 1802, Boston Encampment was organized by ten Knights of the Red Cross without a Warrant from any competent power.

"In the same year St. John's Encampment, of Providence, was formed without authority from any source by six Sir Knights.

"Darius Council of Portland was organized by three Knights of the Red Cross in 1805, when after admitting two more members, they applied to Massachusetts for recognition."

In 1795 at Newburyport an Encampment was organized without any authority. In Newport, several Royal Arch Masons deputed Companion Shaw to visit New York, where the Orders of Knighthood with other degrees were conferred upon him. The Consistory there gave him a Warrant authorizing him to confer the Orders. Joseph Cerneau presided over the Consistory which he had organized in 1807, without any authority whatever. The only authority ever produced to show that he was more than a Master Mason is the following well- authenticated patent from Mathew Dupotet, which, it will be perceived, emanated from an Inspector General of the A.'.A.'.A.'.R.'. on the Island of Cuba, viz.:

[TRANSLATION.] TO THE GLORY OF THE GR: ARCH: OF THE UNIV: Lux ex Tenebris.

From the Orient of the Very Great and Very Puissant Council of the Sublime Princes (of the Royal Secret), Chiefs of Masonry, under the C: C: of the Zenith (which responds) to the 20d 25' N: Lat:

To our III: and Very Valiant Knights and Princes, Masons of all the Degrees, over the surface of the two Hemispheres:

HEALTH !

We, Antoine Mathieu Dupotet, Grand Master of all the Lodges, Colleges Chapters, Councils, Chapters and Consistories, of the higher degrees of Masonry, Deputy Grand Master of the Grand Orient of Pennsylvania, in the United States of America; and of the Grand Lodge and Sovereign Provincial Grand Chapter of Heredom of Kilwinning, of Edinburgh, for America, under the distinctive title of the Holy Ghost, Grand Provincial of San Domingo in the Ancient Rite, Grand Commander or Sovereign President of the Th: Puissant Grand Council of the Sublime Princes of the Royal Secret, established at Port au Prince, Island of San Domingo, by constitutive patent of 16 January and 19 April, 1801, under the distinctive title of The Triple Unity; transferred to Baracoa, Island of Cuba, on account of the events of war,

Do declare, in the name of the Sublime and Th: Puissant Grand Council, do certify and attest, that the Very Resp: Gr: Elect Knight of the White and Black Eagle, Joseph Cerneau, Ancient Dignitary of the Lodge No. 47, Orient of Port au Prince Grand Warden of the Provincial Lodge, same Orient, Venerable founder of the Lodge of the Ancient Constitution of York, No. 103, under the distinctive title of the Theological Virtues, Orient of the Habana, Island of Cuba, has been regularly initiated in all the Degrees of the Sublime Masonry, from that of Secret Master to, and including that of Grand Elect Knight of the White and Black Eagle; and wishing to give the strongest proofs of our sincere friendship for our said Very Dear Bro: Joseph Cerneau, in recognition of the services which he has rendered to the Royal Art, and which he is rendering daily, we have initiated him in the highest, in the most eminent and final Degree of Masonry; we create him our Deputy Grand Inspector, for the Northern part of the Island of Cuba, with all the powers that are attached thereto, giving him full and entire power to initiate the Bros: Masons, whom he may judge (Worthy ?), to promote them to the Sublime Degrees, from the 4th up to and including the 24th; provided however, that these Masons shall have been officers of a Lodge regularly constituted and recognized, and in place only, where there may not be found Sacred and Sublime and regularly constituted Asyla; from which Bros: he will receive the obligation required and the authentic submission to the Degrees of the Sublime Princes; consulting, however, and calling to his aid the B: B: whom he shall know to be decorated with the Sublime Degrees; we give him full and entire power to confer in the name of our aforesaid Grand Council, the highest Degree of Masonry on a Kt: Prince Mason, one only each year, whose virtues he shall recognize, and the qualities required to deserve this favor; and to the end that our dear Bro: Joseph Cerneau, so decorated, may enjoy, in this quality, the honours, rights and prerogatives, which he has justly deserved, by his arduous labors in the Royal Art, we have delivered to him these presents, in the margin whereof he has placed his signature, that it may avail him everywhere, and be useful to him alone.

We pray our Resp: BB: regularly constituted, spread over the two Hemispheres, with whatever Degree they may be decorated, whether in Lodge, Ch:, Col:, Sovereign Council . . . . . . . Sublime, to recognize and receive our dear Bro:, the Very Illustrious Sov: and Subl: Prince, Joseph Cerneau, in all the Degrees above mentioned; promising to pay the same attention to those who, in our Orients shall present themselves at the doors of our Sacred Asyla, furnished with like authentic titles.

Given by us, S: Sublime Princes, G: C: G: I: G'al: of our aforesaid Grand and Perfect Council, under our Mysterious Seal, and the Grand Seal of the Princes of Masonry, in a place where are deposited the greatest treasures, the sight whereof fills us with consolation, joy and gratitude for all that is great and good.

At Baracoa, Island of Cuba anno 5806, under the sign of the Lion, the 15th day of the 5th month called Ab, 7806, of the Creation 5566, and according to the Common Style the 15th July, 1806.

Signed, MATHIEU DUPOTET, President, Sev:....G'al:

[A true copy :] Signed MATHIEU DUPOTET, President, S: G: I: G'al:

I certify that what is transmitted above and the other portions are conformable to my Register.

TIPHAINE, S:P:R:S:,D:I:G'al:G:Comm:

The foregoing translation of the ancient copy in French has been correctly and faithfully made by me.

ALBERT PIKE

March 20, 1882.

The Grand Commandery of New York was organized in the following manner, as ascertained from the Official Proceedings. On January 22, 1814, the Sovereign Grand Consistory, Joseph Cerneau's body, decreed the establishment of a Grand Encampment of Sir Knights Templars and appendant Orders for the State of New York, and immediately proceeded to its formation by choosing the Grand Officers thereof (1) who were all members of said Consistory. This was done solely by the action of the Consistory, without the concurrence of any Commandery, nor of any Knights Templars. This body, which it has often since been proved to have had no legal Masonic authority for its existence, as a Consistory, having been established by Joseph Cerneau alone, in 1807, a few months only after his patent from Mathieu Dupotet had been issued to him which gave him permission to confer one degree, the 25th of the A.'. A.'.A.'.R.'. upon one person only each year, who was qualified by having received all the lower degrees of that Rite, in Cuba only, made his appearance in New York, and finding a total ignorance on the part of all Masons in New York as to the "Rite of Perfection," induced a large number to receive, at his hands, degrees which he had no authority to give. From this beginning, he organized his

(1) Proceedings of the Grand Commandery of New York, 1800, PP. 5, 6, from the paper by Sir Knight James H. Hopkins.

Consistory. In 1816, Columbian Commandery in New York received a Warrant; and a Warrant on the same day was issued to a new commandery in New Orleans. These two were the only Commanderies who recognized the Grand Encampment of New York. All the other encampments in the State refused to recognize the Grand Body, and remained independent for many years.

It is not certain that any of those members, who formed this Grand Commandery of New York, had ever received the degrees of the Commandery in a regular body of Knights Templars, but that they assumed the degrees of the Consistory as being the same as those in the Commandery. There is no evidence whatever that Cerneau, who went from Port Republican in San Domingo to Cuba, and from Cuba to New York, in 1807, ever saw a regular Knight Templar Mason, or ever was anywhere in the vicinity of a Commandery; hence we draw a fair inference, that the Knight of the Red Cross, and also of the Temple, were derived from the rituals of the 15th and 16th and 24th degrees of the A.'.A.'.A.'.R.'. The ritual of the Templar degree in the United States differs so essentially from the old ritual of England of 1801, now in the possession of the writer, and also from the present English one, that nave can presume that it was invented in the United States by those who took the degree from the possession of the Lodges and constituted the semblance of Commanderies (Encampments).

A Grand Convention of Knights Templars was held in the Masonic Hall in the city of Philadelphia, Tuesday, February 15, 1814, for the purpose of forming a Grand Encampment of Knights Templars in Pennsylvania, with jurisdiction belonging thereto, and also over all such Encampments in other States as may agree to come under the jurisdiction of the same. Sir Knight John Sellers, of Wilmington, Del., was called to the Chair, and Sir Knight Henry G. Keatinge, of Baltimore, Md., was appointed Secretary.

It was "Resolved, That the Delegates and Proxies from the Several Encampments to be represented in the Convention from the respective States be called over. The following named Sir Knights produced their Credentials under Seals of their respective Encampments as Delegates and Proxies, and were admitted to take their seats in the Convention: Encampment No. 1, Philadelphia, Delegates, Sir William M. Coxkill, Sir Alphonso C. Ireland, Sir Nathaniel Dilhorn.

"Encampment, City of New York, Proxies, Sir Thomas Black, Sir James Humes.

"Rising-Sun Encampment, City of New York, Delegate, Sir James M'Donald; Proxies from same, Sir Thomas Armstrong, Sir Anthony Fannen.

"Encampment No. 1, Wilmington, Del., Delegates, Sir John Sellers, Sir Archibald Hamilton, Sir John Patterson.

"Encampment No. 1, Baltimore, Md., Delegate, Sir Henry G. Keatinge. The Grand Convention being duly organized, proceeded to form a Constitution which was agreed to February 16, 1814, and signed by the Delegates and Proxies as above named. Also the Grand Officers were elected and installed.

"The Most Eminent Sir William McCorkle, of Philadelphia, General Grand Master.

"Most Eminent Sir Archibald Hamilton, of Wilmington, Del., Grand Generalissimo.

"Most Eminent Sir Peter Dobb, of New York, Grand Captain General. Right Eminent George A. Baker, of Philadelphia, Grand Recorder."

The foregoing account of the formation of this Freemason's Grand Encampment in Philadelphia is taken from The Freemason's Library and General Ahiman Rezon, by Samuel Cole, P.M., Edition of 1826, and we do not find any notice whatever of the Convention held in June, 1816, by those celebrities, viz.: Thomas Smith Webb, Henry Fowle, and John Snowe, who went to Philadelphia to confer with the above-mentioned Grand Encampment of Pennsylvania, "upon the subject of a general Union of all the Encampments in the United States under one head and general form of government," pursuant to the resolution of the "Grand Encampment of the United States," Massachusetts and Rhode Island Encampment being known as such. Having failed in their mission to Philadelphia, they repaired to New York and being there joined by Thomas Lowndes, who had been appointed by the Grand Encampment of New York as its delegate to represent that body at a Convention of Knights Templars from different States of the Union, to be held in the City of Philadelphia, on Tuesday, June 11th, on the 20th and 21st of June. at Masons' Hall. held "a Convention." The records of this quartette's proceedings describe them as " delegates from eight Councils and Encampments," all of which we have mentioned on page 1386 of this chapter.

GRAND MASTERS,

CONCLAVE, YEAR. NAME.

I. 1816 De Witt Clinton, New York, N. Y. II. 1819 De Witt Clinton, New York, N. Y. III. 1826 De Witt Clinton, New York, N. Y. IV. 1829 Rev. Jonathan Nye, Claremont, N.H V. 1832 Rev. Jonathan Nye, Claremont, N. H VI. 1835 James Madison Allen, Cayuga, N. Y. VII. 1838 James Madison Allen, Cayuga, N. Y. VIII. 1841 James Madison Allen, Cayuga, N. Y. IX. 1844 Archibald Bull, Troy, N. Y. X. 1847 Wm. Blackstone Hubbard, Columbus, Ohio. XI. 1850 Wm. Blackstone Hubbard, Columbus, Ohio XII. 1853 Wm. Blackstone Hubbard, Columbus, Ohio XIII. 1856 Wm. Blackstone Hubbard, Columbus, Ohio XIV. 1859 Benj. Brown French, Washington, D. C. XV. 1862 Benj. Brown French, Washington, D. C. XVI. 1865 Henry L. Palmer, Milwaukee, Wis, XVII. 1868 Wm. Sewall Gardner, Newton, Mass. XVIII. 1871 J. Q. A. Fellows, New Orleans, La. XIX. 1874 James Herron Hopkins, Washington, D. C. XX. 1877 Vincent Lombard Hurlbut, Chicago, III. XXI. 1880 Benjamin Dean, Boston, Mass XXI I. 1883 Robert Enoch Withers, Wytheville. Va. XXIII. 1886 Charles Roome, New York, N. Y. XXIV. 1889 John P. S. Cobin, Lebanon, Pa. XXV. 1892 Hugh McCurdy, Corunna, Mich. XXVI. 1895 Warren La Rue Thomas, Baltimore, Md XXVII. 1898 Reuben Hedley Lloyd, San Franctsco, Cal. XXVIII 1901 Henry Bates Stoddard, Bryan, Texas XXIX. 1904 George M. Moulton, Chicago, III XXX. 1907. Henry Warren Rugg, Providence, R. I. XXXI . 1910 William B. Melish, Cincinnati, O

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