Page 283 - Cornelius Hedges Story

For This And Succeeding Generations Gardiner 270

In pursuit of this policy as early as 1862, Captain James L. Fisk
was encouraged to organize and conduct trains of emigrants from
Minnesota to’ the Idaho mines. The first train consisted of 130
men, with a few women, of the Lest class of citizens, and for each
successive year he conducted increasing trains of like material
which soon exerted a decided influence upon the chaotic elements
that early controlled the mining section. In that first Fisk expedition
was Nathaniel P. Langford, subsequently our fourth Grand Master,
who had been Worshipful Master of a Lodge in St. Paul and during
the journey across the plains, he found others who were Masons and
on one occasion, in imitation of our ancient brethren, Langford with
two others went to the top of a high mountain and went through the
ceremony of opening a Lodge.
There were Masons among those who the same year (1862) came by
other routes, some by the Missouri River, others overland from both
east and west. The principal point towards which all immigration
tended in that year was the Bannack mines, and here occurred an
event that first brought Masons together and made them acquainted
with each other and aware of their strength. Brother William H. Bell,
of St. Louis, died November 12, 1862, the first natural death in camp,
and in his last moments expressed the desire of a Masonic burial if
possible. Notices were circulated as widely as possible and the cabin
of Brother C. J. Miller, on Yankee Flat, designated as the meeting-
place. To every one’s surprise, so many answered the call that the
cabin could not hold them. They adjourned to a still larger cabin next
day and still more attended. The leadership was conceded to Brother
Langford who seemed most familiar with the work. After a general
examination of those claiming to be Masons, Brother Langford
conducted the funeral services and there were seventy-five who
dropped the sprig of acacia in the Brother’s grave. Out of this event
soon sprang a movement to organize a Lodge and a petition was sent
to the Grand Lodge of Nebraska, as most accessible. Grand Master
George Armstrong in his address to Grand Lodge of that jurisdiction,
June 16, 1863, speaks of having issued a dispensation, of date April
27, 1863, for a Lodge at Bannack City, Idaho, with Brother N. P.
Langford first W. M., James Dyke, S. W., and John W. Morrison,
J. W. This dispensation was received after a long time, for
mails were very slow and subject to many delays, and by the
time it came to hand there had been discovered the richer and
more extensive mines of Alder Gulch, June 2, 1863, and every
petitioner had joined in the stampede and did not return. Not
even an attempt was made to organize under it. Years afterwards
Brother Langford stated that he still had the dispensation in his