Page 313 - Cornelius Hedges Story

For This And Succeeding Generations Gardiner 300

This plan involved too much expense. The work is now done
by the Grand Secretary in advance of the session and through
correspondence, involves no expense and the committee on returns
is almost entirely relieved of its perplexing and unsatisfactory work.
The motion to meet next at Bozeman met with no opposition.
Bro. Hugh Duncan, a member of Grand Lodge at its organization, as
Junior Warden of Montana Lodge, was chosen Grand Master. Our
Brother was a Methodist minister and according to usage frequently
changed residence. He aided in the organization of three Lodges
and though his family residence was at Sheridan he was longest
connected with Flint Creek, No.11. He had attended every Annual
Communication and was very eager to be Grand Master. He, like
Brother Pomeroy, illustrated the “perseverance of the Saints.” With
his Scotch trait of opposition and hasty speech, he was not regarded
as a safe leader, but he had other traits that endeared him to all, and
when he led off in singing Burns’Adieu at the close of every Annual
Communication he won all hearts and that made him Grand Master. It
was at this Communicationthat news was received of the death of our
first Grand Master, John J. Hull. He was born on Christmas, 1824, and
died at Peoria, Illinois, October 13, 1883. He received the degrees of
Masonry at Pittsburg in 1852 and started the next day for California.
He came to Alder Gulch in 1860, and left Montana in 1868. For a
time he kept hotel in Duluth, but his last years were spent in Peoria.
The Twentieth Annual Communication opened at 9 A. M., October
1, 1884, at Bozeman, with 24 Lodges and a membership of 1062
and had revenue from dues of $3,030. The Grand Master’s address
was not delivered till afternoon, the morning being occupied with
the report of the Credential Committee, and those of the Grand
Secretary and Treasurer. The address made many pleasant allusions
to his early associates at the organization of Grand Lodge and the
creditable history since made. Two new Lodges were organized
during the year that have proved strong, permanent Lodges, one at
Dillon, the county seat of Beaverhead, the most southern county
in our State on the Utah Northern Railroad, now known as Dillon,
No. 30; the other at Billings on the Northern Pacific Railroad, 228
miles east of Helena, named Ashlar Lodge and numbered 29. A
broken leg prevented the Grand Master from visiting as intended.
He did however visit the Lodge at Miles City, 287 miles east, where
there was some trouble resulting in the suspension of a Brother.
One of the smaller Lodges had expended $140 besides personal
services for a sick Brother, a member of Blandinsville Lodge, No.
233, of Illinois. Getting no satisfaction from the Lodge, the case