Page 65 - Cornelius Hedges Story

For This And Succeeding Generations Gardiner 52

In August, 1895, he attended a similar Triennial in Boston. In
remarking that he attended that Templar’s reunion, he added: “In
fact, that is one of the chief attractions to us in making a long
pilgrimage to the east at a season when we would much prefer to be
in the mountains.”216

By 1893, his Masonic writing was taking precedence over all
other types of writing. He was then writing the voluminous fraternal
correspondence report for not only Grand Lodge, but also for
Grand Chapter and Grand Commandery because he was the Grand
Secretary and Grand Recorder of those respective bodies.217

Judge Hedges and wife Edna attended the Masonic Congress
in Chicago held during the Chicago World’s Fair in 1893. He was
appointed as one of five Past Grand Masters to attend and represent
Montana, but due to the financial panic of 1893, Hedges was the
only one to attend, and he went at considerable personal financial
sacrifice.218

In 1899, during the long, bitter Clark – Daly fight over the election
of the U.S. Senator, Judge Hedges was nominated as a deadlock
breaking candidate, and received support of the Republican party in
both Houses.219

Cornelius Hedges along with W. B. Hundley and Martin
Maginnis, acting as Committee of the Grand Lodge of Montana,
selected and collected the materials for the metal cornerstone of the
State Capitol Building in 1899.220

Within the cornerstone: 221
Register of Members of the Society of Montana Pioneers
Presented by James U. Sanders, Secretary.
Photograph of Hangman’s Tree, Helena, Montana, and
July 1870. Presented by L. B. Lyman, First Register U. S.
Land Office.
Volumes 1 and 2, Contributions of Historical Society of
Montana. Presented by the State Historical Society.
Piece of flooring from the White House laid in 1798.
Presented by Sol. Genzberger.