Page 28 - Montana Freemason Magazine March 2014
P. 28
“Sanders” A Montana - Utah Masonic Connection
Virgil Rinke(153)
On February 1st at the completion why he and M. W. Brother Thom Chisholm were taking part in
of the 142nd Communication of the the Installation of the Grand Master of Utah.
Grand Lodge of Utah, Drew Sanders
was installed as the new Grand R.W. Brother Gardiner delivered the following presentation:
Master. The subject of this presentation was born in 1834 in New
York. He attended the common schools, and taught school in
Brother Drew Sanders was born New York.
in Murray, Utah in October 1968. He moved to Ohio in 1854, where he continued teaching, and
He currently serves as a police studied law, gaining admission to the bar in 1856. He became
Lieutenant with the West Jordan a partner in the Law Practice of his uncle Sidney Edgarton,
Police Department in Salt Lake (Edgarton was the First Governor of Montana ).
County, Utah. Brother Sanders was Drew Sanders In 1861, during the Civil War, Sanders recruited a company
of infantry and an battery of artillery and was commissioned a
educated at Salt Lake Community College and Columbia College, first lieutenant in the 64th Regiment, Ohio Infantry, and later
and ultimately earned a Master of Science degree in Public appointed Assistant Adjutant General.
Administration from the University of Utah. He founded He moved west in 1863, and settled in the part of the Idaho
Sanders Consulting LLC in 2005 and has since consulted for law Territory, which later became Montana, where he engaged in
enforcement, government, political campaigns, and non-profit the practice of law and also became interested in mining and
organizations. He is an adjunct professor at the University of stock rising. He was there before courts were organized and,
Utah. He is a former instructor at both Ball State University being one of the first permanent settlers, took a prominent part
in Muncie, Indiana, and Columbia College where he taught in bringing law and order to the Montana Territory.
criminal justice, advanced crisis communications, and He was a member of the Vigilance Committee and served
multi-cultural law enforcement courses. Brother Sanders is a as the Prosecuting Attorney against the outlaws. Through the
published author on the topic of Generation Y and other law efforts of Sanders’ and the Vigilantes the reign of terror in
enforcement topics. Virginia City and the Territory was brought to an end. The
famed quote, “Men do your duty,” is attributed to Sanders.
Brother Sanders is a member of Wasatch Lodge #1 in Salt
Lake City, Utah. He served as Master of that lodge in 2006. Sanders Impact on Montana History
Drew is a founding member of St. Andrew’s Lodge #34 (serving He was charter member and Commander of the Montana
as its Master in 2010 and 2011), and Camp Floyd Historic Lodge chapter of the Grand Army of the Republic.
#205. He is also a member of Tintic Lodge #9 in Eureka, UT. He
is a member of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite and was
coronated a 33º Inspector General Honorary in 2011. He was
appointed to the Grand Lodge officer corps by M.W. Brother
Glen A Cook in 2008 and proudly served two years as Grand
Marshal, and a year as Grand Orator before being elected as
Junior Grand Warden in 2011.
Presentation of Grand Masters Jewel May of 1864, Indian troubles forced Governor Edgerton
M.W. Brother Drew Sanders has as one of his family to create a militia and he appointed Sanders a Colonel in the
members our third Grand Master Wilbur Fisk Sanders. Grand Montana Militia. So …yes …Colonel Sanders.
Officers from Montana took a part during the installation of
Drew Sanders as the new Grand Master of Utah. During the Sanders, was the first Secretary of the Society of Montana
installation the immediate Past Grand Master Alan Record Pioneers when it was formed in 1864.
called upon M. W. Grand Master Brother Thom Chisholm and
Right Worshipful Grand Secretary Reid Gardiner for a special He elected first chairman of the Montana Bar Association
presentation. organized in 1865.
One reason for this presentation is the “Sanders” name has
a significant role in the history of the Montana Territory, the When the Montana Historical Society was founded in 1865, he was
State of Montana and the Grand Lodge of Montana. Grand elected as the first president and held that office for a period of twenty-
Secretary Reid Gardiner took a few minutes to give some five years.
hPiasgteor2i8cal education about “Wilbur Fisk Sanders” the reason
Sanders took a leading role in the effort to relocate the
territorial capital to Helena.
