MN Pioneer Abner C Smith said of himself-- 'I am abt 6 ft tall but am round shouldered wiry and gaunt and rarely stand ; I have a face resembling a pile of old gun locks'... He was the 6th WM of St Paul Lodge #3-1856-1857, Past Grand Secretary of Michigan,,,and has often been referred to as The Founder of Michigan Masonry... Brother Abner was an affiliate with St Paul Masonic lodge in 1856 and may have been the most distinguished Mason the Lodge or the grand Lodge of the state ever honored with official stations. This Bother studied law in Vermont and completed training for the bar in Washington DC where he was admitted to practice law before the Supreme Court of the United States. He had been raised a Master Mason in Lebanon Lodge #7 of DC in 1837. In the Spring of 1839 he removed to Mount Clemens thoroughly versed in Masonry by some of the leading Lights in Washington DC.
in 1841 he found Michigan Masonry in the doldrums and called for a meeting of leading Michigan Masons in his house which was well attended and they decide to reorganize Michigan's Grand Lodge. Delegates of various lodges were brought together in convention on 2 Jun 1841 and this group at this time a dis- functional Grand Lodge was decided to be re-organized and Bro Levi Cook was elected as Grand Master and Bro Smith as Grand Secretary. it was again re-organized in 1844 with various Grand Lodge support coming from other Grand Lodges in the USA and this Grand Lodge continues to exist today. Bro smith served as Grand Secretary 1841 thru 1844 and again in 1847. in 1855 he removed to Minnesota but is still known as The Father of Michigan Freemasonry.
On arriving at St Paul Bro Smith first affiliated with Ancient Landmarks Lodge but shortly withdrew and affiliated with St Paul Lodge #3. He became WM of this lodge in 1857 and worked closely with the MN Grand Lodge, becoming it Jr Grand Warden in 1858. He was the organizer of Forest city Lodge #70 after leaving St Paul. It was reported that he never sought and office but served as journalist, Legislator and Judge in both Michigan and Minnesota. He performed all his tasks well and as Registrar of The Land Office at Minneapolis and at Forest City, The only complaint about him was that he most often favored the poor.
Brother Abner died at Litchfield MN and was interred at Lake Ripley Cemetery, Litchfield MN
digested data incorporated into this story ..
source St Paul Lodge Anniversary book by glenn d kiecker Historian, Cataract Lodge #2 MN
in 1841 he found Michigan Masonry in the doldrums and called for a meeting of leading Michigan Masons in his house which was well attended and they decide to reorganize Michigan's Grand Lodge. Delegates of various lodges were brought together in convention on 2 Jun 1841 and this group at this time a dis- functional Grand Lodge was decided to be re-organized and Bro Levi Cook was elected as Grand Master and Bro Smith as Grand Secretary. it was again re-organized in 1844 with various Grand Lodge support coming from other Grand Lodges in the USA and this Grand Lodge continues to exist today. Bro smith served as Grand Secretary 1841 thru 1844 and again in 1847. in 1855 he removed to Minnesota but is still known as The Father of Michigan Freemasonry.
On arriving at St Paul Bro Smith first affiliated with Ancient Landmarks Lodge but shortly withdrew and affiliated with St Paul Lodge #3. He became WM of this lodge in 1857 and worked closely with the MN Grand Lodge, becoming it Jr Grand Warden in 1858. He was the organizer of Forest city Lodge #70 after leaving St Paul. It was reported that he never sought and office but served as journalist, Legislator and Judge in both Michigan and Minnesota. He performed all his tasks well and as Registrar of The Land Office at Minneapolis and at Forest City, The only complaint about him was that he most often favored the poor.
Brother Abner died at Litchfield MN and was interred at Lake Ripley Cemetery, Litchfield MN
digested data incorporated into this story ..
source St Paul Lodge Anniversary book by glenn d kiecker Historian, Cataract Lodge #2 MN
MN Pioneer Abner C Smith said of himself-- 'I am abt 6 ft tall but am round shouldered wiry and gaunt and rarely stand ; I have a face resembling a pile of old gun locks'... He was the 6th WM of St Paul Lodge #3-1856-1857, Past Grand Secretary of Michigan,,,and has often been referred to as The Founder of Michigan Masonry... Brother Abner was an affiliate with St Paul Masonic lodge in 1856 and may have been the most distinguished Mason the Lodge or the grand Lodge of the state ever honored with official stations. This Bother studied law in Vermont and completed training for the bar in Washington DC where he was admitted to practice law before the Supreme Court of the United States. He had been raised a Master Mason in Lebanon Lodge #7 of DC in 1837. In the Spring of 1839 he removed to Mount Clemens thoroughly versed in Masonry by some of the leading Lights in Washington DC.
in 1841 he found Michigan Masonry in the doldrums and called for a meeting of leading Michigan Masons in his house which was well attended and they decide to reorganize Michigan's Grand Lodge. Delegates of various lodges were brought together in convention on 2 Jun 1841 and this group at this time a dis- functional Grand Lodge was decided to be re-organized and Bro Levi Cook was elected as Grand Master and Bro Smith as Grand Secretary. it was again re-organized in 1844 with various Grand Lodge support coming from other Grand Lodges in the USA and this Grand Lodge continues to exist today. Bro smith served as Grand Secretary 1841 thru 1844 and again in 1847. in 1855 he removed to Minnesota but is still known as The Father of Michigan Freemasonry.
On arriving at St Paul Bro Smith first affiliated with Ancient Landmarks Lodge but shortly withdrew and affiliated with St Paul Lodge #3. He became WM of this lodge in 1857 and worked closely with the MN Grand Lodge, becoming it Jr Grand Warden in 1858. He was the organizer of Forest city Lodge #70 after leaving St Paul. It was reported that he never sought and office but served as journalist, Legislator and Judge in both Michigan and Minnesota. He performed all his tasks well and as Registrar of The Land Office at Minneapolis and at Forest City, The only complaint about him was that he most often favored the poor.
Brother Abner died at Litchfield MN and was interred at Lake Ripley Cemetery, Litchfield MN
digested data incorporated into this story ..
source St Paul Lodge Anniversary book by glenn d kiecker Historian, Cataract Lodge #2 MN
in 1841 he found Michigan Masonry in the doldrums and called for a meeting of leading Michigan Masons in his house which was well attended and they decide to reorganize Michigan's Grand Lodge. Delegates of various lodges were brought together in convention on 2 Jun 1841 and this group at this time a dis- functional Grand Lodge was decided to be re-organized and Bro Levi Cook was elected as Grand Master and Bro Smith as Grand Secretary. it was again re-organized in 1844 with various Grand Lodge support coming from other Grand Lodges in the USA and this Grand Lodge continues to exist today. Bro smith served as Grand Secretary 1841 thru 1844 and again in 1847. in 1855 he removed to Minnesota but is still known as The Father of Michigan Freemasonry.
On arriving at St Paul Bro Smith first affiliated with Ancient Landmarks Lodge but shortly withdrew and affiliated with St Paul Lodge #3. He became WM of this lodge in 1857 and worked closely with the MN Grand Lodge, becoming it Jr Grand Warden in 1858. He was the organizer of Forest city Lodge #70 after leaving St Paul. It was reported that he never sought and office but served as journalist, Legislator and Judge in both Michigan and Minnesota. He performed all his tasks well and as Registrar of The Land Office at Minneapolis and at Forest City, The only complaint about him was that he most often favored the poor.
Brother Abner died at Litchfield MN and was interred at Lake Ripley Cemetery, Litchfield MN
digested data incorporated into this story ..
source St Paul Lodge Anniversary book by glenn d kiecker Historian, Cataract Lodge #2 MN
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