The Masonic Cemetery at Albany is situated just outside of the Albany city limits at the west end of seventh street and is in Section 12, Township 11 South, Range 4 West, Linn County.  The land where the cemetery is situated is a part of the Harvey Gordon Donation Land Claim.

Much is lacking of the history of this burying place.  The first burial of record here is perhaps that of Sarah A. Graham, a child of some 9 months, who died Aug. 31, 1853.  John W. Althouse, a youth of 24 years, also died in  1853.  Following these comes Delazon Smith, one of Oregon's first U. S. Senators who died November 18, 1860, and America A. Simpson who died the same year.  The latter was a child of about one year.

The oldest birth date recorded here was Thomas Froman, born 1798.  The oldest native westerner is undoubtedly Cyrus Walker.  No birth date is here given for Mr. Walker but he long bore the distinction of being the oldest born native Oregonian.

How the Masonic Lodge obtained possession of this particular tract of land is a rather interesting one.  For the following fact I am indebted to Miss Emma Smeed, daughter of Albany's first permanent settler, who still resides at this place.

My father was Hiram Smeed.  He came to Oregon in the year 1845.  In the fall of the same year he, in company with Abner Hackleman, explored the site of present Albany.  Father and Hackleman each took up a claim here; father remained in charge of the two claims while Hackleman returned to the east to bring on his family.  (Abner Hackleman died on this return trip and his land claim was later taken up by a son, Abram Hackleman.)  My father spent the winter of 1845-1846 in a cabin near the present corner of First and Ellsworth Streets here in Albany, being thus the first permanent settler of the town.

In the year 1848 or 1849 my father, being short of money, sold out his claim to the Monteith Brothers for the sum of $400.  He then went to the California gold mines but returned within about one year and himself purchased a claim in what is now known as Sunrise Addition of Albany.  This second claim was excellent land but wanting in timber.  To remedy this lack father [asked?] a young man named Harvey Gordon to settle on a tract further west.  Gordon was to perfect title to that tract while father paid all his expenses with the understanding that when the deed was secured he should transfer it to father. However, before the title was transferred Gordon contracted typhoid and died.  My father, though he actually bought and paid for the land never really owned it.  Upon Gordon's death, he being a very active Mason, the estate was administered by the Masonic Lodge which, in the end, took over title to the claim.  This is the claim where the present Masonic Cemetery is situated, the Masons setting apart a portion of the land for burial purposes."  (Note Harvey Gordon's grave could not be found in this cemetery.  Where he was buried is not known.)

In 1867, a deed was given by P. S. Willis, guardian of H. Gordon Heirs, to the Corinthian Lodge No. 17, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons.  This P. S. Willis is shown to have been the guardian of Sarah and Ellen Gordon, minor heirs of Harvey Gordon, deceased.