GMFlanders

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DANA J. FLANDERS 1850-1933

DanaFlanders1911.jpg

Junior Grand Warden, 1888
Grand Master, 1909-1911


TERM

1909 1910 1911

MEMORIAL

From Proceedings, Page 1933-95:

On May 3 the sad news reached us of the passing of Most Worshipful Dana J. Flanders, our loved and honored senior living Past Grand Master, after a long period of failing strength. In spite of the infirmities of the body, however, his brilliant mind retained to the very last its keen interest in all that concerned the Fraternity he loved so dearly, and which had honored him by entrusting to his care as Grand Master the direction of its destinies and fortunes. Up to a few months ago he attended with great regularity the meetings of Grand Lodge and of the Board of Directors, in whose deliberations he took an active and interested part.

His funeral services took place on a sunny afternoon in May at the church he so dearly loved, the First Universalist of Malden, and in the affairs of which he maintained the keenest interest to the day of his death. A great outpouring of Masons attended the services, and the beautiful offerings of flowers testified to the love and affection in which he was held by those in every walk of life. The service was gently simple, exactly as he would have had it, and was concluded, in accordance with his expressed wish, by the repetition of the Lord's Prayer in which the entire congregation joined. It was a beautiful service, and held no hint of gloom or unreasoning grief, more like a gathering of loving friends, come to sit for a space with their departed Brother, serene in their faith that in the words of the Master, he had but gone before to prepare a place for those that love Him.

Most Worshipful Brother Flanders was born in Plaistow, N.H., December 21, 1850, and died in Malden, May 3, 1933. Brother Flanders was educated in the public schools of Plaistow and at Atkinson Academy.

At the early age of thirteen he learned telegraphy with his father, who was station agent at Plaistow. He was soon engaged, by the Boston and Maine Railroad, and remained in its service as telegraph operator and instructor, clerk, General Ticket Agent, General Passenger and Ticket Agent, and Passenger Traffic Manager until 1910. On retiring from the railroad he became President of the Malden Trust Company, and retained connection with it until his death.

Brother Flanders served the city of Malden as an Assessor and as an Alderman. He was a leading member of the Malden Universalist Church, and served it for many years as Chairman of the Board of Trustees. He was long one of the Trustees of the Massachusetts Universalist Convention and President of the Convention in 1905 and 1906.

Brother Flanders took his degrees in Gideon Lodge No. 84, of Kingston, N. H., in 1873, and dimitted in 1875. He immediately affiliated with Merrimack Lodge, of which he was Master in 1879 and 1880. In 1887 he dimitted from Merrimack Lodge to become a Charter Member of Converse Lodge. He was also a Charter Member of The Lodge of Stirling in 1912. Brother Flanders was District Deputy Grand Master for the Tenth Masonic District in 1884 and 1885, by appointment of Most Worshipful Samuel C. Lawrence and Most Worshipful Abraham H. Howland, Jr. He was Junior Grand Warden of the Grand Lodge in 1888, and Grand Master in 1909, 1910, and 1911. Upon his retirement from the Grand Mastership, he was elected a Director of the Grand Lodge and retained that position until his death.

He took up with energy and enthusiasm the work of founding and endowing the Masonic Home, which had been so effectively started by Most Worshipful J. Albert Blake. He was a member of the Board of Masonic Relief from his retirement as Grand Master until his death.

Brother Flanders was identified with all branches of Freemasonry. He was Grand Commander of the Grand Commander of Massachusetts and Rhode Island in 1904-05, being in office when the Grand Commandery celebrated its hundredth anniversary on May 24, 1905. He was coronetted an Honorary Member of the Supreme Council, thirty-third degree, in 1897.

Such, in briefest outline, is the life record of one of the great Masons of his day and generation. He gave more than fifty years of devoted service to the Craft. The gratitude of the Craft was expressed in great honors, but to him the honors meant far less than the opportunity for service and the resulting affection of the Brethren He loved the Brethren and they loved him. He has gone home full of years and of honors' Our hearts go with him.

From Proceedings, Page 1933-344:

Born at Plaistow, New Hampshire, December 21, 1850
Died at Malden, Massachusetts, May 3, 1933

M. Wor. Bro. Flanders' education was in the public schools of Plaistow and a few terms at Atkinson Academy.

At the age of thirteen, he learned telegraphy with his father who was then the station agent at Plaistow. Subsequently he was a telegraph operator and taught telegraphy up and down the line of the Boston & Maine Railroad until February 22, 1869, when he came to Boston as telegraph operator in the office of the superintendent of the railroad. Until July 1, 1874, he was telegraph operator and clerk in several of the railroad's offices. His ability won him advancement. On the latter date, he was appointed General Ticket Agent. On December 18, 1884, he was appointed General Passenger and Ticket Agent, and in August, 1906, he was appointed Passenger Traffic Manager, which position he held until he retired on October 1, 1910. He moved to Haverhill in 1869 and subsequently took up his residence in Malden, remaining there during the balance of his life. He served as Alderman of the city of Malden; Trustee, Vice President, and President of the Universalist State Convention; President of the Board of Trustees of the Malden Universalist Parish for sixteen years; President of the New England General Ticket and Passenger Association (1879); Vice President and President of the American Association of General Passenger and Ticket Agents (1895-1890); President of the Association of Knights Templar Commanders; Member of the New England Association of Past Grand Commanders, Knights Templar; and Sons of the American Revolution. He became a Director of the Malden Trust Company in May, 1897, was elected Vice President in August, 1909, and acted in that capacity until his death. He was also Director, Vice President, and President (1890-1893) of the Kernwood Club of Malden.

M. Wor. Bro. Flanders is survived by his widow, Eliza Duffill Flanders (married December 17, 1874) and by two sons, Herbert Merritt Flanders and Howard Nelson Flanders.

M. Wor. Bro. Flanders was very active in Masonry. He received his Blue Lodge degrees in Gideon Lodge No. 84, of Kingston, New Hampshire, being raised a Master Mason February 24, 1873. He took his degrees in St. Alban Royal Arch Chapter, of Exeter, New Hampshire,in 1874. From these bodies he dimitted in consequence of his removal to Massachusetts. He received his Council degrees in Haverhill Council in 1875 and his Commandery degrees in Haverhill Commandery, K.T., in 1876.

In the Scottish Rite, he joined the Lodge of Perfection in Haverhill in 1889, and the other three bodies in Boston in 1893. On December 21, 1897, he was coronetted an Honorary Sovereign Grand Inspector General, 33°.

After dimitting from Gideon Lodge, he joined Merrimack Lodge, of Haverhill, where he served as Senior Deacon, Senior Warden, and Master, in the latter office for two years succeeding November 5, 1879. From Merrimack Lodge he dimitted on December 7, 1887, to become a Charter member of Converse Lodge, of Malden. In 1883-84-85, he was District Deputy Grand Master for the Tenth Massachusetts Masonic District. In 1888, he was Junior Grand Warden of the Grand Lodge and was Grand Master of Masons in Massachusetts during the years 1909-10-11.

His Royal Arch membership was transferred to Pentucket Chapter, of Haverhill, and he was in line in that Chapter until he moved to Malden and dimitted in 1886. He also served in the line of Haverhill Council, R. & S. M. In Templar Masonry, he became Warden in 1878 and continued in line, serving as Eminent Commander of Haverhill Commandery in 1882-83-84. He became a Charter member of Beauseant Commandery in 1886. He was installed as Junior Grand Warden of the Grand Commandery of Knights Templar of Massachusetts and Rhode Island in 1899 and continued in line, serving as Grand Commander for the year following October 27, 1904; thus being Right Eminent Grand Commander at the observance of the one hundredth anniversary of the Grand Commandery in May, 1905.

At the time of his death he was a member of Converse Lodge, Tabernacle Royal Arch Chapter, of Malden, Haverhill Council, R. & S. M., Haverhill Commandery, Knights Templar, and of the Scottish Rite bodies in Boston, and was an honorary member of Merrimack Lodge and Beauseant and Cambridge Commanderies. Most Worshipful Brother Flanders was the senior living Past Grand Master of Masons in Massachusetts from 1926 until his death last May. For several years recently his body had been visibly weakening, but his zeal for Freemasonry never slackened. He attended Grand Lodge and meetings of our Board of Directors after he had laid aside almost ail of life's other activities outside of his home and church.

Brother Flanders was a great asset to Freemasonry in Massachusetts. He had many friends and no enemies. He was quiet and reserved, slow to wrath, and wise in council but, withal, definite and clear in his judgments and pronouncements and firm and determined wherever necessary. Kindly, courteous, and gracious in manner, conservative in thought and decision, his accomplishments were many and valuable although not spectacular.

Perhaps the two most widely remembered incidents of his Masonic life were his service as Right Eminent Grand Commander of the Grand Commandery of Knights Templar of Massachusetts and Rhode Island in the year of its one hundredth anniversary and his dedication of the Masonic Home at Charlton. Yet of vastly more permanent importance was his long service as Chairman and Member of the Board of Masonic Relief and its Executive Committee during the early years of the operation of the Home when its plans and policies were shaped and molded into permanent form. It was in the council chamber and conference room where his experience, wisdom, tact, and knowledge of human nature vitally influenced the determination of debatable questions, that Brother F'landers' usefulness will be appraised at its highest value by those who sat with him month after month and year after year.

Outside of his fraternal life, he was a successful railroad executive, a careful and accurate banker, a sincere Christian gentleman, a true friend, a respected citizen, and an affectionate and beloved husband and father.

Death has taken his body from us but death has not destroyed his influence. The effects and consequences of what he did and said will outlast even the memory and the lives of those who were privileged to know him in the flesh.

'Melvin M. Johnson
Harry P. Ballard
George R. Winsor
Committee

NOTES

CHARTERS GRANTED

CHARTERS RESTORED



Grand Masters