MAGLGGordon
GURDON W. GORDON 1871-1959
Senior Grand Deacon, 1915
Deputy Grand Master, 1938
MEMORIAL
From Proceedings, Page 1959-169:
Born November 26, 1871
Died February 9, 1959
Right Worshipful Gurdon Wright Gordon, past Deputy Grand Master, died at Wesson Memorial Hospital in Springfield, Massachusetts, on February 9, 1959, at the age of eighty-seven.
He was born in Sheffield, Massachusetts, on November 26, 1871, and attended the common school and high schools in Sheffield and Great Barrington, Massachusetts. Long a resident of Springfield, he spent his later years in Suffield, Connecticut. He received a B.A. Degree from Williams College in 1897 and an LL.B. from Boston University Law School in 1900.
For two years prior to entering college he taught school at Sedgwick Institute in Great Barrington. From May 1900 to June 1, 1902, he was employed by the United States Census Bureau and since 1902 he practiced law in Springfield, serving for many years as Vice President and General Counsel for the Monarch Life Insurance Company in Springfield.
On November 4, 1903, he married Ellen B. Walsh, who died February 27, 1937, and in 1938, he married Ethel S. Edwards. He had two sons, Gurdon W., Jr., born November 11, 1906, and Clyde B., born September 15, 1910.
He was active in many public affairs. From 1905 to 1912 he was Chairman of the Springfield Board of Health; in 1912 he was a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives, serving on the Committee on Street Railways; and from 1913-1916, he was in the Massachusetts Senate, during which time he served as Chairman of the Committee on Public Lighting and as a member of the Committee on Ways & Means, Judiciary, Rules and Street Railways.
In 1917 Governor McCall appointed him as a member of the "Special Commission to Investigate Problems Relating to the Street Railways of the Commonwealth." In 1923 he was appointed United States Commissioner for the District of Massachusetts and was reappointed in 1927. On January 2, 1929, Governor Fuller appointed him "Special Judge of Probate and Insolvency Within and For the County of Hampden."
He was a staunch Republican, serving as a member of the Republican State Committee, as Alternate Delegate-at-large to the Republican National Convention in 1920 and as District Delegate in 1928.
He was active in various community affairs and particularly as a member of the former North Congregational Church in Springfield.
His Masonic career was broad and active. He received the Entered Apprentice Degree in Springfield Lodge, April 6, 1904, the Fellowcraft, May 4, 1904, and Master Mason, June 1, 1904, and became its Worshipful Master in 1910. He was also a charter member and Past Master of Samuel Osgood Lodge. In Grand Lodge he was Senior Grand Deacon and District Deputy Grand Master under appointment of M.W. Melvin M. Johnson and served as Deputy Grand Master in 1938, by appointment of M.W. Joseph Earl Perry. He received the Henry Price Medal in 1938 and the Veteran's Medal in 1956.
He received the Royal Arch Degree on February 24, 1911, in Morning Star Chapter in Springfield and was its High Priest in 1918. On January 1, 1917, he received the Super Excellent Degree in Springfield Council and was its Thrice Illustrious Master in 1925. He received the Order of the Temple in Springfield Commandery, June 18, 1917. He received the Scottish Rite Degrees (4°-18°) in The Valley of Springfield in 1914, and the 19°-32° in Massachusetts Consistory, Boston, in 1915. He demitted ftom the latter body to affiliate with Connecticut Valley Consistory in 1919.
In all his undertakings he was hard working, able and dependable and will be widely missed by all who have had an opportunity to appreciate his fine character and warm personality.
Fraternally submitted,
Joseph Earl Perry
Kenneth H. Keyes
Herbert A. Dunham
Committee
