MAGLRSmith
Contents
RUTHERFORD E. SMITH 1878-1969
Deputy Grand Master, 1932
MEMORIAL
PROCEEDINGS, 1969
From Proceedings, Page 1969-254:
Right Worshipful Rutherford Endicott Smith was born at Lynnfield, Massachusetts on December 26, 1878, the son o{ Henry E. and Mary L. (Bassett) Smith. He died peacefully at his home in Newton Centre on July 17, 1969, in his 91st year.
Brother Smith was educated in the Lynnfield Public Schools, Wakefield High School 1897; Salem Commercial School 1898, and an instructor there from 1899 to 1901. He was admitted to the Bar following his graduation from Boston University Law School in 1904.
He married Miss Bertha Bailey on December 15, 1915. This union was blessed with two children, Endicott and Mrs. Ruth A. Buzzard, who survive him. Mrs. Smith deceased on December 3,1943. There are several grandchildren.
As a banker and civic leader, Brother Smith was prominent. He was elected a Trustee of the Dorchester Savings Bank in 1923 and became its President in 1925, becoming Chairman o{ the Trustees in 1963. He was counsel for the formation of the Savings Bank Association in 1930; Clerk of the Board of the Mutual Savings Central Fund, lnc. 1932; President of the Savings Bank Association of Massachusetts 1935-1937, and in 1965 became associated with the law firm of Warner and Stackpole.
He was a member of the Lynnfield School Committee for six years, Chairman of the Committee to build the first large public school in Lynnfield, a member of the Board of Selectmen 1910-1911, Chairman of the Lynnfield Town Committee for its 200th anniversary, member of the original committee to obtain telephones for Lynnfield, Town Moderator for 15 years, Town Counsel 1910-1933, member of the Massachusetts Constitutional Convention 1917-1919, President of the Trimount Manufacturing Company of Boston 1927, member of the First Church (Congregational) of Newton, and a member of Brae Burn Country Club.
His Masonic record follows: Brother Smith received his degrees in Union Lodge, A. F. & A. M., Dorchester, in March, April and May of 1907, and became a Charter Member of Dorchester Lodge A. F. & A. M. in 1912, and was its Master in 1920. He served Grand Lodge as District Deputy Grand Master of the 4th Masonic District in 1923-1924, Deputy Grand Master in 1932, a member of the Board of Directors of Grand Lodge 1933-1940, a Trustee for the Masonic Education and Charity Trust 1953-1968, Grand Representative of the Grand Lodge of Mississippi 1930 until his death. He received the Henry Price Medal in 1932 and the Veteran's Medal in 1959.
In the York Rite, Brother Smith was Exalted in Dorchester Royal Arch Chapter May 25, 1908, was Greeted in Boston Council Royal and Select Masters December 31, 1908, and served as its Illustrious Master in L924. He was Knighted in DeMolay Commandery #7, Knights Templar, May 26, 1913.
Brother Smith devoted much to the Scottish Rite. He received his degrees in the Valley of Boston in April oI 1924, and was Most Wise Master of Mt. Olivet Chapter of Rose Croix 1943-1946. He was created a Sovereign Grand Inspector General, 33°, Honorary Member of the Supreme Council in Boston, 1945, and Crowned an Active Member of the Supreme Council at Boston in 1948. Brother Smith served Supreme Council as Grand Keeper of the Archives 1950-1967. He twice served as Deputy for Massachusetts from June to September, 1960 and 1962. He was a member of the Committee of Jurisprudence 1948- 1950, Secretary of the Trustees 1947-1967, Committee on Constitutions and By-Laws 1951-1963, Investment Committee of the Trustees 1958-1967, Representative at the Supreme Council for Ecuador 1950-1969. He was elected an Emeritus Member on September 25, 1967.
In allied bodies Brother Smith was a Noble of Aleppo Temple, A.A.O.N.M.S. A member of Massachusetts College Societas Rosicruciana in Civitatibus Foederatis, a member of the High Council 9th Degree in 1947, and served Massachusetts as Chief Adept from 1947-t967. He was a member of Bay State Conclave Red Cross of Constantine.
Funeral services were held at the Waterman Chapel, Boston, at 2;00 p.m. on July 21, 1969, with Ill. John Gabriel Fleck, D.D. 33°, Grand Prior of the Supreme Council officiating. Interment was in Forest Hills Cemetery in Lynnfield. Many distinguished Masons were present to do him honor. Among them were: M.W. Herbert H. Jaynes, Grand Master of Masons in Massachusetts, and Past Most Wise Master of Mt. Olivet Chapter of Rose Croix; Ill. Laurence E. Eaton 33°, Deputy for Massachusetts and Grand Secretary General A.A.S.R. representing Ill. George A. Newbury, 33o, S,overeign Grand Commander of the Northern Jurisdiction. Also Past Most Wise Master of Rose Croix and other Grand Lodge, York, and Scottish Rite members, together with many friends and law and banking associates.
And thus ends the career of a trustworthy friend and Brother, known to all affectionately as "Rudy"; a Mason devoted to his duty and the Craft, a gentleman in every sense of the word; it was a privilege to have been his associate. We can truly say that he "wraps the drapery of his couch about him and lies down to peaceful dreams".
Respectfully submitted,
Laurence E. Eaton
Paul Felegian
Robert A. Shaw
Committee
COUNCIL OF DELIBERATION, 1970
From Proceedings of the Massachusetts Council of Deliberation AASR NMJ 1970, Page 22:
Emeritus Member of this Supreme Council, died in his Newton Centre home, July 17, 1969, at the age of 90. Lawyer and banker, his career was marked by integrity, a high sense of honor and gracious humility. He assumed many grave responsibilities and discharged each of them as if it were a personal trust. Seemingly trivial duties, he fulfilled with grace and dignity. A gentleman of the "old school", he was a delightful and charming host. A member of the First Church (Congregational) Newton, Massachusetts, he never discussed his religion, he simply lived it.
The son of Henry Endicott and Mary Bassett Smith, he was born in Lynnfield, Massachusetts, December 26, 1878. He graduated from the Lynnfield Public Schools; from Wakefield High School, 1897; and from Salem Commercial School, 1898, where he was a teacher for three years. Entering Boston University School of Law, he graduated, cum laude, June, 1904. Becoming a member of the Massachusetts Bar the same year, he began the practice of law in Boston. In 1965 he became associated with the law firm of Warner and Stackpole. He was semi retired at the time of his death.
Ill. Brother Smith and Miss Bertha Bailey were married in Boston,December 15, 1915. They had two children, a son Endicott and a daughter, Mrs. Ruth Allen Buzzard. Other survivors are several grandchildren. Mrs. Smith passed away, December 3, 1943.
He was President of the Dorchester Savings Bank, October, 1925-January 14, 1963, when he became Chairman of the Board of Trustees and Board of Investment. He had !been Counsel and Clerk of Mutual Savings Central Fund, Inc., and Director of Mutual Savings Central Fund, Inc., 1932-1963. He served as President of the Savings Banks Association of Massachusetts, 1935-1937.
An active member of the Massachusetts Bar for some 60 years, he acted as legislative counsel, general counsel and advisory counsel for Massachusetts Savings Banks.
As a civic leader, Brother Smith had been a member of the Lynnfield School Committee for six years; member of the Lynnfield Board of Selectmen three years; Moderator of Lynnfield 15 years; Counsel for Lynnfield 24 years; Chairman of Committees to build the first large Public School in Lynnfield; member of original Committee to obtain telephone service for Lynnfield; Chairman of the Lynnfield Town Committee for the 200th Anniversary. He was a member of the Massachusetts Constitutional Convention, 1917-1920. He held membership in the Brae Burn Country Club.
In 1961, Ill. Emil U. Dillenback, M.D. 33°, Deputy for Massachusetts, decreed that autumn and winter classes of candidates throughout the Commonwealth of Massachusetts "shall tbe known as the Ill. Rutherford E. Smith, 33° Class, to honor our brother who has made such vast and lasting contributions to Masonry." The record eloquently verifies this tribute.
SYMBOLIC: Raised a Master Mason in Union Lodge, Dorchester, May 21, 1907. Charter member of Dorchester Lodge, 1912. He served as Worshipful Master, 1920. Grand Lodge: District Deputy Grand Master, Fourth Masonic District (Roxbury), 1923-1924. Deputy Grand Master, 1932. Received the Henry Price Medal, 1932. Member, Board of Directors, 1933-1940. Grand Representative of the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts for Mississippi from 1930. Recipient of Veterans Medal, 1959.
CAPITULAR: Exalted in Dorchester Royal Arch Chapter, May 25, 1908.
CRYPTIC: Greeted in Boston Council of Royal and Select Masters, December 31, 1908. He served as Illustrious Master, 1924.
CHIVALRIC: Knighted in DeMolay, Commandery No. 7, K.T., May 26, 1913.
SCOTTISH RITE: Received degrees in the Valley of Boston, April, 1924. He served as Most Wise Master of Mt. Olivet Chapter of Rose Croix, 1943- 1946.
SUPREME COUNCIL: Brother Smith was created a Sovereign Grand Inspector General, 33°, Honorary Member of the Supreme Council, September 26, 1945, in Boston Massachusetts, and was crowned an Active Member, September 30, 1948, in Boston. Deputy for Massachusetts, June, 1960-September, 1960 and June, 1962-Septemher, 1962.
Other offices held: Committee on Jurisprudence, 1948-1950; Board of Directors of the Trustees, 1949-1967; Grand Keeper of the Archives, 1950-1967; Representative of the Supreme Council for Ecuador near this Supreme Council, 1950-1969; Committee on Constitutions and Laws, 1951- 1963; Investment Committee of the Trustees, 1958-1967. Elected an Emeritus Member, Septembr 25, 1967.
Other memberships: Aleppo Temple, A.A.O.N.M.S. 1913; Massachusetts College Societas Roiscruciana, 1933; Chief Adept, from 1947; High Council Societas Rosicruciana in Civitatibus Federatis; Bay State Conclave Red Cross of Constantine, 1954.
The funeral service was conducted in the Waterman Chapel, Kenmore Square, Boston, at two o'clock, July 21, 1969, with Ill. John G. Fleck, D.D., 33° , Grand Prior of the Supreme Council, officiating. Interment was in Forest Hills Cemetery, Lynnfield, Massachusetts.
Present to do him honor were Ill. Herbert H. Jaynes, 33°, Grand Master of Masons in Massachusetts and Past Most Wise Master of Mt. Olivet Chapter of Rose Croix; Ill. Laurence E. Eaton, 33°, Grand Secretary General and Deputy for Massachusetts; Ill. James F. Farr, 33°, Active Member for Massachusetts; Ill. Sidney R. Baxter, 33°, Administrative Assistant to the Sovereign Grand Commander; and Ill. Stanley F. Maxwell, 33°, Executive Secretary of the Supreme Council.
Other Past Most Wise Masters of Mt. Olivet Chapter of Rose Croix attending included: Ill. Thomas G. Walters, 33°, Deputy Grand Master of Massachusetts; Ill. Harold W. Sprague, 33°; Ill. Earl W. Taylor, 33°; Ill. Norman M. Gay, 33°; Ill. Robert N. Alger, 33°. Also present were: Ill. Frederic L. Pike, 33°, Secretary of the Scottish Rite Bodies of Boston; Brother William E. Olsson, 32°, Assistant Secretary of the Valley of Boston; officers of the Subordinate Bodies of Boston; a number of Deputy Grand Masters and representatives of the York Rite Bodies.
Noted among those present were many of Brother Smith's law and banking associates.
