MAGLWMartin

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WILLIAM C. MARTIN 1792-1863

Senior Grand Warden, 1863 (died in office)

MEMORIAL

From Proceedings, 1863, Page VI-453:

"The committee appointed upon Resolutions in relation to the death of R. W. Bro. Wm. C. Martin. S. G. Warden of this Gd. Lodge submit the following.

"R. W. Bro. Wm. C. Martin died at his residence in Boston, on the third day of April 1863 aged 71 years. He had been a Mason for more than 36 years, for nearly 30 of which he was connected with Masonic Institutions in the capacity of Tyler, and continued to hold that relation to most of the Masonic Institutions in Boston to within a year of his death. He had served as Master of St John's Lodge and High Priest of St Andrew's Chapter, and for ten or twelve years was one of the Gd. Lecturers of the Gd. Lodge of Mass. In this latter capacity he did much to maintain the purity of our Ritual, and to cultivate a zeal among those who enjoyed his teachings. His relations to the fraternity, from his position at the Portals of our Institutions and his duties as Gd. Lee. made him familiar to those who visited our Lodges in this city or studied accuracy in our Ritual, and by them his pleasant words and readiness to instruct will be long remembered with the many agreeable associations with which they were connected. His integrity was beyond a question, and his principles were ever maintained with unwavering energy. In consideration of his fidelity and long devotion to the principles of our order, he was in December last elected Senior Grand Warden of this Gd. Lodge and took his seat on the evening of his installation into that office, but before the quarterly communication in March the infirmities of age had so fastened upon him, that he was unable again to meet with us, and soon evident signs of dissolution became manifest, and he rapidly sank to that rest which awaits us all, leaving us to respect his memory and emulate his zeal and fidelity. We recommend the following resolutions to be entered upon the records.

Resolved, that by the death of R. W. Bro. Wm. C. Martin, the Masonic Fraternity have lost one whose long and faithful services to our institutions rendered him worthy of our high esteem and affectionate regards.

Resolved. That we appreciate his devotion to our Ritual and his zealous labors to uphold the true principles of our order, in every position he has been called to occupy.

Resolved. That while we mourn his loss it is not without the happy reflection that his teachings have produced an influence which will long continue to advance masonic knowledge.

Resolved. That we deeply sympathize with those, who have been called to suffer that that grief which can only attend the severing of domestic ties.

C. C. DAME.
JOHN MCCLELLAN.
S. P. OLIVER.

From Moore's Freemason's Monthly, Vol. XXII, No. 7, May 1863, Page 199:

It has become our painful duty to announce the death of the beloved Brother whose name we have placed at the head of this notice. He died at his residence in this city, on the 3d of April, aged 71 years. He had been failing for the last two or three years, and finally died of anomia, suffering little and retaining his faculties to the last moment of his life. He was one of the oldest and most active Brethren of this jurisdiction, and he has left behind him none more generally respected.

Br. Martin was born in Cambridge, Mass. on the 28th June, 1792, and was initiated into Masonry in Mount Lebanon Lodge, Boston, Aug. 28, 1826. In 1838 be was appointed Tyler of the Lodge, which office he held for nearly thirty years. He had previously served other Masonic bodies in the same capacity, and he continued to hold that official relation to most of the Lodges and other Masonic institutions in the city, to near the close of his active life. He received the degrees of R. A. Masonry in St. Andrew's Chapter, Boston, and was admitted to membership, in 1828, and in 1852 he was elected its High Priest, which office he held for one year.

In 1830 he received the Orders of Knighthood in the Boston Encampment, and in the same year he was admitted to the Council of Royal and Select Masters. In 1864 he received the degrees conferred in the Consistory 32° of the Scottish Rite.

In 1839 he was admitted to membership in Columbian Lodge, which connection he continued to hold until 1851, when he withdraw and affiliated himself with St John's Lodge, of which he was soon after elected Master, and served three years.

In 1849 he was commissioned as one of the Grand Lecturers of the Grand Lodge, which office he sustained for ten or twelve consecutive years, with singular fidelity and intelligence. As a lecturer he had bat few equals, and his readiness to assist and instruct individual' Brethren, and to qualify young officers of Lodges for a proper discharge of their duties, will long be remembered by the recipients with gratitude; and by many, in the words of another, "his little office under the stairway of the Temple, will be remembered as the seminary where they have received from the old man lessons full of knowledge and understanding."

In June, 1880, Brother Martin was appointed Superintendent of the Masonic Apartments, then at Washington Hall, and he continued to fill this responsible place at the Temple, Nassau Hall, and Freemasons' Hall, until about a year ago, when, owing to advanced age, and the declining condition of his health, he was compelled to resign and retire from active business life.

In December last, in view of his long and faithful services, and integrity of character, his Brethren of the Grand Lodge paid him the high compliment of elevating him to the rank of Senior Grand Warden.

Such is a very brief and imperfect sketch of the Masonic life and services of the deceased. He was universally respected by his Brethren for his faithfulness and intelligence, and his memory will long continue to be fondly cherished by them as the memory of a loved Brother who has left behind him the fragrance of a good name. He was buried by the Grand Lodge on the Sunday following his decease, from the Church of the Messiah; the Rev. Dr. Randall reading the services of the Episcopal church. The attendance of Brethren was very large, though there was no public display. The body was taken to Forest Hill Cemetery, as its final resting place. The deceased has left a widow and one »on.


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