MOGMJCadle
JAMES ELVIS CADLE 1830-1890
Grand Master, 1875-1876
BIOGRAPHY
From Biographies of Past Grand Masters, 1821-1901, by the Grand Lodge of Missouri:
Most Worshipful Brother Cadle made his first appearance in the Grand Lodge in the Grand Lodge in 1863 as the W. Master of Spring Hill Lodge No. 155. He was appointed Junior Grand Deacon, and again in 1864. The annals of the Grand Lodge, year by year, show the regularity in attendance and vast work performed by him.
In 1872 he was elected Junior Grand Warden; elected Senior Grand Warden in 1873 and re-elected in 1874, and Most Worshipful Grand Master in 1875. His administration was plain, earnest, honest, practical and conservative. His successor as Grand Master was Brother Xenophon Ryland.
Brother Cadle was born in Jackson County, Missouri, January 20, 1830. While yet a boy his family settled in Gentry County, where he resided until 1863, when he became a resident of Livingstone County, which he represented in the Legislature one term. In 1883 he came to St. Louis as the Secretary of the Masonic Mutual Benefit Association of Missouri. He retired in 1886 and resumed the practice of medicine — his chosen profession — in King City, Missouri.
Brother Cadle was made a Mason in Athens Lodge No. 127, at Albany, Gentry County, Missouri, September 13, 1851. He dimitted in 1858 and affiliated with Spring Hill Lodge No. 155, at Spring Hill, Missouri, and was Worshipful Master in 1863 and 18ti4. In 1866 he dimitted and united with Friendship Lodge No. 89, at Chillicothe; his affiliation with Friendship Lodge is recorded as April 6, 1867. He served as Senior Warden until 1869, when he was elected Master; and again in 1872, 1877, 1878 and 1879. He served as District Deputy Grand Master for the Tenth Masonic District during 1870 and 1871.
He was exalted a Royal Arch Mason in St. Joseph, Missouri; the date unknown. In 1867 he affiliated with Lone Star R. A. Chapter No. 30, at Chillicothe, Missouri, and served as Excellent High Priest in 1868, also 1877. In the Grand Chapter he served as Grand Royal Arch Captain in 1875, Grand Captain of the Host in 1876, Grand Scribe in 1877, Deputy Grand High Priest in 1878 and Most Excellent Grand High Priest in 1880. He was a member of Paschal Commandery No. 32, stationed at Chillicothe, Missouri, and served several terms as Eminent Commander. He never sought or held any official position in the Grand Commandery. He was a member of Chillicothe Chapter No. 113, Order Eastern Star, and was Worthy Patron in 1875, at which time he represented his Chapter in the organization of the Grand Chapter O. E. S. of Missouri. He was Grand Patron of the Grand Chapter in 1877.
While following the practice of his profession in 1886 he was stricken with paralysis, from which he never recovered. He died June 8, 1890. His funeral took place at Chillicothe, June 10th. Religious services were conducted at the Methodist Church; Dr. Vincil delivered the sermon. From the church to which Brother Cadle had belonged the greater portion of his life, the Masonic fraternity of Chillicothe and vicinity bore the body to the cemetery, where the sublime ritual of the brotherhood was rendered by Dr. Vincil. Friendship Lodge No. 89, of which Brother Cadle had been a member nearly a quarter of a century, had charge of the funeral obsequies, escorted by Paschal Commandery No. 32. The attendance of Masons, Templars and citizens was very large indeed.
From a memorial prepared by his life,long friend and brother, Dr. John D. Vincil, and published in the Masonic Constellation, we extract the following true as well as beautiful tribute: "Dr. Cadle possessed a noble nature, a warm heart, ever kind, sociable, brotherly, generous and gentle. His greeting smile was always a cure for the sad and the sorrowing. In the sick room his presence was a benediction."
