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CHARLES LEWIS BROCKWAY 1850-1925
Grand Master of South Dakota, 1911-1912
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BIOGRAPHY
From "The First 100 Years of the Grand Lodge A.F. & A.M. of South Dakota, 1875-1975", Page 85:
Brother Charles L. Brockway, familiarly known as "Brock" by his friends, was born July 6, 1850, at Homer, Cortland County, New York. Early in life he moved with his parents to Whitewater, Wisconsin, where he attended the public schools and graduate from the State Normal School at Whitewater in 1870. He attended the University of Wisconsin for one year, afterward studying law. He was admitted to the Bar in 1874. Instead of practicing law, he continued his studies and was ordained as a Methodist minister, following this line of work in Kansas and Nebraska for seven years.
In 1889 he settled in Sioux Falls and practiced law. He later became a member of the State Senate. In 1903 he moved to Chamberlain where he served as Receiver of the Land Office for ten years.
He became a Master Mason on May 3, 1890, in Minnehaha Lodge No. 5, Sioux Falls. He demitted on July, 1898, and affiliated with Chamberlain Lodge No. 56 on January 25, 1899. He was a member of Sioux Falls Chapter No. 2, R.A.M., Alpha Council No. 1, and Cyrene Commandery No. 2, Occidental Consistory No. 2, and the El Riad Shrine Temple, all of Sioux Falls.
1912
When the thirty-eighth Annual Communication was opened by Grand Master Brockway at Deadwood in 1912, only a few of the Grand Lodge Officers were present. The rest, along with other brother Masons, were on a belated special train coming from eastern South Dakota.
Grand Secretary Pettigrew reported a new gain of 801, raising the membership to 9,701. The returns indicated that almost all the lodges were conferring degrees and that 27 lodges raised ten or more brothers during the year.
The Grand Secretary decried the use of the Wisconsin Monitor, feeling that the Grand Lodge was of sufficient size to afford the printing of a Monitor of the South Dakota work. A special committee recommended that a Monitor of South Dakota work and ceremonies be compiled and submitted at the next annual communication. The recommendation was approved.
As had been the custom, the incoming Grand Master, the Deputy Grand Master, and the Grand Secretary were elected as Trustees for the coming year.
From a humble beginning, the well-managed Grand Charity Fund had reached a total of $7,179.29. However, the Finance Committee was not satisfied with the progress being made and recommended that a special committee be appointed to formulate a plan for raising additional funds.
The Committee on Resolutions thanked Brother Edmund Cook, Chairman of the Committee on Mileage, for his months of labor in securing rates and special trains for this meeting.
Lodges had been constituted at Murdo, Isabel, Mobridge, McIntosh, Cresbard, Mt. Vernon, and Gregory.
Dispensations had been issued for lodges at Winner, Timber Lake, Faith, Lake Andes, Colton, Dupree, and Eagle Butte. Cornerstones had been laid for Court Houses at Highmore, Vermillion, and Belle Fourche.
LODGES
- Gregory #158 (06/12/1912)
- Cresbard #159 (06/12/1912)
- Dakota #160 (06/12/1912)
- Mount View #161 (06/12/1912; not listed above.)
- Magic City #162 (06/12/1912)
- Sunshine #163 (06/12/1912)
- Mobridge #164 (06/12/1912)
- Standing Rock #165 (06/12/1912)
