Ar00902

Ea^^^j^^^^ai 23 GREAT QUEEN STREET , W . C .

A Leaf From Old Masonic History.

A LEAF FROM OLD MASONIC HISTORY .

DAVID WOOSTER . FROM THE VOICE OF MASONRY .

NEARLY thirty years ago we spent a brief period in Connecticut . The occasion was the dedication , at Danbury , of the monument erected to the memory of General David Wooster , 27 th April 1854 . David Claris was then Grand Master , a noble man and Mason , as well as a most efficient workman in our Temple mysteries . The Hon . Henry C . Doming , one of Connecticut ' s most gifted sons , was orator of the day , while the talented Mrs . Sigonrney laid her tribute of poetry

npon the altar of her country ' s hero . It was the only time we ever saw Mrs . S ., bnt shall never forget her noble , calm , dignified motherly appearance . Doming and Clark and the 'sweet singer of Connecticut , " Mrs . S ., have now all " passed over the river , " while the -writer survives to place their names on record in the VOICE , for others of the Craft to read when he shall have gone to join his earlier co-labourers

where the " weary are at rest . In the early history and biographies of Masons on this Continent is also involved the history of Masonry . Indeed we should know little of tbe latter if we were not familiar with the former . The elders of the Order are rapidly being numbered , and soon there will be but few living left to tell the story of the fathers . The younger brethren

we feel sure will be glad to read these items of the past , especially when involving the character and achievements of one " who fell a martyr to his faith , " aud gave his life for the freedom and happiness of his country . Tbe story is true , though it may have been long forgotten , or-never heard of by those who shall read the present num . ber of the VOICE OF MASONRY . When he is in the grave they may think

of tbe writer , and recall with grateful recollection the noble names he has " placed npon perpetual record . " David Wooster , Master of the first Lodge organized in Connecticut , was born in Stratford , 3 rd March 1711 . He was tho son of Abraham and Mary Wooster , and was reared in the Puritan principles of that era ; the discipline of his early years was severe and sober . Ho had

bnt just reached his twenty-seventh year , when England declared war against Spain . The protection which the English Hag extended to smugglers and pirates compelled the people of the colonies to organize for their own protection . To provide for this , tbe General Assembly of Connecticut , at its May session in 1740 , ordered a sloop of war to be built and equipped . The sloop was launched at Middletown and

named the Defence , of which Bro . Wooster was appointed Lieutenant and afterwards Captain , and here commenced his long career in defence of his native land against foreign aggression . In the Defence we find him from 1741 to 1743 cruising between Cape Cod and the Capos of Virginia . As ho passed the rock-bonnd shores of Connecticut , he ran into New London for supplies , and into

New Haven on a stolen visit to Mary , who was yet to be his bride . While Wooster was employed in this humble service the question of colonial commerce grew into a general struggle of Europe . The Pragmatic Sanction which settled the throne of Austria npon Maria Theresa , was solemnly guarantee ! by all the principal powers of Europe . But the crown was hardly placed npon her brow before Frederick of

Prussia , and Louis of France conspired to despoil her of her hereditary dominions , —one whose sex , youth and beauty presented the strongest claims to their protection . England remained true to the houso of Hapsburg . Both hemispheres wero plnnged in war , and as ono of tho direct results of royal perjury , thousands in the remote valleys of Connecticut , who would otherwise havo descended in green old age to whero

" The rude forefathers of Hamlet sleep , " shed thoir young life-blood on battle-fields from Detroit to Lonisburg , and found early graves in tho snows of Canada and tho sands of the West Indies . Lonisburg , on tlie Island of Cape Breton , was tho camp and arsenal of France in America , and tho scourge of the English . It became

necessary , therefore , to destroy this nest whero war and outrage was fostered to tho injury of tho English , and the destruction of the commerce and industries of the colonists : and tho New England States , backed up by New Jersey and Pennsylvania , were ready to undertake the task , however formidable it might prove . Into this scheme Wooster entered with all the zeal of his ardent and

nnselfish nature . He was the first to volunteer , and the first to receive a Captain's commission , and among the earliest to have his command ready for tho field . The month previous to hid departure on this expedition was that to which his mind reverted in after years , with the tenderest emotions , for 6 th March 1715 he was married to

Mary , the daughter of tho Rev . Thomas Clap , President of Yale College , — a wife who , from the date of nuptials , never failed to cling to him witb all a true woman's constancy and devotion . Ho purchased the old homestead in New Haven , on the street which bears his honoured name , and there established his household gods for tho remainder of his days .

A Leaf From Old Masonic History.

The English and Colonial fleet sailed for Cape Breton , 11 th April 1745 . Tho powerful French stronghold held the English squadron at bay for a long time , but finally the want of provisions , and the incompetency of tho French commander , induced tho latter to surrender , and tho English gladly embraced the opportunity to obtain possession of tho enemv ' s fortress without further bloodshed . There wero not many

laurels won on either side during tho siege , and Wooster seems to havo won the brightest . A British Captain had ventured to apply his rattan to one of Captain Wooster ' s men , and Wooster remonstrated with him for abusing his authority . The Briton resented in unmeasured terms , and drew his sword to chastise the adviser on tho spot . Wooster parried his thrusts and disarmed him , and compelled him

to ask pardon and promise that ho would never again disgrace with a blow any soldier in the service . Tho terms were accepted , and while Wooster won the title of tho soldiers' friend and protector , the aggressor was glad to retire from the army . Captain Wooster , in consideration of his gallantry , was entrusted with the command of a cartel ship to convoy tho trophies and

prisoners to England , where he was received with extraordinary exnlta . tion—for England just then was in want of victories and heroes . He was presented at court , antl a Captain ' s commission in tho service awarded him ; thus the future commander-in-chief of the Connecticut rebels was feted , feasted and rewarded with a royal commission from the British crown . Tho French surrendered their citadel 17 th Juno ,

and just 30 years afterwards was fought the battle of Bunker Hill . In this opening conflict of the revolution , Col . Gridley , Seth Pomeroy , Col . Fry , Wooster and Whiting were present , and they had all shared in the campaign against Lonisburg , whero they had borne tho English flag to victory . So early was Providence marshalling the forces and forginsr the thunderbolts of the revolution .

While abroad Wooster became impressed with the importance of some tie that should bring manhood into closer affinity , and make brothers of those who would otherwise have remained strangers . Whether Wooster was made a Mason previous to the siege of Lonisburg or whileinEngland , whither he had gone in command of the cartel with trophies and prisoners , we cannot tell , bat suspect that while he wa

in England he became a Freemason . One thing we know , that soon after his return to Connecticut , he procured from the Provincial Grand Lodge of Massachusetts a charter under which Hiram Lodge was organized in 1750—the first Lodjje organized in Connectiout . and of whioh Woo = ter was appointed first Master . That Lodge is still at work , and prospering , after more than 130 years of labour and experience .

But the fourth inter-colonial , called the French and Indian war , followed in a few years , in which Washington , Gates , Putnam , Stark , Wooster , Prescott , Montgomery , Lee , Mercer , and a host of others , were educated in part and disciplined for the fiery ordeal of the revo-Intion . Into this new struggle Wooster entered with all the ardour of his younger years . In 1756 , as colonel of the third regiment of Con .

necticnt , he joined the army at Albany , consisting of ten thousand regulars and provincials—the finest army yet seen in America . For tho following seven years Wooster was engaged in active service with the army , but tho story , brilliant as it is , would require too much space for this article . In 1763 , at the return of peace , Wooster enjoyed for twelve years the quiet and repose of a luxurious home ,

with the wife and family he almost worshipped . He engaged in mercantile pursuits , which yielded quick returns and large profits . Ho and his wife had both possessed an ample fortune , which was largely in . creased by his salary as Collector , and his half-pay as Captain . His home was one of opulence and hospitality . The hickory blazed on his hearth in winter , while the summer ' s breeze from the Sound fanned

the feverish brow , and filled his house and ground with odours and perfumes as though they came from the " groves and gardens of Araby the blest . " Mrs . Wooster was a heroine of the revolutionary type , with a presence and manners dignified and imposing . In the earlier years of her married life , the only drawback to her happiness was that she could not share her husband ' s clanger in tho field , but having

once more recovered him from the battle-field , she exerted her rare accomplishments to enhance the charms of home , while two children , a son and a daughter , added to the sunshine surrounding the princely old homestead in New Haven . But now comes the final struggle , and the old soldier who had won renown on many a battle-field in defence of " the meteor flag of

England , " must now prove recreant to the land of his birth and . the principles he had imbibed from his New England education and homo and instruction , or resist to the death the oppression of Old England . He participated in the first aggressive act against the crown , by uniting with others to capture Fort Ticonderoga . In May 1775 , Connecticut ordered one-fourth of its militia to ba

•armed and equipped for immediate service , and tho now venerable Wooster was appointed major-general and commander-in-chief , with Joseph Spencer and Israel Putnam as brigadiers , and immediate active service followed tho appointment . He was now sixty-five years of age , and was not unprepared for tho casualties of battle . In early youth , before his mind was

distracted with the cares and vexation of manhood , he had brought his reason and faith , to accord with the claims of divine revelation . As a ( THO Mason ho accepted tho Holy Scriptures as the only safe rule in this life , and the only sure guide to the next . When bnfc twenty-two years of ago , in the chnrch of his birthplace , by a profession of Christianity , ho nnblicly assumed its vows and acknowledged its hopes . This

allusion to tho religions element in Wooster's character will serve as an introduction to the following incident . Tbe statement is from tho lips of a venerable citi-len of New Haven , an officer of tbe patriot forces . "The Inst time I saw General Wooster was in June 1775 . Ho was

at the head of his rcgimrnt , which was then embodied on tho green in front , of where tho centre church now stands . They wero ready for a march , with thoir arms glistening , and their knapsneks on their backs . Colonel Wooster had already despatched a messenger for hi : i minister , the Kev . Jonathan Edwards , with a request that ho would meet the regiment , aud pray with them before their departure .