Fort Buford Masonic Historical Site

YELLOWSTONE LODGE NO. 88

DAKOTA TERRITORY

                The efforts of thirty years on the part of the Grand Officers of the Grand Lodge A.'. F.'. & A.'. M.'. of North Dakota, to commemorate the site of Yellowstone Lodge No. 88 at Fort Buford, Dakota Territory, have at last resulted in the placing of the beautiful native granite marker pictured on our cover, and which will be dedicated by appropriate ceremonies at the site, twenty miles southwest of Williston, on Sunday, May 15, 1960.

                In 1928, M. W. Brother Walter L. Stockwell, Grand Secretary, and W. Brother Orrin G. Libby, Grand Historian, located the site of the original Lodge Hall near Ft. Buford, at the junction of the Missouri and Yellowstone rivers, and later, with the assistance of W. Brother Alfred P. Brownson of Williston, endeavored to purchase the land on which it stood. They were unsuccessful, however, and nothing more was done until 1957, when W. Brother Edwin A. Haakenson of Williston (then Senior Grand Steward of the Grand Lodge) became interested in the revival of the site of Yellowstone Lodge No. 88.

                Correspondence conducted by W.'. Brother Haakenson revealed that only the Grand Lodge of Minnesota was involved and he was especially fortunate in obtaining an authentic military map of the Fort Buford area from the State Historical Society; also a large aerial photograph of the area.

                The site of the building has been definitely established. Adapting the best military map available, to what is still there, leaves the clean foundation outline of a building about 90'xl00'. The site is just outside the property of the State Historical Society and is on property belonging to a Mr. Homer Selby. The building was a good sized one, probably built of logs and was the social and cultural center of the Fort for a time. It was here that many of the banquets, parties and balls were held at Fort Buford during the time from 1871 to 1874. It is important that the site be preserved.

                M. W. Brother John A. Earner, Grand Master of North Dakota at the June, 1958, session of the Grand Lodge, directed that steps be taken to place a suitable marker at the site. The committee on Policy and General Purposes, at the Quarterly Meeting of March, 1959, approved the expenditure of $400.00 to prepare and set a marker. An agreement was made with Brothers Bernard and Walter Johnson (father and son, and members of Mount Moriah Lodge No. 51) to fabricate a suitable marker. M. W. Brother Harold S. Pond, W. Brother Edwin A. Haakenson, W. Brother Gudmundur Grimson, Brother Walter Johnson and Mrs. Haakenson were asked to act as a committee to prepare a suitable inscription for the marker.

                In the summer of 1959, under the direction of M. W. Brother Ben G. Gustarson, Grand Master, R. W. Brother Edwin A. Haakenson, Junior Grand Warden. Brothers Bernard and Walter Johnson. William H. Schulze and others of Mt. Moriah Lodge No. 51 of Williston, the site was purchased, the monument inscribed and installed and a durable fence surrounding the property is in the process of erection.

                Plans are going forward for an impressive dedicatory program, in which the surrounding Grand Lodges will participate, and we are looking forward to a special part to be taken by the Grand Lodge of Minnesota, Mother Grand Lodge of Yellowstone Lodge No. 88.

                The Fort Buford and Yellowstone Lodge story is an interesting tale of pioneer days in Dakota Territory, before the Custer massacre on the Little Big Horn in 1876, and we reprint a past of it for our readers.

I.              THE FORT BUFORD STORY

                Fort Buford was the last of a series of four forts and trading posts occupying the same region about twenty miles southwest of Williston, at the confluence of the Yellowstone and Missouri rivers. The story of this spot covers a period of about 140 years, from 1770 to 1910. All of them were located in the Fort Union-Fort Buford area. The four major posts were successively Fort George and Fort William (strictly trading posts or factories), Fort Union (a combination of a trading post and garrison) and finally Fort Buford, which had at one time a garrison of 3,500 troops.

                Fort Buford was opened as a cavalry fort in 1866 or 1867 and closed in 1875 except for a token garrison which occupied the Fort until 1884. The Fort was reopened with a full garrison (which included one negro infantry regiment) in 1885 and kept at garrison strength until 1898. A small token garrison occupied the place for several years after that and then the post was abandoned. The site is now marked by the old powder-house, one good frame building (in need of restoration) and the old cemetery which also looks abandoned.

                This is an historical area that will probably become an historical park of some importance, if work is begun on it soon enough. The Grand Lodge of North Dakota can stimulate this work by placing an appropriate marker on the site of the old Yellowstone Lodge Masonic Hall.

II.     YELLOWSTONE LODGE NO. 88

                There appears in the proceedings of the Grand Lodge of Minnesota (meeting on January 9th and 10th, 1872), the following items:

                (1) On page 8, from the address of the Most Worshipful Grand Master C. W. Nash, "During the year I have granted                          dispensation of new lodges as follows: To Asa P. Blunt, as Worshipful Master, and the requisite number of                        brethren, to form a lodge at Fort Buford, Dakota Territory, to be named "Yellowstone" U. D."

                (2) On page 31 of the same proceedings of the Grand Lodge of Minnesota, under "Committee on Lodges U.D.":

                      "To the Most Worshipful, the Grand Lodge of Minnesota:

                Your committee on the Work of Lodges U. D. would respectfully submit the following report:

                We have examined the records, papers and returns of Lodges U. D., also have testimony in relation to the work done, & C, and would respectfully recommend that charter be granted to the following Lodge herein named, to-wit:   Yellowstone Lodge No.  88; Fort Buford, D. T.

                                                                                                                Signed—Paul D. Fitzgerald

                                                                                                                                W. E. Cundy

                                                                                                                                John R. Parshall, Committee"

                Copies of the dispensation, the charter and the returns for 1871, 1872 and 1873 are to be found in the archives of the Grand Lodge of Minnesota.

                The dispensation was issued at St. Paul on January 26, 1871, by Grand Master C. W. Nash and names Asa P. Blunt as the worshipful master, Samuel H. Dennison as the senior warden and Richard Comba as the junior warden of Yellowstone Lodge U. D.

                The Charter was granted at St. Paul on January 10, 1872 by Grand Master C. W. Nash, District Grand Master Charles Gris-wold, Grand Junior Warden J. W. Morford. It names the same officers as the dispensation: (Other information from returns of 1872)

Asa P. Blunt, W.M. ..................U.S.A.Q.M., Sgt.

b. Vermont ..................................R. Vt.

Samuel H. Dennison, S. W. ......................Clerk

Origin Unknown .............................R. N.Y.

Richard Comba, J.W. ...................Capt. 7th Inf.

b. Ireland .................................R. N.Y.

Chas. C. Rawn .........................Capt. 7th Inf.

b. Pennsylvania .........................R. Florida

Robert C. Seip .................................Clerk

b. Maryland ................................R. D.C.

Win. L. English .........................Lt. 7th Inf.

b. Illinois ................................R. 111.

Alex McAuley ...................................Agent

b. Unknown ....................................R. ?

Daniel Mead ................................Carpenter

b. New York ............................R. Michigan

Wm. Logan ...............................Lt. 7th Inf.

b. Ireland ..............................R. Florida

Wm. H. Nelson ...........................Lt. 7th Inf.

b. Tennessee ..........................R. Tennessee

Joseph Anderson ...........................Contractor

b. Ohio .................................R. Indiana

Richard Morgan ...............................Soldier

b. England ................R. Yellowstone U.D. D.T.

John O'Connor ............................... Soldier

b.  England ........R. Yellowstone U.D. D.T.

Ivan Van Yorp ................................Soldier

b. Denmark ................R. Yellowstone U.D. D.T.

Wm. Neabuhr ..................................Soldier

b. Germany ................R. Yellowstone U.D. D.T.

John Murphy ..................................Soldier

b. Ireland ................R. Yellowstone U.D. D.T.

Wm. H. Carey ................................Merchant

b. Ohio ...................R. Yellowstone U.D. D.T.

Benj. F. Storey ................................Clerk

b. Missouri ...............R. Yellowstone U.D. D.T.

Francis McCaffrey ............................Soldier

b. Scotland ...............R. Yellowstone U.D. D.T.

Joseph H. Sparks .............................Laborer

b. Canada .................R. Yellowstone U.D. D.T.

John J. Jordan ...............................Soldier

b. Ireland ................R. Yellowstone U.D. D.T.

Louis F. Jones .................................Clerk

b. Wales ..................R. Yellowstone U.D. D.T.

Wm. W. Thompson ............................Carpenter

b. Maine ..................R. Yellowstone U.D. D.T.

Wm. D. Parshall ..............................Laborer

b. Ohio ...................R. Yellowstone U.D. D.T.

Jacob Richert ..............................Carpenter

b. France .................R. Yellowstone U.D. D.T.

Peter Baker ..................................Soldier

b. Germany ................R. Yellowstone U.D. D.T.

Davis L. Martin .................................Cook

b. Kentucky ................R. Yellowstone UJX D.T.

Silas Van Wagener ..........................Carpenter

b. New York ...............R. Yellowstone U.D. D.T.

Geo. W. Milford ..............................Laborer

b. Pennsylvania ...........R. Yellowstone U.D. D.T.

                The returns of 1872 show 35 members, those of 1873 show 48 members, 1 died and 1 dropped (NPD), 7 of these had joined by affiliation after the charter was granted. The returns of 1872 and 1873 give Robert C. Seip as the secretary, and those of 1872 show a proxy given by Asa P. Blunt as Worshipful Master, to Joseph Anderson to represent Yellowstone U.D. at the Grand Lodge meeting in January, 1872. Some time during the period a good 2-story hall about 90'xlOO' was erected. It became the social and cultural center of the Fort. The Grand Lodge Proceedings of 1874 contain a reference to the condition of Yellowstone Lodge. On Page 13 of the Proceedings of 1875 appears the following statement:

Excerpt from the Annual Address

of

CHARLES GRISWOLD

GRAND MASTER OF MINNESOTA

January 12, 1875

YELLOWSTONE LODGE NO. 88

                Soon after the close of our last Annual Communication I learned from reliable sources that Yellowstone Lodge No. 8, at Fort Buford, Dakota Territory, was in a sadly crippled condition, in consequence of the removal of United States troops from that point. The principal officers of the Lodge were connected with the army, and when they were taken away the Lodge was left without a worshipful master, senior and junior wardens, or even a past master. Many of the members had also left. In this condition they could not be legally convened without the presence of the Grand Master or his proxy. In view of this state of affairs, I directed R.'. W.'. B. L. Perry, District Deputy for the Eleventh District, to visit them, convene their Lodge, and then take such action as the circumstances seemed to warrant. He faithfully carried out my instructions, and, after a careful investigation, came to the conclusion that the interests of Masonry did not demand the continuance of a Lodge at that point. The brethren there, in accordance with his advice, surrendered their Charter, which, together with the records, he forwarded to the Grand Secretary. The property of the Lodge, which could not well be moved, he sold. The jewels and clothing he left in the hands of Bismarck Lodge, U.D., taking from them a receipt for the same, and forwarding to the Grand Secretary. This Lodge, if chartered, wishes to retain these jewels, &c., and pay the Grand Lodge their value. I have no doubt of the wisdom of the course pursued by Brother Perry, and trust that it may be approved by the Grand Lodge. For further particulars, I refer you to his report as District Deputy.

                On page 41 of the Proceedings of the Grand Lodge of Minnesota for 1876, appears a notation to the effect that the records, furniture and jewels, which had not been sold, had been transferred to Bismarck Lodge U.D. They were lost in the fire of 1898 in Bismarck Lodge. The loss of these records has made the location and description of the Masonic Hall a difficult task. This closes the official record of Yellowstone Lodge No. 88. Fred Faigley and W. D. Marshall later took out demits and became members of Mount Moriah Lodge No. 51 at Williston when G. B. Metzger was secretary of that Lodge.

                Interest was revived in 1928 by Grand Historian Orrin G. Libby, when the State Historical Society made a purchase of some of the land at the old Fort Buford site. Dr. O. G. Libby, then head of the American History Department of the University, immediately set out to find the location of the Masonic Hall at the Fort. The Grand Lodge of North Dakota entered into a contract with the Flour City Ornamental Iron Co., for a suitable marker in May of 1929, the bronze tablet to cost $195.00 and the stone $95.00 F.O.B. Minneapolis. The dedication was to be in August, 1929, but never took place when it was found that the site of the Masonic Lodge Hall was outside the area of the State Park and difficulties were encountered in securing a valid title to the ground from the Mercer Estate. The dedication of the marker had been listed as a part of the program for the dedication of the Fort Buford State Historical Park and the contractor had started work on the marker. The whole plan was abandoned and the marker contractor was paid off for what had been done.

                The Libby Papers, which are in the Grand Lodge Library, and the Stockwell Letters of the period reveal that it was not easy to reestablish the site of the Masonic Hall that belonged to Yellowstone Lodge No. 88, Fort Buford, Dakota Territory.   The Libby Letters tracing down former members of the Lodge and securing information with regard to the nature and location of the Hall have been very valuable. The G. B. Metzger letters are valuable. Letters from others contain meager bits of information. The available War Department records were of some value, particularly some crudely drawn military maps of the Fort Buford area. A quote from one of these letters, as an example, seems appropriate. This is in long hand from a. non-Mason,

Mr. E. A. Garlington of Coronado, California and dated 30 October, 1928. "There was a building towards the old Traders Store, that is West, and on same street was the Headquarters Office, and between it and the river which was, I believe, put up by the Masonic Order, but it was built before my time. Without a map it is impossible to definitely locate the building. ... I think the building to which I refer was a two story building, only one other at the fort, and that was a set of officers' quarters facing east." This letter was written 48 years after Mr. Garlington was at the fort, but it does confirm the accepted site and what is known about the building.

III.   CONFUSIONS RESULTING FROM OTHER FRATERNAL, AND CLUB ACTIVITIES AT THE FORT SITE

                There is a great deal of evidence that the Port Buford Garrison was very active and that several social and military clubs and fraternal groups were involved in this activity. This has resulted in confusion with regard to those activities which were Masonic and Regular, especially on the part of non-Masons. There is much misinformation mixed with bits of hearsay, that will need to be carefully screened before it can be used.

                Evidence points to the existence of a. regular Masonic Lodge during the period from 1871 to 1874 that met in its own hall located to the northwest of the Fort Buford area. This is Yellowstone Lodge No. 88, G. L. of Minnesota, Fort Buford, Dakota Territory, and was the only Regular Masonic Lodge ever chartered at the Fort.

                The period from 1874 to 1885 was a dormant one.

                The reactivation of Fort Buford in 1885-1898 with a garrison that had a regiment of Negro Infantry, was an active period but there was no known Regular Masonic group of any kind meeting during this period. Evidence is available to show the existence of a Regular Odd Fellows Lodge there during this time; there were Military Clubs and Fraternities, and there is some evidence pointing to the existence of a Prince Hall Lodge, a Clandestine Lodge chartered by a Clandestine group in Missouri.

                An example of the kind of information that is available, but which must be most carefully followed up for evaluation, is a letter written by Mr. T. R. Forbes of Wolf Point, Montana, Clerk of the District Court of Roosevelt County in Montana, to Dr. O. G. Libby under the date of September 15, 1928:

                "Your letter of September 14th, at hand and contents noted. Regarding the Masonic Order or lodge at Fort Buford in 1874, I beg to advise, I did not get to Buford until 1880 and did not hear or know that any lodge existed there at that time. Not being interested, I did not make inquiries, however, about 1885 or 1886 the Fort was garrisoned mostly by negro troops. At that time a Captain of the Twentieth Infantry organized a lodge or camp of Sons of Veterans and at his earnest solicitation I joined the same. Shortly after that Dr. Keefer of the U. S. army came into the lodge and after his initiation, when the presiding officer, who was a negro Sergeant, shook hands and congratulated him as is customary, during the hand shaking I noticed that the doctor and the negro held hands for some seconds, and looked earnestly at each other. Finally the negro said “go on”, to which the doctor replied “I can't”. Afterwards, the doctor told me that they were talking of Masonry and he remarked that the colored man was “high up”. It may be that there was a colored lodge of Masons at Fort Buford during the time from 1885 to the time the Post was abandoned, I think in 1898. I do know that in the early 80's there was an Odd Fellow Lodge among the soldiers. They met in an underground cellar dug some distance from the Post.

                Sorry I cannot give you definite information regarding the Masons.

                                                Sincerely yours,

                                                Thos. R. Forbes,

                Clerk of the District Court."

TRF:T

(Note: This letter was copied exactly as it was received from Mr. Forbes.)

                This kind of information is not factual, but it points the way to other historical researches that could be made.

                                                                                                                                                B.G.G. & H.S.P.