Fort Buford Masonic Historical Site

THE GRAND LODGE OF MINNESOTA

CRADLE OF MASONRY IN MIDWESTERN AMERICA

By Harold Sackett Pond

Past Grand Master, North Dakota

The following was extracted from the "Educational Lodge No. 1002, A.F. & A.M. of Minnesota, Paper No. 55 - Part II, June, 1964

FARTHEST WEST IN NORTHERN DAKOTA YELLOWSTONE LODGE NO. 88 — FORT BUFORD

            It has been said that without the fur trade, the Northwest would never have been discovered and this might well have been true of Northern Dakota. From the Red River in the east, to the Yellowstone and Missouri Rivers in the west, and far beyond, came millions of furs to Pembina and Fort Union, which completely changed the geography and the history of two great nations for all time to come.

            The first fur trading posts with the Indians were located at the convergence of the Yellowstone and Missouri Rivera about 1820 and, by 1829, Fort Union had absorbed them all for the American Fur Company, under Kenneth McKenzie, and it reigned supreme for forty years.

            By 1866, the fur trade was about gone, but gold had been discovered in the Black Hills to the south and in southwestern Montana; settlers were flocking in; railroads were on the way; and everywhere were hostile Indians, still being driven further west and complaining about broken treaties and delinquent payments on support agreements.

            The  United   States   Government   moved   swiftly; Fort Union was torn down; the timbers were used to build Fort Buford, a little further on; a garrison of 3,600 troops was moved in to protect the settlers; and temporary quiet was maintained.

            The first garrison came to the fort in 1867 and was moved out in 1874. At one time a negro contingent held the fort, which was changed later. It was here that Chief Sitting Bull and his followers surrendered in July, 1881, bringing an end to Indian warfare in the Northwest. The final garrison was removed in 1898 and, today, only the cemetery, the powder house and the officers' headquarters building remain, which have been restored by the North Dakota Historical Society.

            Here Masonry came in 1871 and, once more, it was our friend and benefactor, M. W. Charles W. Nash, Grand Master of Minnesota and formerly Worshipful Master at Pembina, who, at his Grand Communication in St. Paul, January 9, 1872, stated in his address: "During the year I have granted a dispensation for a new lodge 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 Lodge XT. D."

            The dispensation had been issued and the officers named, January 29, 1871, by Grand Master Nash and, on recommendation of the committee, a charter was granted at St. Paul, January 10, 1872, to Yellowstone Lodge No. 88 at Fort Buford, Dakota Territory.

            The members went to work and the returns for 1872 showed a membership of 36 and for 1873 showed 48. A good lodge hall of logs, 80 by 100 feet, two stories high, was built, adjoining the fort and near the store. The second story was used as a lodge hall and the first story was the social and cultural center for the fort. This was the first lodge hall built in Northern Dakota. Surely, Masonry played a large part in the enjoyment of life among the men.

            However, this happy state of affairs could not long continue, as the main. garrison at Fort Buford was moved in 1874 and with it went three officers of the lodge and most of the members, so it was necessary for the lodge to close.

            Grand Master Charles Griswold related these facts to his Grand Lodge at St. Paul, January 12, 1875, and stated that he had sent District Deputy Grand Master Benjamin L. Perry, of District No. 11, Brainerd, Minnesota, to Fort Buford with Instructions to take such action as the circumstances seemed to warrant.

            W. Brother Perry made a long trip to Fort Buford, June 8, 1874; convened the members, who voted to close the lodge; took up the charter and all lodge records, which he forwarded to the Grand Secretary; sold the lodge property for enough to pay his expenses; conveyed title to the real estate; and presented the jewels, aprons, ballot-box, triangle, letter "G", 24 inch gauge and common gavel to Bismarck Lodge U. D., taking their receipt therefore. (No one will ever cease to marvel at the ability, courage and devotion of these District Deputy Grand Masters) District Deputy Perry's report to the Grand Lodge was approved in full.

            At the Grand Communication of the Grand Lodge of Minnesota, at St. Paul, January 12, 1876, R. W. John C. Braden, Deputy Grand Master, offered the following resolution, which was adopted: "Resolved, that the jewels of the late Yellowstone Lodge No. 88, now in the possession of Bismarck Lodge U. D., be presented to said Bismarck Lodge U. D."

            This was the last recorded reference to the lodge, in Minnesota.

            In 1960, the original site of Yellowstone Lodge No. 88 was discovered, by the marks of the foundation posts; the land was purchased by the Grand Lodge of North Dakota; cornerstones were prepared; a large granite boulder, with an appropriate inscription, was installed; (all by members of Mount Moriah Lodge No. 51 at Williston and their friends) and, on May 15, 1960, M. W. Ben G. Gustafson, Grand Master, convened his Grand Lodge and dedicated this holy ground.

            Around him stood hundreds of men, women, and children, representing the Masons of Minnesota, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Montana and North Dakota, all paying their last full measure of devotion to those, who had come in other years to prepare a place for us.

            Minnesota was represented by one of her great men, that day — M. W. Clyde E. Hegman, Past Grand Master of your Grand Lodge — and it was he who pronounced the final words:

            "We commend you for the achievement you have accomplished in erecting this monument to commemorate for posterity the fact that on this ground there stood a Masonic Temple, a house dedicated to the name of God. The influence for good which the early Masons, who toiled here, had on the lives of men of that day and upon their children’s children, upon men who followed in their footsteps, in Dakota Territory and in North Dakota, is the truly enduring monument.

            (He then presented and planted six evergreen trees and continued.)

            "As a token and symbol of the neighborly and brotherly affection which we Masons in Minnesota have for you, our North Dakota Brethren, we have today presented to you and planted here these evergreen pine trees. These trees are alive; living by the hand of Him who gave us, His children, the breath of life, which sustains us, day by day. These little evergreen trees have a tap root which will seek its way down to drink the waters underneath the earth. But root and water alone will not cause them to flourish. They stretch their main stem upward into the blue sky and sunshine to reach for and grasp the sustinence given by the sun, yes by our Creator. They will do this all of their days in this land.

            "In like manner, my brothers and friends, may it be our continual practice, our aim, our purpose, as we derive our earthly subsistence from the products of the land, to also draw deeply from life-giving waters. Let us also continually, day by day, reach high our hand, higher and higher, in a purposeful life, until we reach God's hand and feel the warmth of His life-giving power, strength and wisdom. Only, in this manner, by this way of life, will we build our temples in the hearts of men."

BIBLIOGRAPHY

1.   PROCEEDINGS, GRAND LODGE OF MINNESOTA: VOLUMES I, II, III, IV & V;  YEARS 1853-77.

2.   CENTENNIUM, GRAND LODGE OF MINNESOTA: 1853-1953. BY EDWARD JOHNSTONE; PAGES 1-46.

3.   EDUCATIONAL LODGE NO. 1002; BULLETIN NO. 9 — JANUARY 26, 1949 — BEGINNING OF MASONRY    IN    MINNESOTA,     BY    EDWARD JOHNSTONE.

4.   MINNESOTA HISTORY, BY MINNESOTA HISTORICAL SOCIETY: VOLUME VI, NO. 3, SEPT. 1925; NORMAN W. KITTSON, A FUR TRADER AT PEMBINA, BY CLARENCE W. RIFE; PAGES 225-251.

5. AN HISTORICAL, SKETCH AT THE SEMICENTENNIAL OF THE INTRODUCTION OF FREEMASONRY IN MINNESOTA AND OF THE ORGANIZATION OF ST. PAUL LODGE NO. 3, ST. PAUL, MINN., SEPTEMBER 8, 1899; BY GEORGE R. METCALF; PAGES 6-9.

6.   RED RIVER RUNS NORTH, BY VERA KELSEY: THE OLD ORDER CHANGES — FAST: SETTLEMENT OF NORTHERN DAKOTA AND MANITOBA, BETWEEN 1840 and 1870; PAGES 143-183.

7.   FREEMASONRY IN MANITOBA: 1864-1925, BY WILLIAM DOUGLAS; CHAPTERS H-XI; PAGES 5-130.

8.   MASONRY IN NORTH DAKOTA: 1804-1964, BY HAROLD S. POND; CHAPTERS II-IV, PAGES 15-58.

NOTE:

            Bro. Pond has requested that the holders of Part I change the year 1934 to 1964 as      shown In the first line of No. 8 above.