- From: <PHOTO0027@aol.com>
- Date: Sun, 8 Nov 1998 10:00:58 EST
- To: w3c-wai-gl@w3.org
Gentleman,
In an e-mail I sent you yesterday I would like to forward to you some
additional information on Frederick Dalcho that might be of use to you.
I hope that you find some of the information on this e-mail that will be
helpful to you all as it seems Frederick Dalcho and John Fowler both had the
same common goal which was for the was the betterment of the Scottish Rites
Freemasons around the whole world and to improve our world whenever and
wherever possible.
The Reverend Dr. Frederick Dalcho
In mid October of 1770, John Frederick and Euphemia Dalcho presented their son
Frederick for baptism at the Church of St. Giles-in-the-Fields, in the Borough
of Holborn, London, England. Records show that in 1772, John Frederick Dalcho
was paying property taxes at 43 Great St. Andrew Street. It is reasonably safe
to assume this is where Dalcho was born. His mother remained there at least
until 1789 operating an inn. A military man, Frederick Dalcho's father was an
officer under Frederick the Great. Dalcho's father was wounded in the Seven
Year's War and later died at age 58 on August 26, 1779 in retirement, while
his son was still a child. Frederick Dalcho's mother, of Prussian descent, was
born Euphemia Wiesenthal, daughter of Johann Mattheus Wiesenthal. She passed
away on November 22, 1812 at the ripe age of 81. Both of Dalcho's parents are
buried at the German Evangelical Church of St. Marie in-the-Savoy, London.
Reference: A Man of Accomplishment, A Man of Peace
Author: Barry A. Rickman
Dated: December 18, 1990
Fredrick Dalcho arrived at Baltimore on a sailing vessel on May 23, 1787
"after a boisterous passage of 8 weeks on the sea from London. He was 15 years
of age and went to live with his father's sister who was married to Dr.
Wiesenthal. Here under the guiadence of Dr. Wiesenthal Fredrick pursued his
education.
*************************
Dr. Fredrick Dalcho established the first Scottish Rites in the year 1801 and
was originated in Charleston, South Carolina. In the year of 1802 the Grand
Lodge of Charleston, South Carolina elected it's first "Grand Lodge Officers",
as follows;
Col. John Mitchell, Sov. Grand Commander
Dr. Fredrick Dalcho, Lt. Grand Commander
Emanuel de La Motta, Treasurer General of the Holy Empire
Abraham Alexander, Secretary General of the Holy Empire
Major T.B. Bowen, Grand Master of Ceremonies
Israel de Lieben, Sov Gr Inspector-General
Dr. Issac Auld, Sov Gr Inspector-General
Moses C. Levy, Sov Gr Inspector-General
Dr. James Moultrie, Sov Gr Inspector-General
Following is a list of some of the many accomplihments of
Dr. Fredrick Dalcho Life Time Achivements As A Mason;
In 1801, Dr. Dalcho received the ultimate degree of the Thirty-Thrid or
Sovereign Grand Inspector of the Ancient and Accepted Rite, from Col. John
Mitchell on May 31, 1801 in Charleston, South Carolina.
May 31, 1801, he became instrumental in the establishment, at Charleston, of
the Supreme Council for the Southern Jurisdicition of the United States, of
which body he was appointed Grand Secretary, and afterwards Grand Commander.
On the 31st of May, 5801, the Supreme Council of the 33rd degree for the
United States of America was opened with the high honors of masonry, by
Brothers John Mitchell and Frederick Dalcho, Sovereign Grand Inspectors
General, and in the course of the present year [1802] the whole number of
Grand Inspectors General was completed, agreeably to the Grand Constitutiions.
On September 2, 1805 Dr. Dalcho was elected to its standing committee on the
Botanic Gardens, a project which became one of his major interests in
collaboration with Dr. Auld.
On Christmas Day, 1805, Dr. Dalcho and Mary Elizabeth Threadcraft were married
in St. Philip's Church, Charleston, by Rev. Dr. Edward Jenkins. This was Dr.
Dalcho's second marriage, and his wife was to survive him, but there were no
children of either marriage.
The site of the Botanic Garden was owned by the Medical Society of Charleston
and was located on the northwest corner of Meeting and Columbus Streets.
However because of financial difficulties, the Gardens had to be closed around
the year 1830.
January10, 1806, announced that Benjamin B. Smith had withdrawn from the
"Courier" establishment and that the paper would in the future be edited by
Messrs. Carpenter, Dlacho, Marchant and Willington under the firm name of
Marchant, Willington & Co. "The wreath or the rod" was adopted as the paper's
motto and was placed immediately under the sub-title on the second page. On
December 1, 1807 the office of the Courier was removed from No. 1 to No. 143
Broad Street.
In 1807, at the request of the Grand Lodge of York Masons of South Carolina,
he published the "Ahiman Rezon," which was adopted as the code for the
government of the lodges under the jurisdiction of that body.
In 1807, the Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons, and that of Ancient York
Masons of South Carolina became united under the name of "The Grand Lodge of
Ancient Freemasons of South Carolina," and at the first annual Communication,
Brother Dalcho was elected Grand Chaplin. The duties of this office he
faithfully performed, and for many years delivered a public address or sermon
on the Festival of St. John the Evangelist. On October 24, 1808 the two Grand
lodges united in the ceremony of laying the corner stone of a factory about to
be erected, in the city of Charleston, by the "Carolina Homespun Company" at
11:00 A.M. Also in this year (1807) Dr. Frederick Dalcho published the 1st
"Ahiman Rezon" under the sanction of the Grand Lodge of Ancient York Masons of
South Carolina.
In 1808, he was elected Corresponding Grand Secretary of the Grand Lodge of
Ancient York Masons, and from that time directed the influenecs of his high
position to the reconciliation of the Masonic difficulties in South Carolina.
In 1808 he inaugurated a movement to bring together the two South Carolina
Grand Lodges which had arisen from the English schism between "Antients" and
"Moderns" and succeeded only in 1817.
In 1806 the Original Chapter of Prince Masons took notice of the orations
delivered by Dr. Dalcho in 1801 and 1803, and on October 17, 1807, John Fowler
wrote on the Chapter's behalf and at it's direction to ask Mr. Dalcho for
permission to reprint them. Dr. Dalcho replied on Februray 25, 1808,
expressing his gratification at the request and readily acceding to it. On
December 21, 1809 Dr. Dalcho sent the following letter to John Fowler who
lived in Ireland at the time. At this time it seems that John Fowler wanted
Dr. Dalcho to vist Ireland wuth the intent of establishing a Sovereign Grand
Council of Inspectors General of the Thirty-third Degree for Ireland, to which
Brother Dalcho kindly promised to accede. But because of President Jefferson
had stopped all trade with Europe as well as Great Britian at this time
Brother Dalcho was unable to assisst in the creation of a Supreme Council for
Ireland.
Dear Sir and Brother,
The very unpleasent situation in which our respective countries have been
placed for some years past has not only interurupted the usual commerical
intercourse and correspondence, but has renedered so infrequent the
opportunties of social that I flatter myself this plead with you as an apology
for not having answered the communications with which you have obligingly
favored me. Indeed I know not weather what I am now writing will reach you,
yet I am willing to embrace the only possible chance which may offer for some
time.
I have received the book which the Original Chapter has been pleased to
present to me with, and feel highly sensible of the hobor which they have done
me by its republication.
I have sent by the present opportunity a copy of my Ahinam Rezon, which you
will be so obliging as to present to the Princes in my name. You will find but
little in it which is new, the publication being merely complied from, or are
elucidations of the old matter on the subject. The present, however, is
adapted to the state of the Craft in this country.
If the friendly relations between the two countries should be again restored,
which I pray the Supreme Architect may soon be the case, I shall endavor to
devise some means by which I may be able to put you in possession of some
valuable and interesting Masonic information. In the meantime I pray you to
present to the Illustrious Chapter my unfeigned wishes for its prosperity and
happiness and accept, yourself, my sincere and affection regards.
Frederick Dalcho
In 1813 when Dr. Dalcho was 43 years old and in his prime three actions were
taken by him almost simultaneously. He resigned as co-editor of the Charleston
Courier. He resigned as a member of the Medical Society of South Carolina
[which was refused, and he was elected an Honorary Member]. He answered a call
from the Vestry of St. Paul's Church, Stono, to serve as Lay Reader, beginning
his preparation to enter the Episcopal ministry. He did not, at this time,
resign any Masonic membership or office, and continued to be active in
Freemasonry for some reason.
Even before the union in 1817, Dalcho had enjoyed personal prestige amoung the
memebers of both Grand Lodges. He was regaurded, personally, as the law-giver
and the peace-maker. When the new Grand Lodge elected its officers in December
of 1817, the Reverend Frederick Dalcho was elected its first Grand Chaplain
and was to continue him in this office until he resigned in 1823. After the
election, the Grand Lodge proceeded to St. Michael's Church where their Grand
Chaplain addressed them.
During the summer of 1814, Rev. Dalcho kept St. Philip's Church open after the
death of its Rector, Rev. James Dewar Simons.
It was in the year 1820 that Dlacho had his chief work published, "An
Historical Account of the Protestant Episcopal Church in South Carolina." It
has grown to be of paramount importance on the history of the Church in South
Carolina. Gray Temple, eleventh Bishop of South Carolina, states in August of
1970, the 300th anniversary of the Episcopal Church in the state:
This book by Dr. Dalcho tells the story of the early years of this Diocese; it
traces the vicissitudes which befell the "Established Church" during and after
the Revolution, and gives an account of how the Episcopal Church in the United
States came into being in South Carolina…it is one which can be read with
profit by every Episcopalian who lives in South Carolina.
The text which is over 600 pages, was the first Diocesan History recorded in
the United States.
In 1821, he was requested to prepare a second edition of the "Ahiman Rezon,"
which was published the following year, enriched with many useful notes,
although unfortunately burthened with several incorrect ones. This work was at
once adopted by the Grand Lodge as its Books of Constitutions," in 1852, which
was then substituted for it. Much however, of the material, in fact, all that
was useful in Dalcho's book, was incorporated into the latter work, with a
different arrangement, and many additions.
The administration of Frederick dalcho as Grand Commander from January 25,
1816, to February 1822, exhibited an inflexible insistence upon "regularity."
He clearly and emphatically declared the Cerneau bodies to be irregular; he
would not participate in the "healing" of the "Associators" or, as they were
sometimes called, "The Eleven."
He engaged in no bitter personal quarrel, which might well have brought
discredit upon his Supreme Council. Though conforted with abundant provocation
he resisted the dignity of the Supreme Council or Sublime Masonry.
In 1823, Brother Dalcho became involved in an unpleasent controversy with some
of his Masonic associates, in consequence of diffculties and dissentions,
which at that time, existed in the Ancient Rite and his feelings were so
wounded by the unmasonic spirit which seemed to actuate his antagonists and
former friends. Brother Dalcho then resigned the office of Grand Chaplin of
the Grand Lodge, and Grand Commander of the Supreme Council, and retired for
the remainder of his life from all participation in the active duties of
Masonery. At this time Brother Cogdell also gave notice that he was no longer
a canidate for reelection to his respective office in the Grand Lodge and loss
interest in the proceeding of the Masonic order. At the end of the year both
men withdrew their membership from the Grand Lodge. It was to each the end of
their Masonic career.
1823 Brother Dalcho resigned from the Grand Lodge and was Succeded the
following year by Dr. Isaac Auld.
In 1824, Dalcho helped establish "The Charleston Gospel Messanger and
Protestant Episcopal Register." This was a monthly journal of the affairs of
the Church.
He was its first projector, and for several years, with great industry and
perfect disinterestedness, took the chief trouble of conducting it on himself.
The first volumes of it contain many highly interesting and some well
elaborated and learned essays from his pen.
Dalcho delivered three orations at St. Michael's Church to the Craft in 1799,
1801, and 1803. The last of these, when published, included a history of
Freemasonry in South Carolina, the first for almost half a century. In 1808,
these works were reprinted with the permission of the author in Dublin, Irland
under the name: Orations of Dr. Dalcho." This publication is extermely rare
with only two copies known to exist. One is located in the Library of Lodge
Quator Coronati and the other at Worcester.
Thank you again for your time and consideration in trying to help us in a
Brotherly Manner.
Brother Don Burbidge
Received on Sunday, 8 November 1998 10:01:35 UTC