The first Master of Matinecock Lodge, William Lincoln Swan,
was a close friend and neighbor of the Roosevelt family. William
Jones Youngs, a charter member of Matinecock Lodge and the
personal secretary to Theodore Roosevelt, proposed him for
membership. At the time he completed his petition for membership,
Roosevelt was Governor of New York and Vice-President-elect,
having won election with Brother William McKinley a few weeks
earlier. His petition was received accompanied by the usual $5.00
fee on November 28,1900. On his petition, a copy of which hangs in Matinecock Lodge,
he listed his age as 42, place of birth, New York City, place of
business, Albany, and his occupation, Governor. Master Theodore
A. Swan referred the petition to a committee consisting of
R:.W:.William L. Swan, Bro. Frank W. Bonifer, and W:.William S.
Moore. The petition was favorably reported at the 357th
communication on December 12,1900 and he was duly balloted and
elected to membership that same evening.
At a regular communication on January 2, 1901, Theodore
Roosevelt was announced as being in readiness for the first
degree. R:.W:.Bro. Frank E. Haff presided in conferring the
degree, assisted by M:.W:.Bro. John W. Vrooman, Past Grand Master
of Masons in the State of New York; R:.W:.Bro. E.M.L. Ehlers;
R:.W:.Bro. Douglass Conklin; R:.W:.Bro. Frederick P. Morris; and
M:.W:.Bro. John Stewart, Past Grand Master. Eighteen of the
twenty lodges within the District were represented by
delegations. There were very many visitors including several
M:.W:.many R:.W:.s, and delegations from 46 lodges. The third
floor lodge room in the Oyster Bay Bank building was very full
that evening. Music was provided by a quartet for a fee of $25
which had been advanced by the Master, Theodore A. Swan. There is
no mention in the minutes of any collation or banquet following.
Arrangements were made for special trains to convey the many
visitors to their respective destinations. A resolution of thanks
to the president of the Long Island Railroad, William H. Baldwin,
Esq., was adopted at the January 16th communication.
Three weeks after his inauguration as Vice President of the
United States on March 4, 1901, Theodore Roosevelt was announced
as being in readiness for examination in the first degree at a
regular communication-on March 27, 1901. After a "very
satisfactory" examination the candidate was passed to the
degree of fellowcraft. It was reported at the time that he knew
the material so well that he corrected those conducting the
examination when they erred. R:.W:.Bro. Frank B. Haff, Meridian
#691, presided; with R:.W:.Bro. Douglass Conklin, Jephtha #494;
R:.W:.Bro. John K. Dunn, Jamaica #546; W:.Bro. Joseph Fitch,
Cornucopia #563; and W:.Bro. Joseph Cummings, Altair #601,
assisting. The list of visitors included delegations from eleven
lodges.
During the next few weeks many committees were appointed for
the planning and arrangements for the upcoming raising of
Theodore Roosevelt.
The evening of April 24,1901 was truly a "Grand
Affair." The raising of Theodore Roosevelt was presided over
by R:.W:.Edward M.L. Ehlers, Grand Secretary; with R:.W:.Frank B.
Haff, District Deputy Grand Master-1st District; R:.W:.Theodore
A. Taylor, Grand Treasurer; M:.W:.John Stewart, Past Grand
Master; R:.W:.William A. Brodie, Past Grand Master; M:.W:.John W.
Vrooman, Past Grand Master; M:.W:.Charles W. Mead, Grand Master;
R:.W:.George R. VanDeWater, Grand Chaplain; and M:.W:.Wright D.
Pownall, Past Grand Master assisting. In addition to the Grand
Masters of New York and Connecticut being present, there were
seven Past Grand Masters. The secretary, Walter Franklin, must
have been somewhat overwhelmed by the visitor list, which was
estimated at 500. Only those holding tickets were permitted entry
into the lodge rooms. The narrow stairway leading to the third
floor lodge room was said to have been so jammed with visitors
trying to get in that the Vice President had to be raised up over
the heads of the visitors and passed up the stairs. Considering
Roosevelt's bulk this would seem to have been quite a task. The
Secretary did not list any visitors below the level of R:.W:.
The rooms of Welfare Lodge No.695, I.O.O.F., were loaned to
Matinecock Lodge for the evening for the use of visiting
brethren. These rooms were located on the second floor of the
"truck house" which was the home of the Hook and Ladder
Company #1 on Bayles Hill (Summit Street), later to be known as
Oyster Bay Fire Co. No 1. The building no longer exists, and the
Wightman House, home of the Oyster Bay Historical Society, now
occupies the site. The truck room of Hook and Ladder Company #1,
on the first floor, was used for the collation. The minutes show
that both Welfare Lodge and Hook and Ladder Company #1 donated
the use of their facilities. The collation was organized and
managed by Mr. Charles Weeks and Mr. Thomas Buchanan, who also
donated their services, Among those mentioned as serving the
guests at the collation were Mrs. R.F. Spicer, Mrs. Robert I.
Ludlam, Mrs. Casper Bedell, and Miss Laura Baldwin. The organist
for the evening was W:.Harry Alton Russell. Mr. John McQuade, the
village constable, took care of "preserving order" and
"refused to make any charge for his services." As at
the first degree, special trains were provided by the LIRR.
The following September 6th an assassin shot Brother William
McKinley in the Temple of Music at the Pan American Exposition in
Buffalo, New York, and upon his death on September 14, 1901,
Brother Theodore Roosevelt was sworn in as 26th President of the
United States of America. A few days later the following
resolution was adopted and spread upon the minutes of Matinecock
Lodge:
"The Master, Wardens and Brethren of Matinecock Lodge,
No. 806, F.& A.M., assembled within their lodge room on this
18th day of September, 1901, unite with their fellow citizens
throughout the nation and with the entire civilized world, in
deploring the sad and tragic death of the late President of the
United States, Brother William McKinley.
"They desire to express in the strongest terms their
abhorrence and detestation of that lawless spirit which
recognizes no authority either human or divine, and which, if
unchecked in its mad career, will destroy order and civilization
in all lands; and they call upon their brethren of the Masonic
fraternity everywhere to use their utmost efforts to promote that
respect for lawful authority which is the only safeguard of
individual and national liberty and security.
"They would respectfully extend to Mrs. McKinley and the
family of our late President their most sincere and heartfelt
sympathy, and pray that God may comfort them in this hour of
sorrow.
"They would express their high appreciation of the great
honor which has come to Matinecock Lodge by the elevation of one
of its members to the office of Chief Magistrate of the Nation;
and they earnestly invoke upon Brother Roosevelt the blessing of
Almighty God, that his administration may prove in the highest
degree successful."
TR aboard the presidential yacht Mayflower,
reviewing the Great White Fleet off Hampton, Virginia, 1908.
President William McKinley was a charter member of Eagle Lodge
No. 60, Canton, Ohio. To honor his memory, the brethren of Eagle
Lodge changed their name to William McKinley Lodge No.431. At its
stated communication on September 26, 1901, Washington Lodge
No.240, Buffalo, New York, set aside a portion of the
communication for a memorial service for Brother William
McKinley. An address entitled "The Lessons Taught By The
Tragedy" was given by Bro. Thomas Penney of Washington
Lodge. The prosecutor in the trial of Brother McKinley's assassin
was Brother Thomas Penney, District Attorney of Erie County, New
York. Bro. Penney was born in London, England, on May 6, 1859. He
graduated from Yale University and Yale Law School, and in 1891
was raised in Washington Lodge No.240, Buffalo, New York, and
served as its Master in 1903. He served Grand Lodge in various
offices for thirteen years and as Grand Master in 1916-1918.
In September 1902, Roosevelt began a speaking tour of parts of
New England, the South and Midwest. At one of the first stops on
this tour on September 3,1902, Brother Roosevelt barely escaped
death in an accident just outside Pittsfield, Massachusetts.
Roosevelt was riding in an open landau with Massachusetts
Governor Murray Crane and presidential secretary George B.
Cortelyou. The electric trolleys had been temporarily barred from
movement while the President's entourage passed through; however,
one trolley from a considerable distance outside of Pittsfield
was later than expected in completing its last run allowed before
the hour of the ban. As the trolley approached, its passengers
urged the motorman to get closer to the president's landau. The
motorman, in the excitement of the moment, was not aware of a
turn of the tracks to the right in a narrow bend and could not
thus avoid hitting the president's landau. The trolley struck the
left rear wheel of the carriage and plowed through the front
wheel, upsetting the carriage and throwing all of its occupants
onto the road. William Craig, a Secret Service agent, had been
sitting on the driver's box beside the coachman and was thrown
out and run over by the trolley Governor Crane was unharmed;
Cortelyou took a severe injury to the back of his head. President
Roosevelt suffered a cut lip, cuts to the face and a bruised leg.
One of the horses pulling the carriage was killed. The president
continued his journey and spoke an hour after the incident in
Lenox, Massachusetts, after which he made a few other stops
before returning to Oyster Bay from Bridgeport on the gunboat
Syiph.
Within a short time the leg bruise began to swell and form an
abscess; however, Roosevelt went on with his speaking schedule in
West Virginia, Tennessee, South Carolina and North Carolina.
While at Indianapolis, Indiana, he expressed discomfort about his
leg which he admitted had caused him pain for several days.
Doctors examined him and recommended surgery to drain the leg and
reduce the swelling. He was given a local anesthetic and while
gritting his teeth was said to have kept talking throughout the
surgery. The leg continued to bother him throughout the rest of
his life and is thought by some to be the cause of the phlebitis
he suffered from in later years.
Messages of sympathy for the president came in from throughout
the world, from Emperor Wilhelm II of Germany and from Brother
King Edward VII of England. Matinecock Lodge passed the following
resolution on the evening of September 3, 1902: "The Master,
Wardens and Brethren of Matinecock Lodge No.806 F.& A.M.
assembled in the Lodge room for the first communication since the
summer recess, would hereby offer to Bro. Theodore Roosevelt
their sincere Congratulations upon his escape from serious injury
in the sad accident of this morning, and they further desire to
record their profound gratitude to Almighty God for the
preservation of a life so dear to them and of such inestimable
value to the country."
Between April 24, 1901, when Theodore Roosevelt was raised at
Matinecock Lodge and March 3, 1909, when he finished his terms as
president, Matinecock Lodge received many individual visitors as
well as large visiting delegations from numerous lodges
throughout the United States and from several lodges in Europe.
One hundred forty-seven lodges are recorded in the minutes;
however, this does not reflect the total number of visitors. In
some cases the list of visitors was too long for the secretary to
record the name and lodge of each visitor. In the minutes of the
553rd communication on June 19,1907, the secretary made the entry
"79 visitors registered" In many cases a single entry
was made indicating a visiting delegation of several brethren,
noting the name and usually the number of the lodge. In some
cases the secretary was only able to record the name of the city
that the visitors were from.
TR with Robert Peary aboard Peary's ship 'Roosevelt'
in Oyster Bay,
July 6, 1908. Later that day, Peary set sail on his epic final
trip to the North Pole.
William S. Loeb, who served as Roosevelt's stenographer when
he was Governor of New York and later as the President's
Secretary, was a frequent visitor to Matinecock Lodge. Brother
Loeb was a member of Wadsworth Lodge No 447, Albany, New York.
Many visitors were senators, congressmen, and individuals having
or hoping to have business with the president. Those seeking to
establish contact with the president through lodge meetings would
be disappointed, as his busy schedule prevented his regular
attendance. Matinecock Lodge also did not meet during the summer
months when Roosevelt would set up his summer White House at
Sagamore Hill.
On several occasions he attended the first meeting following
the summer break before returning to Washington. He had
considerable difficulty attending lodge meetings as president
without causing great disruption. The problem is illustrated by
the following entry in the minutes of September 5, 1906;
"Our worthy Brother, President Roosevelt paid us a visit and
although his intention to do so was a profound secret the result
was the room was filled to about its utmost capacity. Our Brother
briefly addressed the Lodge in his usual interesting and happy
manner. The local Glee Club gave several well rendered
selections. Visitors representing the States of New York,
Illinois, Ohio, Iowa, New Mexico, Virginia, Massachusetts,
Vermont, Nebraska, District of Columbia, New Jersey,
Florida." The president had not arrived for the opening of
the lodge; he had driven down from Sagamore Hill in his own
carriage and entered after the completion of the business part of
the communication.
The New York Herald's Summer Resorts Edition of September
6,1906 reported on its front page that there were no
"special" preparations made for the president's visit,
and that W:.George W. Downing "greeted the President with
the same cordiality with which all members are received."
The Glee Club referred to in the minutes was comprised of Rev.
Bro. Warren I. Bowman, pastor of St. Paul's Church, who was also
one of the chaplains of Matinecock, T.H. Netherland, a member of
the clerical force in the president's executive offices, John S.
Dean, Senior Master of Ceremonies of Matinecock, Irving VanSise,
Senior Steward and Brother Charles Hill. They were accompanied by
Brother Edwin Schlatzhauer on the violin and Brother Frank Spicer
on the piano. Bro. Spicer was honored on March 1, 1939 for
serving as organist of Matinecock Lodge for forty years.
Selections were also performed by a trio of Rev. Dr. Bowman,
Calvin Velsor and Edward Cheshire.
The President was much more successful during a visit on
September 2,1908. On this occasion he showed up completely
unannounced and was able to enjoy a lodge meeting without the
fanfare that normally followed him about. W:.Bro. James Duthie
was the acting master on September 2, 1908, although the minutes
tell us that Master George W. Downing was also present that
evening. The President had come to the meeting with
M:.W:.Townsend Scudder, of Glen Head, Past Grand Master. In the
minutes the secretary recorded that after the close of business
"the time was spent in social intercourse with our
distinguished guests." It is interesting that the secretary
chose to refer to Brother Roosevelt and M:.W:.Townsend Scudder as
"guests." Townsend Scudder was elected to honorary
membership of Matinecock Lodge on February 7, 1894. M:.W:.Bro.
Townsend Scudder had served two terms as congressman from
1899-1902 and at the time of this visit was a Justice of the
Supreme Court. He was the first Grand Master from Long Island,
elected in 1906 and serving through 1908. At this meeting on
September 2,1908, George W. Downing, Master of Matinecock Lodge,
proposed the name of John Wilson Petrie for membership. John
Wilson Petrie was the father of R:.W:.James A. Petrie, Past
Master, Past District Deputy, and currently Trustee Emeritus of
Matinecock Lodge.
Brother Theodore Roosevelt greatly enjoyed the meetings of
Matinecock Lodge. In several articles about his love for these
meetings the following quote has been used: "when I was
President, the Master was Worshipful Brother Doughty, gardener on
the estate of one of my neighbors, and a most excellent
public-spirited citizen, with whom I like to maintain contact.
Clearly I could not call upon him when I came home. It would have
embarrassed him. Neither could he, without embarrassment, call on
me. In the Lodge it was different. He was over me, though I was
President, and it was good for him, and good for me." The
source of this quote was a book entitled Talks With T.R. by John
J. Leary, Jr. Mr. Leary was a reporter who had the curious habit
of not taking notes when he was covering a story. He would wait
until the event was over and then he would write his notes from
his recall of what transpired and what was said. In this case he
erred in two important details. First, there was never a Master
of Matinecock Lodge named Doughty. However, Theodore Roosevelt's
own gardener, James Duthie, was the acting Master on the evening
of September 2, 1908 when Brother Theodore Roosevelt made his
surprise visit to Matinecock Lodge. This was the meeting being
recalled and being related to Mr. Leary by Brother Roosevelt, for
in no other meeting that he attended was Brother Duthie in the
East. The second error was in recording Master Doughty (Duthie)
as being the gardener of a neighbor. In his book Theodore
Roosevelt: Hero To His Valet, James Amos relates the same story
about the President's love for the meetings of Matinecock Lodge
and how he would have to rise or sit upon the stroke of his
gardener's gavel.
TR at Sagamore Hill in 1917, addressing a group of suffragists.
Following an assassin's attempt on the life of Theodore
Roosevelt on October 14, 1912 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Matinecock
Lodge adopted the following resolution:
"Whereas the Brethren of Matinecock Lodge No 806 F &
A M have heard of the dastardly attempt on the life of Brother
Theodore Roosevelt, with unfeigned horror and indignation,
therefore be it
"resolved that the Officers and Brethren of Matinecock
Lodge No 806 F & A M extend their warmest sympathy to Brother
Theodore Roosevelt, rejoice that the attempt of the assassin
failed of its purpose, and fervently hope and pray that he will
speedily be restored to his usual health and activity, and spared
for many years to his family, his country and this Lodge of which
he is an honored member.
"Resolved that this Preamble and these Resolutions be
spread in full upon the minutes of this communication and that a
copy thereof be forwarded to Brother Theodore Roosevelt."
After retiring from the presidency, Brother Roosevelt's
difficulty attending lodge meetings without causing excessive
disruption continued. Upon his return from his Africa and Europe
trip of 1909-1910 he made a visit to the lodge on January 18,
1911. The secretary, Walter Franklin, made no mention in the
minutes that Brother Roosevelt was in attendance; however the
Masonic Standard of January 28, 1911 reported that 300 brethren
were present that evening to hear Brother Theodore Roosevelt
speak about his travels to the "Dark Continent in quest of
big game." His talk was reported to have been entirely
informal and most entertaining. After the talk an informal
reception was held and Brother Roosevelt "shook hands with
the 300 brethren present." On June 10, 1912 Brother
Roosevelt played host to the brethren of Matinecock Lodge by
having them all up to Sagamore Hill to view his African game
trophies.
A similar meeting was held on February 24, 1915 when Brother
Roosevelt gave a talk to the brethren about "his experiences
in South America Masonically and otherwise." This Special
Communication was attended by 200 brethren. W:.Brother James
Duthie, Secretary, recorded in the minutes that at the conclusion
of the meeting "the brethren were then given an opportunity
to become better acquainted witty Bro. Roosevelt & give him
the glad hand."
The Colonel, as Theodore Roosevelt was known in Oyster Bay,
was hospitalized in November 1918, and had returned to Sagamore
Hill shortly before Christmas. It was widely believed at the time
that he was making a satisfactory recovery. He had dictated some
letters and part of a magazine article on the afternoon of
January 5th. At about 8:00 p.m. on the evening of January 5,
1919, W:.Bro, George Faller, M.D., was summoned by
the family to look in on the Colonel, and he was reported as
resting comfortably although having some chest pain. About 11:00
p.m. that same evening Dr. Faller gave Bro. Roosevelt some
medication which helped relieve some of his pain and discomfort.
The president's longtime valet, James E. Amos, had been summoned
to Sagamore Hill the day before at the request of Bro. Roosevelt.
Shortly after 8 pm James helped Bro. Roosevelt into bed. At about
eleven that evening, Mrs. Roosevelt came in, kissed him goodnight
and retired. Shortly thereafter Bro. Theodore Roosevelt said:
"James, will you please put Out the light?" James Amos
spent that night in a chair watching over his longtime friend and
former employer. At 4:15 A.M. on January 6,1919 Brother Theodore
Roosevelt died peacefully in his sleep.
In his book Theodore Roosevelt: Hero To His Valet, James Amos
tells us; "The President was not much of a joiner. Of
course, as President, he was elected to membership and honorary
membership in almost everything. But these memberships did not
really count. I think the only organization he ever joined
voluntarily and of his own motion was the Matinecock Lodge of
Masons at Oyster Bay. He used to go to the meetings occasionally.
He enjoyed going there as a simple member and taking a back seat
while his gardener sat in the seat of authority and presided, and
called him 'Brother Roosevelt.'"
In his address to the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania on the occasion
of the 150th anniversary of the raising of Bro. George
Washington, Bro. Theodore Roosevelt was quoted assaying,
"One of the things that so greatly attracted me to Masonry
that I hailed the chance of becoming a Mason was that it really
did act up to what we, as a government, are pledged to - namely
to treat each man on his merit as a man."
The Oyster Bay Historical Society
TR out west
TR papers at the library of congress
Beautiful photo of the USS
TR
True Americanism essay by TR
TR
papers at University of Michigan
Get Alta
Vista listing of other TR sites
TR out
West
PBS's 'The American Experience' series 'TR - The Story of
Theodore Roosevelt' web site
Brian
Stelter's Theodore Roosevelt: A Man. A Big Man
White House TR Biography
The National Park Service's Sagamore Hill Page
Alissa Elliott's Brief Sketch of TR
Jim Wiedman's Theodore Roosevelt Page
TR's Birthplace
Another
site for TR's Birthplace
Read TR's 1905 Inagural Address
Hear TR's voice
Theodore Roosevelt was the recipient of the 1906 Nobel Peace
Prize
A list of books
ABOUT Theodore Roosevelt
A list of books
BY Theodore Roosevelt
For TR Motion Picture archives click here,
then click on 'Search the collection' type 'Theodore Roosevelt'
in the Search field and click the 'SEARCH' button