Ghost Stories: Founder and master of the Lodge and a true pioneer passes away

“Let us endeavor so to live that when we come to die even the undertaker will be sorry.” – Mark Twain (1835-1910)

Ladies and gentlemen, George Washington, a Founding Father and the first president of the United States once said, “So far as I am acquainted with the principles and doctrines of Freemasonry, I conceive it to be founded in benevolence and to be exercised only for the good of mankind.”

Several of the Founding Fathers were Freemasons, such as Washington, Benjamin Franklin and James Monroe, among others. Andrew Jackson, Paul Revere, Mark Twain, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Winston Churchill, Theodore and Franklin Roosevelt, Harry Truman, Harry Houdini, Irving Berlin, Henry Ford, Cy Young, Clark Gable, Will Rogers, Gene Autry and John Wayne are also on the list of famous Freemasons.

When it comes to Freemasonry in Highland County, perhaps the most famous Mason in the nearly 200-year history of the Lodge is George Washington Barrere.

The first meeting of Highland Lodge No. 38 was held in Hillsboro on March 3, 1817. According to the centennial publication, “History of Highland Lodge No. 38 F&AM Hillsboro, Ohio 1817-1917,” the members present at the first meeting were George Washington Barrere, who was the Master, Henry Davis, Samuel Daniel, Joseph McClain, William Thompson, Robert January and Cyrus Baylor, who was talked about last week. There were also several visiting brethren from Scioto Lodge No. 6 and from St. Clairsville Lodge No. 32.

According to George L. Garrett, who was appointed as the historian for the 1917 centennial, “George W. Barrere, who was the Master named in the Dispensation, was destined to be the first of a family which has an illustrious record in Free Masonry, and which, perhaps, has had more of its members in direct descent who have served as Masters, than any other Lodge in the State of Ohio.

Representatives of four generations have thus served our Lodge in the East, namely: George Washington Barrere, John M. Barrere, Col. George Washington Barrere, and our Centennial Master, Granville Barrere. Col. George W. Barrere was Master during the
semi-centennial year, and his father, John M. Barrere, presided during the twenty-fifth year of its history.”

But let’s get back to the formation of Highland Lodge No. 38 and its early years.

“If Masonic tradition is to be believed,” Garrett wrote nearly 100 years ago, “the very existence of our Lodge today is largely due to the zeal of its first Master (George Washington Barrere), for during the time of the great Anti-Masonic agitation, which was finally so intensified as to become a political issue, the records show that Highland Lodge was barely able to keep alive, there being one year in which there are minutes of but two or three meetings; and tradition informs us that at times that Brother Barrere
constituted in fact, ‘the principal officers of the Lodge and the constitutional number empowered to work.’

“At one period, as shown elsewhere, the surrender of the charter or dispensation was seriously considered, but we are informed this was prevented due to his (Barrere’s) efforts.”

Wikipedia tells us that the Anti-Masonic Party was formed in upstate New York in February of 1828. Anti-Masons were opponents of Freemasonry, believing that it was a corrupt and elitist secret society which was ruling much of the country in defiance of republican principles.

During a period of social upheaval caused by the Industrial Revolution and westward migration, community and family relationships weakened, causing many people to become skeptical of government and other longstanding institutions.

From the beginning of the Highland Lodge until his death on March 8, 1838, George Washington Barrere was a stalwart at Lodge No. 38.

“Brother Barrere was the first representative of this Lodge in the Grand Lodge, and served continuously as Master from 1817 to 1838, except during the years 1821, 1822 and 1823,” Garrett wrote. “This good and exemplary Mason died in the year 1838, and a special meeting was held by the Lodge, March 10th of that year, to attend the funeral at New Market, and the minutes show that “the funeral was at the Methodist Meeting House, where a eulogy was pronounced by Rev. Henry Turner.

The procession proceeded, accompanied by a large concourse of people to the graveyard in said place, where the body was deposited in ancient form.”

In the 68th year of his age, George Washington Barrere passed away and was fondly remembered as a statesman, soldier, surveyor, judge, businessman, father, Master Mason and one of the pioneers of Highland County. His wife, Abigail, died Oct. 31, 1829 at the age of 53 and is buried beside her husband in the New Market Presbyterian Cemetery.

“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”

Let’s pause for now and we’ll continue next week.

Steve Roush is a vice president of an international media company and a columnist and contributing writer for The Highland County Press. He can be reached by email at roush_steve@msn.com.