Masons salute Marietta pioneer
More than 200 help celebrate milestoneBy Sam Shawver, sshawver@mariettatimes.com
Article Photos
It was a bit damp, but Friday's rain let up just long enough to accommodate Marietta's Fourth of July parade and a special ceremony at Mound Cemetery honoring Gen. Rufus Putnam as the first Grand Master of Ohio's Masonic Lodge.
More than 200 Masons from across Ohio traveled to the Pioneer City to take part in the event, one of several being held throughout the state to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the establishment of the Ohio Masonic Lodge in 1808.
"I was here five years ago visiting some of the lodges, and came to see General Putnam's gravesite," explained Ronald Winnett, grand master of the Masons of Ohio.
"At that time I noticed there was no square and compass or other symbol designating the general as Ohio's first grand master. So I thought it would be good to dedicate a plaque at the site on July 4 in the year of our 200th anniversary," he said.
"Considering the rain, all in all I think it was a great celebration," Winnett added.
Local historian and Mason Bill Reynolds helped coordinate the event.
"We've been planning this all year, and had a great turnout," he said. "But the plaque dedication is just part of today's activities as we're also re-dedicating our building at 308 Front St. which is 100 years old this year."
During the ceremony at Mound Cemetery, Reynolds and fellow historian Scott Britton provided some background on Gen. Rufus Putnam.
Born in Sutton, Mass. on April 9, 1738, Putnam became a millwright's apprentice at the age of 16 and three years later, in 1757, enlisted in the military during the French and Indian War. After four years of service he settled in New Braintree, Mass., where he worked as a millwright until 1768. In 1769 he began surveying and would later work with cousin Israel Putnam surveying in Florida and the Mississippi Valley.
In April 1775 he enlisted in the Continental Army as a lieutenant colonel and began working on construction of fortifications in the New England area. By August 1776 George Washington appointed Putnam engineer with the rank of colonel.
After the war he became a co-founder and superintendent of the Ohio Company of Associates in Boston and in 1788 was among 48 men who established Marietta, the first permanent settlement of the Northwest Territory at the forks of the Ohio and Muskingum rivers.
In 1790 Putnam brought his to settle in Marietta. He died on May 4, 1824 and is buried in the Mound Cemetery.
Although Rufus Putnam accomplished much during his lifetime, Reynolds described the general as a humble man.
"He would likely be upset that so many people came out today to honor him," Reynolds said. "He was incredibly modest and lived to serve his fellow man, and found a love for masonry above all."
Reynolds added that Putnam's descendents are still active in Freemasonry.
Joe Hutchinson, 85, who would be Rufus Putnam's great-great-great-great grandson, has been a member of the Masonic Lodge in Williamstown for 38 years.
"This is a very great honor," Hutchinson said following Friday's event. He was accompanied by his daughter, Mary Jo Hutchinson of Marietta and grandaughter Ada Meeks from Williamstown.
"I thought the ceremony was awesome, it was really great to be a part of it," Meeks said.
Former Marietta mayor and state representative Nancy Putnam Hollister attended the event with her brother Ben Putnam III and his family from Las Vegas. Hollister and her brother are direct descendants of Rufus Putnam's cousin, Israel Putnam.
"Israel would be our ninth or 10th great-grandfather," Ben Putnam explained. "And my son, Chris, (10) is currently the only one left to carry on the name."
"I haven't seen a ceremony like this since the city's Bicentennial celebration. It's a real piece of history," Hollister said. "I think people often take our history for granted because it's in our backyard."
Mayor Michael Mullen also presented a resolution declaring July 4, 2008, Masonic Day in Marietta.
The Marietta Chapter, Sons of the American Revolution, assisted in Friday's ceremony that was sponsored by The Grand Lodge of Ohio & American Union Lodge No. 1 of Marietta.
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alchemy
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07-07-08 2:43 PM
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National Treasure? Dont know about a "direct treasure" but they make their own treasure. Masons are the architects of the american society for which we live, so naturally they are apt to be best suited to prosper in it not to mention the breaks to fellow masons, their friends and associates. Its a concept born thousand of years ago at babel and babylon. "Power by the power of the people" (politics, democracy, patriotism) One common tool is to embrace wherever popular oppinion may lie. The goal is numbers of people under them. The bible calls their leaders lucifer but not as christians suppose. Lucifers are human beings of masonry or "man gods", as designated by the pentagram or 5 sided star. The one place it uses lucifer in the bible was for nebudchadnezzar the king of babylon. It started with nimrod and babel and one world control. Masons modeled america after this concept. I doubt early american masons were aware of the details and connection to lucifer
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Indian
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07-05-08 8:33 PM
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Are these Masons looking for the National Treasure? I'd like to have some of that. Any local clues or secrets?
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