Livingston Masonic
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The documents related to the correspondence of William H. Peckham, Sovereign Grand Commander of the Supreme Grand Council, Scottish Rite (Cerneau), were presented to the library by M\W\ Gary A. Henningsen, Grand Secretary of the Grand Lodge of New York, in the fall of 1996. They were found in the office of the Grand Secretary of New York, and represent several years of correspondence directed to William H. Peckham, who was Sovereign Grand Commander of a Scottish Rite organization from 1880-1889. Peckham's group was one of several minor, schismatic groups that historically have been described as spurious by other organizations which sought to force them out of business.
The letters were organized chronologically into 6 folders. Restrictions may apply to some documents.
"Cerneauism," the term given to clandestine and spurious Supreme Councils of the Scottish Rite, derives its name from Joseph Cerneau, who established a Supreme Council on October 27, 1807. Organized in New York City, the "Sovereign Grand Consistory of Sublime Princes of the Royal Secret, Supreme Chiefs of Exalted Masonry, according to the Ancient Constitutional Scottish Rite of Heredom, for the United States of America its territories and dependencies" was denounced by the Supreme Grand Council in Charlotte, South Carolina. Between this time and 1919, when the last Cerneau Supreme Council expired, many other men set up their own councils, following Cerneau's original example.
William H. Peckham, "received into the exalted Degrees" with 200 other men in 1879, received the degree of Sovereign Grand Inspector General (33°) and was appointed Grand Commander of one of these spurious Grand Councils in 1880. Critics and opponents of Cerneauism were quick to point out that Peckham paid the previous Grand Commander Harry J. Seymour $700 for the privilege of the office.
This collection comprises .2 linear feet of the correspondence of William H. Peckham, Sovereign Grand Commander of the Supreme Council, Scottish Rite (Cerneau). Containing letters from men such as M.W. Bayliss, Henry W. Pell, and L.R. Oronhyatekha, they provide the details of organizing Scottish Rite chapters and consistories in Utica, N.Y., West Virginia, and Canada, among others.
Also mentioned in this collection is the Ancient Primitive Rite of Memphis. Founded in 1839 in Paris by two French freemasons, it was based on the Rite of Mizraim. Harry J. Seymour was the person most closely associated with the Rite in America. After being expelled from the Supreme Grand Council in 1865, he formed the Seymour-Peckham Supreme Council in 1872. He later assumed the title of Grand Master of the Rite of Memphis in America, and formed a Sovereign Sanctuary of that Rite in New York City. He claimed to be vested with authority from the Grand Orient of France, although it denied this assertation.
The collection contains materials from 1881-1889, which are in fair condition. They are housed in one records carton, in the stacks with the archives. The materials are organized chronologically from front to back in 6 folders. One undated set of correspondence has been placed in the back of the last folder.
(All correspondence is addressed to William H. Peckham unless otherwise specified).
| Folder 1 | ||
| .1 | 8/30/1881 | From John T. Kelly, to John G. Walsh. Concerns the arrangements for setting up a consistory in Albany, New York. |
| .2 | 11/11/1881 | From H.W. Pell. Details of a meeting of Utica Consistory; nomination of Pell to be District Deputy and receive the 33rd degree. |
| .3 | 12/24/1881 | From H.W. Pell. Announcement of the next meeting of Utica Consistory; discussion of possible visit by Peckham to the consistory; request for permission for Utica Consistory to hold an election. |
| .4 | 1/13/1882 | From H.W. Pell. Discussion of the most recent meeting of Utica Consistory; request for Peckham to supply him with the "way and manner" of communicating the secret word of the 14th degree. |
| .5 | 1/21/1882 | From John T. Kelly. Conclusion of author that Peckham's organization is the "bona fide Cerneau Supreme Council"; his desire to organize a consistory in Albany. |
| Folder 2 | ||
| .6 | 1/22/1882 | From H.W. Pell. Expression of hope that Peckham will be at a meeting of the Utica Consistory on January 26; Utica men are very enthusiastic about their organization. |
| .7 | 2/4/1882 | From H.W. Pell. Author is sending Peckham a
copy of the Albany Journal, which contains notice of Peckham's constituting Temple
Consistory No. 4; asks Peckham if he has learned anything about the Folger movement; the
author hopes it will prove to be a "farce and failure". Also included with this letter is a short note addressed to Peckham from J.D. Stickney (sp?), which informs Peckham that there are two men in Paris which can be of great service to them; hope that the Cerneau Consistory will be the Consistory for America; hopes to see this matter settled in the "official way;" has no doubt that "all will be well in time." |
| .8 | 3/5/1882 | From H.W. Pell. The author has received a copy of the obligations from the 4th to 33rd degree, but feels that the 14th is not complete; asks for exact wording; enquiry of Peckham's health. |
| .9 | 5/2/1882 | From H.W. Pell. At the organization of Utica Consistory, it was agreed that the first two members to be granted the 32-33rd degrees should receive their patents from the Supreme Grand Council free of charge. |
| .10 | 5/11/1882 | From H.W. Pell. Request for Peckham to provide Utica Consistory with ritual; members of the Consistory are very impatient to begin work, as the ritual had been promised to them a long time ago; asks for news from France. |
| Folder 3 | ||
| .11 | 5/12/1882 | From H.W. Pell. Contains agreements made between Pell and the Grand Secretary concerning Utica Consistory and charges for degrees; asks opinion of Thompson Folger and his consistory at Elmyra. |
| .12 | 5/22/1882 | From Thomas Davidson. Request for Peckham to send author a copy of "Scottish Rite Masonry" by Robert B. Folger; he has two more petitions to send [to Wilmington, Delaware]; expression of intent to organize a Consistory; asks to know the cost of a charter. |
| .13 | 6/7/1882 | From H.W. Pell. Thanks for a jewel presented by Peckham; plans to have it engraved; pleased to learn of the visit with Bro. M(?) W (?); gives details of plans for holding an election for Utica Consistory and asks for permission to do so. |
| .14 | 6/17/1882 | From H.W. Pell. Utica Consistory has some accepted candidates, who, because of their distance to the town, have not been able to attend the meetings to received their degrees; he has been asked if he could communicate the degrees to them in anther "room"; can be done by a dispensation and consent from Utica Consistory; asks for dispensation of power of authority to do so in case of emergency; report of working of candidates; total number of candidates finished so far; tries to counteract accusations from the Supreme Council, Northern Jurisdiction that their organization is a fraud; asks for word of brothers in France. |
| .15 | 7/1/1882 | From H.W. Pell. Acknowledgement of receipt of dispensation authorizing Pell to issue dispensations "for such acts and purposes as in [his] judgement" to be in the best interests of Utica Consistory; promise to Peckham that he will take the responsibility seriously and act in the best interests of the Consistory; will issue dispensation for election to be held at the first meeting in the fall; will instruct secretary to transmit returns for Utica Consistory; glad to learn that matters are progressing well in New York City and Albany; is determined to make Utica Consistory "No. 1" in work and discipline if it is possible; asks about Prescott; the men there feel that Prescott is too concerned with money-making. |
| Folder 4 | ||
| .16 | 7/28/1882 | From J. Parker Thomas. Request to send the rituals to M.P. Sov. Grand Commander L. H. Henderson at once or they will lose "some first class men who the Folgerites will get"; the Folgerites have issued a manifesto by Longley which is "rather a plausible paper" and will satisfy a casual reader that they are legitimate; R.J. Hovenden is the most active of their members, but will probably be expelled by the Hamilton (Ontario) Consistory for violating his oath of fealty to that body; they are gaining a lot of members; [Peckham Body] must start working to attract new members or risk disbandment; request for rings to be sent to 5 men. |
| .17 | 8/2/1882 | From S.A. Spangenberg. Request for Peckham to send the rings [mentioned in .16]. |
| .18 | 8/5/1882 | From Dr. Oronhyatekha. Check enclosed to apply to balance due for charter; request to give extra money to Dr. Mott for A & P Rite Books; will be in Belleville next week to start some work. |
| .19 | 8/6/1882 | From H.W. Pell. He has learned from another brother that there is no consistory within a hundred mile radius of Erie, PA; he will try to learn more of the situation and see if men are favorably inclined to set up a consistory there; asks if Peckham has received a check from Bro. M[?]. |
| .20 | 8/24/1882 | From W.C. Clarke. Report of a conversation that took place recently related to a circular recently distributed; another Grand Council was recently formed in Maitland, which claims Masonic jurisdiction over Canada on the grounds of prior possession; Bro. Longley is writing a defence of Folgerism; fear that [Peckham Body] will be drawn into the argument; there are now three Grand Bodies claiming sovereign jurisdiction in Canada; he would like to be prepared for any unpleasantness, and triumph in the end; he knows that he can count on Peckham and his Grand Council for any lawful aid; he thinks that steps should be taken to receive recognition from the Grand Orient of France, as this would help [our] position and then "defy the world;" intention to cultivate a relationship between the A. & A. Egyptian Rite of Memphis and the Scottish Rite; has written to Bro. McGrath for rituals; hopes to form a Grant Orient for Canada, which they will do once they get three of the Higher Grades in their possession. |
| Folder 5 | ||
| .21 | 9/8/1882 | From Dr. Oronhyatekha. His associates and he feel that it is not worth-while to send a delegate to New York; Dr. Mott declined to grant a charter for a Sovereign Sanctuary of the A. & P. Rite to his associates; if their Egyptian Rite is bogus, then Dr. Mott's is "doubly so"; they only wanted Dr. Mott's Rite to "kill off" the Longley-Folger party; they are satisfied with their Egyptian Rite and Cerneau Body. Also includes Dr. Oronhyatekha's business card. |
| .22 | 9/16/1882 | From H.W. Pell. Request for a 32° patent for a member who is leaving for the west; request to return the manifesto if Peckham is done with it; he has sent a blank application to the Potsdam Masons in hope of establishing a consistory there; informed them that it requires 27 signatures, $5 for each member, $70 for the charter, and expenses paid for the Grand Commander and himself to initiate the members; asks Peckham's opinion of the regulations of the Grand Commandery K.T. of Ohio which state that all Sir Knights are prohibited from joining any A. & A. Rite but the Northern Jurisdiction. |
| .23 | 10/12/1882 | From Dr. Oronhyatekha, to Thomas Bell, 33°. He received his 33° when Peckham visited England last July, but has since been elected Lt. Grand Commander, and has not received his diploma as promised; asks to have this situation corrected. |
| .24 | 10/14/1882 | From H.W. Pell. He issued a dispensation to Utica Consistory No.2 for holding their biennial election of officers in October instead of the time stated in the regulations. Also included is a list of the newly-elected officers. |
| .25 | 11?/21/1882 | From Dr. Oronhyatekha. He has never received a reply to his request for Peckham to retrieve the charter Dr. Mott said he was willing to grant them; also has not received the condensed obligations of the Scottish Rite, which has hindered the work of several Consistories; he recently heard from Ramsay that Longley was recognized by Italy and that England is ready to follow; it might have been prevented had he heard from Dr. Mott sooner. |
| Folder 6 | ||
| .26 | 11/22/1882 | From Robert Ramsay. Has pleasure in enclosing a list of officers of the Sovereign Sanctuary of Canada; Peckham's diploma is ordered to be prepared; he thinks that a merger between Peckham and Folger would be to the "decided advantage" of the rite. Also enclosed is a list of officers of the Sovereign Sanctuary of Canada. |
| .27 | 7/27/1885 | From M.W. Bayliss. Mentions an enclosed letter from Charleston; he is in receipt of a letter from Wheeling and would like the necessary papers to make an application for a Consistory there. Also included is another letter from Bayliss, dated 8/17/1885, which asks Peckham to request a condensed obligation covering the 19-29th degrees from Bro. McGrath; reports that Bro. Arndt will probably not be ordered to Fort McIntosh in Texas, but should be ordered to report to Frankfort Arsenal near Philadelphia; they are busy getting ready for the fall, while Pike's followers have been working all summer; it would be foolish to underestimate them, since Pike is determined that Cerneau shall not triumph; he reports on the number of 32nd and 33rd degree Masons Pike's group has; Bayliss believes that several more 33rd degrees should be given out in their Consistory by the Supreme Council to increase interest and gain new members. |
| .28 | 10/2/1885 | From M.W. Bayliss. He has sent papers to Wheeling, and would not be surprised if a Consistory was ready to organize within the month; he would like Peckham to bring more Oaths of Fealty and applications at his next visit; mentions an anonymous pamphlet titled "Cerneauism." |
| .29 | 1/9/1886 | From M.W. Bayliss. Arrangements to confer 33rd degrees in order to receive more members. Also includes a circular from the M.W. Grand Lodge of West Virginia, which mentions the Cerneau bodies. |
| .30 | 12/4/1889 | From C.C. Isaacs. Brief note to Peckham. Also included is "Extracts from the Proceedings of the Grand Lodge of Maryland," 1889. |
| .31 | undated | Anonymous papers. |
| Brother Arndt | .27 |
| Brother Ball | .4, .5, .7, .9 |
| Major William Bayliss | .27-.29 |
| Thomas Bell | .23 |
| Secretary Birdseye | .14 |
| W.C. Clarke | .16, .20 |
| Brother Cunningham | .9, .11 |
| thomas Davidson | .12 |
| Brother Fleming | .29 |
| Robert B. Folger | .7, .12 |
| Thompson Folger | .10-.11 |
| E.H.D. Hall | .16 |
| Hayes | .10 |
| L.H. Henderson | .16, .20, .26 |
| R.J. Hovenden | .16 |
| Hudson (sp?) | .4, .8-.10, .15 |
| C.C. Isaacs | .30 |
| J.T. Kelly | .1, .4, .5, .7 |
| Longley | .16, .20-.21, .25 |
| Brother McGrath | .6, .7, .20, .23, .26-.27 |
| Brother Mostram (sp?) | .13, .15 |
| Dr. Mott | .18, .20-.21, .25 |
| Dr. L.R. Oronhyatekha | .16, .18, .21, .23, .25-.26 |
| Palmer | .22 |
| Henry W. Pell | .2-.4, .6-.11, .13, .14, .15, .19, .22, .24 |
| Albert Pike | .27-.29 |
| Secretary Prescott | .1, .3, .5, .7-.10, .15 |
| Robert Ramsay | .26 |
| Brother Seymour | .9 |
| S.A. Spangenberg | .16-.17 |
| J.D. Stickney (sp?) | .7 |
| J. Parker Thomas | .16-.17, .20 |
| Brother Walter | .13 |
| Brother Widdows | .28 |
| Brother Wilton | .22 |
| Bill Wurlbut (sp?) | .4 |
| Albany, NY | .1, .3-.4, .7, .15 |
| Baldwinsville, NY | .28 |
| Baltimore, MD | .30 |
| Belleville, Ontario | .16-.18,.20 |
| Boston, MA | .10 |
| Charleston, SC | .27 |
| Elmyra, NY | .11 |
| Erie, PA | .19 |
| Fairmont, WV | .29 |
| France | .7,.10,.14,.20 |
| Franklin Co., NY | .22 |
| Grafton, WV | .29 |
| Hamilton, Ontario | .16,.20 |
| Lansing, MI | .29 |
| London, Ontario | .18,.20-.21,.23,.25 |
| Maitland, Canada | .20 |
| Montreal, Canada | .20 |
| Newfoundland, Canada | .26 |
| Newport, RI | .27 |
| Norwich, NY | .4,.7 |
| Ohio | .22 |
| Orillia, Ontario | .23,.26 |
| Peterboro, Canada | .25 |
| Philadelphia, PA | .27 |
| Potsdam, NY | .22 |
| Providence, RI | .27 |
| St. Lawrence Co., NY | .14,.22 |
| St. Thomas, Canada | .25 |
| Staunton, VA | .28 |
| Texas | .27 |
| Toronto, Canada | .20 |
| Utica, NY | .2-.3, .9-.11, .13-.15, .20,.24 |
| Washington, D.C. | .27-.29 |
| Wheeling, WV | .27-.28 |
| Wilmington, DE | .12 |
©2004, The Chancellor Robert R Livingston Masonic Library of Grand Lodge.