Wardens and Brethren,
Since our last Treadleboard, we have raised four new Master masons! The degree was held on the 18 of October and we had one curtsy along with our four. Also in the month of Oct we held our Goldenberg symposium. Our guest speaker Andrew Hammer had quite the trip up to jenks that included a 5+ hour delay on a train and then an hour plus ride by uber; however he still gave a great lecture which inspired conversation and implored others to think about their own masonic journey. As we enter November (veterans month) I searched our past masters that ascended to the grand east who also were veterans. With a lot to choose from I chose MW Dr Llosy Morton who served as Worshipful master of Union lodge 10 ( now Jenks #24) in 1864-1866 , 160 years ago. For those who don’t know, he was the worshipful master the year that Jenks Lodge #24 was formed out of union lodge #10.
During the American Civil War, Dr. Lloyd Morton played a crucial role in providing medical leadership and ensuring the welfare of Union troops from Rhode Island. Appointed as a surgeon for the 9th Rhode Island Volunteers in 1862, he tended to the health and operational readiness of enlisted men in the field. Recognizing his medical expertise, Rhode Island Governor William Sprague tasked Dr. Morton undertook extensive inspection tours of military hospitals across Washington, D.C., and Virginia in late 1862. He evaluated the conditions, hygiene, and care of sick and wounded Rhode Island soldiers, advocating for essential supplies and better treatment standards. Later in the conflict, his service expanded to the home front, where he acted as an examining surgeon for the military board of enrolment, evaluating recruits and managing medical logistics for wartime conscription.
Within the state of Rhode Island, Dr. Morton was a prominent community figure and trusted physician who helped shape the local medical landscape in the Blackstone Valley. Establishing his primary medical practice in Pawtucket, he spent decades attending to the healthcare needs of local residents, laborers, and civic leaders. His standing within the profession made him an active contributor to Rhode Island’s post-war civic and institutional development, bridging the gap between wartime emergency medicine and routine civilian care. Through both public health initiatives and private practice, Dr. Morton earned widespread respect throughout Providence County for his dedicated clinical bedside manner and steadfast civic reliability.
In Freemasonry, Dr. Morton held significant leadership responsibilities,as all grand masters do. His Masonic career was anchored in Pawtucket’s Union Lodge No. 10, where he served as Worshipful Master from 1864 to 1866 during a period of rapid fraternal growth following the Civil War. His administrative competence and commitment to Masonic principles propelled him into the statewide fraternity, culminating in his election as Most Worshipful Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations in 1872. During his term as Grand Master, he guided the jurisdiction through key jurisdictional and ritual matters. These included but were not limited to, Key Jurisdictional Matters such as territorial Boundaries during the Post Civil War boom and Enforcing Statewide Uniformity through Grand Lecturers and District Deputies( to inspect subordinate lodges ritual). This left an enduring legacy of integrity that connected local community lodges with the wider fraternal governance of the state that still persists today.
Our November meeting will be on the 23rd with our speaker is Most worshipful past Grand Master Rick Baccus he will be presenting on a letter written by a Marine Colonel about his experiences as a causality notification. The lodge will open on the Nov 23th at 7 pm. Food will be served at 6p and the cost is $20. Notice to follow from our Senior Steward of food Choice(s).
Fraternally,
Andrew (AJ) Brockway WM Jenks #24