Henry R. Gillis, Fifty-seventh Grand Master
Henry Reed Gillis was born in Calais, Maine, on November 5, 1870, and was educated in the public schools of that city and Boston, Mass. His first employment was in the wholesale trade in Boston in which he was engaged from 1889 to 1894. In 1894 he returned to Calais and entered into a partnership with his father in the undertaking business, which continued until 1903, when he was appointed a Deputy Collector of Customs at Calais, where he served until 1920. In that year he was appointed Deputy Collector in Charge at Eastport, Maine, and held this position until July 1, 1924, when he was transferred to the Customs Agency Service and appointed Agent in Charge of that service in the Customs Collection District of Maine and New Hampshire, with headquarters at Calais. On July 1, 1929, the headquarters office of the Customs Agency Service was changed from Calais to Portland. Brother Gillis was raised in St. Croix Lodge, No. 46, at Calais, on December 20, 1909; was exalted in St. Croix Chapter, No. 17, Calais, on October 6, 1914; greeted in St. Croix Council, No. 11, Calais, March 16, 1916, and knighted in Hugh de Payens Commandery, No. 15, Calais, on March 2, 1915. He served his lodge as Worshipful Master in 1915; his chapter as High Priest in 1916 and 1917; his council as Ill. Master in 1921 and 1922, and was Commander of his Commandery in 1916 and 1917. He was District Deputy Grand Master for the Second District in 1918 and 1919, Deputy Grand Master in 1934 and 1935; Grand Standard Bearer of the Grand Commandery in 1922; Grand Master of the Grand Council of R. & S. Masters in 1927, and Grand High Priest of the Grand Chapter in 1931. Brother Gillis is a Spanish War Veteran having served in Company B, First Maine Volunteer Infantry, from April to October in 1898. Brother Gillis was united in marriage to Miss Florence Butler of Calais, on October 11, 1905, and to them have been born four children, John Winthrop, Ross Butler, Virginia and Sheldon Reed.
George F. Giddings, Fifty-eighth Grand Master
George Franklin Giddings, who was elected Most Worshipful Grand Master at the One Hundred and Nineteenth Annual Communication, was born in China, Maine, August 8, 1874, and his early life was passed there. He was graduated from Erskine Academy in 1892, and from Farmington Normal School in 1895. Choosing civil engineering for his life work he followed the profession for a time; his knowledge and experience in engineering qualified him for appointment as Engineer and Clerk to the Board of Railroad Commissioners of the State of Maine in 1900. He continued to serve in that capacity until 1914, when the present Public Utilities Commission was created, taking over, among other matters, the duties of the Railroad Commission. At that time he was made secretary of the Utilities Commission, where he rendered efficient service. Brother Giddings was made a Mason in Augusta Lodge, No. 141, at Augusta, in 1900; a Royal Arch Mason in Cushnoc Chapter, No. 43, in 1901; a Knight Templar in Trinity Commandery, No. 7, on December 18, 1903. He received the degrees of the A. A. Scottish Rite to and including the sixteenth degree, in Augusta in 1928, and is a past M. P. Sovereign of Tamerlane Conclave, No. 4, Knights of the Red Cross of Constantine. He served Augusta Lodge as Worshipful Master for two years and was Junior Grand Warden in the Grand Lodge in 1932, and Grand Commander of the Grand Commandery in 1928. On June 25, 1902, he was united in marriage to Miss Elizabeth Durfor, of Shasta, California, and the union has been blessed with the birth of two sons, Spofford, who is Assistant Division Manager of the Central Maine Power Co., at Waterville, and Dr. Paul Dudley, who is a surgeon.
Harold H. Murchie, Fifty-ninth Grand Master
Most Worshipful Harold H. Murchie, the fifty-ninth Grand Master was born at Calais, Maine, March 8, 1888, the son of George A. and Cora H. (Harmon) Murchie. He attended the Calais Academy from which he graduated in 1905. Four years later he was graduated from Dartmouth College with the degree of A. B., and in 1912 he graduated from Harvard Law School with the degree of L. L. B. On graduating from the law school he entered immediately into the practice of his profession. He was Assistant Attorney General of Maine in 1913 and 1914; County Attorney for Washington County, 1925-1926-1927; Representative to the State Legislature, 1919-1921; State Senator, 1929-1931-1933, and was President of the Maine Senate in 1933. In 1940 he was appointed Justice of the Supreme Court. He is a Director of the Maine Central Railroad. Most Worshipful Brother Murchie was made a Mason in Bethlehem Lodge of Augusta, March 31, 1913, from which he dimitted and affiliated with St. Croix Lodge at Calais in 1916, and was its Master in 1922. He was made a Royal Arch Mason in Cushnoc Chapter of Augusta, May 22, 1913, from which he dimitted and became a member of St. Croix Chapter at Calais, January 4, 1916. Became a Royal and Select Master in Alpha Council at Hallowell, April 15, 1914, dimitting therefrom he became a member of St. Croix Council, September 30, 1920. He was knighted in Trinity Commandery, Augusta, November 7, 1913, from which he took his dimit and became a member of Hugh de Payens Commandery, January 28, 1916. In the Scottish Rite he is a member of the Eastern Star Lodge of Perfection and Palestine Council, Princes of Jerusalem at Bangor, and Bangor Chapter of Rose Croix, Maine Consistory, Thirty-second Degree in Portland, and was made an Honorary Member of the Supreme Council, Thirty-third Degree in 1941.
Benjamin L. Hadley, Sixtieth Grand Master
Benjamin L. Hadley was born in Bar Harbor, Maine, March 15, 1894, son of Benjamin L. and Ardelle Thompson (Emery) Hadley. He was educated in the public schools of Bar Harbor and at the Bryant & Stratton Commercial School, after graduating from which he was an accountant. In 1917, he joined the U. S. Army. On retiring from the service in July, 1919, he became connected with the development of Acadia National Park at Bar Harbor, where he has continued service up to the present time, and is its Superintendent. His Masonic record is as follows: Lodge: Made a Master Mason in Bar Harbor Lodge, No. 185, on May 13, 1915; Worshipful Master in 1922. Grand Lodge; District Deputy Grand Master of the Twenty-first District, 1937; Deputy Grand Master, 1940-1941; Grand Master, 1942-1943. Chapter: Made a Royal Arch Mason in Mount Kebo Chapter, No. 50, November 12, 1915, and was its High Priest in 1923. Grand Chapter: He was made an appointed officer in 1923, and continued to hold office until 1942, serving as Grand High Priest in 1933, and Grand Lecturer, 1937 to 1942. Council: He was made a Royal and Select Master in Bangor Council, No. 5, January 24, 1917, and was its Thrice Illustrious Master in 1938. Grand Council: Most Illustrious Grand Master, 1944. Commandery: He was knighted in Blanquefort Commandery, No. 13, February 14, 1916, and was its Eminent Commander in 1925. Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite: He received his Thirty-second Degree in Maine Consistory on May 22, 1931. On April 25, 1918, he was united in marriage to Mary L. Chase, of East Machias, and they have two sons both of whom are now in the Armed Service. In addition to his interest and activities in the Masonic Fraternity he is an active member of the Bar Harbor Congregational Church, the I. O. O. F. and George Edwin Kirk Post, No. 25, American Legion.
Charles E. Crossland, Sixty-first Grand Master
The sixty-first Grand Master, Charles Edward Crossland, was born at Watertown, Massachusetts, December 18, 1894, son of Benjamin and Frances Frye Crossland. He was educated in the public schools of Maine graduating from the High School at Sanford, Maine, in June, 1913, and from the University of Maine, in June 1917. From the time of his graduation to 1928 he was with the Maine Agricultural Extension Service. In 1928 he became Executive Secretary, U. of M. General Alumni Association; in 1930, Executive Secretary of the Endowment and Donations Committee, and in 1942 acting business manager of the University of Maine. He was made a Master Mason in Mechanics' Lodge, No. 66, Orono, June 5,1918, and was its Worshipful Master in 1924. He was made a Royal Arch Mason in Old Town. Chapter, No. 68, on July 12, 1918, and was knighted in St. John's Commandery, No. 3, Bangor, October 25, 1937. In the Grand Lodge, he was District Deputy Grand Master of the Sixth Masonic District, 1932-1933, and in October, 1936, was appointed Grand Lecturer which office he filled most acceptably until 1944. He was Grand Master, 1944-1945. On May 29, 1919, he was married to Miss Idella B. Goodwin and to them have been born four children. He makes his home in Orono where he is a regular attendant of the Congregational Church.