William Roscoe Green Estes, Thirtieth Grand Master
William R. G. Estes was born in Durham, November 22, 1830, and was educated in the common schools, and at Yarmouth Academy and Litchfield Academy. Brother Estes began his business life as a ship carpenter in the town of Harpswell. Later he went to Debuque, Iowa, moved to Galesburg, Ill. In 1861, he returned to Maine and opened a clothing store in Skowhegan, and continued a resident of that town until his death, February 16, 1916. He was a member of the Council of Governor Garcelon in 1879, and served as Postmaster of Skowhegan from 1888 to 1892. Brother Estes was made a Mason in Freeport Lodge, No. 23, in 1853. While in the West he affiliated with Alpha Lodge, No. 155, at Galesburg, Ill., but on locating in Skowhegan, transferred his membership to Somerset Lodge, and in 1865, was elected Master, serving three terms. He was first connected with the affairs of the Grand Lodge in 1867, when appointed a member of the Committee on Grievances and Appeals. In 1870, he was District Deputy Grand Master for the Thirteenth District. He was Senior Grand Warden in 1880; Deputy Grand Master in 1881 and 1882, and Grand Master in 1883 and 1884. He was High Priest of Somerset Royal Arch Chapter in 1881. In Cryptic Masonry he served Mount Moriah Council as T. I. Master in 1875; and in 1892 was Grand Master of the Grand Council of Maine. Having received the Order of the Temple in Trinity Commandery, No. 7, at Augusta, in 1866, he was a charter member of DeMolay Commandery, No. 10, at Skowhegan, and was it <sic> Eminent Commander in 1869 and 1870. He was Grand Generalissimo of the Grand Commandery of Maine in 1871 and 1872. He received his Scottish Rite degrees to the Thirty-second, in 1879.
Fessenden Irving Day, Thirty-first Grand Master
Most Worshipful Fessenden I. Day, was born in Durham, Maine, on November 26, 1837, and was educated in the common schools, at Yarmouth Academy and Maine State Seminary. As a young man he went to Wisconsin where he engaged in the shoe business; but returned to Brunswick where he continued in the same line of trade. Three years later he moved to Lewiston and conducted a shoe store successfully for over fifty years. Brother Day was initiated in United Lodge, No. 8, at Brunswick, in 1861; was a charter member of Rabboni Lodge, No. 150, at Lewiston, and was its Master in 1872. He was elected Grand Master in 1885. Brother Day received the Capitular degrees in Montgomery Chapter at Bath, and was a charter member of St. Paul's Chapter, No. 14, at Brunswick, in 1863. He was a charter member of Dunlap Council at Lewiston, served as its T. I. Master in 1872 and 1873, and was M. Ill. Grand Master of the Grand Council of Maine in 1877 and 1878. He was a charter member of Lewiston Commandery, Knights Templar, in 1865, became its first Junior Warden, its fifth Eminent Commander, its seventh Recorder and its fifth Prelate, serving thus his Commandery continuosly for over forty years. Brother Day did not confine his activities to the York Rite, but was also deeply interested in the Scottish Rite. He received these degrees in Portland and was a charter member of the Scottish Bodies in the Lewiston Valley. He received the Thirty-third Degree, in Boston, September 18, 1894. Brother Day died at his home in Lewiston, October 6, 1915, and his funeral service was conducted by the Grand Lodge of Maine, Most Worshipful Thomas H. Bodge, Grand Master, officiating.
Frank Eugene Sleeper, Thirty-second Grand Master
Most Worshipful Brother Sleeper was born in Lewiston, September 12, 1846. He was the first graduate to receive a diploma from the Lewiston High School, in 1863, likewise the first graduate of Bates College, in 1867. He was graduated from the Bowdoin Medical School, in 1870, and at once began the practice which he continued until the time of his death on May 2, 1924. In politicial life Brother Sleeper served in the City Government of Lewiston for several years; was twice State Senator; served on the School Board for fourteen years, and was President of the Lewiston Board of Pension Examiners from 1897 to 1913. Brother Sleeper was made a Mason in Ashlar Lodge, in Lewiston, April 6, 1868, and demitted to become a charter member of Webster Lodge, at Sabattus, which portion of the city was set off from Lewiston to make the new town of Webster. He served Webster Lodge as Master for eleven years, and thirty-two as its Treasurer. Brother Sleeper first served the Grand Lodge as District Deputy, and was Grand Master in 1887 and 1888. He has been Grand Lecturer since 1891, and was one of the committee to revise the ritual adopted in 1894; was a Trustee of the Charity Fund. He was Grand High Priest of the Grand Chapter in 1883, 1884 and 1885, and was Grand Lecturer of the Grand Chapter, 1885-1924. He was a Past T. I. Master of Dunlap Council at Lewiston, and was Grand Master of the Grand Council of Maine in 1898 and 1899. He was Grand Commander of the Grand Commandery of Maine in 1897 and 1898. He was a member of the various Scottish Rite bodies in Maine, had presided over Lewiston Lodge of Perfection, and was created a Sovereign Grand Inspector General, Thirty-third Degree, by the Supreme Council in 1900.
Albro Elmore Chase, Thirty-third Grand Master
No Mason in Maine was better known and more beloved than Past Grand Master Albro E. Chase. Coming into the active affairs of the Grand Bodies in Maine just a few years before the death of M. W. Josiah H. Drummond, he was ably qualified for the distinction, and therefore did assume the leadership relinquished by that great man of Masonry. He was honored by almost every office within the gift of the Craft, and in return he honored every position he has held fully as much as he was honored by it. Born in Paris, Maine, October 9, 1844, he was educated at Phillips Exeter Academy and Harvard College, studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1881, but instead of following that profession he began teaching, and was in the Portland High School from 1868 to 1906, the last thirty years as Principal. Brother Chase was made a Mason in Portland Lodge, No. 1, in 1868. He presided over his lodge; his chapter; his council, and his Commandery; over the Grand Lodge (in 1889 and 1890), over the Grand Chapter, Grand Council, and Grand Commandery. At the death of Brother Drummond, he succeeded as Correspondent in the Grand Lodge and the Grand Council. Since 1914, he was Grand Treasurer of all four of the Grand Bodies of the York Rite, and was for years Secretary of three of the local ones. In the A. & A. Scottish Rite he was equally or more active. He received the Scottish Degrees to the Thirty-second in 1878, and was for six years Commander-in-Chief of Maine Consistory. He was made an Honorary Member of the Supreme Council, Thirty-third Degree, September 18, 1888, and on September 20, 1905, was crowned Active for Maine. He died in Portland on September 8, 1921.
Henry Robert Taylor. Thirty-fourth Grand Master
Henry R. Taylor was born in Newfane, Vt., October 6, 1830. He received an academic education and began life as a civil engineer. He was one of the California Forty-niners, and was one of those who fitted out the ship " Acadian " which sailed for California by way of Cape Horn, in 1849. He remained in the West until the outbreak of the Civil War, when he came East and engaged in Government survey work on the eastern New England coast. At the close of the war he settled in Machias, and continued the practice of his profession. In 1886, he was elected Register of Deeds for Washington County, and continued to fill the position until within a year or so before his death when failing health compelled him to resign. He was made a Mason in Harwood Lodge, No. 91, at Machias, in June, 1862. Was elected Master in 1866, served three years, and declined a re election. In 1872, he was appointed District Deputy Grand Master for the Third District, and held the office successively, under five Grand Masters, for nine years; the longest continuous service in such office in the history of Maine Masonry. He was Junior Grand Warden of the Grand Lodge in 1885, and was elected Most Worshipful Grand Master in 1892, serving with recognized ability for two terms. He was a member of Maine Consistory, thirty-second degree, A. & A. S. R., and was a charter member of the local bodies of that branch at Machias. He died at a hospital in Bangor, October 6, 1918, and was buried with Masonic honors at Machias on October 9th,. Worshipful and Reverend John M. Bieler, Grand Chaplain, officiating.
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