Dr. Austin W. Holden
Austin Holden was born in White Creek in Washington County, New York in 1819. He was raised by his dad and step-mother from the age of four. He arrived in Glens Falls in 1836 at the age of 17 and studied law with Hon. William Hay. He stopped after one year and became a cabinet maker in order to make money. He taught school in Saratoga County, Fort Edward, and Glens Falls. He was county superintendent for the Common School District from 1846 -47. He then studied medicine under Dr. Tabor Reynolds of Saratoga. He graduated from Albany Medical College in 1848. While in Medical School, he served as Warren County Superintendent of the Common School District. On April 24, 1851 he married Elizabeth Buell and they had three children, James, Horatio, (died at age 27) and Pauline, (died at 11 months). He was a leader in State and National Homeopathic medical groups and became Chief of Staff of Ward’s Island Homeopathic Hospital in New York City. At one time Holden was editor of the Glens Falls Times, a daily newspaper. In 1854 he was a partner with Goodspeed, Mott & Co. that made stone castings. He was also Director of the Public Library from 1857 – 63. He was the first man in Warren County to enlist for Union duty in the Civil War…22nd Regiment, Co. F., known as the Iron Brigade. He fought at the Second Bull Run, Antiem, Fredericksburg, and South Mountain. He served on the medical staff as an assistant surgeon. Holden was commissioned as Brevet Major for meritorious service. He carried the following in his field case: pocket case for pills, sewing kit, sulfur matches, pocket knife, soldier’s pocket booklet with verses from the New Testament, some favorite psalms and hymns. He was elected to the State Assembly as a Democrat in 1874 from Warren County, which was primarily Republican. He served on the first Board of Trustees of the Unified School District from 1881 -87. He collected historical materials for a life time and wrote the History of the Town of Queensbury. The materials from his collection became the core of the Holden Collection at the Crandall Public Library. He was considered the Dean of Local Historians and was awarded an honorary degree of AM from Union College. He was an active Temperance man, trustee and secretary of the Board of Trustees of the Old Glens Falls Academy, a member of the Vestry of the Church of Messiah, as well as clerk, Warden and lay reader. A brass plaque is in the church in his honor. He was a member of Glens Falls Lodge 121 and Senate Lodge 456. He was the only member to hold mastership of both lodges. He was also a member of GAR, (Veteran of the the Civil War: Grand Army of the Republic) Abraham Wing III loaned Holden all his personal papers, and while they were in Holden’s possession, the Wing house burned to the ground. Thus, the Wing papers were preserved for history. It is said that Holden befriended a member of the “older generation” to gain data for his records, and later his book. |
Allied Masonic Degrees
HISTORY - DESCRIPTION of GRADES: www.angelfire.com/nc3/standrew1amd The Allied Masonic Degrees are an invitational organization, and requires membership in the Royal Arch as well as the Symbolic Lodge. Membership is limited to 27 members per council. Be it remembered that on August 5, 1933, this Grand Council took as its date of formation January 14, 1892, since this date was the beginning of the Allied Masonic Degrees in America with the formation of the Sovereign College of Allied Masonic and Christian Degrees at Richmond, Virginia, that on April 16, 1932, the subsequent establishment of a Grand Council of Allied Masonic Degrees of the United States of America occurred in Salisbury, North Carolina, and that the union of the two bodies was drawn up and entered into July 18, 1933, and was ratified by the North Carolina Grand Council August 5, 1933 and was ratified by the Sovereign College at Norway, Maine August 24, 1933, and became effective as of September 7, 1933. The Allied Masonic Degrees are detached degrees some of which, many years ago, were conferred under Craft warrants and formed part of the then loosely governed Freemasonry of the period. Many of these detached degrees became dormant in some places, although in others they were conferred as side degrees. In time, the better of these degrees were grouped together in an organized body under the title of Allied Masonic Degrees. The degrees comprising the system in our Jurisdiction in the U.S.A. are the Royal Ark Mariner, Secret Monitor, Knight of Constantinople, Saint Lawrence the Martyr, Architect, Superintendent, Grand Tilers of Solomon, Master of Tyre, Excellent Master, Installed Sovereign Master, Installed Commander Noah, Red Branch of Eri and Ye Ancient Order of Corks. They are conferred in the United States in Councils chartered by the Grand Council. Each Council is limited to twenty seven members, with two exceptions. One of these Councils is known as the Council of the Nine Muses and is limited to nine members. The other is Grand Masters Council, which has what is known as a roving charter. The purpose of the latter Council is to provide a place of membership in the Allied Masonic Degrees for brethren residing in localities where Councils have not been organized. Membership in every Council of Allied Masonic Degrees is by invitation, and is predicated on membership in the Royal Arch Chapter. In addition to perpetuating these degrees, there is still another and equally important purpose. It is to bring together, in small groups, Freemasons who are interested in the advancement of all Masonry, preparing themselves to better serve the Craft through the medium of study and research. By limiting the membership in a Council and securing membership only by invitation, the result is a congenial group able to enjoy full fellowship when meeting together. Wherever there is an active Council of Allied Masonic Degrees, it exerts an influence for the betterment of Freemasonry in all the Masonic Bodies. There is no intention on the part of the Allied Masonic Degrees to detract from any organized and established body of Masonry. On the contrary, you will find our members active, beyond the average, in all local Masonic bodies. The real purpose is to stimulate interest in Masonry in general and bring together in small groups those who are interested in the study of Masonic subjects. Thus they are better enabled to serve the Craft. |