Monroe Lodge #22 F&AM

Taken from Goodly Heritage Indiana Freemason, Fall 1996

On October 3 [1946], a meeting was held in a county courthouse of a small Northwestern Georgia town. At this meeting, Brother Milton L. Borden, PM Monroe No. 22, returned a fragile copy of Webb's Freemason Monitor to Quitman Lodge No. 106, Ringgold Georgia, which had been removed from the Ringgold Lodge by a Union soldier. Following is the interesting Masonic story of this monitor's travels.

General Sherman's troops entered the town of Ringgold in November or 1863. Troops were ordered to destroy everything of importance in the town except the brick court house. The third floor of this building housed the Masonic lodge. General Sherman, after inspecting the floor and satisfying himself that it was indeed the Masonic lodge, placed a guard and ordered that it not be disturbed.

A few overzealous soldiers disobeyed General Sherman's orders and located the lodge room. One private, who feared being disciplined, threw the monitor which he had taken from the Lodge into a thicket. This was observed by Capt. John T. Eller of Bloomington, Indiana, who picked up the book intending to return it to the lodge. Shortly thereafter, Capt. Eller was severely wounded and upon his recovery was discharged home. Among his effects was Webb's Freemason Monitor.

Years later, when Capt. Eller became Brother Eller of Monroe 22, he gained a greater appreciation for the value of the book. He started seeking ways to return the stolen property to its rightful lodge. On New Year's night 1916, following installation of officers, Brother Eller retold his story to Brother Borden and extracted a promise that if anything happened to him, Brother Borden would return the book.

Brother Eller died two days later.

Thirty years passed and Brother Borden discovered his notes on the Ringgold Raid. He began contacting lodges which were along the path of Sherman's March. He quickly received a reply from Ringgold, Georgia, confirming Capt. Eller's story.

More than 300 Masons witnessed the completion of a promise made 30 years prior. The ceremony was held in the Catoosa County court house which occupied the site of the court house spared by General Sherman. Brother Borden, escorted by Brother Dwight L. Smith presented the Monitor to Brother S. B. Ward, Worshipful Master of Quitman Lodge. Brother Ward voiced the appreciation of his Lodge. Thus a book and the act of keeping a promise to a brother helped strengthen the fraternal ties of brotherly love between North and South.