John Valentine Reintzel, Grand Master,
1811
An old Luther
Bible, published at Basel, Germany, in 1839, originally the
family Bible of the Reintzels, and now in the custody of the
librarian of Georgetown College, contains several leaves of
family notes, written in German, and from these we quote the
following extract: " John Valentine Reintzel was born and came
upon this earth, came into this world in the year Anno 1761, on
the 26th day of February, in the sign of the Archer
(Sagittarius), and received holy baptism."
He was the
son of John Valentine Reintzel, Sr., who came to this country
from Hamburg, Germany, in the latter part of the eighteenth
century and settled at or near Georgetown. Both father and son
seem to have abbreviated the baptismal name, and were known as
Valentine Reintzel, Sr. and Jr., respectively.
While only
the most meager data concerning the subject of this sketch is
available, sufficient evidence is at hand to show that he was an
influential citizen and identified with all the progressive
movements of his day in the locality of his adoption, the first
recorded meeting of the Corporation of Georgetown, held November
28, 1791, at the house of Joseph Semmes, showing him present as
a Common Councilman.
That he was a
prosperous business man is attested by the land records, which
show his large holdings of real estate, and that he was public
spirited and philanthropical seems to be established by the
alleged donation by him of the site on which the old Bridge (M)
Street Presbyterian Church of Georgetown stood for many years
and his recorded liberality in all of his lodge's subscription
charities.
His Masonic
activity commences with the earliest pages of recorded local
history, and with the story of the struggles of the Fraternity
in the pioneer days his name will always be inseparably linked
as that of a forceful leader.
We find him
Master of Lodge No. 9, of Georgetown, in 1793, and in that
capacity participating with the illustrious Washington in the
ceremony of laying the cornerstone of the Capitol building, and
being on that occasion signally honored by having placed in his
charge by the first President the gavel used in the exercises, a
gavel ever since cherished by Potomac Lodge and the jurisdiction
as a most precious heritage. Throughout all the trying
experiences of the Fraternity during the last decade of the
eighteenth and the first of the nineteenth centuries he appears
to have been a leading spirit, and as one of the original
members helped to place Potomac Lodge, No. 43, chartered
November 11, 1806, on a firm footing, acting as Worshipful
Master thereof for the years 1807, 1808, 1809, and 1810, and
continuing his activity by substituting in the minor offices as
late as 1815, when we find him acting as Junior Warden. From its
formation until 1810, the Lodge met in the third story of his
residence.
Brother
Reintzel was prominent in the movement to form the Grand Lodge
of the District and was honored by being elected the first Grand
Master, his election by the convention called for the purpose of
creating a Grand Lodge taking place January 8, 1811, and the
installation following at the first meeting of the Grand Lodge,
as such, February 19, 1811. He died in the latter part of 1817,
and the Grand Lodge, being notified thereof at the stated
communication of December 27 of that year,
Resolved,
unanimously, that the Past Grand Officers of this Grand Lodge be
and they are hereby required to wear crepe on the left arm for
the space of one month as a token of the brotherly love and
respect entertained by the said Grand Lodge for their deceased
Brother and late R. W. Grand Master.
One of the
many disappointments which have come to the author of this work
is his failure, after the most diligent and far-reaching search,
to bring to light a drawing or painting of this good man and
Mason for reproduction in these pages.
AHGP
District of Columbia
Source: History of the Grand Lodge and
Freemasonry in the District of Columbia, compiled by W. Brother
Kenton N. Harper, 1911.
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