THE FIRST 100 YEARS
OF
SACRAMENTO LODGE No.40
ROBERT B. ELLIS
Robert B. Ellis, an original
petitioner of Sacramento Lodge was born in Sussex County, Virginia in 1812. On
March 1, 1850 he received an honorary degree to medicine from the University of
St. Louis, Missouri and for a time practiced his profession in Richmond, Bay
County, Missouri. There he married a Kentucky girl, Elizabeth Collier. On July
12, 1840 she presented him with a son and died two years later. This son,
Adrian E. Ellis became a successful lawyer and an officer in the Confederate
Army. Coming from Missouri to California in 1850, Robert settled in Sacramento
where he gained a reputation as a physician and surgeon of marked ability and
became a leader in his profession. On January 13, 1853, he married Sarah Jane
Buckner, a native of Illinois and daughter of James Buckner, also a pioneer
settler of California. By this marriage they had five children, all born in
California. One of his sons, Pearis B. Ellis, born Oct. 13, 1853, was raised in
Carson Lodge No. 1 F. & A. M., Carson City, Nevada, and served as its
Master in 1912. Pearis was an assayer in the U.S. Mint at Carson for a number
of years and was Assayer in Chief under Presidents Harrison, Cleveland and
McKinley. Dr. Ellis, in 1857-58 was president of the Sacramento Medical Society
organized April 30, 1855 and was elected as its delegate to the second annual
session of the California Medical Society held in Sacramento Feb. 11, 1857. At
that session he was elected Vice President of this state-wide Society. Dr.
Ellis moved from Sacramento to Michigan Bar, located on the Cosumnes River in
Sacramento County and while there was elected to the State Legislature and was
a member of the Assembly during the 10th and 11th Sessions, 1858-1859 and
1859-1860. From Michigan Bar Dr. Ellis moved to Carson City, Nevada where he
made his residence until about 1865 when he moved to Reno. He died January 12,
1873 at the age of 60 following a protracted illness at the residence of
his son Adrian C. Ellis. Both houses of the Nevada State Legislature, which
were in session at the time, passed resolutions of respect and condolence and
adjourned to allow members to attend the funeral. The funeral service was held
at the Methodist Church at Carson City, Tuesday, January 14 with a large
attendance of mourners. He was buried under the auspices of Reno Lodge No. 13,
F. & A. M., J. C. HAGEMAN, Master of the Lodge presiding. There was a large
representation of Masons from both the Reno and Carson City Lodges. The Carson
New Daily Appeal of January 15, 1873 after describing the services
commented as follows: "In Dr. Ellis the State has lost the wisdom of a
sage; his friends, a beloved companion and his relatives, one whose place can
never be filled again in the world." A friend of his in the Nevada
State Journal of January 18, 1873 says of him: "He was one of those
olden-time gentlemen who remind one of the days of Washington. Dignified,
without austerity, learned without dissipation, generous without ostentation,
eminently scientific and practical, Dr. Ellis was a philosopher, a scholar, a
statesman, a patriot and one of the purest of Christian gentlemen."
Brother Ellis was initiated an Entered Apprentice Mason October 17, 1840,
passed to the Degree of Fellowcraft and raised to the Sublime Degree of Master
Mason on the same date, October 26, 1840 in Liberty Lodge No. 31, Liberty,
Missouri. He dimitted from Liberty Lodge Sept. 6, 1841. After assisting in the
organization of Sacramento Lodge in 1853 he remained a member until moving to Michigan
Bar, California. He dimitted from Sacramento Lodge No. 71 F. & A. M.,
located at Michigan Bar. The date of his affiliation with that Lodge is not
Known. It is now extinct but the returns for May 1859 to the Grand Lodge show
him as Senior Deacon. The returns for the following year show him as a member
and those for 1861 show him as withdrawing from that Lodge probably upon his
removal to Carson City where he became an original petitioner of Carson Lodge
No. 1 F. & A. M. which was organized Feb. 13, 1862 under dispensation from
the Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of California, and which when chartered was
No. 154 on the California Register. Brother Ellis dimitted from Carson Lodge
No. 1 on April 20, 1865 and having moved to Reno, apparently assisted in the
organization of Reno Lodge No. 13 although the records of the Grand Lodge of
Nevada do not list the original petitioners of that Lodge. Reno Lodge No. 13,
was issued a dispensation to form a Lodge, January 14, 1869 and in the Nevada
Grand Lodge returns for that year, Robert Ellis is listed as Marshal and
he was apparently re-appointed for the following year although the returns for
that year list a Reuben B. Ellis as Marshal. Brother Ellis maintained his
membership in Reno Lodge No. 13 until his death.
Transcribed by Sally Kaleta.
Proofread by Betty
Vickroy.
© 2007 Sally Kaleta.