Category: Portland Valley Scottish Rite

Samuel Ellis Wishard was born on March 7, 1835 in Rockville, Parke County, Indiana. He was the son of Archibald Lytle “Archie” Wishard, born November 10, 1807 in Carlisle, Nicholas, Kentucky and Livonia K. Fisher born August 25, 1817 in Ripley, Adams, Ohio. The Wishart family is of Scotch descent, and it is said that his ancestor George Wishart was burned at the stake as a friend of John Knox. We later find Alexander Wischart who was born in Edinburgh in 1600. His son William had a grandson named George, a physician, born in 1700 at South Leith, Midlothian, Scotland and died in Edinburgh June 12, 1785. Dr. George Wishart was the father of William Henry Wishart, the immigrant ancestor of this family. William Henry was born September 17, 1729 in Thornhill, Perthshire, Scotland and died May 31, 1814 Nicholas County, Kentucky. He married in 1771 in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland to Susannah Elizabeth Lytle born March 28, 1753 in Cornwall England died Jan. 16, 1795 in Nicholas County, Kentucky; their story follows and was included in the biography of our subject.

SAMUEL ELLIS WISHARD

“The name of Samuel Ellis Wishard figures on the pages of pioneer history in Oregon, for he became a resident of the state in 1852 and was for many years one of its substantial citizens, passing away in Portland at the age of seventy eight. Mr. Wishard was a great grandson of William Wishard, a native of Scotland, who was born between the years 1720 and 1725. He was a man of excellent constitution and of good habits, who enjoyed educational opportunities that gave him considerable standing in the community. By trade he was a weaver. He was driven from his home by religious persecution and took refuge in County Tyrone in the north of Ireland, a Protestant section of the Emerald isle. There he obtained a position as coachman with Lord Lytle, who had married Lady Jane Stuart. (It does not appear that Densel Lytle was actually a Lord, but he was a very wealthy land owner. His wife Jane Stuart’s parents are likely the source of the titles. It should be noted that William Wishart was nearly the same age as Densel and Jane Lytle.) The following account of the romantic marriage of William Wishard to Susanah Lytle was written by their great grandson, Samuel E. Wishard: “Wishard, now acting as coachman, became interested in Susanah Lytle. His affection was reciprocated by the young lady, who finally left her home and was clandestinely married to Wishard, in opposition to the wishes of her parents. Miss Lytle’s brothers pursued them with the purpose of taking the life of Wishard and recovering their sister. Wishard made his escape, but the sister was secured and brought back to her home, while it was supposed that her husband had taken a vessel for America. Mrs. Wishard was kept in close confinement, lest she should again escape and follow her husband. During this period her first child was born, and named William, after the name of the child’s father. After the expiration of two years the Lytle family heard that the vessel on which Wished had sailed had been wrecked. It happened, however, that he had taken another vessel and about the time that they heard of his destruction he returned in disguise. He came to the old Lytle estate, where he was recognized and befriended by one of the tenant families. Susannah’s health becoming somewhat impaired by close confinement, her family was obliged to allow her some liberty in the open air. On one of these occasions while walking out for her health, Wishard secretly secured an interview with her after their long separation. A second arrangement was made for their escape. Interviews were frequently secured and the matter was kept secret until a vessel was found coming directly to America. When the time arrived for the departure of the vessel, Mrs. Wished went out with her child for her usual walk and never returned to her father’s house, for Wished took her. With her husband she came directly to America, a short time before the Revolutionary war, probably about 1773. They landed at Philadelphia and settled nee the city, on what was then called “The waters of Brandywine.”

While there residing, the son Samuel was born, December 18, 1775, to Mr. and Mrs. William Wishard and it was exactly a half century later that the birth of Samuel E. Wishard occurred. It was also at the Brandywine home that the first daughter, Annis, was born in the September which preceded the battle of Brandywine, one of the momentous engagements of the Revolutionary war. In the meantime the father, William Wishard, had enlisted in the American army and was made a sergeant, serving throughout the period of hostilities and receiving his discharge at the close of the war”…[1]

 During the Revolution William served as a Sergeant in Capt. Wendell Ivey’s Company, Col. Proctor’s Battalion of Westmoreland County Militia, in service at Brandywine and Germantown. On May 5^th, 1779 he was commissioned Ensign in Capt. William Gutherie’s Company Westmoreland County Militia in service on the western frontier of Pennsylvania 1779-80.[2]

…“While there residing, the son Samuel was born, December 18, 1775, to Mr. and Mrs. William Wishard and it was exactly a half century later that the birth of Samuel E. Wishard occurred. It was also at the Brandywine home that the first daughter, Annis, was born in the September which preceded the battle of Brandywine, one of the momentous engagements of the Revolutionary war. In the meantime the father, William Wishard, had enlisted in the American army and was made a sergeant, serving throughout the period of hostilities and receiving his discharge at the close of the war. The birth of his fourth child, Jane, occurred June 25, 1777, and it was subsequent to this time that the family removed to Redstone Fort. As the years passed eight other children were added to the family while they were still residents of Pennsylvania. In the autumn of 1794 William Wishart started by boat down the Brandywine river, thence down the Ohio to the mouth of the Licking river, after which he proceeded up the latter stream to the point where Fleming creek empties into the Licking. There he settled in what is now known as Nicholas county, Kentucky, and there another child, James, was born. It was in that county that the mother, Mrs. Susanah (Lytle) Wishard, passed away. It was in 1794, when William moved from Pennsylvania to Kentucky, that the name spelling changed from Wishart to Wishard. About 1798 William Wishard married again, his second wife being a widow, Mrs. Betsy Rhoades, and by this marriage there were two sons, Andrew and Robert, making the family fifteen children in all.

Of the eight children born at Redstone Fort, John Wishard was the seventh in order of birth He was born June 3. 1792. He and three of his brothers – Abram, Samuel and James – removed to Indiana between 1825 and 1830, John Wishard becoming a resident of Johnson county, ten miles south of Indianapolis. He married and had eleven children, eight sons and three daughters. Two of the sons died in infancy and six of the number reached adult age. Of these Andrew died at the age of twenty one and James when twenty seven years of age. A sister, Jane, died at the age of eighteen. Others of the family lived to advanced years, some passing beyond the seventieth milestone on life’s journey, others reaching more than their eightieth year, while still another, Dr. William Wishard, was ninety three when he passed away.

It seems that the call of the west was always felt by the Wished family. It brought the great grandparents of Samuel E. Wishard to the new world and took them from Pennsylvania into Kentucky. It took the second generation (Samuel Wishard born December 18, 1774 in Chester, Pennsylvania and died September 21, 1858 in Vermillion County, Indiana) into Indiana and the third and fourth generations were well represented in Oregon.

It was in the year 1852 that Archie Wishard left Indiana with his family and crossed the plains after the primitive manner of travel at that time. He settled near Lebanon, where he secured a donation land claim. Samuel E. Wishard came with his parents to Oregon when sixteen years of age and assisted in the development of his father’s donation claim. He subsequently removed to Portland, where for more than forty five years he made his home. ” [3]

The 1850 census found our subject Samuel, then age 15 living with his parents and Farming with his father on their land valued at $1,000 in Adams, Parke, Indiana. As noted they came to Oregon in 1852. In the mid 1850’s trouble with the natives resulted in the Oregon Indian Wars of 1855-56. Samuel enlisted in L.B. Munson’s Oregon Mounted Volunteers. For this service Samuel received a pension, which took effect on June 27, 1902 and was cancelled on June 4, 1914, about a month after his death.

[1] History of Oregon Illustrated Vol. 3 by: Charles H. Carney The Pioneer Historical Publishing Company Chicago – Portland 1922. It appears that the author of this article was Samuel Ellis Wishard born December 10, 1825 in Johnson Indiana the son of John Lytle Wishard. John, born in 1792, was the younger brother of Samuel born in 1775, who was the grandfather of our subject Samuel Ellis Wishard born in 1835.

[2] D.A.R. application for Wishard

[3] History of Oregon Illustrated Vol. 3 by: Charles H. Carney The Pioneer Historical Publishing Company Chicago – Portland 1922

Archie died on January 31, 1859 and was buried at Sand Ridge Cemetery in Lebanon, Linn County, Oregon. In 1860 Samuel was a Carpenter living with his mother and 7 siblings. She passed away on July 27, 1876 a month shy of her 59^th birthday. He may have gone down to California after this, as there is a Samuel E. Wishard who registered to vote in Sacramento on July 31, 1866, it is not verified that this is the same person, and it is known that there were a few Samuel E. Wishard’s associated with this family. By 1870 our Samuel Wishard, still unmarried was living in Portland. He was a Carpenter working for the Rail Road and was living in the R.R. Mess House with a number of other carpenters and Rail Road works.

On December 27, 1870, Samuel married Sarah Francis a daughter of Dr. John Parker and Adeline (Duvall) Powell, who also crossed the plains in 1852. Dr. Powell, born October 4, 1822 in North Carolina, was the first Physician in Eastern Multnomah County in the Powell Valley, he was also the County Coroner for a number of years. He died in Gresham October 30, 1909, a town he is given partial credit for founding along with two other unrelated men named Powell. Sarah Francis Powell was born in 1849 in Macon, Missouri and was therefore an infant when her parents crossed the Plains; this means she was also 14 years younger than her future husband, whom she married at the age of 21. Samuel was listed as a Carpenter in 1860 and is found as such in succeeding Census records through 1910 when he was retired and claimed no occupation. The Wishard’s were in Portland in June of 1877, but within a couple years they had moved north. The 1880 Census shows that he and his wife Sarah were then living in Walla Walla, Washington. Here again the record shows that he was living near a number of Rail Road employees, including Carpenters, Rail Road Workman, Machinist and Rail Road Firemen; a good indication he was working with the Rail Roads, and suggesting that he had likely worked with the Rail Road since the 1860’s. They returned to Portland and Samuel is listed as a Carpenter (House) in 1900, assumedly meaning he was building Houses. [1]

Masonic History

“In the latter part of the year 1868, a few brethren, among them being Worshipful Brother Irving W. Pratt, discussed the advisability of organizing a Masonic Lodge on the East side of the river.

That was at a time when the only means of communication across the Willamette River were row boats or some other crude craft, and naturally, the membership of the new lodge would necessarily be made up of those who could conveniently attend on the East side of the river.

[1] U.S. Federal Census records 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1900 and 1910.

The first meeting of the Lodge under a dispensation, was held March 6, 1869 with Irving W. Pratt as Worshipful Master, John Harrison as Senior Warden and John Parker as Junior Warden. The meeting was held in what was termed the “Odd Fellows Hall” located at what is now known as East First and Oak Streets. This was not, however, a building owned by the Odd Fellows, but one in which this order, together with that of the Order of Good Templars, a temperance organization and the Druids occasionally met. In the immediate vicinity of the building was a small settlement, which subsequently was increased considerably by its proximity to the landing of the Stark Street ferry.

The brethren found it very difficult to meet the expenses of fitting up their lodge room and carrying on the business, but were kindly assisted by securing a loan of $250.00 from Ladd & Tilton Bank.

One of the original members of the Lodge, Brother A. M. Loryea, furnished a complete set of officers’ jewels which were of such a substantial nature that they are still used by the officers of the Lodge (1923).

Only one candidate was initiated, passed and raised, prior to a charter being granted by the Grand Lodge, that being Worshipful Master Samuel E. Wishard.

A charter was received from the Grand Lodge on June 24, 1869 and the Lodge was formally dedicated by Past Grand Master A. A. Smith with the following charter members: Irving W. Pratt, Worshipful Master; John Harrison, Senior Warden; John Parker, Junior Warden; J. T. Smith, Treasurer; J. M. Mack, Secretary; Samuel E. Wishard, Senior Deacon; Martin Elam, Junior Deacon; G. W. Smith, Tyler; A. M. Loryea and Hugh Glenn, members.

Brother Pratt was a teacher in the Portland Public Schools and eminently qualified by learning and character to preside over a Masonic body, and he acted as Master of Washington Lodge for the years 1869 to 1872 inclusive. Subsequently, owing to his residence on the West side of the river and difficulty in attending his own lodge, and also by reason of the appeals of the brethren of Portland Lodge No. 55 then being organized, he transferred his membership to Portland Lodge and acted as its Master.”[1]

According to his Scottish Rite record Brother Wishard was Raised in May of 1869 in Washington Lodge U.D. in East Portland. He was appointed Senior Deacon for 1870 and 1871, and was elected Junior Warden in 1872. He did not serve as an officer in 1873 or 1874. Samuel Wishard was elected Master of Washington Lodge #46 for 1875 and again for 1876. After that he moved to Washington State as shown above, for an unknown amount of time. After 1876 Samuel was not found serving as an officer for Washington Lodge #46.

There is no indication that Brother Wishard ever joined York Rite, the Shrine or Eastern Star He did however join the Scottish Rite and was an early member. Samuel petitioned the Scottish Rite and received the 14° Lodge of Perfection on September 21, 1875. He joined the Ainsworth Chapter of Rose Croix 18° on September 19, 1876 and the Multnomah Council of Kadosh 30° on June 11, 1877.[2] He received the 31° and 32° on June 18, 1883 in the Portland Valley.[3] His name was found among the Charter members of the Oregon Consistory, which was chartered on March 9, 1891.

“He was ever an exemplary representative of the craft, loyal to its teachings and the sterling worth of his character was recognized by his brethren of the fraternity and by all with whom he came into contact.”[4]

Samuel Wishard and his wife Sarah lived at 474 E. Stark, and the 1910 Census shows that they never had any children. Samuel died on May 19, 1914 in Portland, Oregon and was buried in the Fairview section of the Lincoln Memorial Park. His wife Sarah lived on another 20 years and passed away on June 20, 1934, she was buried with her husband.

[1] The Masonic Analyst November 6, 1923 page 23 by Brother Lytel W. Matthews SD

[2] Oregon Scottish Rite Index and Member History page and photo #86

[3] Scottish Rite Ledger Book 1 1870-1893 page 57

[4] History of Oregon Illustrated Vol. 3 by: Charles H. Carney The Pioneer Historical Publishing Company Chicago – Portland 1922

About the author:

Michael D. Robinson 32° KCCH, earned his degree in History at Colorado State University. He was the second Master Mason Raised in Esoterika Lodge #227, and the first member Raised in that Lodge to serve as Worshipful Master. He was presented with the Hiram Award by Esoterika Lodge in 2012, and was elected Master in 2013 and 2014. He served as District Deputy for District #13 in 2016-17 and 2017-18, and was appointed Grand Historian for 2018-19. He is also serving as Historian for Research Lodge #198 and Eugene Lodge #11. Brother Robinson received the Scottish Rite degrees in 2010 and was the recipient of the “Novus Astorum” from the Portland Valley Scottish Rite that year. He was appointed Historian of the Scottish Rite Orient of Oregon in December of 2014. In March of 2015 he was made Secretary of the Eugene Valley, and Director of the Work for that Valley in January of 2017.