MASONIC BIOGRAPHIES FAMOUS FREEMASONS GRAND MASTERS

Lacey R. Johnson MOST WORSHIPFUL GRAND MASTER, 1895-1896 1855 - April 17, 1915 Lacey Robert Johnson was born at Abingdon, England and educated at the Grammar School there. In 1870 he entered the service of the Great Western Railway at Swindon. He became chief engineer of several paper mills, and in 1875 he entered the Royal Arsenal at Woolwich. He was sent to India, and after some experience there he came to Canada and joined the Grand Trunk Railway in 1882. Later he was appointed general foreman at Carleton Place, and thereafter his rise was rapid. He became Assistant Master Mechanic of the Lake Superior Division in 1885, and in 1886 was transferred, in the same capacity, to the Pacific Coast. He was in Vancouver for some years in command of the marine engineering department of the Pacific Steamship Service, a position which required periodical visits to Japan and China. He was one of the executives of the Canadian Pacific Railway Company at Vancouver for many years. In 1901 he became Assistant Superintendent of rolling stock at Montreal. He took a great interest in military matters, and, as Lieutenant-Colonel, was in command of the Heavy Artillery of Montreal which later took part in the First Great War. He had been a member of St. John's Lodge, No. 63 at Carleton Place, Carleton County, a short distance south of Ottawa. He, with his friend Wm. Downie, was a charter member of Cascade Lodge, No. 12, and was the first Junior Warden of it. In 1890 he was Worshipful Master of his lodge. A man of ability and standing, and a lover of the Craft, he soon made his mark in the business of Grand Lodge, and in 1893 he was elected Senior Grand Warden, in 1894, Deputy Grand Master, and in 1895 he became Grand Master. Acting as Grand Master he officiated at the laying of the Corner Stone of Christ Church at Vancouver on July 28, 1894; he dedicated the Masonic Hall of lonic Lodge, No. 19 at Chilliwack on November 28, 1895; and he officiated at the laying of the corner stone of the Methodist Church at Wellington , on Vancouver Island on December 14, 1895. He had the pleasure of welcoming to the Craft Cumberland Lodge, No. 26 at Union, B.C., and Corinthian Lodge, No. 27 at Rossland, B.C. He died at Westmount, Montreal, April 17, 1915 and is interred at Mount Royal Cemetery in Montreal. Initiated: December 27, 1883 Passed: January 12, 1884 Raised: February 6, 1884 Withdrew: February 2, 1887 St. John's Lodge, No. 63, Ontario Treasurer: 1886 Demitted: 1889 Mountain Lodge No. 11 Founding Junior Warden: 1889 Worshipful Master: 1890 Cascade Lodge No. l2 Robie L. Reid, Historical Notes, Biographical sketches. Vancouver : Grand Lodge of British Columbia, 1945. p. 240.

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