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St. John's Members help dedicate new graveside marker.

One of the most colorful characters in the early growth of Seattle was David S. “Doc” Maynard, a Mason from Iowa who joined the young St. John's Lodge No. 9 within weeks of receiving its charter. One of the most celebrated figures in the history of Seattle, the legendary doctor arrived in the area shortly after the Denny party, on March 31, 1852, and was the primary force for renaming the town of Duwamps, “Seattle.”

He opened the first store in the front of his cabin on the present-day First Avenue South, the Seattle Exchange, out of which he sold dry goods, groceries, crockery and hardware. As a doctor, he administered to both Indians and whites, opened a blacksmith shop for shoeing horses, served as the first notary public, justice of the peace, and county clerk, and eventually opened a drugstore, started a salmon packing operation and sold real estate. He died March 13, 1872, and was buried in Seattle Masonic Cemetery, now Lake View Cemetery near Volunteer Park.

On Saturday, April 19, members of St. John’s joined others in this city to pay tribute to Doc Maynard and to dedicate a grave marker to replace the original? long weathered and nearly unreadable. The effort was spearheaded by members of the local chapter of E Clampus Vitus, a fraternal order that dates from the 1849 California Gold Rush. They say the organization was founded partly to parody groups like the Masons and Elks that didn't welcome miners as members. The all-male order continues strong in the West with 43 chapters and five outposts. The local group, formed three years ago, is known as Doc Maynard Outpost No. 54-40. When its members discovered that Doc Maynard’s grave marker was fractured, fragmented and almost illegible, they took on the task of restoring it. They sought the assistance from surviving members of the Maynard family, and, among others, St. John’s Lodge. The marker was replaced, complete with its original Square & Compasses, and a ceremony held to celebrate the occasion.

An estimated gathering of 70-75 persons assembled under partly cloudy skies to witness tributes from Dan Kerege, leader of the local E Clampus Vitus Chapter; City Councilman Peter Steinbrueck, Sunny Speidel, daughter of the late founder of the Seattle Underground Tour Bill Speidel; historian Walt Crowley, and great-great granddaughter of Seattle namesake Chief Sealth, Cecile Hansen. Leonard Garfield, representing the Museum of History and Industry, congratulated the efforts of local citizens to preserve the history of Seattle. The heirs of the Maynard family donated the original grave marker to the museum.

Nine Masons representing St. John’s were in attendance, with the Worshipful Master Terry Grove and Past Masters Ken Lane, Jr. and Richard Oslund closing the ceremony with a brief memorial service of Masonic flavor.

(Attending: WBro. Terry Grove, WBro. Ken Lane, Jr., WBro. Ken Lane, Sr., VWBro. Richard Oslund, Bro. Adam Mackey, VWBro. Jim Russell, Bro. Michael Rust, WBro. Hans Wehl, and WBro. Darrel Womack. Photo by Darrel Womack)