cr ft m sonry - Onondaga and Oswego Masonic District Historical ...

Edward Heywood Brown was born 15 Aug 1834 in Greenwich Village, now a part of the City
of New York. After the death of his father about 1842, Bro. Brown removed to Syracuse and
was brought up in the family of his uncle, John Flint. He was educated in the public schools of
Syracuse and graduated as a civil engineer from Rensselaer Institute of Technology at Troy.
Shortly after his graduation he became connected with the Syracuse Water Company, and
was its superintendent for many years until the water plant was taken over by the city. He
then went to California where he was engaged in railroad building and mining pursuits. His
health failed in 1898, and he was obliged to give up his business, returning to Syracuse
where he spent the remaining years of his life with the friends of his youth. Although confined
to the house for many years, and at times suffering a great deal of pain, he was at all times
uncomplaining; he never lost his bright and cheery disposition nor his interest in current
events, and appreciated to the full the attentions which he received from his Masonic
brethren.
Masonic Career:
1856 Raised in Roman Lodge No. 223 at Rome, NY
1858 Affiliated with Central City Lodge No. 305; Master in 1864, 1865 and 1872.
1869-1870 District Deputy of the 16th Masonic District
1875-1876 High Priest of Central City Chapter No. 70, RAM
1869 Thrice Illustrious Master of Central City Council No. 13, Royal and Select Masters
1879 Commander of Central City Commandery No. 25, KT.
1866 Received the degrees of the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite, holding office in all of the bodies,
most of the time from 1866 to 1877 inclusive.
1868-1871 Thrice Potent Master of the Lodge of Perfection
1867 He was one of the officers of the New York Council of Deliberation at its first meeting,
after the Union of the Supreme Councils.
7 Feb 1872 He was crowned an Honorary Member of the Supreme Council, 33 o , at New York.
Being possessed of a fine voice and a splendid presence, Bro. Brown excelled as a ritualist. His rendition of the different degrees,
especially the Order of the Temple in the Commandery, in which he acted as Prelate for many years, and the beautiful degrees of
the Scottish Rite, was one of the traditions of Masonry in Syracuse.
After his return from California, he was prevented by illness from attending the meetings of any Masonic Body, although he was
present with them in spirit. His did appear at the meeting of the Council of Deliberation of New York in 1907, when he was carried in
and he and his colleagues, 33 o , were received and greeted as the only survivors of the first meeting of the body forty years previous.
Bro. Brown died at Syracuse on 10 Mar 1917 and was buried by Central City Lodge No. 305, from the Syracuse Masonic Temple,
with interment in Oakwood Cemetery.
Thomas Walker Gaggin was born 1 Jan 1871 in Erie, PA. He came to Syracuse to attend the University and remained to give the
City the benefit of a beautiful and successful life. In college he became a member of Delta Kappa Epsilon Fraternity and every
maintained an active interest as a “deke.”
Syracuse in the late 1880s.
http://archives.syr.edu/archives/buildings/goldstein_alumni.html
Goldstein Alumni and Faculty Center, Syracuse University, constructed as
Delta Kappa Epsilon Fraternity House: 1903. Designed by SU alumni Edwin
H. Gaggin, (1866-1955) Class of 1892, and T. Walker Gaggin, Class of 1895,
it is a modified federal style building of red Akron brick with trimmings, sill
courses, bay window, etc. of white Vermont marble. The foundation is of
Onondaga limestone. The interior boats a central hall wainscoted high in dark
oak, with oak beam ceiling. Located ay formerly Walnut Avenue until E. S.
Bird Library's construction cut off the end of Walnut; now 401 University
Place
On November 17, 1871 the Phi Gamma chapter of Delta Kappa Epsilon was
chartered, the first chapter of any fraternity located at Syracuse University.
Originally housed in lodge rooms in the Wieting Block downtown, the ‘Dekes’
flourished through myriad housing changes and became one of the first
fraternities to adopt the chapter house system when it was inaugurated at
As noted in the 1910 Catalogue of the Delta Kappa Epsilon Fraternity, “For many years it was the dearest wish of every brother to
have an ideal chapter house, located within easy reach of the University and possessing all the modern conveniences of a fraternity
house.” In 1898 the Central New York Association of Delta Kappa Epsilon, consisting of ‘Dekes’ of all chapters, was organized, and
at once started an active movement for a new chapter house. A financial canvass was started and at the commencement banquet of
June 1899, $8,000 was subscribed. This amount, with that previously secured, formed the nucleus of the building fund.”
Designed by SU alumni Edwin H. Gaggin, Class of 1892, and T. Walker Gaggin, Class of 1895, the new chapter house was
“situated at the corner of Walnut Avenue and University Place, without doubt the finest site near the campus for a building of this
kind. The house faces Walnut Park and has a side outlook upon the campus, a view which can never be cut off by future building in
any direction.” The house was opened for the first time by the annual banquet of the Central New York Association of Delta Kappa
Epsilon on the evening of June 9, 1903 and 155 brothers were present.
21