Brother Bromwell, characterized as "The foremost Mason of his time.", was made a Mason in Temperance Lodge No. 16, at Vandalia, Ill., in 1854; Senior Deacon, 1855; Worshipful Master, 1856-7. We are very proud of his accomplishments in his life which in a large part came from his involvement with the Freemasons.
HENRY PELHAM HOLMES BROMWELL, b. Aug. 26, 1823, in Balt., Md; m. Elizabeth Emily; dau. of John Wright Payne and Elizabeth (Rice) Payne, on June 20, 1858, in Marshall, Ill.; he d. in Denver, Colo., Jan. 9, 1903.
He came with his parents to Cinn., O., in 1824, when an infant; lived in childhood in Montgomery, Middletown, Day-ton and in Coshocton, O., in that state., and in 1836, when 13 years of age, came to Cumberland, Clark Co., Ill., a town no more on the map, but which was on the site of the present town of Casey.
In 1844, when 21 years of age, he taught school in the old stone school house in Marshall (called "The Academy") and was very successful, and esteemed a great scholar by the neighborhood. But his ambition was to study law, so as soon as the land could be exchanged for a newspaper, the family departed for Vandalia, where they lived during a number of years, or from 1848 until 1858. Here he assisted his father in the work of carrying on his paper, The Age of Steam, and at the same time studied law, and came to the bar in Nov., 1853. He made very elaborate preparation for his examination in law, and was fortified at all points, having exhausted himself in studies to be able not only to pass, but to pass without a mistake, and in fact to surprise the old lawyers by his perfect work. To his astonishment and chagrin the board declined to examine him at all, but had a few jokes at his expense, and gave him his certificate. This was something he had not thought of, and was one of the great disappointments of his young life. In speaking of it years afterward, he always used it as an illustration of the fact that his whole life through he had had much to contend with.
Lawyer And Judge
In 1853, soon after being admitted to the bar, he was elected County Judge of Fayette Co., being elected at the same time ex-officio chairman of the County Board, which went at that time with the office of County Judge. While in this office he had charge of rebuilding the court house (formerly the state capitol building), and made all the plans, drawings and contracts, and let all the work, and it was finished in good style for the time. It still stands, one of the examples of the old court houses of that period. While in Vandalia he made a campaign for Congress against Aaron Shaw, who was successful. His friends and intimates at this period included Robert G. Ingersoll, who was much devoted to him, and wrote him some very friendly letters for years afterward. Ingersoll was also studying law, and trying to write, and sent many communications to the Age of Steam, some of which, by the way, had to be rejected.
Vandalia, besides having been the capital of the state, was for many years one of the largest and most important. places, and most of the eminent lawyers of the time, such as Lincoln, Sidney Breese, and others, practiced in the courts there, and many others since famous were frequently in the place. Joseph and David Gillespie, of Madison Co., came there often, and on the eastern side of the circuit Richard W. Thompson came over from Indiana. He and Joseph Marshall and Caleb B. Smith were thought to take the palm. Breeze was an illustrious man (of Carlyle). He was U. S. Senator, and afterwards on the Supreme Bench of Illinois, being Judge under three different constitutions of the state. Years afterward, in old age, in reviewing the eminent lawyers whom he had known in Illinois during his life there, he gave the palm to these, and to Judge Gregory of Fayette Co.; to Uri Manley of Clark Co., who was a splendid lawyer and fine gentleman; to James C. Allen of Palestine, who ran against Breeze for Congress at one time; to Edmund Y. Rice of Montgomery Co., who was in the Constitutional Convention of 1870; to Charles H. Constable of Marshall (splendid lawyer); James M. Davis of Vandalia; Samuel W. Moulton, who was member of Congress (Shelby Co.) in 1864; to James R.. Connolly of Charleston, who was later in Congress from that district; to Judge Thornton and Judge Anthony of Shelby Co.; Seth Post of Macon Co.; Judge S. B. Gookins of Terra Haute (Ind.); John P. Usher, afterward Sec-retary of the Interior under President Lincoln; Stephen T. Logan of Springfield, who, with Lincoln and "Long Archibald Williams, were counted the three heads of the state for many years. Later, on removing to Charleston, he made the acquain-tance of Orlando B. Ficklin, who was the leader of the Democracy in Coles Co. at that time, and whose wife was Elizabeth Colquitt daughter of Senator Colquitt of Georgia, the noted leader in the Rebellion. John Scofield of Marshall was another who was intimately associated with him, and grew up in Marshall, and afterward attained to the Supreme Bench of Illinois, and was offered a place on the Supreme Bench of the United States, but declined for the reason that his wife was an invalid and could not leave Marshall to live in Washington.
Illinois was, in fact, at that time and later not a bad environment for a young lawyer. He could find plenty of good subjects to sharpen his metal upon. During all the years of his residence in Cumberland he studied incessantly, and was becoming proficient in Latin, Greek and the modern languages, besides mastering mathematics and the natural sciences.
Political Career
In 1856 he was on the Republican ticket for Elector for Fremont but was defeated. In 1857 he removed to Charleston, Ill., (Oct.), and in 1860 was a candidate for Presidential Elector for Lincoln, and was elected. He was on the school board, also, in Charleston. In 1861 he was nominated for the Con-stitutional Convention for counties of Douglas, Moultrie and Coles. His Democratic opponent, O. B. Ficklin, was elected. In 1864 he was nominated for Congress against John Eaton (Dem.), and elected by 3,300 majority. The nomination (as in all cases where he was concerned), had been unanimous. He was again nominated and elected in 1866, his opponent this time being Gen. John C. Black, the District being the 7th, and this time his majority being 4,300. Then, in 1869, he was nomi-nated (by acclamation) and elected a member of the Second Constitutional Convention for the counties of Coles, Douglas and Vermilion.
He came to Colorado in Oct.-Nov., 1870 (arriving Nov. 10th). Was President of the School Board Dist. No. 2 for four years. Elected to the Territorial Legislature (Upper House), in 1873-5, serving two years. Made campaign for Congress in 1874, being defeated through the interests which he had antagonized in the Territorial Council, when he had prevented some legislation which was directed toward the confiscation of the public lands.
In 1878 he was elected to the Legislature of Colorado, and during his term of office was appointed County Judge, but declined to accept. He was elected a member of the Constitutional Convention of Colorado in 1875, and was the one who more than any other secured for the women of Colorado the right to the franchise. For this he has been called "the Father of Women Suffrage in Colorado." He was a most eminent member of this body, serving on the Committee on "Order of Business and Proper Rules for the Government of the Convention;" Chairman of the Committee on "State, Municipal and County Indebtedness;" "Revisions and Adjustments;" on Stand-ing Committee on "Rules;" on "The Right of Suffrage and Election," and his Minority Report brought in from this Committee is printed in page 266 of the Proceedings of the Convention (edition of 1907.) In 1881 he was appointed to revise the laws of Colorado, which he did, working several years. (Statutes of 1884.) The work is still the official law of the state. (His name does not appear on the book, however, except in the preamble.)
He was always most eloquent. When, in Congress, he made his speech on the Civil Rights Bill, Thaddeus Stevens came to him, and, taking both hands, said, "It was grand." As Stevens was the finest orator in the House, the praise was appreciated.
He ran on the same ticket with Lincoln in 1856, both being candidates for Presidential Elector, Lincoln being for Elector-at-Large, and he being for elector for the Seventh District (Buchanan's time). Both voted for Fremont. Others on the ticket were Colonel Olney of Chester, and John W. Palmer, who was candidate from the Springfield District; Allen C. Fuller of Winnebago Co., Judge Plato, Leonard Swett (Blooming-ton), Lawrence Weldon (C1inton). The ticket stood:
- ABRAHAM LINCOLN
- H. P. H. BROMWELL
- LEONARD SWETT
- LAWRENCE WELDEN
- WM. B. PLATO
- JOHN OLNEY
For many years he had been one of the most influential and prominent speakers and orators in promoting the organi-zation of the Republican party in Illinois, and to show how he worked, and what his influence was, a few letters of that period are appended to this biography. He "stumped" the state with Lincoln, and assisted him in that most important campaign of 1860. For twenty years he played a most important part in the political work of Illinois.
Masonic Accomplishments
He was made a Mason in Temperance Lodge No. 16, at Vandalia, Ill., in 1854; Senior Deacon, 1855; Worshipful Master, 1856-7. Removing to Charleston, he was, in June, 1858, elected a member and Worshipful Master of Charleston Lodge No. 35 being re-elected in '59-'60-'61-'62 and '63. In 1861 he was appointed Grand Orator of the Grand Lodge of Illinois.
In 1862-4-9 he continued to fill this office. In 1863 he was elected Senior Grand Warden, Deputy Grand Master in 1864, and Grand Master in 1865. He declined re-election in 1866 as being unjust to J. R. Gorin, who had served as his deputy during his absence in Washington attending the stormy sessions of the Congress of 1865-6.
He took the Royal Arch Degrees in Edgar Chapter, Paris, Ill., in 1859. He was High Priest of Keystone Chapter, No. 54, Charleston, Ill., in 1861-2-3, received the Degree of Royal and Select Master at Paris, Ill., in 1860 or '61; the orders of Knighthood in Ellwood Commandery in Springfield, Ill., in 1861, and the Scottish Rite Degrees to the 32d in Denver, Colo., 1877. He was all honorary member of Naval Lodge No. 4, and Pantalpha Lodge No. 25, in the District of Columbia. In Denver he affiliated with Lodge No. 5, April 4, 1874, and with Denver Chapter No. 2, May 22, 1878. He was Grand Orator of the Grand Lodge of Colorado in 1874, and was made an honorary member of this body in 1889. He was also an honorary member of the Scottish Rite bodies of Denver. He was the originator of a branch of Masonry known as the F. & A. Architects, which flourished for a number of years. It was designed to impart to students of Masonry a knowledge of the symbolism not otherwise obtainable. It had five Lodges--one in Charles-ton, Ill.; one in Washington. D.C.; at Denver, and at Portland, Maine, and San Francisco. There was also a Grand Lodge. After his retirement from active work in it, the Lodges became dormant.
His work on Symbolry occupied him for twenty years in the composition, and was not published until after his death, under the auspices of the Grand Lodge of Colorado. He made elaborate and beautiful plates for its illustration, finely drawn in water color. This work, now published and circulated in nearly every Grand Jurisdiction in the world, has been made the subject of resolutions by the Grand Lodge of Illinois, by which it is characterized as "The most remarkable contribution of its class ever made to Masonic literature."
Lawrence N. Greenleaf characterized him as "The foremost Mason of his time." The late Dr. Joseph Robbins, one of the most eminent scholars in Masonry the Craft has ever had, said in an address delivered before the Grand Lodge of Illinois that he was "the most singularly striking personality that has graced the presence and adorned the annals of this Grand Lodge since its organization."
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