Baron Steuben Lodge #264
5559 Lee Center-Taberg RoadLee Center, New York 13363
Stated Communications 2nd & 4th Wednesdays
Photo courtesy of R:.W:. John R. Gilbert
Spring 2000
Major General Friedrich Wilhelm Ludolf
Gerhard Augustin Baron von Steuben
Baron Frederick William von Steuben was born in Magdeburg, Prussia on November 15, 1730 and died November 28, 1794. When he was only 14 years old, he was a volunteer at the siege of Prague and rose steadily in rank until, in 1752, he was on the staff of Frederick the Great.
Baron Steuben met Benjamin Franklin in France. It was Franklin who persuaded him to come to America in December 1777. Steuben became the Inspector General of the American Revolutionary Army, serving with Washington at Valley Forge. He trained troops & wrote the drill manual adopted by The Continental Army.
The effect of Steuben's training was most obvious during the battle of Monmouth (June, 1778), when American forces, who had begun the retreat under orders from Charles Lee, rallied against the British on Washington's arrival.
He also commanded a division at The Battle of Yorktown, and was a military planner to Washington following the war.
After the war, he was given 16,000 acres of land located in the present Town of Steuben and built a temporary residence there. When he died in 1794, he was buried at his own request in the center of a five acre parcel of woodland.
His body was exhumed in 1824 by his side-de-camp and adopted son, Colonel Walker, who re-interred his remains at a spot nearby where a monument was erected over the grave.
The original monument was replaced in 1870-1871 by the more imposing one which now marks the final resting place of this Patriot. It was financed by a State grant and by a public subscription, mainly by citizens of German decent in this country.
Baron Steuben Memorial Photo circa 1936
These bits of cloth were snipped from Steuben's uniform by Chester Winfield Porter when the body was first exhumed. They were presented to Roman Lodge #82, where they remained in the possession of Roman Lodge until the time of the Morgan Incident.
When the lodge discontinued its meetings, the property of the lodge was divided among the active members for safe keeping. The patches of cloth were placed in the custody of Brother Byron Fox Sr., along with the charter for the lodge. Subsequently, they passed to Byron Fox Jr., and then to his brother-in-law, Brother Roy P. Newell, who held them for a number of years.
When Brother Newell passed away, the patches were held by R:.W:. Raymond Adey, then secretary of Roman Lodge. He felt that Baron Steuben Lodge #264 should, logically, become the inheritor of this historic bit of memorabilia.
The uniform patches were formally presented to Baron
Steuben Lodge #264 on April 13, 1966
by R:.W:. Raymond Adey during his year as Grand Steward of the Grand Lodge
of the State of New York.
copy of original envelope, circa 1824