Lodge for twenty-three consecutive years, and after he retired from the Master's chair he was elected Secretary, and held that office until his death. He was exalted a Royal Arch Mason in Temple Chapter, No. 21, R. A. M., at Coldwater, June 22, 1859, and at the annual election the same year he was elected to the office of King. In 1863 he was elected High Priest and held the office for twelve years. In 1876 he was elected Grand Royal Arch Captain in the Grand Chapter; in 1877, Grand Principal Sojourner, and in 1878 Grand Captain of the Host.

Companion Bovee was a petitioner for the Council degrees at the meeting held December 9, 1859, for instituting Mt. Moriah Council, No. 6, at Coldwater, and was elected and received the degrees at that time, being elected Steward to complete the list of officers. In 1860 he was elected Recorder and after serving in other capacities was elected Thrice Illustrious Master, December 17, 1864, serving eleven years.

He first appeared in Grand Council as a representative of the newly chartered Council and in 1862 was elected Grand Principal Conductor of the Work and steadily advanced until in 1865 he was elected Thrice Illustrious Grand Puissant. Soon after that time he prepared the Council Ritual, which was adopted and has since remained the standard work of this jurisdiction with slight changes.

By the older members of Grand Council the name of David Bovee will long be cherished and remembered. His labors were such as met the highest approval of all, and his name will stand prominently in the archives of Grand and Subordinate Councils.

He received the Orders of Christian Knighthood in Jacobs Commandery, in 1860. The following year he was elected Recorder and served three years, then six years as Senior Warden and four years Eminent Commander. In 1888 he was again elected Recorder and served the rest of his life in that station.

In 1866 Companion Bovee was elected Grand Junior Warden in the Grand Commandery, Knights Templar, of Michigan, and steadily advanced to the position of Deputy Grand Commander.

For several years he labored diligently on a history of Tyre Lodge, and biographical sketch of every one of its members, which was read at the semi-centennial celebration of his Lodge. During his last illness this volume mysteriously disappeared and has never been brought to light since, and thus was lost a valuable record and much patient and arduous labor.

After a lingering illness of several months he died on July 19, 1900, and was buried by the Lodge to which he had given so many years of serivce. He was an honorable and successful business man, a highly esteemed citizen and will long be remembered in the community in which he spent the most of his life.

SEAMAN L. DART.

GRAND MASTER, 1866.

Seaman L. Dart was born in northern Ohio, March 20, 1829. He came to Michigan at an early age and settled at Jackson, where he resided until May, 1853, when he removed to Coldwater, where he remained until 1865, removing then to Cambria, Hillsdale County, and a few years later to Herman, Nebraska.

He learned the trade of shoemaker in early life, which he followed for some time after removing to Coldwater, when he studied medicine and took up the practice of that profession.

He was an ardent lover of Masonry. He was made a Master Mason in Jackson Lodge, No. 17, May 2, 1853, when he was twentyfour years old, and during the rest of his life devoted much time and energy to the institution. It was but a few years until he had received all the degrees in Chapter, Council and Commandery, and in all those bodies, together with the Lodge, he served as presiding officer for many years, inspiring his associates with that zeal and enthusiasm which so eminently characterized him.

His ability secured his early recognition in the Grand Bodies which he attended, and he rapidly rose to the highest positions, being Grand Master of the Grand Council R. & S. M., and Grand Commander K. T., in 1866, when only thirty-five years old.

He died at his residence in Herman, Nebraska, on the eighth day of February, 1883, being then fifty-four years of age.