He closed
his honorable and useful life in the seventy-eighth year of his life
at Hingham, Mass., May 9, 1810.
This bit of history I have selected from the papers of Capt. Charles
Blake, who was the grand uncle of my sons, who died in 1859 during the
time I visited Boston with my husband to pursue my studies in music.
Capt. Charles Blake was the seventh captain of the Blake family, was a
man celebrated for his bravery and as a sailor was unexcelled in his
time. I also found among his papers a Masonic sheepskin (which perhaps
will be an interesting bit of information for the Masons of
California), the first one that was ever gotten for an American. It
could not be obtained in America, consequently it was secured in
England. It bears the faded marks of "Grand Lodge of Master Masons,
London No. 25, Registered on the books of the Grand Lodge in London,
the 11th day of September in the year of Masonry, 5011." The grand
seal is attached and signed by Robert Leslie, Grand Secretary: Edward
Harper, D. Gr. Sec. This is the oldest Masonic sheepskin of the grand
lodge in America. It was received by my uncle when he was twenty-five
years old and has been in my possession since 1869, forty-two years
ago, when we received his trunks after his death. I alone am able to
give these facts of our family history, which should be known to all
the members of our family. This is a family book as well as an
intimate history of my life.
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