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John H. Mitchell
Founder of the Supreme Council, 33º
In the United States of America
By: Illustrious Brother McDonald L. Burbidge, 33º
Freemasonry first enjoyed consideration and a firm footing in Germany when
the highly gifted crown prince, afterwards King Frederick II of Prussia, was
initiated. Without his influence Masonry in Germany would not have met with the
support nor have been very extensively disseminated.
In the year 1801 Charleston, South Carolina was known as "The Antebellum City"
because of the rapid expansion of rice and cotton growing along with the
fabulous prices that these Commodities brought to the planters.
During the war Colonel Mitchell held the title of, Deputy Quartermaster General.
The duties of his job were to supply any officer whatever they needed at the
time and to make sure they were received what they had requested.
In the latter half of 1778 a correspondence began between George Washington and
John Mitchell. In a letter from General George Washington to Mitchell
(Fredericksburg, November 11, 1778) indicates there had been earlier
correspondence. It acknowledges certain goods received from Mitchell, and then
mentions Mrs. Washington is en route to Philadelphia which Washington asks a
favor of Mitchell.
"Upon her arrival in Philadelphia I must beg the favor of you to give me notice
of it by the Lay expresses that I may send for her, if my own quarters for the
winter should happen to be fixed up. But as this is not the case yet, and I do
not know when it will be, I cannot, under the Uncertainty of her stay in the
city, think of accepting yours and Mrs. Mitchell’s kind and polite Invitation to
her to lodge with you; the trouble of such a visitor (for more than a day or so)
being too much for a private family. But I shall be equally thankful to you for
providing good lodgings for her, as I do not know how long it may necessary for
her to remain in them."
In other letters between these two gentlemen you will find that Colonel Mitchell
supplied General Washington with china, candlesticks, clothes, hats, and writing
paper. Mitchell showed a great amount of admiration for General Washington that
is seen in the letters passed between these two gentlemen throughout the War.
On June 25th, 1781, "says Mackey, Barend M. Spitzer, in a convention of
Inspectors held at the city of Philadelphia, conferred the degrees, and the rank
of an Inspector upon Colonel John Mitchell." He later became Master of the Lodge
of Perfection established at Charleston in 1783, Most Equitable (Master) of the
Grand Council of Princes of Jerusalem. In the year 1802 he held the following
titles of Perfect Sovereign of the Rose Croix Chapter, President of the Council
of Princes of Jerusalem, and Grand Commander of the Grand Consistory.
In September 1787 Brother Mitchell was elected a Warden of Ward 2, Charleston,
South Carolina. The statutes of South Carolina at the time provided a
requirement that wardens must have resided in the State at least three years
previous to election and would indicate that Brother Mitchell had arrived in
Charleston sometime during 1784.
According to Grand Commander Fitzibbon of Ireland, Mitchell is believed to have
been initiated in an Ulster Lodge No. 8, in Charleston. In 1789 and 1790 he was
Junior Grand Warden of the Grand Lodge of South Carolina and in 1799 and 1800 he
was Deputy Grand Master. This is where he found the opportunity for exercising
that Masonic foresight and vision, which was so well, manifested a couple of
years later. Under the date of June 24, 1799, he signed a circular to other
Grand Lodges to unite all lodges under a systematic plan to work together.
The Charleston Orphan House, the oldest municipal orphanage in the United States
at the time, was founded on October 18, 1790, at the instigation of John
Robertson, a philanthropic citizen and a member of City Council. The Charleston
Orphan House stood at the corner of Calhoun and St. Philip Streets. It’s main
purpose was to establish the Institution for the purpose of supporting and
educating poor and orphan children and those of poor and disabled parents who
are unable to support and maintain them. From its founding John Mitchell was one
of the Commissioners of the Orphan House at Charleston. A tablet commemorating
the first meeting of the Commissioners on October 28, 1790 lists Mitchell second
after Major Charles Lining. He is recorded as being present at every meeting
thereafter until 1794. The minutes show no one more active than Colonel Mitchell
in promoting public support for the Orphan House and in the management of its
affairs during the difficult first years. On Saturday May 7, 1791 President
George Washington, with the City Intendment and Wardens, visited the Orphans
House, and Mitchell is listed as the senior Commissioner receiving him,
afterwards entertaining him at breakfast in the Commissioners’ Room.
A set of tablets containing the names of the first commissioners- Arnoldus
Vanderhorst, Charles Lining, John Mitchell, John Robertson, Richard Cole, Thomas
Corbett, William Marshall, Thomas Jones, and Samuel Beekman, and also,
individual tablets to John Robertson, was made and put on pubic display at the
Orphan House. At the one-hundredth anniversary of the Orphan House a banner was
made. On the front of the banner was written, 1790 Charleston Orphan House 1890.
On the back of the banner located in the center was a drawing of a ship’s anchor
with a chain on it. Above the anchor is the word "Faith" and below it is written
"Charity."
The Society of the Cincinnati was established in Charleston, South Carolina in
1783 with the first president being William Moultrie. The Society motto was,
"FOR BROTHERLY KINDNESS, FOR UNION AND NATIONAL HONOR. AS LONG AS THEY SHALL
ENDURE."
In the Institution, or basic law of the Society of the Cincinnati, its founders
thus explained their choice of its name:
" The Officers of the American Army have been generally taken from the citizens
of America, posses high veneration for the character of that illustrious Roman,
Lucius Quintius Cincinnatus, and being resolved to follow his example, by
returning to their citizenship, they think they may, with propriety, denominate
themselves the Society of the Cincinnati."
Colonel Mitchell was elected a member of the Standing Committee of the Society
on July 4, 1798. At the same time Major Thomas B. Bowen was chosen the senior of
the Society’s two Stewards. He again appears, as Chairman of this Committee for
1806, 1807, 1808, and 1809. The list of officers elected for the year of 1810
and 1812 shows that John Mitchell was elected Secretary for South Carolina. He
was again elected Chairman of the Standing Committee in 1814, 1815, and 1816. It
should also be noted that General George Washington who was also a member of the
Society was a good friend of Colonel John Mitchell during and after the
Revolutionary War.
On May 31, 1801 Colonel John Mitchell along with his close friend Brother
Frederick Dalcho established in Charleston a Supreme Council of the Ancient &
Accepted Scottish Rite, Dalcho had received the necessary qualification from
Colonel John Mitchell six days before the opening of the Supreme Council.
Colonel Mitchell who was a native of Ireland and an officer of the American Army
in the Revolutionary War. Frederick Dalcho was a native of England, who was
afterwards Grand Commander of the Council, and Assistant Rector of St. Michael’s
Episcopal Church in Charleston. This was the first official meeting of the
Supreme Council. The place for this historic event was held at "Shepheard’s
Tavern" which also served as a meeting place for some of Charleston’s earlier
Masonic Lodges since 1736. It was located at the corner of Broad and Church
Street in downtown Charleston. Also established on this date by Colonel John H.
Mitchell was "The New Age Magazine." The magazine was used as a tool to informed
Brothers everywhere what the Supreme Council was doing at the time; similar to
what the, "Circular Throughout the Two Hemispheres" did to inform the world of
the creation of the Supreme Council in Charleston.
There has been much debate and concern as to when Col. John H. Mitchell passed
away. Ray Baker Harris book on "Eleven Gentlemen of Charleston" lists John
Mitchell’s death as January 16, 1816. In 1816 a silver smith by the name of John
Mitchell appears in the city directory. He was listed as a jeweler at No. 168
Meeting Street, his name does not appear in any of the city directories again.
Colonel John H. Mitchell is listed as living at 17 Guignard Street in the city
directory. Albert Mackey lists John Mitchell date of death as in the year 1820
with no month or date provided.
Located in the Charleston city directory for the year of 1822-1827 lists
"Mitchell, John H., Quorum Unis & Notary Public, Residence 42 Guignard St.
Office 88 E. Bay St. In "The Charleston News and Courier" for January 27, 1816
you will find a death notice for Colonel John H. Mitchell.
"DIED, on Thursday evening, in the 85th year of his age, Colonel JOHN MITCHELL,
For many years Notary Public and Magistrate of this city."
As of yet his final resting-place has not been located in Charleston. The search
will continue till one day when his grave will be found.
On May 31, 2001 the Scottish Rite Masons honored Ill. Brother John H. Mitchell
along with the 10 other "Gentlemen of Charleston." Col. John H. Mitchell will
always be remembered as the one who succeeded in establishing the Supreme
Council for the 33° in the United States of America. Shepheard’s Tavern is no
longer located at the corner of Broad and Church Street as it once was. But its
memory and what it stands for will always be there for generations to come to
Scottish Rite Masons throughout the world.
If you have the chance to visit Charleston, SC, position yourself on the corner
of Broad and Church Street just as our founding fathers once did. As you are
standing on this corner try to visualize what it might have been like on May 31,
1801 in Shepheard’s Tavern Lodge Room when Col. Mitchell was seated in the East
looking around the lodge room at all the Brothers there for the first historic
meeting. As Ill. Brother Mitchell stands up and embraces the gavel, the gavel is
raised and drops down with a loud bang as he announces the meeting called to
order for the first Supreme Council of the Scottish Rite in the United States of
America.
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