While looking for other Salt Lake City newspaper articles about Henry C. Tryon I uncovered one about the Indiana Consistory. Tryon was not only a Scottish Rite member in Indianapolis, but also responsible for some of their earliest scenery. I could barely hold my excitement as I read through the article in its entirety. This was the proverbial smoking gun, a particular bit of evidence that I had been searching for since the mid-1990s.
For years, I sought to establish any concrete connection between the initial construction of scenery produced for degree productions in Indianapolis, Cincinnati, and Chicago. You see, there was a wave of “new and improved” Scottish Rite theaters that appeared during the early 1880s and here was the final puzzle piece – Indianapolis (Henry C. Tryon), Cincinnati (E.T. Harvey) and Chicago (David A. Strong with Sosman & Landis). I finally was able to make the connection between Tryon as the scenic artist for the Indianapolis Scottish Rite just before he began at Sosman & Landis Scenic Studio. The connection was that Tryon would begin working for Sosman & Landis in Chicago during 1884 after finishing the scenery for Indianapolis. For me, this was especially significant as Tryon, Sosman and Strong were all Scottish Rite Masons.
In my doctoral dissertation “Scenic Shifts Upon the Scottish Rite Stage: Designing for Masonic Theatre, 1859-1929,” I included a partial history concerning some early Scottish Rite theaters. I argued that the renovated Pork House in Indianapolis marked a significant moment in the evolution of degree productions as Scottish Rite Bodies (Lodge, Council, Chapter and Consistory). In 1883 the Indianapolis Scottish Rite purchased an existing building and converted it to include TWO theaters. While researching and writing my dissertation, I had longed for a detailed description of who designed and painted the scenery for Indianapolis. Now I had it –Tryon!
For those unfamiliar with the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry in Indianapolis, here is a brief recap and remember that the Northern Masonic Jurisdiction is always full of change and surprise. The Indiana Consistory was organized in March 1865 and chartered on May 19, 1865. The four Scottish Rite Bodies in Indianapolis were the Adoniram Lodge of Perfection Saraiah Council of Princes of Jerusalem, Indianapolis Chapter of Rose Croix, and the Indiana Consistory S.P.R.S. In May of 1863, Masons in Indianapolis sought to bring the Ineffable Degrees (Lodge of Perfection, 4th – 14th) to Indianapolis. They petitioned the Boston Supreme Council for dispensation to organize a Lodge of Perfection and Council of Princes of Jerusalem. Now remember that there are rival Supreme Councils (governing body) for the Scottish Rite in the Northern Masonic Jurisdiction. I will not go into the basis of the differences at this time, but it is important to understand that if you belonged to one Scottish Rite, you were booted out of the other.
The two opposing parties at the time were the Van Rensselaer Council of Boston and the Raymond Council of New York. Keep in mind that two years after the Indianapolis Consistory is approved as part of the Boston group, the two merge in the Union Council. By 1867, the two councils ended their separate existences and merged their memberships in a Grand Union on May 17, 1867.
In my dissertation I connected much of the early propagation of Scottish Rite degree productions with Killian Van Rensselaer.
He reminded me of the proverbial “Johnny Appleseed,” sowing the seeds of Scottish Rite Freemasonry throughout the Northern Jurisdiction. In an Appendix, I listed the Scottish Rite Bodies chartered by Van Rensselaer from 1848 to 1863. They included New Haven, Connecticut (Lodge and Council, 1848), New York City (Lodge, Council, Chapter, 1848), New Port Rhode Island (Lodge and Council 1850), Columbus, Ohio (Lodge and Council, 1851), Pittsburg, Pennsylvania (Lodge and Council, 1852), Cincinnati, Ohio (Lodge, Council, Chapter and Consistory, 1953), Cambridge, Ohio (Lodge and Council, 1856), Chicago, Illinois (Lodge, Council, Chapter and Consistory, 1856), Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (Lodge, Council, Chapter and Consistory, 1856-1857), Cleveland, Ohio (Lodge, Council and Chapter, 1859), Detroit, Michigan (Lodge, Council, Chapter, and Consistory, 1861-1862), and Harrisburg, Pennsylvania (Lodge, Council, Chapter, and Consistory, 1863).
Van Rensselaer’s support of degree productions was quite brilliant and promoted the theatrical interpretation of degrees. He marketed staged degree work as a superior ceremonial experiences – and an incentive to join the Boston group over the Raymond group. Van Rensselaer was instrumental in not only establishing Scottish Rite Bodies and promoting degree productions, but also checking back in on the progress of “his” Scottish Rite Valleys.
It is important to understand his influence on late-nineteenth and early-twentieth century degree productions too. Van Rensselaer brought an overtly Christian interpretation to the 18th degree that would later weed its way into some of the Southern Jurisdiction degree productions. This was the degree that discussed a spiritual redeemer in various religions. Van Rensselaer used Jesus’ life as an example. His Valley’s staged the crucifixion and ascension, initially appearing as scenic tableaux in the east end lodge rooms. Often in roll drop form, they were situated in small recessed areas behind the Master’s chair. It was an inspirational scenic illusion in the degree – if you were Christian. For more information about the staging of this particular degree, I covered it in my dissertation
To be continued…
Historical note: Killian Henry Van Rensselaer (1800-1881) Sovereign Grand Commander of the Supreme Council AASR (NJ), 1862-67, was born on Sept. 9, 1800 in Greenbush (now known as Rensselaer), New York. He was a member of the Knickerbocker family. Van Rensselaer was made a Master Mason in Mount Moriah Lodge No. 245, Otisco, New York on April 4, 1822. He was active in the York Rite and Scottish Rite in several states. He became an Active Member of the Supreme Council in the Northern Jurisdiction (Boston) on June 17, 1845. He resigned as Grand Commander when the “Union” took place in 1867. He attended all but the first meeting of present Supreme Council, New Jersey until his death. He was a member of Cambridge Lodge No. 66, Cambridge, Ohio, serving as Master twice. He died on Jan. 29, 1881.
