Charles W. Nash (politician)

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Nash was an avowed Freemason and was involved heavily with Cryptic Masonry, the York Rite, the Scottish Rite, and the Knights Templar. He held several high-ranking positions within Masonic hierarchy including: Worshipful Master, Grand High Priest, Grand Master, and was a 32° Thrice Puissant Grand Master. [3] [4] [7] [8] Nash was originally made a Mason in Tecumseh, Michigan in December, 1854. [2] Nash received the Capitular degrees of Royal Arch Masonry in 1857, later being "anointed" as the High Priest in St. Paul, Minnesota in 1860. He later received the degrees of Cryptic Masonry in 1862 in St. Paul, and eventually received the Order of Knighthood and the Knights Templar in Des Moines. [2] Nash was eventually elected as the Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Minnesota from 1867-1871. [3] [4] [7]

Military career

In 1863 Nash volunteered for military service with Hatch's Minnesota Cavalry Battalion, a Minnesota cavalry battalion led by fellow freemason, Indian agent, and fur trader Edwin Aaron Clark Hatch. Nash was enrolled into the ranks of Company A of Hatch's Battalion under the command of Captain Abel Grovenor and was Grovenor's First lieutenant from 1863-1865. [2] [9] [10] [11] When Grovenor resigned his command of Company C, Nash was promoted to the rank of Captain on June 22, 1866. [10] Nash was mustered out of service with the rest of the battalion in June, 1866 and received the brevet rank of Major. [3] [12]

Later life and death

Following his military service Nash purchased the Pioneer Press, also called the St. Paul Pioneer Press. [1] [2] [13] In 1865 Nash ran for the office of Lieutenant Governor of Minnesota. [1] In January, 1869 Nash was elected as the Democratic minority leader during the Minnesota Democratic Legislative Caucus, he lost to majority leader Alexander Ramsey. [14] [15] Nash served as the Vice President of the reunion group of Hatch's Battalion in 1902. [16] In 1906 Nash settled land in Stanley County, South Dakota under the Homestead Act. Nash died on Thursday August 18, 1910 at 6:15am near Marietta, Minnesota and is buried in the Odd Fellows' Cemetery (now the Masonic Cemetery) in Philip, South Dakota. [2]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Philip Weekly Review. (Philip, SD), Aug. 25 1910. https://www.loc.gov/item/sn95076625/1910-08-25/ed-1/.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 The Bad River news. (Philip, SD), Aug. 25 1910. https://www.loc.gov/item/sn95076628/1910-08-25/ed-1/.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Masonic Token. (Portland, ME), Oct. 15 1910. https://www.universalfreemasonry.org/assets/pdf/masonic-token-vol-05-no-14.pdf
  4. 1 2 3 4 Freemasons. Grand Lodge of Illinois. Proceedings of the Grand Lodge of the State of Illinois Ancient Free and Accepted Masons. University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. [S.l. : s.n.
  5. ↑ The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. (Burlington, IA), Dec. 9 1857. https://www.loc.gov/item/sn86060019/1857-12-09/ed-1/.
  6. ↑ "Nash, Charles W. "C.W." - Legislator Record - Minnesota Legislators Past & Present". www.lrl.mn.gov. Retrieved 2025-11-17.
  7. 1 2 Levenduski, Cristine M. (2001). The Scottish Rite of Freemasonry in Minnesota: 1867-2001 (PDF). Duluth, Minnesota: Scottish Rite Foundation of Duluth. pp. 34, 98, 159.
  8. ↑ Proceedings Of The Grand Lodge Of Minnesota 1861.
  9. ↑ Libraries, University of Minnesota. "Minnesota Historical Election Archive". Minnesota Historical Election Archive. Retrieved 2025-11-17.
  10. 1 2 Minnesota. Adjutant General's Office (1862). Annual report. The Library of Congress. Saint Paul.
  11. ↑ "Soldier Details - The Civil War (U.S. National Park Service)". www.nps.gov. Retrieved 2025-11-17.
  12. ↑ "Battle Unit Details - The Civil War (U.S. National Park Service)". www.nps.gov. Retrieved 2025-11-17.
  13. ↑ The Minneapolis journal. (Minneapolis, MN), Feb. 20 1902. https://www.loc.gov/item/sn83045366/1902-02-20/ed-1/.
  14. ↑ St. Paul Daily Press, Volume 9, Number 16, 20 January 1869 Edition 02. https://newspaperhub.mnhs.org/?a=d&d=spp18690120-02.1.1&srpos=1&e=-------en-20--1--img-txIN-nash-------spp18690120%252D02----
  15. ↑ Libraries, University of Minnesota. "Minnesota Historical Election Archive". Minnesota Historical Election Archive. Retrieved 2025-11-17.
  16. ↑ The Minneapolis journal. (Minneapolis, MN), Sep. 3 1902. https://www.loc.gov/item/sn83045366/1902-09-03/ed-1/.
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Major
Charles Whippo Nash
Charles Whippo Nash.jpg
Nash in 1867 wearing Masonic regalia
Mayor of Des Moines
In office
1857–1857