Page 219 - PGM Compendium

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH
Of
M⸫W⸫ Thomas E. Skaggs: 1919-1920

Thomas Edward Skaggs was born in Chandlerville, Illinois
on January 29 1876, the son of Thomas Andrew and
th
Amanda (Montgomery) Skaggs. In 1889, the family moved
to the town of Snohomish, Washington. Here, young
Thomas completed his education in the public schools and
went on to study law with a local attorney.

He was admitted to the bar in 1897 and quickly discovered
that the studious and analytical side of legal work appealed
to him more than the litigious and controversial aspects.
Consequently, he became an expert in land titles and
devoted much of his career to that area of law. He became
Deputy County Treasurer of Snohomish County and then his
interest in the law of legal titles led to his association with
the title abstract business in Everett.

In 1913, he became a member of the State Tax Commission and later a member of the State Board of
Control. Following his government service, he returned to the title business in Everett and was appointed
Postmaster in 1934. He held this position until the time of his death.
Most Worshipful Brother Skaggs was raised a Master Mason in Centennial Lodge #25 in 1900 and served
two terms as its Worshipful Master in 1908 and 1909. His Grand Lodge service began that same year when
he was appointed Junior Grand Steward. Following this, he served on several Grand Lodge Committees for
the next five years. He was elected Junior Grand Warden in 1916 and served as Grand Master for the 1919-
1920 Masonic year.

M W Brother Skaggs term as Grand Master was a period of much growth for the Grand Lodge. He granted
dispensations for six new lodges and the jurisdiction experienced a gain of over 3000 members. At his
1920 Grand Lodge session, the jurisdiction appropriated
$2500 for the construction of the George Washington Masonic Memorial. Also, following a detailed
analysis by M⸫W⸫ Brother Skaggs, the Grand Lodge voted to withdraw from the Masonic Service
Association of the United States which had been formed the prior year in 1919. It was feared that this
group would require the Grand Lodge to surrender too many of its otherwise sovereign powers and that its
cost would be prohibitive to the membership.

Most Worshipful Brother Skaggs passed to the celestial Lodge on May 31, 1943.

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