Page 234 - PGM Compendium

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH
Of
M⸫W⸫ Royal A. Gove: 1908-1909

M⸫W⸫ Royal Amenzo Gove was born at Strafford, Vermont, June
9 , 1856. The early days of his life saw him moving Wisconsin, then
th
to Minnesota where he remained until 1881. His educational years
saw him alternately teaching school and studying medicine. He
would graduate in that profession at Keokuk, Iowa, in 1878. From
1881 to 1890 he practiced medicine at Millville, Minnesota,
eventually finding his way to Tacoma.

th
His Masonic history shows great zeal: He was raised May 16 , 1882,
in Elgin Lodge, No. 115, Elgin, MN. He received the Royal Arch
and Council degrees, the 32d degree of the Scottish Rite, and was a
Shriner. In Tacoma his affiliation had been with Evergreen Lodge,
No. 51, except during a short residence at Enumclaw, where he
organized and was first Master of Crescent Lodge, No. 109. On his
return to Tacoma and Evergreen Lodge, he was again made Master of that Lodge in 1901, having
previously held that position for two terms in 1897-98.

He began attending the Annual Communication in 1893 and was immediately pressed into service on the
Committee on Obituaries. In 1899 he was made Representative of the Grand Lodge of Indian Territory
near this Grand Lodge and was also the Grand Representative of Utah. He was acting Grand Orator in
1901 and served as Custodian of the Work from 1900 to 1905. It was in this capacity that he rendered his
most valuable work for the Grand Lodge. At the request of then Grand Master, M⸫W⸫ Charles Atkins,
he along with then Grand Lecturer David Prescott undertook the revision of the esoteric work and
sacrificed much valuable time and hard labor. Their efforts made greater progress toward uniformity in
the Standard Work than in all the years before.

Our good Brother was elected Junior Grand Warden in 1905 and would be elevated to the rank & station
of Grand Master in 1908 – following in the footsteps of his father, M⸫W⸫ Royal Hatch Gove, Grand
Master of Masons in Minnesota in 1886.

The thoroughness and earnestness of his work in Grand Lodge was typical of his character; and the same
zeal has been displayed in local Masonic work, as well as in the practice of his profession. The first
Masonic school held in the State of Washington was convened and conducted for several years by him at
Tacoma; and the excellence of the work of the Lodges in that community was due in no small part to him,
while it inspired brethren of other communities to follow in his footsteps.

P a ge | 233