M. W. Robert Judson Kenworthy; William Judson Minor; and (Herman) Leroy Fairchild;

May 20, 1911, Albany Evening Journal, Page 10, Column 1, Fraternal News.

Calender for next week:
Monday---Masters lodge No. 8. Work. Entered Apprentice.
Tuesday---James Ten Eyck lodge No. 233. Work. Master Mason. Temple chapter No. 5. Work. Mark Master.
Wednesday----Wadsworth lodge No. 417. Work. Fellow Craft.
Thursday — Washington lodge No. 35. Work. Master Mason. Albany Sovereign Consistory reunion, 19th to 32d. inclusive.
Friday—Capital City No. 242. Work. Mark Master.

Among all the institutions known to man at the present day, Freemasonry and the power behind it are the only ones that undertake with clear intelligence to define man's duty to himself and to his fellow men, and to point out the lines of self-protection, liberation, and higher evolution by exact ethical formula, free from all dogmatism, superstition, fear, or any other motive whatever. Freemasonry thus stands as the epitome of human wisdom, and of man's highest achievement at the present time.

Next Thursday evening the annual meetings of the lodge, council and chapter of Scottish Rite Masonry of the Valley of Albany, for election of officers and other important business, will be held at Scottish Rite hall, Masonic Temple. Every member of those branches of masonry should be present and take part.

The appointment of M. W. Robert Judson Kenworthy, grand master, will be announced about June 1.
The new chapel of the Masonic Home, Utica, will be dedicated on St. John's day, Saturday, June 24, and it is expected that the fraternity will be present in large numbers. The grand master, M. W. Robert Judson Kenworthy, will perform the service, asisted by his associate officers. The members from this, the seventeenth district, ever loyal to the fraternity and the grand master, will no doubt attend in greater numbers than at any ceremony in the past, and due notice will be given later as to full arrangements.

Petitions for Kaa-Rheu-Vahn Grotto No. XX, M. O. V. P. E. R. are being sought for by many of the younger members of Masonry. As any master Mason is eligible for the order no doubt a large class will be ready for the session of May 29. The grand monarch, Prophet Hatch of Rochester, and assistant prophets will be present to witness the work, and at the close a banquet will be served.

In an effort to verify the precise spelling of "Kaa-Rheu-Vahn Grotto No. XX, M.O.V.P.E.R.," which the atrocious text of the Albany Evening Journal provided by FultonHistory.com left exceedingly unclear, I came upon the following biographical entry for William Judson Minor. I don't know if it's necessarily pertinent, although I felt a half-synchronicity---certainly with the shared "Judson" middle names. There could very well be a history of Satanic necrophilia at The Little Church Around the Corner. I wouldn't put it past the thin blooded Mayflower descendants, the original religious freaks kicked out of Merry Old England, and for good reason. Given the unreal niceties found here in the projection of public image, to know the truth, we must first understand the sound of lies. The acronym stands for--The Mystic Order of Veiled Prophets of the Enchanted Realm,--founded in Hamilton, New York in the summer of 1889, by Leroy Fairchild, who most likely is Herman Leroy Fairchild, although the Wikipedia entry doesn't note any role in Masonry. Said to reside in Hamilton, Herman Leroy was an "Early Promoter and Defender of Meteorite Impact Cratering." In other words, this Fairchild may be the original earth daddy of Area 51! The Mystic Order of Veiled Prophets of the Enchanted Realm, was originally named the "Fairchild Deviltry Committee."

"Encyclopedia of biography of New York, a life record of men and women whose sterling character and energy and industry have made them preëminent in their own and many other states," (1916) Page 248, MINOR, William Judson, Progressive Man of Affairs.

There is always valuable lessons to be gained in perusing the life histories of such men as the late William Judson Minor, for many years a progressive man of affairs of New York City during the generation that has just past. His life forcibly illustrated what energy, integrity and a fixed purpose can accomplish when animated by noble aims and correct ideals. Wherever he was known Mr. Minor held the unequivocal esteem of those with whom he came in contact, for he was a man whom to know was to trust and admire, owing to his many commendable attributes of head and heart, and when "the reaper whose name is Death" gathered him in his sheaves he was greatly missed by a wide acquaintance. Whether as a business man, sportsman or churchman he was always the high-minded, straightforward and genteel gentleman, adhering strictly to the sublime precepts of the Golden Rule ; therefore he merited the high esteem in which he was universally held.

Mr. Minor was bom at Cairo, Greene county. New York, November 13, 1844. He was a descendant of two excellent old families of the Empire State, being the son of Oliver P. and Laura Eliza (Lennon) Minor, of English and Irish ancestry. The father devoted his active life to general agriculture pursuits.

William, J. Minor received his early education in the common schools of Cairo, growing to manhood in his native community. In later life his education was greatly enlarged by wide miscellaneous home reading and by contact with the business world. During the Civil War he offered his services to the government, becoming a member of a military organization and remained ready to lend what assistance he could to the Union. When a boy he assisted his father with the work on the farm, the elder Minor dying when the subject of this sketch was twenty-two years old, whereupon the latter left the homestead and went to New York City where he secured employment in an undertaking establishment and there learned the embalming business, later engaged in the business on his own account at No. 112 East Twenty-ninth street, remaining in the undertaking and embalming business until his death, being very successful and becoming one of the best known men in his line in New York, maintaining an extensive and modernly equipped establishment.

For many years Mr. Minor was closely identified with the Church of the Transfiguration, the famous "Little Church Around the Corner," of which Dr. Houghton is pastor. It is located on Twenty-ninth street, near Fifth avenue. He was the official "sexton" of this wealthy Episcopal congregation, and as such had charge of all entertainments, weddings and funerals there. He was active in the general work of the church and took a deep interest in religious affairs. He was well versed in the Bible and his daily life was that of a man of high religious sentiments. He was charitably inclined and took delight in assisting the needy and helpless. He was personally acquainted with many of the noted men of the country during his day and generation, and everyone always reposed implicit confidence in him, knowing him to be a man of high principles. He was quiet and unassuming, yet a genial, companionable man who made friends easily. He never was known to meddle, always attending strictly to his own business.

Mr. Minor was a prominent Odd Fellow and Mason, the former lodge presenting him with a very fine regalia and a beautiful loving cup. He belonged to Warren Lodge, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, also the encampment and veterans of this order; also Excelsior Lodge, No. 1905, Free and Accepted Masons; Amity Chapter, No. 160, Royal Arch Masons; the United States Council, Royal and Select Masters; Palestine Commandery, No. 18, Knights Templar; Mecca Temple, Azim Grotto, No. 7, M. O. V. P. E. R.; Masonic Veterans, Masonic Club, and he was a member of the Greene County Society, Nassau Driving Club, New York Driving Club, Road Drivers' Association of New York City, the New York State Driving Club, and the Undertakers' Society.

On November 21, 1909, Mr. Minor was married in New York City by Dr. Houghton in the Church of the Transfiguration, to Elizabeth Wood, a daughter of Laurin and Elizabeth (Cole) Wood, of English ancestry and Revolutionary stock. Mrs. Minor's progenitors came to America on the "Mayflower'' in 1620. She was of great assistance to her husband in his work, at the same time has always been active in church affairs and is a deep Bible student. She is a charity worker and known to a large circle as a helpful, kind, generous and noble character. The union of Mr. and Mrs. Minor was without issue.

The death of William J. Minor occurred after a brief illness, on Sunday, December 3, 1916, in his seventy-third year. Among the many tributes to his memory was the following letter of condolence received by Mrs. Minor from W. Gartrell, secretary of the Nassau Driving Club:

MINEOLA, New York, December 29, 1916.
Mrs. W. J. Minor:
Be it and it is hereby resolved, That the members of the Nassau Driving Club on the ninth day of December, mourn the loss of a brother, W. J. Minor, and tender their deepest sympathy to the bereaved widow, trusting that she will be able with Divine help and strength to bear the sorrow with fortitude and patience, and assuring her that the virtues of the deceased will ever be cherished in the memories of the members of this club.

Mr. Minor was an expert amateur driver and his hobby was fine horses. He won ten cups as prizes on the speedway. We quote, in part, as follows from an article on the death of the subject of this memoir, which appeared in one of the leading turf publications of America:

The death of William T. Minor, last Sunday afternoon, after a short illness, came as a distinct shock to his many friends in light-harness circles in this city (New York), and the news of his demise brought much sadness and regret to all those who had valued his friendship as a fine gentleman, a good fellow-sportsman and a keen lover of the light-harness horse.

For a number of years Mr. Minor's health had been slightly failing, and during the past year he had given up driving in the matinees on that account, but it did not prevent him from taking an active interest in local light-harness affairs.

For many years Mr. Minor has been a notable figure in local amateur racing in this city, and with his favorite pacer, "Hiram Abiff"—a horse that he loved as much as any man can love a horse—he started in various races on the New York Speedway, the Parkway track, at the Empire track and finally at the Mineola track. Although during the last ten years of his activities as an amateur driver, (Mr. Minor was more than seventy years old) his skill as a reinsman was as keen as that of a professional driver of younger years, and many of the ribbons and cups that he won were secured as much through his ability as a reinsman as through the merits of the horses he drove.

While Mr. Minor owned a number of fast horses, his pacer, "Hiram Abiff," was his favorite, and although the son of "A. L. Kempland," he had had an extensive racing career before Mr. Minor secured him, his speed abilities and his endurance never waned. Like his departed master, "Hiram Abiff" was on the firing line at all times, never willing to give up the battle right to the wire. Mr. Minor used him to drive summer and winter and there was never a time when both were not ready for a spirited race.

Other horses that Mr. Minor owned were as follows: "Starmoor," a handsome black stallion with which he won many ribbons on the Speedway and other horse shows, and "Nellie R.," a former Speedway cup winner.

According to the web site dreamwater.org 'hiramdiscovered,' even though the name sounds Jewish, "Hiram Abiff," was the King of Egypt, circa 1554 BC. The page's self-description says: "This Masonic site offers 'Light' not found on many other Masonic sites. It investigate the origin of the 'Brotherhood' from Enoch to Jesus."