Page Six



in August of the same year and delegates were sent to Virginia which passed
the Kentucky statehood act January 10, 1786.  1 he rnerrorial of the Kentuck-
ians was placed in the hands of John Marshall, celebrated in Masonic history
as Grand Master of Virginia, and in civil history as Governor of that State and
afterward Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the United Statcs.
    As the Federal Congress promptly refused to rat fj the acticn of Virgtini,
the efforts of three Danville Conventions failed,
    It is not surprising that the fourth convention did not meet, becauseo no
quorum could be gotten from the dispirited members. October 1786, Virginia
again Fassed the St tehotd act. Yet Kentucly ter elf seemed to be at a stand-
still, with no local legislature nor any one to guide her.
    At this juncture, a half dczen gentlemen met at Judge McDowell's resi-
dence near Danville, on St. John's Night, Dec. 27, 1786, and formed what they
termed "The Political Club".
    This organization proceeded to revive the drooping spirits o the pioneers
and to take the place of the Fourth Danville convent:on. Its roster never con-
tained more than 29 names, of which 12 can be identified as afterward affili-
ated with organized Masonry in Kentucky. There were, Major John Belli, a
merchant of Alexandria, Virginia, one of the chief movers of the club, and
afterward Washington's secret agent in the Indian campaigns of Bre. Anthony
Wayne.
    Thomas Todd, afterward a famous jurist, Clerk of previous conventions;
John Brown, first U. S. Senator from Kentucky; James Brown, first Secretary
of State, and David Walker, later a congressman, all members cf Lexington
Lodge, Thomas Todd being also identified wi.h Frankfort and James Brown
with Frankfcrt and Shelbyville lodges.
    The others were, Baker Ewing; identified with No. 2 and No. 4, Gabriel J.
Jones; with No. 5, Matthew Walton; with No. 6, Stephen Ormsby; with No. 3
James Speed; No. 20.

                      The result of these unselfish activities -was the revival
                  of the Danville Convention in 1787 and the sending of
                  delegates to Virginia General As3embly which ratified the
                  Federal Constitution the same year. These delegates were
                  Bros. Humphrey Marshall and John Fowler. At the same
                  time there was formed "The Society for the Promotion cf
                  Useful Know'edge," among whose 33 members may be
                  recognized the foremost Freemasons of the State.  Like-
  Maj. Jno. Belli  wise the first newspaper west of the Alleghenies was start-
ed by John Bradford with the patronage of the Danville convention, and this
brought the first paper mill and other factories. Fowler, Levi Todd, Marsha I,
all members of this revived convention, were afterward amrong the caT!y
members of Lexington Lodge.