M.W. Frederick Charles Hesselmeyer 1950
Frederick Charles Hesselmeyer
Frederick Charles Hesselmeyer, the 104th Grand Master of Masons in Connecticut from April 5, 1950 to April 4, 1951, and who was the holder of the Pierpont Edwards Medal for distinguished service and the Jeremy Cross Medal of the Grand Lodge of New Hampshire for distinguished service, passed away on December 29, 1966.
He was born in New Haven July 1, 1895 and he received his education in that city, being graduated from Yale in 1916 and from Yale Law School in 1920.
During the first World War he served in the United States Naval Reserve Force, and at the conclusion of that war, retired with the rank of Lieutenant Commander U.S.N.R. He became interested in military affairs as a member of the Second Company of the Governor’s Foot Guard where he held the office of Captain and served as Judge Advocate. He also was a Past Commander of Hamden Post No. 88, American Legion and a member of the Military Order of World Wars.
He practiced law in New Haven since 1920 and was associated with Clifford B. Sturges in the firm of Hesselmeyer and Sturges. He held membership in the New Haven County Bar Association, Connecticut State Bar Association and American Bar Association.
He was interested in education and while a student at Yale, taught in the Roxbury School in Cheshire which subsequently became the Cheshire Academy. He served many years as Treasurer and Trustee of that institution. He was a member of Phi Beta Kappa, Phi Alpha Delta, Book and Gavel and was a member of the Yale Club of New Haven, Yale Club of New York, and religiously was a member of the First Baptist Church of New Haven.
He was married in Buffalo, New York on September 4, 1919 to Norma Koenig, who died in 1952. To them were born two children, Doris H. Pontius of Bethesda, Md. and Phyllis H. DelGiudice of Hamden, Connecticut, who with five grandchildren survive him. He subsequently married Hazel Washburn in 1953 and she also survives him.
His Masonic career began when he was raised in Day Spring Lodge No. 30 in Hamden on April 30, 1924. He became Worshipful Master of that Lodge in 1929 and served the Grand Lodge as District Deputy of the Fourth Masonic District for the years 1931 and 1932. He was appointed to the Grand Lodge line by Most Worshipful Walter M. Pickett and advanced to the station of Grand Master.
His other Masonic affiliations were with Pulaski Chapter No. 26, Royal Arch Masons; Crawford Council No. 19, Royal and Select Masters; New Haven Commandery No.2, Knights Templar; with all the Scottish Rite Bodies in the Valley of New Haven and with Lafayette Consistory of Bridgeport. He was also a member of Pyramid Temple A.A.O.N.M.S.; the New Haven Shrine Club; Dimaryp Court No. 66, Royal Order of Jesters; Alice Chapter No. 76, Order of the Eastern Star; New Haven Chapter No. 169, National Sojourners and Hartford Chapter No. 56, National Sojourners. He was President of the last named organization in 1942.
Masonic services were conducted by Day Spring Lodge Monday, January 2, and his funeral took place at the Hamden parlors of Beecher & Bennett on Tuesday, January 3 at 11 a.m. with the Rev. Alvin D. Johnson, pastor of the First Baptist Church of New Haven officiating. Interment was in Beaverdale Memorial Park, Hamden.
