Nathaniel Massie is Born

Today in Masonic History Nathaniel Massie is born in 1763.

Nathaniel Massie was an American politician.

Massie was born on December 28th, 1763 in Goochland, Virginia. During the American Revolution he served in the Virginia Militia.

After the war, Massie became a surveyor and was granted land in the Virginia Military District (VMD). The VMD was an area of land now part of Ohio. The land was granted to Virginia to provide to members of the Virginia militia for their service during the American Revolution in lieu of pay. In the VMD, Massie helped establish the first town there, which is now Manchester, Ohio. He also used some of his own land, he was the largest land owner in the VMD, to establish the town of Chillicothe, Ohio. He also planned out the town.

In 1802, Massie served in the Ohio Constitutional Convention prior to it's admission as a state. Massie was also part of the Chillicothe Junto, a political machine helped bring about Ohio's admission to the Union. The Chillicothe Junto also controlled politics in Ohio for many years after it's admission. After Ohio became a state, Massie joined the Ohio State Militia and became a major general.

Politically Massie was a Presidential elector for Thomas Jefferson (1804) and James Madison (1808). It was also in those years Massie served as a trustee of the Ohio University. He served in the Ohio General Assembly and served as the first president of the Ohio State Senate. In 1807, Massie was an unsuccessful candidate for Governor.

In the War of 1812, Massie continued to serve and led troops into combat.

In 1813, Massie contracted pneumonia and passed away from the disease on November 13th, 1813.

Massie was a member of Scioto Lodge No. 2, which is now No. 6, in Chillicothe, Ohio.

This article provided by Brother Eric C. Steele.