Peleg Sprague Passes Away

Today in Masonic History Peleg Sprague passes away in 1880.

Peleg Sprague was an American politician.

Sprague was born on April 27th, 1793 in Duxbury, Massachusetts. He graduated from Harvard University in 1812. He went on to study law at the Litchfield Law School in Litchfield, Connecticut.

In 1815, Sprague passed the bar and opened up a practice in Augusta, Maine. Two years later he moved to Hallowell, Maine where he resumed his practice.

In 1821, Sprague was elected to the Maine House of Representatives where he served until 1822. In 1823 he was elected to the United States House of Representatives. In 1829 he became a United States Senator from Maine. In the Senate he was in opposition to President Andrew Jackson's controversial Indian Removal Plan. He was concerned the process was inhumane and was largely supported by bribes. He was also concerned once the relocation was complete, it left people in a foreign environment with no means of self support. In 1835, Sprague resigned from the United States Senate.

After resigning, he went to Boston where he practiced law until 1841. In 1841 he was appointed by President John Tyler as a judge on the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts. He resigned in 1865.

Sprague was a corporate member of the Maine Historical Society.

He passed away on October 13th, 1880 in Boston.

He was a member of Kennebec Lodge No. 5, Hallowell, Maine. He also served the Grand Lodge of Maine as corresponding Grand Secretary in 1822, District Deputy Grand Master in 1825, and Deputy Grand Master in 1828. He was also a member of Jerusalem Chapter No. 4, Royal Arch Masons in Hallowell, Maine. He served as High Priest of the chapter in 1825.

This article provided by Brother Eric C. Steele.