THE MASONIC PLOT
Melville Cemetery,
Melville, NY
Located on the very western border of Suffolk County on Sweet Hollow Road, in the Town of Huntington, is Melville Cemetery dating to the mid-19th century. Tucked away just north of Old Country Road and south of the Northern State Parkway, the grounds known for their serene setting is the final resting place for one of Jephtha Lodge’s founding members.
The Jarvis family has a sizeable family plot in the local cemetery, which includes Thomas Jarvis, the 54th brother to join Jephtha Lodge during its first two nascent years. Unfortunately, Thomas’ early death at the age of 23 on December 8, 1863 while stationed with the Union Army in Brooklyn, may have been the first funeral service Jephtha Lodge delivered for a brother. Thomas’s headstone, although embedded in the ground, still survives and is the second known oldest marker on Long Island engraved with a Masonic Square and Compasses.
John Hewlett Jarvis (1837-1886), his brother, the first Junior Warden of Jephtha Lodge No. 494 and brother number 6, was a yeoman in Brooklyn whose duties delayed his first day as Junior Warden until the fourth stated communication. Jarvis later decided his responsibilities in Brooklyn prevented him from attending regular meetings in Huntington, forcing his decision to demit from Jephtha Lodge in 1871.
The Jarvis brothers were the sons of Woodhull Jarvis (1811-1890) and Susanna Hewlett (1812-1984). Woodhull Jarvis’ maternal grandfather was Joseph Ireland, a Minute Man in the American Revolution, serving as a Private in 5 Company, 1st Regiment of Minute Men, Huntington Militia, under Colonel Josiah Smith (1723-1786), great-grandson of Richard “Bull” Smith (ca. 1613-1691), founder of Smithtown. In 1775, Ireland signed to support Congress, and when the town was occupied by British troops, he was frequently called by them “the good-natured old rebel.” Ireland was a millwright by profession, fathering 10 children with his wife Elizabeth Losee prior to the Revolution. Said to be “a most estimable and benevolent man,” besides his own large family, he brought up and cared for numerous grand-children and step-grandchildren. When he passed away in June 1793 at the age of 80, he left a will that included 200 acres of land in the West Hills section of Huntington, 2 loads of hay, 2 horses, 7 cows, 7 two-year-old cattle, 26 sheep, 5 swine, 40 acres of woodland, and one slave. Ireland is interred in Long Swamp Cemetery on Barkers Lane in Huntington Station.
Another one of Melville Cemetery’s well known permanent residents is George “Specs” Toporcer, the first non-pitcher to wear eyeglasses during a major league game. Signed by the Syracuse Stars off the New York sandlots in 1921, “Specs” played eight years with the St. Louis Cardinals as a utility infielder. His first complete season in 1922 was his best, with a .324 average and 25 doubles in 116 games. Later a minor league manager and serving in front-office jobs for various minor-league and major-league clubs, Toporcer chronicled his career in the autobiography Baseball from Backlots to Big League. Going completely blind in 1952, “Specs” was elected to the Rochester Sports Hall of Fame in 1957.
Toporcer’s only known connection to Freemasonry was when he entertained the brothers of Glenn Falls Lodge No. 121 (Glen Falls, NY) in January 1934 on a special Father’s and Son’s Night, along with Rip Collins and umpire Roy Van, with anecdotes of their experiences in baseball.
Several other Masonic marked graves have been located in this small Melville Cemetery, each awaiting to be rediscovered.
Written by Wor. Bro. Ronald J. Seifried, DSA
Trustee Chairman and Historian, Jephtha Lodge No. 494 F. & A.M.
Area 1 Historian, Nassau and Suffolk Masonic Districts
Co-Editor, Craftsmen Online NY Masonic History column
32° Scottish Rite, Valley of Rockville Centre
Companion of Asharokan Chapter No. 288, Royal Arch Masons
Member of Suffolk Council No. 76, Cryptic Masons
Author, “Long Island Freemasons,” Arcadia Publishing, 2020
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