Masonic Cemetery
Dates of Existence: 1854 to 1931.
Location: approximately 30 to 38 acres between Turk & Fulton streets, Masonic & Parker Avenues.
Number interred: 19,292.
Moved to: Woodlawn Memorial Park (Colma).
“THE CEMETERIES . . . .The Masonic Cemetery lies west of Masonic avenue, between Fulton and Turk streets, and comprises some thirty-eight acres of grounds. It is elaborately beautified in floral design, and contains many handsome monuments. The secretary states that there is abundant room for burials for years to come.”
Source: San Francisco Morning Call, 14 February 1887.
“Cemetery Removal Bill to Be Tested In Legal Battle
“The legality of the law enacted by the last Legislature, providing for the removal of bodies from cemeteries, will be tested in the courts, Assemblyman William B. Hornblower, who fought the cemetery removal measure at the last session, said today.
“Hornblower has filed a suit in the Superior Court to enjoin the Masonic Cemetery Association from moving the body of his sister, which, he says in his complaint, has been buried for twenty-five years.
“The suit followed the action of the Masonic Cemetery Association in adopting resolutions authorizing the removal of bodies from the old Masonic Cemetery to the Masonic Cemetery in San Mateo.”
Source: San Francisco Call, 27 September 1921, page 2.
“CEMETERIES REMOVAL ACT WINS COURT 0.K. [1922]
“The cemetery removal forces today won their first court victory when Judge E.P. Shortall held constitutional the removal act, known as the Morris hill, and at the same time denied a permanent injunction to the opposing side.
“By agreement between the disputants Judge Shortall granted a temporary injunction prohibiting the removal of bodies from the Masonic Cemetery until the issue can be carried to the Appellate Court for rehearing on an appeal.
“The suit was one brought by William B. Hornblower, assemblyman from this city; F. E. Edwards and Martin Kelly, against the Masonic Cemetery Association.
“The three men are lot owners in the Masonic Cemetery and sued to prevent the moving of the bodies of relatives buried there.
“Judge Shortall held that the Morris act is constitutional and that it gives full legal authority to the cemetery association for removal of all bodies within the cemetery.
“The request for the temporary injunction was made after the decision had been rendered by Attorney Frank E. Powers, representing the plaintiffs. Attorney R.M.J. Armstrong, for the association, acquiesced in this motion to facilitate final decision in the higher courts.”
Source: San Francisco Call, 31 January 1922, page 1.
“INJUNCTION IN CEMETERY ROW DENIED
“Temporary Restraining Order on Masonic Group's Plans Dissolved by Goodell's Court
“Judge C. J. Goodell yesterday denied a permanent injunction to F.E. Edwards to restrain directors of the Masonic Cemetery Association from meeting today to vote on removal of the bodies from Old Masonic Cemetery in San Francisco.
“Edwards, an owner of a plot in the old cemetery, was granted a temporary injunction by Judge Walter Perry Johnson, August 31.
“The association has received an offer for the old cemetery property from St. Ignatius College.
“Edwards opposed the meeting set for today on the ground that directors of the association were going to vote the proxies of the Woodlawn Cemetery plot owners. While Woodlawn is a Masonic cemetery, he claimed that the owners have no right to vote at the meeting of the Masonic Cemetery Association.
“At yesterday's hearing Judge Goodell decided that since the Woodlawn plot owners had always voted without objection at previous meetings of the association, he could see no good reason for granting the permanent injunction.
“Judge Goodell refused to touch upon the question of the constitutionality of the Morris Act, which was raised by Edwards' attorneys. He said that if the question of the right of the directors to make the sale to St. Ignatius College was at issue, it could be handled better later on, when the actual attempt to make the sale is made. And he thereupon dissolved the temporary restraining order granted by Judge Johnson, and the meeting will be held today as planned.”
Source: San Francisco Examiner, 13 September 1928, page 10.
“Arguments to Open.
“SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 3.- Arguments over the proposed abandonment of Masonic cemetery and removal of the 19,283 bodies resting there to San Mateo county will be opened today in the U. S. district court of appeals. The appeal is made from an injunction granted nearly a year ago by Federal Judge Kerrigan against the Masonic Cemetery association upon petitions and arguments from plot owners. The association would turn the abandoned cemetery over to St. Ignatius College for expansion purposes. Permission from the city counsel for the plot's evacuation started the fight which has been waged for more than a year.”
Source: Oakland Tribune, 3 December 1929, page 34.
“Permits to Move Cemeteries Won
“Permits to remove the bodies from the Masonic and I.O.O.F. cemeteries were granted to two cemetery associations yesterday by the Board of Health, ending a controversy that has been waged for years. Work of clearing the Odd Fellows' burial ground will begin next month, while the Masonic Cemetery Association will begin removing bodies from their ground November 1, the board was informed.
“Steam shovels will be used to remove the first two feet of earth. under the permits. There are 15,000 bodies in the Masonic and 28,000 in the Odd Fellows grounds.
“The board granted Dr. Edmund Butler, chief of the Emergency Hospital Service, a three-week leave of absence to attend the convention of the American College of Surgeons at New York.”
Source: San Francisco Chronicle, 25 September 1931, page 14.
“Two Legal Actions Filed to Halt Cemetery Removal.
“SAN FRANCISCO, Oct 24.–Two suits to halt the removal of bodies from Masonic cemetery at Turk and Masonic avenues and from the adjoining Odd Fellows Cemetery were filed today in superior court.
“One suit asks that the Masonic Cemetery associated be restrained from removing 14,000 bodies from its cemetery, as it has announced will be done–beginning November 1 [1931].
”…The other action …is a suit in opposition to the consummation of the sale of the Odd Fellows cemetery to the Green Lawn cemetery in San Mateo County.
”…The Odd Fellows Cemetery association already has begun the removal of 28,000 bodies from its cemetery here, working under an agreement with the Green Lawn cemetery which provides that the latter shall remove all the bodies and provide burial plots at the Greenlawn cemetery in exchange for title to the Odd Fellows cemetery property here. The Laib suit alleges that the property here is worth $1,200,000, and that the service and plots being given in exchange for this property by the Green Lawn cemetery are worth only $367,000.”
Source: Oakland Tribune, 25 October 1931, page 4.
“Deadline Set For Cemetery Evacuations
“Masonic Association Extends Time for Removals Thirty Days
“Another month will be allowed for removal of bodies by relatives from the Masonic Cemetery, it was announced yesterday by George Skaller, president of the cemetery association. To inform those who cannot be reached by letter or otherwise, the cemetery directors have ordered a thirty-day advertising campaign.
“Already 5600 bodies have been placed in other cemeteries by relatives, mostly in Woodlawn, according to Mr. Skaller. About 14,300 are left.
“Of 5000 letters notifying relatives of the removal conditions, about 2500 have been returned by the postoffice, which has been unable to find the addresses.
“Under the removal ordinance, which has been unheld [sic] in the United States Supreme Court, the cemetery association is obligated to transfer the bodies. Those not cared for by relatives will be placed in a special section of Woodlawn Cemetery.”
Source: San_Francisco_Chronicle, 23 December 1931, page 7.
“Final Fight Lost On Bodies' Removal
“SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 3.–Transfer of 35,000 [sic] bodies from the old Masonic Cemetery in San Francisco to Woodlawn cemetery in San Mateo County was assured today, when Superior Judge George Canabiss set aside claims of cemetery lot owners, who urged that the permission to be not given.
“The work will give employment to 200 men for six months, it was stated.”
Source: Oakland Tribune, 3 February 1933, page 1.
“The march of progress moves over our old cemeteries. A deed recorded the other day transferred the remaining half of the old Masonic Cemetery to a local bank in trust for owners of the property, for subdivision by the real estate firm of Coldwell, Cornwall and Banker.
“Announcement will shortly be made of development of the area. comprising about fifteen acres, and it will be named University Terraces, in harmony with the University of San Francisco. whose campus occupies the other half of the old cemetery site.
“The same firm has been developing the old Odd Fellows Cemetery. There now remain but two of the pioneer burial grounds, Laurel Hill and Calvary, both doomed, too, in the end to a probable similar fate.”
Source: San Francisco Examiner, 13 August 1936, page 13.
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