                   THE CIRCUS AND FREEMASONRY

                      R.H.Golman (Wisconsin)


Bro. Golman is a Past Grand Master of the Grand lodge of Wisconsin and
is a member of the "Ringling" family. This article originally appeared
in the Wisconsin Freemason of November 1956. All of the Ringlings were
members of the Baraboo Chapter No. 49, St. John's Commandery No. 21 K.T.
The Gollmar brothers were likewise Royal Arch Masons.

The announcement in the late summer of 1956 that the "Greatest Show on
Earth" had folded its tents, possibly forever as a circus in the
traditional sense, came as a shock to every man who had once carried
water to the elephants, or wanted to. It was followed by reams of
national publicity on circuses in general and the Ringling Brothers
Circus in particular. Since Wisconsin was the home state of the Ringling
Brothers, and the cradle of circus' in the mid-west, much of the
interest is centred here.

I will leave the history of the circus, Both generally and as it refers
to the Ringlings to others, and restrict this article to the Masonic
aspects only. For those parts that include my own family, I make no
apology because it is part of the "circus story" as it developed in
Barbaroo, Wisconsin.

In the middle 1800s, an Alsatian named Juliar had three daughters whose
descendants were to make circus history. One married August Ringling,
father of the Ringling Brothers; one married Gottlieb G. Gollmar, father
of the Gollmar Brothers: and the third married Henry Moeller, father of
the Moeller Brothers. The Ringlings and, in a more modest degree the
Gollmars were to acquire fame as circus owners and operators. The
Moellers likewise became famous as manufacturers of circus wagons and
materials.

All of the branches of this family had early and strong connections with
Masonry. This is most remarkable in view of the fact that these people
were German in ancestry, members of the Lutheran Church in a synod in
bitter opposition to Masonry. Membership in the fraternity terminated
these church ties.

August Ringling was raised in Baraboo Lodge No. 34, on August 19 1891,
and held his membership until his death in 1898.

Gottlieb G. Gollmar was a charter member of Baraboo Lodge when it
organised in 1851 and held his membership until his death in 1914. The
family has never known where he received his degrees but it is assumed
that it was in Chicago where he lived prior to the Great Fire.

Henry Moeller, originally on the books as Miller, was elected,
initiated, passed and raised in Baraboo Lodge, completing his work on
April 1, 1868. He died in 1898 prior to his sons becoming menmbers.

The Ringling Brothers Circus had its first showing in Baraboo on May 19,
1884, and then embarked as a "wagon show". In 1890 it became a "railroad
show" and went on to become the "Greatest Show on Earth". After 1918,
the circus no longer wintered in Baraboo, although descendants of the
family are still there.

The Ringling brothers actually preceded their Father into Masonry. First
to petition was Alfred T. known as Alf T. initiated on December 11 1889,
raised January 22 1890 and died in 1919. It will go without saying in
all cases that all the members of the three families received all of
their degrees in Baraboo Lodge No. 34. Next in line were John, raised
March 1 1890, died in 1936; Albert C. known as Al, raised March 22 1890,
died 1916; Charles E., raised March 29 1890, died 1926; Otto, raised
April 9 1890, died 1911; August G., raised February 4 1891, died 1907;
and Henry, raised March 18 1891, died 1918.

The original Brothers consisted of five: Otto, Albert C., Alfred T.,
Charles E. and John. August G. was associated with them but never a
member of the firm. Upon the death of Otto in 1911, Henry, the youngest
brother, became a member of the firm.

I have a picture of the Scottish Rite Class of November 17-20 1891, of
the Valley of Milwaukee which includes among the 32 members, Alfred T.,
Charles E., Albert C., and Wm. H.O.

The Moeller brothers, Corwin G., and Henry C. were both raised on March
15 1911. Henry is still living, and a member of Baraboo Lodge.

Of the four Gollmar brothers, Ben F. was the first to join Masonry,
being raised on March 7 1900. Charles A., Walter and Fred C. were all
raised on April 25 1900. My Father Fred C. is the sole survivor of this
group.

So much for dry statistics. The minutes of the meeting of Baraboo Lodge
on April 8 1891 are of interest. This was a special meeting called to
hear a report of a committee, relative to the purchase of a lot where
the temple now stands.

The meeting was opened by the regular officers after which the following
assumed the chairs: W.M. Alf T. Ringling, S.W. August Ringling, J.W. Al
Ringling, S.D. Charles Ringling, J.D. Otto Ringling, and S.S. Henry
Ringling. There is no apparent connection between the purpose of the
meeting and the six brothers acting as officers. Apparently it was done
because this was probably the only time when all six were present in the
lodge at the same time. Certainly it is the only time they ever occupied
the principal offices.

It may be noted that the lot was purchased for $2,000, of which the
Ringling brothers gave $50. The Temple was dedicated on April 27, 1892,
by the Grand Lodge Officers, in what was said to be the largest
gathering of Masons in Sauk county. The minutes show that the Ringling
brothers extended an invitation to inspect their winter quarters which
was accepted by most of those present.

One final story. Of the Ringling brothers, Albert was the showman and
the brother who sparked and encouraged the enterprise. Prior to the
opening in 1884, he realised that their name might not be sufficient to
"sell" the circus. He met an old showman, "Yankee" Robinson, whose real
name was Fayette Lodowick Robinson. Yankee was in his sixties, ill and
feeble but at one time had had a circus of considerable size. Al brought
him into the group and for a percentage he joined the first circus which
was called "Yankee Robinson and Ringling Brothers Great Double Shows,
Circus and Caravan".

Yankee travelled with the circus. In late august in Jefferson Iowa,
Yankee was unable to continue and was left behind. In a few days he
died, without friends or even acquaintances, but he wore a masonic pin.
While he carried no dues card or other Masonic identification the
brethren of Jefferson gave him a Masonic burial at Lodge expense. One of
the minor mysteries that still exists among Iowa Masonic historians is
the home lodge of Yankee Robinson. A few days after the funeral, Al came
back to check on his friend to find him dead and buried. The Ringling
Brothers then provided a monument.

Out of Baraboo came two circus', Ringling Brothers, and Gollmar
Brothers, and the famous Moeller Brothers, circus wagon creators. All of
these people were strong in their Masonic affiliations. Wisconsin with
its circus tradition starting with Mabie Brothers at Delevanin 1847, and
including the Halls at Evansville (George "Pop" Hall's daughter Jessie
was the wife of Walter Gollmar); W.W.Coles at Portage; Dode Fisk at
Wonewoc; Witermute Brothers at Whitewater; Burr Robins at Janesville;
Orton shows of Portage; and the Lindeman Brothers (Sells-Sterling
Circus) at Sheboygan; surely from this group must have come many other
Masons. It would be interesting to know.
