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GEN
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 01881 3706
$1792 1 212-
GC 974.402 W89MON
THE HISTORY OF
MONTACUTE LODGE A.F. & A.M.
Compiled in Commemoration of the One Hundredth Anniversary of the Institution of the Lodge June 21, 1858 A.L. 5858
Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2019
https://archive.org/details/historyofmontacu00wood
BAIS
SUIVEZ
4
-
1958 OFFICERS
Wor. Emil Leslie Anderson Master
Wilfred Winsor Rawson Senior Warden
Guy Weatherbee Burr, Jr. Junior Warden
Wor. Leonard Woods Howell . Treasurer
Wor. Thomas Edison Christensen Secretary
Reginald William Needham, Jr. Chaplain
Smith Gibson Philips
Associate Chaplain Marshal
Curtis Maitland
John Ernest Bucklar
Senior Deacon
Carl Edward Mackay
Junior Deacon
David Miller
Senior Steward
Charles Arthur Cross .
Junior Steward
James Arthur Gates, Jr.
Inside Sentinel
James Alexander Stephen Gow
Organist
Francis Matthew Woodcock .
Tyler
Rt. Wor. Edward Milton Woodward, Jr.
Secretary Emeritus
5
Worshipful William Addison Smith
First Master 1858-1860
6
Most Worshipful Thomas Sherrard Roy
Master of Montacute Lodge 1935-1936
District Deputy Grand Master 1942
Deputy Grand Master 1943
Most Worshipful Grand Master 1951-1953
7
MEETING PLACES
WALDO BLOCK MAIN STREET 1858-1861
BANK BLOCK FOSTER STREET 1861-1867
MASONIC HALL PEARL STREET 1867-1914
MASONIC TEMPLE IONIC AVENUE 1914-1958
8
MASONIC TEMPLE
MAIN ENTRANCE
FIAT LVX:
-
9
GRECIAN CHAMBER
EGYPTIAN CHAMBER
10
PAST MASTERS
William A. Smith
1858-59-60
Harry A. Childs
1905-6
George W. Bentley *
1860-61
*Austin A. Heath 1906-7
*James H. Osgood
1861-62
*William H. Delong 1907-8
*J. D. Washburn
1862-63
*Melville F. Heath
1908-9
*Benjamin Lewis 1863-64
George H. Mullen
1909-10
*William S. Goodwin
1864-5-6
William H. Delong
1910-11
* Albert Walbridge
1866-67
*Oscar F. Burbank
1911-12
*Emery Wilson
1867-68
*George H. Jewett
1912-13
*John W. Jordan
1868-69
* Albert R. Webb
1913-14
*Henry C. Willson
1869-70-71
* Arthur L. Stone
1914-15
* Nelson R. Scott
1871-72
*Frank W. Ward
1915-16
*Charles W. Moody
1872-73
*Clarence R. Goddard
1916-17
*G. Edward Smith
1873-74
*Burt W. Greenwood 1917-18
*George M. Taylor
1874-75
Leonard W. Howell 1918-19
*Henry D. Barber
1875-6-7
Edward M. Woodward, Jr. 1919-20
*R. James Tatman
1877-78
* Alfred E. Burbank 1920-21
*George D. Boyden
1878-79
*Byron A. Bishop 1921-22
*Jeremiah Swasey
1879-80
*Harry G. Miller 1922-23
*Thomas Talbot
1880-81
*W. Merrill Tuttle
1923-24
*S. Henry Shattuck
1881-82
* James T. Davidson
1924-25
Quincy A. Thomas
1882
*Edwin A. Hunt
1925-26
*Herbert J. Fisher
1883
*D. Chester May
1926-27
* Henry C. Willson
1883-84
*H. Lyman Rawson
1927-28
*George M. Rice
1884-85
*Dale C. Crosby 1928-29
*Frederick W. Southwick 1885-6-7
G. Willard King
1929-30
* Joseph H. Dunkerton 1887-8-9
Francis D. Hart
1930-31
*Oliver P. Shattuck
1889-90
Ronald R. Johnson
1931-32
* Alexander Foulds
1890-91
J. Wendell Woodill
1932-33
*Enoch Earle 1891-2-3
Cyril C. Lawton Allen W. Hixon
1934-35
*Robert W. Clifford
1895-6-7
Thomas S. Roy
1935-36
*Forrest E. Barker
1897-8-9
F. Kenneth Sawyer
1936-37
*Edward P. Taft
1899-1900-1
Victor H. Jennings
1937-38
*Parkman H. Stearns
1901-2
Earl E. Fipphen
1938-39
*Frank A. Clark
1902-3
Walter H. Shales
1939-40
*Fred M. Sampson 1903-4
Averill E. Cook 1940-41
*Charles M. Farnum
1904-5
*Earl C. Richards 1941-42
1933-34
*Frank M. Heath
1893-4-5
* Deceased
11
Averill E. Cook
1942-43
Frederick J. Shaw, Jr.
1950-51
Thomas E. Christensen
1943-44
Paul R. Nelson
1951-52
Baalis Sanford
1944-45
Francis B. Page
1952-53
Robert J. King
1945-46
Robert J. Sherwood
1953-54
Howell G. Macduff
1946-47
David G. Gow
1954-55
William H. Nolet
1947-48
Hugh Miller
1955-56
Mark K. Forman
1948-49
Elmer T. Scott
1956-57
Robert B. Cameron
1949-50
Living Past Masters
Front Row, Left to Right: Allen W. Hixon, Ronald E. Johnson, Edward M. Woodward, Jr., Leonard W. Howell, G. Willard King, J. Wendell Woodill, Thomas S. Roy
Back Row, Left to Right: Hugh Miller, Robert J. Sherwood, Paul R. Nelson, Mark K. Forman, Howell G. Macduff, Averill E. Cook, Earl E. Fipphen, F. Kenneth Sawyer, Walter H. Shales, Thomas E. Christensen, William H. Nolet, Frederick J. Shaw, Jr., Francis B. Page, David G. Gow, Elmer T. Scott
Not Present: Francis D. Hart, Victor H. Jennings, Baalis Sanford, Robert J. King, Robert S. Cameron
12
TREASURERS
No. of Years
Seth P. Miller
1858-1860
2
Timothy W. Wellington
1860-1865
5
Charles H. Fitch
1865-1866
1
George F. Wood
1866-1871
5
R. James Tatman
1871-1873
2
George E. Fairbanks
1873-1874
1
Daniel Seagrave
1874-1875
1
Frederick W. Southwick
1875-1877
2
Thomas Painter
1877-1880
3
John A. Davis
1880-1881
1
John F. Howell
1881-1898
17
John H. Howell
1898-1907
9
Austin A. Heath
1907-1914
7
Edward M. Woodward
1914-1922
8
Edward M. Woodward, Jr.
1922-1934
12
Ronald R. Johnson
1934-1949
15
Leonard W. Howell
1949-1958
9
SECRETARIES
William H. Eaton
1858-1859
1
James L. Burbank
1859-1861
2
Justin E. Wood
1861-1863
2
George Phelps
1863-1866
3
George E. Boyden
1866-1868
2
G. Edward Smith
1868-1869
1
Calvin E. Moran
1869-1870
1
Henry D. Barber
1870-1872
2
Horatio H. Marshall
1872-1874
2
Jeremiah Swasey
1874-1877
3
Frederick W. Southwick
1877-1883
6
Edgar W. Warren
1883-1884
1
Frederick A. Aldrich
1884-1891
7
Henry A. Marvin
1891-1898
7
Ephraim H. H. Wilson
1898-1917
19
Henry N. Parker
1917-1918
1
Arthur L. Stone
1918-1934
16
Edward M. Woodward, Jr.
1934-1957
23
Thomas E. Christensen
1957-1958
1
13
MEMBERS SERVING IN GRAND LODGE
Grand Master
Thomas S. Roy
1951-1953
Deputy Grand Master
Thomas S. Roy 1943
Senior Grand Warden
Henry Goddard 1858
Charles W. Moody 1880
Forrest E. Barker
1904
Grand Chaplain
Rev. Vincent E. Tomlinson 1927
Junior Grand Deacon
Benjamin Lewis 1868
Forrest E. Barker
1901
John A. Dana
1858-1860
Henry Goddard
1861-1862
William A. Smith
1875
Charles W. Moody
1875-1879
Frederick W. Southwick
1892-1893
Robert W. Clifford
1898-1899
Forrest E. Barker 1902-1903
Austin A. Heath 1914-1915
Edward M. Woodward, Jr.
1924-1925
Burt W. Greenwood
1930-1931
Thomas S. Roy
1942
G. Willard King
1955-1956
Grand Representative of the Grand Lodges of California and Nova Scotia
Senior Grand Steward
Forrest E. Barker
1900
Junior Grand Steward
Henry C. Willson
1872-1873
George M. Rice 1896
Allen W. Hixon 1951-1953
G. Willard King
1943
Director of Grand Lodge
Matthew J. Whittall 1915-1922
Fred M. Sampson 1909-1910
Forrest E. Barker
1911-1914
George M. Rice
1914-1917
Edward M. Woodward, Jr. 1951-1958
Edward M. Woodward, Jr. 1953-1956
Frederick J. Shaw, Jr.
1955-1957
Zone Committeeman Committee on Masonic Education
Committee on Foreign Relations
Thomas S. Roy 1958
Grand Sword Bearer
Grand Standard Bearer
Masonic Home Committee
Board of Masonic Relief
Clerk of Advisory Committee
Thomas S. Roy 1958
District Deputy Grand Master
1 THE STORY OF ONE HUNDRED YEARS BY
R.W. EDWARD MILTON WOODWARD, JR.
THE BEGINNINGS
The Year: 1858. The days of the forty-niners were barely over. Expansion to the far west was on apace. Slavery was the prin- cipal issue before the country. The rumblings of the coming conflict between the North and the South were being heard.
Worcester was then a city of about 23,000 people, but it was only ten years since it had given up the town form of government. While the steam railroad was here, even horse-cars for local transportation were still in the future.
Worcester was already a Masonic center, the seat of one Lodge, a Royal Arch Chapter, a Council of Royal and Select Masters and an Encampment of Knights Templar. All of these bodies had been dormant during the anti-Masonic period. It was only fourteen years since Morning Star Lodge and Worcester County Encampment had been revived, twelve years since Worcester Chapter had resumed work, while Hiram Council had just awakened from its long sleep.
It was in this setting and during this period of reviving interest in Freemasonry that Montacute Lodge was born. On petition of 31 members of Morning Star Lodge, a dispensation dated June 21, 1858 was issued by the Grand Master, M.W. John T. Heard, au- thorizing the formation of a new Lodge in Worcester.
There is no record of any preliminary meeting of the petitioners. However, as all were members of Morning Star Lodge they had ample opportunity to confer with each other without the necessity of calling any formal meetings. All were young in Masonry, as might be expected from the short time since the revival of the Fraternity
16
HISTORY OF MONTACUTE LODGE A.F. & A.M.
here. Twenty-one had been raised within the past two and a half years and the oldest had been a Mason for only eight years.
The petitioners requested that the new Lodge be called Crescent Lodge. However, on the suggestion of the Grand Master, the name was changed to Montacute commemorative of what was supposed to be the title of the Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of England, Anthony Brown, Viscount Montacute, who, in 1733, deputized Henry Price to be Provincial Grand Master of New England.
The dispensation named Bro. William Addison Smith, 34 years of age, as the first Master. While he had been a Mason for less than two years, he had already served a term as Junior Deacon of Morn- ing Star Lodge and was then Senior Warden of that Lodge. He was a lawyer by profession and Assistant Clerk of Courts of Worcester County.
The Senior Warden was to be Bro. George Whitefield Bentley, 36 years old, Superintendent of the Worcester & Nashua Railroad Company, a Mason of five years' standing.
The oldest in age, but the youngest in Masonic experience of the first three officers was the Junior Warden, Bro. James Henry Os- good. Although 42 years old, he had been a Master Mason for less than two months. He was in the express business.
Included in the list of petitioners were the Master of Morning Star Lodge, Wor. Benjamin Lewis, who was later to become Master of Montacute; the junior Past Master, Wor. John A. Dana and Bro. Seth P. Miller, who was on his second year as Treasurer of Morning Star Lodge.
The first meeting of the new Lodge was on Tuesday evening, July 13, 1858, at Waldo Hall in the Waldo Block on the east side of Main Street just north of the Bay State House at the corner of Exchange Street. This was the meeting place of Morning Star Lodge. There was an attendance of thirty, including four visitors. The first business was to complete the organization of the Lodge. Bro. William H. Eaton, who conducted a business school known as "Eaton's Commercial College," was elected Secretary; Bro. Seth P. Miller, a dentist, Treasurer and the Master announced his appoint- ments of the remaining officers.
The matter of obtaining a hall, regalia, jewels and a seal was referred to the Master and Wardens with power to act. Committees were appointed on raising necessary funds and drawing up a code
17
HISTORY OF MONTACUTE LODGE A.F. & A.M.
of By-Laws. Four applications for the degrees were received at this communication, three being residents of West Boylston.
This first communication was held on the second Tuesday of the month and the second Tuesday became the day for the regular meetings until 1867.
At the next regular, August 10th, three of the applicants for the degrees were accepted, and the Entered Apprentice degree was conferred on two of them on the same evening. The Second Degree was worked for the first time on November 9th and the Third Degree on December 14th.
THE CHARTER
On April 12, 1859, the Lodge voted unanimously to apply for a charter. The By-Laws Committee submitted a Code of By- Laws which were adopted at a special communication on May 24th after considering it section by section. On June 27th an election of officers to serve under the charter was held. Those who had served under the dispensation were chosen to continue in office.
In the meantime the Grand Lodge had granted the petition for the charter which was issued under date of June 9, 1859, Montacute Lodge to take precedence from June 21, 1858.
At last the day came to which all had been looking forward. On June 28, 1859, Montacute Lodge was constituted by M.W. John T. Heard and the officers of the Grand Lodge, after which the Lodge officers were installed. None of the first line of officers ever became Master except the Wardens.
Five of those who petitioned for the dispensation decided not to become charter members. There is one name on the charter which was not included in the dispensation, R.W. Henry Goddard. Brother Goddard was a Past Master of Morning Star Lodge and was Senior Grand Warden in 1858. He was later to become District Deputy Grand Master and still later to demit to become a charter member and first Master of Athelstan Lodge. Montacute Lodge began its career as a chartered Lodge with 27 charter members and 9 others who had been raised under dispensation, a total of 36. Four others had been raised, but did not sign the By-Laws until later.
The first annual meeting was on November 8, 1859. The officers were re-elected except that Bro. James L. Burbank replaced Bro.
18
HISTORY OF MONTACUTE LODGE A.F. & A.M.
Eaton as Secretary. They were installed the same evening by the District Deputy Grand Master, R.W. John A. Dana, a member of Montacute Lodge. At the December regular it was "Voted that the thanks of Montacute Lodge be tendered to Bro. William H. Eaton for the able and faithful manner in which he discharged the duties of the office of Secretary from the formation of the Lodge under dispensation to the present time."
THE HENRY PRICE GAVEL
In 1860 the gift of a gavel was received from M.W. John T. Heard. It was made from a pear tree that was transplanted a cen- tury previously from West Cambridge to Townsend, Massachusetts by our first Grand Master, Henry Price. It was voted that the Master extend to M.W. Brother Heard the thanks of the Lodge for his valu- able gift and in his letter the Master said: "We shall value it for its historical associations and the reminiscences of the first Grand Master of Masons in America, which it will ever bring to mind. We shall prize it because it is your gift, the gift of our first Grand Master, from whom we received our Dispensation and whom we shall always delight to honor as our first official head and as an ever firm and faithful Friend and Brother." The gavel is still in the possession of Montacute Lodge.
THE FIRST FUNERAL SERVICE
The Lodge was called, for the first time, to perform the funeral service for a departed brother on Saturday forenoon, De- cember 15, 1860. The deceased was Bro. Thomas N. Hurlburt, one of our charter members. The funeral was held from the Universalist Church, then at the corner of Main and Foster Streets. Many times since, the Lodge has been called upon to perform the last Masonic rites for one of its members.
CIVIL WAR
The fury of war had now burst upon the country. On July 25, 1861 a special communication was called, under dispensation from the District Deputy Grand Master, R.W. Henry Goddard, for the purpose of receiving and acting upon a petition and to confer the
19
HISTORY OF MONTACUTE LODGE A.F. & A.M.
degrees on a candidate who had entered the army and was about to leave for the front. The Lodge opened at two o'clock in the after- noon, the petition was received, referred to a committee which im- mediately reported, a ballot taken and the candidate accepted. The First and Second Degrees were then conferred upon him. The Third Degree was worked upon him in the evening. This was the first of a number of such occurrences. It is noted that the District Deputies then had power to grant dispensations for purposes such as this.
The first war casualty was reported August 7, 1862, in a letter to the Treasurer of the Lodge from our member, Lt. Col. A. B. R. Sprague of the 25th Massachusetts regiment. This letter conveyed the intelligence of the death of Bro. William Hudson at Newbern, N.C. Bro. Sprague wrote in his capacity as Treasurer of Fraternal Army Lodge, No. 4, an army lodge in the 25th regiment warranted by the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts.
Twice again was Montacute Lodge to mourn the deaths of mem- bers caused by the war. One was Capt. Edward R. Washburn, who raised a company in Lancaster and went to Louisiana as its captain. He was mortally wounded in the assault on Port Hudson. The other was Col. Francis Washburn of the 4th Massachusetts Cavalry who died from wounds received at the engagement at High Bridge, Vir- ginia. They were younger brothers of Wor. John D. Washburn, Master of Montacute in 1862-63.
MONTACUTE HALL
Up to this time Montacute Lodge had been sub-renting Waldo Hall from Morning Star Lodge. The rent, at first $60 per annum, was increased to $75 in April, 1859. In June, 1861 it was again raised to $100 to be retroactive to April. This raise did not meet with favor in Montacute Lodge and payment was held up. On August 13th a communication was received from Morning Star Lodge stating that unless the $25 due for the quarter ending July 1st be paid by the next regular meeting of Morning Star, the future occupancy of the rooms by Montacute Lodge must be prohibited. It was voted to place the letter on file and a committee was appointed to procure a suitable place for future meetings.
The next seven meetings were held in the rooms of Bro. Charles H. Jencks, a dentist and a member of the Lodge.
20
HISTORY OF MONTACUTE LODGE A.F. & A.M.
The committee under the leadership of the Master, Wor. George W. Bentley, immediately went to work and fitted up a hall on the top floor of the Bank Block on Foster Street. This building is now occupied in part by the Worcester County Electric Co. The Lodge room, named Montacute Hall, was dedicated by M.W. William D. Coolidge, Grand Master, assisted by the officers of the Grand Lodge on the afternoon of November 12, 1861. At the annual meet- ing of the Lodge, held in the evening, the new officers were in- stalled by the Grand Master. The three York Rite Bodies occupied the hall jointly with Montacute Lodge.
At this period the Lodge was repeatedly indebted to members looking out for its welfare. At the communication just mentioned the Master transmitted to the Lodge a letter from Bro. George Phelps, one of the first class to be raised, with an accompanying gift. This letter said in part: "Accidentally, however, I discovered a short time since, that as a Lodge we were not the owners of the one 'Great Light' of our order, viz. the Holy Bible. Being one of Montacute's oldest children it seemed not inappropriate, that, at a time when we were about to dedicate a new house, I should be the donor of the 'one thing needful.'"
Just a year later Wor. William A. Smith spoke "in regard to the liberality of individual members of Montacute Lodge in furnishing and decorating the Hall, but more particularly of Bro. Timothy W. Wellington." Brother Wellington had handed to Wor. Bro. Smith a paid bill for $125 for decorating the walls of Montacute Hall with Masonic symbols and emblems. Among other gifts was that of an organ from R.W. Henry Goddard.
FIRST PROXY
In 1863 we find the first record of the appointment of a proxy to the Grand Lodge.
MUSIC IN LODGE
Vocal music has at times played a part in the meetings and ceremonies of Montacute Lodge. In 1863 (Dec. 8) it was voted to authorize the Worshipful Master to purchase for the use of the Lodge one dozen copies of a book of hymns and songs suitable for
21
HISTORY OF MONTACUTE LODGE A.F. & A.M.
Masonic Lodges called "The Masonic Harp." Later copies of an- other book entitled "The Masonic Choir" were bought. In 1875 a Committee on Music was appointed which reported that it had ob- tained the services of an organist and recommended congregational singing with the organist for leader, rather than paid singers. In later years when, perhaps, the finances were in better condition, a paid quartette was used whenever the Third Degree was worked. As late as 1927 the Master, Wor. D. Chester May, attempted to introduce singing at the opening and closing ceremonies but with- out much success. At present the use of vocal music in the working of the degrees is only occasional.
BOSTON TEMPLE CORNERSTONE LAYING
Quoting our fiftieth anniversary historian: "It appears that the brethren, on Friday, October 14, 1864, had to get up rather early in the morning for, at 6:30 o'clock A.M., the members of Montacute Lodge, together with several visiting brethren, assem- bled at Montacute Hall for the purpose of proceeding to Boston by invitation of the Grand Lodge of this State, to assist in laying the cornerstone of the new Masonic Temple. The Lodge was organized, waiving the usual ceremonies, with Bro. Benjamin Lewis, Worship- ful Master, in the chair." They proceeded by the Boston & Worces- ter Railroad to Boston, where they arrived about nine o'clock and took the position assigned them in the parade.
"Low ESTATE OF TREASURY"
That Montacute's treasury was not overflowing at this period is shown by the report of a committee to the effect that it was in- expedient to purchase a fireproof safe for the records of the Lodge "owing to the low estate of Montacute's Treasury and the high cost of safes." Also a request of the Tyler for an increase in his fee was denied. At the same meeting the By-Laws were amended rais- ing the degree fee from $20 to $30.
ATHELSTAN LODGE CONSTITUTED
Athelstan Lodge was constituted in 1866 and twenty-four
22
HISTORY OF MONTACUTE LODGE A.F. & A.M.
demitted from Montacute to become Charter Members. Seven of them had been Charter Members of Montacute Lodge, one was a Past Master (Wor. John D. Washburn) and others had been zealous workers in the Lodge. Montacute Lodge granted them free use of the hall and the Lodge jewels while working under dispen- sation. The first three Masters of Athelstan Lodge, Wor. Henry Goddard, Wor. Samuel T. Bigelow and Wor. Edwin P. Woodward, had been members of Montacute Lodge.
REMOVAL TO PEARL STREET
Shortly before the annual communication of 1865, on the mo- tion of Wor. William A. Smith, the Lodge voted to invite the wives and lady friends of the members to witness the ceremonies of the next installation. Accordingly, on November 21st, Montacute Lodge held its first public installation. The Master installed was William S. Goodwin and the installing officer was the Grand Master, M.W. William Parkman. Following the ceremonies a bountiful repast was provided in the Banquet Hall. After a few short speeches the Lodge was closed at low twelve, waiving all ceremony. The wish was ex- pressed by many that a public installation might become an annual recurrence. However, it was not until 1869 that one was attempted again. Public installations have not been popular in Montacute Lodge for on only one other occasion has one been held. This was in 1941, when Earl C. Richards became Master. The installing of- ficer was the then Worshipful Thomas S. Roy, who was assisted by the Past Masters of the Lodge.
In 1866 (February 13) a committee was appointed, in the words of the records, "to confer with like committees from other Masonic bodies of this city relative to a proposition of certain capitalists to prepare a suite of rooms in a building about to be erected on Pearl Street in this city for use of the various Masonic bodies." There were then seven Masonic bodies in Worcester including Morning Star Lodge which was still meeting in the Waldo Block. Worcester Lodge of Perfection of the Scottish Rite and Athelstan Lodge had been organized since our removal to Montacute Hall. These seven bodies leased for twenty years the third and fourth floors of the new building, which became known as the "Post Office Building" as the Worcester Post Office was located on the street floor. Two
23
HISTORY OF MONTACUTE LODGE A.F. & A.M.
Lodge rooms, the "Blue Room" and the "Red Room," were on the third floor and the fourth floor was used as a Banquet Hall.
At three o'clock in the afternoon of June 17, 1867 Montacute Lodge assembled with Morning Star and Athelstan Lodges at Horti- cultural Hall, then on Front Street, to receive the Grand Master and suite. They were introduced by Bro. James D. Blake, Mayor of Worcester, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Masonic Apartments and a member of Montacute Lodge. A procession was then formed and, under escort of Worcester County Encampment of Knights Templar, passed through some of the principal streets to the Bay State House, where it was dismissed. In the evening the brethren reassembled at the new Masonic Apartments. A Lodge was opened with the Master of Morning Star Lodge in the East, the Master of Montacute in the West and the Master of Athelstan in the South. The other stations were filled by officers of the three Lodges. Montacute Lodge was represented by its Senior Warden, Bro. Emery Wilson, who acted as Treasurer, and its Junior Warden, Bro. John W. Jordan, who served as Junior Deacon. The apartments were then dedicated by M.W. Charles C. Dame, Grand Master, and the officers of the Grand Lodge.
The last meeting in Montacute Hall had been held on April 16th. For the next three meetings the Lodge moved back temporarily to the Waldo Block. Notice was received that every Monday evening had been designated as the time when Montacute Lodge could occupy the new Lodge room. Since that time the communications have been regularly held on Monday. The first one in the new hall was on June 20, 1867 for the purpose of working the Third Degree.
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