USA > Pennsylvania > Lancaster County > Lancaster > History of Lodge no. 43, F. & A. M. : being the records of the first century of its existence > Part 3
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34th. Whereas, Inconveniences have arisen by reason of the Absence of Some of the Members, who hold Offices in this Lodge, no other members being compellable to serve in the Stead & perform the Duties requir'd from such absent Officers. For Remedy whereof, and for the better ordering & regulating this Lodge, it is unanimously agreed concluded & consented to, that in Case of the Absence of any Member or Members who hold Office in this Lodge, the Master or in his absence his Deputy, or other members, who shall lawfully preside in the Chair for the Night, shall & is hereby impowered to nominate & appoint any Member or Members present to serve in his place & perform the Duties of such Officer, for the night. And if any Member or Members so nominated & appointed as aforesaid shall refuse or neglect to take upon him or themselves such Trust & perform the Duties requir'd of him or them as aforesaid, every such Member refusing shall forfeit & Pay to the Treasurer the Sum of Two Shillings and Six pence, to be applied to & added to the Common Stock of this Lodge & the Master, or in his absence his Deputy, or other Member who shall preside in the Chair shall appoint some other member in the Place and Stead aforesaid.
35th. And that the Monthly dues from each Brother to this Lodge be One Quarter of a Dollar, to be paid duly into the Charity fund &c. Together with Two Shillings & Six pence his share of the Expences whether present or Absent.
Agreed upon unanimously at a Lodge No 43, held at Lancaster the 14th day of September A. M. 5785.
In these original by-laws of the Lodge, we have followed the orthography, punctuation and capitalization, just as they occur in the manuscript copied in the first minute book. Aside from the peculiarities in the use of capital letters and the orthography, some of the old rules are very curious.
HISTORY OF LODGE NO. 43, F. & A. M. · 33
It will be observed that the latter portion of these By-Laws, especially from No. 31, imply that the Lodge had been in exist- ence some time. Certain it is, however, that these were the first By-laws adopted by the Lodge. It is also worthy of note that the first meeting of the Lodge was held on the second Wednes- day of the month, the first By-Laws established the second Wednesday of the month as the stated time of meeting, and during the one hundred years of the existence of the Lodge, the stated meetings always have been, and still are held on the sec- ond Wednesday of the month.
The list of names appended to the by-laws is as follows :
STEPHEN CHAMBERS,
JOHN DOYLE,
JAS. CAMPBELL, PETER GETZ,
HENRY STUBER,
CHARLES SMITH,
WM. FELTMAN,
J. MOORE,
HENRY DERING,
BLACKALL WILLIAM BALL,
ADM. HUBLEY, J",
MATTS BARTON,
SOLOMON ETTING,
JAMES BURD,
FRED HUBLEY,
JAS BOYD,
JACOB SLOUGH,
WILDER BEVINS,
FREDRICK MAN,
JAM& GAMBLE,
MICHAEL APP,
RUD KELKER, JUNE,
ALEX" SCOTT,
SAM SHOWER.
RICHP GRAY,
At the second meeting of the Lodge, held October 12, 1785, the employment of the first Tyler is reported in the following language : "Brothers Dering & Etting reported their examina- tion of James Bird. Wherein he appears to be duly qualify'd an Ancient York Master Mason and a proper Person as Tyler of this Lodge & that they agree to pay him Five Shillings pr night when in execution of his duty (out of the moneys arising from the Benefit of the Lodge.) He to attend at the Secretary's House one day before each Stated night to receive they Sum- monses, & serve them in time, (that is to say giving each Brother timely Notice.) Whereupon the Lodge have Unani- mously agreed to receive him as their Tyler." He continued to act as Tyler until March, 1794, but did not become a mem- ber of the Lodge until December 14, 1791.
The young Lodge was, at its very birth, met with the smiles of encouragement from her sister Lodges. One of these smiles
3
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HISTORY OF LODGE NO. 43, F. & A. M.
came from Lodge No. 9, of Philadelphia, in the form of a Lodge Seal. This seal was doubtless a superfluous piece of lodge property, probably a little worn, and for which Lodge No. 9 had no further use ; still it was a seal, and no doubt would answer many purposes; but our brethren seemed just a little par- ticular about these things, for the minute of November 9th reads: " The seal presented us by Lodge No. 9, not answering the number of this lodge 'tis ordered a new one be made for the purpose."
The first petition for initiation and membership in the Lodge, was that of Frederick Hubley, who kept the house in which the lodge held its first meetings. His petition was presented Decem- ber 14, 1785, and he was approved and initiated January 12, 1786. So that Bro. Frederick Hubley was the first Mason made in Lodge No. 43. During the year 1786 there were in all eight approved and initiated in the lodge, making the membership fifteen. The outfit of the lodge was simplicity itself, and very little money was expended for furniture, that used being the ordinary furniture of the house.
At the Quarterly Grand Communication, held March 27, 1 786, the Grand Lodge expressed its wish to become an inde- pendent body, and on motion it was ordered "that a circular letter be written to the several lodges under this jurisdiction generally, informing them that it is the wish of the Grand Lodge to establish themselves as a Grand Lodge, independent of Great Britain or any other authority, and that it is intended to take up the matter at the Quarterly Communication in Sep- tember next, and requesting their attendance at that time either by their proper officers or by deputation in writing, authorizing some Master Mason or Masons to represent the Lodge." A circular letter setting forth the above facts and signed by Bro. Ashton Humphries, Grand Secretary, was received and read at the stated meeting of Lodge No. 43, held September 13th, whereupon the Lodge unanimously agreed that Bro. Adam Hubley, Jr., should be appointed their Representative for the purpose aforesaid, with full power to do every act and thing in the same manner as if the Master and Wardens of the Lodge were personally present.
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HISTORY OF LODGE NO. 43, F. & A. M.
The meeting of the Grand Lodge was held September 25th, and Bro. Hubley failed to be present ; so that at this important Grand Communication, Lodge No. 43 was not represented. At this meeting the following resolution was unanimously adopted :
Resolved, That this Grand Lodge is, and ought to be, a Grand Lodge independent of Great Britain or any other author- ity whatever, and that they are not under any ties to any other Grand Lodge except those of brotherly love and affection, which they will always be happy to cultivate and preserve with all Lodges throughout the globe.
The minutes of the Grand Lodge also state, " this Lodge, act- ing by virtue of a warrant from the Grand Lodge of England, was closed for ever."
On the following day, September 26th, at a grand convention of thirteen different Lodges, and with the concurrence of other Lodges signified by letter, it was unanimously
Resolved, That the Lodges under the jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania, lately held under the authority of the Grand Lodge of England, will, and do now, form them- selves into a Grand Lodge, to be called the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania, and Masonic jurisdiction thereunto belonging, till the usual time of the next election ; and that the Grand Lodge and the particular Lodges govern themselves by the rules and regulations heretofore established, till other rules and regula- tions be adopted.
A committee was appointed to form a warrant to be granted to the several lodges under the jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge, and to write a letter to the Grand Lodge of England, taking formal leave of them. At a meeting of the Grand Lodge held October 16th, this committee made report and submitted a form of warrant which was adopted and ordered to be prepared and furnished the several Lodges under their jurisdiction, free of any expense, upon surrendering their old warrants.
The new warrant for Lodge No. 43 was not prepared until the following July, and was presented at the stated meeting of Au- gust 8, 1787, at which time the following minute was made :
Brother Charles Smith produced a New Warrant from ye Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania, dated July 14, 1787, A. M. 5787, reciting the original warrant of No. 43, to Stephen
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HISTORY OF LODGE NO. 43, F. & A. M.
Chambers Master, John Doyle Sen' Ward" & Henry Stuber Jun' Ward", by which said New Warrant all the rights & privileges appertaining to Masons & Masonry were confirm'd unto Br John Doyle Master, Henry Stuber Sen' Ward" & Charles Smith Jun' Ward" & the members & Brethren of No. 43 & their suc- cessors forever, under the New Independent Constitution lately established by the Grand Masonic Convention on the Twenty- fifth Day of September A. D. 1787, A. M. 5787, at Philadel- phia.
Whereupon the said Warrant was read and accepted, and the old warrant was delivered to Bro' Charles Smith in order to be transmitted to the Grand Secretary, to be lodg'd among the Archives of the Grand Lodge.
The old warrant was sent to the Grand Secretary, at Phila- delphia, by Bro. Charles Smith, and was placed among the Ar- chives of the Grand Lodge, but it is no longer in existence. It was probably destroyed with many other valuable documents and books, at the burning of the Chestnut Street Masonic Temple, in 1819.
The following is a correct copy of the warrant of 1787, still in our possession and under which we work :
WILLM ADCOCK, Grand Master. J. B. SMITH, D. Grand Master.
GEORGE ORD, J. G. W. Jos. DEAN, S. G. W.
To all whom it may Concern.
The Grand Lodge of the most ancient and honor- SEAL. able Fraternity of Free and accepted Masons (accord- ing to the Old Constitutions, revived by his Royal Highness Prince Edwin, at York, in the Kingdom of England, in the year of the Christian Æra Nine Hundred Twenty and Six, and in the year of Masonry Four Thousand Nine Hundred Twenty and Six) in ample Form assembled at Philadelphia, in the State of Pennsylvania, SEND GREETING.
WHEREAS the Right Worshipful Grand Lodge of England did by a Grand Warrant under the Hands of the Right Honorable Thomas Erskine, Earl Kelly, Viscount Fenton, Lord Baron of Pitten Weem, &c., in Great Britain, Grand Master of Masons, the Right Worshipful William Osborne, Deputy Grand Master, the Right Worshipful Mr. William Dickey, Senior Grand Warden, the Right Worshipful James Gibson, Esq., Junior Grand Warden, and the seal of the said Grand Lodge, bearing Date June 20th, 1764, A. M. 5764, nominate, constitute, and appoint the Right Worshipful William Ball to be Grand Master, the Right Wor-
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HISTORY OF LODGE NO. 43, F. & A. M.
shipful Captain Blaithwait Jones, Deputy Grand Master, the Right Worshipful Mr. David Hall, Senior Grand Warden, and the Right Worshipful Mr. Hugh Lenox, Junior Grand Warden, of a Provincial Grand Lodge, to be held at Philadelphia for the Province of Pennsylvania; granting to them and their Succes- sors in Office duly elected and lawfully installed, with the Con- sent of the Members of the said Grand Lodge, full Power and Au- thority to grant Warrants and Dispensations for holding Lodges, to regulate all Matters appertaining to Masonry, to do and per- form all and every other Act and Thing which could be usually done and performed by other Provincial Grand Lodges, as by the said above in Part recited Grand Warrant, Reference being there- unto had, may more fully and at large appear.
AND WHEREAS the Right Worshipful William Adcock, Esq., Grand Master, the Right Worshipful Mr. Alexander Rutherford, Deputy Grand Master, the Right Worshipful Jonathan Bayard Smith, Esq., Senior Grand Warden, the Right Worshipful Mr. Joseph Dean, Junior Grand Warden, legal successors of the above-named Grand Officers, as by the Grand Lodge Books may appear, together with the Officers and Representatives of a Number of regular Lodges under their Jurisdiction, duly ap- pointed and specially authorized, as also by and with the Advice and Consent of several other Lodges by their Letters expressed, did, at a Grand Quarterly Communication, held in the Grand Lodge Room in the City of Philadelphia, on the Twenty-fifth Day of September, A. C. One Thousand Seven Hundred Eighty and Six, after mature and serious Deliberations, unanimously resolve, " That it is improper the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania should remain any longer under the Authority of any foreign Grand Lodge." And the said Grand Lodge did thereupon close Sine Die.
AND WHEREAS all the Grand Officers of the said late Provin- cial Grand Lodge, together with the Officers and Representa- tives of a Number of Lodges of the Commonwealth of Pennsyl- vania, did on the said Twenty-fifth day of September, One Thousand Seven Hundred Eighty and Six, meet in the Room of the late Provincial Grand Lodge, and according to the Powers and Authorities to them intrusted, did form themselves into a Grand Convention of Masons to deliberate on the proper Methods of forming a Grand Lodge totally independent from all foreign Jurisdiction.
AND WHEREAS the said Grand Convention did then and there
UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVE, That the Lodges under the Jurisdic- tion of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania aforesaid, lately held as a provincial Grand Lodge under the authority of the Grand Lodge of England, should and they then did form themselves
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HISTORY OF LODGE NO. 43, F. & A. M.
into a Grand Lodge, to be called THE GRAND LODGE OF PENN- SYLVANIA AND MASONIC JURISDICTION THEREUNTO BELONGING TO BE HELD IN THE SAID CITY OF PHILADELPHIA as by the Records and Proceedings of the said Convention remaining among the Archives of the Grand Lodge aforesaid may more fully appear.
AND WHEREAS by a warrant bearing date the twenty first day of April, A. C. One Thousand Seven Hundred and Eighty-five and of Masonry Five Thousand Seven Hundred and Eighty-five, under the Hands of William Adcock, Grand Master, Alexander Rutherford Deputy Grand Master, George Ord Senior Warden, and William Tilton Junior Warden, and the seal of the late Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania, the following Brethern, to wit, The Worshipful Stephen Chambers Master, John Doyle Senior Warden, Henry Stuber Junior Warden, with their lawful Assis- tants, were authorized and appointed to hold a Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons at the Borough of Lancaster in the State of Pennsylvania-Number Forty-three. And in the said Lodge when duly congregated to admit, enter, and make Masons, ac- cording to the ancient and honorable Custom of the Royal Craft in all Ages and Nations throughout the known World. And also with the farther Right, Privilege and Authority to nominate, chuse and instal their successors, and them to invest with the like Power, Authority, and Dignity to nominate, chuse, and instal their Successors for ever, as by the said Warrant, Refer- ence being thereunto had, may appear.
AND WHEREAS the said Warrant hath been surrendered up to US the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania and Masonic Jurisdiction thereunto belonging, by the present Officers and Brethern of the said Lodge No. 43 praying that the same may be renewed under the authority of this Grand Lodge, Now KNOW YE, That we THE GRAND LODGE OF PENNSYLVANIA AND MASONIC JURISDIC- TION THEREUNTO BELONGING, by Virtue of the Power and Au- thorities vested in US by the said Grand Convention DO hereby renew and confirm to our trusty and well beloved Brethern John Doyle, Master, Henry Stuber, Senior Warden, and Charles Smith, Junior Warden, and the other regular and lawful Mem- bers of the said Lodge No. 43 of Ancient York Masons, and to their true and lawful Successors for ever, all the Masonic Rights, Privileges, Authority, Jurisdiction and Pre-eminence, which by their said Original Warrant herein before mentioned and in Part recited, they are or may be in any Manner or Way entitled to hold and enjoy. PROVIDED ALWAYS, That the above- named Brethern and Members of the said Lodge, and their suc- cessors, continue, at all Times, to pay due Respect and Obedi- ence to this Right Worshipful Grand Lodge, agreeably to the Rules and Ordinances lawfully made or to be made for the Ben-
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HISTORY OF LODGE NO. 43, F. & A. M.
efit of Masonry and the Advancement of our Royal Craft, other- wise this Warrant to be of no Force or Virtue.
Grand Secretary.
by George A. Baker,
Lucis 5798 Day of June Anno
B, Folio 14, the 29th Records of Warrants Recorded in Book of
GIVEN in open Grand Lodge, under the Hands of our Right Worshipful Grand Officers and the seal of our Grand Lodge, at Philadelphia, this Fourteenth Day of July, A. C. One Thousand Seven Hundred and Eighty Seven and of Masonry Five Thousand Seven Hun- dred and Eighty Seven.
ASHETON HUMPHREYS, Gr'd Sec'y.
The first election of officers took place at the stated meeting held June 14, 1786, when the same officers who had been serv- ing since the Constituting of the Lodge, were all retained in office.
At the extra meeting of December 16, 1786, another election was held resulting again in the re-election of the former officers, except Treasurer, Bro. Fredrick Hubley being chosen for that office in the place of Bro. Etting.
At the stated meeting of June 13, 1787, an election for officers was again held; (it being the custom to hold such elections twice yearly ; the Masonic terms being the intervals between the days of St. John, the Baptist, June 24th, and St. John, the Evan- gelist, December 27th.) At this third election the following were chosen: John Doyle, Worshipful Master; Henry Stuber, Senior Warden, and Charles Smith, Junior Warden. The same Secretary and Treasurer were re-appointed.
The meetings of the Lodge during the first few years of its existence were not characterized by much of interest. During the year 1787 but two members were admitted and none ini- tiated, and during the year 1788, one was admitted and one initiated.
Bro. Junior Warden Charles Smith removed to Sunbury, and Bro. Solomon Etting was elected his successor; Bro. Treasurer Fredrick Hubley removed to Philadelphia, and Bro. Henry Dering was elected his successor, those elections taking place at the February and March meetings of 1788, no election being held in December, 1787.
The meetings of the Lodge were held at the public house of Bro. Fredrick Hubley until February, 1788, when, owing to the
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HISTORY OF LODGE NO. 43, F. & A. M.
removal of Bro. Hubley from the Borough, the place of meeting was changed to the house of Thomas Edwards, which was situ- ated on South Queen Street, now known as the " Fountain Inn."
At an extra meeting held June 24, 1788, the election resulted in the re-election of all the officers.
In July, 1788 the Initiation Fee was reduced from six to three pounds, and the dues from one quarter of a dollar to one shilling and three pence per month.
In August of this year, the Lodge returned to its former quarters in the house formerly kept by Bro. Hubley and at that time kept by George Ross. They continued to hold their meetings in this house until the following January when the Lodge was moved to the house of Matthias Slough, which was situated on the southeast corner of Penn Square and South Queen Street.
In November, 1788, the Lodge was called upon to sustain its first loss by death, and that in no less a personage than its Worshipful Master.
At an extra meeting held December 27th, Bro. James Moore was elected Worshipful Master, and all the other officers were re-elected. These officers continued in office until April, 1790, when the Worshipful Master notified the Lodge of his intended removal from the county, and upon ballot Bro. Solomon Etting was elected Master; Jacob Slough, Senior Warden ; Matthias Barton, Junior Warden ; Henry Dering, Treasurer, and William Feltman, Secretary. These officers served until June 1791, when Charles Smith was elected Worshipful Master ; Matthias Barton, Senior Warden; Wm. Kirkpatrick, Junior Warden; and Wm. Feltman was appointed Secretary, and Myer Solomon, Treasurer.
During the year 1789, four members were admitted and none initiated, in 1790 five were admitted and none initiated, and in 1791 four were initiated.
There were no meetings of the Lodge between June 16th and December 13th, 1790. During the year 1791 the meetings were poorly attended, and it was the custom to fine absentees unless they furnished a satisfactory excuse; this failing to bring about the desired attendance, at the meeting held November 9, 1791, "the Worshipful Master ordered that special summons be
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HISTORY OF LODGE NO. 43, F. & A. M.
issued to each Brother for the next meeting and for the non- attendance of each Brother of this Lodge, he or they to be ex- cluded in future." At the next meeting, held December 14th, we find this order executed, and "Bro. Wm. Montgomery is excluded this Lodge as a member thereof, his not having at- tended according to special Sumons being served upon him."
The meetings of the Lodge continued to be held at the public house of Mathias Slough until June, 1722, when the Lodge re- moved to the house of Bro. Julian Sonnet, which place we have been unable to locate.
At the stated meeting held June 13, 1792, the following were elected officers for the ensuing six months: Mathias Barton, W. M .; Wm. Kirkpatrick, S. W., and Peter Getz, J. W. They were not installed until August following, when the Worshipful Master appointed John Cunningham, Treasurer, and J. J. Sonnet Secretary. The attendance on the meetings of the Lodge at this time was very poor, and the chairs were mostly filled pro tempore.
At the stated meeting December 12, 1792, the election for officers resulted as follows: James Gamble, W. M .; Peter Getz, S. W. ; Jeremiah Mosher, J. W., and Michael App, Treasurer.
The Lodge continued to meet at Bro. Sonnet's house until in June, 1793, when his lease expiring and his new house not being suitable for the purpose, it was resolved to remove the Lodge to the house of Bro. Michael App, on West King Street. We find, however, that the Lodge was never moved to this house, it being used only for committee meetings; but instead of removing to Bro. App's, they changed their place of meeting to the public house of Leonard Eicholtz, which was known as the "Bull's Head," and was situated on the southeast corner of East King and Christian Streets, and was afterwards known as the "Ex- change Hotel."
At the stated meeting of June 12, 1793, the following were elected officers for the ensuing six months: William Kirkpatrick, W. M .; Peter Getz, S. W., and Jeremiah Mosher, J. W. At this time we find the brethren held Lodges of instruction in the Lodge Room, twice a month, on Sunday evenings. Another custom, which was begun with the foundation of the Lodge, was
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HISTORY OF LODGE NO. 43, F. & A. M.
for the brethren to dine together on both St. John's days, the Lodge always holding meetings upon those days, for the purpose of installing the officers, hearing the report of the standing com- mittee on audits, etc.
The election of officers in December of this year resulted in a re-election of all at that time in office, they continuing in office until June, 1794, when Bro. Peter Getz was elected W. M., Bro. Jere. Mosher, S. W., Bro. Jacob Carpenter, J. W., and Bro. Jno. Stone, Treasurer. Bro. Stone not desiring to serve as Treasurer, Bro. Lewis Lauman was appointed in his place, and at the stated meeting held December 10th, the officers were all re-elected.
During the year 1792, four brethren were initiated and one admitted to the Lodge. In 1793, six were initiated, one ad- mitted, and one withdrew; and in 1794, six were initiated. So that during the first decade of the Lodge's existence, thirty members were initiated, and fourteen admitted ; which, together with the seven charter members, makes a total of fifty-one, as having become members of the Lodge during the ten years. The records were not kept with any degree of accuracy during this period, but they give as the loss of membership the follow- ing : four died, four withdrew, and one was suspended ; a total loss of nine; making the apparent net membership at the close of the decade, forty-two. We are inclined to believe that this figure is too high, as the poor attendance at the meetings would indicate that members from time to time dropped out. At an ordinary meeting from seven to nine members (including offi- cers) would attend, and it was a rare thing to have as many as twelve or eighteen present.
The meetings at the close of the year 1794 show a much better attendance than formerly, with the interest in the Lodge on the increase.
At the meeting held September 29, 1794, Mathias Slough, at whose public house the Lodge held its meetings from June, 1788, to June, 1792, was made a Mason.
Bro. Mathias Slough was a man of considerable worth and education. He was a very prominent citizen and patriot during the Revolutionary period. He was Coroner of Lancaster County
-
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HISTORY OF LODGE NO. 43, F. & A. M.
in 1763, when the Paxton Boys broke into the Lancaster jail and murdered the Conestoga Indians, and he held the inquest upon the bodies. The Paxton Boys first rode into Bro. Slough's tavern-yard, and from there proceeded to the scene of murder. In 1776 he was appointed general agent for the Province of Pennsylvania, to provide clothing and accoutrements for the troops raised for the service of the province. He also had com- mand of a Lancaster battalion in the years 1776 and 1777. He was a member of the Legislature of Pennsylvania during the years 1774, '75, '77, '80, '81,'82,'83.
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