Delaware County, Indiana - Masonic, 1881

Masonic

DELAWARE LODGE, No. 46 - INTRODUCTORY - DISPENSATION - FIRST MEETING AND ORGANIZATION - EARLY RECORDS - ORIGINAL MEMBERS - First OFFICERS - By-LAWws - -SEAL - JEWELS - FINANCES - CELEBRATION JUNE 24, 1844 - SuUBSEQUENT MEETING PLACES - IN THE COURT HovusE - In GrorGE B. Norris' BUILDING - ERECTION OF A PERMANENT HALL - ITs Cost - ST0CKHOLDERS - LIST OF OF FCERS FROM ORGANIZATION - ROLL OF MEMBERS AND DATE OF First ADMISSION, Evo. WwW HEN Delaware County began to be populated by white men, and the era of civilization began to dawn upon the wilderness, Free. masonry, the handmaid of Christianity, was a primal element of the pioneer movement which has left its impress upon the society of to-day. In the course of time, the number of those who had been inducted into the mystic temple was sufficiently increased to justify the experiment of instituting a lodge authorizing them under the regulations prescribed usages of the fraternity. In the fall of 1842, a number of the brethren, feeling that the proper time had come to avail themselves of the opportunity to enjoy these privileges, made application for a dispensation empowering them to meet as a lodge and to work. The request was granted and a dispenastion issued by Philip Mason, of Connersville, Grand Master, bearing the date of 7th day of October, 1842, of which the following is a copy: |

WHEREAS, it has been represented to us that at Muncietown, Delaware County and State of Indiana, there resides a number of Free and Accepted Ancient York Masons, who are de-irous of associating together agreeably to the constitution of Ancient Masonry ; and it appearing for the promotion of the Royal Art, necessary and proper that the said brethren should be enabled to work together as a regular lodge of Masons.

Taererore, I, Philip Mason, Grand Master of the most ancient and honorable society of Free and Accepted Ancient York Masons, in the State of Indiana, by and with the consent of the Grand Lodge, testified by their rules and regulations, do hereby constitute and appoint the Worshipful Samuel P. Anthony, Master; Patrick Justice, Senior Warden, and John Brownlee, Junier Warden, together with all such brethren as are now or may hereafter become members, a regular lodge of Free and Accepted Ancient York Masons, by dispensation, by the title of Delaware Lodge, U, D.; and do hereby ordain that all regular lodges respect them as such, hereby granting them ful] power to assemble and work together as a regular Lodge, to receive and enter Apprentices, pass Fellow-crafts, and raise Masters, according to the form and established customs of Ancient Masonry, and not otherwise. Also, to exact from these members contributions, as they shall judge necessary, for the support of the lodge, relief of the brethren in distress, together with such contributions toward the Grand Charity Fund as are required by the constitution of Masonry and the laws of the Grand Lodge of Indiana; commanding the aforesaid brethren to reverence and obey their superiors in all things lawful and honest, as becomes the honor and harmony of Masonry. To record in their lodge-book this present dispensation, their own private regulations, and their whole acts and proceedings from time to time as they occur; and by no means to divert their said lodge hereby constituted, or form themselves into separate meetings, without the consent of said Worshipful Master and Wardens; and are not to

Grand Master for the time being. And I do enjoin and command the aforesaid brethren to make due returns of this dispensation, a copy of the private regulations, anda copy of all the proceedings had in the said dispensation, to the Most Worshipful Grand

Lodge of Indiana, at their next annual communication, to be holden in the town or Indianapolis, on the fourth Monday in May, next ensuing the date hereof, and to which time this dispensation shall continue in force, and no longer. All which, by the acceptance hereof, they are bound to observe, and the brethren aforesaid, by the acceptance hereof, acknowledge the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge and Master as their superiors, and promise to pay due regard to such instructions and recommendations as theyshall hereafter receive fromthem. For the more effectual preservation of these presents, the same are hereby ordered to be recorded.

Given under the hand of Philip Mason, Master of the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Indiana, and the seal of said Lodge, this 7th day of October, Anno Lucis 5842, Anno Domini 1842.

The organization of the Masonic order in Muncie was affected, pursuant to the aforesaid dispensation, by the institution of Delaware Lodge, U. D., on the 20th of March,1843, in the then residence of Dr. Samuel P. Anthony, the Worshipful Master. The building was a two-story frame, situated on the east side of High street, on the south: side of the alley between Main and Jackson, and now occupied as a_boarding-house. A short time after the organization, the-west wpper room of the court house was fitted up, and from that time for several years, the meetings of the lodge were held there. The first records appertaining to the transactions of this lodge, bear the marks of antiquity and are, indeed, venerable relics of the past. The minutes of those proceedings were kept upon sheets of foolscap paper, and the whole, consisting of some forty-three pages of manuscript, inclosed in a color, giving it the appearance of greater age than it really has. We quote from these early records the following: '' March 20, 1843. A meeting was convened. Present, James Hogan, 8. P. Anthony, Patrick Justice, John Brownlee, John M. Thomas, John Hupp, Jesse Sythan, James O. Leas, B. Sayre and G. E. Cook.

Brownlee, as Junior Warden. After which the lodge proceeded to ballot for subordinate officers with the following result: James Hogan, Secretary; John M. Thomas, Treasurer; John Hupp, Senior Deacon; Jesse Sythan, Junior Deacon; James O. Leas, Tiler. These latter officers were then. duly installed. A committee was appointed to draw up a code of by-laws, to report at the next meeting. The lodge was then closed, to meet again March 21, at 6 o'clock P. M.

"March 21 The committee on by-laws, consisting of Brothers Hogan, Justice and Hupp, made report, and the by-laws, so reported, consisting of twenty-five articles, were unanimously adopted by the lodge, which, after adoption, were signed by the following members: Samuel P. Anthony, Patrick Justice, John Brownlee, James L. Hogan, John Hupp, Jesse Sythan and James O. Leas." | proceedings and by-laws, and found them generally regular, noting certain exceptions, reported the following resolution, which was adopted :

" July 8, 1843. A committee of three was appointed to confer with the County Commissioners in reference to renting the grand jury room in the court house, for a lodge-room." Subsequently, the committee reported that the room could be procured for that purpose and it was procured accordingly.

"November 4, 1843. The committee appointed to investigate the accounts of the lodge, made the following report: '1st. We find Moses L. Neely in arrears as Treasurer to the amount of $16.18}. 'This calculation is made after deducting his account of $49.50; 36.06, printer's

'We find the lodge is indebted as follows: S. P. Anthony's account, &18.674; fee to Grand Secretary, 75 cents; Benjamin Sayre, account, $1.65; Patrick Justice, fee to Grand Secretary, 75 cents; John H. Thomas, fees to Grand Secretary, 75 cents; Grand Lodge claimed for dues, charter, etc., $16.25; total indebtedness, $39.12. Deduct Hodge's account, $7.374; which leaves in the treasury, $19.314. At this meeting a committee was appointed to devise a seal.

W.; George H. Ballingall, J. W; James O. Leas, Secretary; M. L Neely, Treasurer; S. W. Harlan, 8S. D.; B. W. Scott, J. D.; Joseph Bowman, Tiler. These officers were installed at the semi-annual festival of St. John the Evangelist, December 27, 1843.

" December 30, 1843. The committee on seal reported the following device: Center should be a compass and square, and around the margin, Delaware Lodge Seal, which was amended to read ' Delaware Lodge, No. 46, Seal,' and the report, with this amendment, was then adopted.'

"March 19, 1844. A committee was appointed to procure jewels for the lodge and make report, the next meeting. At the meeting of April 27 following, the committee having procured a set of plated jewels, A. M. Klein was allowed $5 for the same. Jesse Sythan, one of the original members of this lodge having died, the lodge, by its committee appointed for the purpose, passed resolutions of respect to his memory, at the meeting of March 19, 1844, and ordered that the lodge be draped in mourning and that the brethren wear the usual badge for thirty days."

"June 24,1844. At 11 o'clock A. M., the necessary preparations having been made for the celebration of the anniversary of St. John the Baptist. The lodge proceeded in the following order the Presbyterian Church, in charge of W. T. Scott, Marshal of the Day, music, ladies, brethren, citizens, who marched through the principal streets

"Prayer by Rev. Robert Irwin, of the Presbyterian Church; music by the band; installation of officers; address by Samuel W. Harlan; music by the band; singing by the citizens. Benediciton by Rev. Mr. Clifford.

"The procession was again formed in line of march and proceeded to, and all participated in, the dinner prepared for the occasion by Mr. Russey. Dinner over, the crowd dispersed and the order proceeded to the lodge-room, after which the exercises closed. The officers installed on this occasion were David Kilgore, W. M.; Patrick Justice, S. W.; Moses L. Neely, J. W.; F. HK. Putnam, Secretary; Joseph Bowman; Treasurer; S. W. Harlan, S. D.; H. E. Bowen, J. D.; J. O. Leas, Tiler.

"March 7, 1846. At this time the lodge received from the members who had removed the jewels, etc., from the grand jury-room, in the court house, a report setting forth that the removal was consummated in consequence of a demand made for the rent of the room by the County Commissioners, the grand jury having granted the lodge the use of the room rent free. The jewels, etc., in the meantime, had been removed to the room of Dr. S. P. Anthony, Past Master of the lodge. Subsequently, the meetings of the lodge were held in a room then occupied as a family residence by Mr. G. B. Norris. At the meeting of May in that year, a vote of thanks was tendered to Mr. Norris for the use of this room. About this time, the matter having been under consideration, the committee appointed for the purpose, reported favorably on the proposition to secure the old room in the court house in common with the Sons of Temperance, who were then occupying it, the lodge to pay one-third of the rent. A review of these preceedings is given as follows:

'When the lodge was removed from the court house, under the circumstances referred to, the effects, for the time being, were deposited in a room in the building owned by Mr. Anthony, in Commercial row, from which, soon after, they were removed to the building occupied by George B. Norris, a frame building recently moved off the lot at the northwest corner of Main and Jefferson streets - the present site of the - Boyce Block - but burned in the street dur-ng the process of removal. From this building the lodge was again moved into a room which Mr. Anthony had built with a special view to its occupancy as a Masonic hall, and fitted up for that purpose during the interim. This room was on the south side of Main street, immediately east of High. The inconvenience of the construction - ingress and egress, as well as the rooms - caused the order to make arrangements with the County Commissioners, which were afterward consummated, renting the entire upper story of the court house and remodeling it to suit the convenience of the fraternity. The next removal was to the Globe Block, which was fitted up expressly for the purpose of a lodge-room, being built by Fred E. Putnam and Judge J. Brady in conjunction. An understanding was arrived at between the builders, Messrs. Putnam and Brady, that the lodge, in conjunction with the I. O. O. F., would put on the third story and fit the same for the purposes of a lodge-rooms. Mr. Putnam, however, not meeting with anticipated success in the.collection of the subscriptions, fitted the same at his own expense and rented it to the Masonic Order, at the rate of $50 per year. The rent of this hall commenced on the 15th of October, 1853, and Mr. Putnam, having collected on subscription the sum of $150, three months rent was allowed in advance.

"June 14, 1851. The lodge appropriated $35 toward the building of the Washington Monument at the national capital, in return for - which it received a portrait of Washington and a design of the monument, with a certificate of membership in the association.

" September, 1851, the by-laws of the lodge were so changed that the officers elected were to serve one year instead of six months as heretofore.

'' At the meeting in April, 1852, the committee on lodge-room reported that they had leased the court house room for a period of seven years, and had used it only two years and a half; but, as the room was very inconvenient, it was resolved to surrender the lease and rent the room of Fred E. Putnam, for a period of five years.

f March 23, 1862. The record shows the fio tehaeealie Diack of the condition of the lodge at that date and a review of the work done during the year preceding:

Amount received for degrees during the year...........0....000.ce0 $60 00 Amount received for dues during the year..............scecceecereceeee 83 75 Amount received from other sources during the year............... 36 51 VLU OE SOOT oo ove su 2é- cao ti pn vdnadars geo adbaen: jastenh anne nae 250 00 Amount paid out for charity during the year......... rubvedenentpaace 78 25 Amount paid out for Grand. Lodge dues............. Demat: 37 50 Amount paid out for other purposes.............ccsceceecececececeecercee 81 80

" Tnitiated, 6; passed, 7; raised, 5; number of members at the commencement of the year, 69; dimitted, 3; re-instated, 1; admitted from other lodges, 2; total membership, 74.

"During the current year 1862, a committee was appointed for the purpose of acquiring ground and making all necessary preparations for building a hall. In February, 1863, an addition of two was added to the committee in the persons of John W. Burson and Archibaid Hamilton, the original committee being D. H. Case, George W. Fay and Manuel Marks. On March 28, 1863, the committee made and submitted

"* We have bargained for the lot known as the "' Charley Cooper lot," at the southwest corner of the public square, and are waiting for a deed, which will be made next Saturday. The amount of stock raised is $3,350. Your committee is of the opinion that the amount of stock now in hand is sufficient to make a commencement, and would offer the following resolution and ask to be discharged.' Which was adopted:

Resolved, That a committee of three be appointed to procure materialand lot, the erection and inclosure of the building on the lot now bargained for, as soon as practicable. - If the contract fail on the lot now bargained for, the committee will proceed to purchase the next most suitable, and go on with the building.

"'The following were then appointed on the committee: David H. Case, John W. Burson, James Montgomery. May 2, 1860, this committee reported a proposition to collect moneys and issue a certificate of stock,

"May 13, 1863. The committee reported the purchase of the ' Cooper lot," of twenty-four feet front, for $1,252, and that they had let the contract for excavating the cellar, and had contracted, also, for the brick and stone, lumber, laying the brick, stone, etc.; collected:from stock and other sources, $1,775. Paid out for materials, $1,189.54; balance on

On the 24th of June, 1863, the corner-stone was laid with imposing ceremonies, upon which was engraved the following: '"M. W. G. M. William Hacker, A. D., 1863, A. L., 5863." The following is an abstract of the deposit: "Holy Bible; names of officers of Delaware Lodge, No. 46; date of dispensation; date of organization under dispensation; date of charter and general officers of the same; list of names of members of Delaware Lodge, No. 46; list of first officers and present; date petitioners for same; date of charter and petitioners for the same; date of organization under charter; first officers, present officers and members; a list of members of Mount Moriah Lodge; copy of by-laws of Delaware Lodge, Mount Moriah Lodge and of Muncie Chapter: a craftsman; history of the Methodist Episcopal Church and Presbyterian Church of this place; name of State and county officers; copy of Delaware County Times ; also, Times und Free Press; Greeley Almanac for 1863; a blank stock certificate of Masonic Hall; copper coins, U. S. A.; one 3-cent piece; one 5d-cent piece, one 10-cent piece, one 25-cent piece; copy of the Little Messenger; three copies of the proceedings of the Grand Lodge of Indiana; Fravell's Report to Grand Lodge on Foreign Correspondence."

After the ceremony was concluded, the assembly repaired to the fair grounds, where an oration was deilvered by Grand Master ,Hacker, and a dinner was served, prepared by J. M. Davis. The old house on the

We find the grand total expense to date to be $29,810.66, which includes every item of expense, even the original and re-issue of stock from which we have deducted stock redeemed, showing the toHowiang:

Recapitulation

The following is a complete roll of the officers of Delaware Lodge, No. 46, from the date of organization to the present time, with date of election and the term of service of each:

Roll Of Members

ROLL OF MEMBERS. The following is a nearly complete list of the members who have been initiated and admitted into the lodge from the date of organization to the present time, as taken from the records of the lodge: