Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1894-05-17
VERMONT sIAsoNs.
Much Interest Taken in the Coming
Centennial

w III Ut iltlilpfdDit ollt III Alie history
of Masonry in Vermont, where il has
existed since November 10, ISL.
when Vermont Lodge at Springfield
was chartered by the Grand Lodge of
Massachusetts,. Between that year
and 794, five lodges had been char
tered in the State: North Star, at Man.
chester, in 1885; Dorchester, in YER
gennes, 1871; Temple, at Bennington,
1898, and Union, at Middlebury,
1894.
In the summer of 1894. the subject
of founding a Grand Lodge was dis
cussed, and on August 9th of that
year brethren from North star. Dor
chester and Temple lodges met at
Manchester for the purpose of form
ing a Grand lodge Of Free and Ac-
cepted Masons of the State of YER
mont. A chairman and secretary
were chosen the first day. The Sec
ond day, committee 10 draw up a
constitution was appointed. The
| secretary was instructed 10 correspond
with the other lodges not represented
at this meeting and request them TO
send representatives to Rutland in
October, there TO complete the organ
ization.
The second convention assembled
in Rutland, October 10th, all the
lodges Of the State being represented.
The sessions were adjourned from
day to day until the l4th, when the
organization was completed, and the
Grand lodge of "Most Free and Ac-
cepted Masons for the State of YER
mont, independent and governed sole
ly by its own laws, ," was formed. This
title it has always maintained.
The first grand master was Noah
Smith of Temple lodge of Benning-
ton. lie was born in Sufiield, Conn,
and graduated from Yale college in
HISS. Among his classmates were
Noah Webster the photographer,
Chief Justice Zephania Smith and
United States Senator Uriah Tracy.
Noah Smith settled in Bennington as
soon as his college course was COM
pleted and delivered the Grafton at
the first celebration of the Battle of
Bennington, August l6, l7Is. May
p. 1879, he was admitted 10 the bar
at Westminster, he and Stephen Il.
Bradley being the first admitted in
Vermont lie filed many positions
of trust and honor. and was Judge
of the supreme court and United
States collector Of internal revenue.
He was grand master in 1894, 80, 90.
'97. In 1900, he moved TO Milton,
where he died Christmas day, 1872,
aged "a years. His grave was un-
marked for years, but at the session Of
the grand lodge in 1857 an appropri-
alton for monument was voted. and
at the session in 1889 il was announc-
ed that a suitable granite shaft, prop
erly Inscribed, had been erected over
his grave.
John Chapman was elected grand
master in 1917, and held the office nm
iii 1914. Until the year 1896, the or
der flourished in Vermont, 20 subor-
dinate lodges being chartered, that Of
Union at Middlebury being renewed
in 1897 and Dorchester in l79s. Tenn
pie lodge was succeeded by Mount
Anthony lodge. chartered Oct. IL,
1924 North star lodge was succeed
ed by Adoniram lodge, chartered in
1856. Vermont lodge, With which
the grand lodge held many sessions. is
now working under charter granted
in 1850.
From 1926 until 1874, but little was
done in Masonic circles. The excite |
ment over the abduction of William
Morgan extended to this State and the
order was bitterly attacked
In 1896, the grand lodge met, elect !
ed officers and adjourned. From that /
year until ls44, biennial sessions, at |
tended only by Nathan b. Haswcn. |
grand master, +. T. Englesby, grand |
treasurer, and John b. Ilollenbeck, |
grand secretary, We're held in secret, !
and after opening and closing in due
70 IN the grand lodge was adjourned. |
In 1874, the dissension began TO dis
appear, and in 1916, regular commu-
nication having been restored, Nathan
b. Haswell, who had been grand mas
ter since 1929, was succeeded by Phil
ip c. Tucker, who held the position
until 1861
During the 10 years from 1850 to
1860, 20 charters were granted by the
grand lodge.
At present, there are under its juris-
diction 1913 subordinate lodges, with a
membership of about $500. The
State is divided into IL Masonic dis
tricis, the largest being district No. 4.
composed of 10 lodges in Rutland
county.
Since the grand lodge was organic
ed, there have been ~ grand masters
OF these, Addison county has furnish
ed two; Bennington county, two; Cal
edonia. two: Franklin, four; Rutland,
two; Washington, one; Windsor, !
two; Windham- three, and Chittenden,
four.
As Bennington county had the dis
tincfiou of furnishing the GRAND mas