Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1894-05-25
MASONRY IN MlDDLEeuRY.

incidents relating to the early history
of Union lodge. In the year 1874 the
site of the village of Mlddlebury was
covered with dense growth of hem
lock trees, with the exception of two or
three roads diverglng from the falls
and occasional small clearings prepara-
tory to settlement This was only eight
years after the first dwelling house had
been erected and occupied. The year
previous the number of buildings of all
kinds was 62. The dwellings were
chiefly log houses built at small ex-
pense. Two years later it is said there
were 30 families on the easterly side of
the creek, and ten on the westerly side,
and, excepting small clearings around
the mills and houses, the land was
covered with hemlock trees. About
this time Col. John Chapman, our first
master, invited his friends to a Christ
mas dinner. A neighbor composed the
following verses for the occasion, which
are so apropos as to bear repeating:
"rhs place, called Middlebury Falls,
Is like Il city without wa Isl
Surrounded tits by hemock trees
Which shut out all its enemies.
The powwow now on Christmas day,
Which much resembles Indian play,
| think will never be forgotten
Till all the hemlock trees are rotten"
In order to organize Masonic lodge
in pioneer town it was necessary not
only that there should be men, but Il
place for them to meet, Notwithstanding
it has been stated that the whole heavens
constitute a lodge-rOom. A large pro-
portion Of the pioneer settlers of the
town came from Connecticut and from
the grand lodge Of that State we obtain
ed our charter, which was dated May
10, 1874; and the centennial anniversary
of that event we now commemorate.
The lodge was very fortunate in having
as members some of the most distn-
guished men in Vermont. Its first
officers we're: Col. John Chapman,
master; Joel Linsley, senior warden
Lewis Mcdonald, junior warden, and
Rev. Thomas Toman. secretary. The
grand master and senior warden of the
grand lodge of Connecticut came here tC
institute the lodge and install its officers
Such men as John Chapman, Gamaliel
Painter, Samuel Mattocks, Seth Storrs
Samuel Miller, Darius Matthews, John
Strong, Ebenezer Markham and other:
would confer honor and dignity upon
any institution,
The first tavern of any prominence in
the village was built in 1890 by John
Deming where the Congregations
church now stands, and was sold tC
Brother Samuel Foot in 1874. Brother
Samuel Mattocks also built public
house, where the Addison House now
stands, the same year The lodge first
met at the inn of Samuel Foot, who was
made a Mason at its first meeting. This
inn is now the dwelling house of f. c.
Brown, standing northerly of the Con-
gregational church, whittier it was re-
moved to make room for the church
The next year its meetings were held in
Mattocks tavern and afterward in the
Markham tavern, about where is now
the rear end of Mr.. Negus' store. This
room was about twelve feet square with
arched roof, and was burned in the great
fire of 1875. In 1913 the lodge moved
back to the Mattocks tavern, where ii
remained until the latter was burned in
1916, when the lodge room and the
charter were destroyed. 1t then again
occupied the room in the Markham
house until December, 1916, when it was
removed to the new brick building erect
ed by Thomas Hagar, now owned by
the Middlebury national bank.
AS early as 1901, and occasionally
later, efforts were made for the erection
of building for the use of the lodge.
In 1924 the block we now occupy was
completed. The two lower stories were
built by other parties, for business pur-
poses, and the upper story by the
Masons. They occupied it continuously
until they suspended work in 1882.
During this suspension of 10 years
Masons' hall was sold for the trifling
sum of $3.50. In the meantime the
charter, records and other utensils of
the lodge were safely kept by some Of
the faithful, and the lodge was reorgan-
lied the 18th of December, 1917, and
rented the rooms they had formerly al
most given away. These rooms were
then occupied for 30 years, until the
new block of stores was built by j. w.
Stewart in 1879, when it was thought
rooms more central would be desirable,
and the upper story was fitted up es-
pecially and luXuriously for the differ
ent Masonic bodies. 1t was destined
however, to remain here but a short
time, as the block was burned Nov. 10,
1880. The charter, record books and
pictures were saved, but the furniture,
including valuable painting of 1897
and an organ, were destroyed. Then for
the third time the lodge moved back to
its old home, and here we are tonight,