The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1897-12-17
RTs TO ADyE

Wilkins, District Deputy 9th District
R. w. A. Fl. Sherman, District Deputy
of the 9th District.
Among the visitors were W. NJ, A. II
DeCoster, Overlook Lodge, Summit, Past
Masters. George w Brown and George
N. Williams; members, A. D. Reynolds
Henry Wulff, J. G. Bonnell. G. w
Swain, Geo. Chamberlain, Harry Bun.
yard, G. P. Chew, Eugene 9. Pierson,
| Geo. v. Muchmore. Geo. w Howell
Prospect Lodge No. "a, Chester; Samuel
Brant. Madison Lodge No. 95; mem
bers, F. &. Garrison, VIM. Cartwright,
G. R. Hopkins: Thomas Decker, Harf
mony Lodge No. %, Newton; Past.
/ Master. J. N. Brown, Acacia No. 90,
Dover. F.W. Becker, st. Johns No.l1i
Newark. A. w. Bell, Acanthus Lodge
No. 7i9, Brooklyn, N. Y. w. T..
Lewis. Boiling Spring Lodge, Rnther-
ford, N. Y. Past Master, VIM. 81.
Sieger, Bethlehem Pa, No. 1888; Edward
Conner, Orien, No. III, Brooklyn; Will
liam. Clark, Eureka No. 80, Newark;
w. T. Burd, Prospect No. "a, Chester.
Shortly after IL d o'clock the lodge was
closed and adjournment made to tho
BANQUET room where bountiful refresh.
ments were served by J. K. Boniface.
Cigars were afterward lighted and some
time spent in social intercourse.
The early history of Free Masonry in
Morristown dates from the days of the
revolution, as will be seen by the follow
ing sketch:
AT the close Of the year 1919, the
Headquarters Of General Washington
were at Morriatown, N. j. The
american Union Lodge" army
/ lodge warranted February 18th, 1776,
by Col. Richard Gridley. Deputy Grand
Master of Massachusetts, to certain
brethren of the connecticut line" was
at that time with w Washington's army at
Morristown. On the 27th of December,
t1779, a Communication of the above
named lodge was held, to celebrate the
festival Of st. John the Evangelist, and
the record shows the presence of sixty
eight brethren, including General Wash
ington.
On December 18th, 1856, Convention
of Master Masons residing in the State Of
New Jersey, was held at New Bruins
wick, for the purpose Of establishing q
Grand Lodge, which having been effect
ed, held its first communication at New
Brunswick, Jan aary Both, 1857, and the
Hon. David Bres fly, then Chief Justice
r II. :, StAs,E<s Il<S7 &c fho ffrc4
Grand Master, and was afterward reE-
elected for four ucoessive years.
At that conn 1nication dispensatioa
was granted Fl three months TO certain
III ttsi X HiaozssgS A1elf
Tistown, to be known as Hiram Lodge,
No. 4 Z" On the second Of April, 1857,
the dispensation was cancelled, and q
warrant issued by the Grand Lodge,
which warrant was subsequently (on the
9Th July, 1896, returned on account Of
the non-attendance of the members.
But one return was made June 24tIl,
1898, by this Lpdge to the Grand Lodge,
which shows that its officers at that time
were: VIM. LiGdle, Capt. and M. D., w.
NJ: John Howell, Capt. and Farmer, $.
w; John Strotsbury, Capt. and Inn
keeper, J. W.; Geo. F. Tenney, Inn
keeper, Sec'y. On November 10th, 1919,
a warrant was granted to James Burras,
w. NJ; Stephen Halsey, S. W., and
Amos Nichols, j. W., to open and hold a
Lodge at Morristown, to be called 49,.
Tammany Lodge, No. 49," The records
show that Chas. Freeman was its first
Secretary, and that in 1921 it ceased to
exist.
On the Sth of November, 1908, Brother
James Burras presented petition to the
Grand Lodge, signed by himself and six
others, praying that warrant be grant
ed to James Burras, W. NJ; VIM.
Bailey, S. W., and John SturteYant, i.
W., to hold Lodge at Montville, Morris
/ County, which was granted and the
Lodge named Cincinnati Lodge, No. ~
| the first Communication being held at the
house of Brother Burras, December 5tli,
1903. On November 18th, 1906, permits
sion was granted by the Grand Lodge to
change the place of meeting to Hanover
(Whippany, where it continued to meet
until December 26, 1874, when it was
removed to Morristown, under dispeil-
sation of the M. w. Grand Master.
The number of the Lodge was changed
from No. II to No. 8, November 8tll,
1912.