The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1901-05-15
WOOSTER LODGE, F, & A. M.
CELEBRATES ITS SEMI CENTENNI-
Al ANNIYERSARY.

Opening Exercises of the Event Tht
, Evening - Speeches by Prominen
Men-Exercises Tomorrow Night.
; Wooster Lodge f. and A. M, will eel
citrate its semi this evening
at Masonic Hall, 81 Church street, wher
the third degree will be exemplified or
Captain e. O. Gruener of the New Ha,
ven Grays. DR.. r. H. Wheeler, district
deputy, will make his official visit, ant
several grand lodge officers will be pres.
ent, including Past Grand e. X. Lock.
wood, of Riverside. After the exempli-
fcation of the third degree a banquet
will be given in the banquet hall tc
three hundred members and guests
There will be speeches by Grand Mas
ter F. S. Stevens of Bridgeport, District
Deputy Frank Wheeler of New Haven,
Hon. N. D. Sperry, Captain Gruener,
Luke A. Lockwood Mayor-elect John
p. Studley, William H. Ely, General e.
S. Greeley. Banta Brothers quartette
will render selections during the ban
quet.
Tomorrow evening Wooster lodge
will continue it's anniversary celebra-
ton with a musical and literary enter
tainment at Music Hall, with music by
FichtPs orchestra. Miss Lizzie Gaff-
ney and Wallace S. Moyle will sing,
and there will be singing by a double
quartette, composed Of Frank Lang
dale Qeader), Francis L. Shea, John c.
Crabb, DR.. A. T. Barber, e. A. Ender,
A. William Sperry, e. E. Allen and DR..
#. N. spNrry. Miss Kate Osborn will
whistle.
| A history of the lodge will be read by
Past Master F. Stanley Bradley, and a
promenade concert will close the even
ing's programme Admission will be by
| ticket only.
| Wooster is one of the most influential
Masonic organizations in New Haven
county and has a large membership.
The lodge was chartered in May, 1851,
under Grand Master William E. San
ford of New Haven, who was elected
May IA of that year. David Clark, of
Hartford, was the deputy grand mas
ter of the Grand Lodge at that time
He was the successor of Grand Master
Sanford taking the position May IL,
1858. The charter members of the lodge
included John A. Peck, Isaac S. john
son. Marshall Hoadley, Gideon o.
Hotchkiss, William G. Smith, William
III. Hine and N. D. Sperry. Congress
man Sperry is the only charter member
now living, Marshall Hoadey was the
first master of the lodge Gideon o.
Hotchkiss was the first senior and A. A
Hicoks the first junior warden.
Congressman Sperry, who is the only
survivor of the charter list of men,
bers, was raised in Hiram Lodge of New
Haven soon after he became twenty-one
years of age. Afterwards he removed
to that section of the city which is
known as Fair Haven, and secured the
resuscitation of the old charter of Adel-
phi lodge, and organized lodge there.
1t is one of the iourishing Masonic
bodies in the University city. On re-
turning to New Haven he was impor-
tuned to become charter member of
Wooster lodge, which was then in pro-
cess of organization. Congressman
Sperry has spent half century with
this lodge and is one of it's foremost
members.
The fact may be noted in passing that
four Of the six members of the Con-
necticut delegation in Congress are
members of the Masonic order. The |
Hon. e. Stevens Henry, of the First |
district is a member of Fayette Lodge |
Of Rockville. He was raised in this
lodge Immediately after completing his ,
twenty first year. He is also chapter |
and council Mason, being a member Of |
Adoniram Chapter, No. IS, and Adoni-
ram Council, No. IA. He was accepted
IN Washington Commandery, knights
Tempar, way back in the early six
lies, but unfortunately never found
lime to take the degree.
Congressman e. j. Hill is a member
If st. Johns of Norwalk. United States
Senator o. H. Platt is member Of
Meriden Lodge of Meriden and of st.
elmo Commandery, knights Templar,
If that city. Congressman Sperry is
llso a knights Templar, belonging to
he New Haven Commandery.
Wooster Lodge has furnished a large
lumber of men in public life in New
haven. Mayor John P. Studley. who
las just been elected, ex-Mayor Fred
rick B. Farnsworth who was born in
Hartford In 1851, and ex-Mayor A. c. r.
Iendrick, who was in the Twelfth Con-
cCllCQt uQIillS liC ClNil wall t1lC lIiSiH- | l..
ers of the lodge. Colonel Simeon J.
OK, who was the assistant adjutant-
eneral for years, ex-Assessor Charles
!. Baldwin, George N. Moses who is a :
alive of this city, and a veteran of the .
ivil war; William H. Ely and Lucius P. =
,eming are also prominent members of )
Wooster lodge !
The Grand Lodge representatives in !
luding Grand Master Frederick S. Ste
ems of Bridgeport, Deputy Grand
Iaster Arthur c. Wheeler of Norwalk,
rand Senior Warden Leon M. Wood
)rd of Naugatuck Grand Junior War
en- George e. Parsons of Norwich, :.
rand Treasurer Miles w. Graves of
Grand Secretary John H. !.
arrow Of Hartford, Grand Senior Dea- =
IN Asa P. Fitch of Hartford and !,
rand Junior Deacon Benjamin F. Tur- .
ar of Middletown have accepted invi- :.
ltons to be present at the semi-cen- :
nnial.
There have been thirty-five grand q
asters, of the Grand Lodge in the -
ate since the charter of Wooster lodge a
as granted in 1851. OF this number 4
veptv arc still living r Ouiptar6 :