The Corvallis times. (Corvallis, Or.) 1888-1909, 1907-01-04
AFTER FIFTY YEARS.
Oldest Lodge in Corvallis Celebrated
'tz' ~ ssi}
Many Participated Some
History.

.t'ft a % |
The semi-centennia1 anniversary
Of the organization of their LODGE
was celebrated by Corvallis Free
Masons Tuesday night. The event
was notable one in the Masonic
history of the state, for the Corval-
| lis lodge was one of the first or
ganized in the state, the grand
lodge of Oregon having been in ex-
istence but six years when the To-
cal organization was effected.
Three hundred invitations were
sent out in honor of Tuesday even
ing's celebration. Every member
of the ledge, no matter where his
residence, was on the list Of the in
vited. while all the eighboring
lodges of the order got bids to the
festivities. About forty guests
from abroad were in attendance.
many of them notable members Of
the order. ~
/ The programme included an ad
|dress of welcome by A. B. Cordley,
master, an oratiou by A. A. Hod.
son OF Portland. history Of the
lodge by z. H. Davis, and vocal
solos by Miss Shelby. At the ban
quet there were many toasts and
songs, mostly of humorous chat
acter. A striking feature Of which.
were songs by Mr.. and Mrs. S. S.
Bullock of Portland 1t was nearly
two o'clock in the morning when
; the last guest left the hall.
Corvallis lodge was organized
January 1887. The dispensation
was issued in December 1856, about
six years 9fter the grand lodge of the
state was organized. The orig inal
members were. F. G. Clark, ]. B.
Brumheld, ]. B. Congle. M. Stock,
) ]. c. Avery, B. F. Gutter, William
kaufman, ], A. Bennett. Joseph
Latshaw, John McI1teney and
! George P. Wren. The number ot
charter members was eleven. The
forigiual officers were, D. G. Clark
!, master; j.. B. Brum6eld, senio'
! warden; J. B. .Congle, junior ward
en-; NJ. Stock. treasurer; J. G. Av-
, erys secretary, and B. F. Cutter
t tyler All the charter member.
;. are dead. The first meeting plac'
was in the upper story Of the build
! ing opposite the steam laundry ane
occupied by Beach's feed store
O which at that time was located or
the northeast corner of the lot ives
of the foundry. The first foot o
= !, the building then was occupied b.
D. G.. Clark and E. Ho1gate as
:. store. After a few years the chap
: ter and lodge bought the Occident
/ al Hotel corner, meeting in the up
> per story Of what is now the dining
room section of the hotel. Tn
:. lower floor was used then as drug
store. After several years the lodge:
# sold the property and moved int
}. the Fisher brick. About the same
3 }time, buying the site of the presen
S Masonic temple,
f The first person initiated int
0 the lodge was E. Holgate. Th'
It next Oldest member living is F. W
b Fisher, who was initiated in 1859
e and next is E.. Woodward who wa
e admitted to membership in 1865
|. Manual Knight. S. n. Lilly ane
f William Burgett became member
( in 1865, Wilson Bump in 1867, M
elH. Bell in 1869, and Wallace Bald
K win in 1870. d. G. Clark, th
e original master. was gre I'D maste
te of the grand lodge of Oregon il
:. 1869 and 1870. J. B. Congle, tn
x secoad master of the lodge becarn
). grand master of the grand lodg'
1t and served inthat capacity in 1874
le 1875 In 1860 and 1861 Williar
10 Kaufman was master, and in 1856
J.C. Avery became executive, off
e Ger of the lodge: In 1868. j. r
:. Bayleys became master, only a. few
If months after being admitted t
v membership. He had previousl
i served as grand master ofthegran'
e lodge in 1851. Or. Bayley attend
! ed every session Of the grand 1odg
Is except the last one before his deaf
= being then too old and infrm t.
a make the journey to the session
~ In 1854, B.. L. Perham becam
:. master, and after his term had ez
. pired he went to Idaho. where b
+. died shortly. afterward.. He wa
a the first, clerk Of Benton count,
I Other masters were, R. NJ. Hussey
2 1865; D. 6. Clark from 1866 /
= 1871. R. Bayley, 1872; ]. B. L.
$ 1873 and 1874; D. G. Clark, 187
t. and 1876: Wallace Baldwin, 1877;
1e 1873; Thomas Graham, 1873. C
Re w. Kennedy, 1879; E. Holgat'
e 1880; John ssKesee, 1ss2-1S83;@N
f lC. Crawford, 1884, <a1S85,a188t
4 ~.