Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1908-06-16
Historical Sketch Of Triluminar Lodge, A.,FdA.M

Historical Sketch Of Triluminar Lodge, I.,E6A.M
Earsy - ne A.usseesith Century. probably lat.
~ Inc year 1913 or early in 1870 there was IRE
sented TO the Grand Master 81 he Grand odo,
81 Virginia Z petition praying tor DisDensatior
70 establish lodge OF Ancient. free and Accent
Led Masons at Bruce's Mill. IN Frederick county
Va This petition was signed BY
| Charles W LittIer,
/ Joel Ward Jr,
John S. Payton,
Jaeob elise q Mount Horeb Lodge No. 50.
i Moses T. Hunter.
| The petition was accompanied by strong re-
recommendation from the officers Of Hiram Lodge
No. ~, ding their skill aud proficiency. and
as already having hall over the school house al
Bruces Mill. A dispensatlon readily granted
| them. under which they worked until the annual
meeting of the Grand lodge, and on December
~. a: u. 1879, A L. 5SIo regular charter was
issued for tue permanent establishment of the
| lodge under the name and number of Trilumnar
/ No. III. The officers named in the charter were
| Bro. John Sewers. W. M.
| Charles w. Littler. 5. W.
| Joel Ward, Jr.. !. w.
Thomas Sewers, Ireas.
| Robert Sanford. Secy.
| William J. Miller. s. ID.
! Jacob ClIse. ]. ID.
James Foster Tier
For some years they labored in the hall at
Bruce's Mill with much success In the year 1891
1t was found that it would be tor the good of
the craft in general if the lodge We're located at
SmIthheld. in Jefferson county, then State of
| Virginia. Steps accordingly taken looking
to the removal to the latter place. A suitable
lodge room was prepared on the west of Main
street IN building situated the of High
street and the alley leading to the Union Church,
and on March 3o 1892. Triluminar Lodge was
moved to Smithfeld. They continued in that To-
cation for some years. and until their membership
had grown to such numbers that more pleasant
and commodious surroundings were desired In
1851 committee was appointed to consider the
subject of a new location and permanent home
for the Lodge. This committee consisted of Bro
theirs Lewis Fry. S. L Minghini and George MUIR
I ply They at once entered actively on their work
and after a time selected lot on the land of DR..
Samuel Scholley on Church street near the Union
church. The lot was purchased and donated to
Triuminar Lodge by Bethesda Chapter of ROYAL
Arch Masons, which had in the intervening wears
been organized ard established in SmithfieId.
Triluminar Lodge elected Brothers David Frv
John r Smith and w. o. Macoughtry as trus.
tees of the lodge and to these and their
was the lot decided by Bethesda Chapter. The
committee having the work in charge engaged
Bro. John G. Myers to design and build suitable
building for the of the lodge The corner
stone OF the new building was laid in ample form
on September 10. 1851. under the auspices Of the
NJ. W. Grand Lodge of Virginia with Bro. Moses
T. Hunter as M. w. Grand Master, and Hon G, /.
Faulkner Sr, Orator. BY reason of the zaalovs
work Of Bro. Myers the lodge was enabled 10 move
INTO and occupy their new home on January
1882 with the following officers:
Bio A. c. Undertake. w. NJ
= w. palgarn. S, w.
g David Fry !. w,
. Vance B. Treasurer
W. O. McCoughtry. Secretary
= H. 5. Farnsworth, S. ID.
Josiah ]. Ridgway. ]. D.
8 John G. Myers, Chaplain.
. George Murphy, Tyler.
Here they haye lived and zealousy labored with
but one interruption, until the present day.
The Civil War was time of struggle and strife
that broke many earthly ties and made desoate
many homes, and 1rlluminar Lodge did not es-
cape the fate of its surrounding and constituent
homes. SO many of its members were either with
the army or SO situated not to be able to attend
its meetings, that no meetings were held during
the time from November, 1861. to June, 1904 AT
about the time of the Feast of St. John, in June.
1864, some of the members thinking the lodge
should be again revived assembled and elected
and installed new set of officers. Owing to the
passage of the two armies up and down the Valley
the lodge could not hold its meetings with apv
regularity until the following year. 1865. But.
hostilities having finally ceased aud the remaining
members having again taken up their home life
their thoughts naturally turned to their beloved
lodge. and It's meetings were soon held with their
old time zeal and regularity. and SO continue to
the present time
Triluminar Lodge held its allegiance to the
Grand Lodge OF Virginia until after the Supreme
Court Of the United States decided that Jefferson
county was part of West Virginia Then. and
not until then. she willing to sever the old and
take up the new allegiance to the Grand Lodge of
West Virginia. under whose jurisdiction she then
found herself. Then, having paid her full meas
ure Of duty to the body which created her she
petitioned for membership in the Grand Lodge Of
the new state but with the request that she be al
lowed to retain the name and number under which
she had been originally chartered Her petition
was finally granted. and on December 2s. 1872. a
charter was ISSUED to her and she becam. mem
Der Of the NJ. W. Grand Lodge of West Virginia
The three presiding officers named in and first
acting under the new charter were:
Iro. Richard W. Kearns, w M.
Richard W. Mcintyre. S. W.
. John H. Hayslett. j. w.
I he officers of rrllumnar Lodge No. III, on
Sci te nber i. 1907. were:
Bro !. NJ Shaull. W. NJ.
r u. Smith, S. w.
Geo. w. Wilmington, ]. W.
: NJ E. Trussell, Treas.
9 c. w. Henshaw, Sec'y.
g s B. Cunningham. S. ID.
:. j. F. Gardner, ]. ID.
]. w. Clendening. Tier.
The Past Masters among her members are
D w Clendening. DR. w E Mnghn
James w Ciendening. r w Mcintyre
DR. u z Fry. w Z Outcalt.
| John H Haysett. K Roberts
VIM Haysett ] w Roberts.
G w Henshaw. II Stewart,