The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1910-02-23

account for the reverential use by the
fathers. of these terms,-all of which
will be recalled by the elder Masons
who hear, or may read these words.
Freemasonry in Bennington.
Four Craft Lodges contributed, to-
ward the early companions of TEN
pie Chapter,-no of which survive
to this day. unless one includes Mt.
Anthony, chartered as no. SO" June
%, A. l.. 1924 QS2D and constituted
by r. w. Martin Roberts, d. d. G. NJ,
of Manchester This Lodge sue
cumbed to the anti-Masonic excite
ment, holding its last communication,
December p, A. l.. $500 1S32) and
organized under its original charter,
as No. 60, on February Is, A. l.. 5S4S
QS4S). Anthony J. Haswell acting w.
NJ. In the subsequent REMEMBERING
of Vermont Lodges, Mt. Anthony re-
ceived its present NO. 49,"
The first lodge instituted in Ben.
nington, however, was Temple, No. 4,
after which the Royal Arch Chapter
took its name, The early brethren
of this and other lodges were so ac-
tive in the secular history of Yer
mont, that the impulse to trace the
analogy is almost irresistible, but
the limits set for this sketch forbid
the time and space. The charter-list
of Temple Lodge comprised six
names. viz: Joseph Fay, son Of Land
lord Fay of he Catamount Tavern
fet 10 a
.of the Council of Safety; secretary Of
the independent state Of Vermont;
associated with Ira Allen and others
in the Haldimand negotiations,
whereby q powerful British army was
kept inactive in Canada, for over four
critical years during the American
Revolution; secretary Of all the early
conventions Of Vermonts civil gov
eminent
David Russell, a soldier of the Rev
olution associated with Anthony
Haswell in founding The Vermont
Gazette. June 3, 1888, postmaster Of
Bennington in 1897; afterward collec-
tor of customs OF the port of Burling-
ton; agent to erect the first building
of the University Of Vermont He
was made a Mason in North Star
Lodge, No. >, at Manchester
David Fay brother Of Doctor JOS
eph Fay, states attorney of Behning-
ton County. L. S. District Attorney
under Thomas Jefferson, also was
made in North Star Lodge He serv-
ed as Grand Secretary Of the Grand
Lodge from 1875 to 1891, and was sec
rotary Of the convention forming that
Grand body
David Porter, w. NJ of Temple
Lodge in 1895. and John Norton, the
founder, in 1893, Of the Bennington
pottery. The last named is known
in history as Captain John Norton
% Temple Lodge, No 4. was
chartered by the Grand Lodge OF
Connecticut May is. A. l.. 579S (179Sl
NJ. W. William Judd, GrandMaster II
was declared extinct by the Grand
Lodge Of Vermont, October II. A. l.
$500 1S09) It's last representative
in the Grand Lodge was W. Davit
Fay Master, at the October commu
nication Of 1893; however the lodge
was continued on the roll until the
annual Of 1910. Temple Lodge fur
nished the first Grand Master, Noaf
Smith, a Yale alumnus class of IT'S
NJ. w. Brother Smith delivered The
Grafton August 16, IT'S, at the frs
celebration in Bennington of the bat
tie fought here in 1777 He was
Judge of the Vermont Supreme Cour
from 1889 to 1891. and again from
1898 to 1901; for several years states
attorney and clerk Of Bennington
County and held other important of
fees. He removed to Milton, Yer
mont in 1900. There was a worth!
brother. Noah Smith, of Manchester
whose name should be differentiated
from the first Grand Master of Ma
sons
on North Star Lodge, No. 2, Man
chester, was chartered by the st. An
drews Grand Lodge of Massachusetts
January 20, A. l.. 57S5 C7S5), and III
last communication was held Angus
3, 1910: it was suspended by thu
Grand Lodge, October 6, 1912.
CD Newton Lodge. No. u, All
lington, was chartered by the Gran,
n Lodge of Vermont, NJ. W. Brothe
Noah Smith, Grand Master, Octobe
10, 1897; but, evidently had not beef
Immediately instituted, for, two year
later, a new petition was considered
Praying that a charter may now b.
issued, agreeably to a former grant,
and received favorable action Thi
lodge was not represented in Crane
Lodge communication of 1929; wa
represented, but made no returns II
1890 and went down amid the ant
Masonic discussions OF that time.
(4) Tabernacle Lodge, No. q
bennington, afterward moved f
PownaD, was chartered October IL
1909 and its minutes dated Pownal
from January "a, A. L. 5Sl5 OS15
until it's final communication, Septen
Der 16, 1924, have been preserved. o.
the date last named, in open lodge
was
Resolved, unanimously by tn
, fmembers present, that the charter
funds. furniture and effects of thi
lodge, be surrendered to the Gran
Lodge in consequence of the matter
ton by many of the members of thi
. lodge. Closed in form lsigned
? George Card, Secretary"
, Having thus traced the FreemasoI
. ry from which the companions G
! Temple Royal Arch Chapter came
t before passing to the capitular body
, it appears appropriate to add, tina
3 the Nathan b. Haswell of Burlington
r son of Anthony Haswell of Tempt
F.. Lodge and Chapter of Bennington
S was the NJ, W. Brother who held tn
l Grand Lodge together from 1929
c 1916, breastmg successfully the ant
e Masonic storm of those years. II
t was succeeded by Philip c. Tucke
: who held the Office Of Grand Maste
/ from lS47 to 1861.
+ 1t would appear, also, that the pc