The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1922-04-25

Richmond lodge No. 1876 and A.
NJ. will observe its siXty-sixth ami
versary and roll call Tuesday night.
Masons from throughout the county
and from neighboring lodges are ex-
pected to attend. Richmond lodge has
about SIS members and large turn
out of local members is expected.
Tonight's celebration will start at
ESQ o'clock. One candidate will be
given the Master Mason degree. Fol-
lowing the degree work the roll call
will be held, beginning at :45 o'clock.
Refreshments will be served following
The roll call
The actual anniversary of the lodge
falls on May 2, but the celebration
could not be held on that night be-
cause it happens to fall on the stated
meeting night of the lodge and the
constitution of the lodge provides that
stated meetings must be held on the
first Tuesday of every month. 1t was
necessary, therefore, to hold the eel
ebration week early in order to avoid
conflict.
Dispensation in 1855.
Richmond lodge of Masons was
granted its dispensation August 2,
1855. The dispensation was signed
by A. c. Downey, Grand Master, and
Francis King, Grand Secretary. The
following officers were appointed:
Lewis Burk, master; w. l.. Farquhar,
senior warden, and w. F. Spinning,
junior warden.
The first meeting of the lodge was
held August S, 1855, with II members
present. Stephen Elliott. Charles H.
Fisk, and John P. Allen petitioned for
membership at this meeting. John P.
Allen was the first candidate to re-
ceive the entered apprentice degree.
being given the work Sept. 10, 1855.
The first minutes of the lodge are
signed by John Finley, secretary.
The charter was issued to the lodge
MAY 2, 1856. The first meeting under
the charter was held June 10, 1856
Lewis Burk. at that time deputy grand
| master of Indiana, installed w. b
| Smith as worshipful master; William
| Sinex, senior warden; w. F. Spinning
| junior warden; l. Burk, treasurer; 1
! Griffin, secretary; Charles Fisk, sen
| ior deacon; and Henry Staley, jun
! ior deacon.
/ Davis Oldest Member.
! DR.. r. Henry Davis, II South Eighth
street, is the oldest living member Of
Richmond lodge. DR.. Davis was Civ
en- his entered apprentice degree Jan
20. 1865; feIlowcraft degree, Feb. IA
1865 and Master Mason degree, March
%. 1865
Among the prominent members o
the lodge in the early days, few o
whom are remembered by the mem
bers of the lodge today, were Richard
4 c. Deely, William Ratliff, Addison Un
thank. c. B. Walker. DR.. ]. r. Weist
William w. Wood and Martin Culla
ton.
! II is not known where meetings o
Richmond lodge were held in the frs
few years, but in 1867 the lodge hell
it's meetings in a three-story bricl
building which stood at the corner o
Eighth and Main streets, on the sit
of the present Second National banl
building Alvin Sampson, a prominen
figure in the early days of Wayne coun
ty Masonry, presided over the lodge a
this time.
! Moved Quarters
After a few years Richmond lodg
moved its quarters to the buildini
at the corner of Sixth and Main streets
occupied by the Webb lodge of Masons
Sixth street at that time was calle
Marion street From the time tina
Richmond lodge moved into the Sixtl
and Main street rooms Webb an
Richmond lodges have had the sam
meeting place.
From Sixth and Main streets tn
lodges moved to the corner of Mint
and Main streets above the America
Savings and Trust company.
In 1894 the present Masonic lodg
II DON'T SPOIL YOUR CHlLD'S