The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1922-11-13
Organization Of Grand Lodge
Of State Brought About
by Fairmont Men. g


Most worshipful Grand Lodge Of
West Virginia. Ancient Free and
Accepted Masons, the lodge has
been entertained in Fairmont. The
first occasion was on November
13, 1909, the second on November
II, 1908, the, third on November
10. 1915, and the fourth on Wed.
nesday Of this week
However, Fairmont figured
more prominent in the SAIy his
tory Of the Grand Lodge than the
foregoing would indicate. 1t was
at the instance OF Fairmont Lodge
No. 8 that a convention was call
ed at Grafton on December 20,
1854. for the purpose Of forming
the Grant Lodge Of West Virginia.
While there was sufficient repres-
entation to assure a const .:t!onal
number Of lodges In the formation
OF the Grand Lodge Of West vir-
gtnia 1t was deemed advisable to
secure even a larger represents
ton OF lodges, and with TINT idea
in view a subsequent mec~y was
called in Fairmont on June "a,
1864, and while eight lodges were
represented and officers elected
the actual formation did not take
place at that time. However, the
Fairmont Lodge again appeared to
be the backbone OF the movement
to form q grand lodge in West
Virginia and sent notices to the
lodges to send representatives 70
another, session in Fairmont on
April 12. 1866. At that meeting
the following lodges were repres-
ented: Wellsburg Lodge 1903:
Wheeling Lodge, No. 1873; Ohio
Lodge, No. 101; Marshall Union
Lodge No. "a; C;1ieron Lodge No.
IS; Morgantown lodge. No. 90;
Fairmont Lodge. No. 8, aud Fet-
terman Lodge, No. ITO.
Locals Active
The notice for the meeting hell
in Fairhont on June "a, 1864,
was signed by F. ]. Fleming.
worth pful master; @. A. Swear
ipgen secretary, and John N.
Boyd. Messrs. Fleming. Boyd and
e. R. Hall represented the lodge a.
the meeting. On May 10 of that
year the officers Of the Grand
Lodge OF West Virginia were in
stalled in Wheeling. and the first
communication OF the body took
place at that time, the .nstalla-
ton ceremonies being in charge
Of Most Worshipful w. B.. Thrail,
P. G. NJ, OF Ohio. Fairmonters
OF that day who were honorcd
were b. H. Showalter, who was
elected senior grand warden and
a. j. LYDIA, who was elected
grand chaplain. Edward C. Bun
ker, Morgantown, was chosen az
the first deputy grand master OF
West Virginia.
Early Masonic Bodies
Original Masonic bodies in Viz
ginta we're chartered and organ
lied under charters issued 10 the
grand lodges Of England, Scotland
Massachusetts and Pennsylvania.
This was especially true as to
Pennsylvania, where Philadelphia
had the first Masonic lodge in
America prior to 1890, Benjamin
Franklin and others who figured
in the early history of America
were members o fthis lodge.
In 1741 the first chartered lodge
N Virginia was st. John'S. No. l
at Norfolk, which received its
charter from the Grand Lodge Of
Scotland.
In a historical sketch OF these
early activities Of the Masonic
fraternity in old Virginia and West
Virginia, the late Francis F.. Mich
OILS OF Fairmont wrote to-. follow
ing:
"Betweeu 1741 and 1858, Freder-
icksburg lodge No. 4. had been
organized under a warrant from
the grand lodge Of Massachusetts.
In this lodge George Washington
was initiated November A, 1752.
In 1877 there were nine lodges
in Virginia, two at Norfolk and
one each at Port Royal Fred
erickburg, Hampton. Williams
burg, Dorchester, Cabin Point and
Petersburg.
"In IT'S, a convention was call
ed to meet at Williamsburg for nc
purpose OF organizing a Grand
Lodge for Virginia and choosing q
Grand Master.
1.-THE first charter granted by
the Virginia Grand Lodge was is-
sued to York Lodge fsJLhe histor-
ical town Of Yorktown in. 1880.
about year before the .Sreuder
Of the British army under Lord
CORVALLIS to the American and
Free-Masonry, made rapid mo-
gross throughout tidewater, couu-
ties and the Piedmont valley, and
in 1900 there were upwards Of
fifty working lodges under the
Jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge
Of Virginia.
1.-THE first lodge west of the
Blue Ridge chartered blythe Grand
Lodge Of Virginia had been organ
lied.
Winchester Hiram Lodge No.
10 had been constituted at Win
chester by a warrant from the
Grand Lodge Of Pennsylvania on
October 4. 1858, or seven years be-
fore the beginning Of the Revolu-
ton. A lodge was constituted at
Mingoi Flats. near Wellsburg.
about this time under a Pennsyl-
vania Grand Lodge warrant. This
lodge was afterwards succeeded
by Wellsburg Lodge No. Q, and !
understand the MD warrant and