The History of Genesee, MI, Ch. 24, Free & Accepted Masons

The History of Genesee County, MI
Chapter XXIV
Free & Accepted Masons
Part I

Online Edition by Holice, Deb & Clayton

FREE AND ACCEPTED MASONS.

The Masonic fraternity was among the first of the fraternal orders to establish a local organization in Flint and it has ever had a strong hold upon the citizens. For many of the earlier years of its history its lodge rooms were among the social centers of the young city and while the present elaborate means for entertainment were lacking, its social functions were none the less enjoyable. Many of even the younger generation still remember with pleasure the balls and other entertainments given therein. I fact, it was because dancing and card playing in Masonic buildings were prohibited by the regulations of the order that the former temple was not for many years formally dedicated as such. The several organizations being among the earliest established in Michigan, had originally very large jurisdictions, extending toward Port Huron and Detroit on the east and south and indefinitely to the north and west, many of their members being drawn from the Saginaw Valley.

All of the Masonic bodies then organized met in the hall in the building adjoining the First National Bank, near the corner of Saginaw and Kearsley streets, removing thence to the temple in the Bryant House Block.

One of the important events in the history of the fraternity was the purchase of this home. The first action toward this was taken in November, 1867, but it was not until April, 1870, that a committee was appointed with full power to act. Many sites and buildings were considered, resulting in the purchase, from Thayer, Hamilton and Atwood, of the third and fourth stories of what is not the Bryant House block. This was deeded, September 24, 1872, to trustees for Flint Lodge, Washington Chapter and Genesee Valley Commandery, enclosed and roofed, the price being five thousand dollars. The opening ceremony was a grand Knights Templar ball, December 12, 1873, and was occupied by the Masonic body up to the time of the dedication of the present Masonic temple.

During the year 1905 the different lodges of the Masonic order held a number of meetings and decided to build a permanent temple. A number of committees were appointed, with the result that on February 7, 1906, an association known as the Masonic Temple Association of Flint was formed.

The first officers elected were:
President	J. H. Crawford
Vice President	Francis D. Clarke
Secretary	T. J. Allen
Treasurer	L. H. Bridgman

On February 8, 1906, the association became an incorporated body, with a board of trustees including two members from each of the Masonic bodies. The present officers of this association are:
President	J. H. Crawford
Vice-President	C. D. Wesson
Treasurer	L. H. Bridgman
Secretary	C. S. H. Chase.

In January, 1908, lot 9, block 4, village of Flint river, on the corner of East Fourth and Saginaw streets, was purchased of William H. Edwards, and the erection of the present stately Masonic temple was soon afterward commenced.

The last meeting of Flint Lodge No. 23, Free and Accepted masons, was held in the old temple on march 28, 1911, and the Masonic fraternity at large held a farewell meeting in the old temple on march 30, 1911. G. Roscoe Swift, grand master of the grand lodge of the state of Michigan, and the other grand lodge officers dedicated the temple in the afternoon of May 16, 1911. The building, together with the lot and the furnishings, is estimated to have cost approximately one hundred and fifty thousand dollars. The Masonic temple is one of the finest buildings in the county, if not the finest. The late Judge Charles H. Wisner was made chairman of the building committee and devoted a great deal of time to the details of construction. Judge Wisner's assistance in this direction was invaluable, as was also his assistance at the time of the erection of the county building, as he possessed a wide knowledge of mechanics, and building construction and personally supervised the work. The temple contains, besides the several lodge rooms, a large auditorium for entertainments, club and reading rooms, which are situated in the blue lodge lobby and parlor, and a dining room with appointments for four hundred guests. there is also arranged a ladies' parlor and reception room which is open during the day.

Flint Lodge No. 23, Free and Accepted Masons, was chartered on January 10, 1849, and maintained its existence until December, 1854, at which time its charter was surrendered. No other information regarding it is available, but it seems probable that its members, or a portion of them, organized Flint Lodge No. 23, to which a charter was issued on January 11, 1955, upon the petition of thirty-seven charter members, with John B. Hamilton as worshipful master and ten other officers. None of these offices are now living. This lodge has enjoyed a steady and prosperous growth for years. It was honored in 1858 by the election of William M. Fenton as grand master of the grand lodge of Michigan, Free and Accepted Masons, and also in 1912 by the election of the late Francis D. Clarke to the same high office.

Flint Lodge No. 23 has a membership of eight hundred at the present time. Regular communications are held the first Tuesday of each month. The present officers are:
Worshipful Master	Ernest A. Smith
Senior Warden	L. G. Cronk
Junior Warden	Harvey E. Johnson
Treasurer	C. H. Miller
Secretary	C. S. H. Chase
Senior Deacon	John E. Storrer
Junior Deacon	William E. Proper

The following have served as worshipful masters of Flint Lodge No. 23;
John B. Hamilton	1855
Benjamin J. Lewis	1856
Chauncey K. Williams	1857
William M. Fenton	1858, 1859, 1860, 1861
E. D. Williams	1862
William Clark	1863
William M. Fenton	1864
Abner Randall	1865, 1866
Samuel C. Randall	1867, 1868, 1869, 1870
James B. F. Curtis	1981, 1872, 1873, 1874,18,75, 1876
Samuel C. Randall	1877, 1878, 1879, 1880, 1881
Charles S. Brown	1882
Charles B. Wallace	1883, 1884, 1885, 1886
Joseph H. Crawford	1887, 1888
John McKercher	1889, 1890, 1891, 1892, 1893
Edward D. Black	1894
John McKercher	1895
Fred J. Ford	1896, 1987, 1898, 1899
W. Lee Church	1900, 1901
Charles H. Miller	1902, 1903
Albert T. Austin	1904
Jason H. Austin	1905
William W. Edgecombe	1906
Francis D. Clarke	1907
Truman S. Cowing	1908
Charles S. H. Chase	1909
John J. Raab	1910
E. Frank Wood	1911
Arthur E. Raab	1912
John H. Neubert	1913
Ralph B. Long	1914
Fred W. Hanneman	1915
Ernest A. Smith	1916

Genesee Lodge No. 174, Free and Accepted Masons, was chartered on January 11, 1866, with eight members. Its first worshipful master was John B. Hamilton and the late Judge george H. Durand was the first candidate initiated. This lodge has grown up by the side of its older sister, amicably sharing with it in the labors, costs and rewards of fraternal life, and there is between their members a truly Masonic spirit. Several of the past masters of this lodge have been elected to the chair of grand master of the grand lodge of Michigan, George H. Durand, in 1874, and John J. Carton, in 1895.

The following have served as worshipful masters of Genesee Lodge No. 174:
John B. Hamilton	1865
James B. Newton	1866, 1867, 1868, 1869
George H. Durand	1870, 1871, 1872, 1873, 1874, 1877
George M. Bushnell	1875
Thomas W. Dreman	1876
Leroy C. Whitney	1787, 1879, 1880, 1881, 1882, 1883
Frank E. Palmer	1884
John B. E. Castree	1885
Charles H. Wisner	1886
Charles B. Leland	1887, 1888
Benjamin F. Miller	1889
John J. Carton	1890, 1891
Thomas J. Allen	1892, 1893
Joseph H. Rankin	1894, 1895
Louis G. Willison	1896
Clayton N. Doty	1898, 1899
Colonel O. Swayze	1900, 1901
George Werkheiser	1902, 1903
James s. Parker	1904
John R. MacDonald	1905, 1906
Charles A. Durand	1907
James M. Torrey	1908
Homer J. McBride	1909
Harry V. Blakely	1910
Frank P. Wildman	1911
Arthur C. Crossman	1912
Thomas Carl Millard	1913
Raymond C. Chase	1914
Everett Clapp	1915
Harry R. Nickerson	1916

Genesee Lodge No. 174 has a membership of seven hundred and fifty and the meetings are held the first Wednesday in each month. The present officers are:
Worshipful Master	Harry R. Nickerson
Senior Warden	S. A. Shue
Junior Warden	Richard Holt
Treasurer	C. B. Leland
Secretary	Dr. Noah Bates
Senior Deacon	George H. McDonald
Junior Deacon	Frank W. Pike

History of Genesee County, Michigan, Her People, Industries and Institutions
by Edwin O. Wood, LL.D, President Michigan Historical Commission, 1916

Transcribed by Holice B. Young

HTML by Deb

You are the 900th Visitor to this USGenNet Safe-Site™ Since March 1, 2002.

2002

[Index][MI AHGP][MI ALHN][AHGP]