Ashler

ASHLER LODGE

Location: Rockport

Chartered By: George M. Randall

Charter Date: 03/10/1852 V-372

Precedence Date: 03/16/1851

Current Status: in Grand Lodge Vault; merged into The Tyrian-Ashler-Acacia Lodge, 10/27/2007

PAST MASTERS

need list of living PMs

Eben Blatchford, 1851-1854
William Caldwell, 1855, 1856, 1858, 1859
James G. Caldwell, 1857
Samuel York, 1860-1868, 1873, 1874
N. F. S. York, 1869
D. C. Babson, 1870
William Marchant, 1871, 1872
Eugene R. Prior, 1875
Jason L. Curtis, 1876-1885
C. H. Manning, II, 1886
James Wallace, 1887-1892
Edgar Knowlton, 1893, 1894
T. T. Harwood, 1895, 1896
Charles Tresnon, 1897, 1898
James Abbott, 1899, 1900
Charles E. Jones, 1901, 1902
George F. Hodgins, 1903, 1904
C. Harry Rogers, 1905, 1906
William H. Supple, 1907, 1908
Louis A. Rogers, 1909, 1910; N
Ezra E. Cleaves, 1911, 1912
J. Manuel Marshall, 1913, 1914
Charles H. Cleaves, 1915, 1916
Herbert F. Knowlton, 1917, 1918
Edward M. Law, 1919, 1920; Memorial
Sumner Y. Wheeler, 1921, 1922
Norman M Hooper, 1923, 1924
Clarendon Waddell, 1925, 1926
Joseph E. Critchett, 1927, 1928
Stephen D. Marston, 1929, 1930
J(ohn). Harry Mills, 1931, 1932; SN
Ernest G. Roffey, 1933, 1934
J. Raymond Sanders, 1935, 1936
Bernard F. Brewer, 1937, 1938
James R. Hodgins, 1939, 1940
Chester E. Wallace, 1941, 1942
Verner R. Larsson, 1943, 1944
George E. MacLean, 1945, 1946; N
William G. Reed, 1947, 1948
Melvin C. Linder, 1949, 1950
N.O. Bruno Pearson, 1951, 1952; N
Preston O. Wass, 1953, 1954
Raymond M. Reed, 1955, 1956
Roland J. Smith, 1957, 1958
Walter F. Church, 1959, 1960
Matt A. Hautala, 1961
N. Abbott Hooper, 1962
Ernest A. Niemi, 1963
R. Edgar Barker, 1964
Karl A. Johnson, 1965
Frank W. Johnson, 1966
David B. Grimes, 1967
Philip H. Ackerman, 1968
Raymond G. Smith, 1969
Preston H. Dann, 1970
William W. Walima, 1971
Bradford L. Bigelow, 1972
Harold W. Adams, 1973, 1974; N
John E. Main, Jr., 1975, 1976
John W. Reed, 1977
Willard C. Trafton, 1978, 1979
John A. Halmen, 1980
John Louis Peters, 1981
Roy V. H. Johnson, 1982
Glenn W. Anderson, 1983
David Hopkins, 1984
Jay R. Smith, 1985-1987, 2004
R(aymond) A(llen). Brown, Jr., 1988, 1989, 1993; SN
Wayne W. Anderton, 1990
Peter A. Todd, 1991
William C. Nicol, 1992
James G. Adams, 1994
George E. French, 1995
George S(tanley). Patey, III, 1996, 1997, 2002, 2003
Edwin E. Bjork, 1998
Richard S. Young, 1999
Todd P. Crane, 2000
Robert W. Streeter, 2001
Gary G. Lucas, 2005, 2006
Dana P. Andrus, 2007

REFERENCES IN GRAND LODGE PROCEEDINGS

Petition for Charter: 1852 Dispensation granted 03/16/1851; no reference in Proceedings
Consolidation Petition (with The Tyrian-Acacia Lodge): 2007

ANNIVERSARIES

1951 (Centenary)
2001 (150th Anniversary)

VISITS BY GRAND MASTER

1852 (Senior Grand Warden William Ferson; Consecration; see below)
1867 (Dame; Hall dedication; see below)
1881 (Lawrence; Installation)
1951 (Roy; Centenary)
1993 (Lovering)
2001 (Bauer)
2007 (Hodgdon; consolidation with The Tyrian-Acacia)

BY-LAW CHANGES

1874 1899 1901 1903 1913 1916 1921 1927 1929 1934 1951 1967 1974 1975 1982 1988 2001 2004 2006

HISTORY

1951 (Centenary History, 1951-44)

EVENTS

CONSECRATION OF LODGE, JUNE 1852

From Moore's Freemason's Monthly, Vol. XI, No. 9, July 1852, Page 266:

Br. Moore:-Ashler Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons, was consecrated at Rockport, on Wednesday, June 26th. The members of the Lodge, accompanied members of Tyrian Lodge, Gloucester, were escorted through some of the principal streets, by the Rockport band, to the Universalist Church, where the were performed before a large audience. R. W. S. G. W. William Ferson, presided, assisted by Rev. Mr. Huntoon, of Marblehead, Rev. Mr. Lovell, and G. Smith, Esq., of Boston.

After the ceremonies. of the consecration were concluded, the olficers of Lodge were installed. They are as follows :

Eben Blatchford, Master
William Caldwell, S. Warden
William H. Manning, J. Warden
Thomas O. Marshall, Treasurer
Henry Clark, Secretary
Charles Tarr, 3d, S. D.
Launcelot Rowe, J. D. and
Francis Rowe and Charles Rowe, Stewards.

The services, which lasted for some time, were closed by an able and address from Rev. Mr. Huntoon.

Respectfully yours, Henry Clark, Secretary.

OFFICIAL VISIT, APRIL 1861

From Moore's Freemason's Monthly, Vol. XX, No. 7, May 1861, Page 202:

R. W. D. D. Gen. Wm. Sutton, accompanied by a delegation of Brethren, paid an official visit to this Lodge on Monday evening, April 15.

The Lodge, in expectation of the visit, had assembled to the number of fifty, and greeted the delegation with a most cordial reception ; and gave an exhibition of their proficiency, by working the Master's Degree with a precision reflecting great credit upon the Master, Bro. York, and all the subordinate officers.

After the completion of the Work, Bro. Sutton addressed the Lodge in some complimentary and very happy remarks, and introduced Bro. Wm. Parkman, to whom he had deputed a very agreeable duty.

Bro. Parkman, on behalf of Bro. Sutton, in some neat and pertinent remarks, presented the Lodge with a beautiful copy of the Holy Bible, Square, Compasses, and Gavel; closing his remarks by observing that, as the work was so excellent, it gave more than ordinary pleasure to present them with new working tools, and expressing the hope that as they, with very imperfect tools, had found many good materials, they might, with these new implements, disembowel some as yet undiscovered and perfect ashlars. The Master happily responded, and the evening closed with a fine collation, and a merry dance with the wives and daughters of the Brethren, assembled in a neighboring hall.

The delegation returned agreeably surprised to have found in this remote town a Lodge of such activity and Masonic intelligence.

HALL DEDICATION, JANUARY 1867

From Moore's Freemason's Monthly, Vol. XXVI, No. 4, February 1867, Page 113:

The new Hall recently fitted up by Ashler Lodge, at Rockport, Cape Ann, was dedicated by the M.W. Grand Lodge, on Monday evening, Jan. 14. The ceremonies were in the usual form, and on the conclusion of them, the brethren repaired to the Town Hall, where the officers of the Lodge were installed by Grand Master Dame, in the presence of the ladies of the members. The ceremonies were interspersed with music, and were witnessed with interest by the large company present The hall is a very neat one, and is well furnished.

At the conclusion of the installation services, the R.W. Br. William Sutton, of Salem, rose, and in a few neat and appropriate words, presented to the W. Master, for the use of the Lodge, a set of silver jewels, consisting of the square, level, plumb, and working-tools, contained in an elegant case made for the purpose. The reply of the W. Master Br. York was exceedingly neat, and to the purpose.

An excellent supper followed these proceedings, and the festivities of the evening were closed with dancing, which was continued until a late hour. The occasion was a most agreeable one, and was enjoyed by all present. The officers are as follows: