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STARR KING LODGE

Location: Salem

Chartered By: William Parkman

Charter Date: 03/09/1865 VII-2

Precedence Date: 04/13/1864

Current Status: Active

Named for Thomas Starr King.

PAST MASTERS

REFERENCES IN GRAND LODGE PROCEEDINGS

• Petition for Dispensation: 1864 see below
• Petition for Charter: 1865

ANNIVERSARIES

• 1914 (50th Anniversary)
• 1964 (Centenary)
• 1989 (125th Anniversary)

VISITS BY GRAND MASTER

• 1865 (Parkman; Constitution of Lodge and installation; Special Communication; see below)
• 1881 (Lawrence)
• 1886 (Howland; installation)
• 1914 (M. Johnson; 50th Anniversary; Special Communication)
• 1920 (Prince)
• 1964 (Osgood; Centenary; Special Communication)
• 1989 (Deputy Grand Master Jeffrey Hodgdon; 125th Anniversary; Special Communication)
• 1998 (A. Johnson)
• 2000 (Bauer)

BY-LAW CHANGES

1873 1879 1880 1883 1890 1894 1895 1901 1902 1903 1908 1913 1919 1926 1927 1928 1939 1941 1946 1947 1950 1956 1958 1960 1963 1979 1981 1982 1990 2012

HISTORY

• 1914 (50th Anniversary Historical Sketch; not in Proceedings)
• 1964 (Centenary History; 1964-116)
• 1989 (125th Anniversary History; 1989-39; see below)

125TH ANNIVERSARY HISTORY, APRIL 1989

From Proceedings, Page 1989-39:

Starr King Lodge was chartered on April 13, 1864 with 21 charter members, and the largest nunibership was in 1926 with 646 members. The history of the Lodge is transcribed in detail in our previous Fiftieth, Seventy Fifth and One Hundredth anniversaries. Please refer to the 1964 Grand Lodge Proceedings, pages 119-124. It is with pleasure that we update this history and bring you these highlights of the past twenty five years —1964-1989.

The Lodge has had 10 Treasurers and 11 Secretaries since its charter with the present Secretary having served for 33 years. Our present Chaplain has served for 38 years. Starr King Lodge has had 20 new Masters in the past twenty-five years. There are 23 living Past Masters of the Lodge, the oldest being Wor. Gilbert Layton Stearns who was raised on September 2, 1919 and served as Worshipful Master in 1934 and 1935 — 55 years ago.

In June of 1968, Wor. William U. Marshall was elected Master of the 28th Lodge of Instruction for the years 1968-1969.

February 10, 1969, a blizzard caused many Lodges including Starr King Lodge to postpone their meetings.

October 9, 1972, Starr King Lodge instituted its first scholarship fund under the direction of its founder, Wor. Harold Shapiro.

May 9, 1977, Rev. Bro. Arthur W. Webster, D. D., was honored by the presentation of the Joseph Warren Medal. Rev. Bro. Webster is the only member of Starr King Lodge to receive such a high honor in the past 40 years.

December, 1977, Starr King Lodge was honored by the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts when Wor. Winfred C. Zealor was appointed District Deputy Grand Master for the Lynn Eighth Masonic District who in turn, appointed Wor. Robert G. Porter his District Deputy Grand Marshal and Wor. Robert W. Moore his District Deputy Grand Secretary, both Past Masters of Starr King Lodge.

February 13, 1978, a blizzard paralyzed Massachusetts for a week and a state of emergency was declared by the Governor. No cars were allowed on the streets during that week with snow drifts 15 to 20 feet high. Help had to be called in from New York and Maine to assist with the plowing. Starr King Lodge did open their Lodge and conducted a business meeting with only five officers present.

In June of 1978, Rt. Wor. Winfred Zealor was elected Master of the 28th Lodge of Instruction for the year 1978-1979.

February 22, 1982, tragedy struck Starr King Lodge when the City of Salem declared martial law when 3 major fires which were set by an arsonist completely gutted the Salem Armory, the Power Building and the Salem Masonic Temple. All Lodges that met in the Temple including Starr King Lodge lost all of their valuables. Records from all the Lodges except those of Starr King Lodge were destroyed by the fire. The Secretary had the records of this Lodge safely stored at his home.

Starr King Lodge held all of their meetings in Philanthropic Lodge in Marblehead for two years while the building was being rebuilt. Starr King Lodge will always be grateful to Philanthropic Lodge for their generosity.

In December of 1982. Wor. Gerald T. Lennox was appointed District Deputy Grand Secretary by Rt. Wor. Douglas Hulsman, District Deputy Grand Master, for the Lynn Eighth Masonic District.

March 12. 1984 — Starr King Lodge A.F. & A.M. held its first meeting in the newly rebuilt Lodge Room in the Salem Masonic Temple. The Fellowcraft Degree was worked with our Master, Wor. Milton Leitner in the East.

June 10. 1984 — Masonry again began to see the light as the Salem Masonic Temple had been rebuilt and the Lodge Room was rededicated by Most Worshipful David B. Richardson, Grand Master of Masons in Massachusetts.

May 13, 1985 — Wor. Gilbert Layton Steams was presented with his 50 year Past Masters' diploma by Rt. Wor. Warren R. Davis, District Deputy Grand Master for the Lynn Eighth Masonic District.

June, 1985 — Wor. Gerald T. Lennox was elected Master of the 28th Lodge of Instruction for the year 1985-1986.

August 11. 1986 — Starr King Lodge A. F. & A. M. traveled to Bristol, Maine to work the Master Mason Degree on our own brother, Bruce B. Wolff who was raised a Master Mason by Wor. John Collins, Master of Starr King Lodge by a special dispensation from Most Worshipful David B. Richardson, Grand Master of Masons in Massachusetts.

In December of 1986, the Grand Lodge again honored Starr King Lodge by the appointment of Wor. Gerald T. Lennox as one of the Grand Stewards of the Grand Lodge by Most Worshipful David B. Richardson, Grand Master of Masons in Massachusetts.

May 11, 1987 —- Six members were presented with their 60 year veterans' lapel pins, and two members, their 50 year veterans' medals by Rt. Wor. Robert L. Spinney, District Deputy Grand Master for the Lynn Eighth Masonic District. These eight members represented over 460 years of service. There were 13 other members with over 60 years of service who could not appear because of age or illness. Their pins were presented at their homes.

October 17, 1987 — By special dispensation of the Grand Lodge, Starr King Lodge held a special meeting at the home of Bro. John Donald MacArthur who received his Master Mason degree. Bro. MacArthur was seriously ill and was unable to leave his bed. We are saddened to report that Bro. MacArthur passed away a few weeks after receiving the Degree and signing the by-laws of Starr King Lodge.

During these last twenty-five years, Starr King Lodge A.F. & A.M., has held 108 special meetings which include 73 In Memoriams, 13 Installations, 14 Saint John's Day services, I Table Lodge, 1 Visitation to Bristol Lodge in Bristol. Maine and 1 Rededication. Membership statistics for the 25 years include:

• Membership as of April, 1989, 215
• Veteran Members living (70 years or over), 4
• Veteran Members living (50 years or over), 20
• Deceased Past Masters, 15
• Candidates raised, 116
• Affiliations, 14
• Reinstatements, 14
• Deceased, 233
• Demits, 30
• Suspended, 55

May the next twenty-flve years serve Starr King Lodge with men and ideas for the future and success of the Lodge that they may celebrate their 150th Anniversary with Pride and Joy.

Your History Committee:

• Wor. William L. Ives
• Rt. Wor. Walter K. Ray

OTHER

• 1984 (Participation in hall rededication, 1984-43)

EVENTS

ESTABLISHMENT OF LODGE, AUGUST 1864

From Moore's Freemason's Monthly, Vol. XXIII, No. 10, August, 1864, Page 296:

A New Lodge has lately been organized in Salem, Mass., under Dispensation bearing the name of Starr King Lodge. We congratulate our Brethren of the new Lodge upon their happy selection of a name. As a general rule we are opposed to the practice of naming Lodges for individuals, but if Brethren have an inclination to do so, let the name selected be that of one whose life has been an exemplification of those shining virtues which characterize the true and consistent Mason. Such an one was our lamented Brother, Thomas Starr King. His ear was ever open to the tale of sorrow and distress, and no worthy suppliant for relief ever went from his door empty handed. His memory will be fondly cherished in the hearts of many a widow and orphan; hearts that, although bowed down with a crushing weight of affliction, were made to sing for joy, not more by his liberal bounty than by his warm, cordial, earnest sympathy. It is good to perpetuate the remembrance of such men by bestowing their names upon our Lodges. —Mercury, San Francisco.

CONSTITUTION OF LODGE, APRIL 1865

From Moore's Freemason's Monthly Magazine, Vol. XXIV, No. 7, May 1865, Page 200:

This new Lodge was duly constituted by the M. W. Grand Master, assisted by the officers of the Grand Lodge, at Salem, on the 17th ult., in the presence of a large concourse of Brethren; most, if not all, of the Lodges in the District being represented. There was also a full attendance of the members of Washington Royal Arch Chapter. The services took place in the new and beautiful Hall which has just been fitted up for the accommodation of the various Masonic Bodies in the city, viz :— Essex Lodge, Starr King Lodge, Washington Chapter, Winslow Lewis Encampment, and Sutton Grand Lodge of Perfection. The new Lodge having been constituted with the usual ceremonies, the Hall was Dedicated, and the officers of the new body were duly installed. At the conclusion of which the M. W. Grand Master delivered a short and impressive charge, and introduced the Rev. Br. Hepworth of this city, as the orator for the occasion. As we have been promised a copy of so much of the address as would be most appropriate for publication, we shall not attempt any sketch of it in this connection. It is sufficient to say that it was an eloquent and finished performance, and was received with universal approbation. It paid a warm and earnest tribute to the memory and exalted charter of the lamented Brother, whose honored name the new Lodge bears.

The new Hall is another addition to the many elegant and commodious Lodge Rooms, which within the last few years have been prepared to . meet the increased necessities and demands of the Fraternity, in different parts of the State. It is one of the most elegant and commodious in the jurisdiction; richly frescoed and furnished, and of ample size for all the purposes for which it will be required. Besides the ante-rooms, five or six in number, it has a large banqueting room, which can be readily converted into a working hall, should occasion require. We do not know that, in the matter of accommodation for their meetings, our Brethren in Salem have anything more to desire. And we are gratified to learn that, in this, as in many other good enterprises, the Fraternity, in the Second District, are largely indebted to the liberality and energy of our honored Brother, Maj. Gen. Wm. Sutton of Salem. Our earnest prayer is, that he may long live to enjoy the fruits of his many good works.

The new Lodge is composed of experienced and zealous Brethren, and starts into existence with the most encouraging prospects before it. The officers are as follows :—

• Geo. H. Peirson, W. M.
• Dana S. Smith, S. W.
• Jacob F. Brown, J. W
• John Barlow, Treas.
• Jonathan Perley, Sec.
• Henry E. Jocelyn, S, D.
• George W. Williams, J. D.
• Augustus M. Haskell, Chap.
• Jos. S. Glover, Marshal
• S. C. Weston, Inside Sentinel
• Edward Wildes, Organist.

GRAND LODGE OFFICERS

• E. Augustus Annable, DDGM, District 8 (Salem), 1897, 1898; SN
• Harry L. Chisholm, DDGM, District 8 (Lynn), 1943, 1944; SN
• George B. Farrington, DDGM, District 8 (Lynn), 1915, 1916; SN
• Robert W. Moore, DDGM, District 8 (Lynn), 1992, 1993
• Frederick J. Needham, DDGM, District 8 (Lynn), 1931, 1932; Memorial
• Frank A. Neff, DDGM, District 8 (Lynn), 1925, 1926; Memorial
• George H. Peirson, DDGM, District 2, 1866; District 5 (Salem), 1867-1873; SN
• Walter K. Ray, DDGM, District 8 (Lynn), 1961, 1962; N
• Winfred C. Zealor, DDGM, District 8 (Lynn), 1978, 1979; SN

DISTRICTS

1864: District 2

1867: District 5 (Salem)

1883: District 8 (Salem)

1911: District 8 (Lynn)

1927: District 8 (Lynn)

2003: District 9

LINKS

Massachusetts Lodges