Constellation

CONSTELLATION LODGE

Location: Dedham

Chartered By: Samuel Dunn

Chartered By: Sereno D. Nickerson

Charter Date: 12/14/1801 II-189

Charter Date: 03/13/1872 1872-42

Precedence Date: 02/09/1871

Current Status: Merged with Eliot-Hyde Park Lodge to form Celestial Lodge, 03/17/2010.

NOTES

original charter vacated in 1842; petition to restore it apparently granted (V-165) but the lodge was again dark for a period between 1850 and 1870; a new charter was granted in 1872.

PAST MASTERS

Nathaniel Ames, 1802
Abijah Draper, 1803, 1804, 1813
1805-1812, 1814, 1815?
Elisha Lyon, 1817-1819
Josiah Fisher, 1820
William Pierce, 1821
1822?
Ebenezer Fisher, 1825
James Downing, 1826, 1827, 1832?, 1833?
Jeremiah Myers, 1828, 1829
1830, 1831?
Simeon Smith, 1832, 1833
Timothy Phelps, 1834, 1835
1836-1838?
Charles Hunnewell, ?
Ebenezer Capen, 1839-1841
DARK 1842-1847
Elisha Thayer, 1848-1850
DARK 1851-1870
Frederick D. Ely, 1871-1874
Alonzo B. Wentworth, 1875, 1876
David L. Hodges, 1877, 1878
Charles N. Nichols, 1879, 1880
Henry A. Hutchinson, 1881, 1882
George F. Wright, 1883, 1884
Lyman D. Wilcutt, 1885, 1886
Edwin A. Brooks, 1887, 1888
J. Everett Smith, 1889, 1890; SN
Andrew J. Norris, 1891
Aaron W. Baker, 1892, 1893
Lewis D. Smith, 1894
John E. Fisher, 1895, 1896
George A. Phillips, 1897, 1898
James Y. Noyes, 1899, 1900
Charles A. Turner, 1901, 1902
Harry I. Wardle, 1903, 1904
Frederic C. Cobb, 1905, 1906; Mem
George F. Joyce, 1907, 1908
Frank W. Nichols, 1909, 1910
Frederick E. Smith, 1911
John P. Cutter, 1912, 1913
William F. Whitman, 1914, 1915
John W. Withington, 1916, 1917
John E. Easton, 1918, 1919
Charles A. Day, 1920, 1921
Edward A. Rolland, 1922, 1923
Ernest H. Chute, 1924
G. Sumner Wilson, 1925, 1926
Ralph D. Pettingell, 1927, 1928
Wilfred N. Day, 1929, 1930
E. Lester Swett, 1931; Mem
Francis Clough, 1932
Clifford A. Smith, 1933
Frederick W. Bailey, 1934
James R. Hopper, 1935
Charles E. Clapp, 1936
Wallace G. Fisher, 1937
George M. Ellis, 1938; N
Theodore A. Ward, 1939; SN
Allen G. Swain, 1940
Harold I. Johnson, 1941
Walter A. Jacobson, 1942
John D. Hodgdon, 1943
Harold E. Cowan, 1944
Frederick A. Clark, 1945
Ralph S. Lyons, 1946
Gordon D. Larcom, 1947
Alexander J. McKay, 1948
Clarence Wallank, 1949
John B. Marden, 1950
Robert L. Tibbitts, 1951
Austin W. Holmes, 1952
Arthur R. McKay, 1953
William G. Street, 1954
Edwin H. Currier, 1955
Albert R. Dean, 1956
Charles E. Goddard, 1957
Frank N. Daley, 1958
Eric F. Meissner, 1959; N
Ernest W. Hatcher, 1960
Benjamin F. Dow, 1961
Burton F. Miller, 1962
Carlton E. Orcutt, 1963
George E. Inglis, 1964
Franklin S. Higgins, 1965
Lawrence S. Armour, 1966
Wendell C. Segersten, 1967
Albert E. Wurlitzer, 1968
Thomas Robertson, 1969
Donald F. Craig, 1970
Hollis A. Hedderig, 1971
Scott B. MacInnes, 1972, 1998
Archibald A. Martin, Jr., 1973
G. Lennart Gustafson, 1974, 1975
Wallace F. MacElhinney, 1976
Kenneth L. Hedderig, 1977
Donald L. Tabor, 1978
George S. Fontana, 1979, 1992
Peter C. Pappas, 1980
Riccardo P. Ingemi, 1981
Lewellyn J. Maxwell, 1982, 2002
William G. Bacon, 1983
Ronald A. Brosseau, 1984, 1988
Thomas M. Connors, 1985, 1993
Graham A. Long, 1986
Peter A. Randall, 1987, 1989
Glenn L. Kubick, 1990
Bruce A. Rand, 1991
George N. Neilson, Jr., 1994
Charles R. Lambert, 1995
Eugene B. Nichols, 1996, 1997
James E. Goode, Jr., 1999, 2007
Erik J. Meyer, 2000
Steven J. Engdahl-Olmsted, 2001
Thomas P. Parshall, 2003
Robert P. Zahka, Jr., 2004-2006, 2008
Glenn L. Kubick, 2009

REFERENCES IN GRAND LODGE PROCEEDINGS

Petition for Charter: 1801
Petition for Restoration of Charter: 1848
Surrender of Charter: 1850 12/11/1850
Petition for Dispensation: 1871
Consolidation Petition (with Eliot-Hyde Park Lodge): 2009

ANNIVERSARIES

1897 (25th Anniversary)
1922 (50th Anniversary)
1946 (75th Anniversary)
1971 (Centenary)
1996 (125th Anniversary)

VISITS BY GRAND MASTER

1803 (Thomas; installation)
1872 (Nickerson; hall dedication and constitution of lodge; Special Communication)
1878 (Welch)
1889 (Endicott)
1897 (Hutchinson; 25th Anniversary)
1916 (M. Johnson)
1922 (Prince; 50th Anniversary; Special Communication)
1927 (Simpson; Cornerstone laying; Special Communication)
1928 (Simpson; Hall dedication; Special Communication)
1946 (Wragg; 75th Anniversary; Special Communication)
1959 (A. Jenkins; Mortgage burning; Special Communication)
1964 (Osgood; Rhode Island Night; Special Communication)
1971 (Jaynes; Centenary; Special Communication)
1972 (Vose)
1996 (A. Johnson; 125th Anniversary; Special Communication)
2009 (Pageau; Consolidation; Special Communication)

BY-LAW CHANGES

1881 1890 1902 1905 1910 1912 1917 1920 1923 1927 1928 1932 1933 1937 1938 1939 1940 1949 1953 1957 1974 1975 1982 2001

HISTORY

1922 (50th Anniversary History, 1922-60)
1971 (Centenary History, 1971-232)
1996 (125th Anniversary History, 1996-219)

OTHER

1816 (Celebration of Feast of St. John the Baptist, III-38)
1844 (Committee report on the Lodge, IV-685)
1845 (Committee report on the Lodge, V-6)
1846 (Committee report on the Lodge, V-79)
1884 (Dispensation granted for Masonic burial, 1884-146)
1919 (Jurisdictional dispute, 1919-197)
1934 (Reduction in fees refused, 1934-335)
1935 (Reduction in fees granted, 1935-316)
1945 (Petition on jurisdiction, 1945-481)
1946 (Petition on jurisdiction, 1946-209, 1946-351)

EVENTS

ST. JOHN'S DAY, JUNE 1824

From New England Freemason, Vol. I, No. 10, October 1874, Page 483:

The New England Galaxy contained each week, under the head of "Masonic Calendar", a list of the Masonic meetings to be held during the following week throughout the State. To this was added from time to time the names of officers elected in some of the Bodies. In the June 4, 1824 issue appears the following advertisement:

MASONIC CELEBRATION.

"Constellation Lodge, of Dedham, have made arrangements for celebrating the Nativity of St. John the Baptist, the 24th of June next. A Sermon will be delivered on the occasion by R. W. and Rev. Brother James Sabine, of Boston; and an Address by R. W. Brother Josiah J. Fisk, of Wrentham. The Brethren generally are respectfully invited to join with them in the intended celebration.

"Procession to form at precisely 10 o'clock A. M. Entertainment by Brother Francis Alden. Suitable accommodations for the ladies.

"Tickets for gentlemen $1, - for ladies, 75 cents.

"Dedham, May 23, A. L. 5824."
"John K. Briggs, Secretary."

MEMORIALS

JAMES DOWNING 1795-1874

From New England Freemason, Vol. II, No. 1, January 1875, Page 39:

MM 1819, WM 1826, 1832, 1833, Constellation

Another of the fathers in Masonry has been called away from his earthly labors—one who, through the dark days of fanaticism and persecution, was "faithful found among the faithful few."

Worshipful Brother James Downing was born in Dracut, Massachusetts, October 20th, 1795, and his death occurred January 25th, 1875, at his residence in the Readville District of the town of Hyde Park. For nearly fifty years he was engaged in the cotton manufacturing business, and such was his capacity and integrity, that he became widely known and universally respected and honored.

He was raised to the Sublime Degree of Master Mason, December 30, 1819, in Constellation Lodge, of Dedham. In December, 1825, he was elected its Right Worshipful Master, which position he also occupied in the years 1832 and 1833. The few aged survivors bear testimony to the ability and faithfulness with which he discharged the responsible duties of the office. He was interested in the formation of Hyde Park Lodge in 1866, and became one of its members. At the time of his death he was an honorary member of the new Constellation Lodge organized in Dedham in 1871. His kind and genial disposition, his well-ordered life and his constant practice of the greatest of the Masonic virtues, Charity, will impart a lasting fragrance to his memory. His funeral was held on the afternoon of January 28th, at the Congregational Church in Dedham, of which he was for many years a consistent member. Hyde Park and Constellation Lodges united in the services, and an appropriate memorial address was delivered by Worshipful Brother Sylvanus Cobb, Jr.