RoseSharon
Contents
ROSE OF SHARON LODGE
Location: Worcester; Charlton (1993)
Chartered By: Frank L. Simpson
Charter Date: 09/12/1928 1928-250
Restored as of 04/17/1993; Reported on 06/09/1993: 1993-52.
Precedence Date: 12/12/1927
Current Status: merged with Morning Star Lodge, 07/15/1974; restored and active at the Masonic Home.
PAST MASTERS
- Rolland R. Greenwood, 1928
- George D. Robertson, 1929
- John Clayton, 1930
- W. H. Smiley Kingsbury, 1931; Mem
- Arthur E. Fairbanks, 1932; N
- Harold H. MacGilpin, 1933
- Arthur C. Glass, 1934
- Donald G. Mix, 1935
- Fred E. Churchill, 1936
- John A. Jewell, 1937; N
- Albert H. Woodward, 1938
- Arthur D. Hatch, 1939
- Amos P. Clarkson, 1940
- Joseph B. Shaw, 1941
- Herbert P. Sawtell, 1942
- C. Warren Page, 1943
- George E. Mosher, 1944
- Will A. Gray, 1945; N
- Myron F. Converse, 1946
- J. William Shaw, 1947
- John W. Fellows, 1948
- Leslie B. Goff, 1949
- Welcome G. Burbank, 1950
- Edward A. Sawtell, 1951
- Francis H. Jones, 1952
- Frederick J. Underwood, 1953
- Arnold R. Shaw, 1954; N
- Paul H. Marshall, 1955
- Kenneth K. Williams, 1956
- Ralph E. Quimby, 1957, 1958; N
- Melvin T. Rafuse, 1959, 1972
- Walter H. Gibbs, 1960
- William D. Dugard, 1961
- Laurie L. Palmer, 1962
- James B. Denholm, 1963
- Richard S. Mosher, 1964
- William G. Lowe, 1965
- James D. Graham, 1966, 1967
- Bruce Edwin Neilson, 1968
- G. Edwin Mosher, Jr., 1969, 1971
- Tore S. Groening, 1970
- Clifton B. Curtis, 1973
- Alden R. Tilander, 1974
After Restoration of Charter
- Edgar W. Darling, 1993-1996
- John W. Hanson, 1997
- Herbert F. Johnson, 1998, 1999
- David P. Cerasoli, 2000, 2001
- Theodore E. Cooledge, 2002, 2003
- Mark S. Watson, 2004, 2005 PDDGM
- Paul R. Hatch, 2006
- James A. Gates, Jr., 2007
- Richard J. Stewart, 2008 GM
- Keith H. Krewson, 2009-2011
- Christopher A. Ives, 2012
REFERENCES IN GRAND LODGE PROCEEDINGS
- Petition for Dispensation: 1927
- Petition for Charter: 1928
- Consolidation Petition (with Morning Star Lodge): 1974
- Petition for Restoration of Charter: 1993
ANNIVERSARIES
- 1952 (25th Anniversary)
VISITS BY GRAND MASTER
- 1928 (Simpson; Constitution of Lodge and installation; Special Communication)
- 1952 (Roy; 25th Anniversary)
- 1967 (Booth; reception for Deputy Grand Master John A. Jewell)
- 1974 (Vose; Consolidation; Special Communication)
- 2008 (Pageau)
- 2011 (Stewart; 4 visits)
BY-LAW CHANGES
HISTORY
- 1943 (Notes on the lodge's founding in the 1943 history of Morning Star Lodge, 1943-139; see below)
NOTES ON FOUNDING, JANUARY 1943
From the Morning Star lodge history, Page 1943-39:
An event of special interest to Morning Star Lodge was the constitution of Rose of Sharon Lodge by Most Worshipful Frank L. Simpson on October 20, 1928. I am indebted to Right Worshipful W. H. Smiley Kingsbury and Right Worshipful Harold L. Fenner for the following excerpts from the records of Rose of Sharon Lodge:
During the Spring of 1927 a small group of Past Masters of Morning Star Lodge, influenced undoubtedly by certain ideas voiced by the administration of the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Masons in Massachusetts, and convinced of the soundness of these ideas, frequently discussed, informally, the possibility of the formation of a new Lodge.
Right Wor. Harold Luther Fenner, D.D.G.M. of the Brookfield 21st Masonic District, was particularly interested in this movement and bent his efforts toward the development of the plan. Associated with him from the first were Right Wor. Herbert P. Bagley, Past Deputy Grand Master of Masons in Massachusetts, Wor. E. Arthur Denny, Wor. W. H. Smiley Kingsbury, at the time Grand Standard Bearer of the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge, and Wor. Rolland R. Greenwood.
On December 6, 1927 a meeting of such Past Masters of Morning Star Lodge as were interested was held, and the choice of Brethren to be Charter Members was limited to members of Morning Star Lodge and Brethren residing in Worcester, but not members of any other Lodge in Worcester.
The name of the new Lodge, "Rose of Sharon," was suggested by Wor. Walter S. Young, a Past Master of Morning Star Lodge, as Biblically synonymous with the "Bright and Morning Star." The purpose of the new Lodge as resolved in discussion was that it would be in a marked degree the outgrowth of Morning Star Lodge, conceived under, and working for, those ideals for which Morning Star Lodge has ever steadfastly stood, where each man may know his brother well and where there may be the unbroken spirit of unity, fostered by the cement of brotherly love and affection.
Right Worshipful George D. Robertson was the first Master of Rose of Sharon Lodge and by far the greater number of Charter members were members of Morning Star Lodge.
GRAND LODGE OFFICERS
- Theodore E. Cooledge, DDGM, District 33 (Springfield), 1989, 1990; Deputy Grand Master 1992
- Edgar W. Darling, DDGM, District 18 (Chicopee), 1974, 1975; Junior Grand Warden 1979, Grand Master 1990-1992
- Arthur E. Fairbanks, DDGM, District 20 (Milford), 1910; District 23 (Milford), 1911; N
- Leslie B. Goff, DDGM, District 21 (Brookfield), 1956, 1957; N
- Will A. Gray, DDGM, District 21 (Brookfield), 1931, 1932, 1933; N
- John W. Hanson, Senior Grand Warden 1993
- John A. Jewell, DDGM, District 21 (Brookfield), 1940, 1941; Deputy Grand Master 1967; N
- W. H. Smiley Kingsbury, DDGM, District 21 (Brookfield), 1929, 1930; Memorial
- Ralph E. Quimby, District 21 (Brookfield), 1970, 1971; N
- George D. Robertson, District 21 (Brookfield), 1942, 1943; N
- Arnold R. Shaw, District 21 (Brookfield), 1986, 1987; N
- Richard J. Stewart, Deputy Grand Master 1991, Grand Master 2011-2013
- Mark S. Watson, DDGM, District 20 (Blackstone), 2001, 2002
DISTRICTS
1927: District 21 (Brookfield)
1993: District 21 (Brookfield)