Brief
History
of Montgomery Lodge No. 94
Instituted
January 8,1827
Chartered
January 16,1828
On the recommendation of Milford Lodge No. 54. The Grand Lodge of Ohio
granted a Charter to 8 members, William Crane, R. Cunningham, F. Barman, Abraham
Crist, Jeremiah Leyman, James W. Robinson, J.A. Reeder, and John Cross. The
members met and elected J.W. Robinson, Worshipful Master, J.A. Reeder, Senior
Warden, and Abraham Crist, junior Warden.
After
only four years on November 10,1832 the Lodge met and adjourned without day
Grand lodge was informed and due record was made in Annual Proceedings.
The
Lodge jewels (Hand made by a Reading Jeweler) were loaned to Batavia Lodge by
the Grand Lodge and later sold them.
Fourteen
years later on October 21,1846 Grand Lodge session in Dayton adopted a
resolution to resuscitate Montgomery Lodge No. 94 and voted to refund the price
of Jewels sold to Batavia Lodge for fifty-three dollars ($53.00)
The
Lodge met ever since first in 1846 in various homes in Montgomery and while the
present Temple was being completed in 1961 met at the Pleasant Ridge Temple. Our
first meeting place in Montgomery was Sage's Tavern, now Bartons Bakery (1828 to
1832). After Grand Lodge gave consent to work again in 1846, our home was James
Ayers Building now Pure Oil Station (1846 to 1879). In 1879 we moved into D.
Parrotts store on the second floor. This building
was also known as the Denmand Building
and we met here from 1879 to 1937. We moved into the basement of our present
Temple May 22,1937 and remained in this room until our present Lodge Room was
dedicated by M.W. Grand Master Daniel C. Jenkins, January 16,1962.
Dues
at the time of Charter were .12 1/2 per month payable in advance. Our Stated
Meetings are on the Tuesday on or before the full moon of the month and of no
full moon changes in any month, the Stated meeting in such month shall be held
on the last Tuesday of that month. This can cause 13 meetings in some years.
Montgomery Lodge has been served by 112 Worshipful Masters and 38
Secretaries in its 178 years
(to yr 2008).
When monies did not
materialize from a fund drive started in 1927, the Lodge used up what monies it had, and then made an agreement
with the builder to just finish the basement in 1937 and met there until 1961
when the second floor was added and the Lodge finally completed.
Laying
of the Cornerstone was on October 1,1961, just 115 years after the Grand Lodge
resuscitated the Lodge in Dayton, October 21,1846. The program was under the
direction of M.W. Brother Willian M. Judd, P.G.M. acting under the direction of
the Grand Master M.W. Brother Charles Strayer.
Four members of Montgomery Lodge #94 have served as District Deputy Grand Master of the First Masonic District. They are:
R.W.
Brother Harold Cowles 1970 - 71 - 72
R.W.
Brother H. Clayton Powers 1974 - 75 - 76
R.W. Brother George Ward 1989 - 90 - 91
The Grand Lodge of Ohio was opened in special Emergent Communication at Montgomery, Ohio on May 20, 1962 for the purpose of laying the Cornerstone of the Montgomery Presbyterian Church.
In
1985, Liberty Lodge #646 merged with Montgomery Lodge. Then in 1995 Pleasant Ridge
Lodge #282 merged with Montgomery Lodge.
In
the preparation of this work we owe a debt of gratitude to those who have made
this possible; Brothers Edwin L. Strawser, and H. Clayton Powers, both dedicated
Past Masters who gave of their time and energy to make this History complete.
Finally, to all the Brothers
who gave information on our Lodge History.
Joseph
G. Burg
This
is only a brief part of the entire Montgomery Lodge History document. Please
visit our Complete History Pages for more information about Montgomery and
Pleasant Ridge Lodges.
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