Harvey Reid

REID

Posted By: Ken Wright (email)
Date: 4/17/2013 at 16:56:04

Freemasonry in Maquoketa. by Harvey Reid, P. M., P. H. P.

The first steps toward the organization of a Masonic lodge in Maquoketa were taken when, on April 15, 1851, a petition to the Grand Master in Iowa for a dispensation to open a lodge here was signed by Dr. P. L. Lake, Thomas M. Wright. Thomas Wright, Samuel Chandler, William Y. Earle, Carmel Cheney, Nathaniel Butterworth, M. M. Curtis, John Hanna, and Sylvester Stevens. The five first named were residents of Maquoketa, or its immediate vicinity, and the other five resided in Perry township, in or near the village of Andrew. The dispensation signed by W. D. McCord, Grand Master, and T. S. Parvin, Grand Secretary, was granted May 5, 1851, under the name of Helion Lodge. The name, Greek for "Sun," was borrowed from the name of the lodge to which Dr. Lake had belonged in Huntsville, Alabama, Helion No. 1. of that state. The first officers of the lodge were Preston L. Lake, Worshipful Master, Thomas Wright, Senior Warden, Marvin M. Curtis, Junior Warden, Carmel Cheney, Treasurer, Thomas Miles Wright, Secretary, William Y. Earle, Senior Deacon, John Hanna, Junior Deacon. Nathaniel Butterworth, Tyler. Dr. Lake was then principal of the newly organized Maquoketa Academy, Thomas Wright was proprietor of a woolen mill, Mr. Curtis was a farmer who owned what is now the George Collipriest place, on the North Fork, Carmel Cheney owned and lived on what is now the County Poor Farm, in Perry township, Thomas M. Wright was Thomas Wright's father, and John E. Goodenow's faither-in-law, William Y. Earle lived in the present city limits, John Hanna was a farmer in Perry township, as was also Nathaniel Butterworth, General Samuel Chandler was then a farmer and wagon maker at Bridgeport, who had had a remarkable experience. He had been engaged in what is generally known a the Patriot war in Canada, in 1837-8, in which he was so active a leader that, when captured by the British government, he was sentenced to be hung. Bv the intercession of a devoted daughter afterward Mrs. Jesse Wilson, his sentence was commuted to banishment to Van Dieman's land. After four years, he escaped, through the aid of a Masonic brother, an American sea captain, and in 1845, he came to this place, whether other refugees of that conflict,—notably William Current. A. H. Wilson, and Mahlon Brookfield, —had preceded him. Sylvester Stevens, who signed the petition for a dispensation, did not become a member of the lodge when organized, and no record exists by which his identity can be established with certainty, but we think he was a son-in-law of Carmel Cheney's, who left the county about that time. Among others who became members of the lodge during its flrst years may be mentioned Dr. Elisha F. Clark, James O. DeGrush, who had been Master of a lodge in New York state, T. A. N. Walker, Thomas Darling, H. B. French, Peter Moriarty, Amasa Ballon, John K. Twiss, John C. Wendle and Stephen Collins. The first meetings of the lodge were held in the second story of Jonas Clark's store, which stood on the west side of Main street, near where the brick store owned by the Job Reynolds estate now is but, in the fall of 1854, a frame building was erected on the northeast corner of Main and Platt streets, for the general store of the late Pierce Mitchell, and its second story was finished off during the winter that followed, as a Masonic hall. About 1863, the lodge rented the third story of a new brick building erected by E. D. Woley on the east side of Main street, now owned by the American Savings Bank, and occupied on the first floor by that bank. About 1867, another move was made to a third story room on the west side of Main street, just vacated by the Odd Fellows. That body afterwards bought the hall of Henry Taubman, the third story of his building, and occupied it for a good many years. The Masons then removed to rooms over A. S. Carter's hardware store, and in the fire which wrecked that building on the night of September 30, 1882, lost all of their furniture, paraphernalia, and valuable records. Dr. Truax was then erecting a store building to be occupied by D. H. Anderson, he at once hanged the plan to include a third story which the lodge and its coordinate bodies leased for a term of twenty years. At the expiration of that lease, in 1902. the third story of C. M. Sanborn's brick building, near Pleasant street, was secured on very favorable terms, and the Masonic bodies find there a very pleasant and
commodious home. On May 20th, 1901, Helion Lodge celebrated its semi-centennial anniversary by a meeting and banquet at which were present, Grand Master W. L. Eaton, of Osage. Grand High Priest N. B. Hyatt of Webster City. Deputy Grand Secretary N. K. Farvin of Cedar Rapids. Past Grand Master Thomas Lambert of Sabula, Worthy Grand Matron (Eastern Star) Mrs. Freda Oppenheimer, of Webster City, and several other out of town visitors. It proved a very pleasant and profitable occasion, and has been commmemorated by a neatly bound souvenir history of the lodge. The condition of the lodge has been generally prosperous throughout its history, although for a few years during the Civil war period, it suffered a considerable diminution of members. At the present date, it affiliates 155 members. Its presiding officers for the entire period have been Dr. P. L. Lake, Thomas Wright, Peter Moriarty, William W. J. Eaton, Charles M. Dunbar, Rev. William Lease, Osceola Goodenow, F. Eugene Adams, C. C. Dudley, George A. Isbell, Q. O. Johnson, O. Y. Britton, George L. Mitchell, Dr. W. H. Davies, Fred Gurius, G. H. Orcutt, William Babcock, Guy O. Morse, Fred Fischer, Walter Doe, E. I. Hansen, George E. Dunlap, G. A. Hess. C. L Haight. Its officers for the year 1904 are Charles H. Haight, W. M., John B. Harrison, S. W., William B. Eaton, J. W., Caleb M. Sanborn, Treasurer, Fred Gurius, Secretary, Charles C. Dudley, S. D., Henry A. Meyer, J.D., Edward B. Hunter, S. S., Charles F. Ellis, J. S., Harris P. Morse, Tyler.