Larch Lodge No. 552 A.F. & A.M.
Larch Lodge No. 552 was organized
January 4, 1897 and existed from then until April 14, 1947 at
which time it consolidated with Border Lodge No. 406 at Rock
Rapids, Iowa.
The Lodge held 864 regular and special meetings during this time.
It accepted 185 applicants into the order and 51 sets of officers
were elected.
The first meetings were held in Schoenfelder hall over the
harness shop. In 1898, they moved to Lodge rooms over the Savings
Bank and used these quarters until the consolidation.
J.H. Walters was the first worshipful Master and J.R. Williams
was the first Senior Warden. C.P. Soper was the first Junior
Warden.
J.H. Peacock was the first candidate to receive the degrees in
Larch Lodge.
Brother William Pruitt (a Civil War Veteran) served as Tyler
continuously from 1901 until 1922.
One item of special interest was a third degree conferred by the
Rock Rapids Lodge on the night of March 19, 1915, when the
members of Larch Lodge traveled to Rock Rapids by the evening
passenger train and through the cooperation of the Rock Island
Railroad, the Brethren were returned home that evening by special
train.
The last officers of Larch Lodge No. 552 in 1947 were: Willard
Parkinson, Worshipful Master; Arthur E. Anderson, Senior Warden;
J.D. Chamberlain, Junior Warden; R.W. Wyant, Treasurer; J.J.
Pruitt, Secretary.