CHAPTER III
THE FIRST MASONIC LODGE AT UNION VILLAGE
In 1874 Union Township had a population of about one thousand and Union Village, the only town in the township, had about one hundred people. Several of the leading citizens were York Rite Masons and they began to talk about the need for a Masonic Lodge to be organized in the area and to be located near the center of it. Union Village offered the ideal spot. Its jurisdiction could cover all of Union Township, part of White River Township on the north, part of Franklin Township on the east and part of Morgan County on the west. Dr. William Province, being a York Rite Mason, took the lead with such other prominent men as Samuel Harris who was the grandfather of Livy A. Young, Jesse T. Harris, Jesse W. Knox, James N. Robinson, W. B. Garr, William Rivers, Daniel G. Dory who was the grandfather of Hazael and Kenneth Blackwell, William Reaves, Jordan Utterback, David Glassburn, Henry Weyl and L. E. Townsend.
The Grand Masonic Lodge of Indiana was contacted with a request to be issued a dispensation to operate a Masonic Lodge to be located in Union Village. After thorough study and investigation a dispensation was granted to the York Rite brethren on January 8, 1877. Most Worshipful Frank G. Devol, Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Indiana, signed and delivered the dispensation.
An interesting story has been handed down about the building of the first lodge hall. Mr. Henry Weyl, a prominent merchaht who had traveled all the way from Europe to the new world, had settled in Union Township in the early 1860's and was operating a general merchandise store in the old log building. In 1876 he made an agreement with the lodge members and together they constructed the new two story frame building at the northwest corner of the junction of Franklin and Meridian Streets in Union Village. Mr. Weyl used the ground floor for his general store above which was located the lodge hall. The lodge members paid Mr. Weyl the sum of seventy-five dollars and agreed to keep the roof in good repair. The framework and the lumber was sawed from native timber hauled by the brother Masons to the Peter and John Shuck sawmill at the south edge of the village. Being efficient carpenters, they did all the work themselves. Most of the lodge furniture was made and donated by the members. Ben Garr was noted as the best cabinetmaker in his time and he made the desk to be used by the lodge secretary. Masons today can view his handiwork in our present lodge hall.
According to the early records the lodge did very satisfactory work during the period of its dispensation, and in May, 1877, made application for a charter.
The charter was granted by the Grand Lodge of Indiana on May 22, 1877, and this date has become a red letter day in the history of Union Village Lodge No. 545, F. & A. M.
The charter members were:
Samuel Harris
Jesse T. Harris
James N. Robinson
J. R. Garshwiler
Jesse W. Knox
William T. Rivers
William M. Brunnemer
Daniel G. Doty
David Glassburn
William M. Province
The Minutes of the First Meeting .....January 15, 1877
It is interesting to read the minutes of the first meeting called in the new lodge hall on January 15, 1877. The following is quoted from the record: "A number of the brethren in convention assembled in the new hall in Union Village, Johnson County, Indiana, called Brother John R. Garshwiler to the chair and Bro. James N. Robinson was selected as Secretary. The object of the meeting as stated by Bro. Samuel Harris and on motion by Bro. William M. Province was to read the Dispensation order received from the Grand Masonic Lodge Of Indiana. The appointed Secretary read the full copy of the Dispensation. A motion was made by Bro. Jesse W. Knox that the Dispensation be adopted as the Authority to work as a body of Free and Accepted Masons and the Lodge to be known as Union Village Masonic Lodge." The motion was seconded and unanimously passed.
The Dispensation had been given under the hand of Frank S. Devol, Master of the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of the State of Indiana, and the Seal had been given on the 8th day of January, Anno Domini 1877, Anno Lucis 5587. Attested by John M. Bromwell, Grand Secretary.
The following officers of the Lodge were appointed:
Samuel Harris .........................................Worshipful Master
William M. Province .......................................Senior Warden
Jesse W. Knox .............................................Junior Warden
Winston B. Garr ...............................................Secretary
John B. Garshwiler ............................................Treasurer
James N. Robinson .........................................Senior Deacon
Jesse T. Harris ...........................................Junior Deacon
William Rivers ....................................................Tyler
A committee consisting of James N. Robinson, Dr. Wm. Province and Jesse W. Knox was appointed to prepare a code of by-laws. The by-laws were written in due time and adopted. The Lodge worked under the Dispensation until a called meeting was made for June 16, 1877, with Brother Albert P. Charles acting as Special Deputy, appointed by the Grand Master.
From the Minutes of the Second Meeting .....January 27, 1877
"On January 27, 1877, the Lodge met in its first regular session with the following officers:
Samuel Harris .........................................Worshipful Master
William M. Province .......................................Senior Warden
Jesse W. Knox .............................................Junior Warden
James N. Robinson .........................................Senior Deacon
Jesse Harris ..............................................Junior Deacon
W. B. Garr ....................................................Secretary
Daniel Dow ...........................................Treasurer, pro-tem
William Rivers ....................................................Tyler
Those that petitioned for the degrees of Masonry at the first regular session were Henry Weyl, John Rivers, William T. Rivers and L. E. Townsend." According to the early minutes each was duly approved and elected to receive the three degrees in later meetings of the Lodge.
From the Minutes of June 16, 1877
"Brother Albert P. Charles, acting as Special Deputy appointed by the Grand Master, was present and presented the Lodge with its charter. He stated that the Grand Lodge had acted on the request of the local brethren and approved their charter on May 22, 1877. It was read and unanimously approved by the members. The by-laws of Union Village under Dispensation were adopted for the government of the new chartered Lodge and the number 545, F. & A. M. was listed in the charter. The full name hereafter shall be Union Village Lodge No. 545, F. & A. M."
The First Worshipful Master
The first Worshipful Master, Brother Samuel Harris, was well trained and a most capable leader for his time. He was well liked by his friends and neighbors and the lodge membership grew rapidly under his leadership. He served four years through 1880 and gave the impetus that the new lodge needed. The lodge membership totaled thirty in five years. Mr. Harris was also a noted leader throughout Johnson County. He served several terms as Clerk of the Circuit Court, with honor and distinction. In 1884, when he retired from office, he was commended by the county bar association through a special resolution and given a gold tipped cane in appreciation of his work. In Franklin, he was active in the Chapter, Council and Commandery of the York Rite Masons.
"When he was hidden from the sun,
And grasses grew where he was laid;
Men marked the good this man had done
And glorified the name he made."
Union Village Lodge No. 545, F. & A. M. records showed a membership of seventy-eight prominent brethren by the year 1900. Here is the listing as found in the early records with the names spelled exactly as they appeared:
1. Samuel Harris 40. Nelson M. Pittman
2. William M. Province 41. Joseph H. Powell
3. Jesse W. Knox 42. W.E. Telford
4. James N. Robinson 43. John M. Simpson
5. Jesse T. Harris 44. Monroe Forsyth
6. Winston B. Garr 45. James T. Gilmer
7. John R. Garshwiler 46. John T. Roe
8. Wm. Rivers 47. William P. Garshwiler
9. Wm. Brunnemer 48. Calvin Russell
10. Daniel Doty 49. John Russell
11. Jordon Utterback 50. Elgin Selch
12. David Glassburns 51. Elgin W. Simpson
13. Samuel P. Harris 52. J.R. Ragsdull
14. Henry Weyl 53. J.W. Jones
15. L.E. Townsend 54. F.M. Kephart
16. John Rivers 55. Strawder Vaughn
17. W.F. Rivers 56. E.C. Taylor
18. Robert Rivers 57. Joe Simpson
19. James H. Gillaspy 58. John E. Williams
20. Philip Rivers 59. Albert Edwards
21. C.B. Throkmorton 60. Tom Dorrell
22. Samuel Garner 61. James M. Scott
23. Franklin Rivers 62,. James A. Selch
24. Lewis T. Deer 63. Thomas T. Vandivier
25. Thos. C. M. Perry 64. Robert W. Selch
26. Johnathan Young 65. W.G. Henderson
27. Chas. Moody 66. E.P. Haymaker
28. Jacob G. Tressler 67. Samuel B. Park
29. William T. Clark 68. Albert Dorrell
30. John R. Neese 69. Cornelius A. Vandiver
31. Jacob Drake 70. Harvey Vandiver
32. David C. Drake 71. Evert C. Vandiver
33. Jesse Y. Demaree 72. Evert T. Jones
34. Martial T. Brown 73. John C. Weddie
35. John N. Woolfington 74. Jos. H. List
36. Edward Bergen 75. Cyrus C. Davis
37. John Park 76. David B. Riggs
38. Harison Doty 77. Elsworth Murphy
39. Henry T. Deer 78. John Hall
A Note (all these men are now deceased.)
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Last update November 9, 1999.