Washington County 'Little Washington' Pennsylvania
 Genealogy and Family History

CONTENTS

CHAPTER LX.

LODGE NO. 54, A. Y. M., HELD AT THE TOWN OF 

WASHINGTON, WASHINGTON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

WASHINGTON COUNTY, Pennsylvania, was the first County established by the Legislature after the Declaration of Independence.

It was taken from Westmoreland County by the Act of March 28, 1781, and was in the southwest corner of the State.  The county seat of the same name was in the center of the County, about twenty-six miles southwest of Pittsburgh.

At the Grand Communication, held June 24, 1792, after the Warrant was granted for the French Lodge of St. Louis, No. 53, another petition was presented by sundry Brethren from the extreme southwestern part of Pennsylvania.(1) These Brethren were from the town of Washington, praying for a Warrant to hold a Lodge in the said Town, viz.:

1 Reprint of Minutes of Grand Lodge, Vol. I, p. 187.

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Petition for Warrant

" To THE Right Worshipful Master and Members of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania.^

" We your Humble Petitionars [sic] James Chambers, James Whiteside and Robert Pee Regular Master Masons As has appeared from our Sartiflcates [sic] and Trials Before our Adjacent Brethren in Pittsbnrge [sic] under the Sanction of your grand Approbation and some time ago we made Application to your Honours for a warrant By the Hands of James Ross and David Reddick Esq'rs and Received an Answer which let us know that without five we Could not obtain a warrant.

But now we have got a sufleient [sic] Number that will Answer that End and we send you our Cartifieates [sic] and Being all well known to Each other in said Art.

" Do most Humbly Intreat [sic]that you permit us to have a warrant to be held in the Town of Washington and there to support the true and Honourable [sic] Character of masonry and promote the good Effects of so laudable Antient [sic] and Just an undertaking and for the True performance of which we do pledge our Faith to keep the Honor of the Secrate [sic]Art Still in View.

" Your Worships Compliance shall Ever Bind us to Pray Whilst we have the Honour to be Gentlemen your most obediant [sic]and Faithful!

Brethren and Humble Serv[ts] [sic]

" Recommended by

"We send this and our Certificates by the Hand of Captian [sic] William Faulkner [3] and Money suficient [sic] for the Warrant. If your

2. Cf. MSS., Vol. X, paquet 106, folio 3.

3. Bro. William Faulkner was a captain in the U. S. Army, and, in August, 1792, the government used his house as an inspection office. He was threatened with scalping, tar and feathers, and compelled to promise not to let his house be used for that purpose, and to publish his promise in the Pittsburgh Gazette.

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Honnours please to Call on him he will Let you know our Characters

and he will Deliver this By his own hand

« Washington May the 28«'- 1792."

" Endorsed

" June 25«' 1792

" Petition to hold a Lodge

" in the Town of Washington

« Granted No 54."

"On Motion and Seconded, the prayer of the Petitioners was unanimously granted, and the Grand Secretary was directed to make out a Warrant in the names of James Chambers, Master; Jas. Whiteside, Senior Warden, and Cyrus Beckwith, Junior Warden; the said Lodge to be N"- 54."

This Lodge, at that time, was the most westerly duly constituted Lodge, not alone in Pennsylvania, but within the thirteen original Colonies.

The new Lodge met on the third Tuesday of the month.

December 7, 1793. A recommendation from the Master and Wardens of Lodge No. 54 was read before the Grand Lodge, in favor of a number of Brethren for a Lodge at Fort Burd (Brownsville, Fayette County).

January 10, 1794. Lodge No. 54 made the following return -.

they also sent a copy of their By-Laws and a copy of their earliest Minutes:

" Washington 10 Jan 1794

" Brethren Beloved. In the arrival of brother Motty our Worshipfull Late Master Brother James Chambers Conceived it necessary to direct me to make return of the Election for ofiScers of Lodge No. 54 at Last stated Meeting to you. Our Election was Unanimous, Viz: Brother Absalom Baird Master Brother John Hoge Sen' Warden Brother W. Arbutton Junior Warden.

" In testimony whereof our said Worshipfull Late Master has here-

4 MSS., Vol. X, paquet 106. folio 4.

Page 308

unto subscribed his Name and authorized me to affix the Seal of the Lodge this 10 Jan 1794.

Verbatim copies of these By-Laws and Minutes are reproduced, as they give an insight into the Masonic life on what was then the borders of civilization.

"By-Laws op Lodge No. 54 held in the Town of WASHINGTON Pennsylvania

" Preamble

"Whereas it is essential to the beauty Harmony and strength of our Antient [sic]  Society that the Laws and Regulations for the Government of every  individual Lodge be established agreeably to the first principles of the Craft and also that the first principles be declared in the regulations as well to keep them in perpetual remembrance by the already initiated Brethren as to give such necessary information to all who may be desirous to join themselves in the Bond of Freemasonry---- Be it therefore known that to become a brother of our Society a belief in the eternal God as the great Architect of the Universe, is the first great essential, a Mason is to observe the moral Law, and in no case to act contrary to the dictates of his own Conscience, he must avoid the Error of bigotry and superstition making use of his own Reason according to that Liberty wherewith he is made free, he must allow liberty of Conscience to all men, having Charity and Brotherly Love for all, he must be a good subject to the State in which he lives, as his obligations thereto will be greatly inforced [sic] by his duty as a Mason, he is to be a lover of quiet and be  obedient to the Civil powers so far as they infringe not his limitted bounds of Reason and Religion, he must not be  concerned in or privy to any plot against the State, but consider the welfare of his Country the peculiar care of a Mason; he must be industrious and not eat any man's bread for naught ; he must endeavour [sic] to abstain from all malice

Ibid., folio 5.

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and Slander and chearfully [sic] obey those set over him on account of their superior qualifications, however inferior they may be in worldly rank for as a free and accepted Mason preeminence of virtue and knowledge he is to consider as the only slandard [sic] of True Nobility, he must know himself Capable of keeping secrets as it will be inforced [sic] upon him by the strongest obligations, he must be free born, of the age of twenty-one years, of Good report, of sufficient natural endowments, with an estate, office, trade, occupation or some known way of acquiring an honest Livelihood; he must be upright in his body not deformed or dismembered, but of hole [sic] and intire [sic]Limb as a man ought to be; and for the more immediately well ordering and Conducting this Lodge it is hereby ordained by the Master, Wardens and Brethern [sic] thereof at this their Communication

" 1st That the regular stated meetings of this Lodge shall be on the third Tuesday of every month and the hour of meeting shall be from seven o'clock till ten in the evening from the 25th of March to the 25* of September, and six till nine from the 25"' of September till March; the Lodge shall be opened within one half hour after the time ordered for meeting, and the List of the Brethren's names called over by the Secretary or who ever officiates for him

" 2d The officers of this Lodge shall be chosen by Ballot by the Brethen present on the stated Lodge night before every Saint John the Evangelist's day, who shall serve untill the next Saint John the Evangelist's day except in case of sickness, absence from home, resignation or misconduct, and if any brother shall refuse to act when chosen he shall pay a fine of three Dollars to the Treasurer for the use of the Lodge.

" 3d The new elected master shall have power with the consent of the Lodge to appoint two Brethem properly qualified to serve as deacons and may also appoint a Secretary and Stewarts any of whom neglecting or refusing to act shall pay for the use of the Lodge three dollars—except the Brother so neglecting or refusing has acted in the same capacity before in which case there shall be made by the master a new appointment but if the Lodge chooses the appointment shall be by ballot.

" 4th When the Master or his deputy takes the Chair and Calls to order the Brethem shall take their seats and on proper notice their shall be profound silence, whoever brakes it first, unless by the Master's order shall be publickly reprimanded, no private conferences shall be held while the Lodge is open, nor shall any Brother move from his seat without leave from the Chair except the officers who have the imediate care of the Lodge.

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" 5"^ One Brother only shall speak at a time and but once on the same subject without leave from the Chair except to explain himself, or when called upon by the Master; every brother when he addresses the Chair shall rise, nor shall any brother interupt him while speaking unless the master finds him wandering" from the point under the penalty of being reprimanded for\ the first offence by the Master, for the second fined half a dollar, and for the third expelled the Lodge untUl he shall acknowledge his fault and obtain forgiveness

" 6th* No Visitor shall be admitted in Lodge hours untill he be first duly examined and approved of upon report made to the Chair or well known to be an Antient Mason to two or more of the Brethem then present; and no visiting brother shall be admitted without the Consent of the presiding oflftcer.

" 7th Any person who shall hiss or make divertion of a brother for what he shall have said, or who shall raise any angry dispute or quarrels to the disturbance of the Lodge shall for the first offence be fined two dollars, for the second four Dollars and be solemnly excluded and declared incapable of being a member untill he shall with due submission ask forgiveness of the Lodge and obtain it.

" 8th Any brother who shall profanely curse or swear in open Lodge shall for the first offence forfeit anl pay one Dollar, for the second two Dollars, and for the third be excluded from the Lodge for the night.

" 9th No Brother shall sue or go to Law with a brother in ordinary cases untill he first make his complaint to the Lodge to which such brother belongs, and if satisfaction can not be had by that means, the party agrieved shall obtain leave from the Lodge to apply to the Civil law for the recovery of his just demands.

« 10th Every member shall every Lodge night pay to the Treasurer one fourth of a doUar, two-thirds for the Contingent fund and one third for the Charity fund, and i£ any member shall leave twelve months dues in arrear he shall be excluded the Lodge and shall not be re-admitted untill he shall have paid up all such arrearages, with the addition of three Dollars to the Charity fund; provided always that if any brother shall be going abroad or inclines to retire from the

" 11th If any member shall disclose any matter which the majority

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" 13th Any person desirous of becoming a member of the Lodge

" 14th Any Ancient Mason desirous of becoming a member of this

" I3th That any person passed or raised in the Lodge on a stated Lodge night shall pay no more than the Lodge dues, but if a Lodge of Emergency be called then the person entered passed or raised shall pay all the expences of the night.

" 16th Every member for non-attendance on a stated Lodge night shall pay a fine of one-half of a Spanish milled Dollar except in cases of sickness or being out of Town. « 17th jf an ancient Mason applies to become a member of this Lodge, or a person of Good Character applies to be entered passed or raised, and if it be put to ballot with white and black Counters or Balls, if there be put one black Ball against him he cannot be admitted, but if it is looked up as an extraordinary case and unexpected by the Majority of the Brethem present the Master may order all the Brethern to attend the next regular stated Lodge night and may demand the reason why such person shall not be admitted, and then the Brother who put in the Black Ball shall declare his reasons for

page 312

"List of the members belonging to Lodge No 54 at their first formation:

" James Chambers, Master.

" Absalom Baird, Senr Warden.

" Cyrus Beckwith, Junr Warden.

" Willm Sherard, Senr Deacon.

" Wm. Arbutton, Junr Deacon.

" John Farahan, Tyler.

" March 6th Stated Lodge night. Jonathan Morris, John Watt & James Chambers were entered as apprentices; also, William Stewart entered & passed.

"March 7th Extra Lodge—William Stewart raised to a Master Mason.

"Apr' 16th. Jona"- Morris, John Watt & Ja^ Chambers were passed & raised. Cha"- Call entered. Hugh Dougherty rejected.

" May 21^'. Charles Call passed & raised.

" June 18th Daniel Motty entered

"Aug*- 20th. Daniel Motty passed

" Sept- 18th Daniel Motty raised. Chads. Chalfant, Benj°- White,

John Bowls, John Cristmas & Michael Sowers, entered and passed.

" Sept* 19. Lodge of Emergency.—Chads. Chalfant, Benjamin White, John Bowls, John Cristmas & Michael Sowers raised to the Degree of Master; and David Crawford entered.

" Sep*- 27. David Crawford passed & Eaised.

" Oct. 15. John Hoge, Esq., entered.

"Nov. 13 John Hoge, passed & raised. Sam'l Marshal, James Powell and Zephaniah Beal rejected.

" Endorsed : By Laws of No. 54. Eeg* by G. A. B."

This communication from Lodge 54 was the last received by the Grand Lodge for a decade. During that time the Lodge had become dormant, owing to political troubles, which arose in the southwestern part of the State, shortly before Lodge 54 was warranted. Washington County was the hotbed of the

page 313

"Washington 18th April 1804.

"D-r Sir (6):

"John Willson, Esq., a Brother of ours will deliver this to you;

it is well known that during our late political squabbles, principles were forsaken for party purposes in consequence of which our Lodge No. 54 was discontinued. A number of members who were not, nor cannot be swayed by such motives have requested me to write to you to know whether the Warrant can be renewed or if a new Warrant must be applyed for. Brother Willson, in whom you may repose the greatest confidence, will take the trouble to arrange the business.

Our funds are exhausted therefore I doubt whether any dues can be expected for the time past.

" I am with the greatest respect & Esteem

"right Worshipful Sir

"your sincere friend & Brother

"Israel Israel Esq. "A. Baird.

" G. M. of Penn»- "

" Endorsed

" Washington 18th April 1804

" Letter from Absolam Baird

"respecting Lodge No. 54."

March 4, 1805. At the Grand Quarterly Communication Bro. Israel Israel, R. W. Grand Master informed the Brethren that he "had lately been at the Town of Washington, in Washington County in this State, that Lodge No. 54 held at that place had been disunited and had not had any meeting for about four years past, that he had directed the Lodge to be convened and that they had again commenced their Labours

Ibid., folio 7.

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with great Zeal and promised fair to become a very flourishing Lodge."(7)

7 Reprint of Minutes of GTrand Lodge, Vol. II, p. 146.

After a somewhat precarious existence the Warrant was finally vacated, April 4, 1814.

Roster of Lodge No. 54 Held at the Town of Washington.

(Image - see header.)

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See PDF file of OLD MASONIC LODGES OF PENNSYLVANIA "MODERNS" AND "ANCIENTS" 1730-1800 Which Have Surrendered Their Warrants or Affiliated with Other Grand Lodges