History of Charleston Lodge #35
Early Illinois Freemasonry
As early American pioneers began to move westward from the Eastern colonies, they crossed what is now Indiana and Illinois. Upon reaching the Mississippi River, they discovered an old Indian camp in what is today called Kaskaskia. Soon after, a Jesuit missionary station began, and the settlement became an important French trading post. With trappers and traders increasing numbers, frontier villages replaced the old trading posts. In 1763, the British captured the town, and nine years later, Kaskaskia became British military headquarters for the Northwest Territory.
The outbreak of the Revolution had little effects on Illinois until July 1778, when Major George Rogers Clark, a Mason, and his small band of Kentucky volunteers captured Kaskaskia, giving America control of the huge Northwest Territory for the rest of the war.
The history of organized Freemasonry in Illinois started on May 7, 1804, when Brother James Edgar, of Kaskaskia, wrote to the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania asking for a Dispensation to form Western Star Lodge located in Kaskaskia. Dispensation was granted September 24, 1805, making Western Star Lodge #107 the first Masonic Lodge in the Indiana Territory. The newly formed Lodge held their first meeting in a two-story brick building in Kaskaskia; later rented to the State of Illinois to serve as the first State Capital.
By 1816, several Masonic Lodges were operating in the Indiana Territory, having been granted Charters by the Grand Lodges of Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Tennessee, Missouri and Indiana. However, due to great distances and the methods of travel, it was almost impossible to communicate or attend the Grand Lodge affairs. As a result, these Lodges were largely left upon their own for work.
Kaskaskia Capitol Building
On December 9, 1822, a Masonic Convention was held in the State Capital building at Vandalia. Several Lodges in the territory decided that since the territory had become a state in 1818, to meet and form their own Grand Lodge. Two days later, they proceeded to organize and nominate officers. The nominations were then presented to the Lodges which approved and duly elected the first elected Grand Master of Illinois, Brother Shadrach Bond, who only a few days earlier had completed his term as the first governor of the State of Illinois. The Grand Lodge of Illinois met in stated communication one year later. Sixteen of the eighteen Lodges in Illinois, holding Charters from Grand Lodges of other states, squared themselves and received new Charters from the Grand Lodge of Illinois.
For about four years after the organization of the Grand Lodge, Masonry in Illinois thrived. But in 1826, an anti-Masonic wave began in New York, following the disappearance and supposed murder of William Morgan, and the anti-Masonic sentiment swept across many other states. Popular feeling was so strong against Masonry that many Masons terminated their membership, Lodges gave up their Charters, and some Grand Lodges ceased to function. The effect of the anti-Masonic hysteria was disastrous in Illinois. The first Grand Lodge did not meet again after January 1827. From that date to 1835, a period of six years, organized Masonry in Illinois was non-existent.
Vandalia Capitol Building
By 1840, there were six Masonic Lodges working in Illinois: Harmony Lodge #24 in Jacksonville, Springfield Lodge #26 in Springfield, Columbus Lodge #20 in Columbus, Bodley Lodge #29 in Quincy, Far West Lodge #26 in Galina, and Equality Lodge #102 in Equality. Delegates from the six Lodges met in Jacksonville on January 20 of that year. It was resolved to ask the cooperation and assistance of the Lodges in the state for the purpose of organizing a new Grand Lodge of Illinois.
On April 6, 1840, the delegates met again and proceeded to form and adopt the Constitution and By-Laws and elect the Grand Lodge Officers. Three weeks later, on April 28, the delegates met a third time and elected Abraham Jonas of Columbus Lodge #20 as Grand Master of the present Grand Lodge of Illinois. The next day, the Grand Lodge was called to labor again and Charters were granted to Bodley Lodge #1, Equality Lodge #2, Harmony Lodge #3, Springfield Lodge #4, Far West Lodge #5, and Columbus Lodge #6.
Grand Master Abraham Jonas
New Lodge, New Charter
On August 2, 1845, Masons living in Charleston petitioned Macon Lodge #8 in Decatur as it was the closest Lodge to Charleston at the time. The petition contained the names of six Masons; William Gage, Edmund Roach, Adam Mitchell, Green Guthrie, James Watson and Jacob Linder; requesting a recommendation to the Grand Lodge of Illinois to have a Masonic Lodge in Charleston known as “Morning Star.” However, Macon Lodge declined action due to the petition containing six names when it was required to have seven, so on August 11, a seventh name, that of Henry Eckles, was added the petition and Macon Lodge #8 recommended to the Grand Lodge of Illinois that Dispensation be granted to Morning Star to start a Lodge in Charleston.
The minutes of Macon Lodge #8 show this on its records:
Special Communication - August 2nd A.D. 1845, A.L. 5845.
[T]he petition of sundry Masons of Coles County, Illinois, to the Grand Lodge of said state is signed by only six Masons when it is necessary to have seven. Therefore, resolve that the Secretary be requested to write to said Brethren in Coles requesting them to get the signature of one other Mason and request them also to send a representative to this Lodge, when this Lodge will take great pleasure in recommending or doing any other thing which will be right and proper in the premises and consistent with Masonry.
J.R. Gorin, Sec.
Special communication August 11th A.D. 1845, A.L. 5845.
On motion, Resolved that from our knowledge of the fact that some of the signers of the petition here enclosed are Masons and their voucher that the others are such, that we take pleasure in recommending to the Grand Lodge of Illinois said petitioners and request that the prayers of said petitioners may be granted by said Grand Lodge.
J.R. Gorin, Sec.
Image for Macon 8; noted minutes? then summarize in text (minute text in Alt Text)
During the Grand Lodge meeting held in Jacksonville on Wednesday morning, October 8, 1845, the Committee on Returns and Work of Lodges Under Dispensation beg leave to report: That they have examined the returns of Morning Star Lodge, Under Dispensation, in Coles County, and have been happy to find them correct. Dues of the Lodge are paid and a Charter prayed for.
The Committee recommended a change in the name of the Lodge, as there already existed another Lodge bearing the Morning Star name within the jurisdiction of this Grand Lodge, with the adoption of the following resolutions:
Resolved, that a Charter be granted to Morning Star Lodge, as Charleston Lodge #35, its by-laws being corrected in the particulars noticed; and that Brother E. Roach, Senior Warden of the same, be and is hereby invited to take his seat as a member of this Grand Lodge. The Committee report was accepted by Most Worshipful Levi Lusk, Grand Master.
Thus, Charleston Lodge #35 would receive their official Charter, which would be the first of four charters the Lodge would receive. The original Charter would incorrectly note Henry Eckles as Junior Deacon when he was only an Entered Apprentice, so a Correct Charter would be received in October 1847. The Corrected Charter would be lost in a fire on October 3, 1864; with a Substitute Charter issued October 5, 1864. Another fire on December 19, 1962 would see the destruction of the Substitute Charter, with a second Substitute Charter issued on October 24, 1964 that still hangs in the current Lodge Room.
NAMES ON THE ORIGINAL CHARTER
OCTOBER 8, 1845
William D. Gage - Worshipful Master
Edmund Roach - Senior Warden
Adam Mitchell - Junior Warden
Green G. Guthrie - Senior Deacon
Henry Eckles - Junior Deacon
James Watson - Secretary
Jacob Linder - Treasurer and Tyler
Current Charter issued in 1964
NAMES ON THE CORRECTED CHARTER
OCTOBER 1847
William D. Gage - Worshipful Master
Edmund Roach - Senior Warden
Adam Mitchell - Junior Warden
Green 0. Guthrie - Senior Deacon
Thomas C. Moore - Junior Deacon
James Watson - Secretary
Jacob Linder - Treasurer and Tyler
NAMES ON THE SUBSTITUTE CHARTER
OCTOBER 5, 1864
Samuel Levinson - Worshipful Master
Joseph Gage - Senior Warden
James T. Braddock - Junior Warden
George Tucker - Treasurer
Jacob E. Taylor - Secretary
Samuel C. Humphrey - Chaplain
Eliphalet B. Gage - Senior Deacon
William A. Boyd - Junior Deacon
Arthur G. Mitchell - Tyler
NAMES ON THE SUBSTITUTE CHARTER
OCTOBER 24, 1964
William D. Gage - Worshipful Master
Edmund Roach - Senior Warden
Adam Mitchell - Junior Warden
James R. Guthrie - Senior Deacon
Thomas C. Moore - Junior Deacon
James Watson - Secretary
Jacob Linder - Treasurer and Tyler
The Early Lodge
Upon receiving Dispensation from the Most Worshipful Grand Master Levi Lusk, Morning Star Lodge would hold its first meeting on August 27, 1845. Those present were William D. Gage serving as Worshipful Master, Edmund Roach serving as Senior Warden, Adam Mitchell serving as Junior Warden, and James Watson serving as Secretary and Treasurer. On motion, the By-Laws would be adopted in sections, and the lodge would receive its petition for degrees from Mr. John A. Mitchell.
One week later on September 3, a second meeting was held with the same men as the first, as well as Jacob Linder serving as Tyler. The petition for degrees was received from Mr. James L. Carothers, and on September 7th, the Lodge would meet for a third time for initiation as an Entered Apprentice of Brother James L. Carothers. The next meeting held would be on September 30, for the initiation of Brother John A. Mitchell.
Unfortunately, there is no record in Lodge minutes as to where the early meetings were held. However, in other notes and records, it appears that they met in the thick and dense “Hazel Thickets.” At the time, this would have been south of the Charleston Town Branch between Sixth and Seventh Streets. Today, based upon estimations, this would be somewhere within the residential area between Sixth and Seventh Steets and Harrison and Polk Avenues.
On October 6, 1845, Most Worshipful Grand Master Levi Lusk would report to the Grand Lodge of Illinois that he had granted dispensation to a Lodge in Charleston under the name Morning Star. Two days later, the Committee on Returns and Work of Lodges Under Dispensation reported in favor of granting a Charter to the Lodge in Charleston given that they change their name to Charleston Lodge #35 as Lodge #30 in Canton already bore the Morning Star name, and having a prior number had first rights to the name.
The Committee’s report was accepted and a Charter issued to Charleston Lodge #35. So ends the brief existence of Charleston’s Morning Star Lodge which operated from August to October 1845.
Aerial view of where the early Lodge may have met
6th & 7th and Harrison & Polk