The History of Orange County New York

by Unknown

Steuben Lodge, No. 18.—The first mention of a masonic lodge in Orange County is found in the proceedings of grand lodge on the fourth of June, 1788, where we find this minute: "A petition from F. A. Morris and nine others praying for a warrant to hold a lodge at Newburgh, under the name of Steuben. Granted."

The charter was issued to Ebenezer Foote, master; Francis Anderson Morris, senior warden, and Peter Nestell, junior warden, and was dated September 27, 1788. It was signed by Robert R. Livingston, grand master; Richard Harrison, deputy grand master, and Jacob Morton, grand secretary. Baron de Steuben was an honorary member of the lodge. The minutes embrace the period between the thirteenth of November, 1788, and the twenty-seventh of December, 1792. Doubtless the charter was surrendered soon after 1800, as at the communication of grand lodge of that year report was made of the irregularities that prevailed in Steuben lodge. This lodge is among the number whose charter cannot be revived by resolution of grand lodge.

The charter and minute book of Steuben Lodge, No. 18, are in the keeping of Hudson River Lodge, No. 607, as custodian.

St. John's Lodge, No. 21.—Subsequent to the disbandment of the troops in the war of the Revolution the warrant of St. John's regimental lodge—the first military lodge warranted by New York or any provincial masonic power—was taken by some of its members to Clark's Town, in the county of Orange, and here it remained until interest was revived in masonry by some of its officers in 1784, who came at that time under the jurisdiction of the grand lodge.

Lodge meetings were held under this warrant at Warwick as well as at Clark's Town, when on the twenty-third of December, 1789, a petition signed by John Smith, David Miller and Thomas Wing, was made to grand lodge stating that they were the presiding officers of a lodge now held at Warwick, working under an old warrant and known by the name of St. John's Lodge, and formerly held at Clark's Town, and praying that, as the warrant properly belonged to the brethren at Clark's Town, "a new warrant be issued to them as officers of a lodge to be held in the county of Orange, on the west side of the mountain, by the name of St. John's Lodge." The petition was granted and the warrant dated the twenty-sixth March, 1790. On December 4, 1793, the proxy of St. John's Lodge stated to grand lodge the low condition of the funds and offered as a compromise for the amount due the grand lodge the sum of 10 pounds, which was accepted.

The lodge was represented by proxy in grand lodge as late as 1802, but does not appear thereafter until June 4, 1819, when "the numerical designation of St. John's Lodge, No. 19, held at Warwick, was changed to No. 18." On June 12, 1822, "all lodges in arrears for dues for three years and upwards were summoned to show cause why their warrants should not be surrendered," and among the number was St. John's, No. 18. The charter was declared forfeited on the eighth of June, 1832, by grand lodge.

Orange Lodge, No. 45.—At a meeting of grand lodge held on the second of March, 1796, petitions for warrants were read and among the number was one "for a lodge to be held in the town of Goshen, by the name of Orange Lodge." The warrant was dated April 12, 1796.

The lodge was represented by proxy in the grand lodge at the communication of January 2, 1799, but thereafter we find no mention of it except in the "list of lodges whose charters cannot be revived conformable to resolution of grand lodge adopted on the fourth of June, 1819."

James' Lodge, No. 65. On the 6th of September, 1797, a petition was presented to grand lodge "From Adam I. Doll and others, to hold a lodge in the town of Middletown, county of Ulster, by the name of James' Lodge, and the same was referred to the grand officers." At that time Middletown was embraced in the county of Ulster. The warrant was dated January 6th, 1798, No other information is obtainable concerning this lodge, but it appears as one of the lodges whose charters cannot be revived.

Montgomery Lodge, No. 71. The minutes of grand lodge of December 7th, 1796, read: "The petition of Brother John Schmidt and sundry other brethren, for a warrant to erect and hold a lodge in the town of Montgomery, county of Ulster, with some accompanying papers, were then severally read, and referred to the presiding officers of the grand lodge, with powers to order a warrant to be issued if they find the applicants deserving." The warrant was not issued, however, until the 6th of June, 1798, when the dispensation was returned to grand lodge. The lodge was represented by proxy in grand lodge up to the 4th of March, 1812. The warrant was doubtless forfeited some years later.