The following is a list of persons who signed the above named petition to the Grand Lodge of the state of New York, viz: By the new warrant it became Oakland Lodge, No. 101, on the Registry of the Grand Lodge of New York. Although it participated in the organization of the present Grand Lodge in 1844, and was represented therein by its prominent members, the records do not show that any other meeting of this Lodge was held for nearly a year and a half, but on December 10th, 1845, a meeting was held and officers elected for the ensuing year. These officers were installed a few days later, and brief records show that meetings were held in February, March and April, 1846, when the records abruptly end with this entry: "Motioned and carried that the Lodge be carried to Bro. Hotchkiss." The period of inactivity which followed the surrender of the Michigan charter and the securing one from New York, probably developed for the time being, a lack of interest in the order, and as a consequence the Lodge had not sufficient vitality to survive. At the resuscitation of the Grand Lodge in 1841, Oakland Lodge was represented by Brothers Leonard Weed and Calvin Hotchkiss. At this meeting Brother Weed was elected Deputy Grand Master, and at the next election was made Grand Master. Brother Calvin Hotchkiss was elected Grand Treasurer, which position he continued to hold until that Grand Lodge was "dissolved" to give place to the regularly formed Grand Lodge in 1844. At this time he was made Senior Grand Warden and served until 1847. When a charter was granted this Lodge by the Grand Lodge of Michigan in 1841 it became No. 2, but was subsequently changed to number three, it being the third Lodge organized in the state, which number it retained while working under the Grand Lodge of Michigan. At the annual meeting of the Grand Lodge in 1842, Oakland Lodge was greatly favored by having four Grand Officers elected from its members, viz: Leonard Weed, Grand Master; Calvin Hotchkiss, Grand Treasurer; Rev. Samuel Silsby, Grand Chaplain, and Jacob Loop, Grand Sword Bearer. Thus it will be seen, the influence of Oakland Lodge was strongly felt in the Grand Lodge of that day. In the convention of delegates that organized the present Grand Lodge of Michigan, on the seventeenth day of September, 1844, Brother Calvin Hotchkiss was present as the representative of Oakland Lodge, No. 101, and assisted in such organization. Brothers Hotchkiss and Weed represented this Lodge in Grand Lodge in 1845, at the January meeting, and Brothers Hotchkiss and A. N. Hitchcock at the June meeting. This was the last time Oakland Lodge was represented in Grand Lodge, although Brother Hotchkiss continued as Senior Grand Warden for two years longer. In the records of Grand Lodge for 1847, appears this item in the report of the Committee on Lodges: The Committee further report, that no returns have been made or dues paid by Oakland Lodge, No. 3, within two years last past, and that pursuant to a resolution of the Grand Lodge at its last annual communication, the charter of said Lodge has become forfeited. The report was accepted and the committee discharged, and on motion, the following resolution was adopted, viz: Resolved, That the R. W. Grand Secretary be directed to demand of Oakland Lodge, No. 3, to surrender the Charter, By-Laws, Records, and Jewels of said Lodge, and that he receive the same. first country Lodge organized fraternity some of its brightMany men of prominence in Thus passed out of existence the in Michigan, and one that gave to the est members in those early days. Masonry first received light in Oakland Lodge, Grand Master Francis Darrow being one of them. Masonry in Pontiac, however, was not dead, but only sleeping, and on the twelfth of November, 1847, a dispensation was granted for a new Lodge at that place, and Pontiac Lodge, No. 21, sprang into existence, and has since occupied the field formerly held by Oakland Lodge. The jewels and furniture of Oakland Lodge, which were surrendered to Grand Lodge with its charter, were loaned to the new Lodge that took its place, and thus it became fully equipped for work. This Lodge has proven a very successful one for nearly fifty years, and further mention of it appears later in this work. MENOMANIE LODGE, GREEN BAY. THE FIRST LODGE WEST OF THE GREAT LAKES. While Green Bay is now an important city in the state of Wisconsin, yet at the time of which this work is now treating, all that is now Wisconsin was embraced within the limits of what was then the Territory of Michigan. The early history of this Lodge, therefore, finds an appropriate place in the history of Michigan Masonry. The history of this Lodge dates from St. John's Day, December 27th, 1823. The first record of action taken with a view to organizing it is the minutes of a meeting of several members of the Fraternity at the home of one of the Brethren who resided on a farm on the west side of the Fox River, said farm now forming a portion of the town of Fort Howard, the city on the other side of the river being Green Bay. At this meeting were the following officers of the United States Army then stationed there: Major Watson, Major Green, Captain Browning, Surgeon Satterlee, Lieut. Lewis, Lieut. Dean and Surgeon Wheaton, also citizens George Johnston, E. D. Curtis and S. Wheeler. A petition was drawn up and signed as follows: We the undersigned, Free and accepted Master Masons, who are, or have been, members of regular Lodges, having the prosperity of the fraternity at heart, are willing to exert our best endeavors to promote and diffuse the genuine principles of Masonry, and for the conveniency of our respective dwellings, and other good reasons, we are desirous of forming a new Lodge at Green Bay in the Territory of Michigan, to be named MENOMANIE LODGE, and in consequence of this desire we pray for letters of dispensation or if possible a warrant of constitution to empower us to assemble as a legal Lodge, and to discharge the duties of Masonry in a regular and Constitutional manner, according to the Original forms of the order, and the regulations of the Grand Lodge. And we have nominated and do recommend ROBERT IRWIN to be the first Master, BENJAMIN WATSON to be the first Senior Warden, and WALTER N. WHEATON as the first Junior Warden, of the said Lodge. And if the prayer of this petition shall be granted we promise strict conformity to all the constitutional laws and regulations of the Grand Lodge. Minkney Batson Wisthealow J. Dean Robert Irwin Henry B. Brevoort, M. G. Bean Geo Whritten Accompanying the petition was this recommendation from Zion Lodge: To the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of the State of New York. In conformity with a resolution of Zion Lodge No. 3, passed at a communication held on the first Monday of May current, we the undersigned, officers of said Lodge, do hereby recommend the brethren who have subscribed the within petition for a Dispensation or Charter, authorizing them to form a new Lodge at Green Bay in this Territory; and most cordially recommend that their prayer may be granted. By order of the committee of Zion Lodge No. 3, Detroit, Mich'n Territory, May 29th, A. L. 5824 John G. Whiting, Worsh. Master. A dispensation was granted by of the Grand Lodge of New York, bearing date June 12, 1824, but unforeseen difficulties presented themselves and the Lodge could not conveniently be constituted. These difficulties were overcome by the following special dispensation, made to fit this emergency: BY THE W. M. MARTIN HOFFMAN, ESQ., GRAND MASTER OF THE ANCIENT & HONORABLE FRATERNITY OF FREE & ACCEPTED MASONS IN THE STATE OF NEW YORK. To Br. Robert Irwin, the appointed Master of Menomanie Lodge. Whereas, by our Dispensation issued on the 12th day of June last, authority was granted to you & your associates to constitute, form and hold a Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons, in the Town of Green Bay, in the Territory of Michigan, for, during and until such time as your petition to the R. W. Grand Lodge, for a warrant for that purpose, should be decided upon: And whereas, it has been represented to us that from the want of some present or Past Master, duly qualified to constitute the said Lodge and to instal its officers, the said Lodge remains unorganized & inoperative, to the great disappointment of the Brethren associated, and to the material detriment and injury of the Craft: And whereas, the extraordinary circumstances of the case, seem particularly to demand the exercise of that power in us vested, in and by the Book of Constitutions, and the ancient usages and Land Marks of the Craft: NOW THEREFORE, these are to authorize you, waving the ceremonies of Constitution and Installation, forthwith to open your said Lodge; to select from among the Brethren suitable and proper persons for filling, ad interim, the offices therein, and when so opened and organized by virtue hereof, to proceed to the transaction of all Masonic business, to as full an extent, as tho' the said Lodge had been duly and regularly constituted, conforming yourselves strictly in whatever you may do to the Book of Constitutions and the ancient Land Marks; and for the so doing this dispensation shall be your sufficient power and authority, and shall continue in force until such time as that a suitable person duly qualified for the purpose can be procured to perform the ceremonies of Constitution and Installation, when the same shall be done and the power hereby granted cease and be of no further effect. Given under my Hand and private seal, at the Attest. E. Hicks MARTIN HOFFMAN Grand Secretary. On September 2, the Lodge was opened at Fort Howard and the first meeting held. The day previous to this, September 1, the |