Craft Masonry in Oneida County, New York - Onondaga and ...

Philanthropic Lodge No. 164, Camden, New York
WARRANT: The warrant in possession of the Lodge was granted in June, 1850.
The name has never been changed. Its first number was 188.
MINUTES: Not intact. The Lodge is in possession of records from 18 Sep 1816, to January, 1834, and all records after 5 Apr 1850.
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MASONIC HALL, PHILANTHROPIC LODGE. NO. 164. CAMDEN. N. Y.
The Lodge was organized during the summer of 1809. A petition for a Lodge was prepared, and on June 7, 1809, it was read in
the Grand Lodge. The following is an excerpt from the minutes of the above date:
"A petition from a number of brethren to hold a Lodge in the Town of Camden, in the County of Oneida, to be called
Philanthropic Lodge, recommended by Roman Lodge, No. 82, was read and referred to the Grand Officers."
The records of the Grand Lodge are confusing concerning the date of the warrant. In the lists of the Lodges in good standing for
1817, 1818 and 1819 the Grand Secretary gives the date of the warrant December 6, 1809, while the minutes of the Grand Lodge,
under date of December 1, 1813, states that the Lodge was "under dispensation" at that time. Then again the old records in
possession of the Lodge states that on September 19, 1816, R.'. W.'. JOSEPH ENOS instituted the Lodge and installed the
following officers:
OLNEY HINES, Master.
ASA T. SMITH. Senior Warden.
JOSHUA RANSOM. Junior Warden.
HEMAN BYINGTON, Treasurer.
LYMAN MATHEWS. Secretary.
WILLIAM HEMSTEAD. Senior Deacon.
AARON BAILEY. Junior Deacon.
JERE RATHBUN, Steward.
WILLIAM WEST, Steward.
JESSE MERRILS, Tiler.
At this meeting it was also resolved: "That the regular communications should be held on the Thursday preceding the full moon
of each month at 2 o'clock p. m. and close at 7 o'clock.
As the old warrant is missing, it is impossible to give its exact date, but it is reasonable to conclude that the warrant was not in
possession of the Lodge until September 19, 1816, the date of the above-mentioned meeting.
The records state that at first the Lodge had no regular meeting place, but met at the home of some brother who in each case
was to receive "two shillings and free passage to and from the Lodge rooms, for the use of rooms, candles and fuel."
It continued to meet regularly until January 1834. Here the record stops, and if any meetings were held after that time no record
was made. In all probability it shared the fate of others which during that time were compelled to extinguish their lights and close
their doors.
The warrant was declared forfeited by the Grand Lodge June 4, 1835, and no effort was made to revive the Lodge until the
year 1850, when a petition for its revival was submitted to the Grand Lodge and a new warrant granted, which retained the old name
but gave it its present number, 164.
The officers named in the warrant were:
ARTEMTS TROWBRIDGE, Master.
GEORGE W. WOOD, Senior Warden.
TRYMAN (TRUMAN) SPENCER, Junior Warden.
For some reason these officers were not installed until January 1851, when the Lodge was constituted and the officers installed
by W.'. IRA CHASE, Grand Lecturer for the Third District. In his report of the event made June 5, 1851, he says: "On the 16th of
January I visited Philanthropic Lodge, situated at Camden, Oneida County, constituted their Lodge and installed their officers. This
Lodge is composed of old men who have survived the storm of anti-Masonry and are warm-hearted, zealous Masons. There is no
doubt that success and prosperity will attend their labors and the interests of Masonry will be promoted in their vicinity."
The Lodge held meetings at the homes of the brethren until 1830, when a hall was secured and fitted for its use. Upon its revival
in 1850 it met in the building formerly occupied until it was destroyed by fire in 1861. It afterward met in the Odd Fellows' rooms In
the Cavalry block. In 1862 it purchased a plot of land, and in 1863 erected the present Masonic Hall, which is used exclusively for
Masonic purposes.