cr ft m sonry - Onondaga and Oswego Masonic District Historical ...

Syracuse Lodge No. 102 recorded 256 members in its 16 years of existence, of whom the present writer has been able to list about
245 of them from various sources [see Appendices].
Meeting Places:
In their 16 years, their meetings were held:
1. In the north end of what was the Empire Block on North Salina Street
2. 1849 In Frazee Hall, later called the Courier Building.
3. Jan 1850 In the Alvord Block on South Warren Street, site of the University Building.
4. Nov. 1852 In the Stanley Block which stood where the Snow Building later stood.
5. 1856 At 63 (later No. 317) South Salina Street, just south of the Rosenbloom Block.
These times of transition are reflected by some early entries in their minutes:
“Affiliation fee shall be $2.00. Degree fee shall be $12.00,”
“Visitors fee shall be one (1) shilling” (12½ cents in 1844).
19 Dec 1844: “Resolved that any member spitting on the carpet shall be fined 12 cents.”
There were two unaccounted for breaks in the Minutes of Syracuse Lodge No. 102. The first was from 17 Sep 1846 to 17 Dec of
that year; the second was from 2 Nov 1848 to 14 Mar 1850.
Around 1858 dissension crept in and the Brethren separated into factions.
February 23, 1859 - The last communication of Syracuse Lodge No. 102 records in its minutes of this date:
. . . "A communication was received and read by R.’.W.’. Clinton F. Paige 1 from the M.’.W.’. Grand Master, empowering him
to act as he may think proper, with regard to the welfare of our Lodge, which was the result of Bro. [George Judd] Gardner's [a
prominent Onondaga Masonic historian of the time] interview with the Grand Master.
"On motion of Bro. Barnum [Henry A.; a Major General during the Civil War] and vote of the Lodge, the following resolutions
were adopted:
"Resolved that all the members of Syracuse Lodge No. 102, in good and regular standing be, and hereby are invited to
petition to R.’.W.’. Clinton F. Paige, who has been duly empowered to act in the matter, that they be allowed to continue the
organization of said Lodge and we hereby pledge ourselves that we will cordially consent and agree to act in accordance with
his wishes.
"R.’.W.’. Clinton F. Paige then demanded the Charter of Syracuse Lodge No. 102 and suspended the Lodge until authorized
to restore it, or otherwise, by the Grand Master" . . . [who deemed it necessary to suspend the Charter until the Grand Lodge
meeting in June]
February 24, 1860 - The day after their Charter was demanded, 30 loyal Brothers petitioned the Grand Master, and become
Charter Members, as follows:
Syracuse, February 24, 1860
To the M.’.W.’. Grand Master, of Free and Accepted Masons in the State of New York:
The undersigned petitioners, being Ancient Free and Accepted Master Masons, having the prosperity of the fraternity at heart, and
willing to exert their best endeavors to promote and diffuse the genuine principles of Masonry, respectfully represent that they are
desirous of resuscitating Syracuse Lodge, No. 102, they therefore pray for the restoration of the Charter of said Lodge, to the
undersigned, to empower them to assemble as a Legal Lodge, 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. They have nominated and do
recommend Brother Lewis E. Joy to be their first Master, Brother John Frary to be their first Senior Warden, and Brother E. S.
Dawson, to be their first Junior Warden of said Lodge. If the prayer of the petition shall be granted, they promise a strict conformity
to the Constitution, laws and regulations of the Grand Lodge.
R.[iley] S. Eaton
B.[enjamin] F. Howland
D. Robert Snow Edward S. Dawson
T.[homas] S. Truair
A.[ugustus] N. Fairchild
Demster Moore, present Secretary I.[saac] D. Lawson
Ira Babcock
Lewis E. Joy, past S.W.
Sam'l Hurst
John Frary
O.[wen] Lavelle
James Fuller
F.[riend] A. Andrews
Austin B. Webber
Wm. C. [E.?] Williams
James Meldrum
John W. Cook, past Master John Newell, past Master
A.[lexander] B. Wells * D.[amon] Coats, PM R.[ichard] B. Claxton * W.[illiam] W. Parker *
Oney Sayles Richard J. Chillingworth *
Dudley W. Chase
Rhesa Griffin
B.[enjamin] F.[ranklin] Green A.[lonzo] B. Caldwell
* later to be petitioners and Charter members of Liverpool Lodge No. 525, March 3, 1862.
In reply to the foregoing petition, a Dispensation was issued by the Grand Master, and the first Communication thereunder was held
on April 4, 1860.
In the Proceedings of the Grand Lodge for 1860, it is noted regarding the action taken relating to Syracuse Lodge No. 102.
" . . . part of the [Grand Master's] Address was referred to the Committee on Warrants, who reported as follows: 'They also
recommend that the warrant of Syracuse Lodge No. 102, which was suspended on the request and complaint of the members
1 R∴W∴ Clinton F. Paige was raised in Syracuse Lodge No. 102, and later a member of Central City Lodge No. 305. He was Jr. Grand Warden in
1858-59, Sr. Grand Warden in 1860-61, Deputy Grand Master in 1862 and Grand Master in 1863-64.
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