History of Western Maryland. J. Thomas Scharf
other deserving organizations.
Hiram Lodge, No. 28, A. F. and A. M., was the first Masonic lodge in Frederick County of which there is any authentic record. It was organized in February, 1799. Dr. John Fischer, of Frederick City, was the first Grand Inspector for Frederick County, and was a member of this lodge. He represented it in the Grand Lodge of 1808, the date of its last representation. The following citizens were members of Hiram Lodge: Henry Bair, Tobias Butler, George Baltzell, Nicholas Fridinger, John B. Faulkner, Joseph McCully, Henry Schell, Henry R. Warfield, Elias Boteler, James Huey, William Robinson, Jacob Stephens, Samuel Harris, Samuel Sharp, Richard L. Head, John L. Harding, E. H. Stone, Mountjoy B. Luckett, Henry Bantz, Richard Butler, Francis Clarke, John Gantt, James S. Hook, James Neale, Adam Schisler, Joab Waters, Henry Ebbert, George Lipper, Joseph Hays, John Gibbony, Moses Shaw, Thomas C. Worthington, Robert Erskine, Benjamin Stallings, Samuel Philpot, Roger Nelson, Jacob Bayer, Jr., Dr. John Fischer, Ambrose Goslin, John Hinkle, James Philips, John Tyler, Alexander Whitacre, John Houston, Samuel Woods, Morris Jones, Arthur Tanzey, Frederick C. Hap, John M. Beatty, George Graff, Alexander C. Harrison, William Thomas Morris.
The house in which Hiram Lodge met cannot now be ascertained. Of these members of the lodge some were quite prominent in Masonry and distinguished in the State. George Baltzell was the tax collector of Frederick County for a number of years, and secretary of his lodge. Henry R. Warfield was a prominent lawyer and member of the Frederick bar. He represented the district in the Congress of the United States. James Neale kept a tavern in 1801, where the Central Hotel is now kept. Roger Nelson was a captain in the Revolutionary war, and received eighteen wounds. He was also a member of Congress from this district, was judge of the Frederick County Court, and afterwards clerk of the same court. He was the Grand Junior Warden in 1799; Deputy Grand Master of the Grand Lodge from 1801 to 1805. Dr. John Tyler and Dr. John Fischer were prominent physicians. Henry Bayer, Henry Bantz, Arthur Tanzey, Thomas C. Worthington, John Houston, and Adam Schisler took an active part in organizing Columbia Lodge in 1815. Tobias Butler was at one time clerk of the County Court. Thomas C. Worthington was a member of Congress from this district in the year 1824. Mountjoy B. Luckett was a prominent young physician, and died in New Orleans in 1809.
A lodge called Mark Lodge worked under a dispensation in 1817, but was not chartered.
Columbia Mark Lodge, No. 10, was chartered Jan. 11, 1820, and expired in January, 1824.
Columbia Lodge, No. 58, A. F. and A. M., was organized in 1815, on the petition of Joseph Swearingen, Jacob Bayer, Henry Bantz, Thomas C. Worthington, Adam Schisler, Matthew Murray, William Bantz, Adam Korn, and James P. Houston. The Grand Lodge of Maryland granted a charter bearing date Nov. 7, 1815, authorizing William Bantz, Adam Schisler, and Samuel Barnes to organize Columbia Lodge, No. 58, in Frederick Town. Under this warrant a number of Masonic brethren, on the 8th day of December, 1815, met at the house of James F. Houston in Frederick Town. There is some doubt as to the exact location of this house; one statement is that it is the house on the south side of East Patrick Street now occupied by Charles E. Worthington as a boarding-house, and by Messrs. Besant & Knott as a grocery-store. This house was built by Job Hant in 1811 or 1812. Another account is that it was the house on the southeast corner of Market and Second Streets, now occupied by the Farmers' and Mechanics' National Bank. The facts and statements gathered from the oldest inhabitants of Frederick seem to point to the bank property as the more probable location of the John Houston house. Arthur Tanzey acted as " W. M." pro tem., Adam Schisler, S. W.; Samuel Barnes, J. W.; James F. Houston, Sec.; Joseph Swearingen, Treas.; Matthew Murray, S. D.; Thomas C. Worthington, J. D. The brethren present were William Bantz, John Houston, Adam Korn, John Houston, George Attie, Basil Murray. A lodge was then opened, and the following were installed as the first officers:
William Bantz, W. M.; Adam Schisler, S. W.; Samuel Barnes, J. W.; James T. Houston, Sec.; Joseph Swearingen, Treas.; Matthew Murray, S. D.; Thomas C. Worthington, J. D.
Jacob Bayer was appointed Tyler for the next meeting. The lodge then closed to meet again on Dec. 17, 1815, when the by-laws were adopted and the above officers elected. The lodge next met on St. John's day, Dec. 27, 1815, in a room in Henry Bantz's house. This house is still standing on the south side of Second Street, between Market and Public Streets, and is owned by Judge William P. Maulsby. The officers elected at the previous meeting were installed on this occasion.
About the 1st of May, 1819, the lodge moved to the house of Henry Baer. This is the house on the north side of East Patrick Street, in which the Fessler family now lives. It is an old frame house plastered on the outside, and was built by John Shellman near the middle of the last century.
On the 15th of March, 1821, the lodge moved to the house of Samuel Webster. This house is on the northeast corner of Patrick and Market Streets. The lodge was held over the store-room, then occupied by Samuel Webster as a boot and shoe store, but now occupied by D. S. S. Thomas as a drug-store.
Sometime during the year 1823 the lodge moved to a building on the east side of Market Street between Third and Fourth Streets, then owned by a Mrs. Smith. It is the building now occupied by the Degrave Brothers as a tobacco-store, and is the next house south of David C. Winebrenner's dry-goods and grocery-stores. The lodge met here until it dissolved, in 1830.
On Dec. 29, 1824, Gen. Lafayette was received by his Masonic brethren in the house of Henry Bantz on Second Street, where this lodge had its second place of meeting. William Baer presented this lodge a Masonic apron, which now hangs over the chair of the Junior Warden. To this apron is attached a cord with these words:
" This apron belonged to William Baer, and was worn by Gen, Lafayette when introduced to Columbia Lodge of A. T. Masons at Frederick City, Md., in December, 1824, William Baer acting Marshal and Master of Ceremonies. He was introduced by Wm. Baer to W. M. Dr. Jacob Baer."
The lodge received Gen. Lafayette, with his son, George W. Lafayette, and his private secretary, in the west room of Col. McPherson's lower floor or parlor. The house is now owned by the Hon. Richard Marshall.
During this period Masonry was in a languishing condition, so much so that the brethren of Columbia Lodge thought it advisable to cease their meetings, and on June 7, 1830, held their last communication under the charter of 1815.
Robert W. Middleton, the secretary at this last meeting, renounced Freemasonry, and on July 8, 1830, one month after the meeting, went to Gettysburg, the hot-bed of anti-Masonry in Pennsylvania, and printed a newspaper called The Anti-Masonic Star.
There is no evidence of the existence of any Masonic lodge in this county from the year 1830 to 1843.
In 1842, a number of Masons met in the old schoolhouse on the north side of Church Street, between Market and Public Streets, on the lot on which the new German Reformed church now stands, for the purpose of memorializing the Grand Lodge for a renewal of the charter of Columbia Lodge. The following signed the memorial, viz.: Thomas C. Worthington, A. B. Hanson, D. Rolls, Caspar Quynn, Adolphus Pearhake, David Boyd, John W. Dorsey, Thomas Carr, Thomas C. Brashears, Abdiel Unkefer, Thos. W. Morgan, John Kefauver, of G., A. Barney, Ezra Bantz, Lloyd Dorsey, Henry Baer, John H. Fout, Jacob Roat, Nicholas Turbutt, Wm. D. Jenks, G. M. Eichelberger, Geo. Salmon, N. H. Owings, — 23.
All the memorialists are now dead. except A. Fearhake and John H. Fout. Oct. 23, 1843, a number of Masons met in the old Methodist Episcopal church on the north side of West Church Street, near Bentz Street. This building has lately been modernized and greatly improved, and is at present used and owned by the Methodist Protestant Church. At this meeting Caspar Quynn acted as chairman, A. Barney secretary. Anthony Kimmell stated the object of the meeting was the resuscitation of Columbia Lodge, and to secure a permanent house for its use.
Oct. 26, 1843, the brethren met, Caspar Quynn in the chair, and A. Barney secretary, and adjourned to a room prepared for them in the house of George Koontz. This house is on the west side of Market Street, the second building south of Church Street. It is now occupied by Bernard Rosenour, and is used as a dwelling and shoe-store.
The present charter, bearing date Nov. 6, 1842, and empowering