Brief History of St. Johns Lodge No.20 F. & A. M.
St. Johns Lodge No.20 received a Dispensation from the Grand Lodge of Indiana on March 29, 1822.
On October 8, 1822 St. Johns Lodge was chartered by the Grand Lodge of Indiana. The name honoring St. Johns the Baptist (a Patron Saint of Freemasonry). The first set of officers consisted of Hiram Smith W.M., William A. Washburn S.W., Luke Bonesteel J.W., Phillip Sweetser, and Ebenezer Ward.
As the above men were attempting to gain a foothold in the wilderness and help shape what we would come to know as Bartholomew County, the strain of this along with attempting to form a new Lodge was too much, therefore on October 4, 1826 the Worshipful Master of St. Johns Lodge No.20 attempted to return the Charter to the Grand Lodge of Indiana. The Grand Lodge refused to accept the Charter until certain matters were satisfactorily adjusted, therefore suspending the Charter. This was apparently never done, for on October 2, 1827 Grand Lodge of Indiana arrested the Charter.
The Grand Lodge of Indiana issued a dispensation to St. Johns Lodge on December 4, 1830 and on October 11, 1831, the Grand Lodge of Indiana reissued the original charter to St. Johns Lodge No.20, however the events of 1826 repeated themselves and again St. Johns Lodge No.20 lost its charter, with it being arrested by the Grand Lodge of Indiana on December 24, 1833. The second set of officers consisted of Hiram Wade W.M., Dr. Tiffian Davis S.W., Reuben Redman J.W., Samuel Downing, Gideon B. Hart, John C. Hubbard, William Harod and Philip Sweetser.
From 1834 to 1841 there was no Masonic Lodge in Bartholomew County. A final attempt was made in 1842, however the St. Johns name was given to a new Lodge in Delphi, Indiana. On May 24th, 1842, a dispensation was given to Columbus Lodge U.D. On May 22, 1843, the Lodge received, for the last time, a charter from the Grand Lodge of Indiana, with the name of St. Johns Lodge No.20 restored to the Lodge in Bartholomew County and Delphi Lodge became Mt. Olive Lodge No.48.
The Charter is still in possession of St. Johns Lodge No.20 today. Francis Lytle has been identified as the leader in the crusade to regain the charter and name of St. Johns Lodge No.20.
St. Johns Lodge No.20 received a Dispensation from the Grand Lodge of Indiana on March 29, 1822.
On October 8, 1822 St. Johns Lodge was chartered by the Grand Lodge of Indiana. The name honoring St. Johns the Baptist (a Patron Saint of Freemasonry). The first set of officers consisted of Hiram Smith W.M., William A. Washburn S.W., Luke Bonesteel J.W., Phillip Sweetser, and Ebenezer Ward.
As the above men were attempting to gain a foothold in the wilderness and help shape what we would come to know as Bartholomew County, the strain of this along with attempting to form a new Lodge was too much, therefore on October 4, 1826 the Worshipful Master of St. Johns Lodge No.20 attempted to return the Charter to the Grand Lodge of Indiana. The Grand Lodge refused to accept the Charter until certain matters were satisfactorily adjusted, therefore suspending the Charter. This was apparently never done, for on October 2, 1827 Grand Lodge of Indiana arrested the Charter.
The Grand Lodge of Indiana issued a dispensation to St. Johns Lodge on December 4, 1830 and on October 11, 1831, the Grand Lodge of Indiana reissued the original charter to St. Johns Lodge No.20, however the events of 1826 repeated themselves and again St. Johns Lodge No.20 lost its charter, with it being arrested by the Grand Lodge of Indiana on December 24, 1833. The second set of officers consisted of Hiram Wade W.M., Dr. Tiffian Davis S.W., Reuben Redman J.W., Samuel Downing, Gideon B. Hart, John C. Hubbard, William Harod and Philip Sweetser.
From 1834 to 1841 there was no Masonic Lodge in Bartholomew County. A final attempt was made in 1842, however the St. Johns name was given to a new Lodge in Delphi, Indiana. On May 24th, 1842, a dispensation was given to Columbus Lodge U.D. On May 22, 1843, the Lodge received, for the last time, a charter from the Grand Lodge of Indiana, with the name of St. Johns Lodge No.20 restored to the Lodge in Bartholomew County and Delphi Lodge became Mt. Olive Lodge No.48.
The Charter is still in possession of St. Johns Lodge No.20 today. Francis Lytle has been identified as the leader in the crusade to regain the charter and name of St. Johns Lodge No.20.