BRIEF HISTORY OF AMITYVILLE LODGE #977

FREE AND ACCEPTED MASONS

Amityville, New York

 

     First Stated Communication under the dispensation of the Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of the State of New York was held on November 16th, 1920, at rented quarters in Fraternity Hall, Greene Avenue at John Street in Amityville.

 

     Grand Lodge Dispensation was received and read by R.^..W.^..Ralph C. Frood, District Deputy Grand Master of the Nassau-Suffolk District, who installed the first officers of Amityville Lodge, aided by his official staff as follows:

Master..………………………….Arthur C. Wells

Senior Warden.…………………..Hobart C. Fash

Junior Warden..………………….....Paul Diehl, Jr.

Treasurer…………………………....Percy L. Hall

Secretary..……………………....George V. Greey

Senior Deacon..……………….….Arthur R. Burns

Junior Deacon..………………......Henry A. Gilbert

Senior Master of Ceremony..….....Lawrence S. Coit

Junior Master of Ceremony.…….......Claud Lapsley

Chaplain..………………....Rev. Vedder Van Dyck

Marshal.………………….…..Henry P. Bosselman

Senior Steward..…………………....Fred F. Weed

Junior Steward.………………….....Joseph Dietsch

Tiler..………………………………..Fred Erwood

Trustee..………………………….…....W. S. Rohr

Trustee..…………………………...Charles Bassler

Trustee.…………………………..…...Louis Vogel

 

     Fifty-four (54) charter members constituted the membership of the newly formed Amityville Lodge #977 F. & A. M.

 

     The By-Laws of the Lodge were enacted on December 7, 1920.

 

     The First Degree of the new lodge conferred under the dispensation granted by the Grand Lodge on December 21, 1920 on the following candidates:

A. B. Wiley

Clinton Inglee

Alfred C. Abernathy

Harold C. Albertson

Peter J. Voss

 

     March 15, 1921 - The Fellowcraft Club formed for the purpose of raising funds and providing entertainments for the maintenance and perpetuation of the Lodge, in addition to providing a Degree Team for the three degrees within the Lodge, and on invitation at other Lodges in the District.

 

     June 6, 1921 - Constitution and dedication of Amityville Lodge by the Grand Master of Masons, State of New York, M.^..W.^..Robert H. Robinson and his official staff.

 

     June 6, 1921 - Resolution adopted to acquire land site for our Masonic Temple, also a building fund was created.

 

     December 20, 1921 - Many presentations made of furnishings and accouterments required for our Lodge purposes.

 

     May 16, 1922 - Land site at Avon Place resolved, following this ways and means were undertaken to float construction loans and a bond issue.

 

     December 19, 1922 - W.^..Bro. J. Leland Wells was presented with a testimonial and was proclaimed Master Architect of Amityville Lodge for his untiring efforts in superintending actual construction of our own Masonic Temple. The building of our Temple was actually done for the greater part by our own brethren from all walks of life in our community, and with great zeal and pride. This tradition has continued down through the years, as each succeeding Master endeavored to carry on the great tradition of friendly brotherhood amongst our members.

 

     During the fifty years we now celebrate the Fellowcraft Club has worked constantly and without stint to raise funds for the perpetuation of Amityville Lodge and its works. This fine dedication continues as strongly today as it did at our founding.

 

     May 15, 1923 - First meeting in our new Temple building at Avon Place. Many gifts received for furnishing the new Temple rooms - 185 men present with five delegations from other Lodges in the District.

 

     November 23, 1923 - Piano donated by Amityville Chapter, O.E.S. #700.

 

     February 5, 1924 - Additional rest room installed as a contribution from Bro. Erastus E. Haff, of Haff Plumbing Supply.

 

     April 1, 1924 - Drinking fountains installed.

 

     December 18, 1925 - First Minstrel Show put on by the Lodge - became an annual fund raising event, and most successful until its discontinuance in the early 1950's. There followed fairs, frolics, dances, benefit movie shows, carnivals, etc.

 

     June 15, 1926 - New hot water system installed, old hot air equipment inadequate.

 

     Subsequent years to date, the original mortgage bonds were paid off in 1950, improvements went on apace as each new Master strove to make Amityville Lodge the warm and friendly place it has always been. In the late 1950's a two story addition was added on to the Lodge. In keeping with modernization of our plant, a truly modern heating system, with zoned heating was installed, and finally after many years, our recreation room was completely refurbished with modern indirect lighting, wall paneling, kitchen improvements and the like in the late 1960's and 1970.

 

     Amityville Lodge has always been active in Community events, parades and charities, and has ever been a staunch supporter of the MASONIC BROTHERHOOD FUND which helps to maintain the home at Utica with its very modern hospital facilities and modern research laboratories, that have contributed so much to the general welfare of mankind.

 

     Approximately 700 men have received the Degree of Master Mason in Amityville Lodge who, each in his own way has given of himself as all Masons do to perpetuate the lessons there inculcated.

 

     We proudly announce that Amityville Chapter #700, Order of the Eastern Star, will celebrate their 50th Anniversary in 1972; Amityville chapter, Order of De Molay will celebrate its 25th Anniversary in 1972, having been sponsored by Amityville Lodge in 1947.

 

     The White Star Triangles, sponsored by Amityville Chapter, Order of the Eastern Star, will celebrate their 25th Anniversary this year of 1971.

 

     We proudly salute these fine organizations housed within our Temple on the occasion of our 50th Anniversary.

 

     We also proudly salute the members of the Sunrise Square Club, amongst whom are many of our members of Amityville Lodge, for the fine work they have portrayed on many occasions, their participation in our many events, and their fine support down through the years. It too, has been the crucible of a number of Masters, who have served the Lodge well.

 

                                                                                                               Fraternally,

                                                                                                               R.^..W.^..Rudolph Koop, Historian

March 30, 1971

1. Arthur C. Wells	19. Samuel H. Marsh	37. Edgar P. Foster
2. Hobart C. Fash	20. J. P. Shearer	38. Charles H. Brown
3. Paul Diehl, Jr.	21. Royal T. Carman	39. Ansel S. Smith
4. Percy L. Hall	22. Theodore Fredericks	40. George A. Brown
5. George W. Grey	23. Melvin O. Hudson	41. John B. Baldwin
6. Arthur R. Burns	24. Henry Albach	42. Joseph A. Bailey
7. Henry A. Gilbert	25. Harry L. Simonson	43. William H. Baylis
8. Lawrence S. Coit	26. Edwin H. Stratton	44. Clark B. Davis
9. Claud Lapsley	27. Richard Viets	45. William E. Day
10. Vedder Van Dyck	28. Joseph A. Howell	46. William T. Louden
11. Herman P. Bosselman	29. Joseph C. Howell	47. C. L. Markham
12. Fred F. Weed	30. Ernest Martin	48. Carl L. Ploch
13. Joseph W. Dietsch	31. Ernest J. Hartman	49. Fred B. Powell
14. Fred Erwood	32. Oscar N. Rankin	50. Benjamin F. Powell
15. William J. Rohn	33. Rudolph Vogt	51. J. H. Squires
16. Charles Bassler	34. Carleton M. Lynde	52. Louis E. Strong
17. Louis H. Vogel	35. Theodore L. Happ	53. Thomas J. Seaman
18. Adolph W. Lottman	36. A. J. Dittman	54. Charles S. Wilmarth

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RECENT HISTORY

 

     On Tuesday evening, May 21st, 2002 a historic event took place at Amityville Lodge. It was the first visitation of our brothers from the Prince Hall lodges of Amityville. Among those in attendance were W:. Robert Tedesco (Amityville Lodge #977 F. & A.M.), W:. Preston Brown (Hollywood Lodge #92, Prince Hall), R:. W.: George R. Dixon, DDGM of the 4th Masonic District (Prince Hall) and members of Amityville Lodge #977, Hollywood Lodge #92 and St. Paul's Lodge #111, forming a "chain of sincere friendship".
                   Written by Bro. Glenn K. Rubin

     On Saturday evening, November 19th, 2005 a "Gala Anniversary Dinner" was held to mark the 85th anniversary of Amityville Lodge, whose first communication (under dispensation) was held on Tuesday, November 16th, 1920.  Over seventy persons attended the event.  A time capsule has been sealed in a wooden vault designed and constructed by Bro. Herb Steel which has been mounted on the wall of the anteroom.  The capsule will be opened at the Lodge's centennial and the messages will be published at that time.
                   Written by W:.Glenn K. Rubin