Name/Title
Waupun Lodge No. 48, F. & A.M.Scope and Content
Historical information on Waupun Lodge No. 48, F. & A.M. for 1976 Bicentennial Celebration in Waupun, WI.
*Facts are typed and handwritten and was scanned with mistakes, if any, left uncorrected.
History of Waupun Lodge No. 48, F.& A.M.
A dispensation was issued in April 20, 1853 by the Grand Lodge of Free and accepted Masons in Wisconsin to form Waupun Lodge No. 48, F. & A.M.
The officers were;
Master, D.L.D. Huntingon; Secretary, C.B. Carrington; Senior Warden, L.D. Dodge; Sealer Deacon, Andrew Burnham; Junior Warden, Milo Sykes; Junior Deacon, George T. Wood; Treas., Jeremiah Look; Tyler, Charles Spoor.
Other members were, Joseph Bardwall, Edwin Ayllen, Julius Austin, Cromwell Laithe, John N. Ackerman.
The members of Horicon Lodge No. 40 were the sponsoring group.
One year later the Lodge was granted their charter with C.B. Carrington as Master of the Lodge.
The new Lodge rented the Odd Fellow Lodge rooms at a fee of $20.00 per year plus their own fuel.
Late in 1859 the Lodge moved to the Carpenter Hall. It is beleived that this building was located where the Trojan Candy Store now stands. (415 E. Main St) The rent here was $60.00 per year.
Like many other organizations at this time that due to extremely hard times very few joined and those that belonged paid their dues a dime or a quarter at a time.
1863 - The War was infull progress. Hans C. Hegg, the Prison Commissioner and a manber of this Lodge raised a contingent of soldiers and left for the war zone. He was killed in the battle of Chickamauga Sept. 19, 1863. His statue stands at the King St. entrance of the State Capitol in Madison, Wis.
Hans Hegg built the stone and metal wall along the South Madison Street and started the first educational prrogram in the prison.
May 29, 1863 - Six of the members demitted so they could start a new Lodge in Brandon. They were Anson Bly, James McGill, James McClellan, Henry Hendricks, E.H. Yorty and Elisha Gallup.
No mention is made in our minuted of those whose served in the army but there is mention of Col. Hans C. Hegg, Majy A.D. Pratt, Grig. Gen. Peter W. Davison and Captain Ford.
1871 - The membership is now 87.
1874 - In the spring the Lodge moved to the Robinson Hall. This is the prsent Lambert Food Market (306 E. Main St)
1875 - The Royal Crch Cpapter was formed and used the Lodge Rooms. Rent was $30.00 per year plus a fair shares of heat and light.
1863 - The Lodge purchased the Bardwell house located across the street from the prison on Prison St.
1887 - The Lodge opened and maintained a room for the public. The room was open from noon to late evening several days a week and was used for reading, cards, checkers and dominoes for a period of more that two years. It is beleived that this was the start of the Waupun Library.
1900 - The Lodge installed those new fangled electric Lights. A bill for the sum of $1.64 was apid in August.
1904 - The order of Easter Ster was organized, sponsored by Fox Lake O.E.S.
1905 - The Bardwell house was sold for $1000.00. No mention of profit or loss
1917 - World War No. 1 - Those in unifform were, Ellis Brennemann, Reuben Bronson, Leond Bush, John H. Harris, L.Neil Larsen, Gerhard H. Schoeder, Rock Sleyster, E. Smith, Lucian L. Taylor, Stanley M. Wilsey.
1919 - The Mathilda Keuchenberg house was purchased. (Present site of Lodge)
1922 - The building comm. was set up - I.J. Rossman, C.E. Alderman, F.T. Clay J.E. Willams, Henry Towner, L.Neil Larsen, C.E. Alderman, H.H. Hatcher, Lewis Krueger and Fred Luck were appointed as finance comm.
The corner stone was laid in May and in December the building was dedicated with proper ceromony. The membership count at this time was 151.
1942 - World War 2 - Those in uniform, Emil Bellinger, Ronald Brenneman, Garfield Collard, Wilfred Dubin, Lawrence Graves, Lloyd Graves, Leslie Harness, Milton Haskell, Lyell Haynes, George Lord, Edward T. Marsh, Charles McElroy, Judson Rikkers, Gordon Sabine, Milton Schmuhl, Frank Trilling, Vernon Zimmerman, Frank Zubke. Jack Browne Served in the Merchant Marine.
Frank Trilling lost his life by having his plane shot down.
Dec. 28, 1946 - Jobs Daughters were instituded under the leadership of Mrs. James Towne and M.L. Lewis. Karen Klopf was the first Honor Queen.
Oct. 9, 1954 - Our Cenetennial year and this was our party. So many turned out for the festivities it was necessary to use the facilities of the High School to accomodate everybody.
June 17, 1958 - Brandon Lodge #144 and Waupun Lodge No. 48 consolidated to make one Lodge under the name of Waupun Lodge No. 48.
Feb, 2, 1970 - Fox Lake Lodge #67 and Waupun Lodge No. 48 consolidated as one Lodge under the name of Waupun Lodge No. 48.
Masonry is known as the oldest continueing organization in the world. The members of Waupun Lodge are an active group taking an active part in city and community affairs and are leaders in their respective churches. We have programs, dinner, parties. Our members have for several years been sending various kid groups and underprilages youngsters to the Schrine Circus in Milwaukee and Madison. We support the Jobs Daughters so that they can attend the variuos organization meetings.
The members have their own coffee hour but at no time is any alcoholic beverages served or allowed in the building. No gambling is allowed.
Our Past Maters Club is a source of entertainment for all Past Masters. The furnishing of the club rooms and very comfortable and attractive. Radio, TV, papers and magazines are available.
The Lodge has no indebteness. The building inside and outsaide is in excellent condidtion.
One of the newest sports and pastimes to be organized is golf. The matches are played between our own members and also members from surrounding Lodges.
From time to time we get our groups togther and attend a baseball game other functions away from Waupun. We enjoy attending neighborhood Lodge meeting and having guests from other Lodges.
In showing their concern, our members have been most thoughtful and liberal in their beqests, memorials and donations. As a result our building is very well equiped with furnisture and equipment. The latest is a speaker system.
One Sunday a year we invite all the members to breakfast and then send all the members to the church of their choise. We always have an invitation from some church in the community to attand as a group on that day.
At this time our membership is scattered in 14 different state and one foriegn country. The attendance of the Lodge is one of the highest in the state computed percentage wise of the membership count.Acquisition
Accession
2016.0075Source or Donor
Waupun Area Chamber of CommerceAcquisition Method
Donation
