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A History of Hoffman Lodge No 412 F&AM, the First 150 Years

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A History of Hoffman Lodge No 412 F&AM, the First 150 Years A History of Hoffman Lodge No. 412 F&AM The First 150 Years By W:. Alfred H. Denninger A History of Hoffman Lodge No. 412 F&AM The First 150 Years By W:. Alfred H. Denninger, Past Master I dedicate this book to to my Brothers of Hoffman Lodge, past, present and future. And especially to Brother Robert L. Clawson, DSA who introduced me to Freemasonry. ****** ****** I would also like to acknowledge my wife Beth Denninger Without her help and constant support this book would not exist. ****** ****** This history was written to commemorate the sesquicentennial of Hoffman Lodge No. 412 F&AM on April 21st, 2007 Revised Edition November 13th, 2007 Copyright 2007 by Alfred H. Denninger All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form whatsoever. Published by Al Denninger HC 3 Box 3335 Theodosia, MO 65761 [email protected] Chapter 1 Early Masonry in the Middletown Area Hoffman Lodge Free and Accepted Masons has contributed to the history of Middletown even before Middletown itself began to exist in the history of Orange County, New York. Neither in America nor in the archives of the Grand Lodge of England, is there a record of the beginning of organized Freemasonry in this area. But certainly the spirit and tenets of Freemasonry were among the forces that impelled men to cross the dreaded seas to an unknown but freer land. And, although their Masonic allegiance was theoretically to the mother Lodge in England and though some prominent men in Masonry were Loyalists, it is more generally recognized that in the Revolutionary era Masons were foremost among those who nurtured the spirit of independence. There are many New York historic sites which prove the connection between Freemasonry and the founding of this Nation including: "Temple Hill" in New Windsor, campground for Brother George Washington's army during the Revolutionary War, and the DeWint House in Tappan, another headquarters and now a museum restored and preserved by The Grand Lodge of NY. It is significant that there was scarcely an interval between allegiance to the Grand Lodge of England and allegiance to the independent Grand Lodge in New York City, our Nation's first capitol. In the history of Middletown no group has had closer or longer participation in the activities of the community. There is a stream called Masonic Creek flowing out of Silver Lake, just east of the city. There has been a Masonic Building on North Street since 1874, and for a good many years the intersection of Orchard Street at North Street was called Masonic Square. This is a 1914 post card looking north on North Street in Middletown, showing all three sites Hoffman Lodge has occupied since 1856. On the left is Demerest's Dept. Store, originally known as the Exchange Building. The tallest building on the right is the Masonic Building, later known as the Gunther Block. In the background, appearing to be in the center of the street, is the current Temple originally constructed in 1914, and rebuilt after a fire in 1922. 4 Chapter 2 In the Beginning - Hoffman Lodge No. 300 R:. W:. Deputy Grand Master Martin Hoffman In the beginning there was Hoffman Lodge No. 300. It was not the earliest, but it proved to be the strongest of the several orig inal Masonic Lodges in western Orange County. The three lodges in the area which existed earlier than Hoffman were: Mt. Moriah No.189 of Mount Hope, Olive Branch No. 102 of Westtown and Orange No. 45 of Goshen, but they did not continue for many years afte r Hoffman Lodge was instituted in 1817. Hoffman Lodge was almost called "Benevolent Lodge", before deciding to honor Martin Hoffman, then Deputy Grand Master of New York. An undated petition (now in Grand Lodge archives) for "a new lodge to be called Benevolent in the Town of Wallkill in the County of Orange" bears the recommendation of Mt. Moriah Lodge dated June 24, 1817, and of Eb. Wadsworth, Grand Visitor for the Second District dated July 2, 1817. It includes the signatures of seven Master Masons as prospective members. On September 25, 1817, the name became Hoffman Lodge No. 300 when Grand Master DeWitt Clinton, who had just become governor of the State of New York, signed the dispensation. The charter was signed on December 3rd in the same year. Every American Mason knows the story of the famous Masonic Bible of St John’s Lodge No. 1 which was used by George Washington in New York City in April 1789, to take his solemn oath of office (and later at the inaugurations of several other U.S. Presidents.) Hoffman Lodge is also honored to have an historic Bible which Deputy Grand Master Martin Hoffman sent in 1818, a year after Hoffman Lodge No. 300 was estab- lished. For the full story of our Bible refer to Chapter 10. W:. John Kirby - The first Master of Hoffman Lodge No. 300 5 The Isaac Otis house in Mechanicstown is identified as the birthplace of Hoffman Lodge No. 300. The Otis house, built before 1814, was located about a mile east of the Middletown city line, at the point where the old road from Scotchtown (now Dunning Road) meets the even older Minisink Road (now East Main Street) in the area called Mechanicstown. This wooden building, described and photographed in 1943 by Mildred Parker Seese in "Old Orange Houses", still stands and is presently in use as a restaurant. Masonic Creek, site of many water powered mills in the late 1700's and early 1800's, runs next to the house, and Mechanicstown was known as the flourishing industrial center of central Orange County at the time Hoffman Lodge No. 300 was estab- lished. 6 Isaac Otis' house in Mechanicstown, the birthplace of the original Hoffman Lodge In Lodge minutes dated May 25, 1818, "the business concerning a Lodge room was resumed and it was voted by a majority of 7 to 3 that a room be furnished in the upper part of the house now occupied by Isaac Otis for the accommodation of the Lodge," with a further vote to pay David Warren $12.50 "on account of furniture." When it moved into Isaac Otis' house in 1818, Hoffman Lodge apparently thought it was settled for a good long time. Neither Otis nor his fellow Masons had any idea he would be off within the year on a new career at a newer hamlet west of Middletown, to be known as Otisville. Beginning with the meeting of April 3, 1820, the Hoffman Secretary's minutes were headed "Mechanic Hall", although there was no indication of a move, and the Lodge may have remained in the Otis house after the Otis family had left Mechanicstown. The Holding House, Joseph Monell's hostelry near the intersection of East Main and William Streets In 1821 Hoffman Lodge No. 300 moved into Middletown, which was a growing hamlet at the crossroads of North & South Streets and East & West Main Streets, now known as Franklin Square. The Lodge often met and dined at the Holding House, Joseph Monell's hostelry near the intersection of East Main and William Streets, which was previously kept by Isaac Mills and later became the Freehill Building. There is evidence of other meeting locations around Middletown at different times, including: the Mechanicstown District 11 Schoolhouse in the Town of Wallkill (situated opposite Orange County Golf Club Road on East Main Street, destroyed by fire in 1880 or 1881), and the home of the Amos Caskey family built in 1793 (east of Route 17M off Dolsontown Road south of Middletown, and still standing). 7 A Masonic Mystery A puzzling notation appears in minutes of Hoffman No. 412 on Feb. 2, 1858: "Bro. H. S. Beakes of Old Hoffman Lodge No. 82" was recorded as a visitor to the new Hoffman Lodge.” Hoffman may have been designated No. 82 among Country Lodges during several years in the early 1820's, when New York City Masons set up their own Grand Lodge and Hoffman Lodge debated whether to make returns and forward their dues to the City or the Country Grand Lodge. The Middletown Masons appear to have made returns to both in 1825, but withheld money until there was some certainty about jurisdiction. The record does not show how they finally resolved it, and there is no evidence of upheaval or a Lodge split. Moreover, Bro. H. S. Beakes was still doing committee work at Lodge No. 300's last re- corded session in 1832 before the charter was surrendered, and he also had something to do with preservation of the Hoffman Bible during the years of Masonic suspension. So "Old Hoffman No. 82" remains a mystery. 8 W:. Alfred H. Denninger, Past Master, presents the Hoffman Lodge No. 300 original char- ter to Worshipful Master Eugene McGill at the 150th Anniversary celebration on April 21st, 2007. The re-discovered document is framed and preserved for the archives of the Lodge. The warrant, dated December 3, 1817, is signed by Grand Master DeWitt Clinton, then Governor of New York and Martin Hoffman, Deputy Grand Master. Text of the original Charter for Hoffman Lodge No. 300 F&AM We, the Grand Lodge of the most Ancient and Honourable Fraternity of Free and Accepted Masons of the State of New York, in ample form assembled, according to the old Constitutions regularly and solemnly established under the auspices of Prince Edwin, at the City of York, in Great Britain, in the year of Masonry 4296, viz.
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