The Founding Years
1871-1896
The history of Merchantville Lodge begins on Saturday evening January, 14th 1871 when six Master Masons held a meeting in Collins Hall for the purpouse of forming a Masonic Lodge in what is now the Borough of Merchantville, New Jersey.
On the national scene, Ulysses S. Grant was President and there were only thirty-seven states in the Union. During this period, eight more western states would be added: Colorado in 1876, North Dakota in 1889, South Dakota in 1889, Montana in 1889, Washington in 1889, Idaho in 1890, Wyoming in 1890 and Utah in 1896. The population in 1870 consisted of only 39,818,449 people, and 74% of these lived in rural areas. During this time, the population would grow, as millions of immigrants would be admitted into this country. It was just six short years after the tragic Civil War had ended, and in 1876 the nation would celebrate its 100th anniversary at the Philadelphia Centennial Exposition.
It was a time of westward expansion, as the railroads crisscrossed the country, and by 1890 the American Frontier had officially ended. It was also a time of industrialization and the growth of big business, as hand labor was replaced by machines and a division of labor. During this period, Alexander Graham Bell would invent the telephone in 1876 and Thomas Edison would invent both the phonograph in 1877 and the electric light bulb in 1879. Finally, in 1885, the first auto mobile powered by a gasoline engine would be produced.
On the local scene, the communities of what we now call Merchantville and Pennsauken were a part of Stockton Township and were composed of many small farms and completely rural in nature. In 1871 an epidemic of small pox resulted in many casualties. On March 3rd, 1874, the borough of Merchantville was incorporated by the State Legislature. One year later in 1875, President Ulysses S. Grant would visit Merchantville. In 1880, an epidemic of typhus plagued the country. The area received record snow falls in the "Blizzard of 88" and the blizzard of 1889. On February 18th, 1892, the spelling of Pennsauken was determined by the State Legislature as the Township of Pennsauken was incorporated.
It is believed that “The Hall”, or the Merchantville Hall, was located next to the standpipe which once stood at the point formed by Park and Maple Avenues. While “The Hall” was constructed to serve commercial purposes, and at one time, the post office for the community of Merchantville, a careful reading of the Lodge records supports the idea that the builders of “The Hall” intended the upper floor to be used as a lodge room at some future period of time. It must also be remembered that on January 14, 171 Merchantville was a small rural community. A stop on the Camden and Amboy Railroad, far removed from the City of Camden. Our Lodge records do not indicate which Camden Masonic Lodge sponsored our Lodge, but in the records of Camden Lodge #15, it mentions that two lodges were formed by them, “within the last year”, Ionic Lodge #94 and Trimble Lodge #117, and from these two lodges, Merchantville Lodge was formed. Nor do we know to what lodges our six founding Brethren belonged. However, we do know that the six Brethren did meet on January 14, 1871 and agreed to form a lodge in Merchantville, New Jersey, and that each of them agreed to serve Merchantville Lodge as an officer. The first officers were R.F. Heath, Worshipful Master, D.S. Stetson, Senior Warden, I. Carl Atkinson, Junior Warden, Mathias Homer, Treasurer, E.S. Hall, Secretary and Reverend W.W. Moffitt, Chaplain.
One week later on January 21, 1871, they met again and signed a petition requesting the Grand Lodge of New Jersey to grant them a Dispensation to operate and form a Masonic Lodge. On March 18, 1871 the Brethren again met and adopted an initiation fee of $30.00 and annual dues of $5.00. Payable in advance with monies now in the treasury, they appointed a committee to purchase Masonic regalia for the new lodge. On Saturday evening April 8, 1871, Right Worshipful William Wallace Goodwin, Deputy Grand Master of Masons for the State of New Jersey formally opened Merchantville Lodge for the first time under Dispensation. Our Lodge records also show that on this evening the first four petitions for membership in Merchantville Lodge by initiation were read.
On July 8, 1871 these four Brethren, having been entered and passed, were raised to the Sublime Degree of Master Mason. Also at this meeting, another tradition was started as Brother Mathias Homer invited the Brethren to his home for "refreshments" after the raising.
Regular and emergent communications of Merchantville Lodge were held during the rest of the year of 1871, and on Thursday, February 8, 1872 at 4:00 PM, Merchantville Lodge was opened for the purpose of receiving a Warrant, constituting the Brethren of Merchantville Lodge into a working lodge known as Merchantville Lodge #119, F. & A. M. After the ceremony, Right Worshipful Nathan P. Haines, Deputy Grand Master and Right Worshipful Williams Mecid, Grand Marshall, assisted by other Grand Lodge officers, installed the elected officers of Merchantville Lodge.
On June 1, 1872 a motion was regularly moved, seconded and passed that the trustees of Merchantville Lodge be instructed and empowered to purchase three spittoons for the use of the lodge. At the meetings of June 15, 1872, July 20, 1872, August 3, 1872 and August 17, 1872 the trustees reported “progress” on procuring these spittoons. Finally, on September 21, 1872 a bill for the three spittoons was read and approved for payment. On December 7, 1872 another tradition was begun at Merchantville Lodge as a motion was unanimously passed that our Lodge have a supper prior to our first annual communication on Saturday evening, December 21, 1872. Three Brethren were assigned to assist the stewards on that evening and, by our first annual communication, the lodge had grown to 42 members.
On May 16, 1874 another tradition was recorded as a motion was passed instructing the Secretary of the Lodge to notify the members of our Lodge of each regular communication at least one week prior to the communication. This was the beginning of our trestleboards.
For the first six years, Merchantville Lodge held its regular communications on Saturday evenings. The minutes show that in November, 1878 the meeting night was changed to the Tuesday preceding the full moon. Due to the rural nature of our communities at that time, such language was common in the by-laws of many Masonic organizations. On March 11, 1892 the meeting night was changed again to Friday evening. Also, on that same night, March 11, 1892 Merchantville Lodge held its first communication on the third floor of Collins Hall.
Finally, on May 20, 1886 a group of Merchantville Brethren demitted from our Lodge for the purpose of forming Moorestown Lodge in Moorestown, New Jersey. In 1887 another group of Brethren demitted from our Lodge and formed Covenant Lodge in Palmyra, New Jersey. As 1896 drew to a close, Merchantville Lodge had 109 members.
This concludes the chronicle of the founding years of Merchantville Lodge #119, F. & A.M.
The Worshipful Masters
Extracted from the 125th Anniversary and History of Merchantville Lodge #119 F. & A. M. (1996)
Below is a scan of the Original petition that was filed to the Grand Lodge
to create Merchantville Lodge #119 F. & A. M.