Saratoga Lodge No. 14
1925-1956
In 1959, Grand Historian Walter C. Reusser recorded in a privately printed work entitled, “Grand Lodge of Ancient, Free and Accepted Masons of Wyoming 1925-1956” the following excerpt about the history of Saratoga Lodge No. 14:
A number of the Brethren of Saratoga Lodge No. 14 assisted in the preparation fo this account of the lodge from 1925 through 1956. Among them were Irving M. Conness, Andrew E. Dahl, Wetzel C. Carney, Roy E. Wilson, Lester E. Walck, and Earl Jones. To these Brothers the lodge is grateful for the service rendered in preserving an account of the activities of the craft.
During the period under consideration a number of pioneer Brothers were called to their last reward. On April 5, 1926, the lodge lost one of the oldest Past Masters in Joseph B. Maghee, who for years had been an outstanding citizen and Mason. The sword that Brother Maghee carried as an officer in the Civil War had long been used by the Tyler at the opening of the lodge. It was now appropriately engraved with Brother Maghee’s name and the services that he had rendered to the lodge. On September 19, 1941, the lodge lost one of it’s original members in the person of Brother Al Eager, and on June 17, 1948, his brother, John B. Eager, passed to his reward. Brother John was one of the first Masons raised in Saratoga Lodge No. 14, and in 1945 he was presented a 50-year pin on behalf of the Grand Lodge by Saratoga Lodge No. 14. On July 12, 1949, Brother I.M. Conness was called by the Great Architect of the Universe to his eternal reward. A full Masonic Service was conducted by the Brethren in the lodge hall and the usual graveside services at the cemetery. Brother Conness was one of the pioneers of the lodge. In his passing was lost a faithful and valuable member who will always be remembered for his knowledge of and demanding accuracy in ritualistic work.
Some of the activities of the lodge over the years maybe recounted as memorable to the Brethren. Among them were the changing in the by-laws in 1928 to provide for two regular meetings each month instead of the four as the by-laws had heretofore provided. In 1936 Saratoga Lodge No. 14 was please to approve the petition of the Masons of Hanna for the formation of a lodge in that place. Hanna at that time was under the jurisdiction of Saratoga Lodge.
Going through some old records the secretary found the original not which was dated January 16, 1892, in the amount of $250 signed by the charter members of the lodge to provide funds for the purchase of furniture for the lodge room. This note was framed and placed on the wall of the lodge.
Brother Frank Mace presented the lodge with a gavel which he obtained from Iran during World War II. The gavel was originally from Jerusalem, made of stone taken from the quarry which furnished the stone for the building of King Solomon’s Temple. Brother Richard C. Harburg also presented the lodge with a gavel which he had secured from Anchorage, Alaska. This gavel was made of walrus tusk and was engraved with the square and compasses and the words, “To Saratoga Lodge No. 14, A.F. and A.M., from Richard C. Harburg, Anchorage, Alaska.”
In 1946 the Grand Lodge of Wyoming called a special communication after the regular communication of Saratoga Lodge No. 14 for the purpose of installing Brother Franklin J. DeForest as Grand Marshal of the Grand Lodge of Wyoming. Brother DeForest had been Master of Saratoga Lodge No. 14 in 1935, and has since progressed in the Grand Lodge to Grand Master of Masons of Wyoming in 1956.
When in 1942 it came to the attention of the lodge that the graves of Brother Brauer’s children on his old home ranch were not properly cared for, a number of Masons traveled to the ranch, reset the headstones in cement and built a fence around the grave lot. At an earlier date, Brother Brauer had mortgaged his ranch to prevent a foreclosure on the present Masonic Temple Building.
Over the years a number of Brothers have been given life memberships in Saratoga Lodge No. 14. Among these were Frank Schilt, 1947; Lynn Gorton, 1948; and Dean M. Plaister, 1949.
A number of improvements to the Masonic Hall were made during the last decade. Among these were the installations of running water in 1947 and the installation of a butane gas heating system in 1949.
A number of meetings of the Southeastern Wyoming Masonic Club were held in Saratoga. The first was on the September 9, 1947. In 1949 a meeting of the club attracted one of the largest crowds ever assembled in the lodge room.
In 1948 Saratoga Lodge No. 14 assisted in the organization and sponsorship of the Job’s Daughters. In 1949 the lodge was honored by the annual visit of Grand Master Carlyle D. Williamson. On several occasions meetings were held jointly by the Masonic Lodge and the The Order of the Eastern Star for the purpose of installing officers. In 1948 the annual dues wre raised from $5.00 to $7.50 and the initiation fee was raised from $50.00 to $60.00.
Since 1924 the following named members of the Saratoga Lodge No. 14, have served as Worshipful Master: H.B. Prouty, 1925; J.D. Rankin, 1926; L.E. Walck, 1927; J. Gordon Morgan, 1928; Charles J. Sjoden, 1929; Frank Q. Walck, 1930; Swan H. Olson, 1931; Russell M. Baldwin, 1932; James H. Dyce, 1933; Clark D. Wilcox, 1934; Franklin J. Deforest, 1935 and 1939; O.L. Furgason, 1936; George D. Fryer, 1937; Richard R. Riggs, 1938; Luther T. Killion, 1940; Will A. Tikkanen, 1941; Lloyd G. Aden, 1942; John W. Harpham, 1943; Lawrence E. Needham, 1944; Daniel M. Jackson, 1945; John W. Runner, 1946; Roy E. Wilson, 1947 and 1949; Francis J. Swanson, 1948; Garrett W. Allen, 1950; Earl E. Jones, 1951; Lloyd D. Donelan, 1952; William A. Bernatow, 1953; Charles H. Winter, 1954; Vernice A. Allen, 1955; Harold Frederick Willford, 1956.
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