Washington Lodge No. 1

Ancient Free & Accepted Masons

of the

Grand Lodge of Delaware

Washington Lodge No. 1, AF & AM actually dates back before the formation of the Grand Lodge of Delaware, originally warranted as Lodge No. 14 under the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania on December 27, 1769, with the following historical cadre[1] of officers:

As such, on December 27^th, 1994, with Worshipful Brother Nathan Zahn as Worship Master, Washington Lodge No. 1 celebrated its 225^th Anniversary. The following history has been taken from a portion of the program from that gala event. As you will read, the former Lodge No. 14 was instrumental in the formation of the Grand Lodge of Delaware and the shaping of the City of Wilmington:

“On June 6^th, 1806, the members of Lodge No. 14, joined those members of three other Lodges, two (2) chartered also under the jurisdiction of the R\W\Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania and one (1) under charter from the jurisdiction of the M\W\Grand Lodge of Maryland, in order that a M\W\Grand Lodge of Delaware could be formed. On June 7^th, 1806 these same three Lodges along with Lodge No. 14 met again, only this time to change their names under charters received from the Grand Lodge of Delaware. Lodge No. 14 became Washington Lodge No. 1 A.F & A.M. after our first President and Father of our Country, Worshipful Brother George Washington, who was during his time a Past Master of his Lodge in Virginia. The other Lodges became St. John’s No. 2, formerly Lodge 33, located in New Castle, Hiram Lodge No. 3, formerly Lodge No. 96, located in Newark and Hope Lodge No. 4, formerly No. 31, located in Laurel.[2] Only three of the original remain in active membership in the Grand Lodge of Delaware. Hiram No. 3 remitted their charter on June 27, 1833.

 On September 8, 1805 the officers elected who eventually carry out the formation of the Grand Lodge of Delaware were: W.M. John Patterson, S.W. John Hedrick, J.W. James Tilton[3], Sec. William Pluright, Treas. William Clark Mustant, S.D. William McClung, J.D. Frederick Leonard, Tiler David Robinett[4]. After proceeding with the formation of Washington Lodge No. 1 these auspicious brethren were replaced by a new cadre of officers, namely, W.M. Thomas Stockton, S.W. John Hedrick, J.W. Archibald Hamilton, Sec. William Pluright, Treas. William Clark Mustant, Tiler David Robinett. The first meeting of the new Lodge took place on the 10^th day of June 1806 in the Town Hall in the Borough of Wilmington.

Meetings would continue under the auspices of the M\M\Grand Lodge of Delaware in the Town Hall. Some of the more notable members[5] were:

            Jonas Alrich                          Son of Governor of the Colony of Delaware

            Gunning Bedford                   Eminent Judge and Statesman

            Evan Thomas                        Registrar of Wills

            John Elliott                            Justice of the Peace

            Frederick Leonard                Justice of the Peace

            N G Williamson                    Postmaster of Wilmington

            John McClung                      Postmaster of Wilmington

            Alexander Porter                  Mayor of Wilmington

            William G. Whitely                Member of Congress, Judge and Mayor

            Joshua S. Valentine               Mayor of Wilmington

            William B. Wiggins                Mayor of Wilmington

            Edmund B. Frazer                 Justice of the Peace

            Robert C. Fraim                    Registrar of Wills, City Clerk

            William G. Baugh                  City Council

            Philemma Chandler                City Council

            Henry F. Pickels                    City Council

            William H. Quinn                   City Council

From 1769 to 1846, the Lodge continued to meet in the Town Hall on Market Street, which today is now relished as a prominent artifact of our history within the City of Wilmington. In 1846, the Lodge feeling confined by the quarters in the Town Hall, moved to larger more spacious accommodations in the rooms of 224 N. Market Street, where Masonic ritual works as well as business meetings prevailed until 1872, when the Lodge joined other Masonic Lodges and Appendant bodies along with the Grand Lodge of Delaware and moved to the newer spacious quarters of 818 N. Market Street, better known in the social circles of the performing arts as the Grand Opera House. On April 18, 1872, Washington Lodge was afforded the privilege of the first Lodge to hold, conduct and perform Masonic Ritual work in this new Temple. From its start and through several moves, Washington Lodge continues to grace and adorn the appearance of the Market Street area of the Borough of Wilmington and into the setting on the fledgling City of Wilmington.”

 “It is fitting to share some key points of an address made by Right Worshipful C. P. MacCalla, Grand Master of Masons in Pennsylvania, made at the one hundredth (100) anniversary of Washington Lodge on January 22, 1889. ‘Washington Lodge No. 1 may well rejoice in the rich heritage it possesses. It is rich in principles, rich in membership, rich in material prosperity. It lacks no good thing to insure its present and future welfare. No years can enfeeble it; the flight of time will only add to its glory. So long as you faithfully observe the usage’s, customs and landmarks of Freemasonry, so long as you love the brethren and honor the Grand Architect of the Universe, so long will Washington Lodge No. 1 endure, to the glory of the Grand Lodge of Delaware, to which you are now subordinate, and also to the glory of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania, to which the credit belongs of having originally constituted this vigorous Masonic body, now more than a century old.[6]’”

And now, as the Grand Lodge of Delaware celebrates its Bicentennial, it is fitting that we reflect on whence our Lodges came and solemnly thank and learn from those who created the rich history of our Grand Lodge so we may build towards a brighter future and another 200 years of Masonry in Delaware.

One last tidbit of history trivia about Washington Lodge: the shortest-lived Master Mason was a member of Washington Lodge No. 1.

"General Thomas A. Smyth of the Civil War was raised in Washington Lodge No. 1 of Delaware on March 6, 1864. He was killed by a sniper's bullet on April 9 and was buried by his lodge on April 17, 1864."