Grand Lodge of New York - Onondaga and Oswego Masonic District ...

meeting was held in a room on the third floor over Daniel Mack's drug store on the corner of Main Street and Prentice Lane. There
were present:
Elijah Baker, Master;
Daniel Mack, Senior Warden;
Joseph Ames 2d, Junior Warden;
Lemuel Buck, Treasurer;
Darius Clark, Secretary;
Isaac C. Paige, Senior Deacon;
Paul Boynton, Junior Deacon;
Samuel Leonard, Tiler; also,
Harry Foote,
Ebenezer Miner,
George Bridge,
Israel Cooke,
Israel Tupper,
Delos Dustin,
Daniel Chapman,
John L. Barnes,
Alexander Lamont,
Rev. R. Pettibone,
Moses Sanderson,
Abram Kingsbury and
Orland Hasley.
The first applicant for degrees was MARTIN THATCHER, County Clerk for St. Lawrence County, who was raised January 27, 1846.
The first election for officers after receiving the warrant WM on December 1, 1846. The following were elected:
Abram Kingsbury, Master.
Darius Clark, Senior Warden.
Harry Smith, Junior Warden.
Paul Boynton, Treasurer.
Martin Thatcher, Secretary.
Daniel Mack. Senior Deacon.
J. G. Goodale, Junior Deacon.
Alexander Lamont, Tiler.
The officers were publicly installed in the Universalist Church by R.'.W.'. SYLVESTER GILBERT, of Ogdensburgh. An address was
delivered by Rev. HIRAM S. JOHNSON, pastor of the Presbyterian Church.
The Lodge remained in the room over Dr. MACK'S store until May 24. 1848, when it moved over Conkey & Gulley's drug store,
remaining there until 1851, when it moved to Odd Fellows' Hall in the Miner block, on February 9, 1859. This building was destroyed
by fire; in 1860 it occupied temporary headquarters in the Jackman House. Its next place of meeting was in a building owned by
Godard & Co., where the bank now is. This building was destroyed by fire in 1870; thus it was again without a home, and
temporarily occupied Firemen's Hall on Water Street and the Library in the old Academy. On May 23, 1870, a resolution was
adopted to lease permanent quarters in a building owned by Conkey & Sherman, where it has since been located.
The extinct Lodges referred to as the predecessors of St. Lawrence Lodge were organized early in the last century. Northern Light
Lodge was warranted September 2, 1807; the old warrant is a highly prized relic in possession of the Lodge; it was supposed to be
lost, but several years ago it was learned that it was in possession of a descendant of a former resident of Canton; a search was
instituted and the old document was obtained. It contains the names of SOLOMON RICH, Master; ISAAC BURNHAM, Senior
Warden, and JOHN WOODHOUSE, Junior Warden. It is signed by DEWITT CLINTON, Grand Master; MARTIN HOFFMAN, Deputy
Grand Master; JAMES WOODS, Senior Grand Warden; Phillip VAN RENSSELAER, Junior Grand Warden; JOHN WELLS, Grand
Secretary. The Lodge was located in the town of DeKalb. It had a precarious existence and was practically dormant, when, in 1825
or 1826, it was determined to remove it to Canton, and it became "Canton Lodge, No. 325." Shortly after this the Morgan episode
swept over the State, and after a fitful struggle the warrant was declared forfeited in 1835. For ten years no Lodge existed in that
vicinity, but the members of the old Lodge "frequently held informal meetings of the brethren on some high hill or some deep vale,
and the ancient landmarks of our Order were kept in faithful breasts," as an old member puts it, who, in 1852, prepared a sketch of
Masonry in that vicinity.
For several years St. Lawrence Lodge observed the Festival of St. John by holding public meetings. In I866 the services were held
on the Fair grounds, when addresses were delivered by several clergymen.
MEN IN PUBLIC LIFE.
The Lodge has had among its adherents many who have gained distinction in the community.
Dr. Elijah Baker, a charter member was a prominent physician.
Dr. Darius Clark, also a charter member, was a physician of distinction; he was Inspector of State Prisons in 1848.
Rev. Hiram S. Johnson, also a charter member, was pastor of the Presbyterian Church at Canton for nearly twenty years.
William H. Sawyer, Supreme Court Judge.
Leslie W. Russell, County Judge, Attorney-General.
Seth P. Remington, Col. of Volunteers, Civil War.
William B. Goodrich, Col. of Volunteers, Civil War.
William R. Remington, Postmaster, County Clerk.
Edward H. Neary, County Judge.
Dolphus S. Lynde, Assemblyman, State Senator.
Murray N. Ralph, County Clerk.
John Miller, County Clerk, Police Justice.
Worth Chamberlain, Surrogate, Assemblyman.
Ebenezer Miner, Railroad Director.
10