A History of Tecumseh Lodge #144, G.R.C.
Our Home Town
Tecumseh Lodge No. 144, GRC has the privilege of calling the City of Stratford, its home town for just over 150 years. This bustling community of 32,000 is also the home of the Stratford Shakespeare Festival, now celebrating its 60th season. Few places are lovelier or more alive with culture and character than Stratford.
This is a charming Victorian city, nestled in a pastoral countryside, away from the frantic pace of larger cities. Stratford is internationally renowned as one of North America’s great cultural centres.
The present city was an outgrowth of the surveying of the Huron Road by the Canada Land Company. The growing cluster of shacks by the road, on the bank of creek known as the Little Thames was also called, Little Thames.
By 1832, William Sargint was operating a hotel named the Shakespeare Hotel on a site very close to what is now 70 Ontario Street. It happened that one Thomas Mercer Jones, a director of the Canada Company, gifted Sargint with a picture of William Shakespeare and took it upon himself, on behalf of the company, to rename the hamlet Stratford and to change the name of the creek to, the Avon River.
Two years later, John MacDonald, a surveyor for the company, created a town plan with three roads radiating from the town centre. These roads were named for the Great Lakes to which they led. Ontario Street, Erie Street and Huron Street.
In 1852, a traveler wrote,
“The village of Stratford, now the county seat of Perth, is pleasantly and well situated, but has made no progress considering its natural advantages. It has increased incredibly in
size since we last visited seven years ago. The buildings are of generally inferior character and appear to indicate a wont of spirit or of means among the inhabitants, which is not however surprising, as an inland place, surrounded by bad roads for a large portion of the year, is scarcely likely to partake very largely of a cheerful character.”
While the writer was not impressed with the character of the community, he did note the significant growth since his last visit. In 1850 there were 900 residents supporting two grist mills, an oatmeal mill, a distillery, a brewery, a saw mill, a foundry, a carding and fulling mill, two tanneries, a post office and six churches.
In 1850, the large area known as the Huron tract was divided into three counties, Perth, Huron and Bruce. Stratford had the good fortune to be designated as the county seat for Perth, which gave this hitherto, insignificant village an impetus to growth. Just eleven years later, in 1861, the population had risen to 2008.
This expanding community was fertile ground for Freemasonry, first Wellington Lodge in 1854 and again for Tecumseh Lodge in 1861.
The Introduction of Freemasonry to Stratford
Today, in the year 2012, the Masonic fraternity in Canada is well organized and jurisdictional boundaries are clearly defined. We in Ontario are subject to the Grand Lodge of Canada in the Province of Ontario. In the early days, this was not the case. Lodges were established by Warrants issued by the Grand Lodges of England, Scotland and Ireland.
There had been several so-called Grand Lodges but they did not profess to exercise supreme authority over their respective jurisdictions and were known as Provincial Grand Lodges. These Provincial Grand Lodges were subordinate to the Grand Lodges in the mother countries.
Allegiances were scattered and diverse rituals were in use. All this, further frustrated by the uncertain nature of communications, generated an interest in establishing one united, autonomous Grand Lodge in Canada. It should be remembered that at the time, Canada consisted of the United Provinces of Upper and Lower Canada or present day Ontario and Quebec.
Numerous attempts to bring order to the fraternity floundered. Finally, a notice was sent to every lodge in Canada announcing a meeting to be held in Hamilton on the10th of October, 1855. At that meeting, a resolution was passed which concluded with the following.
“Therefore let it be resolved that in order to apply a remedy to the evils, to form
perfect fraternal unity and harmony, establish order, ensure tranquility, provide
for and promote the general welfare of the Craft, and to secure to the fraternity
of Canada all the blessings of Masonic privileges – it is expedient, right and our
bounden duty to form a Grand Lodge of Canada.”
At that meeting, William Mercer Wilson was elected the first Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Canada.
Confederation, in 1867, divided Canada into two provinces, Ontario and Quebec. In 1869, the lodges in Quebec formed their own Grand Lodge of Quebec while the Grand Lodge of Canada continued to exercise authority in the Province of Ontario.
In 1885, eighteen years after confederation, the Grand Lodge of Canada yielded to pressures by other Canadian and some American grand jurisdictions and changed the name of the organization to The Grand Lodge, A.F. & A.M., of Canada in the Province of Ontario.
Prior to the founding of the Grand Lodge of Canada, there was a Masonic lodge in Stratford, Wellington Lodge working under a warrant from the Grand Lodge of Ireland.
On December 29, 1854, a meeting of interested Master Masons was held in Stratford for the purpose of establishing a Masonic lodge. The minutes of the meeting read as follows.
“At a meeting of Master Masons held in Stratford on the 29th day of December, 1854, it was resolved that the sum of Ten Pounds be raised from the members (members contributing one pound each) to defray the expenses attending procuring a Charter for the Lodge of Free Masons proposed to be opened in the Town of Stratford and if any surplus remains after payment of the same, that the same be placed to the credit of the Lodge, which money, as soon as the lodge acquires adequate funds therefore, be refunded to the members advancing the same.”
Each of the following paid the one pound levy. Alex Barrington Orr, James Orr, Revenius H. Lee, William F. McCullough, F. Benson, Edward Woodbury, Walter Oliver, William Larkworthy, George Fredrick Crookshanks and Peter Woods.
The following petition was sent to the Grand Lodge of Ireland
To the Most Worshipful Grand Master of
Antient Free and Accepted Masons of the
Order of St. John of Ireland.
We the undersigned being duly registered Masons of the Lodges mentioned against our respective names, having the propensity of the Craft at heart, are anxious to exert our best endevours to promote and diffuse the Genuine Principles of the Art and for the conveniency of our respective dwellings and other good reasons we are desirous of forming a New Lodge to be named the” Wellington Lodge.” In consequence of this desire, we pray for a Warrant of Constitution, empowering us to meet as a regular Lodge at Stratford in the County of Perth and Province of Canada on the First Wednesday of every month and there to discharge the duties of Masonry in a constitutional manner , according to the forms of the Order and the Laws of the Grand Lodge. And we have nominated and do recommend Brother Riverious Hooker Lee to be the First Master, Brother Edmund Woodbury to be first Senior Warden and Brother Alexander Barrington Orr to be the first Junior Warden of the said Lodge.
The Prayer of this Petition being granted, we promise strict obedience to the commands of the grand Master, and the Laws and regulations of the Grand lodge.
Revenius H. Lee St. John’s Lodge No. 14 County of Norfolk, Canada West. M.M.
Alexander Barrington Orr, M.M. St. John’s, King Hiram Lodge No. 226, Co. Oxford, C.W.
William Frederick Mc Cullock, Union Lodge No. 720 Co. Huron C.W. Master Mason and Knight Red Cross, formerly of the Lodge of St. Jon’s of T heristus and Justin, Calais, Normandie, France.
James Orr, King Hiram Lodge No. 226, County of Oxford, Canada West, Master Mason.
Peter Woods Union Lodge No. 720 Co. Huron C.W. Master Mason
Walter Oliver, King Hiram Lodge No. 226, County of Oxford C.W. M.M.
Robert Brabason, King Hiram Lodge No. 226, County of Oxford C.W.M.M.
Robert Henry, Cappagh Lodge 350, County Tyrone, Ireland, Master Mason
William B. Sarksworthy, King Hiram Lodge 226, County of Oxford, C.W. Master Mason
Egerton Fisk Ryerson, King Hiram’s Lodge 226, County of Oxford, Canada West, Master Mason.
On December 25,1854, the officers of King Hiram Lodge No. 226 sent the following letter of recommendation to the Grand Lodge of Ireland.
King Hiram Lodge 226
Ingersoll 25 Dec 1854
To the Right Worshipful
The Grand Master and Officers
Of the Grand Lodge of Ireland
Of Free and Accepted Masons
Dublin
We the undersigned, Masters and Officers of Lodge No. 226 having been informed that an application is about to be made to your Grand Lodge for a Warrant to establish a Lodge in the Town of Stratford in the County of Perth and Province of Canada and that Brothers Revenius Hooker Lee is recommended and nominated to be the first Master Edmund Woodbury First Senior Warden Alexander Barrington Orr First Junior Warden of said Lodge and that we being personally acquainted with said Brethren do cheerfully recommend them to your favourable consideration believing that they have the interests of the Craft at heart, and will faithfully carry out the principle of the same.
Brethren faithfully and fraternally yours
J.J. Waugh Master
John Patterson Sr. Warden
` John Flemming Junr. Warden
Wm. J. McKenzie Secretary
In the minutes of the Grand Lodge of Ireland it is recorded,
“Lodge 359. 1 March 1855. Read a Memorial for a New Warrant from several M.M’s. to hold a Lodge at Stratford, Perth County, Canada. Recommended by Lodges Nos. 226 I.C., No.14 & 720 E.C. The Board recommends that a new Warrant be granted to the Memorialists. Agreed to.”
The warrant was issued to R.H. Lee of Lodge No.14, E.C. as Worshipful Master, Edmund Woodbury and Alex Barrington Orr of Lodge No. 226 at Ingersoll. This was the last Irish Lodge to be chartered in Upper Canada.
On March10 1855, Wellington Lodge, No. 359 was instituted in Stratford under the warrant from the Grand Lodge of Ireland. The first meeting of the lodge was held on Saturday, May12, 1855. The following article appeared in the Stratford Beacon on Friday, May18, 1855.
Masonic On Saturday last, a lodge of Free Masons entitled the Wellington Lodge was organized in Stratford. Col. Wilson, G.W, Powell, Esq., and others of Simcoe, A. Cameron, Esq., of St.Marys, and other brethren from other places having taken part in the proceedings. The office bearers are as follows: Master – R. Hooker Lee, senior warden – Edwin Woodbury, junior warden – A. Barrington Orr, treasurer – Peter Woods, secretary – Egerton F. Ryerson, senior deacon – Walter Oliver, junior deacon – James Orr, tyler – Robert Brabazon.
On May 25th, 1855, the Stratford Beacon further reported;
Masonic Lodge We noticed in a small paragraph in our last, the installation of a Masonic Lodge in this town, and designated the “Wellington Lodge.” We have since been kindly furnished with the particulars, from which it appears that Colonel William M. Wilson, Master of Ceremonies, and George W. Powell, Assistant, both from Simcoe, Mr. Patterson, Master of Ingersoll Lodge, and several of the members, assisted in the installation. The Names of the officers are as follows:
R.H. Lee, Master
Ed. Woodbury, Sen. Warden
A.B. Orr, Jun. Warden
Peter Woods, Treasurer
Egerton F. Ryerson, Secretary
Walter Oliver, Sen. Deacon
James Orr, Jun. Deacon
Robert Brabazon, Tyler.
After the Lodge closed, a sumptuous dinner was prepared by Messrs. James and Peter Woods, which would do credit to any hotel in Canada West.
The regular meetings of the Lodge will be in future on the Thursday prior to the full moon in each month.
The Lodge met in quarters over the British North American Bank, in what was then called the Daly Block, located at 21Erie Street.
The Lodge grew rapidly and at one point had more than 40 members. In 1855, the Lodge affiliated with the Grand Lodge of Canada, becoming Wellington Lodge No. 28. The Warrant from the Grand Lodge of Ireland was surrendered in 1856 and is now in the archives of that body. The Lodge appeared to be a thriving enterprise with a steadily increasing membership, however in the minutes of the Proceedings of the Grand Lodge of Canada of July, 1859 there is a laconic entry.
“In reference to the case of Wellington Lodge, Stratford, your Committee (on Warrants) report that the Warrant returned to the Grand Secretary, that the Lodge be considered as defunct.”
V.W. Bro. Budge who has an interest in local history believes that the demise of the Lodge resulted from the involvement of many of its prominent members in two odious scandals encompassing corruption and embezzlement.
On January 1, 1854, Stratford was incorporated. The first council elected to office was comprised of John Vivian, Peter Reid, Alexander Barrington Orr, Revenius Hooker Lee and William Fredrick McCullough, the latter three soon to be pivotal founding members of Wellington Lodge.
In 1855, the Buffalo, Brantford and Goderich Railway, which had been heavily invested in by both Perth County and Stratford, went into bankruptcy. Shareholders, including Perth County lost their investments. With new financing from England, another company, the Buffalo and Lake Huron Railway emerged with seven directors, four in England and three in Stratford, namely, Orr, Lee and one William Smith who happened to be a member of Wellington. The new company honoured only the bonds issued by the old company held by the Town of Stratford.