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History of East Lansing Lodge # 480, F&AM

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Original Temple - 1916
1314 M.A.C Ave.
East Lansing, MI 48823
Current Temple
1125 Weber Dr.
Lansing, MI 48912

The history of East Lansing Lodge # 480 begins January 1st, 1816 when a dispensation was granted to George Arthur Brown and 52 local Masons, most of Okemos Lodge # 252, to form a Lodge to be known as East Lansing Lodge.

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George A. Brown began his Masonic journey at Okemos Lodge # 252, having been initiated April 16, 1908, passed to the degree of Fellow Craft on April 24, 1908 and raised to the sublime degree of Master Mason on May 22, 1908. He was an instructor of animal husbandry at Michigan Agricultural College. He would become the first Worshipful Master of the Lodge. The Lodge’s first Senior Warden was William E. Laycock, a physics instructor at the college. The Junior Warden was W. E. Eastman, a zoology instructor.

 

Masonry was growing rapidly in Michigan, and in the year 1816 there were over 83,000 Masons in the state. A charter was issued to the Lodge on May 24, 1916 by Most Worshipful Grand Master John H. Hawks, a member of Lansing Lodge # 33. On this day East Lansing Lodge became East Lansing Lodge # 480.

 

Bro. Samuel D. Butterworth, an architect, and member of Lansing Lodge # 33, was hired to design the Lodge’s new Temple. On June 9, 1916, the cornerstone was laid for the new Masonic Temple in East Lansing, located at 314 M.A.C Ave., assisted by the following Grand Lodge officers:

M.W. Grand Master John. H. Hawks

R.W. Deputy Grand Master Herbert Montague, P.G.M. (acting)

R.W. Senior Grand Warden James Thompson, P.G.M. (acting)

R.W. Junior Grand Warden Lou B. Winsor, P.G.M. (acting)

R.W. Grand Treasurer Robert P. Anderson (acting)

R.W. Grand Secretary Worshipful Master T. Shaw, P.M., Lansing Lodge # 33 (acting)

R.W. Grand Chaplain Rev. George D. Cady, Union Lodge, Dorchester, Mass. (acting)

Worshipful Grand Marshal C.W. McKenzie

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Bro. George L. Lusk, P.G.M. delivered the address which was much appreciated by the brethren and citizens of East Lansing.

 

The four-story Italianate brick building was constructed at a cost of over $14,000. The Temple was used by such social organizations as the Odd Fellows, Good Fellows, and Eastern Star.

 

The Temple was officially dedicated on December 15, 1916 with Grandmaster Hawks presiding.

 

Today the Temple is overshadowed by the nearby hotel complex, but when it was completed in 1916 the Masonic Temple stood tall and virtually alone on M.A.C. Avenue. After standing vacant for many years, the structure was sold in 1986 to a private developer, who immediately gutted the interior but proved unable to convert the space for retail use. In 1998 another developer purchased and rehabilitated the building as office and residential space. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1999, its historical marker erected in 2001.

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The following 53 Charter Members signed the roll of membership on January 1, 1916:

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Frank H. Sandford

Walter A. Reinert

Allen C. Conger

John S. Mcdaniels

William Lloyd Lodge

Charles S. Dunford

George A. Brown

W. Irving Gilson

Earl C. Kiefer

Harry Musselman

Frederick A. Burt

Robert E. Loree

Carl E. Newlander

Richard P. Lyman

William C. Keck

Wilfred B. Massie

Elam T. Hallman

N/A

A.H Davis

H.D. Hall

John F. Macklin

J. W Moore

E. E. Peterson

Russel Potts Rg Potts

John W. Randall

Oliver K. White

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Charles W. Brown                                Dewey A Seeley                                    

Claud Marshall Cade                              

Charles A. Washburn                             

Leslie M. Beckwith                                 

James B. Rasbach                                    

Charles S. Foster                                     

John G. Baker                                       

Carl C. Foster                                         

Edward P Kinney                                 

Charles S. Robinson                                 

Andrew Krentel                                    

Warren Seager                                     

Jonathan Snyder                                   

Charles B. Collingwood                          

George B. Scovell                                   

George E. Gauthier                                 

Charles W. Chapman                            

E. Chauncy Crawford                            

Benjamin B. Roseboom                            Wesley E. Eastman                               

Charles A. Cornell                                 

Ren G. Saxton                                       

Edwin M Higgs                                   

Herbert W. Landon                              

W. E. Laycock                                     

George W. Pellett

HISTORICAL TIMELINE

 

East Lansing Lodge # 480 traces it’s lineage back to the 1st Masonic Grand Lodge established, known as the Premier Grand Lodge of London and Westminster, which was founded in 1717.

 

June 24, 1717 – Premier Grand Lodge of London and Westminster formed when 4 Lodges came together. Those Lodges were:

  • Goose and Gridiron Ale-house (now Lodge of Antiquity # 2).

  • Crown Ale-house.

  • Apple-Tree Tavern (now Lodge of Fortitude and Old Cumberland # 12).

  • Rummer and Grapes Tavern (now Royal Somerset House and Inverness Lodge No. 4).

 

June 9, 1753 – John Proby, 1st Baron of Carysfort (28th Grand Master of the Premier Grand Lodge of London and Westminster) granted deputation to George Harrison, appointing him Provincial Grand Master of New York.

 

April 27, 1764 – George Harrison (Provincial Grand Master of the Providence of New York) issued a Charter to John Christie to form a Lodge in Michigan. This Lodge was named Zion Lodge # 1 (Zion Lodge # 448 on the registry of the Premier Grand Lodge of London and Westminster).

 

September 5, 1821 – Daniel Tompkins, U.S. Vice President (Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of New York) issued warrant to John Mullet to form Detroit Lodge # 337 (now Detroit Lodge # 2), at the recommendation of Zion Lodge # 1.

  • Daniel Tompkins

Made a Mason February 3, 1800 - Hiram Lodge No. 72 (Mt. Pleasant, NY)

Admitted October 7, 1802 - Salem Lodge No. 74 (Salem, NY)

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January 10, 1850 – George W. Peck (Detroit Lodge # 2) became a founding member of Lansing Lodge # 33. He served as the Lodge’s 1st Senior Warden (Under Dispensation) and 1st Worshipful Master (Under Charter).

  • George W. Peck

Initiated February 16, 1846 - Detroit Lodge # 2

Passed February 24, 1846 - Detroit Lodge # 2

Raised March 17, 1846 - Detroit Lodge # 2

Transfer/Founded January 10, 1850 - Lansing Lodge # 33

Transfer/Founded January 16, 1851 - Brighton Lodge # 42

Transfer Founded January 12, 1854 - Capital Lodge of S.O. # 66

 

January 12, 1854 – George W. Peck, and others from Lansing Lodge # 33, became founding members of Capital Lodge of Strict Observance # 66.

 

May 8, 1868 – Dr. James Francis Smiley (Capitol Lodge of Strict Observance # 66) became a founding member of Okemos Lodge # 252.

  • Dr. James Francis Smiley

Initiated July 6, 1864 - Capital Lodge of S.O. # 66

Raised August 10, 1864 - Capital Lodge of S.O. # 66

Transfer/Founded May 8, 1868 - Okemos Lodge # 252

Transfer February 4, 1887 - St. Albans Lodge # 20

 

May 24, 1916 – George A. Brown (Okemos Lodge # 252) became a founding member of East Lansing Lodge # 480 when he and 52 others came together to form a new Lodge in East Lansing, MI.

  • George A. Brown:

Initiated April 16, 1908 - Okemos Lodge # 252

Passed April 24, 1908 - Okemos Lodge # 252

Raised May 22, 1908 - Okemos Lodge # 252

Transfer/Founded January 1, 1915 - East Lansing Lodge # 480

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