ST. JAMES LODGE NO. 47, F. & A.M.; E. Baton Rouge Par., Louisiana File prepared and submitted by Pam J. Rice and Joyce A. Rogers Date: Sep 2007 ********************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ********************************************** ST. JAMES LODGE NO. 47, F. & A.M. BATON ROUGE, LA A short history of St. James Lodge No. 48, F. & A.M., Baton Rouge, La compiled by Jared Y. Sanders, Jr., Worshipful Master, at the time of the dedication of the remodeled building, June 12, 1955. St. James Lodge No. 47 was chartered June 28, 1844, by the Grand Lodge of the State of Louisiana. At the time of organization, Baton Rouge was little more than a string of trading posts and a saloon or two along the levee. The first officers, selected from the nucleus of leading citizens who joined for an organization meeting at the house of James McCalop in West Baton Rouge on April 22, 1844, were installed by a deputation from the Grand Lodge on July 27, 1844. Captain D. F. Reeder was the first Worshipful Master. Other officers were J. L. Lobdell, Senior Warden and D. P. Cain, Junior Warden. At the third meeting of the group, held at McCalop's sugar house, the petition for a charter was signed and recommended by M. Morgan, J. P. Chapman, A. H. Lemon, W. H. McCongley of Feliciana Lodge No. 31, St. Francisville. After moving to East Baton Rouge, for many years quarters were rented in the Ronaldson & Puckett building at the corner of Main and North Fourth (formerly Church) streets in Baton Rouge. The site of the present building was purchased in 1904 and the first lodge hall at this location was completed and occupied in 1906. Records through the years are incomplete and fragmentary but they were assembled and presented to the masonic body celebrating the Lodge's centennial on June 28, 1944. The information was compiled H. B. Conner, a Past Grand Master of the Grand Lodge, who is no (1955) a member of St. James Lodge. Among Brother Conner's notations are the facts that the first recorded celebration of St. John's day by the Lodge was December 27, 1844, when members marched in procession to the First Presbyterian Church. The address was delivered by Amos Adams, later to be installed as Grand Master of the Grand Lodge. During the year 1845, minutes reveal that a committee was appointed to raise funds for the Masonic Orphans School of Missouri and a letter thanking the Lodge for its donation. During the same year members of the Lodge were requested to wear crepe on their left arm for a period of 60 days in memory of deceased brother – President Andrew Jackson. St. James Lodge invited the Grand Lodge and other subordinate lodges to cooperate in laying the cornerstone of the State Capitol building on November 3, 1847. No regular meetings were held from July 5, 1862, to January 3, 1863. Federal troops patrolled the city in the fall of 1862 and martial law was in effect. The commandant of the military post detailed a guard to protect the Lodge property during the seizure of Baton Rouge. On January 3, 1866, a meeting of the Lodge found only two of the officers present. The other stations were filled with Masons from the federal armed forces at the garrison. The lodge participated in laying the cornerstone of the Confederate monument on North Boulevard January 23, 1886. Meetings were held in the Lodge hall on the present site from 1906 to 1954, when it was decided that a new Lodge hall should be built on the same location. Temporary quarters were rented at 534 Florida Street, where meetings were held until recently (1955), when the Lodge moved back to the renovated building. Names of Past Masters of the Lodge have figured prominently in the annals of the City of Baton Rouge and the State of Louisiana. Many were active civic leaders and some have gained high stations in the governmental and political fields. St. James Lodge has again made strides to maintain its righful place in the progress of the Baton Rouge area. Officers of St. James Lodge on June 12, 1955: Worshipful Master Jared Y. Sanders, Jr. Senior Warden Delton D. Cobb Junior Warden Milo B. Kennedy Treasurer Elbert E. Moore Secretory Sherrod R. Stout Chaplain David E. Rogillio Senior Deacon H. A. Banta Junior Deacon W. Harry Perkins, Jr. Masters of Ceremonies Charles E. Stewart Senior Steward Frank J. Graham Junior Steward Russell Cogswell Tyler Hugh D. Piper, Sr. Steward Howard E. Whitfield Steward Charles L. Sartain Steward Richard C. Rush Past Masters Since Organized: 1844 - D. F. Reeder 1851 - S. M. Hart 1858 - A. L. Herron 1845 - D/ F/ Reeder 1852 - S. M. Hart 1859 - R. H. Day 1846 - Amos Adams 1853 - J. W. Seymour 1860 - S. M. Hart 1847 - S. M. Hart 1854 - George A. Pike 1861 - S. M. Hart 1848 - S. M. Hart 1855 - Eugene Lanoue 1862 - George A. Pike 1849 - O. P. Davis 1856 - S. M. Hart 1863 - George A. Pike 1850 - B. F. Tisdale 1857 - Amos Adams, PGM 1864 - George A. Pike 1865 - George A. Pike 1894 - W. H. Reynaud 1923 - H. K> Benton 1866 - S. M. Asher 1895 - George K. Favrot 1924 - H. L. Garrett 1867 - S. M. Asher 1896 - Charles O. Wieck 1925 - J. H. Perkins 1868 - George A. Pike 1897 - C. C. Bird 1926 - E. L. Bankston 1869 - W. H. Stroube 1898 - H. L. Fuqua 1927 - E. L. Jordan 1870 - W. H. Stroube 1899 - H. L. Fuqua 1928 - C. J. Bogan 1871 - W. H. Stroube 1900 - Charles McVea 1929 - T. L. Whitaker 1872 - W. H. Stroube 1901 - C. C. Bird 1930 - W. H. Gladney 1873 - W. H. Stroube 1902 - C. C. Bird 1931 - P. O. O'Donovan 1874 - M. C. Aldrich 1903 - W. P. Burden 1932 - G. S. Darsey 1875 - L. F. Reynaud 1904 - L. G. Stirling 1933 - L. L. Humphreys 1876 - H. Abramson 1905 - L. G. Stirling 1934 - George W. Farr 1877 - W. H. Goodale 1906 - L. G. Stirling 1935 - Pursur Parker 1878 - F. M. Brooks 1907 - L. G. Stirling 1936 - V. A. Sasche 1879 - F. M. Brooks 1908 - A. M. Herget 1937 - M. W. Milton 1880 - W. H. Strobe 1909 - J. A. Caruthers 1938 - E. C. Thompson 1881 - W. H. Stroube 1910 - J. A. Caruthers 1939 - E. B. Loudon 1882 - F. M. Brooks 1911 - J. A. Caruthers 1940 - A. L. Miller 1883 - F. M. Brooks 1912 - S. J. Powell 1941 - J. B. Richmond 1884 - F. M. Brooks 1913 - S. J. Powell 1942 - Fred A. Beard 1885 - L. S. Widney 1914 - W. W. Bynum 1943 - Robert M. Andrews 1886 - F. M. Brooks 1915 - E. F. Fleming, Jr. 1944 - James A. Crowell, Sr. 1887 - F. M. Brooks 1916 - H. K. Strickland 1945 - Ben E. Simms 1888 - F. M. Brooks 1917 - J. J. Mundinger 1946 - Frank D. Trimble 1889 - F. M. Brooks 1918 - J. P. Norris 1947 - James L. Frier, Sr. 1890 - F. M. Brooks 1919 - C. C. Bird, Jr. 1948 - Russell A. Williams 1891 - F. M. Brooks 1920 - C. W. Edgerton 1949 - Calvin C. McMillan 1892 - C. C. Bird 1921 - Harry Morris 1950 - H. Louis Cohn 1893 - C. C. Bird 1922 - A. G. Mundinger 1951 - O. Arthur Boehmer 1952 - Leonard C. Magee 1953 - O. Rudolph White 1954 - Thomas C. Glaze 1955 - Jared Y. Sanders, Jr.