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About Columbus Lodge

The Birth of a New Lodge
An excerpt from the book "History of Columbus Lodge No. 30 F&AM 1815 - 1965"

At a meeting of New England Lodge No. 4 in Worthington, Ohio on May 25, 1815, the following resolution was passed:

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"Resolved: Voted that we do consider the prayer of the petitioners for a Lodge to be holden in Columbus, reasonable, that the same ought to be granted, that a recommendatory letter be addressed to Grand Lodge signifying our approbation for the same."

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On June 11, 1815, Grand Master Henry Brush instituted the first Columbus Masonic Lodge, having the name of Ohio Lodge No. 30 in Franklinton, which is now a part of Columbus. At the January 2, 1816 meeting of the Grand Lodge in Chillicothe, John Kerr, Gustavus Swan and Abner Lord, members of the first Lodge in Columbus, appeared as representatives of that Lodge. At the same meeting it was ordered "that the Grand Secretary prepare a charter for Ohio Lodge No. 30." Grand Secretary Robert Kercheval did so, and on January 3, 1816, after six months of operating under dispensation, it was ordered by Grand Master Brush that the charter be granted.

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Abner Lord was the first man to hold the gavel as Worshipful Master in a Columbus Lodge. His subordinate officers were shown as:

Senior Warden - John Kerr

Junior Warden - Alexander Morrison

Treasurer - Lincoln Goodale

Secretary - Joel Buttles

Senior Deacon - Benjamin Gardner

Junior Deacon - Horace Wolcott

Tyler - Samuel Shannon

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Gustavus Swan is recorded as having been the first Master Mason raised in the Lodge on October 19, 1815. Archibald Benfield and Joseph Vance were raised on the same date. Other members are found listed as: James Kooken, Caleb Huston, Archibald Washburn, Onesmus Whitehead, Benjamin Pike, and Eugene Griswold. These men, many whose names are cited as leaders in Columbus history, were the foundation of our Lodge.

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Reconsecration
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On March 12th 2016, Columbus 30 held it's bicentennial reconsecration. During this ceremony, the Worshipful Master had the privilege of opening a 100 year old time capsule in the presence of the Grand Master and many brethren from all over Ohio. 
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