Bloomingburg
Lodge No. 449

Celebrating 150 Years!

History

Chartered October 19th, 1870

The dedication and constituting of the charter were held December 23, 1870. Bloomingburg Lodge originally met as a
moon lodge until 1931 when they changed to a set meeting night.  As a moon lodge they met on the Friday preceding
the full moon and if the moon were full on Friday they met on that evening.

The lodge hall burned in 1912 and was rebuilt in the same year at t cost of $6,000.00.  The first meeting was held in the
new hall on October 25, 1912.  It was again damaged by fire in October 1964.  The lodge hall has always been on the lot
where it now stands.

J.C. Badger had a hardware store in the lower room for a few years.  Wrobble’s Bakery occupied the room for many
years.  Howard Foster had a grocery for ten years, followed by Joe Evans, the Vernon family, and since 1990, the Pettit
family has operated a grocery.

In 1992, lodge member WB Floyd A. (Tony) Perone was appointed District Deputy Grand Master of the 8thMasonic
District (1993-1995), being the first member of Bloomingburg Lodge to be so honored.  In 2001, Lodge member WB
Jeffrey L. Thompson was appointed District Deputy Grand Master of the 8th Masonic District (2002-2004), the second
member of Bloomingburg Lodge so honored.

The original Lodge dues were $3.00, and subsequently reduced to $2.00 in 1895.  To meet the demands of the growing
economy, they were increased as follows: $3.00 in 1918; $5.00 in 1919; $7.50 in 1951; $12.50 in 1961; $20.00 in 1987;
$30.00 in 1993.  They again increased in 2000 to the current level of $40.00.

More History…

Bloomingburg Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons, was organized, under dispensation, September 30, 1870. Their first
The stated meeting was held October 7, 1870, there being but ten members at that date. The lodge was constituted on
December 23rd of that year, under charter granted by the grand lodge of Ohio. Its charter members were John Brown, J.
M. McCoy, William Noble, V. M. Durflinger, Edwin Alexander, treasurer, A. B. Elliott, William M. Jones, John Ott, D. M.
Haysand, C. D. Hays.

The lodge prospered and enlarged the small hall they had provided at first, on the corner of Main and Cross streets. At
the close of 1873 the membership was thirty-three, which by 1881 had increased to fifty-eight, not including deaths and
removals. The society was incorporated on March 1 88 1, by William Clark, J. M. Noble, Henry Fulton, Henry Casey and J.
M. McCoy, trustees. In October,1914. This lodge enjoyed a membership of ninety-seven and was in a flourishing
condition. It had the misfortune of having its lodge rooms burned and all their furniture destroyed in April 1912. But, like
true brothers, they went to work and by November of that year were holding lodge in their new and magnificent hall,
which was the second story of a fine yellow pressed-brick, two-story building, all owned by order. It stands on the site of
the old lodge rooms and cost, together with furniture and value of lot, about eight thousand five hundred dollars. There
are few, if indeed any, lodge rooms in Ohio in towns of much larger size that possess so fine, well-arranged halls. They
have a large banquet hall, kitchen, lobbies, and reception rooms in addition to a good-sized hall. The Order of the
Eastern Star is exceptionally strong here. The elective officer's serving in 1914 are: Worshipful master, Forest M. Hains;
senior warden, John N. Browning; junior warden, Allen P. West; secretary, G. W. Gordon; treasurer, Henry Casey; senior
deacon, Claude Andrews; junior deacon. John Foster; chaplain, Robert G. Andrews, Tyler, James W. Willis; master of
ceremonies, J. Y. Stitt; stewards, Howard Foster, and C. S. Edwards. The trustees are J. M. Klever, Nathaniel Roler, W. T.
Elliott, J. P. Leavell.

The following have served as masters in this lodge: John Brown, 1870; J. M. McCoy, 1871-77; A. B. Elliott, 1878; J. M.
McCoy, 1879-82; William Clark, 1883-87; Samuel N. Brown, 1888; William Noble, 1889; J. M. Klever, 1890; Charles D.
Hays, 1891; Solon Loofborrow, 1892-93; Samuel N. Brown, 1901; G. W. Gordon, 1902-03; J. M. Klever, 1904; F. M.
McCoy, 1905-06; J. P. Leavell, 1907; J. Y. Stitt, 1908-09; F. E. Whiteside, 1910; V. M. Durflinger, 191 1; Claude Andrews,
1912; L. D. Exline, 1913. Jeffersonville Lodge No. 468, Free and Accepted Masons, was organized January 31, 1873, ^7
Col. C. Garris, of Washington C. H. The charter members were Mills Gardner, P. F. Johnson, James Straley, L. A. Elister, E.
H. Bendle, Horney Robinson, J. C. Morris, William Wood, W. Horney, George Miller, Asberry Moon. J. W. Roebuck, W. F.
Roebuck, G. L. Bush and Urban Hidv. Of the present history of this lodge, it may be stated that the records show that the
present officers are A. A. Allen, worshipful master; W. O. King, senior warden; L. A. Kessler, junior warden; M. E. Wilson,
secretary; F. A. Chaney, senior deacon; S. C. Morrow, junior deacon; C. R. Marshall, chaplain; G. H. Brock, master of
ceremonies; J. C. Todd, Tyler. The membership of this lodge is ninety-eight. The blue lodge is the only degree of
Freemasonry is represented here.

Bloomingburg Lodge F. and A. M. was organized, under dispensation, September 30, 1870. The first stated meeting was
held on the 7th day of October 1870, there being at that time but ten members, who built for the use of the lodge a
small, but neat room over the storeroom occupied by A. B. Elliott, on the northwest corner of Main and Cross streets.
The lodge was duly constituted, December 23rd of the same year, under a charter from the M. W. Grand Lodge of Ohio,
the hall dedicated, and the following officers regularly installed at the Methodist Episcopal Church, Mills Gardner acting
as M. AV. G. Master, C. Garis as D. G. Master, and A. J. Lewis as Grand Marshal: John Brown, W. M. J. M. McCoy, S. W.;
William Noble, J. W.; V. M. Durfiinger, Secretary; Edwin Alexander, Treasurer; A. B. Elliott, S. D.; William M. Jones, J. D.;
John Olt, Tyler. These gentlemen, together with D. M. Hays and C. D. Hays constituted the charter members.

May 17, 1872, the lodge was notified of the death of Edwin Alexander, who died at his father's house, near the village.
On Sunday, the 19th, the lodge met pursuant to a call, at their hall; and from thence, together with numerous brethren
from Fayette, Mt. Sterling, and New Holland, proceeded in procession to the home of the deceased, where an
appropriate sermon was preached by S. A. Keen, of Fayette Lodge, after which the remains were taken to the cemetery,
and deposited in the grave with the usual Masonic honors and ceremonies.

On the evening of May 20th, the lodge met in special communication, and adopted suitable resolutions, expressive of
the sincere esteem in which the deceased brother was held, not only as a Mason, but also as a Christian gentleman, a
father, and a citizen.

The lodge prospered, and enlarged their hall during the year 1873, reporting at its close a membership of thirty-
three—free from debt. At this writing (March 1881) the lodge has a membership of fifty-eight (not including the one lout
by death, nor the many others who, having removed to other jurisdictions, have withdrawn by permit), and is the
purchaser of the entire property on which their hall is situated. In March 1881,'it was incorporated by 'William Clark, J.
M. Noble, Henry Fulton, Henry Casey, and J. M. McCoy, trustees.

The following are the officers for 1881: J. M. McCoy, W. M.; William Clark, 8. W.; C. Sturbe, J. W.; H. L. Wilson, Secretary;
H. Casey, Treasurer; R. K. Watson, S. D.; A. A. Kerr, J. D.; L. Dillinger, Tyler; William Noble, W. Squier, Stewards.