PRINCE EDWIN LODGE
Masonic Temple
No. 486
131 W. Emaus St.
Middletown, PA

Information Submitted By Charles E. Fies

Notes from C. H. Hutchinson's
"Chronicles of Middletown"
available at the
Middletown Public Library

In 1870 a meeting of Masonic brethren, members of
different lodges, was held in Middletown, and after an inter-
change of opinion, it was resolved to make application to the
Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania for a warrant for a new lodge.
The subjoined paper was prepared and signed as follows,
they thereby becoming Charter Members of Prince Edwin
Lodge # 486, Middletown, Dauphin Co., PA

Last Name	First Name	Office	Date Born	Date Died	Lodge
Campbell	Joseph	.	.	.	21
Cobaugh	Ephram B.	WM 1878	.	.	21
Cobaugh	George A.	.	.	.	21
Draucher	Hiram B.	WM 1877	.	.	286
Ettele	Henry	.	.	.	266
Hake	Daniel J.	WM 1875	.	.	21
Hubley	James J.	.	.	.	21
Kendig	Walter H.	Sec 1871	.	.	21
Lenhart	George H.	WM 1874	.	.	21
Meily	Henry J.	.	.	.	21
Montgomery	Thomas	.	.	.	398
Nisley	Jacob L.	.	.	.	21
Nisley	Joseph H.	WM 1871	.	.	21
Peters	Simon C.	WM 1876	.	.	21
Raymond	Seymour	WM 1873	2-6-1830	1-17-1890?	21
Rife	Henry J.	.	.	.	21
Witman	John .	.	.	.	21
Young	Delanson J.	.	Sep 14 1846	Mar 31, 1872	21
Young	James	Treas 1871	July 25, 1820	May 4, 1895	21
Young	Redsecker I.	.	Jan 1 1844	May 3 1927	21
Zeigler	Charles H.	.	.	.	21
Zeigler	George M.	.	Abt 1847	Apr 2, 1931	21

Those who signed made application to their respective lodges for certificates
of withdrawal, which were granted. They then made application to the Grand
Lodge of Pennsylvania, for a warrant of constitution, empowering them to meet
as a regular lodge at Middletown, to be called "Prince Edwin Lodge,"
recommending Brothers Joseph H. Nisley for the first W.M., Brother Seymour
Raymond for the first S.W., and Brother George H. Lenhart for the first J.W.

At the annual meeting of the Grand Lodge in Philadelphia December 27, A.D. 1870,
the application was approved and the R.W.G.M., Robert E. Lamberton, designated
Monday, March 27, A.D. 1871, as the time when the lodge should be constituted.

On the specified day Prince Edwin Lodge, No. 486, was solemnly consecrated
and constituted by Robert A. Lamberton, R.W.G.M.; Samuel C. Perkins,
R.W.D.G.M.; Alfred R. Potter, R.W.G.S.W.; Robert Clark, R.W.G.J.W.; John
Thompson, R.W.G.S., and a large number of other brethren, including noted
historian Dr. William Henry Egle, Past Master of Robert Burns Lodge No. 464
from 1870-1872, and Grand Steward (below).

The officers installed were: Joseph H. Nisley, Worshipful Master; Seymour
Raymond, Senior Warden; George H. Lenhart, Junior Warden; James Young,
Treasurer; Walter Kendig, Secretary.
MOON LODGE

You may have heard the expression "Moon Lodge" from time to time.
Over 100 years ago when the roads were not well lighted or clearly paved,
Prince Edwin met on the Full Moon, sometimes having two Stated
Meetings in one month when there were two full moons. On October 9,
1922 the Lodge met on the 2nd Monday of the month instead of on Full
Moon. January 11, 1937 the By-Laws were approved to change to the
3rd Monday of the month, when the brightness of a full moon was no
longer necessary to travel to and from a lodge meeting.

The following remarks were drawn from the first Minutes
book of Prince Edwin Lodge #486 about the Young Masons:

James Young, a Charter Member, was installed Treasurer of Prince
Edwin Lodge for 1871, then re-elected for 1872. However, the Lodge
Minutes record him as having attended only one Stated and Two
Extra meetings during that period of time. He is not recorded
as having been installed for the Masonic Year 1872.

February 23rd, 1880 Stated Meeting discussed paying Bro. R. I.
Young $25 a year for 3 years, then $50 a year thereafter for
Lodge Hall rent. Brother Beng. S. Peter's offer was free rent for 3
years, then $50 per year thereafter. March 23, 1880 Stated Meeting
shows Redsecker I. Young declining Lodge's offer to remain there.

The Washington House, operated by James Young from 1834.
March 22nd, 1880 stated meeting shows preparations to move
from the Young building to Peter's Hall, at 62 West Ann Street,
1 & 1/2 squares from Union on West Ann street, between Wood
and Catherine streets in Middletown. The April 19th, 1880
meeting opened there.

Reason for leaving our present Hall in the Washington Hotel:
"is the exhorbitant rent" (remember, it was $25.00 per YEAR!

62 West Ann Street Opera House, now renumbered 112-114.

Prince Edwin Lodge #486, F. & A. M., met on 3rd floor.
Second floor was used for sleeping apartments, and the
first floor contained a Dry Goods & Notions store, 2 apts.
This street No. first appeared in the May 12, 1882 minutes.
Note this is NOT directly across the street from the
Simon Cameron Young "Castle" at 63-65 West Ann St.

December 5th, 1881 Stated Meeting saw the petition of Simon
Cameron Young, and brother Redsecker I. Young demitted.

On October 13th, 1886 a Lodge of Sorrow met in the Masonic
Hall at No. 62 Ann Street in behalf of the death of Past Master
James S. Young, with a huge turnout of members and visitors
recorded. Thereafter they all met at the home of the parents
and "took the body in charge and conveyed it to the cemetery
and after interment returned to the Hall.

James Young's son James S. Young, Worshipful Master 1883, Middletown Cemetery

(DELANSON J. YOUNG was the first Masonic Funeral service on April 2nd, 1872.)

September 8, 1892 minutes record a letter to Grand Lodge
requesting permission to move the place of meeting from
62 Ann Street to the National Bank Building, at a cost
of $150 a year, three times their present rent. Pages
471 through 492 had been cut out of the bound Minutes
book, and there is no recorded reasons for the move.

September 4th, 1893 Stated Meeting recorded a Resolution
to meet in the new Lodge Hall in the National Bank Building,
corner of Union and Emaus Streets, Middletown.

October 2nd 1893 minutes record a motion of use Gas
Illumination in the new Lodge Hall (not electric!)

62 Ann Street address continued to be recorded in the
minutes book up through Nov. 6, 1893, just before moving.
November 16, 1893 first meeting in brand new Lodge Hall,
The National Bank Building, Union & Brown Streets.

After the death of James Young on May 4, 1895, the following was
entered into the minutes book of the May 6th, 1895 Stated Meeting:

....."On motion duly made and seconded, it was Resolved-----
That a committee of three be appointed to draft a resolution
on the death of Bro. James Young a member of this lodge."

In the minutes of the Stated Meeting on June 3rd, 1895 we find the
following report of the committee having performed the duties assigned:

Middletown May 11th, 1895

At a Meeting of Prince Edwin Lodge No. 486 F &AM, the following
Preamble and Resolutions were unanamously adopted:

Whereas, in view of the loss we have sustained by the decease of our
Brother and associate, James Young, and of the still heavier loss sustained
by those who were nearest and dearest to him, therefore be it Resolved --

That it is but a just tribute to the memory of the departed to say that
in his removal from our midst he is mourned by those who were near
and dear to him. Resolved --

That we sincerely condole with the family of the deceased on the
dispensation with which it has pleased Divine Providence to afflict them,
and commend them, for consolation, to Him who orders all things for
the best, and whose chastisements are meant in mercy. Resolved --

That this heartfelt testimonial of our sympathy and sorrow be
forwarded to the family of our departed, and entered upon the
minutes of our Lodge.

(signed) J. F. Fritz
(signed) Frank Z. Fisher
(signed) D. H. Barnhill

Attest D. H. Barnhill, Secretary

James S. Young, Worshipful Master in 1883 and died October 10, 1886
Young Family plot, Middletown Cemetery

Past Masters from the Beginning

Last Name	First Name	Year	Date Born	Date Died
Nisley	Joseph H.	1871-72	.	.
Raymond	Seymour	WM 1873	2-6-1830	1-15-1896
Lenhart	George H.	WM 1874	.	.
Hake	Daniel J.	WM 1875	.	.
Peters	Simon C.	WM 1876	.	.
Draucher	Hiram B.	WM 1877	.	.
Cobaugh	Ephram B.	WM 1878	.	.
Raymond	Henry C.	WM 1879	.	.
Ettele	George H.	1880	.	.
Dyer	Cyrus	1881	.	.
Raymond	Charles W.	1882	.	.
Young	James S.	1883	.	10-10-1886
Raymond	Josph F.	WM 1884	.	.
Campbell	Harry B.	1885	.	.
Nicely	James H.	1886	.	.
Wood	John	1887-88.	.	.
Fisher	Frank Z.	1889-90	.	.
Fratts	John H.	1891	.	.
Raymond	Edward M.	1892	.	.
Sourbeer	Frank M. (Adm)	1892.	.	.
Frank	John H.	1893	.	.
Barnhill	David H.	1894	.	.
Campbell	Charles G.	1895	.	.
Fritz	John F.	1896-97	.	.
Shull	William M.	1898	.	.
Booser	Benjamin K.	1899	.	.
Longenecker	Charles E.	1900	.	.
Gardner	George A.	1901	.	.
Stecher	S. Clayton	1902	.	.
Elberti	Philip C.	1903	.	.
Wright	William H.	1904	.	.
Cover	Morris V.	1905	.	.
Buser	Israel V.	1906	.	.
Rhodes	Henry H.	1907	.	.
Nissley	Solomon M.	1908	.	.
Engle	Claude R.	1909	.	.
Whitman	Maurice G. (Adm)	1909	.	.
Keener	James B.	1910	.	.
Geyer	John E.	1911	.	.
Wall	Richard	1912	.	.
Kuhn	William	1913	.	.
Kauffman	Henry T.	1914	.	.
Good	Levi S.	1915	.	.
Heicher	Austin F.	1916	.	.
Springer	Ira R.	1918	.	.
Garver	Harvey B.	1919	.	.
Shireman	Edwin L.	1920	.	.
Seltzer	Ross E.	1921	.	.
Force	Charles B.	1922	.	.
Ruth	Elwood S.	1923	.	.
Longenecker	Benjamin E.	1924	.	.
Raymond	Robert P.	1925	.	.
Reider	Ralph D.	1926	.	.
Stickell	Ralph W.	1927	.	.
Baumbach	Leroy W.	1928	.	.
Diffenderfer	Harry	1929	.	.
Wanbaugh	Russell	1930	.	.
Koerting	George F.	1931	.	.
Faust	Charles I.	1932	.	.
Auch	Ray F.	1933	.	.
Parthemore	J. Harold	1934	.	.
Titus	David C.	1935	.	.
Hollenbach	Paul R.	1936	.	.
Gish	Edwin O.	1937	.	.
Sohn	Claude E.	1938	.	.
Cresswell	Harry M.	1939	.	.
Gladfelter	Edward J.	1940	.	.
Crumling, Sr.	Robert T.	1941	.	.
O'Connor	Harry F.	1942	.	.
Connolly	Harry B.	1943	.	.
Ulrich	Meade E.	1944	.	.
Kline	S. Mark	1945	.	.
Overdeer	Harold S.	1946	.	.
Tolmie, Jr.	John G.	1947	.	.
Heicher	Austin S.	1948	.	.
Dimeler	Nelson B.	1949	.	.
Spahr, Sr.	LeRoy J.	1950	.	.
Landon	Raymond J.	1951	.	.
Boyer	Clyde S.	1952	.	.
Sener	Walter J.	1953	.	.
Fishburn	Marshall W.	1954	.	.
Sleighter	Harry F.	1955	.	.
Houser	Robert M.	1956	.	.
Landon	Robert T.	1957	.	.
Heicher	William S.	1958	.	.
Gross	Charles L.	1959	.	.
Kantz	Robert A.	1960	.	.
Slusser	Edwin J.	1961	.	.
Werner	Ira M.	1962	.	.
Reed	Robert E.	1963	.	.
Fies	Charles E.	1964	.	.
Whittle	Carl E.	1965	.	.
Eshleman	David H.	1966	.	.
Ross	Lloyd A.	1967	.	.
Greisemer	Richard A.	1968	.	.
Wolf, Jr.	Lester C.	1969-70	.	.
Essex	Theodore	1971	.	.
Oliver	Ralph Johnson	19732	.	.
Haberlen, Jr.	Robert Joseph	1973	.	.
Crumling	Kenneth Claude	1974	.	.
Erb, Jr.	Christian Stehman	1975	.	.
Troutman	Wayne Rodney	1976	.	.
Stoffel	William Earl	1977	.	.
McGarvey	Robert Wilmont	1978	.	.
Ruby	Melvin Leo	1979	.	.
Givler	Harvey	1980	.	.
Dell	Mark L.	1981	.	.
Lexow	Richard James	1982	.	.
Couch	Ronald Gene	1983	.	.
Howell	George Michael	1984	.	.
Sellers	John Ronald	1985	.	.
Enney	Robert Guandal	1986-87	.	.
Lerch	Harry William	1988	.	.
Ernst	Walter Reed	1989	.	.
Kaylor	Robert Allen	1990	.	.
Sutch	Robert John	1991	.	.
Waple, Jr.	Frank Raymond	1992	.	.
Lighty	Robert	1993	.	.
Shields	Michael E.	1994-95	.	.
Crawford	Danny A.	1996-97	.	.
Matincheck	Scott T.	1998-99	.	.
Matincheck	Thomas E.	2000-01	.	.

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