Ashlar Lodge #111 Ancient Free and Accepted Masons Fort Dodge, Iowa
Site Index A tour of our historic building Officers and committees Schedule for 2007 Current Temple Times Newsletter A brief history of Ashlar Lodge What is Masonry Our favorite sites Merlin & Ethyl Rufer Scholarship Form email our secretary	Masonic Temple 1021 1st Ave. North  Fort Dodge, Ia 50501 phone 515 576-3201

Ashlar Lodge is one of the oldest and most respected organizations in Fort Dodge. Ashlar Lodge was created in 1857 and has had many notable members from this community, including, Fort Dodge founder William Williams, Congressman John Duncombe, Governor C.C. Carpenter, Senator John Dolliver, Karl King, and many others. William Beers and A.F. Blackshire who owned the Steam boat Charles Rogers that steamed up the Des Moines river early in our history were members of Ashlar Lodge. 

Brief History of Masonry in Fort Dodge, Ia.

In 1851 the US Army established post then called Fort Clark.  William Williams, the post suttler, was a Mason from Pennsylvania.  It is unknown what other officers were masons.    Lt. Lewis Armistead, the adjutant,  returned home to visit Virginia and became a Mason in 1852.   He later gained fame for leading the desperate attack called Pickett?s Charge against another brother Mason and his very good friend, Winfield Scott Hancock, during the battle of Gettysburg. 

After the Army left Fort Dodge in 1853, William Williams gained title to the property and set about to establish a town.   He actively campaigned for other promising men to settle here such as S.B. Olney a young surgeon, whose diary includes his being persuaded to visit Fort Dodge and entries about the creation of Ashlar Lodge.

After several informal meetings,   9 men applied to the Grand Lodge of Iowa for a dispensation to form a lodge which was granted by Grand Master John F. Sanford and the first meeting was held on December 17, 1857 with the following officers:
L. L. Pease Worshipful Master
Thomas Sargent.  Senior Warden
S.B. Olney Junior Warden
Lewis Olcott Treasurer
William Williams Secretary
Samuel Rees Senior Deacon
W.P. Logan Junior Deacon
Egbert Bagg Tyler
also present was William A. Beer
these made up the charter members of Ashlar Lodge.

At this meeting they appointed Pease, Sargent, and Olney to procure by-laws and designated December 21st as the first official meeting of the lodge.   On December 21st, two new petitions from John F. Duncombe and Hezekiah Beecher for membership were read.  John Duncombe became the first brother initiated by Ashlar Lodge on February 22, 1858.  Cyrus C. Carpenter was initiated on May 24th 1858, and was the first school teacher in Fort Dodge and later served as governor of the state of Iowa.

In  June 1858 the Grand Lodge of Iowa granted a charter to Ashlar Lodge. #111.    On July 9, 1858, Brother Samuel  M. Robbins acting under authority of James R. Hartsock Grand Master of Iowa convened Ashlar Lodge and installed the following elected officers.
Brother Egbert Bagg Worshipful Master
Brother S. B. Olney Senior Warden
Brother Henry Carse, Junior Warden
Brother Leiw M. Olcott, Treasurer
Brother William Williams, Secretary (served until 1862)
Brother W. A. Beer, Senior Deacon
Brother A. Morrison, Junior Deacon
Brother H. Beecher, Tyler.

e-mail Ashlar Lodge Secretary at - - - - - - dmackay@dodgenet.com

click here to take a tour Fort Dodge's Masonic Temple.

Year 2006 Officers

 Worshipful Master ........ Iain Mackay
  Senior Warden ............... Jack Nelson
  Junior Warden ................ Dan Brown
Treasurer ...................... Robert Irwin
Secretary .................... David Mackay
Chaplain ...................... Robert Martin
  Senior Deacon …........ Dwight Trampel
 Junior Deacon .................... Lee Casey
  Senior Steward ..............Kenn Anderson
 Junior Steward ............ James McNally
  Tyler .............................Fred Hampton 

Standing Committees

Charity Trustee -  Worshipful Master   -   Senior Warden   -   Junior Warden

Financial  -  Senior Warden   -   Junior Warden   -   Immediate Past Master

Membership  -  Senior Warden  - Senior Deacon  -   Junior Deacon  - all officers

Masonic Education  -  David Mackay (3yr)   Robert Irwin (2yr)   Dan Brown (1yr)

Year 2007 Schedule
January	4 - 7:30pm - STATED MEETING 6- 1:00pm Installation of 2007 officers 19-20 - 6:30pm - Young Masons’ night with games, videos, etc.
February	1 - 7:30pm - STATED MEETING 16-17 - 6:30pm - Young Masons’ night with games, videos, etc.
March	1 - 7:30pm - STATED MEETING 10 – French Toast Breakfast 16-17 - 6:30pm - Young Masons’ night with games, videos, etc.
April	5 – 7:30pm - STATED MEETING 7 - 8:00am -10:00am – French Toast Breakfast 13-14 - 6:30pm - Young Masons’ night with games, videos, etc.
May	3 - 7:30pm - STATED MEETING 11 - 7:30pm - Masonic Movie night 12 - 13 - 6:30pm - Young Masons’ night with games, videos, etc.
June	7 - 7:30pm - STATED MEETING 1, 2, 3 - Frontier Days Moon Walk 2 - 9:00 - Frontier Days Parade 15 - 16 - 6:30pm - Young Masons’ night with games, videos, etc.
July	summer break - (unless degree work and/or practice called) 13 – 14 - 6:30pm - Young Masons’ night with games, videos, etc.
August	summer break - (unless degree work and/or practice called) 17 – 18 - 6:30pm - Young Masons’ night with games, videos, etc.
September	6 - 6:30 - Steak fry - 7:30pm - STATED MEETING - Past Master’s Night 13-15 - Grand Lodge of Iowa, Sioux City Iowa 14 - 15 - 6:30pm - Young Masons’ night with games, videos, etc. 15 - Fort Dodge Fall Fest Moon Walk
October	4 - 7:30pm - STATED MEETING 11 - 6:00pm - possible Masonic Family and Community night 19 - 20 - 6:30pm - Young Masons’ night with games, videos, etc. 13 - 8:00am - 10:00am - pancake breakfast
November	1 - 7:30pm - STATED MEETING - Election of 2007 officers 16 - 17 - 6:30pm - Young Masons’ night with games, videos, etc. 22 - Have a Happy THANKSGIVING!
December	6 - 7:30pm - STATED MEETING 14 - 15 - 6:30pm - Young Masons’ night with games, videos, etc. 25 - Have a very merry CHRISTMAS!
January 2007	3 - 7:30pm - STATED MEETING ? - ? degrees to be planned

What is Masonry?

Freemasonry has been described as kindness in the home; honesty in business; courtesy toward others; dependability in one's work; compassion for the unfortunate; resistance to evil; help for the weak; concern for good government; support for public education; and above all, a life-practicing reverence for God and love of fellow man. It encourages good citizenship and political expression but is not a political organization. It's charitable activities are many, yet, it is not a welfare or benefit organization. Fifty years ago, a prominent Iowa Freemason referred to our Gentle Craft as "an organized association of men, symbolically applying the principles of operative Masonry and architecture to the science and art of character building."  That observation was true then--it is just as true today.

What are Membership requirements?

Twenty-two words from our Entered Apprentice Degree establish the most important prerequisite to becoming a Mason. ".. We receive none, knowingly, into our ranks who are not moral and upright before God and of good repute before the world...." Under Iowa Masonic law, a person seeking membership must be a man at least 18 years of age and a resident of Iowa for at least six months immediately prior to petitioning. Membership in the Masonic Fraternity must be of one's own free will and accord. 

Is Freemasonry a religion?

Religion can best teach a man faith, hope, and charity. Freemasonry reinforces those teachings and attempts to bring him closer to his God. Masonry is not a religion -- nor is it a substitute for or a rival of any doctrine. It is an aid to religious development in that it builds character and stresses righteousness. It is significant that many clergymen are active members of the Fraternity. A mason reveres, respects, and is tolerant of that which is sacred to his brother, be he Christian, Muhammadan, Jewish, or of another faith in God. The Fraternity is essentially an institution providing moral instruction. The rules of right conduct a member must follow are acceptable to all religions. 

Anyone interested in membership in the Masonic Lodge or wishes to learn more about this and related organizations may contact a friend who is a Mason or contact: Masonic Temple  1021 1st Ave. North  Fort Dodge, Ia 50501 phone 515 576-3201

Stated Meeting Schedule The 1st Thursday of each month excluding July and August at 7:30pm. Practice meetings and Special meetings are called when needed. Very often these are Thursday nights. Every Stated meeting is preceded by a dinner at 6:00pm.

	See also the following related pages:
	The Grand Lodge of Iowa, A.F. & A.M.
	www.IowaMasons.org
	www.Cornerstone.Initiative.com
	E-masonry (Masonry on the Web) includes the Philalethes (research) Society
	Aurora Chapter #311 Order of the Eastern Star Fort Dodge, Iowa
	IOWA York Rite Masonry
	Index to Masonic Information
	Our Community and more (fdstart)

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Space for this Web site provided courtesy of Dodgnet of Fort Dodge, IA. - This page last updated on 1/26/2005