HISTORY OF MANSFIELD
LODGE #36
Mansfield Lodge was
organized under dispensation of the Grand Lodge granted August
23, 1814. the first meeting was held August 31, 1814 in the
Washington House, in the township of Mansfield Of Sussex County
with Caleb Dusenberry Esq. as Worshipful Master. Neither
Washington Borough nor Warren County had yet come into Being.
Warren County was established in 1825 and Washington Borough in
1868. On October 31, Brothers Dusenberry and Col. R. Thompson
were Appointed to attend the Grand Lodge and Trenton and present
the Petition for a warrant to establish a regular lodge. The
petition was Presented to the Grand Lodge on November 7, 1814.
The Grand Lodge acted on the petition, granted and issued the
warrant on November 8, 1814 Mansfield Lodge #31 by Most
Worshipful Grand Master Aaron D. Woodruff. The number of members
on October 1815 was 31. By the end of 1818. Mansfield Lodge had
46 members. On March 1, 1855 the number of the lodge changed to
36. At the present date, Mansfield Lodge nearly 300, members.
Mansfield Lodge met at the Washington House for some time and
then moved to the Beatty Building (better known as the First
Union Bank of Washington). On September 27, 1969 the cornerstone
was laid at our own new Temple on Rt. 31 North and is known as
the Hiram Unity Temple. We shared the facility With Oxford
Lodge No. 127 until 1980 when Oxford Lodge merged with Mansfield
Lodge.
