Our Lodge
Springfield-Hanby Lodge No. 767 was formed as the result of a merger between Albert Thatcher Hanby Lodge No. 767 and Springfield Lodge No. 779 on December 27th, 1992. The official histories of each of these lodges is presented below.
The Building
Both lodges originally met at the Prospect Lodge building in Prospect Park. The current building was constructed by the Springfield Lodge shortly after the lodge was constituted. As well as the lodge room and Secretary's office, there is also a large activities room on the lower level with a banquet-capable kitchen, cloak room, and restrooms. The lower level can be rented for banquets and receptions.
History of Albert Thatcher Hanby Lodge #767
Albert Thatcher Hanby Lodge #767 is the result of what Brother Gilbert Roy Hosier D.D.G.M. of the 36th Masonic District perceived to be a great need because of the fact that the only Masonic Body in the area at the time was composed of about 1400 members and he believed that true brotherhood and close companionship was best derived from. a small organization.
On April 28, 1949, Brother Raymond K. Murray P.M. of Prospect Lodge #578 presented Brother Hosier to a group of Masons at a meeting in Prospect Masonic Temple. After the possibilities and obligations of forming a new lodge were presented, the eleven brethren present became the nucleus of a group that met throughout 1949 at Prospect Lodge #578 by invitation of the Worshipful Master at that time, Brother Howard C. Smith.
Officers elected by the group were, George C. (Chet) Cason, Chairman Richard A. Lacox, Secretary - Banner N. Christy, Treasurer. Past Masters Walter L. Moore, Edward C. Wasch and Brother Frank T. Stringer, all of Prospect Lodge #578, volunteered and were approved as instructors by the D.D.G.M.
Unfortunately, Brother Cason, who was to be the first Worshipful Master, was transferred by the company he worked for to Kansas City, Missouri in' November 1949 and although he became a member of Albert Thatcher Hanby Lodge on September 19, 1950, he resigned on December 21, 1971. He visited with several members of our Lodge in July of 1979 and presented them with several documents and pictures that were instrumental in the formation of Hanby Lodge. These and other gifts are preserved in the archives of Albert 'Thatcher Hanby Lodge.
After many meetings held throughout 1949, Albert Thatcher Hanby Lodge #767 was finally constituted on Saturday, January 28, 1950 at 2 P.M. by Brother William E. Yeager, Grand Master, and the officers of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania. There were 362 Masons present at the service and that is more than the membership of Hanby Lodge at present.
Thirty-four men were constituted Warrant Members and the installed officers were Pearson Hardee, Worshipful Master - C. Francis Sampson, Senior Warden - Howard C. Giles, Junior Warden - Pale S. Guthrie, LTreasurer - Richard A. . Lacox, Secretary - Robert L. Mills, Albert J. Simco and Howard R. Garrett, Trustees. Appointed officers were Banner N. Christy, Senior Deacon - Edward J. Dietrich, Junior Deacon - Elwood E. Schuckers, Senior M.C. - J. Fred Huber, Junior M.C. - Robert C. Palmore, Pursuivant - George S. Simon, Chaplain - Charles F. Kane, Wilbert C. Dubhorn Jr. and John H. Myers Jr. were Stewards. The first Tyler was Thomas J. Fitzsimmons, a member of Prospect Lodge #578.
The first meeting of Albert Thatcher Hanby Lodge #767 was held at Prospect Temple on February 21, 1950 and the Secretary, Richard A. Lacox, reported that 45 members and visitors were present. There were 10 Petitions for membership received and the By-Laws were presented and approved. Articles number five and six stated at that time, the fee for membership and initiation shall be $140.00 and the dues will be $10.00 yearly. The treasurer’s balance at the first meeting was $417.16, by the end of the year it was $2408.66. Rent at the time was $50.00, Postage was about $2.00 a month, printing about $13.00, a Past Masters Apron cost $22.00, and a Past Masters Jewel cost $43.50. By the end of the year, postage wasabout $5.00 a month and printing was about $23.00 and the membership had increased to 50 members.
The first candidate initiated in Hanby Lodge was Edgar T. Morrison March 21, 1950 and the degree was conferred. The first election of officers was held on December 19, 1950 and those elected were Worshipful Maker, C. Francis Sampson - Senior Warden, Howard C. Giles Junior Warden, Robert L. Mills - Treasurer, Dale S. Guthrie - Secretary, Richard A. Lacox - Three Trustees, Albert J. Simko - Howard R. Garrett - Erving B. Lord, and the first Representative in the Grand Lodge was Pearson Hardee P.M. The first reference to aPast Masters Night was by the Worshipful Master of 1952, Howard C. Giles, on November 18th, and Brother George Bunting 33° was the guest speaker: The first member other than a Warrant Member, to be elected Junior Warden was Brooks R. Sunday on December 18, 1953. There were many gifts presented to Hanby Lodge at the time of its constitution by other organizations and also individuals, many of which are still in use today.
History of Springfield Lodge No. 779
On March 8, 1956, Springfield Lodge No. 779, Free and Accepted Masons, was constituted under the Jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania in ceremonies held at the Chester Masonic Temple.
Presiding was Brother Charles H. Nitsch, Right Worshipful Grand Master of The Right Worshipful Grand Lodge of the Most Ancient and Honorable Fraternity of Free and Accepted Masons of Pennsylvania.
One hundred and thirty warrant members were present, representing 73 different lodges, including 62 Pennsylvania Lodges, one Canadian Province Lodge and nine from other jurisdictions covering Virginia, Massachusetts, Delaware, Illinois, District of Columbia, New York, Missouri, North Carolina and New Jersey.
Before this historic ceremony took place, many months had been devoted by members of the Tom Carlisle Club of Springfield, a local Masonic Club, into the investigation and formulation of plans of starting a Masonic Lodge in the Township of Springfield.
The initial committee was composed of Brothers H. Walter Hersker, John J. Bell and Walter J. Hall. The initial exploratory meetings were conducted under the guidance of Brother Walter L. Moore, District Deputy Grand Master and Brother. Gilbert Roy Hosler, Past District Deputy Grand Master.
The first officers of Springfield Lodge No. 779 were: Brothers Robert L. Clark, Worshipful Master; John J. Bell, Senior Warden; H. Walter Hersker, Junior Warden; William W. Butler, Treasurer; Henry R. Sotter, Secretary and Kimber E. Vought, Frederic W. Jardine and Donald F. Eastman, Trustees.
Various committees were designated to prepare the By-Laws, consider finance, furniture, printing and meeting places.
The initial meeting place of the new lodge was designated as the building owned by Prospect Park Lodge No. 578, which helped launch Springfield Lodge by offering a period of free rent and later a month-to-month lease until such time as we could obtain our own building.
At the first stated meeting of Springfield Lodge No. 779 held on March 19, 1956, at Prospect Park, various permanent appointments to lodge posts and committees were made; 14 petitions for initiation and membership were received and the By-Laws were read for the first time, and adopted at the meeting of April 16, 1956.
The next major event in the history of the Lodge took place on May 21, 1956, when it accepted a gift of land, through the untiring efforts of Brother Frederic W. Jardine, on Woodland Avenue, in Springfield Township, from Edward Walsh, and made plans to form a non-profit corporation to go forth with plans for construction of the present building.
The first annual banquet of the Lodge was held at the Springfield Township Building on March 9, 1957, with 135 members and guests in attendance, and Brother George B. Beitzel of Mount Horeb Lodge No. 528, as the guest speaker.
Monies for the construction of the new building were raised by pledges, pancake day, selling azalea plants, band concerts and donations from friends. The committee appointed to draw the plans and supervise the construction of the new building were John J. Bell, Chairman; E. Gerald Young, Vice Chairman; Charles S. Lindauer, Treasurer; Raymond C. Wagner, Secretary; David C. Lewis, Design Engineer assisted by George S. Milne, Sr., George S. Milne, Jr., -Albert C. Strobel and Kimber E. Vought, Esquire.
After many months of visiting other new lodge buildings thru the states of New Jersey, Delaware and Pennsylvania as far west as Hanover, the final plans were completed and accepted by both Springfield Lodge No. 779 and the Grand Lodge of F. & A. M. of Pennsylvania. Ground was broken November 5, 1960 and on September 18, 1961 the first stated meeting of Springfield Lodge No. 779 was held in our new building, 400 W. Woodland Ave., Springfield, Pa. with E. Gerald Young as Worshipful Master.
The construction of the building was under the supervision of George S. Milne, Jr. assisted by his Father, George S. Milne, Sr. with the aid of many members and friends who donated their talent and material free of charge that when the building was completed the total cost was less than $60,000.00 less furnishings.
The building is owned and operated thru the Corporate name Springfield Masonic Hall Association. Nine members are elected from the membership of Springfield Lodge No. 779 as directors who in turn elect their officers each year who supervise and manage the operation of the building.
Springfield Lodge No. 779 will celebrate it's 20th Anniversary on March 8, 1976 with a membership of 459 members.