A History

Early in the year 1868 the following members of Allen Lodge No. 276, F. & A.M. of Columbiana, Ohio, Brothers George Lamb, Benjamin F. Sheets, John F. Stacy, Samuel F. Eaton, Martin Koch, Hugh Laughlin, Barnard D. Sheets, Ferd Overlander, Isaac Cress, James Fitsimmons, Charles Shook, Stephen C. Palmer, Hugh Garrett, John Tritt, Edward P. Young, Seth Meek and James J. Sheets, did petition the Grand Lodge, F. & A.M. of Ohio, for a Dispensation, with the object of forming a Lodge of Masons in East Palestine.

The petition was granted, under which these brethren labored until October 21, 1868, when a Charter was granted them, the Lodge to be called East Palestine Lodge No. 417, F. & A.M.

The first Master of this new Lodge was Brother George Lamb, who had also served Allen Lodge No. 276 in Columbiana as Master in 1858, 1862, 1863, & 1864.

In the years that followed, rent was paid to James Boyce and Charles Beyer, members of the Unity Township School District Board, for rental of one of the rooms in the old Wood Street School Building. About 1882 rent was paid to George Renshaw, who was the original owner of what was later known as the Ryan Building on West Main Street.

On May 18, 1898, East Palestine Lodge moved from the Ryan Building to the Smith & Crawford Building, with MWB Nelson Williams, Grand Master, dedicating the Lodge. The Lodge remained here until June of 1919 when we moved to the Forb Chamberlin Building. At that time Brother John H. Irwin was Master, and this Hall was dedicated to Masonry September 17, 1919, by Brother J. Frank Flower of East Liverpool, acting as Grand Master. Up until this time East Palestine Lodge grew from the original petitioners to a membership of 360. It is interesting to note that on the same date our charter was granted (October 21, 1868), the Grand Lodge also chartered twenty-four other lodges, numbering in all from 398 through No. 422. Among these lodges chartered the same day were Leetonia Lodge No. 401, Orange Lodge No. 406, Sandy Valley Lodge No. 408, and East Palestine Lodge No. 417, all of the 24th Masonic District.

During the past decade there had been agitation among East Palestine members to build or buy a permanent home for the Lodge. Nothing concrete was done until 1947, when Brother E. V. Lackner became Master of the Lodge, and a committee of twenty members was appointed, headed by Brother Roy R. Spanabel, to inquire into the feasibility of the proposal to build or buy a home. A letter was sent to the members, asking if they were in favor of the idea, and if so, would they assist in the raising of funds to do so.

The response was encouraging, and some money was collected, but the majority of the members wanted some concrete plan before they would take part in the fund raising. Contributions came in slowly, and interest waned before there was much in the fund, although some members continued making small donations to the fund.

Each succeeding Master appointed a Temple Committee, buy activity was limited. This continued until 1954 when thee Master, J.C. Brown, was approached by J. J. Budd about East Palestine Lodge purchasing the Logan Building. Because time made the situation critical, Brothers Carlyle Brown and George Dickson, Trustees, took action to insure purchase of the building, if membership wished, by taking a 30-day option, paying $500.00 in so doing. This was done because time was necessary for notification of the entire membership, notification and approval of Grand Lodge for the same, and a decision rendered by each. Because of the urgency, and the opportunity to purchase the building at a figure believed very advantageous, Brothers Carlyle Brown and George Dickson personally furnished the option money of $500.00, hoping that East Palestine Lodge members, and Grand Lodge, would approve it. For this the membership of the Lodge owes these two brethren a great vote of thanks.

At the next sated meeting of the Lodge the option was offered to the members, and a motion was passed requesting the Grand Lodge’s permission to purchase the building for $50,000.00. Grand Lodge’s approval was obtained and the members of East Palestine enthusiastically backed the idea, both with their donations and their labor. Much of the work of remodeling was done by members contributing their time and effort for their Masonic Home, and help also from the other affiliated bodies was gratefully received.

Sunday, August 12, 1956, East Palestine Lodge No. 417 is Dedicated to Masonry by MWB Frank W. Nicholas, Grand Master. Worshipful Master Howard F. Stacy along with his officers, J. Carlyle Brown, Sr. - President of the Masonic Temple Association & large amount of Brethren from East Palestine and the surrounding Lodge’s were present.

East Palestine stayed at their home are Market St. until March 12, 2020. By this point East Palestine Lodge had sold their building due to skyrocketing costs for the upkeep a building takes. They were paying rent to the new owner and had worked out a deal that would incur them very low rent for over 5 years. By late 2019 is was time for East Palestine Lodge to end their renting of the Lodge that they’d been at for 64 years.

There was a committee was Past Masters and concerned Brethren who continually searched for properties that could house us or land opportunities to build a new Lodge. The opportunity did come to build but after looking into the cost effectiveness of the build it was quickly taken off the docket. Eventually, members of the Lutheran Church on 87 West Grant St. who were also members of the East Palestine Order of the Eastern Star reached out that their building would be available in the near future and they’d like it go to someone who would keep it in its best shape. Once again letters were sent out to the Brethren who almost completely agreed that we should purchase the Lutheran Church and the process began.

In the meantime East Palestine Lodge No. 417 & Worshipful Master Jonathan McElroy held its final Stated meeting on March 12, 2020 as a candlelit only meeting. This was a sad and joyous occasion in the Lodge. Sad that it was an end of an era in East Palestine Lodge history and joyous as the Grand Lodge had agreed to us purchasing the Lutheran Church for $74,000.00.

While we waited for paperwork to be filed and work to begin on renovating the new Lodge we moved back from Whence We Came to Allen Lodge No. 276. The Brothers at Allen Lodge were more then willing to welcome us back with open arms while we waited on the church to become ours.

We took possession of the Lutheran Church in March of 2021 but decided that we would not hold our meeting there until the Lodge room was completed. Work immediately began as WB Wade Baer’s auction company Baer Auctioneers-Realty auctioned off the last items of the Church. Carpet was immediately removed and a rough layout of our new flood design was provided by RWB Jim Hall. Many Brethren gave their evenings and weekends in the next few months to build the Lodge room in the fashion that we’d wanted. We are indebted to Bro. Bryan Weigle for his skill in building as he worked continually on the stands, steps, and anything else that needed constructing. The goal had been set that June 12, 2021 would be our Opening of the Lodge and work went at a fever pitch. Carpet came in and we decorated the Lodge in the final week before it opened.

June 12, 2021 East Palestine Lodge No. 417 has its first meeting at their newly purchased and renovated Lutheran Church. The evening was a triumph that would have over 100 Masons present of which 20 were Past Masters of East Palestine Lodge No. 417, 12 were either Current or Past District Deputy Grand Masters, Past Right Eminent Grand Commander of the Grand Commandery of Ohio Richard J. Brady, MWB Richard Dickerscheid, current Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Ohio, MWB Keith W. Newton, current Grand Secretary of the Grand Lodge of Ohio & Past Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Ohio 2021, and MWB Jess N. Raines, Past Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Ohio 2o19 were all present. MWB Richard Dickerscheid was present an Honorary Membership to East Palestine Lodge No. 417 by WB Chris Tyger that evening as well.

However it would not be until July 30, 2023 that East Palestine Lodge No. 417’s Lodge room would be Dedicated to Freemasonry. In the time leading up to this moment East Palestine’s Lodge was kept running by a Dispensation filed each year by our District Deputy until an opening for our Dedication. MWB Steve Grindle and the majority of the Grand Lodge Officers were in attendance with a few fill ins from the District Officers to Dedicate East Palestine Lodge No. 417 to Masonry! MWB Steve Grindle was given an Honorary Membership to East Palestine as well, making him the 4th Grand Master to have that honor.

East Palestine Lodge has continued on since that day pushing the boundaries of Masonry and furthering the touch of our Light in the community and in our own hearts. Although we are not at our all time high of 360 members, we do currently have a membership roster of 230 which has shown consistent gains year after year.