Nevada Masonic Lodge No. 4

 

History Written by Worshipful Brother Roy F. Weingarten, PM

            What will a man not do for gold? No obstacle is too great, no hardship too severe when there is a reasonable hop that gold may be had for the taking. The streams and hills of Colorado have yielded many fortunes for the hardy adventures who went after them. The search for gold is the story of early Colorado and the story of early Colorado is the story of Masonry in Colorado and Nevada Lodge No. 4.

            Ten years after the golden sands of California called in 1848, another wave of excitement, augmented by the success of California, carried eastward. Gold had been discovered at Pike's Peak and the "Prairie Schooner" with its "Pike's Peak or Bust" slogan came to the Rockies. Men flocked to this part of the country, always in search of gold. They first settled at the junction of Cherry Creek and the Platte River which location was then known merely as the "Pike's Peak Region," or "Cherry Creek", Kansas Territory. This settlement was named Auraria while the settlement on the other side of Cherry Creek was named Denver City. In 1860 the two towns were consolidated under the name Denver City.

            Through the first days of May in 1859, in a bleak and desolate gulch high up in the mountains, a lone and weary prospector slowly worked his way, looking, searching, digging and panning. Then on the 6th day of May, this man, John Gregory by name, found a deposit of the precious metal about forty miles up the mountains to the west.

            As newcomers swelled the population along the rivers and streams of the area, communities sprung up. Eventually, these towns were in such close proximity that they became indiscernible, on from the other. These early towns just happened. They were not laid out by the city planners but by stakes claims and these outcroppings of civilization included such names as Blackhawk, Bates, Bald Mountain, Nevada City, Bobtail, Gregory, Mammoth, Cast, Gunnell, Nevadaville, Central City and Quartz. Over a period of time, these communities evolved into three settlements - Blackhawk, Central City and Nevadaville.

            It should not be inferred that miners were the only ones attracted by a gold discovery. There were five distinct classes of people who rushed to the site of a new strike. First is the prospector or miner who discovers and takes the precious metal from the earth. Second is the merchant who sells his supplies or services fro the miner's "dust" in the legitimate trade. This class also includes the Lawyer, doctor, preacher, builder, freighter, law enforcement official and laborer. The third class is the saloon keeper, who furnishes the "firewater" so often the cause of trouble. Closely allied to the saloon keeper is the fourth class, the gambler, who by his wits and nimble fingers separates the miner from his newly gained wealth. The last is the motley crowd, the thief, the highwayman and the murderer. These are the ones who wait until the miner or merchant who accumulates a "pile" and then go in and take it by force. There is yet a sixth group, small in numbers, which later comes on the scene and which exhibits the attributes of the several other classes from a position of seeming respectability and always within the law, one of this class seeks, through loans, followed by foreclosures of mortgages, to secure possession of property at a small price and sells at a big profit.

            By 1859 these settlements included permanent business, homes, schools and churches. When people are removed from their roots, they tend to seek others with similar roots, and so it was with the Brotherhood of Masonry. Many of these men were Masons away from their hometown, probably for the first time in their lives. What then would be more natural than that they should seek out their Brethren in the new community. Thus the first meeting of Masonic Brethren, in Nevada City, Kansas Territory, is believed to have been held at Ira H. Morton's cabin, in the latter part of 1859. Here several Men let it be known that they were Master Masons and petitioned the Grand Lodge of Kansas to establish a Lodge. After communicating by mail and meeting with the Grand Lodge of Kansas Territory, which took several months, Nevada Lodge received a warrant from the Grand Lodge of Kansas Territory December 22, 1860. George Fairchild, Grand Master, signed the warrant at Atchison, Kansas. Among the petitioners for the warrant were Brothers Andrew Mason, J.W. Guest, W.H. Grafton and others.

            In the early days of 1861 John Milton Chivington, destined to be the first Grand Master of Colorado, arrived as the presiding elder of the Methodist Church. Grand Chaplain of Nebraska at the time, he supposedly brought blank dispensations for Lodges with him. Dispensations from Nebraska resulted in Summit Lodge at Parkville (near Breckenridge) and Rocky Mountain Lodge at Gold Hill (near Boulder).

                   Following the recognition of the "Territory of Colorado" by the federal government in February 1861, sentiment for a local Grand Lodge developed. The three chartered Lodges - Golden City No. 34 of Kansas jurisdiction, Summit Lodge No. 7 and Rocky Mountain Lodge No. 8 of Nebraska jurisdiction - formed the Grand Lodge of Colorado on August 2, 1861. Nevada Lodge holding that the Grand Master of Nebraska, in instituting Lodges in Colorado Territory was an infringement on the Grand Lodge of Kansas refused (upon invitation) to join in the convention for organizing a Grand Lodge.

            The Grand Lodge of Kansas, seemingly unaware of the formation of the new Grand Lodge due to slow communications of the time, issued charter No. 36 to Nevada Lodge U.D. and charter No. 37 to Auraria Lodge U.D. on October 15, 1861. At Colorado's first annual Grand Lodge communication December 10, 1861, Nevada Lodge surrendered its Kansas charter and asked for a Colorado charter which was issued as Nevada Lodge No. 4. The Nevada Lodge Brethren are said to have delayed until this time to satisfy themselves about jurisdictional regularity.

            Grand Master Fairchild appointed Andrew Mason as Worshipful Master, I.H. Morton as Senior Warden and James Dyke as Junior Warden. There were 33 charter members: Andrew Mason, PM; A.L. Miller; J.W. Chiles; J.W. Guest, PM; C.S. Albott; F.D. Darlington; I.J. Peck; John H. Adams; I.H. Morton; James Gibson; W. Pritihech; C.A. Clark; James Dyke; C.H. Morgan; N.H Gaines; D.D. Crum; A.D. Gambell; A.J. Van Deren; William C. Jones; N.H. Boswell; Seymore L Angell; A. Marshall; J.W. Nesmith; G.A. Smith; James Clark; E.W. Henderson; L.M. Chase; J.M. Van Deren; W.L. Sawtell; John Osten, Jr.; I.B. Brunele; and John S. Mason.

            The first meeting of Nevada Lodge U.D. was held January 12, 1861 at which time a committee consisting of James Dyke, A.L. Miller and W.K. Boswell was appointed to draft resolutions for the government of the Lodge. The Lodge held its meetings in the upper room of the building owned by Ira H. Morton and met there continually until the town of Nevada burned in September of 1861. The Lodge held no regular meetings in September and October of that year. In November they began meeting in Central City until the Lodge built a second story Lodge room over the store of L.L. Welch. On February 8, 1862 the Lodge held their regular meeting in their newly purchased Lodge hall which was just west of the Lodge hall currently in use at the present time.

            At the next meeting of Nevada Lodge U.D., held January 26, 1861, the following resolutions were presented and adopted. This Lodge shall be known as Nevada Lodge U.D.A.F. & A.M. The annual communication of this Lodge shall be held on the regular meeting next preceding the festival of St. John the Evangelist. The regular communications of this Lodge shall be held on the 2nd and 4th Saturday of each month to-writ from the 20th of Sept. to the 20th of March at 7 o'clock p.m. and from the 20th of March to the 20th of Sept. at 7 1/2 o'clock p.m.

            The first man raised in Nevada Lodge U.D. was J.W. Ratliff on the fourth day of March 1861. The first special communication of Nevada Lodge U.D. was held on the 20th day of April 1861 for the purpose of conferring the 1st and 2nd degree. The first Masonic funeral was conferred upon Brother A.F. Stoddard on July 20, 1861. The Lodge was subsequently presented with a bill in the amount of $30 for his coffin.

            Electricity was introduced into Central City in 1888 and on November 22, 1890 a bill was received from The Gilpin County L.H. Power Co. for $4.40 for wiring the hall and one half months light to November 1.

            Charges were preferred against Brother Azel D. Galbraith on April 9, 1904 and trial was ordered for May 14, 1904 for the murder of his wife and child. A motion was made and carried that the Brethren from Russell constitute a committee to look after the remains of Mrs. Galbraith and son. May 14, 1904 a motion was made and carried to permit visiting Brethren to remain during the trial of Azel Galbraith. Charges as were previously preferred against A.D. Galbraith were read and a ballot ordered. Whereupon by a majority ballot he was duly expelled from all the rights and privileges of the Masonic Fraternity. The accused having admitted his guilt, a motion was made and carried to make the same publicly known.

            The low price of gold and the lack of sufficient water in the town of Nevadaville began to decline appreciably. Requests for assistance were turned down for lack of funds. In 1905 they raised their dues to $4.00 per year in an effort to meet their responsibilities and in 1915 they lowered their dues back to $2.00 per year in an effort not to lose all their members.

            In 1917 a committee was appointed to confer with the county in regard to a reduction in taxes on the building. Also on December 8th at the annual meeting all Officers simply retained their stations and places. In 1921 only four meetings were held for the entire year and there was no election or Installation of Officers. Again in 1923 there was no election or Installation of Officers, all Officers simply remained in their same stations. The Lodge barely existed during the 1920's, 30's and 40's, after which Masons from Denver started to join the Lodge.

            One highlight for Masonry in Gilpin County on June 17, 1933 a dedication ceremony was held by the Grand Lodge for a monument placed on the site where the first Masonic building was erected at Mountain City. This site is located where the road forks going into Central City. Nevada Lodge No. 4, Central Lodge No. 6 and Blackhawk Lodge No. 11 hold an annual pilgrimage to the monument which began in 1942 with Most Worshipful Brother Benjamin C. Hilliard, Grand Master of Masons in Colorado, together with Grand Lodge Officers from Colorado, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma and California. This pilgrimage is still held annually in July, at the time of this writing (2002), after the ceremony at the monument at Mountain City, lunch is served in Nevadaville. They then join with the Boulder Lodges for the tour to the monuments at Ward and Gold Hill, then on to Halls Ranch in Lyons for a barbecue dinner and open air meeting.

            During the lean years of the 20's, 30's and 40's there was continued problems with vandalism and on October 10, 1936 when they arrived at the Lodge building, they found it had been broken into again and the Tiler's sword, jewels, globes on the pedestals and many other articles were missing. In June of 1937 it was moved, seconded and carried that the windows be boarded up. From June 1937 to March 8, 1941 seven meetings were held. It was at that time they moved, seconded and was carried that the electricity be shut off and arrangements be made with Central Lodge No. 6 to meet in Central City. On July 18, 1942 they met in Central City for the first time after closing the Temple in Nevadaville. A motion was made, seconded and carried, on January 19, 1949 that the Lodge hold one more meeting in the old building in Nevadaville. No date was designated and no further evidence was recorded that they held another meeting in Nevadaville.

            April 22, 1950 Brother William Russell, Jr. stated that Mt. Sky Holman of Central City had made an offer to purchase the building in Nevadaville for $1,000. The matter was thoroughly discussed and a motion was made, seconded and carried that the Trustees be authorized to make the deal with Mr. Holman, nothing but the building to be conveyed. All furniture, including the stone on the front of the building is to remain property of the Lodge. Because of the price and the removal of the stone on the front of the building, the deal fell through and the building was not sold. Later in the same year another discussion was had on the possibility of rehabilitating the building in Nevadaville and again no action was taken.

            The Lodge gave the Worshipful Master, Arthur Mayham, a vote of thanks for donating a triangle and railroad spike for use in the conferral of the third degree to designate low twelve in the second section. This triangle is still being used in the Lodge, at the present time, in the second section of the third degree.

            All during the 1950's many discussions was had on the possibility of rehabilitating the Temple in Nevadaville. At the regular meeting held on January 23, 1965, a debate on the Lodge hall in Nevadaville ensued and after lengthy discussion, a committee was appointed to explore the possibility of having a meeting in Nevadaville for the purpose of raising funds to preserve the building. March 13th the committee reported that Grand Master John Wesch and Grand Secretary Harry Bundy would visit the building in Nevadaville to approve the possibility of having a meeting in Nevadaville. Approval for the meeting was given, clean up and preparations began. On June 19, 1965 the first annual ghost town meeting was held with 14 members and 80 visitors. The largest attendance at a ghost town meeting was on June 15, 1968 when the Masters Club of Denver Area Masonic Officers Association conferred the Master Mason degree. There were 160 Brothers in attendance at this meeting with 20 sitting Masters, 35 Colorado Lodges and 13 out of State Lodges represented. Preservation progressed so well that restoration began and is currently still in progress (as of 2002). The annual ghost town meeting is currently being held on the first Saturday of June each year.

            On April 22, 1972 it was reported that plans for Henry Ress night was finalized. Brother Ress was Master of Nevada Lodge No. 4 in 1938 and 1944 and served as Secretary for twenty-five years. Brother Henry was probably the man and Mason most responsible for the continued existence of the Lodge during the lean years after gold mining diminished, during and after the Depression and until after World War II when Masonry again began to increase. It was reported on that same night that Brother Henry suffered a stroke, and on April 26th Brother Henry was buried on the 50th Anniversary of his Masonic career.

            The first heating system to be installed in the Temple after the restoration began was in May of 1973. In March of 1974 Brother Weingarten announced that 150 folding chairs were purchased from El Jebel Shrine at $1.00 each for use at Nevadaville  and also several ten foot tables donated by the Shrine. Also, a piano was donated by Westminster Lodge No. 176. The pressure and storage system for the water supply was installed in April of 1975. All water that is used in the building has to be hauled in and renovations have been made several times on the storage capacity. Prior to installing the pressure system, a gravity system was used from fifty gallon barrel on a truck behind the building.

            Brother Walt Harris installed the steel beam in the dinning room on April 9, 1977 with the assistance of many of the men that he worked with in the steel business. This was the beginning of plans to replace the floor and install a fireplace in the dinning room in an effort to hold a centennial celebration  for the building. A centennial celebration was held on October 6, 1979 with a dinner dance at $25 a couple. A duplicate dinner ticket, from the dedication of the Temple in 1879, was given to each person that attended the centennial dinner dance celebration.

            The metal ceiling in the Lodge room is not original and was installed in 1985. The wallpaper in the Lodge room is original and some touch up work was done to repair the bullet holes on the North wall. The kitchen was enlarged and a commercial stove and hood, donated by Denver Chapter No. 2 Royal Arch Masons, was installed in the year 1990.

            Nevada Lodge now meets on a regular basis in the Temple in Nevadaville on the second and fourth Saturday of the month. The Lodge is dark January, February and March. The annual ghost town meeting, breakfast and the Gold Country Actual Past Master Association are the main fundraisers.

For More Information on Nevada Lodge No. 4:

• Email them at info@nevadamasoniclodge4.org.
• Visit their website at nevadamasoniclodge4.org.
• Call them at (830) 240-2442.

Sources:

~ Written history was by WB Roy F. Weingarten, PM. Only changes made to text were grammatical corrections. Some parts of WB Weingarten's history were not included such as excerpts from minutes, resolutions, etc. If interested in reading his entire written history, go to nevadamasoniclodge4.org/about.

~ Pictures of Lodge building and Lodge room were obtained from Google Images.