Lodge History
In 1817 a number of Masons residing at Oswego
intrusted a petition to the Grand Lodge for
a warrant, together with the required fee,
to a messenger to deliver to the Grand Secretary
at New York. Who the messenger was is unknown,
but her was an impostor and destroyed the
petition after converting the fee to his
own use. The following year a new petition
was prepared and signed by Nathan Sage, Mathew
McNair, Elias Trowbridge, John Rogers, Eli
Parsons, B. Spencer, Sam Carter and Peter
D. Hugunin. September 21st, 1819, a warrant
was issued to Oswego Lodge, No. 326 F. & A. M. by M. W. DeWitt Clinton, GM.
On January 5th, 1820, RW Emory Osgood formally
instituted the lodge and installed its officers.
John Grant, Jr. was the first Master and
Peter D. Huguiin and Mathew McNair were the
first Wardens. During the Morgan troubles
and Anit-Masonry period, the lodge was forced
to suspend work and on June 7th, 1832, its
warrant was declared forfeited by the Grand
Lodge, but was never surrendered.
Very little is known concerning the early
history of the Lodge, as its warrant, records,
furniture, lights and jewels are missing.
The communications of the Lodge were held
on the west side of the river, where it had
a Masonic Hall, the exact whereabouts of
which are unknown.
Oswego Lodge was revived July 2, 1847, when
MW John D Willard, GM, issued a dispensation
to Mathew McNair, WM; P.F. Parsons, SW; Philo
Stevens, JW; and Edwin W. Clark, Elias Trowbridge,
S. Freeman, Stephen Bentley, Orlo Steele,
M. P. Hatch, James Bickford, and S.C. Peck,
authorizing them to meet and convene as Oswego Lodge, No. 127 F. & A. M.February 8th, 1848, RW Ezra W. Barnum, JGW.,
presented the warrant formally, instituted
the lodge, and installed its officers. Two
of the charter members Mathew McNair and
Elias Trowbridge, were charter members of
Oswego Lodge, No. 326. Oswego Lodge was the mother of Frontier City Lodge, No. 422, instituted in 1857, and Aeonian Lodge, No. 679, instituted in 1858.
From 1847 to February 19, 1856, regular communications
were held twice a month and after that every
Tuesday evening. Four thousand and seven
hundred twenty-four regular communications
have been held since 1847.
The Lodge first had its home in a building
at the corner of West First and Cayuga streets.
In 1849, it met for ten nights in the Odd
Fellows' Hall, corner of West First and Market
Streets, and then moved into the Bickford
building, 173 West First Street, where it
remained until November, 1854, when it moved
into the Hungerford building, 7 East Bridge
Street.
On May 2, 1876, Oswego Lodge, No. 127 moved to the Masonic Temple on the corner
of East Bridge and East First Streets which
it purchased in 1910 for $410.
Frontier City Lodge, No. 422 held their meetings, for many years, in
a building which they owned at 149 West First
Street.
Aeonian Lodge, No. 679, also held their meetings in this building
for a time. On February 28, 1946, Grand Master
Charles A Froessel gave his permission to
Frontier City and Aeonian Lodges to meet
permanently in the Masonic Temple owned by
Oswego Lodge, No. 127. Frontier City Lodge immediately disposed of its building and
furniture. The furniture is now in use by
the Hannibal Lodge, No. 550.
After much discussion during the years 1958
and 1959, Oswego Lodge, No 127, Frontier City Lodge,
No 422, and Aeonian Lodge, No. 679, agreed to consolidate into one lodge. Approval
for consolidation of these three lodges was
granted by MW. Carol W. Peterson, Grand Master,
the new lodge to be known as Lake City Lodge, No. 127.
Permission was also granted empowering Lake City Lodge, No. 127 to hold an election of officers, December
27th, 1960. The first master was W Howard
D. Dice.
Because of an urban renewal development by
the City of Oswego which included the Masonic
Hall, a building committee was appointed
on October 8th, 1963. The Lodge voted at
the November 12th, 19634 meeting to purchase
a five acre parcel of land on Route 104 East,
in the City of Oswego as a possible site.
Many old buildings were investigated but
none were found suitable. Preliminary building
plans were drawn up by a Syracuse firm of
architects but proved to be too costly. Notice
to vacate the temple was given by Urban Renewal
officials and the last meeting was held at
2 East Bridge Street on Tuesday, February
22, 1966.
Arrangements had previously been made with
Oswego Lodge of Elks to rent their lodge
room, where meetings were held from March
8th, 1966 until July 23rd, 1968. During this
period some degrees were conferred in Fulton,
Hannibal and Mexico.
Samuel G. Castaldo, of Castaldo Construction
of Oswego, Inc., prepared preliminary plans
for a new Masonic Temple and presented them
to the building committee. After many meetings
and final approval by the Lodge, a ground
breaking ceremony was held at the site on
November 5th, 1967. The first meeting and
a Second Degree were held in the new building
August 13, 1968.
After 25 years of successful fraternal operations
at the Route 104 property, the Lodge was
facing the twin problems of a deteriorating
building and rising taxes. During the late
1980's and early 90's, a significant financial
investment was made to maintain the integrity
of the roof and other facets of the building.
Efforts to reduce operating costs, yielded
some results but by 1996, it became apparent
to the active Brothers that drastic action
was required.
The building was leased to Taylor Rental
in 1997 and for the next eight years the
Lodge met in several locations including
Grace Church, Oswego; Hiram Lodge, Fulton
and finally at Haniball Lodge. During that
period, efforts to sell the property were
made without results. Meanwhile, the lease
allowed the Lodge to continue its Masonic
work. In 2004, the building at 765 East Seneca
was purchased by the Trustees, let by Edwin
Miller, DSA. Through the efforts of nearly
25 active Brothers a new Lodge room as lovingly
constructed in Oswego.
On September 13th, 2005, W Kevin Dice presided
over the first meeting in the newest Oswego
Masonic Hall. Later that fall, Grand Matron
Ruth Howe and her officers dedicated the
hall for Lack City Chapter No. 352, O.E.S.
By January 2006, Lake Ontario Chapter, No.
165, RAM had returned home to Oswego as well.
As 2006 dawned, the first class of Entered
Apprentices were initiated in the new Hall.
Design and early work by the Brothers is
underway on the dining room, kitchen, lounge
and other portions of the 21st Century Oswego
Masonic Hall. On April 25, 2006, at the 5,555th
communication of Lake City Lodge #127, the
first new class of Master Masons were raised
in due and ancient form.
RW Harry J Frazier was appointed DDGM-Oswego
District for 2006-2008 by Grand Master Neal
I Bidnick.
