PAXTON LODGE #16
PAXTON LODGE #16
410 NORTH HARRISBURG STREET
STEELTON, PENNSYLVANIA 17113
(717) 939-8863
We meet the second Tuesday of each month at 8:00 p.m.
2004 - 2005 OFFICERS OF PAXTON LODGE #16
ELECTED OFFICERS
Worshipful Master..............................LaVon A. Postelle
Senior Warden.....................................Orlando Putman
Junior Warden.........................................Dan Wright
Secretary......................................Derek Lewis, P.M.
Treasurer...................................Wilmer Phoenix, P.M.
APPOINTED OFFICERS
Senior Deacon........................................Isom Mobley
Junior Deacon.....................................Jonathan Clark
Senior Steward..........................................
Junior Steward...................................
Chaplain..................................Douglas P. Johnson, PM
Marshall............................................James Womack
Tyler..................................William J. Stanback, P.M.
Earl C. Abrams
Most Worshipful Grand Master
Of the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania
Michael R. Cooley, Sr., PM
Worshipful District Deputy Grand Master
Fifth Masonic District
HISTORY OF PAXTON LODGE 16 OF STEELTON, PENNSYLVANIA
PAXTON Lodge #16, of STEELTON, Pennsylvania is subordinate to the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania and is the oldest of the subordinate lodges situated outside the city of Philadelphia. With the exception of a period between 1885 and 1899, PAXTON Lodge has had unbroken continuity since being established over 148 years ago. Over the decades, PAXTON Lodge changed Grand Lodge allegiance several times.
PAXTON Lodge was first established in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania on February 20, 1843 and entered upon the registry of the Hiram Grand Lodge of Ancient York Masons under the title of PAXTON Lodge #5. The Lodge was created around four residents of Harrisburg. They were the Reverend David Stevens, Charles Davis, William B. Smith and Samuel Gray.
The 1843 installation ceremonies were conducted by Grand Master Samuel Van Brakle. He was assisted by Past Grand Master George C. Lewis, Grand Chaplain Peter P. Anderson and James Newman. The first officers of PAXTON Lodge were Charles J. Davis, Worshipful Master; Aaron M. Bennett, Senior Warden; and William B. Smith, Junior Warden.
During the period of 1843 through 1848 two of PAXTON Lodge's members served the district as Deputy Grand Masters. They were Steven Davis and Felix J. Dorsey. With the approval of the Grand Lodge they used PAXTON Lodge #5 as the Host Lodge to set up other approved subordinate Lodges in Carlisle, Chambersburg, Lancaster, York, Codorus, Mt. Nebo, Conestoga, Bloomsburg, and Lewistown. These Lodges formed the nucleus of the subordinate Lodges of the Hiram Grand Lodge of Ancient York Masons of Pennsylvania.
On June 24, 1847 a National Grand Lodge was formed by the Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Massachusetts, Boyer Grand Lodge of New York and two Pennsylvania Grand Bodies, namely; the first African Independent Grand Lodge F&AM #1 and the Hiram Grand Lodge of Ancient York Masons.
On January 19, 1848 the two Pennsylvania Grand Bodies met in Philadelphia and united under the tide of the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of free and Accepted Ancient York Masons of Pennsylvania. It was a subsidiary of the National Grand Lodge. On June 7, 1848 the Lodge was re-warranted as PAXTON Lodge #16. On November 12, 1849 PAXTON #16 and six other Lodges voted to withdraw from the National Grand Lodge. These Lodges and members were suspended from the National Grand Lodge and on December 19,1849 were expelled from the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania.
These expelled Lodges: Union #4, Sheba #7, Fidelity #8, Harmony #19, Prudence #11, Christian #12, PAXTON #16, and several other Lodges in adjacent counties formed a new Grand lodge. The new grand Lodge was given the old name of Hiram Grand Lodge of Ancient York Masons of Pennsylvania. A new Warrant was presented to PAXTON #16 on September 2, 1850.
On September 8, 1852 PAXTON Lodge seceded from Hiram Grand Lodge and on October 29, 1852 rejoined the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge. It was reorganized and rechartered as Nehemiah Lodge #16 of Harrisburg.
In 1865 Nehemiah (PAXTON) Lodge #16 and 14 of its members were expelled from the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge and again rejoined the Hiram Grand Lodge. The remainder of the members stayed with the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge until the final joining of the two grand bodies in 1882. With the expulsion of Nehemiah (PAXTON) #16 in 1865, Chosen Friends Lodge #43 was established in Harrisburg in 1866.
The final union of the Hiram Grand Lodge of Ancient York Masons of Pennsylvania and the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Ancient York Masons of Pennsylvania occurred on December 26 and 27, 1882 at a convention in Philadelphia. The proceedings show that PAXTON Lodge #16 was represented by William R. Dorsey, Worshipful Master; Patrick Coleman, Senior Warden; and Offord Green, Junior Warden.
On June 24, 1899 STEELTON Pennsylvania became the home of PAXTON Lodge #16. A duplicate warrant was issued on that date to Richard Parker, Worshipful Master; Patrick Coleman, Senior Warden; and William Taylor, Junior Warden. The original June 24, 1899 warrant exists today under the care of PAXTON Lodge's Worshipful Master.
Thanks to the dedication, hard work and vision of many Past Masters and members; PAXTON Lodge #16 has had a permanent Lodge home since 1984. It is situated at Harrisburg and Bessemer Streets, STEELTON, Pennsylvania. The Brethren meets on the Second Tuesday of each month.
Excerpted from Compilations by James E. Flood, P.M. and Albert Branch, P.M. and recorded by William L. Hunter, P.M. Reprinted By William J. Stanback, PM, January 8, 2002.
LIVING PAST MASTERS OF PAXTON LODGE # 16
John H. Myers
Elwood L. Harrell
Wilmer M. Phoenix
Clyde R. Johnson
William G. Watson
John H. Wright
Mack E. Sellers, Jr.
William S. Pollard, Jr.
Rev. A. Addison Cash
Lloyd Knight
James E. Carey
Darryl R. Grant
Willie Dee Stevenson
John Clea, Jr.
Johnnie Crankfield
William L. Hunter, Jr.
Kler H. Jones, Sr.
Leonard E. Fisher, Jr.
Troy A. Robinson
Derek Lewis
Willie W. McCoy
Linwood Fielder, Sr.
Michael R. Cooley, Sr.
Calvin L. Johnson, Sr.
Douglas P. Johnson
William J. Stanback
Jerry W. Waters
DECEASED PAST MASTERS OF PAXTON LODGE # 16
Edward N. Alsop
Samuel L. Bawl
Robert L. Beverly
Albert G. Branch
Alonzo S. Brannock
Gilbert Brown
Allen Crankfield, Jr.
Benjamin H. Dunlap
Harvey English
James E. Flood
Joseph Garnes
John L. Garnett
Rueben L. Garnett
John W. Graves, Sr.
John Hadley
Clifford N. Hill
A. Jeffers Jackson
Nicholas Jackson
Aubrey L. Johnson
John W. Jones
Cleveland Palmer
Bernard Penick
Samuel Robinson, Jr.
Samuel Robinson, III
Guillermo Russell
Arthur I. Strong
Willie B. Weldon
John D. Williams
