The lodge was in its 10th year since it received its initial dispensation on March 14, 1870. The lodge was in the 14th Masonic District that encompassed lodges in Frederick County, Clarke County, and Warren County.
| Office | Installed | Mason | Lodge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Master | Captain Payton S. Coles | ||
| Grand Master | Reuben Murrell Page | ||
| District Deputy Grand Master | Dec 23 | Maj. R. M. Hunter | Hiram No. 21 |
Lodge Officers
Lodge officers were elected on June 9, 1881 during a stated communication. George H. Bowman was reelected as the Worshipful master for his second year. Worshipful Bowman does not appear as any of the Lodges past masters after 1881.
| Office | Beginning of Year | June 9 Elections |
|---|---|---|
| Worshipful Master | George H. Bowman | George H. Bowman |
| Senior Warden | Charles E. Henning | Chales E. Henning |
| Junior Warden | T. C. Roy | M. M. Bayly |
| Secretary | George W. Forsyth | George W. Forsyth |
| Senior Deacon | M. M. Bayley | William O. Rust |
| Junior Deacon | R. Bird Deatherage | A. W. Hoster |
| Chaplain | C. W. Hollis | |
| Tiler | D. W. Jones | D. W. Jones |
Brethren
Some of the known members are:
- E. Baker
- W. H. Barly
- M. M. Bayly
- C. H. Beaty
- George H. Bowman – Master
- John G. Brown
- M. B. Buck
- R. Bird Deatherage
- George W. Forsyth
- Charles E. Henning
- C. W. Hollis
- A. W. Hoster
- D. W. Jones
- T. L. Kirby
- John T. Lovell – Editor of The Warren Sentinel
- G. E. Roy
- T. C. Roy
- Past Master William O. Rust (1878)
Communications
The Lodge gathered for communications in Union Hall on the Thursday of, or prior to the full moon. This would help light the way at night when the brethren returned home. Meeting times changed to ensure more work outside of the lodge could be done in the fields during long summer days, and allow meetings to begin after sunset.
Note: Daylight Savings Time wasn’t used in the United States until 1918 at the end of World War I.
| Day | Date | Time | Sunset | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thursday | Jan 13 | 5:16 | No notice in local paper on January 7 | |
| Thursday | Feb 10 | 7 pm | 5:48 | |
| Thursday | Mar 10 | 6:18 | After death of W. H. Barley No notice in local paper on March 4 | |
| Thursday | Apr 14 | 7½ pm | 6:52 | |
| Thursday | May 12 | 7½ pm | 7:19 | |
| Thursday | Jun 9 | 7½ pm | 7:40 | Election of officers |
| Thursday | Jul 7 | 8 pm | 7:44 | |
| Thursday | Aug 4 | 8 pm | 7:24 | |
| Friday | Aug 19 | 8 pm | 7:05 | Special communication After Grand Masonic Excursion Prior to GM OV |
| Thursday | Sep 8 | 7½ pm | 6:46 | After GM OV. Not Thursday on/before full moon. |
| Thursday | Oct 6 | 7 pm | 5:50 | |
| Thursday | Nov 3 | 7 pm | 5:13 | After death of E. Baker After Yorktown Centennial |
| Thursday | Dec 1 | 7 pm | 4:54 | After the death of M. B. Buck Tribute of Respect for M. B. Buck Prior to Grand Annual Communication |
| Thursday | Dec 29 | 7 pm | 5:02 | After Grand Annual Communication |
Grand Master’s Official Visit
August 22, 1881
The Most Worshipful Grand Master of Masons in Virginia, Captain Peyton S. Coles, made an official visit to Unity Lodge on Monday, August 22, 1881 @ 8:00 pm. During the visit he invited Brethren to the laying of the cornerstone at Yorktown Centennial Monument – a significant event in the history of Masonry in the United States. After the meeting, the Grand Master and many visiting brethren went to the Mont View Hotel for supper, and had separated early the next morning at 1:30 am.
The Lodge held a special communication three days prior to his visit. Speculation: It may have been to prepare to receive the Grand Master and make proper preparations. The stated communication afterwards was delayed a week from its normally scheduled date.
Deaths
The lodge suffered three deaths in 1881. A Tribute of Respect memorial page was found for all three. Members of the lodge wore the customary badge of mourning for thirty days, and copies of the memorial page were transmitted to the family.
William H. Barley Esquire
November 26, 1825 to February 28, 1881 (55)
Brother William H. Barley Esquire had been suffering a dangerous illness on February 25, 1881 resulting from a railroad injury from a few weeks prior. He later passed away on February 28, 1881 while he was staying in Alexandria at his father-in-laws’ house. The funeral took place on March 1, 1881 with a large number of friends from Front Royal. News arrived late in Winchester, syndicating the news that he was dangerously ill the day after his funeral. A tribute of respect was published in both the Warren Sentinel on March 4, 1881, and the Alexandria Gazette on March 4, 1881. G. E. Roy, John G. Brown, and William O. Rust were on the committee.
Captain Ewell Baker
October 13, 1801 to October 13, 1881 (80)
Brother Captain Ewell Baker was the Clerk of Warren County for more than sixteen years, as well as being a Clerk of the Circuit court. He had reached his 80th birthday on the day of his death. He was proverbial for his honesty and liberality to the poor.
He had been in poor health for a few months, and passed away on Thursday, October 13, 1881 from a painful attack of sickness in the hands of sorrowing friends.
The Lodge assembled, (speculation: possibly to open a Lodge of Sorrow or work on the Tribute of Respect), on the next night, Friday, October 14, 1881 in regard to burial in Prospect Hill Cemetery which took place at 3:00 pm earlier that day in front of a large number of people who he had long and faithfully served in his official capacity. Burial service was carried out by the Methodist Church and read by Reverend W. A. Wade.
| William Scroggin | |
| I. N. King | |
| G. W. Macatee | |
| H. M. Miller | |
| George H. Bowman | Worshipful Master |
| G. E. Roy | Mason |
| John T. Lovell | Mason |
A tribute of respect was published in the Warren Sentinel on Friday, October 21, 1881. Committee members were John T. Lovell, William O. Rust, and George W. Forsyth.
On October 24, 1821, William A. Compton was appointed as the Clerk of the county to fill the vacancy until the next election. James H. Saffell was appointed and qualified as Deputy Clerk.
Marcus B. Buck
November 25, 1815 to November 30, 1881 (65)
Brother Marcus B. Buck died on Wednesday, November 30, 1881 at his home in Warrenton at the age of 66 after a long and painful illness. Funeral services were held at St. James’s church. Brothers T. L. Kirby, John G. Brown, Chas. E. Henning, and C. H. Beaty attended the funeral as a committee. A delegation of both Unity Lodge No. 146 and Mt. Carmel Lodge No. 133 and a large number of citizens carried his remains to Warrenton cemetery and interred with Masonic honors.
Mr. Buck was a former director of the Shenandoah Valley Railroad Company as well as the former owner of the Belmont Vineyards. He established and conducted the vineyards near Front Royal, and spent nearly $100,000 in constructing the vaults to produce wine and brandy on a large scale.
Events
Grand Masonic Excursion
August 17, 1881
The recently discovered Luray Caverns in 1878 encouraged the Shenandoah Valley Railroad (SVRR) to complete the track to Luray, Virginia on March 28, 1881. Malta Lodge No. 80, of Charles Town, West Virginia, had arranged a Grand Masonic Excursion event, also consisting of a Masonic reunion for the fraternity including the states of Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia. Round trip tickets along the railroad line that ran through Front Royal included admission to the cave for $2.15. The event was offered to all Masonic lodges and the public along the railroad lines for the same rate.
Upon arriving, many patrons found themselves walking about a mile to the west outside of town toward the Caverns along a dusty road where they came upon a small frame building on the side of a hill rising at thirty degrees.
The caverns had planned on installing electric lights by August 1, 1881. Wires were in position and the company was waiting for the proper machinery to put everything in operation. Lights were not installed in time for the Masonic Excursion on Wednesday, August 17, 1881. The caverns were illuminated by about 1,500 candles.
General J. C. Homes was the Marshal of the Day. Captain Criswell’s Celebrated Silver Cornet Band was at the event. Over 1,200 people participated.
Yorktown Centennial
October 18, 1881 to October 21, 1881
The Yorktown Victory Monument had its cornerstone laying ceremony during the Yorktown Centennial Celebration. On Tuesday, October 18, 1881, Dignitaries present included Governor F. W. M. Holliday of Virginia and President James Garfield of the United States and Cabinet. The Grand Master of Virginia laid the cornerstone, assisted by the Grand Masters of the thirteen original states.
Grand Annual Communication
December 12 1881 to December 14, 1881
The Grand Annual Communication of Ancient York Masons took place in Alban’s Hall, Richmond on December 12 to 14, 1881 at night, Monday through Wednesday. William O. Rust and John T. Lovell were delegates for the lodge, one of which was the editor for the Warren Sentinel. Both men were put on committees. William was put onto the Officers of the Grand Lodge Committee, and John was made the chairman of the Masonic Jurisprudence Committee.
Unity Lodge No. 146 
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