Chester Lodge was chartered December 11th, 1799. The record as found in the Grand Lodge Proceedings of that year is as follows:
A petition having been presented, signed by John Hickman, William Reynolds and Moses Payne, residents in or near the town of Front Royal, in the county of Frederick, praying for a charter to hold a Lodge in the said town, and the said petition being accompanied by a certificate from the Winchester Lodge No. 12 under the jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania, and also a recommendation signed by several members of the Grand Lodge:
Resolved, that a charter do issue to establish a Lodge in the town aforesaid, by the name of Chester Lodge, No. 61, appointing John Hickman, Master; William Reynolds, Senior Warden; and Moses Payne, Junior Warden.
The petition is not in our archives and I am therefore unable to give the names of the other signers. The officers reported to the Grand Lodge of 1800 were: John Hickman, Master, William Reynolds Senior Warden; Moses Payne, Junior Warden; Abner Pollard, Secretary; Original Wroe. Treasurer; Edmund Newman, Senior Deacon; Samuel Turner, Junior Deacon; Robt. Simpson, Tiler. This Lodge made its last return to the Grand Lodge in 1804 and became “Dormant” in 1809. It was never revived. Front Royal Lodge, No. 102 was chartered December 10th, 1816. The record is as follows:
“A dispensation having been issued, signed by the Deputy Grand Master, to authorize the opening of a Lodge at Front Royal, in the county of Frederick, by the name of Front Royal Lodge, appointing Cyrus B. Baldwin, Master; James B. Rice, Senior Warden, and Henry Van Meter, Junior Warden; dated February 14, 1816; and the said dispensation being returned, accompanied by the other necessary documents, or motion.
Resolved, that a charter do issue for the permanent establishment of said Lodge by the name of Front ROyal Lodge, No. 102, appointing the same brother officers thereof, who are named in said dispensation. The signers of the application for the dispensation were Cyrus W. Baldwin, James B. Rice, Henry Van Meter, Thomas Hatcher, John Latham, P. Senseney, William Monroe, G. Tutt, Isaac Overall, James Hill, William Wroe, and one other whose name I cannot decipher.
The officers reported to the Grand Lodge of 1817 were – Cyrus W. Baldwin, Master, Wm. M. Robertson, Senior Warden, and Wm. B. Brown, Junior Warden.
I am unable to give you the other officers, as the names of the station officers only appear in the printed proceedings of that year, and the original returns are not in our archives.
This Lodge became “Dormant” in 1826, and was revived by the Grand Lodge, December 15th, 1840.
The record is as follows:
“A petition was received from Sundry Brethren residing in Warren County, praying for the revival of Front Royal Lodge, No. 102, and the prayer of the petition being accompanied with the recommendation of Wor. Washington G. Singleton, D. D. G. Master of District No. 4, vouching for their Masonic qualifications and Zeal:
Resolved, that a charter do issue for the revival of said Lodge, appointing Wm. R. Ashby, Master Wm. V. Henry, Senior Warden, and Morgan Johnson, Junior Warden. A name, title and designation aforesaid, upon the payment of twenty dollars in full of all dues to this Grand Lodge inclusive, and the Grand Secretary’s fee.” The petition referred to is not in our archives. Front Royal Lodge No. 102, made its last return to the Grand Lodge in 1852, and became extinct in 1857. It was never revived.
There was no Lodge in Front Royal from 1857 to December 13th 1870, when Unity Lodge, No. 146 was chartered, and no Lodge except those above mentioned ever met there.
Truly and fraternally yours
Geo. W. Carrington.
Grand Secretary,
Richmond, Va.
January 19, 1923
| Newspaper | Warren Sentinel |
| Published | January 19, 1923 |
| Number | 42 |
| Volume | 54 |
| Article | Masonic History of Front Royal |
| Page | 3 |
Unity Lodge No. 146 
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