Victory

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VICTORY LODGE

MA_Victory.jpg

Location: Watertown

Chartered By: Arthur D. Prince

Charter Date: 12/08/1920 1920-566

Precedence Date: 02/16/1920

Current Status: in Grand Lodge Vault; merged into Waltham Triad Lodge, 06/02/2003.

PAST MASTERS

  • George H. Dale, 1919, 1920; N
  • Guy H. Nason, 1921
  • James Bailey, 1922
  • Hugh Goddard, 1923, 1925
  • George W. Ayer, 1924
  • Herbert L. Baxter, 1926
  • William S. Holdsworth, 1927
  • Joseph W. Hood, 1928
  • Francis D. Taylor, 1929; N
  • Ralph W. Mason, 1930
  • Harold E. Smith, 1931
  • Frederick D. Smith, 1932
  • Paul E. Chase, 1933
  • E. Everett Clark, 1934
  • William J. Constable, 1925
  • Ralph C. Thulin, 1936
  • Thomas M. Dowell, 1937
  • William J. Coumans, 1938
  • Albert E. Norbury, 1939
  • George S. Bacon, 1940
  • George E. Esslinger, 1941
  • William R. Beale, 1942, 1943
  • Stuart J. Fay, 1944, 1945
  • Franklin E. Harris, 1946; N
  • Lawrence M. Gentleman, 1947
  • Julian T. Williams, 1948
  • Lloyd I. Schaeffer, 1949
  • K. Chesley Minty, 1950
  • Kenneth B. Cotton, 1951
  • Paul H. Drury, 1952
  • Earl F. Chase, 1953
  • Herman H. Sanderson, 1954
  • Gilbert A. Drackley, 1955
  • Stewart R. Ramsay, 1956
  • Roland K. Humphrey, 1957
  • Robert C. Dowell, 1958
  • John A. Pulsifer, 1959
  • Ernst R. Larsson, 1960
  • Stanley Bacon, 1961
  • Leonard Johnson, 1962
  • Archibald F. Mills, 1963
  • E. Albert Stadtman, 1964
  • Varikes P. DerBoghosian, 1965, 1977
  • Austin Avery, 1966
  • Stephen Kaloyanides, 1967, 1982
  • Ernest E. Fay, 1968, 1969
  • James M. Tutunjian, 1970
  • Samuel D. McGolpin, 1971, 1974, 1980
  • Clyde M. Armstrong, 1972
  • Shant T. Chebookjian, 1973, 2002, 2003; N
  • Roy A. Wallace, 1975
  • Douglas B. Muttart, 1976, 1981, 1991
  • Peter Amershadian, 1979
  • Frank Dalrymple, 1983, 1992
  • Herbert S. Sakowich, 1984, 1989, 1996
  • Richard T. Bartley, Jr., 1985
  • Carlos J. S. Akmadjian, 1986, 1990, 1995
  • William P. Asadoorian, 1987, 1988
  • Alan H. Jelalian, 1993, 1994, 1997
  • G. Leonard McIntosh, 1998
  • Bruce M. Newman, 1999
  • George A. Sarafinas, 2000; PDDGM

REFERENCES IN GRAND LODGE PROCEEDINGS

ANNIVERSARIES

  • 1945 (25th Anniversary)
  • 1970 (50th Anniversary)

VISITS BY GRAND MASTER

BY-LAW CHANGES

1925 1927 1929 1931 1937 1938 1945 1952 1954 1958 1964 1971 1978 1982 1990 1997

HISTORY

  • 1945 (25th Anniversary History, 1945-5)
  • 1970 (50th Anniversary History, 1970-24)

25TH ANNIVERSARY HISTORY, MARCH 1945

From Proceedings, Page 1945-5:

By Right Worshipful George H. Dale

No history of Victory Lodge would be complete without some information regarding its real founders, but as this is written for the reading of our posterity, the words following will be confined to those three of our Brethren who have passed to the Great Beyond, and as we write of them as true members of our great Fraternity, so may we trust that posterity may write of us who are still living today.

Brother William Henry Iliffe, to whom credit belongs for first suggesting that a new Lodge was needed in Watertown, was a member of Pequossette Lodge. He was born in Coventry, England, and lived in Watertown for about forty years, where he established himself as a Master Builder and rapidly gained the respect and confidence of our citizens.

Brothers James Bailey, George H. Dale, Bartlett M. Shaw and G. Frederic Robinson were each invited by Brother Iliffe to bring to a meeting a list of sixty names whom they felt would be interested in the formation of a new Lodge. At that meeting, each name submitted was balloted upon, with the net result that sixty Masons were invited to attend a meeting which was preceded by a dinner in the First Parish House, better known as the Unitarian Building, on February 10, 1920.

Brother Iliffe briefly outlined the purpose of the meeting, stating that the Town had about doubled its population during the past decade; that because of the demand for more employees among the several industries in the Town, caused by World War activities, it was apparent that one Lodge would be unable to continue to handle properly the large number of applications that were pouring in for the degrees.

He further stated that over ninety applications had been received during one year, and that because the entire time of the officers was of necessity confined to degree work, no other business could be transacted at our regular communications than balloting, and thus it was apparent that the old fraternal spirit was rapidly becoming dormant. A Lodge which was limited to a membership of less than one hundred had many advantages.

A free discussion followed, during which strong objections were registered to public installations, that Masonic meetings were for men only; that the number of applications should be limited to twenty-five during each year; that no applications would be received from other than residents of the Town.

All of these objections were unanimously sustained, following which a nominating committee submitted the names of George H. Dale for Worshipful Master, Guy H. Nason for Senior Warden, James Bailey for Junior Warden, William S. Holdsworth for Treasurer and Wallace A. Shipton for Secretary, and the election of these officers was unanimous.

A committee submitted a list of several names for the new Lodge, but the name "Victory" was finally unanimously chosen. In explanation, it should be noted that the so-called Victory Loan for war financing had brought that word prominently before the public during the previous year. At sundry times, attempts have been made to make the objections noted above obligatory restrictions, but as yet, none of them have been incorporated in our by-laws, although it is of passing interest to note that our present Worshipful Master would have been ineligible to receive an application because of the fact that at the time he applied, he was a resident of Brookline. The fact that his father had been a charter member, and his two brothers were also members, would have had no affect if that limitation had been embodied in our By-laws.

Among the names of the sixty who signed the application for a dispensation are the following living Brethren, who are still in good standing:

  • G. W. Ayer
  • H. L. Baxter
  • F. A. Bennett
  • L. M. Chase
  • C. O. Chase
  • W. H. Cole
  • G. H. Dale
  • F. D. Emery
  • E. O. Fritch
  • A. A. Glidden
  • Hugh Goddard
  • C. W. Henderson, Jr.
  • P. B. Howard
  • E. K. Ingalls
  • J. K. Jensen
  • Rev. E. S. Meredith
  • W. E. Monk
  • G. H. Nason
  • H. C. Patrick
  • H. C. Perkins
  • A. L. Shipton
  • W. A. Shipton

Of the original committee, Brother Iliffe was, with difficulty, induced to assume the office of Marshal, a position he held for eight years.

The first appointed officers were:

  • Rev. Bro. Ernest S. Meredith, Chaplain
  • Bro. W. H. Iliffe, Marshal
  • Wor. Bro. Hugh Goddard, Senior Deacon
  • Bro. G. W. Ayer, Junior Deacon
  • Bro. H. L. Baxter, Senior Steward
  • Bro. W. S. Jacobson, Junior Steward
  • Bro. E. O. Fritch, Inside Sentinel
  • Bro. P. M. Bond, Tyler

Brother Bartlett Murdock Shaw was a man who always retained a very deep interest in town affairs. He was for several years a member of the Board of Selectmen, President of our Savings Bank, a leading spirit in St. John's Methodist Church and Superintendent of the Walker and Pratt Foundry Company, one of the largest industries in Watertown. Brother Shaw was the father of our Worshipful Master elected in 1933, Frederick D. Shaw.

Brother James Bailey established and successfully conducted the dyeing and cleansing business which bears his name. Naturally of a very retiring disposition, it was not an easy task to induce him to assume the office of Junior Warden, but he did, and thus became our third Worshipful Master.

Abundant evidence of the generosity of our charter members is extant in the regalia and paraphernalia, among which space should be given to explain that the National and State Flags were presented respectively by thirteen Masons in the employ of the Hood Rubber Company, with Worshipful Guy H. Nason as the spokesman for the former and Brother Charles E. Fay for the latter. Upon the staff of the State Flag is a plate which states that it was presented by the "father of the first Candidate raised in Victory Lodge." It is of more than passing interest to note that that candidate was the elder brother of our present Worshipful Master, Brother Allen M. Fay. Another brother, Norman, is now in the service of our country.

Several of our members have received signal Masonic honors at various times — Brother Ambrose J. Shipton was the recipient of the Henry Price Medal from Most Worshipful Arthur D. Prince. Brother Shipton, who for over fifty years had been a regular attendant at the communications of both Pequossette and Victory Lodges, was the father of our beloved Secretary and Worshipful A. Lester Shipton, all three of whom were among our charter members, the latter being a Past Master of Pequossette Lodge.

Right Worshipful and Reverend Francis Dee Taylor, who was our Worshipful Master in 1930, became District Deputy Grand Master in 1938 and 1939, and in 1944, was made Deputy Grand Master of the Grand Lodge. He also was the recipient of the Henry Price Medal from Most Worshipful Arthur W. Coolidge, and is now a Grand Chaplain of the Grand Lodge.

As the welfare of all organizations is dependent upon the men who conduct its affairs, Victory Lodge is fortunate in having four, all of whom are charter members, who have been in office during its entire existence, and each of whom received well merited certificates of excellence from the Lodge at the celebration of our twenty-fifth anniversary, which were presented by Most Worshipful Samuel H. Wragg. Reverend Brother Meredith has been Chaplain for twenty-five years; Brother LeRoy M. Chase has been our Treasurer for twenty-four years; Brother Wallace A. Shipton has been our Secretary for twenty-five years; Worshipful Brother Hugh Goddard has been Senior Deacon, Junior Warden, Senior Warden, Worshipful Master, again Senior Warden and again Worshipful Master, and since February 1927, has been Marshal; also Brother Percy M. Bond, who has been Tyler for twenty-five years, and who, with Worshipful Brother Goddard, has been made an Honorary Member. Both of these Brothers have received service medals from the Grand Lodge. The faithful services rendered by these Brethren not only merits our approbation, but has been of inestimable benefit, not only in building up our organization, but as shining examples to our members.

Probably the highlight of our quarter century was the constitution of the Lodge by Most Worshipful Arthur D. Prince on the date of our tenth regular communication February 4,1921 — an event which brought out fifty-seven members and ninety-eight visitors.

Following the ceremonial of constitution, the Grand Master sealed a concrete depositary which contains a historical record of the Lodge, various letters, coins and materials of interest. This receptacle is not to be opened until the fiftieth anniversary of the Lodge, in 1971. A photograph of the group was taken after the close of the Lodge, which, along with the depositary, may be seen in the reception room.

The Grim Reaper has laid his heavy hand on twenty-three of our charter members. The first of these to pass to the Great Beyond was our first Junior Steward, Brother William S. Jacobson, who departed in 1920, and the latest to occur was Brother John S. Tufts on March 5, 1945. Our third Worshipful Master, James Bailey, passed away in 1933, and Worshipful George E. Esslinger, our twenty-first Master, died in 1943. With the above exceptions, all of our Past Masters are alive today.

One of the misfortunes of the present War was the case of Brother (Lieutenant Commander) Edward P. Furber, our Senior Warden during 1944. He had served Victory Lodge in the several stations with great credit to himself and we had every reason to expect that he would be elected as our Worshipful Master. He was called away just two months before our annual communication took place, to study and prepare himself for service in establishing temporary government in conquered countries across the sea. His fellow officers have, however, made a gentlemen's agreement that upon his return he will be recognized as the candidate for Worshipful Master at the next following annual communication. Brother Furber volunteered for service the day after the Pearl Harbor attack, December 8, 1941, and was assigned to duty in Boston, where he stayed until December 1944, when he was sent on duty to California.

A recapitulation of the work done during the past twenty-five years shows that the membership grew steadily until 1930, when it reached 134 members. The lowest number was 111 in 1939, but the membership has now grown to 135, on the date of the twenty-fifth anniversary, March 5, 1945.

  • Charter Members: 60
  • Affiliated: 41
  • Raised: 123
  • TOTAL: 224
  • Deceased: 38
  • Dimitted: 40
  • Suspended: 11
  • TOTAL: 89
  • Present membership: 135

In conclusion, permit me to state that one of the many benefits which accrue to Masons is the privilege of being associated in an intimate way with men who have been tried and found worthy.

"I have but marked the place,
But half the secret told,
That, following this slight trace,
Others may find the gold."

— Longfellow

OTHER

  • 1938 (Reduction of fees authorized, 1938-383)
  • 1960 (Participation in the dedication of Watertown Masonic Temple, 1960-1)

GRAND LODGE OFFICERS

DISTRICTS

1920: District 5 (Waltham)

1927: District 5 (Waltham)

LINKS

Massachusetts Lodges

The curator for this page is Brother Scott Sherman. Please direct informational updates and questions to him.

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