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HOME > History > History Club > Jim Peterson - Fair Haven Lodge #182

History of Fair Haven Lodge #182, A.F. & A.M.
Account Submitted by Jim Peterson
November, 2007

Fair Haven Lodge #182 was started under dispensation at Fair Haven, MN. (Stearns County) on Feb. 22, 1889 by Jeremiah Gould, a farmer: Carlton E. Kimble, a blacksmith; Phineas S. Rudolph, a farmer; Clinton D. Grimols, a merchant; John H. Bliler, a salesman; Leland H. Munger, a physician; Walter C. Stevens, a farmer; John S. Croker, a miller; Henry H. Buzzell, a druggist; William O. Sterling, a butcher; Cyrus M. King, a teacher; and Wm. H. Vye, a bookkeeper.  All but two were Masonic members of Plumb Line Lodge #173 located in Kimball, MN.  The Kimball Lodge had originated from Maine Prairie, a village north of Kimball that disappeared shortly after the turn of the century.

Peter Larson and Fred L Strout were the very first candidates for the first degree on April 1, 1889.  Fair Haven Lodge #182 was chartered on January 16, 1890, and constituted on February 10, 1890. During the early years the Brothers came by horse and buggy from as far as six and eight miles and quite a few walked or rode bicycles.  It moved to Annandale, MN. in Wright County in 1894, into the building presently housing the local newspaper, The Annandale Advocate. It moved to and rented the 2^nd floor of school in 1923 after the new three story school (known as the 1922 building) was built on Cherry St.  The Lodge used the large assembly room as its temple where basic tenets of Masonry were taught in three Degrees.  These Degrees are First, Entered Apprentice; Second, Fellowcraft; Third, Master Mason, and they consisted of ceremonies of a serious nature in which each candidate took part with dignity and solemnity. The Lodge remodeled classrooms into a full kitchen and dinning room capable of seating over 150 members and guests.  New furnaces were added in the late 1950s.  The Eastern Star furnished much of the Lodge hall and held their meetings & ceremonies there as well.  Most of the furniture used in ceremonies was built by Brother Rinehart Olson.  

The school and/or city offices shared the 1^st floor of the building up until 2001 when the building was demolished. Most of the Lodge paraphernalia was given to the Glencoe Lodge for its outdoor meeting area. The St. Cloud Lodge was also given items of value.  Donated items were returned to the family members still in the area, such as the furniture built by Brother Olson and furnaces from Brother Ferrell. 

The Eastern Star merged with the Clearwater chapter and much of the kitchen and dining room items were disposed of or included in the Clearwater inventory. The Lodge remains active and meets monthly to discuss business and its future.  The Lodge has been without a permanent home since the 2001 demolition of the hall but has been welcomed by the local Methodist Church to conduct monthly meeting in their Fireside Room.  At present the Lodge finds itself unable to officially conduct degree work in Annandale and must yearly ask for the assistance of neighboring Lodges, Clearwater or St. Cloud, to allow Fair Haven Lodge officers, accompanied by the local charter, to open and close Lodge under their charter.  

In 1964 the Lodge reached it highest membership with 96.  At present [2007] the membership stands at 18.  

Submitted by Jim Peterson, 2007

Note: On December 15, 2010, the seventeen remaining members of Annandale's Masonic Lodge 182 became part of Buffalo's Nelson Lodge. Declining membership and the lack of a meeting place contributed to the merger, which ended the 120-year history of Annandale's Masonic Lodge. CLICK HERE for an article in The Annandale Advocate about the end of the lodge.

THE HONOR ROLL OF WORSHIPFUL MASTERS
FAIR HAVEN LODGE  AF & AM No. 182, ANNANDALE, MN.  

1889  -  Jeremiah Gould

1890  -  Carlton E. Kimble

1891  -  Carlton E. Kimble

1892  -  Leland H. Munger

1893  -  Jeremiah Gould

1894  -  Peter Larson

1895  -  W S Huntington

1896  -  W S Huntington

1897  -  Phineas S Rudolph

1898  -  H K Kelley

1899  -  H K Kelley

1900  -  W S Huntington

1901  -  W S Ives

1902  -  LeRoy Ritchie

1903  -  H K Kelley

1904  -  J G Hayter

1905  -  J G Hayter

1906  -  H E Fellows

1907  -  Theodore A Wirsing

1908  -  Theodore A Wirsing

1909  -  Harry Kurz

1910  -  Harry Kurz

1911  -  N C Smith

1912  -  N C Smith

1913  -  John A Ferguson

1914  -  John A Ferguson

1915  -  LeRoy E Larson

1916  -  LeRoy E Larson

1917  -  W D McDonald

1918  -  W D McDonald

1919  -  Bert Thayer

1920  -  Bert Thayer

1921  -  W T Towler

1922  -  W T Towler

1923  -  W W Mann

1924  -  W W Mann

1925  -  A H Lofstom

1926  -  A H Lofstom

1927  -  Charles Kurz

1928  -  Oscar Kurz

1929  -  Oscar Kurz

1930  -  Ross M Ives

1931  -  Colin McDonald

1932  -  Frank Erickson

1933  -  George R Johnson

1934  -  Ralph Sather

1935  -  Ralph Sather

1936  -  C E Johnson

1937  -  C E Johnson

1938  -  Palmer Sawyer

1939  -  Carl Johnson

1940  -  H F Betsinger

1941  -  N A Fundquist

1942  -  Guy Hinshaw

1943  -  Guy Hinshaw

1944  -  Arthur Sjolin

1945  -  H E Tripp

1946  -  Tom Jarl

1947  -  Joe DeChaney

1948  -  Richard Guptill

1949  -  Harry Heasley

1950  -  Donald Peterson

1951  -  Otto Ball

1952  -  Fred Oberg

1953  -  Norman Planer

1954  -  Myloe Loberg

1955  -  Melvin Wells

1956  -  Paul Jedlicka

1957  -  Harold Carnes

1958  -  Lester Cheney

1959  -  Chester Sparks

1960  -  Alfred E Broten

1961  -  Melvin Josephs

1962  -  Richard Roe

1963  -  Norman Osterby

1964  -  Wendell Ponsford

1965  -  Carlton Magnuson

1966  -  Reuben Lantto

1967  -  Walter Schmidt

1968  -  Walter Schmidt

1969  -  LuVerne Schmidt

1970  -  Rudolph Westlund

1971  -  Harvey Schwartz

1972  -  Walter Schmidt

1973  -  Melvin Wells

1974  -  Roy E Lockhart

1975  -  Donald D Haskin

1976  -  David Hart

1977  -  Dennis Klemz

1978 -  Walter Schmidt

1979  -  Wallace Peterson

1980  -  Robert Shoberg

1981  -  Donald D. Haskin

1982  -  Walter Schmidt

1983  -  Richard Vossen

1984  -  Lowell Farrell

1985  -  Richard Wilson

1986  -  Walter Schmidt

1987  -  Walter Schmidt

1988  -  Charles Martin

1989  -  James Rogers

1990  -  Norman Osterby

1991  -  Robert Saksa

1992  -  Charles Martin

1993  -  Walter Schmidt

1994  -  James L Peterson

1995  -  Laurence Keefe

1996  -  Robert Marsh

1997  -  Reuben Lantto

1998  -  Reuben Lantto

1999  -  Reuben Lantto

2000  -  Norman Osterby

2001  -  Norman Osterby

2002  -  Erik Johansson

2003  -  Norman Osterby

2004  -  Norman Osterby

2005  -  Lowell Farrell

2006  -  Lyle E Bing

2007  -  Lyle E Bing

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