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Freemasonry along the Detroit River

By Very Worshipful Brother Gene Alfred Lotz

     The Detroit River has long been considered an international boundary; part of the longest undefended border in the world. It was also along the Detroit River that the first Masonic Lodge was established in Upper Canada, at Detroit.

      The history of European settlement along the Detroit River dates back to 1700 when the French explorer Cadillac established a fortress on the north shore of the river. The fortress at Detroit is the oldest continually occupied European settlement west of Montreal.

     For the next 64 years French settlers developed and cultivated both shores of the river. Then, in 1764 with the British conquest of the new world, the Union Jack was raised over Detroit. Along with the arrival of the British soldiers came the Great Light of Masonry.

     The first Masonic Lodge at Detroit was known as Zion Lodge and was founded during April of 1764. The first Master of Zion Lodge was Lieutenant John Christie, a member of the 60th Regiment in the British Army. During the early years of European settlement, the Detroit River acted as the main highway through the region. Settlement by this time was well established on both shores of the river and members of the lodge came from the north and south shores.

     In 1796, negotiations between the Americans and British established a boundary line down the middle of the river and turned Detroit over to the Americans. With the surrender of Detroit, the British Army built a new fortress at Malden, fifteen miles down stream from Detroit and was later known as Amherstburg.

      Many area Masons from both sides of the river continued to meet and hold meetings with Zion Lodge. Then, in 1801, a group of Masons from the Amherstburg area decided to establish a Masonic Lodge on the south shore of the River. Adoniram Lodge No. 18 was the result.

     Little is known about Adoniram Lodge or it's members, as no minute books or registers exist. Fraternal meetings between Zion and Adoniram Lodge are evident in Zion's minute books. Three major events can be pieced together from Zion lodges minutes and other local history sources. Adoniram Lodge held the first Masonic funeral in the Western District of Upper Canada during September of 1806. Brother Samuel Cuthbertson, a 34 year old farmer, was buried in St. John's Church Cemetery at Sandwich. In 1804, the members of Adoniram Lodge laid the cornerstone of a windmill along the south shore of the Detroit River. In 1812 while conferring a degree the lodge was called off because of the impending invasion of Canada by American Forces at Detroit. Adoniram Lodge never reopened.

     For the next thirty seven years the great light of Masonry did not shine on the south shore of the Detroit River. Members on the British side of the river continued to be members of various lodges in Detroit.

     On August 24th, 1849, a second Masonic lodge was founded along the south shore when Thistle Lodge No. 34 was formed at Amherstburg. Zion Lodge member John B. Laughton was the first Worshipful Master of the Lodge. A newspaper account of the installation of officers by a special Deputy for the Michigan Grand Master is found in the Amherstburg Echo and reads as follows:

          " On arriving at Christ Church the service was read by the Rev. Mr. Mack, after which the Secretary of the new lodge read a letter of Dispensation from Sir Alan Napier MacNab, Grand Master of the Provincial Grand Lodge Canada West, authorizing the formation of a new Lodge, then the Lodge was consecrated by Rev. Wm. Ritchie of Sandwich. This Ceremony was truly solemn and imposing, the Lodge kneeling while the Reverend Brother pronounced a prayer suitable to the occasion, accompanied by the responses of the Brethren, and with uplifted hands the Reverend Divine dedicated the Lodge to the Memory of St. John the Baptist and St. John the Evangelist "

     Worshipful Brother John B. Laughton was born in Detroit in 1790. He served throughout the War of 1812 and was taken prisoner of war at the Battle of Lundy's Lane. At the Kingston Convention of 1820, John Laughton was sent to Britain to argue the case of establishing a second Provincial Grand Lodge.

     In 1850, John Laughton along with several other Masons, established the third lodge on the south shore. It was located at Sandwich and was known as Rose Lodge No. 30, with George Bullock as it's first Master. An account of the public installation of officers is found in Rose Lodge's minute books dated September 18th, 1850. It reads as follows:

            " The preliminaries necessary and required on the occasion being complied with, at two o'clock p.m. on the said 18 th of September the procession of all the brothers present was formed and then marched from the lodge room and proceeded to St. John's Church in the town of Sandwich, where Divine Service was performed by Rev. Salter and Ritchie. Brother George Bullock was duly installed as the Worshipful Master of the Rose Lodge by Bro. Jeremiah Moor, Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Michigan. The oration was then delivered by Bro. Ritchie Chaplain of the said lodge and Rector of St. John's Church in Sandwich, after which, Divine service being ended, the procession returned from the Church to the lodge room, and the lodge was then opened in the First Degree by the Worshipful Master, George Bullock, at three and 1/2 of the clock, Post Meridiem. "

     The most colorful charter member of Rose Lodge was Brother John Prince. In 1838, during the Battle of Windsor, John Prince was the commander of the local militia. At the end of hostilities, Colonel Prince ordered the execution of several American prisoners, claiming they were pirates.

      Five years after the establishment of Rose Lodge the railroad arrived in the area. A small settlement of five hundred people several miles upstream from Sandwich was chosen as the railhead. That settlement was Windsor. The first lodge founded there, in 1854, was known as Great Western and was named after the recently arrived railroad. With the arrival of the railway in Windsor, Sandwich went into economic decline. Many business relocated to Windsor to take advantage of the new prosperity. In 1858 Rose lodge ceased to operate.

     The first master of Great Western Lodge was Very Worshipful Brother Thomas Perkins. Thomas Perkins was a local business man who had come to Upper Canada as a member of the British Army during the Patriot Rebellion of 1837-38. Several months after the establishment of Great Western Lodge, Thomas Perkins attended the first convention of the Grand Lodge of Canada, held at Hamilton, Canada West in October of 1855. At that convention our first Grand Master, William Mercer Wilson appointed Thomas to be the first Grand Junior Deacon of the Grand Lodge of Canada.

     In 1883, the fifth Masonic Lodge was founded on the south shore. Windsor Lodge No. 403 was established during September of 1883 in Windsor. The first Master of Windsor lodge was Bro. John D'Avignon. John D'Avignon was born in upstate New York. His father's involvement in the Patriot Rebellion of 1837-38 forced the family to seek refuge in the United States. In Windsor, John served as Sheriff of Essex County. During the discharge of his duties he came across many children in unfortunate situations, and as a result of his experiences he helped found the Children's Aid Society in Windsor, serving as its first president.

     In 1910, the sixth Masonic Lodge was founded, called Rose lodge No. 500. The automobile was fast becoming the mainstay of the local economy. The population of Windsor had swelled to 15,000 and the speed limit within the city was ten miles per hour. Rose Lodge's first Master was Rev. Bro. James C. Tolmie, a local Presbyterian minister. During World War One Bro. Tolmie served as chaplain for the 99th Battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Forces from Windsor and in later life was elected to the Provincial Legislature.

     In 1914, Ontario Lodge No. 521 was founded in Windsor. The first Master of this lodge was Charles W. Cadwell a prominent local business man. When the sod was turned for the present Masonic Temple in 1921 the spade was auctioned off to raise money for the building fund. Bro. Cadwell purchased the spade for 1,500 dollars in 1921, which would equate into tens of thousands of dollars today.

     The eighth Masonic Lodge was founded in 1919, and was called Border Cities No. 554. The first Master of Border Cities lodge was Rev. Bro. Harrison P. Westgate. Bro. Westgate was the long time rector of St. John's Church at Sandwich. During his tenure at St. John's, Harrison wrote a book about the early history of the church, for which he received an honorary doctorate from the University of Western Ontario.

     The next Masonic Lodge to be established along the south shore was called Harmony No. 579. The first Master of Harmony Lodge was Bro. Charles R. Tuson. Charles Tuson was a local business man who for many years served the people of Windsor as Mayor.

     In 1922, two Lodges were instituted celebrating the new Masonic Temple recently completed. The two were Dominion Lodge No. 598 and Palace Lodge No. 604. The first master of Dominion Lodge was Bro. Herbert W. Wilson, who for many years was the Mayor of Windsor. The first Master of Palace Lodge No. 604 was Frank B. Patten, who was a local business man who unfortunately passed away shortly after serving as Master.

     The last two lodges to be established along the south shore was Garden Lodge No.641 and St. Andrew's Lodge No. 642, in 1926. The first Master of Garden Lodge was William Grundy a local Magistrate. William Turner, the first master of St. Andrew's Lodge was a local automotive man who established one of the early auto manufacturing plants in Windsor. William Turner was also the father of Most Worshipful Brother Dr. George Turner, a Past Grand Master and member of St. Andrew's Lodge

     Over the last two centuries area masons have been involved in the communities along the Detroit River, at every level and in many organizations. The Windsor masons have helped build our communities and will continue, far into the future.