The Early years of the Lodge

 

As Olive Branch Lodge No. 38 continues to post articles related to lodge history as it celebrates the 175^th anniversary of its Charter we return to the article written by Brother Gilbert Haven Stephens, Past Master of Olive Branch Lodge No. 38 and Past Grand Master of the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Illinois, for the Special section of The Danville Commercial-News September 29, 1946.   Describing the early years of the lodge and its second, third, and fourth masters, Brother Stephens wrote,

“There were 16 members in the lodge when it received its charter and there were six petitions presented at its first meeting.  By 1847, the membership had increased to 31.  Meetings were at the homes of its members for some time and then the organization took over a hall, the second story of a store standing about where the Savoy Hotel now stands.  (Note: the Savoy Hotel was on the north side of the unit block of West Main Street between the current Collins Tower and the City Hall Building.)

During 1848 the first emergency meeting was called to pay last respects to the memory of Brother Isaac Delay who had been killed by lightning.  It is said that he was returning from work on a log house which stood somewhere behind the west side of Vermilion street, about where the Sears-Roebucks store is.  He had a saw and a hammer under his arm when he was struck and killed.

The members of the lodge were ordered to wear crepe on their arms for 30 days.

At the end of four years, the first master gave way to one of the leading men of the town.  Judge Oliver L. Davis.  He was of eastern parentage and came to Danville in 1841 where he read law.  A leader in his profession, not only in Danville but in the state, he was for many years a judge of the circuit court and afterwards of the Appellate Court of Illinois.  The lodge continued to grow, showing a membership of 45 during this year.

Brother Davis was succeeded by John W. Myers, at that time a businessman of about 33.  He, too, was a trader and politician, afterward becoming the sheriff of the county and helped to build the Lincoln Opera House which attracted people from miles around.  It was during the regime of Myers that the by-laws were completed and printed, and a committee was appointed to have Brother G. print them, ‘if he will do the work as cheap as anybody else.’

The closing act of the master’s year was the appointing of a committee at Christmas to see to the wants of needy widows in the town and vicinity and the lodge appropriated $20 for such relief.

The next master was A. Y. Harrison, who was a newspaper man and ran The Plain Dealer, forerunner of the present Commercial-News.  He had a broad influence and attracted many prominent men to the fraternity.”