HISTORY OF ROCKTON LODGE #74

	Rumsey Hatch	Alpha Bligh
	A. H. Merrill	L. W. Osgood
	Dr. Alfred E. Ames	Wm. Leffingwell
	Jos. C. Prentiss	John Holland
	A. S. Newton	P. D. Van Buren
	N. Howland	G. A. Young
	Jessie Blinn

Rumsey Hatch was chosen as the first Worshipful Master and Served in that capacity for the following five years. Back to Roscoe Lodge History Merger The date of October 31, 1907 was a disasterous one for Rockton Lodge, as our lodge hall and its contents were completely destroyed by fire. We were granted a duplicate charter on November 12, 1907, By Grand Master Alexander Bell. This is the charter that is used by the lodge today. According to the minutes of the lodge, in its early existance, Masonic trials occurred quite frequently and a special meeting was held the night of the fire. The present building housing the lodge hall must have been erected immediately after the fire, as the date on the corner stone is 1908. We are unable to find the date of its dedication. On November 5, 1949 Rockton Lodge #74 and Roscoe Lodge #75 having been chartered and dedicated on the same day celebrated the one hundredth Anniversary of their Charter at Hononegah High school in Rockton. On this date the lodge consisted of 185 members, and had been served by 46 worshipful masters, 22 of whom were still living. The program was: OPEN - 7:30 P. M. INTRODUCTION OF GRAND OFFICERS INTRODUCTION OF PAST MASTERS INTRODUCTION OF DISTINGUISHED GUESTS ACACIA MALE CHORUS INTRODUCTION BY KARL J. MOHR PAST GRAND MASTEROF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS ADDRESS BY BENJAMIN E. PATTENMOST WORSHIPFUL GRAND MASTER OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS ACACIA MALE CHORUS CLOSING LUNCH Back to Roscoe Lodge History Merger The Officers at This Time were:   WB D. R Clapper Worshipfull Master       BR F. D. Olsen Senior Warden       M. W. Mattison Junior Warden       F. D. Keifer Treasurer       A. K. Faust Secretary       Arnold Stitt Chaplain       M. W. Wasmund Senior Deacon       L. D. Powers Junior Deacon       Clarence Higgins Senior Steward       Carlton Williams Junior Steward       T. W. Trugagos Marshall       Roy Capron Organist       Clifford Womack Tyler      Back to Home page ©David Warner, 2000 This website does not speak for the Grand Lodge of Illinois or Freemasonry in general   1999   150th Anniversary celebration!      In September of 1999 Rockton Lodge #74 together with Roscoe Lodge #75 celebrated their 150th Anniversary at Hononegah High school in Rockton with a Dinner at 6:00 PM and a re-dedication of both lodges with Brother J. Garrie Burr Most Worshipful Grand Master of the State of Illinois officiating. The lodge membership on this date was 67 members. The Officers at This Time were:

	WB Bradley Reich	Worshipfull Master
	WB John C. Hayter	Senior Warden
	BR Kenneth Counts	Junior Warden
	WB Sidney G. Bainbridge	Treasurer
	BR Glen A. Klebsdel	Secretary
	WB William G. White	Chaplain
	WB LeRoy Gleasman	Senior Deacon
	WB Richard E. Pearce	Junior Deacon
	WB Martin A. Harvey	Senior Steward
	BR Paul Liddell	Junior Steward
	BR Roger Goodman	Marshall
	BR James Geddes	Tyler

At the July 2001 meeting the members of Roscoe Lodge voted to approve the merger of Roscoe Lodge #75 with our sister lodge Rockton Lodge #74. This was the official date of our merger since Rockton had previously proposed it to us and voted in favor of the merger the previous month. The Charter of Rockton Lodge was surrendered to the Grand Lodge and the combined lodge will still be called Roscoe Lodge #75. A commitee was appointed to look into options regarding the dispensation of the Rockton Lodge Properties, ie Lodge Hall building and furnishings, working tools, etc.

Yes, on this day which will live in infamy, Roscoe lodge # 75 A. F. & A. M. under dispensation of the Grand Master of the state of Illinois held its first meeting of the combined Rockton #74/Roscoe #75 Lodge in the lodge hall of Rockton Lodge #74. Prior to the meeting a buffet lunch was enjoyed by all and a nice memorial cake was served. The celebration was muted by the facts of the day and the loss of Rockton Lodge. Lodge was opened at the usual time of 7:30 by the officers of Roscoe lodge #75 on the third degree for business. After the usual order of busness lodge was closed, and the members and guests either went home or retired to the dining room to partake of some more cake and clean up. Some of us I feel were somewhat reluctant to go home as this was the last masonic meeting to be held in this building. The end of an Era in more ways than one.

The non -Masonic related furnishings of Rockton Lodge #74 were auctioned to the public.