ABOUT | roby

"Formed in the spirit of Brotherly Love, Relief and Truth

The history of Masonary in Monroeville has traveled a long and rugged journey in its 130 years of existance. Many glorious events occurred in the pioneering of both the Masonic Lodge and the Village of Monroeville. When one looks at the historical development of the early settlements one invariably finds that the same men who platted the Villages and Towns also organized the Masonic Lodges in them.

Masonary in Monroeville did not start with Roby Lodge in 1884. It started with Rose Lodge # 304 in 1858 - 1877. Some of the Charter members of Rose Lodge later became Charter members of Roby.

Alva S. Skilton, was Robys first Master. Senior Warden Charles A. Sawyer and Junior Warden Thomas Everingen,Henry Hill Treas., Hiram Peck Secty., Thomas F. Gray /S.D., Hiram Latham /J.D., Chas. P. Hankammer/ Tyler. Other Charter members ; A.E. Gladding, Joseph James Swaby, Charles Boehm , John S. Roby, August Fehrnbach, W.H. Van Horn, Riley Latham

Charter being granted on October 18, 1883.

So began 130 years of serving our GOD, our Brothers, and our community.

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/ OUR ROOTS

Rose Lodge No. 304 F & A M ( Monroeville's Original Masonic Lodge)

On March 10, 1858 Rose Lodge was organized in Monroeville. The Lodge was named after Enos Rose, a leader in the community. On 03-12-1858 the Lodge met, Enos Rose W.M.,

John S. Roby Tres., Lemuel Pomeroy Sect., Edwin Fish S.D., DeWitt C. Doane J.D., Charles E.Phillips,Tyler. There were 12 Charter members, other than listed above were Obidiah Prentiss, Darius S. Culver, Jacob Nathan, W.S. Worthman, John Fish, J.R.Rose. The list of members continued to grow to 93.

On April 1st, 1877 a fire burned down the town hall and Masonic Lodge located at Main & Monroe Sts. It was Fortunate that Brother A.S.Skilton had taken the minute book home or they would have been lost in the fire as the Charter and Lodge furniture was.

On April 18th,1877 a special meeting was called to abandon Rose Lodge. J.S.Roby the oldest Charter member chaired the meeting. Brother A.S.Skilton W.M. was appointed trustee to communicate this to the Grand Lodge of Ohio.

Thus ended the first chapter in the history of Masonry in Monroeville.

/ HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE

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Roby Lodge No. 534 F & A M

Its dispensation in hand, Roby Lodge was busy with all the details of establishing a new Lodge. Our furniture and fixtures were purchased from Fort Stephenson Lodge F & A M in Fremont. We aquired a contract from Andrew Hipp for the entire third floor of his building located at Main & Monroe Sts. Meetings were held the 2nd & 4th Wednesday evenings at 7:30PM.

J.M.Goodspeed, Grand Master of Masons of Ohio, appointed G.E, Kinsley of Mt.Vernon Lodge # 64 (Norwalk) as his proxy so W.M. Kinsley had the honor of constituting Roby Lodge and installing its Officers on November 12,1884

It was indeed unfortunate that John S. Roby, Roby's Lodges namesake, died on Oct.30,1884, just 2 weeks prior to receipt of the Lodge's Charter.

In 1966 Brother George Sherman, Chairman of the Temple committee, reported the possibility of converting the Seamon block located at 22 Monroe St. to Masonic purposes. Pledges were solicited from all members and the bank was willing to loan us $20,000 for 20 years. It was reported the building was purchased for $25,000

January 1967, Roby lodge moved into the Seamon building upstairs. Considerable work continued downstairs until July 12, 1969 when it was completed. On August 31,1969 a special meeting was called for the purpose of dedicating the new Temple of Roby Lodge. We were honored to have five Grand Lodge Officers visit and take part. They were Robert A. Hinshaw G.M., Robert D. Sager S.G.D., Royal C. Scofield G. Marshal, Fay L. Gulion J.G.W, Donald M. Thomson S.G.W.

All of them later became Grand Masters of Ohio. Masons were present from Indiana, Kentucky and Pennsylvania as well as many from Lodges of our 16th Masonic District.

/ THE FUTURE

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/ SCHOLARSHIP

Roby Lodge offers two five hundred dollar scholarships to seniors of Monroeville High School.

To apply students need to contact the school staff to express their interest in same.

PAST MASTERS

1884 - 1886 Alvah S. Skilton

1887 Thomas F. Gray

1888 William H. Mitchell

1889 Henry E. Hill

1890 William J. Mead

1891 - 1892 Thomas F. Gray

1893 - 1895 William H. Mitchell

1896 Frank W. Heyman

1897 William H. Mitchell

1898 - 1899 R.H. Ramsey

1900 - 1904 Elmer W. Armstrong

1905 - 1907 George S. Powley

1908 - Ben H. Williams

1909 - Edwin R. Kreider

1910 - Clarence L. Powley

1911 - 1912 William M. Luttenton

1913 - Walter F. Drake

1914 - Herbert F. Williams

1915 - Andrew N. Fox

1916 - Herbert F. Williams

1917 - James P. Limbird

1918 - Ben H. Williams

1919- Phillip H. Horn

1920 - Clarence E. Lowery

1921 - Rudolph M. Petzoldt

1922 - William C. Martin

1923 - Benjamin C. Pilkey

1924 - Floyd F. Richards

1925 -Clessen J. Winslow

1926 - William C. Horn

1927 - Walter T. Jones

1928 - William P. Erf

1929 - Arthur H. Schug

1930 - Ralph E. McCord

1931 - Conrad J. Eberly

1932 - Meray W. Durand

1933 - Earle R. Sargeant

1934 - William F. Scheid

1935 - Floyd E. Gregory

1936 - 1937 Arthur F. Henry

1938 - Rawleigh L. Gregory

1939 - Clayton C. Sargeant

1940 - Melvin G. Schug

1941 - George A. Drake

1942 - Harlon L. Walter

1943 - Harold L. Fenton

1944- Guy H. Latham

1945 - H. Glen Sargeant

1946 - Vance B. Stimson

1947 - 1948 Harold W McChesney

1949 - Kenneth E. Sherbrook

1950 - George W. Sherman

1951 - Frank W. Burdue

1952 - Gladwynn L. Lewis

1953 - Thomas W. Jones

1954 - Douglas L. Fry

1955 - Wesley C. Harris

1956 - Richard C. Winslow

1957 - Homer A, Jones

1958 - William R. Vail

1959 - James C. Henery

1960 - Nels Lund

1961 - John L. Stotz

1962 - Warren L. Burkett

1963 - Charles J. McAllister

1964 - Theodore A, Shafer

1965 - Arthur F. Herner

1966 - 1967 Warren J. Jump

1968 - James F. Herner

1969 - Russell Herner

1970 - Clifford L. Wilson

1971 - James A. Noyes

1972 - Warren L. Jump

1973 - Forrest L. Stewart

1974 - Warren L. Jump

1975- Thomas L. Wingate

1976 - J.E. Thurston

1977 - Forrest L. Stewart

1978 - Clarence H. Seville

1979 - Willmer L. Pesnell

1980 - Lawrence R. Fulk

1981 - John A. Schneider

1982 - Lawrence E. Turley

1983 - Frank H. Konst

1984 - Lloyd W. Smith Jr.

1985 - Forrest L. Stewart

1986 - Lawrence E. Turley

1987/88 - Clarence H. Seville

1989 - John R. Gregory

1990 - Steven Herner

1991 - John E Miller

1992 - Mark A Herner

1993 - Paul R Herner

1994 - Perry L Trammel

1995 - Thomas C Roth

1996 - David L Herner

1997 - Mark A Herner

1998 - Paul R Herner

1999 - David L Herner

2000 - Paul R Herner

2001/02 - Mark A Herner

2003 - Forrest L.Stewart Jr

2004 - Donald Allan Alberts Jr

2005 - Leonard DeCarmine

2006 - William Clark Rhine

2007 - Mark A Herner

2008 - Craig T Franklin

2009/10/11 - Mark A Herner

2012/13/14 -Donald Allan Alberts Jr

2015 - Jamey Kamann

Past Secretaries

1884 - Hiram Peck

1885 - W.H. Mitchell

1886 - F.W. Heyman

1887 - 88 - Thomas W. Latham

1889 - F.W. Heyman

1890 - F.W. Adams

1891 - 02 - H.E. Smith

1893 - R.H. Ramsey

1894 - WilliamJohnston

1895 - J. Longson

1896 - George S. Powley

1897 - J.B. Heter

1898 - Lou Erf

1899 - W.H. Bath

1900 - E.R. Kreider

1901 - A.C. Burrell

1902 - H.E. Hill

1903 - Ben H. Williams

1904 - R.S. Powley

1905 - G.A. Avery

1906 C.G. Powley

1907 - W.F. Drake

1908 - 1910 Fred C. Speir

1911 - 1912 - C.L. Powley

1913 - T.W. Goodyear

1914 - W.O. Craighead

1915 - 16 - R.M. Petzoldt

1917 - W.M. Luttenton

1918 - Eugene S. Fish

1919 - William C. Horn

1920 - 29 - J.D. Dennis

1930 - 55 - E.W.Armstrong

1956 - 57 - D.L. Fry

1958 - Wesley C. Harris

1959 - 78 - Harold F.Fenton

1979 - 81 - Warren L. Jump

1982 - 2014 - Larry R. Fulk

Roby Lodge #534 F. & A. M.

ABOUT ROBY LODGE