Lodge History

Click here for a listing of St Alban Lodge No 529 Past Masters.

Lodge Summarized  History for St. Alban Lodge #529 (1874 to 2015)

February 24, 1874: Sixty –five Master Masons proposed to resign from their respective lodges to form a new lodge to be named St. Alban Lodge No. 529 in honor of St. Alban Commandery No. 47.  The members of the Commandery noted with great pleasure that this lodge was to be named in their honor and made a contribution of $200 to help found the new lodge.

March 4, 1874: The sixty-five Master Masons, headed by Reverend J. W. Curtis, all having resigned from their Masonic Lodges, petitioned the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania for a Warrant and Charter as a Masonic body to be known as St. Alban Lodge.  The prayer of their petition was granted immediately.

March 5, 1874: in a ceremony held in Egyptian Hall, Masonic Temple, Philadelphia, PA, R. W. Grand Master Bro. Alfred Potter presiding, St. Alban Lodge No. 529, Free and Accepted Masons was duly constituted.  The officers elect of St. Alban Lodge were installed in their respective stations as follows: The Rev. J. W. Curtis, Worshipful Master; Joseph F. Kerbaugh, Senior Warden; W. H. Bunn, M. D., Junior Warden; John J. Day, Treasurer and Theodore Warner, Secretary.  Stated Meetings for St. Alban Lodge were to be held on the first Thursday of the month in Egyptian hall.

June 24, 1882: At the Sesquicentennial (the 150th Anniversary) celebration of the founding of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania, St. Alban Lodge, being the youngest or rather most recently formed Lodge meeting in the Temple, was accorded the honor of leading the parade for the celebration.

October 4, 1907: Subsequent to a petition to the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania for a Warrant of Constitution filed in September 1907, Charles M. Swain Lodge No. 654 was constituted in Corinthian Hall, Masonic Temple, Philadelphia, PA by Right Worshipful Grand Master George Kendrick, Jr.  The first officers of Charles M. Swain were: Peter M. MacLaren, Worshipful Master; Robert R. Bringhurst, Senior Warden; William M. G. Corrie, Junior Warden; Charles J. Swain, Treasurer; William H. B. Stewart, Secretary.  The Stated Meetings for Charles M. Swain Lodge No. 654 were held in Egyptian Hall.

September 10, 1919: Having grown greatly in membership, St. Alban Lodge  No. 529 moved from Egyptian Hall to its present home in Renaissance Hall.  The Stated Meeting night was also changed from the first Thursday to the second Wednesday of the month.

December 9, 1953: Bro. William C. Patterson was elected Worshipful Master, becoming the first son of a Past Master to attain this office, his father, William M. Patterson, having served as Worshipful Master of this lodge in 1930.

December 13, 1961: In 1961, no member of the Lodge was prepared to be Worshipful Master  and for the first time in St. Alban Lodge history the outgoing Master, Bro. Kenneth Q. Walker, P. M., was elected to succeed himself, (for the year 1962).

June 1971: Pursuant to having been approached by a committee from Charles M. Swain Lodge No. 654, Bro. Harold L. Matthews, Worshipful Master of St. Alban Lodge No. 529, petitioned the Grand Lodge to consider a merger of the two Lodges.

December 1971: The Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania approved the merger creating a new charter and name “St. Alban-Swain Lodge No. 529.”  The last official elected officers of Charles M. Swain LodgeNo. 654 were: Ralph Jorns, Worshipful Master; George F. Price, Senior Warden; Charles H. Price, Junior Warden; Howard N. Loux, P. M., Treasurer; William H. Karasch, P. M., Secretary.

December 12, 1990: Pursuant to a motion made June 13, 1990 to create a merger of Hamilton Lodge No. 274 with St. Alban-Swain Lodge No. 529, and approval on September 12th, 1990, a ceremony of merger was performed uniting Hamilton Lodge No. 274 with St. Alban-Swain Lodge No. 529.  Presiding at the ceremony were: Bro. Thomas Jackson, R. W. Grand Secretary; Bro. Richard Berstein, DDGM; Bro. Benjamin Rubin, PDDGM; Bro. George M. Rule, W. M. Hamilton Lodge; Bro. Joseph A. Fletcher, Jr., W. M. St. Alban-Swain Lodge and members and visitors from the respective Lodges.  The R. W. Grand Secretary stated that in his 11 years as Grand Secretary, he had never witnessed a more dignified and fitting ceremony or such a smooth and harmonious merger of two Lodges.

April 8, 1992: A proposal is made that Integrity Lodge No. 187 be merged with St. Alban-Swain Lodge No. 529.

May 13, 1992: The motion is approved that Integrity Lodge No. 187 be merged with St. Alban-Swain Lodge No. 529, with the name and number of the Lodge remaining St. Alban-Swain Lodge No. 529.

June 10, 1992: A ceremony of merger was performed for the merger of Integrity Lodge No. 187 with St. Alban-Swain Lodge No. 529.  The procession was led by Pipe Major Bro. James R. Ross of Lansdowne Lodge No. 711.  Also present were: Bro. Rick Berstein, DDGM; Bro. Benjamin Rubin, PDDGM; Bro. Arthur Hutchison, W. M. Integrity Lodge No. 187; Bro. Donald F. Stauffer, W. M. St. Alban-Swain Lodge No. 529 and the members, guests and visitors from the respective Lodges.

December 27, 2003: Pursuant to a motion made, seconded and approved by the Grand Lodge, the name of the Lodge was changed back to its original name St. Alban Lodge No. 529.

March 10, 2004: The 130th anniversary of the Lodge was recognized at the March 2004 Stated Meeting.

October 8, 2004: St. Alban Lodge No. 529 was the host Lodge for the 51st Annual International Gathering of Lodges Named St. Albans.  Masons and their guests from all over the world converged on Philadelphia for a weekend of fun, fraternity and camaraderie. 

March 9, 2005: St. Alban Lodge No. 529 celebrates its 131st anniversary.

December 14, 2005: St. Alban Lodge No. 529 elects and installs its officers for 2006.  Bro. James T. Clancy, P.M. was elected Worshipful Master for the ensuing year beginning on St. Johns Day.  The installation of the Worshipful Master was performed by the Past RWGM Samuel C. Williamson.

March 8, 2006: St. Alban Lodge No. 529 celebrates its 132nd anniversary at its March Stated Meeting.

December 13, 2006: St Alban Lodge No. 529 elects and installs its officers for the ensuing Masonic year.  Bro. William C. Doty was elected Worshipful Master with his term to begin on St. Johns Day.  The installation of the Worshipful Master was performed by Bro. Leonard E. McCulley, Sr., P. M.

March 14, 2007: St. Alban Lodge No. 529 celebrates its 133rd anniversary at its March Stated Meeting.

December 12, 2007: St Alban Lodge No. 529 elects and installs its officers for the ensuing Masonic year.  Bro. David L. Klauder, P. M. was elected Worshipful Master with his term to begin on St. Johns Day.

March 12, 2008: St. Alban Lodge No. 529 celebrates its 134th anniversary at its March Stated Meeting.

December 10, 2008: St Alban Lodge No. 529 elects and installs its officers for the ensuing Masonic year.  Bro. Russell B. Combs, P. M. was elected Worshipful Master with his term to begin on St. Johns Day.

March 11, 2009: St. Alban Lodge No. 529 celebrates its 135th anniversary at its March Stated Meeting.

November 11, 2009: St. Alban Lodge No. 529 has its November Stated Meeting on the Battleship New Jersey. The Meeting was attended by the R.W.G.M, the D.D.G.M. and many brethren visiting from other lodges.

December 9, 2009: St Alban Lodge No. 529 elects and installs its officers for the ensuing Masonic year.  Bro. William M. Roosevelt, III, P. M. was elected Worshipful Master with his term to begin on St. Johns Day.

March 10, 2010: St. Alban Lodge No. 529 celebrates its 136th anniversary at its March Stated Meeting.

November 10, 2010: Bro. William M. Roosevelt, III, P.M., W.M was presented with a pin by D.D.G.M. Charles Holoway representing the R. W. G. M. Thomas Sturgeon recognizing his having performed the 200th Third or Master mason’s Degree in Freemasonry.

December 8, 2010: St Alban Lodge No. 529 elects and installs its officers for the ensuing Masonic year.  Bro. Anthony J. Dintino was elected Worshipful Master with his term to begin on St. Johns Day.

December 14, 2011: St. Alban Lodge No. 529 elects and installs its officers for the ensuing Masonic year. Bro. William Gordon Savage was elected Worshipful Master with his term to begin on St. Johns Day.

December 12, 2012: St. Alban Lodge No. 529 elects and installs its officers for the ensuing Masonic year. Bro. Richard T. Bobbe, III was elected Worshipful Master with his term to begin on St. Johns Day.

December 11, 2013: St. Alban Lodge No. 529 elects and installs its officers for the ensuing Masonic year. Bro. Alan Ozer was elected Worshipful Master with his term to begin on St. Johns Day.

December 10, 2014: St. Alban Lodge No. 529 elects and installs its officers for the ensuing Masonic year. Bro. Gregory Klauder was elected Worshipful Master with his term to begin on St. Johns Day.

Free and Accepted Masons of Pennsylvania, District C

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