Weston Masonic Lodge #53 History
The Masonic History of Weston Lodge #53
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Freemasonry formally came to Weston in December of 1841 when several Freemasons who belonged to Lodges in Missouri and other states were given permission to meet as a Lodge "Under Dispensation". This permission came from the Grand Lodge of Ancient Free and Accepted Masons (A.F.&A.M.) of Missouri. The Grand Lodge of Missouri is the governing body for all A.F.&A.M. or "Blue" Lodges in the Fraternity in Missouri. The Grand Lodge of Missouri was chartered and set to work on May 4, 1821, more than three months before Missouri became a State on August 21, 1821.
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Weston Lodge, Under Dispensation (U.D.), held it's meetings in a two-story frame building on this same site. The Lodge met on the second floor, and from December of 1841 until October of 1842, this proposed Lodge was regularly visited by representatives of the Grand Lodge. These regular visitations were to observe and review their ritual proficiency, their observance of the traditions and laws of the Fraternity, and their individual and collective ability to administer the business and charitable affairs of the Lodge.
On October 11, 1842, Benjamin Holladay signed the official register of the Grand Lodge meeting in St Louis as "Benj. Holladay Jr Warden of Weston Lodge, U.D.". Later that same day, Holladay was on hand when the Committee on Lodges U.D. recommended "That the charters be granted to the above named Lodges (which included Weston Lodge), bearing even date with this report, and that their representatives be permitted to take their seats in this Grand Lodge and be entitled to all the rights and privileges of members".
The Lodge was formally Chartered as Weston Lodge No. 53 on October 11, 1842 with the following officers:
Worshipful Master - Dandridge Holladay
Senior Warden - A.M. Belt
Junior Warden - Benjamin Holladay
Benjamin Holladay brought his five brothers to Weston along with his mother to help manage and direct his many businesses, which included a dry goods store, drug store, meat packing plant, a hotel, and various farm properties. Benjamin Holladay was also the town's first Postmaster.
Fires virtually destroyed large segments of the business district in Weston in 1855, 1859, and 1884. The building on this site where the Lodge met was destroyed each time, but the Freemasons quickly rebuilt. The third fire occurred on November 1, 1884 and on November 29 the Lodge met in a special communication in the Odd Fellows Hall "for the purpose of recieving bids for the rebuilding of the Masonic Hall. The Secretary was then ordered to open and announce the bids, which was done, and Shell & Brene being the lowest bidders of $3,193.00 (~$102,565.68 in 2024) their bid was accepted".
Work on this, our present home, began in December of 1884 and was completed in the first week of September 1885. On September 11, 1885 Grand Master R.F. Stevenson opened a Special Communication of the Grand Lodge of Missouri for the purpose of "dedicating the new hall to Universal Masonic Benevolence".
The furniture of the Lodge room - the pedestals and chairs at the officers stations; the altar, The Secretary and Treasurer's desks - was acquired between 1885 and 1900.
The dining room on the first floor was rented out for many years to a druggist. The Lodge received an annual rent of $120 (~$3,740.15 in 2024). During the Great Depression the druggist vacated and the Lodge retained one exceptional piece of furniture from the old drug store: the marble counter cabinet and mirror. This serves as a beautiful divider between our Kitchen and Dining Room. The old oak Farmhouse table was refinished to match the cabinet in 2021 by WB MW Goentzel and is just as striking. The first and second floor ceilings of the Lodge are beautiful tin and the stained glass in the second floor windows are the work of WB Dr RW Calvert a Past Master of Platte City Lodge.
Sadly as time marched on the organizations that remain housed at 507 Main is Weston Masonic Lodge #53 and the Weston Chapter No. 197, Order of the Eastern Star which was chartered October 10,1901.
Historically the family included;
Royal Arch Masons, Weston Chapter No. 4, Chartered October 16, 1847
Knights Templar, Weston Commandery No. 2, Chartered October 22, 1853
