A Little Keystone History
TWELVE YEARS PRIOR TO THE TURN OF THE CENTURY ON NOVEMBER 15, 1888 THE MOST WORSHIPFUL UNITED GRAND LODGE OF THE STATE AND JURISDICTION OF NEW JERSEY, UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF THE MOST WORSHIPFUL GRAND MASTER FRAND CHAPMAN, GRANTED KEYSTONE LODGE # 39 ITS WARRANT. THE FIRST OFFICERS NAMED IN THE CHARTER WERE: MOST WORSHIPFUL FRANCIS FARMER, MASTER; JOHN M. VANCE, SR. WARDEN; JAMES COX, JR. WARDEN; JAMES ALLISON, TREASURER AND J.E. GUMBY, SECRETARY.
OVER THE YEARS THERE CAME A MERGER OF LODGES. MERIDIAN LODGE #57 COMBINED ITS TALENTS WITH KEYSTONE LODGE #39 TO STRENGTHEN THE LIGHT OF PRINCE HALL MASONRY IN CAPE MAY COUNTY.
MOST WORSHIPFUL FRANCIS FARMER THE FIRST MASTER OF THIS LODGE WAS ALSO GRAND MASTER IN THE YEAR 1885. MOST WORSHIPFUL JOHN M. VANCE, WHO WAS OUR FIRST SENIOR WARDEN, BECAME GRAND MASTER FOR THE YEAR 1903. RIGHT WORSHIPFUL JAMES W. ALLISON WAS INSTALLED JUNIOR GRAND WARDEN FOR THE YEAR 1914 AND SERVED AS DEPUTY GRAND MASTER 1N 1915 AND 1916. RIGHT WORSHIPFUL W. H. EDMONDS SERVED AS DISTRICT DEPUTY GRAND MASTER FROM 1933 TO 1935. ALL OF THE ABOVE NAMED DISTINGUISHED MEMBERS OF KEYSTONE LODGE ARE NOW DECEASED.
RIGHT WORSHIPFUL JAMES W. ALLISON, SERVED AS DISTRICT DEPUTY GRAND MASTER FOR THE YEARS 1936 TO 1938. IN 1951 JAMES W. ALLISON WAS NAMED AMONG ONE OF THE FIRST CUSTODIANS OF THE WORK. THE PRINCE HALL MASONIC MONITOR THAT IS USED TODAY WAS ADOPTED BY UNANIMOUS VOTE OF THE GRAND LODGE ON JUNE 24, 1958. RIGHT WORSHIPFUL CLARENCE B. WRIGHT, WHOM LATER DEMITTED TO SAINT JOHN # 43 IN EAST ORANGE, SERVED AS DISTRICT DEPUTY GRAND MASTER FOR THE YEARS 1966 AND 1967. RIGHT WORSHIPFUL THOMAS A. LONG SERVED AS DISTRICT DEPUTY GRAND MASTER FROM 1973 TO 1975...
TWELVE YEARS PRIOR TO THE TURN OF THE CENTURY ON NOVEMBER 15, 1888 THE MOST WORSHIPFUL UNITED GRAND LODGE OF THE STATE AND JURISDICTION OF NEW JERSEY, UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF THE MOST WORSHIPFUL GRAND MASTER FRAND CHAPMAN, GRANTED KEYSTONE LODGE # 39 ITS WARRANT. THE FIRST OFFICERS NAMED IN THE CHARTER WERE: MOST WORSHIPFUL FRANCIS FARMER, MASTER; JOHN M. VANCE, SR. WARDEN; JAMES COX, JR. WARDEN; JAMES ALLISON, TREASURER AND J.E. GUMBY, SECRETARY.
OVER THE YEARS THERE CAME A MERGER OF LODGES. MERIDIAN LODGE #57 COMBINED ITS TALENTS WITH KEYSTONE LODGE #39 TO STRENGTHEN THE LIGHT OF PRINCE HALL MASONRY IN CAPE MAY COUNTY.
MOST WORSHIPFUL FRANCIS FARMER THE FIRST MASTER OF THIS LODGE WAS ALSO GRAND MASTER IN THE YEAR 1885. MOST WORSHIPFUL JOHN M. VANCE, WHO WAS OUR FIRST SENIOR WARDEN, BECAME GRAND MASTER FOR THE YEAR 1903. RIGHT WORSHIPFUL JAMES W. ALLISON WAS INSTALLED JUNIOR GRAND WARDEN FOR THE YEAR 1914 AND SERVED AS DEPUTY GRAND MASTER 1N 1915 AND 1916. RIGHT WORSHIPFUL W. H. EDMONDS SERVED AS DISTRICT DEPUTY GRAND MASTER FROM 1933 TO 1935. ALL OF THE ABOVE NAMED DISTINGUISHED MEMBERS OF KEYSTONE LODGE ARE NOW DECEASED.
RIGHT WORSHIPFUL JAMES W. ALLISON, SERVED AS DISTRICT DEPUTY GRAND MASTER FOR THE YEARS 1936 TO 1938. IN 1951 JAMES W. ALLISON WAS NAMED AMONG ONE OF THE FIRST CUSTODIANS OF THE WORK. THE PRINCE HALL MASONIC MONITOR THAT IS USED TODAY WAS ADOPTED BY UNANIMOUS VOTE OF THE GRAND LODGE ON JUNE 24, 1958. RIGHT WORSHIPFUL CLARENCE B. WRIGHT, WHOM LATER DEMITTED TO SAINT JOHN # 43 IN EAST ORANGE, SERVED AS DISTRICT DEPUTY GRAND MASTER FOR THE YEARS 1966 AND 1967. RIGHT WORSHIPFUL THOMAS A. LONG SERVED AS DISTRICT DEPUTY GRAND MASTER FROM 1973 TO 1975...
M.W.Ricardo McNeil, Grand Master M.W.P.H.G.L.N.J.
Keystone Lodge #39
Free & Accepted Masons
Free & Accepted Masons
Prince Hall Affiliated
