A History of

Trimble Lodge #117, F&AM

 Camden Lodge No. 15, Free and Accepted Masons in the State of New Jersey, was constituted in November 1821 and was the Mother Lodge of Trimble Lodge No. 117, F&AM.

For a period of fifty years only two lodges, Ionic Lodge No. 94 in the city of Camden and Cloud Lodge No. 101 in Gloucester City had been Granted Warrants through Camden Lodge No. 15.

In 1871, twenty years after a Warrant was granted to Cloud Lodge No. 101, nine of the younger Brethren of Camden Lodge No. 15 (Eight of who subsequently were installed as the first Officers of Trimble Lodge No. 117), presented applications for Dimits from Camden Lodge No. 15 to enable presentation of a petition to the Grand Lodge of New Jersey to form a new Lodge.

The application for a warrant proposed the new lodge be named "Trimble" to honor Most Worshipful Joseph Trimble, Past Grand Master of Masons for the State of New Jersey in 1857, 1858 and 1859. He also served as the Worshipful Master of Camden Lodge No. 15 in 1854, 1861 and 1862.

On February 2, 1871 Most Worshipful William E. Pine, Grand Master of Masons for the State of New Jersey, commissioned Right Worshipful William W. Goodwin Deputy Grand Master, under a warrant issued by the Grand Lodge of New Jersey to constitute the nine Brethren into a regular lodge to be named Trimble No. 117. Accordingly on February 10th, 1871 Trimble Lodge No. 117 was consituted in the Masonic Hall, Southeast Corner, 4th and Market Street, Camden New Jersey, with the Most Worshipful Joseph Trimble acting as Deputy Grand Master.

Eight of the nine Charter Members installed as the first Officers of Trimble Lodge No. 117 were: Worshipful Master: George H. Fairfield

Senior Warden: George F. Fort

Junior Warden: Marmaduke B. Taylor

Secretary: J. Graham Milligan

Treasurer: H. Genet Taylor

Senior Deacon: Nathan F. Cowan

Junior Deacon: Frederick A. Rex

Master of Ceremonies: Wilbur F. Rose

Included in the first year initiates were four Brethren who later became the Worshipful Masters of Trimble Lodge No. 117: Robert N. Ewen, Alexander Fullerton, William H. H. Waller and Henry K. Boyer.

The meeting place has changed over the past 127 years, since the Masonic Hall, Southeast Corner of 4th adn Market, and Wildey Hall. We Moved around in Camden all in the same area from 1871 until 1913.

When the new Masonic Temple at Fourth Street, below Market Street in Camden was finished, Trimble Lodge held its first regular communication in the New Masonic Temple on September 5th, 1913. Lodge was Opened by Worshipful Master William D. Hopkins. Trimble held many wonderful occasions and meetings in the Temple through the years. On June of 1968 Worshipful Master Walter A. Thomas Jr. Closed Trimble Lodge for the last time in the Camden Masonic Temple. September of 1968, Lodge was opened in Haddonfield Masonic Temple, Kings Highway, East Haddonfield until the completion of the Building of the West Jersey Masonic Center in Cherry Hill. Trimble moved in the New Center. Worshipful Master Grant R. Keller opened Lodge in 1974 in the WJMC, which is our present meeting place.

Our 25th, 50th and 75th Anniversaries were celebrated at the Camden Masonic Temple. On the Fiftieth, the celebration was held over three evenings; February 11th, 12th and 13th owing to the number of members. At that time, Trimble had 1224 members and in 1930 we had 1309.

The 75th Anniversary was held in 1946 just after the end of the second world war. We had a lot to be thankful for the progress that was made after the War. There were many memorials to the many losses of our families during the war. There were limits and restrictions placed on large gatherings and conventions were limited to 50 people by our Government. It was lifted but not until around 1946. The Lodge held a year of events to honor the occasion.

The year 1971 found Trimble in the Haddonfield Temple, we decided to hold our 100th Anniversary at the Excelsior Scottish Rite Consistory in West Collingswood, N.J. The Rev. Albert W. Van Duzer, P.G.C. and Suffrogan Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of N.J. began the new Century of Trimble Lodge with the blessing and prayer of our Great Creator at the Installation of our Lodge's Officers. In keeping with our Faith in the Lion of Juday, we adopted as our motto: "Leon Judia Nostra Spes." The latin is translated to mean: Our Faith is in the Lion of Judah. There were many other events and occasions throughout the year.

The 125th Anniversary of Trimble Lodge No. 117, F&AM was celebrated on February 10th, 1996 again at the West Collingswood Consistory. The Great Architect of the Universe saw fit to bless the occasion with a carpet of white snow. Most Worshipful Grand Master of Masons of the State of New Jersey - R.W. Harold F. Jennings - was received and the invocation offered by R.W. John G. Brenner, P.G.C.

Many families throughout the 125 years helped to build our membership. We have enjoyed fathers raising sons and sons - on occasion - raising fathers.

Many families have left considerable marks in Masonry. Trimble's enjoyed the pride of having two Grand Masters: M.W. Frank C. Sayrs, P.G.M. in 1923 and M.W. Arthur P. Johnson, P.G.M. in 1933. Other family names are also left in the fraternity from Trimble including R.W. Alvin H. Frankel, P.D.D.G.M. who authored the expression: "I am invited into the Kitchen to get Kellers Butter" in direct reference to the sons of the Kitchen and Keller families who have graced the halls of our lodge with their presence and inspiration.

As M.W. Joe Trimble was fond to say: "So mote it be..."

And so it continues today.

Thanks for visiting Trimble's History page. Men wishing to be part of Trimble's future must consider ...2B1Ask1!