The Early History of Freemasonry in Evansville

In 1819 Evansville was growing rapidly due to the “Westward Movement” and some of the Masons living in the area decided to start their own Lodge.  Early in 1819 these Masons petitioned the Grand Lodge of Indiana for a grant of dispensation.   The first Masonic Lodge of Evansville was thus formed as Olive Branch Lodge #10. It was chartered on September 15^th by Grand Master Alexander Meeks.   The Lodge was formed with Jay Morehouse as Worshipful Master,  William Olmstead was Senior Warden and Amos Clark  was Junior Warden.   According to the records there were a total of 19 members.

Olive Branch Lodge #10 continued until 1833 when the property and Charter were surrendered to the Grand Lodge of Indiana.

Evansville Lodge U.D. was founded on April 3^rd, 1848.   We received our Charter on May 23, 1848 as Evansville Lodge #64.  Some of the brothers that founded our Lodge had been members of Olive Branch Lodge.  The Brethren requested the Grand Lodge to return the jewels of Olive Branch Lodge to the newly chartered Evansville Lodge.  When the charter was presented to the Lodge the jewels were also returned and are still in our possession.  The first Worshipful Master was C.A. Foster who was supported by John Hibbard, Senior Warden and James Walker, Junior Warden.  The following is from the original Lodge affairs that are mentioned in the records:

"Upon receiving an invitation from the County Commissioners,  the officers and members of Evansville Lodge performed the duties of laying the corner stone of the Vanderburgh County Courthouse, September 29, 1852.  In 1865, on motion it was ordered that the Lodge Hall be draped in mourning for a thirty day period due to the death of President Abraham Lincoln."

In 1867 an invitation was received from the lodge at Mt. Vernon, Indiana and the brethren were inspired to make their first visitation out of the city.  The trip was made aboard the river boat  “The Charmer”.  Evansville Lodge # 64 attended the laying of the corner stone for the Masonic Lodge in Mt. Vernon.  The cost of the trip was $200.00 for the 100 members of the Evansville lodge.

1911 Charles W. Hayward

1912 Charles H. Lutz

1913 Edwin C. Reitz

1914 Albert McCinness

1915 Frank R. Williams

1916 Charles H. Lutz

1917 Edwin C. Reitz

1918 Delbert V. Blackburn

1919 John Wyttenbach

1920 Arthur Schor

1921 W. H. Duncan

1922 E. C. Hulverson

1923 Thomas L. Nichols

1924 J. C. Lantaff

1925 William C. Jackel

1926 J. Spence Maidlow

1927 Oscar S. Gray

1928 Robert L Utley

1929 David B. Reeves

1930 John E. Rupp

1931 Harold N. Nenneker

1932 Elam G. Wiggins

1933 Onis R. Cox

1934 Fred H. Damm

1935 George W. Sisk

1936 Elmer F. Weitzel

1937 James L. Powers

1938 Victor E. Niednagel

1939 Wilmer G. Buchenberger

1940 Alva M. Jones

1941 Albert D. Niednagel

1942 Roy F. Ackerman

1943 Kenneth G. Alexander

1944 Gurley A. Leslie

1945 Ralph E. Legeman

1946 William A Wyrick

1947 Andrew G. Wyrick

1948 Raymond Moyer

1949 Charles Felker

1950 Neal J. Grabert

1951 Albert A. Goebel

1952  Walter P. Goebel

1953 Chester W. Hass

1954 Estill B. Tanner

1955 W. Max Reid

1956 Jack W. Hewson

1957 Walter G. Rettig

1958 Henry W. Schmuck *

1959 David A. Schorr

1960 Oliver M. Johnson

1961 Frank G. Lutz Jr. *

1962 James K. Black

1963 Norman G. Oeth

1964 Curtis E. Rowe

1965 Norman H. Rheinheimer

1966 Thomas L. Muth

1967 James H. Gentry *

1968 Charles H. Apfeltstadt

1969 Robert D. Cain *

1970 Homer W. Pressley

1971 Lewis F. Volpe

1972 Thomas R. Hale

1973 John D Finnerty

1974 John Stinson

1975 Randall L. Crayner *

1976 George Whimpleburg

1977 Max R. Hellums *

1978 Jack W. Ervin *

1979 Harold R. Grace * 

1980 Melvin M. Fuquay     

1981 Kenneth Seals *              

1982 William O. Schindler *

1983 William A. Campbell *

1983 Darrell A. Veach, PGM * 

1984 Jack Homburg 

1985 Robert R. Miller *

1986 Irl R. Hicks Jr.

1987 Vernon P. Barnett *       

1988 Harvey L. Head *

1989 James A. West *              

1990 Larry H. Nisbeth *          

1991 David L. Schnakenburg *

1992 Richard L Schnakenburg *

1993 Scott J. Wink *              

1994 Donald R. Little *          

1995 Raymond L. Browning *

1995 Scott J. Wink *

1996 Donald R. Oeth *          

1997 Thomas E. Pfender *      

1998 Matthew  T. Alexander *
        Note: Grandson of 1943 W.M.
        Kenneth G. Alexander

1999 Rodney H. Grove *

2000 Bruce Claybrooks *    

2001 Roger Fuchs *

2002 Rick A. Cory *              

2003 Jerry B. Julian *              

2004 James R. Wood *

2005 Joseph E. Brown *

2006 William A Reiners *

 

* Denotes Living

1848 Colly A. Foster

1849 James T. Walker

1850 William Hubbell

1851 William Hubbell

1852 William Hubbell

1853 D. A. Farmsley

1854 D. A. Farmsley

1855 W.A. McReo

1856 W.A. McReo

1857 William Hubbell

1858 William Hubbell

1859 William Hubbell

1860 W.E. Hollingsworth

1861 W.E. Hollingsworth

1862 W.E. Hollingsworth

1863 W.E. Hollingsworth

1864 T. W. Simpson

1865 Alen Shara

1866 J. Hass

1867 George W. Shearer

1868 J. Hass

1869 Charles H. Butterfield

1870 Charles H. Butterfield

1871 Charles H. Butterfield

1872 J. Hass

1873 George Shearer

1874 J. Hass

1875 J. Hass

1876 George Burch

1877 H. J. McCutchan

1878 John Foulks

1879 J. Hass

1880 J. Hass

1881 William Eppmeier

1882  J.L. Dow

1883 Otis Wood

1884 M Morgan

1885 J. G. Kounz

1886 Alex Crawford

1887 Alex Crawford

1888 Alex Crawford

1889 David Scoffield

1890 J. H. Smith

1891 David Scoffield

1892 Fred Herbert

1893 Fred Herbert

1894 Thomas A. Walker

1895 William H. Greer

1896 Jessie C. Weil

1897 Fred Herbert

1898 J. H. Smith

1899 C.C. Lavery

1900 John C. McPhillips

1901 James H. Cossage

1902 Thomas A. Smith

1903 George Lindsay

1904 H.H. Eldridge

1905 Author E. Brown

1906 Edward R. Smith

1907 John G. Wingerter

1908 L.L. Wood

1909 Edward R. Smith

1910 W.G. Downs