Chandler Lodge. No. 138, F. & A. M. was chartered May 8, 1846. At the great fire which occurred m London February 2, 1854, the charter of the lodge, its records, and all effects were destroyed, hence we are unable to give the names of the charter members and the first officers. It was at the time of the fire in a prosperous condition. A reissue of the charter was granted October 18, 1854, and the first officers installed thereafter were: John Dungan. W. M.; F. L. Downing, S. W.; A. R. Phifer, J. W.; J. F. Freeman, Secretary; A. Toland, Treasurer; D. Haskell, S. D.; L. M. Dunn. J. D ; J. Q. Lotspeich, Tiler. At the time the fire occurred, the lodge met in a hall in a building which stood on the present site of the one in which is the Chandler book store on Main street. Meetings later were held in the building on the northeast corner of High and Main streets, from here they removed bo Toland Block about the year 1856. In 1867, the hall they were occupying was enlarged and beautifully finished and furnished, until now it will compare favorably with almost any lodge room in the State. The present membership of the lodge, 104. Present officers: O. P. Crabb, W. M.. R. H. McCloud, S. W.; J. Swetland, J. W.; M. W. Dungan. Treasurer; L. G. Peetrey, Secretary; Jacob March, S. D.; J. P. Bridgeman, J. P.; Samuel Creamer, Tiler.
Adoniram Royal Arch Chapter, No. 78, was chartered October 18, 1856, on petition of the following-named companions; John Melvin, O. P Crabb, David Haskell, Thomas J. Stutson, Toland Jones, Israel Fisher, Jeriah Swetland, Robert Alkire, William McClintick and B. H. Moore. The first officers of the chapter were David Haskell, H. P.; John Melvin, K.; O. P. Crabb, S.; William McClintick, C. of H.; B. H. Moore, P. S.; J. Swetland, R. A. C; Robert Alkire, G. M. Third V.; Israel Fisher, G. M. Second V.; Toland Jones, G. M. First V. The present membership of the chapter is ninety; present officers: O. P. Crabb, H. P.; D. Baskell, K.; J. Swetland, S.; Daniel T. Fox, C of H.; R. H. McCloud, R. A. C; J. B. Sprague, P. S.; I. G. Peetrey, Secretary; M. W. Dungan, G. M. Third V.; A. P. Hewitt, G. M. Second V.; Job J. Clark, G. M. First V.; S. Creamer, Guard.
London Council, No. 41, Royal and Select Masters, was organized under a charter from the Grand Council of Royal and Select Masters of Ohio, on petition of the following named: Harford Toland, John C. Sothoron, Levi March, Oliver P. Crabb, William H. Chandler, Sr., John C. Coblentz, Jacob March, George H. Rowland, S. Creamer and M. M. Hutchinson, bearing date October 13, 1866. The first officers were Harford Toland, T. I. G. M.; John C. Sothoron, D. I. G. M.; Levi March, P. C. W.; O. P. Crabb, C. of G.; William H. Chandler, Sr., Treasurer; John C. Coblentz, Receiver; Jacob March, Sentinel. The present membership is thirty-nine, with the following officers: J. Swetland, T. I. G. M.; O. P. Crabb, D. I. G. M.; Jacob March, P. C. W.; J. B. Sprague, C. of G.; P. Speasmaker, Treasurer; I. G. Peetrey, Receiver; S. Creamer, Sentinel.
Silver Urn Lodge, No. 29, F. & A. M. {Colored), was chartered June 23, 1869. The charter members were James Cain, Edward Mumford, George White, Robert Cain, John L. Cain, A. Thomas and Thomas Pleasant, and the offices following were filled by them in the respective order given: W. M., S. W., J. W., Treasurer. Secretary, S. D., J. D., Tiler. The present membership is nineteen, officered as followers: G. M. Phonosdall, W. M.: William Steward, S. W.; William Lowry, J. W.; Green Roberts, Treasurer; Z. Burns, Secretary; Elias Lowry, S. D.; A. Thomas, J. D.: B. Artis, Tiler. The lodge has for a number of years held its meetings in Speasmaker's Hall on Main street.
Madison Lodge No. 70, I. O. O. F.—This Lodge was instituted September 18, 1846, by special deputy John Brough, with the following charter members: A. A. Hume, John Jones, Thomas Fellows, John A. Skinner, H. Carter, W. H. Holmes, N. D. Morgan, J. Cheney, David Armstrong and James McLain. On the day of institution the following first officers were elected and installed: John A. Skinner. N. G.; David Armstrong, V. G.; A. A. Hume, Recording Secretary; John Jones, Private Secretary, James McLain, Treasurer. The lodge first met in a hall in a building thai stood where Cartzdafner's store now is, on Main street, and there continued to meet until burned out by the great fire of 1854. They then met in a hall over Speasmaker's hardware store, and in 1870 removed to their present quarters, in the hall of Knights of Pythias, in Union Block, on Main street. The membership is now 122. The present officers are A. J. Blue. N. G ; Charles Jones. V. G.; B. T. Bethard, Recording Secretary; L. H. Miller, Private Secretary; S. H. Cartzdafner, Treasurer. The lodge is in a prosperous condition. The stock and funds on hand amount to over $3,500.
Encampment of Patriarchs, No. 126, I. O. O. F. — A charter was granted May 4, 1870, to B. F. Clark, A. L. Brown, M. L. Bryan, John Jones, S. Creamer, S. H. Cartzdafner, G. W. Darety and — and their successors duly and legally elected to be held at London. The institution of the Encampment took place June 11, 1870, and was officered as follows: John Jones, C. P.; B. F. Clark, H. P.; A. L. Brown, S. W.; G. W. Darety. J. W.; M. L. Bryant, S.; S. Cartzdafner, Treasurer. It has now a membership of forty-four with the following-named officers: E. T. Bethard, C. P.; Charles Jones, H. P.; C. L. Turner, S. W.; C. E. Holt, J. W.; William Wandby, S; John Jones, Tiler.
Mystic Lodge No. 36, Knights of Pythias, was instituted November 2, 1871, by Grand Chancellor Haines, of the Grand Lodge of Ohio. The following is a list of the charter members, the officers of the first term being indicated by the appropriate initials following their names. It will be observed that this organization was under the old ritual and the old official titles are used: J. Swetland, V. P.; A. L. Brown, W. C; William H. Carter, W. V. C; L. S. Dungan, W. R. and C. S.; Frank Shaw, W. F. S.; Job J. Clark, W. B.; C. O. Kennedy, W. G.; O. J. Greenleaf, W. I. S.; Alfred Taylor, W. O. S. Other members were Rev. C. W. Finley, William Turner, William F. Davidson and James McLaughlin. The order occupied the old Odd Fellows Hall in the third story of Mr. Phil Speasmaker's building on Main street until March 14, 1872, when quarters were taken in the Guilchel Hall on Main street in connection with the Improved Order of Redmen, then just instituted. The meetings were here continued until May 8, 1873, when they moved into rooms fitted up by them in Boyd's new block, known as "Union Block," on the corner of Main and High streets, which hall they continue to occupy at present. The following is a list of all the Past Chancellors made by this lodge in the order of their seniority: J. Swetland, Frank Shaw, Job J. Clark, L. S. Dungan, A. L. Brown, W. H. Carter, O. J. Greenleaf, J. R. Atchison, D. S. Bird, John D. Maddux, James Freeman, Carl Stewart, John B. Garrard, W. F. Davidson, William Bierbough, E. S. Vent, P. H. Acton, W. W. Oberdier, James M. McDonald, John C Hagy, B. F. Johnson, L. H. Headley.
During the existence of the lodge, they have made 115 Knights, of which the following named are now deceased: B. F. Bierbough, W. H. Carter, J. G. Dungan, C. W. Finley, R. G. Garrard, A. P. King, A. L. McDonald, D. E. McMillen, L. Nufel, T. P. Sanford.
Officers in December, 1882—William Bierbough, P. C.; A. Swetland, C. C; A. Sager, V. G; James M. McDonald, P.; S. Maddux, K. R. S.; J. B. Garrard, M. F.; E. S. Vent, M. and E.; J. C. Hagy. M. at A.; J. M. Davidson. I. G.; D. Bend, O. G.; D. S. Bird, D. D. G. C.
Central Lodge, No. 1342, Knights of Honor, was granted a charter September 29, 1879, by the Supreme Lodge of the Knights of Honor. Those making applications for the same were J. C. Bridgeman, D. S. Bird. William H. Carter, J. J. Clark, F. A. Candler, John Duddy, J. N. Davidson, W. F. Evans, Leonard Eastman, Walter C. Henry, Charles Jones, W. R. Lotspeich, M. M. Melvin, Frank R. Neff, W. R. Park, William Richardson, Dr. A.J. Strain, J. F. Smith and Erwin F. Willis. The lodge was instituted January 25, 1879, by J. B. King, D. D. G. D.; and the first officers were: J. J. Clark, D. G. D.; Noah Thomas, P. D., William R. Lotspeich, D., Charles Jones, V. D.; F. M. Candler, Assistant V. P.; Erwin F. Willis. R.; J. W. MacKinnon, F. R.; Nelson Baker, Treasurer; J. C. Bridgeman, Chaplain; Frank Neff, Guide; M. M. Melvin, Guard; Dennis Bird, Sentinel; Dr A J. Strain, Medical Examiner; Trustees, J. C. Bridgeman, Noah Thomas and Frank R. Neff. The meetings of the lodge are held at the hall of the Knights of Pythias. Present membership, twenty-two. Officers: J.J Clark, D. G. D; F. R. Neff, D.; P. Judy. V. D.; W. H. Ellsworth, Assistant V D., W. R. Lotspeich, R.; J. W. MacKinnon, Financial R.; John Duddy, Treasurer; J. C. Bridgeman, Chaplain; M. Candler, Guide; J. J. Clark, Guard; J. N. Davidson, Sentinel; Trustees, C. Jones, N. Baker and Dr. A. J. Strain.
London Council, No. 70, American Legion of Honor, was chartered May 19, 1880, and the council organized January 28, 1880. The charter members were Preston Adair, M. A Blaugher, J. J. Clark, O. P. Crabb, P. C. Cowling, J. S. Crain, M. W. Dungan, O. J. Greenleaf, J. T. Houston, William Jones, John Kinney, J. M. Bohr, J. E. Lotspeich, W. R Lotspeich. J. W. MacKinnon, J. D. Maddux, Jacob March, I. G. Peetrey, James Rayburn, E. J. Robinson, Philip Speasmaker, T. S. Strickland, Jeriah Swetland, M. M. Thomas, T. D.Turner, E. R. Watts, Erwin F. Willis. The first officers were: J. Swetland, Commander; Thomas D. Turner, V. Com.; Erwin F. Willis, P. Com.; J. W MacKinnon, Orator; J. E. Lotspeich, Secretary; J. D. Maddux, Collector; I. G. Peetrey, Treasurer; E. R. Watts, Chaplain; Jacob March, Guide; James Rayburn, W.; M. A. Blaugher, Sentinel; J. T. Houston, Med. Ex.; Trustees, P Adair, O. P. Crabb, J. T. Houston. The council meets in the Knights of Pythias Hall. The present membership is thirty-five. Officers: I. G. Peetrey, Commander; Jacob March, V. Com.; J. W. MacKinnon, Orator; J. E. Lotspeich. Secretary; E. J. Robison, Collector; E. R. Watts, Treasurer; W. R. Lotspeich, Chaplain, E. S. Vent, G.; J. W. Dixon, W.; D. S. Bird, Sentinel.
Lyon Post, No. 122, Grand Army of the Republic, was constituted August 9, 1881, by the Department of Ohio Grand Army of the Republic at Toledo, with the following charter members: Toland Jones, William A. Neil, R. R. Cowling, T. Haley, James C. Peck, Jacob March, George W. Wilson, I. G. Peetrey, M. W. Dungan, J. M. Taylor, H. H. Johnson, H. H. Harper, Charles E. Skeels, George E. Ross, D. A. Moore, L. H. Miller, T. W. Miller, A. H. Underwood. The following officers were duly elected and installed: George W. Wilson, Commander; Isaac G. Peetrey, S. V. Com.; M. W. Dungan, J. V. Com.; T. Haley, Adjt.; Jacob March, Q. M.; T. W. Miller, Chaplain; membership, thirty.
Juniatta Tribe, No. 62, Improved Order of Red Men, was instituted at London February 7, 1872, by Grand Sachem George B. Means, with eighty charter members. The first officers were Jeriah Swetland, Sachem; O. P. Crabb, Senior Sagamore; George H. Rowland, Junior Sagamore; Quinn Clark, Chief of Records; Isaac G. Peetrey, Keeper of Wampum; Rev. C. W. Finley, Prophet. This order is now defunct.