OXOBOXO LODGE#116

 

     Montville was that part of New London know as the North Parish and extended to Cochiknack Brook or River and also called Saw Mill Brook, due, no doubt to the many sawmills located on it.

     Later this stream became known as Okseeboksee Brook, which legend has defined as the river from the small pond, now called Oxoboxo Lake, in contrast to the large lake, which is now Gardner Lake, that makes part of the boundary between Montville and Salem.

     North of Cochinknach Brook was the southern part of Norwich.  In the middle of the 19th century, Montville's many manufacturing concerns included a saw mill about one mile south of Oxoboxo Lake Dam, owned by a gentleman named Parish.  Farther east was a small woolen mill owned by Mr. Schofield.  Next, in Oakdale, was a large stone mill that later was part of the Massosoit Manufacturing Company, which bleached cotton for the Eastman Kodak Company.  Next were three paper mills owned by three brothers, which are in existence now,  the Robertson Paper Box Company.

     Near the last mill was Palmer's Bed Quilt Mill, with branches in New London and Fitchville.  Very close to Palmer's Mill was the R. G. Hooper Woolen Mill, who's owner was the 1st Master of Oxoboxo #116.

     Below the woolen mill were two cotton mills, and last on the stream was Johnson's Dye Mill, where dyewood or log wood brought from Central America was chipped into small bits and distilled to make various shades of red dye.  It was from this group of mill owners, and a few other Brothers, being Masons from Lodges in New London and Norwich, decided to unite and petiton the Grand Lodge of Connecticut for a charter to establish a Lodge in the Town of Montville. 

     On March 30, 1875, 21 Brothers from Union Lodge #31 in New London and Somerset Lodge #34, in Norwich, asked the Grand Lodge of Connecticut to grant a charter for a Lodge in Montville to be named Oxoboxo, a derivative of the former Indian name of the brook or river in the town.  After due consideration by the Grand Lodge, a charter was issued.

     May 21,1875 , Most Worshipful Grand Master William Wallace Lee, of Meriden #71, Meriden Connecticut, and his suite of officers, met in Robertson's Hall, in a room adjacent to the Lodge Hall and opened a Lodge of Master Masons. They recessed immediately and entered the Lodge Hall and installed the first suite of officers of Oxoboxo #116.  The installation was open to the public.  After the ceremony, they entered the banquet hall where a delicious dinner was served by the wives and members of the new Lodge.

     Oxoboxo's jurisdiction, at that time, was all of the Town of Montville, the northeast section of Waterford and an area on the east side of the Thames River, which included the section of Ledyard called Gales Ferry.  Brothers in the Town of Ledyard could row, take the ferry, or cross over the ice during the winter to attend Oxoboxo Lodge much easier than travelling by horse and wagon to New London or Norwich.  We admire the courage and fortitiude of our founding Brothers.

     Adversity plagued the lodge from its' beginning.  At that time the membership fee was thirty dollars and dues two dollars a year, payable semi-annually.  Many times the members, at the end of the year, contributed from their pockets to make up any deficit.  The membership fee for charter members was eleven dollars, which included the first six months dues, and two Brothers never fulfilled that obligation.

     When the Lodge was 14 years old, a report of auditors showed receipts for that year to be $276.76, leaving a balance of $46.24, and this was one of the better years.  There was a gain of three members that year; four were Raised and one died.  The expenses for the Worshipful Master were $11.50 to attend Grand Lodge in Hartford, which was probably railroad fare to Hartford and return.  Occasionally in the records would be recorded by the Secretary, "meeting omitted because of severe weather".  Meetings were held twelve months a year.  Some Brothers were so lax in paying dues that the Master would appoint a committee to visit the Brother and collect the dues.  Also many meetings consisted only of opening, reading the minutes and closing.

     At a meeting in 1891, it was voted to omit meetings during July and August.

This practice exists to date.  Also in 1891, it was voted to have our annual meeting at the last meeting in December with the installation of officers on or before the first meeting in January, which is still accoarding to our by-laws.

     As our ancient brethren met on a high hill or a low dale, Oxoboxo Lodge meets on the 3rd floor of the Palmer Memorial School on Maple Avenue in Montville, although many say it's in Uncasville.

     In our many years of existence we have had only one Most Worshipful Grand Master, Most Worshipful Brother Charles Johnson Ramage, the only Grand Master to serve more than one full year (1947-1948).  The annual Grand Lodge was changed from February to April.  We now have Right Worshipful Brother Richard A. Hodson in the Grand Line.  (Later became Most Worshipful Grand Master of Masons of Connecticut for the year 1991.)

     We have had in the past, and continue to have many dedicated officers and the outlook for the future is good, as we have many young brothers in the line of officers.

     We sincerely hope they, and those who come after, will uphold the Masonic traditions set by their forefathers who struggled so desperately to maintain Oxoboxo Lodge #116 as a living symbol of good fellowship and brotherly love.

     Spell it forward or backwards, it is still Oxoboxo -- So Mote It Ever Be.

 

     This forward to our Lodge history was prepared from a paper written by

 R. W. John M. Lathrop, Past Master of Oxoboxo #116 and Past District Deputy of the 8th Masonic District 8-A and was presented in the Philosophic Lodge of Research.     (Probably around 1987)