The Storied History of Cedar Lodge No. 430 F. & A.M.
The founding of Cedar Lodge No. 430 in 1869 stands as a testament to the spirit of brotherhood and perseverance in Orrville, Ohio. At the time, Orrville was a modest village of approximately 750 residents—yet within it resided a small but dedicated group of seven Master Masons who dreamed of establishing a local Masonic lodge. These visionary men were: Dr. A.C. Miller, Dr. S.C. Wilford, merchants G.W. Moore and M. Whitmyer, stonecutter A.H. Switzer, grocer C.T. Clark, and miller Francis McGill. Joining them was Worshipful Brother Horace Howard, a respected Past Master of Ebenezer Lodge No. 33 in nearby Wooster.
Together, these brethren petitioned Ebenezer Lodge for jurisdictional consent and a recommendation to form a new lodge. Ebenezer Lodge responded not only with a waiver of jurisdiction but also with full endorsement of the request. This support proved pivotal. On April 5, 1869, the Most Worshipful Grand Master issued a dispensation authorizing the brethern named in the petition to open a Lodge of F. & A. M. in Orrville under the name of Cedar Lodge No. 430, to be in force until the next annual meeting of the Grand Lodge, which was held in Cleveland, Ohio, October 19 and 20, 1869. The Grand Master appointed the first three officers, under dispensation, as follows: Bro. Horace Howard, W. M.; Bro. A. C. Miller, S.W.; and Bro. G. W. Moore, J.W.
On April 22, 1869, the brethern met in a room on the third floor of the G. W. Moore brick building on Lot 36 on North Main Street. The property at that time was owned by M. A. Spencer, a dentist. Today, the first floor of the building on that lot is occupied by the Mrs. J’s restaurant. During the six months the Lodge worked under dispensation, there were 13 petitions received and favorably acted upon making a total of 21 members at the time the Charter was granted October 20, 1869.
Bro. Horace Howard became ill soon after the dispensation for the new Lodge was granted, and was never able to serve as the Worshipful Master. He died later in the year, and A. C. Miller served in his place until the officers for 1870 were elected. The officers for 1870 were as follows: A. C. Miller, W.M.; C. T. Clark, S. W.; A. H. Switzer, J.W.; Michael Whitmyer, Treas.; I. C. Grabill, Sec.; Norman Chaffin, S. D.; Jonathan Piper, J. D. and Levi Arnold, Tyler.
Fire and Hardship
During the 1870's, the town of Orrville and Cedar Lodge had a very rough period. On October 11, 1872, a tragedy struck the east end of town. At the time of the 1872 Central Ohio Fair, which was held annually east of town and north of the Burton City Road, a group of hoodlums ran afoul of the law and for spite set the town on fire. Orrville was not as of yet equipped to fight such a big fire, so the entire section of town bounded by Market, Walnut, Church, and Main Streets was burned except the Evans Block on the northeast corner of the square. The building where Cedar Lodge occupied the third floor was burned to the ground, and all of the Lodge equipment was lost except the book of minutes and the Charter for the Lodge. The financial loss suffered by the Lodge in the fire was estimated to be $1500.
After the 1872 fire, the work of the lodge had to be discontinued for several months until temporary quarters could be found. However, business meetings were held in the rooms above the drug store on the southwest corner of the square. The property at that time was owned by Dr. A. C. Miller and J. B. Taylor. Seifried's Drug Store and eventually Wayne Country Community Federal Credit Union occupied this corner.
In a short time, arrangements were made to use the rooms on the second floor of the Seas Hardware Store. While the building is now gone, the location is now home to the Kropf Title & Escrow office & the Orrville United Way. The first meeting in the new quarters was held on April 7, 1873 and Cedar Lodge occupied these rooms for 14 years.
Economic hardship followed the fire, as the nationwide Panic of 1873 ushered in a prolonged depression. A second wave of financial distress hit in 1893, again affecting both the Lodge and the Orrville community. Yet through these hardships, the Lodge endured, its light never extinguished.
Growth and New Homes
In 1886, the Lodge entered into a rental agreement with S.D. Tanner for space on the second floor of his new building on North Main Street. Cedar Lodge would meet there for 17 years. During this period, the Lodge continued to grow, but not without moments of tragedy. In 1890, Solon Boydston, serving his tenth term as Worshipful Master and also a Deputy Marshal of Orrville, was killed while attempting to apprehend two pickpockets. Thrown onto the tracks during a struggle, he died instantly beneath a passing train.
By 1902, the need for improved quarters led the Lodge to contract with Bro. A.N. Brenneman for the third floor of his new building on North Main. The brethren outfitted the space with brand-new furnishings, and on October 4, 1904, the Lodge held its first meeting in what would be its home for the next 11 decades.
Cedar Lodge thrived during the early 20th century. By 1929, its membership had surged to 358 Master Masons—an impressive figure considering the town’s modest size. That same year, Illustrious Brother Joseph D. Shallenberger, a Past Master, was honored with the 33° in Dayton, Ohio. Ten years earlier, Ill. Bro. Ell P. Willaman had received the same distinction in Boston, having served as Master in 1898 and 1899 and as a high-ranking officer in multiple Masonic bodies.
A Home of Our Own
The Lodge’s most significant transformation came in 1943. Then-Worshipful Master Adlee Frey learned that the owners of the Brenneman Block were willing to sell the building in which the Lodge had met for 40 years. With swift action and wise stewardship, the Lodge purchased the entire structure for $20,000—funded through a combination of Lodge reserves, a loan from Bro. B.G. Cope, and generous contributions from the membership.
By October 17, 1944, not only had the Lodge paid off the debt, but it also celebrated its 75th anniversary with a banquet, a fitting program, and the ceremonial burning of the mortgage—securing a permanent, debt-free home for generations to come.
Legacy and Endurance
By 1919, Cedar Lodge had welcomed a total of 425 Master Masons into its ranks over its first 50 years. Despite natural attrition—through death, demits, or suspension—the Lodge retained 266 active members. Even the trials of the Great Depression, which reduced membership to 313 by 1939, could not dim the Lodge’s influence in the community.
For 108 years, Cedar Lodge #430 called 134 North Main Street its home—a steadfast presence in the heart of Orrville and a place where generations of Masons gathered in brotherhood and purpose. But as the world around us continues to evolve, so too must we. In recognition of these changes and with an eye toward the future, Cedar Lodge was reconsecrated on July 12, 2013, at its new location: 135 East Water Street. Though our address may have changed, our commitment to Masonic principles and to serving our community remains as strong and enduring as ever.
Through fire, economic depression, war, and change, Cedar Lodge No. 430 has stood as a pillar of stability and moral leadership in Orrville. Its legacy is written not only in minutes and membership rosters, but in the lives it has touched, the principles it has upheld, and the Light it has kept burning through every season.
