Our story - page 2
A Period of Darkness
Patmos Lodge was represented in Grand Lodge off and on through May 13, 1860, at which time it had seventeen members. For reasons that are not clear, it stopped paying Grand Lodge dues and attending Grand Lodge sessions. Perhaps the Lodge had fallen on hard times, as could be inferred from its apparently small membership. Perhaps so many of its members served during the Civil War that meetings couldn’t be held, or perhaps the passions of the Civil War so strained fraternal bonds that members refused to sit together in Lodge. In any event, on May 13, 1862, the Grand Lodge of Maryland “ordered that the charter of Patmos Lodge, No. 70, be forfeited, and that the Grand Secretary apply to the officers of said Lodge, for its books, jewels, funds, and other property.”
Three years after going dark, on May 8, 1865, after the end of the Civil War, seven former members of Patmos Lodge asked the Grand Lodge to restore their charter. The charter members were Joseph Hunt, E. A. Talbott, Littleton MacKlin, W. W. Watkins, A. F. Gaw, Samuel McCrea, and Wm. Denny. The Grand Lodge agreed to return the charter, jewels, and books to Patmos, but only if it paid all arrearages. Unable to do this, a new charter was issued for Patmos, Lodge No. 117, with C. M. Parkman, Warren Lodge No. 51 as Master. Then just six months later, on November 22, 1865, The Grand Lodge voted to restore the charter of Patmos Lodge No. 70, upon the members “complying with the requirements of the Constitution and returning the [new] Charter.” These requirements most likely meant the arrearages had to be paid. Except for a change in the heading, the minutes of November 28, 1865, make no notice of the return of the old number. By November 11, 1865, Patmos Lodge had grown to 20 members.
Patmos Lodge was represented in Grand Lodge off and on through May 13, 1860, at which time it had seventeen members. For reasons that are not clear, it stopped paying Grand Lodge dues and attending Grand Lodge sessions. Perhaps the Lodge had fallen on hard times, as could be inferred from its apparently small membership. Perhaps so many of its members served during the Civil War that meetings couldn’t be held, or perhaps the passions of the Civil War so strained fraternal bonds that members refused to sit together in Lodge. In any event, on May 13, 1862, the Grand Lodge of Maryland “ordered that the charter of Patmos Lodge, No. 70, be forfeited, and that the Grand Secretary apply to the officers of said Lodge, for its books, jewels, funds, and other property.”
Three years after going dark, on May 8, 1865, after the end of the Civil War, seven former members of Patmos Lodge asked the Grand Lodge to restore their charter. The charter members were Joseph Hunt, E. A. Talbott, Littleton MacKlin, W. W. Watkins, A. F. Gaw, Samuel McCrea, and Wm. Denny. The Grand Lodge agreed to return the charter, jewels, and books to Patmos, but only if it paid all arrearages. Unable to do this, a new charter was issued for Patmos, Lodge No. 117, with C. M. Parkman, Warren Lodge No. 51 as Master. Then just six months later, on November 22, 1865, The Grand Lodge voted to restore the charter of Patmos Lodge No. 70, upon the members “complying with the requirements of the Constitution and returning the [new] Charter.” These requirements most likely meant the arrearages had to be paid. Except for a change in the heading, the minutes of November 28, 1865, make no notice of the return of the old number. By November 11, 1865, Patmos Lodge had grown to 20 members.
