Lafayette Lodge No. 14

Officers

 Patrick S. Light, PM   Worshipful Master
 Douglas J. Cummings, Jr   Senior Warden
 Vacant   Junior Warden
 Franklin R. Townsend, PM   Secretary
 Lee Stein, PM   Assistant Secretary
 Douglas B. Brown   Treasurer
 Mike Lange, GLAH   Assistant Treasurer
 Kevin N. List   Senior Deacon
 Jason M. Manko   Junior Deacon
 Evan C. Kallish   Senior Steward
 Maurice C. Barnes, Jr   Junior Steward
 Robert G. G. Laird, Jr   Tiler
 Mathew S. Bailey   Chaplain

History

On January 17, 1825, a charter was granted to Lafayette Lodge No. 14 by Grand Master, Joshua G. Brinckle, naming Josiah F. Clement, Worshipful Master, John D. Wood, Senior Warden and John Gordon, Junior Warden.

At a Special Communication of the Grand Lodge of Delaware on July 25, 1825, which was called for the purpose of making Brother Lafayette our first Past Grand Master Honorarius, the distinguished guest, his son, and secretary signed their names to the Lodge’s charter, which had been named in honor of him only six months earlier.

     In 1866, Daniel McClintock became the first of ten Grand Masters to be elected from Lafayette. During his two-year term he issued warrants for Felton Lodge No. 22, Eureka Lodge No. 23, Jefferson Lodge No. 24 and revived that of Harmony Lodge No. 13.

     He was followed by Grand Master Edwin J. Horner in 1868, who also served for two years. Grand Master Horner laid the cornerstone of the Town Hall at Middletown and also granted the charter for both Hiram Lodge No. 23 and Armstrong Lodge No. 26.

     The third Grand Master from Lafayette Lodge was Thomas Davidson, who also served two years, beginning in 1884. Grand Master Davidson, in addition to dedicating the new Lodge rooms of Union Lodge No. 7 and Harmony Lodge No. 13, also participated with his staff in the dedication of the Washington Monument, in Washington, D.C.

     In 1902, Harry J. Guthrie was elected Grand Master, the fourth to be so honored from Lafayette Lodge. In addition to chartering Doric Lodge No. 30, he also attended a communication of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania, which commemorated the 150th Anniversary of the initiation of Brother George Washington as a Mason. The speaker at this event was Brother Theodore Roosevelt, President of the United States, who spoke on “Freemasonry and Citizenship”.

     It was PGM Guthrie along with twenty-five other brethren who petitioned the Supreme Council of the Scottish Rite to open a Lodge of Perfection. In May of 1910, the authority was given and the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry was begun in Delaware. In 1911, PGM Guthrie became the first 33rd from Delaware; and in 1912 was the first Supreme Council Deputy for Delaware.

     Enoch Moore was the fifth Grand Master from Lafayette Lodge in 1911. It was his privilege to dedicate the Masonic Home of Delaware on October 2, 1912, the fulfillment of a dream of the Grand Lodge of Delaware since the idea was first proposed in 1895. The twelve-acre estate, known as Highfield, on Lancaster Pike was purchased on November 29, 1911, and dedicated less than a year later with eight guests during its first year.

     The sixth Grand Master from Lafayette Lodge was Harry Galbraith in 1926, who also served as Grand Tiler. It was also during his term that Past Grand Master Charles H. Callahan of Virginia was made the fifth Grand Master Honorarius of the Grand Lodge of Delaware.