St. John’s Lodge No. 2

Officers

Stephane G. Sabourin, PM	Worshipful Master
Herman E. Williams	Senior Warden
Frank E. Hartsell, PM	Junior Warden
Robert C. Wright	Secretary
Joseph B. Schulze, PM	Treasurer
Gregory A. Schulze, PM	Senior Deacon
Bruce A. Williams	Junior Deacon
Dale S. Willey	Senior Steward
Robert L. Daniels	Junior Steward
John P. Hohing	Tiler
John R. Killeen	Chaplain

History

On April 4th,the Provincial Grand Lodge, A.Y.M. of Pennsylvania granted a charter to Lodge #33. It was the 4th lodge chartered in Delaware (the 2nd during the Revolutionary War) and would alternate meetings between New Castle and Christiana Bridge. Joseph Israel was installed as the Lodge’s first Worshipful Master.

In 1781 the last year of the War of Independence was being waged and several important battles were fought. At the Battle of Cowpens, American General Morgan defeated a British force of regulars under the command of Colonel Tarleton. Morgan’s troops enveloped the British in a classic military action that captured all of the British forces. (Special Note: Delaware native and Masonic Brother, Captain Robert Kirkwood leading the Delaware Battalion, also known as “The Blue Hen’s Chickens”, repulsed the British cavalry, and made a famous bayonet charge ordered by Colonel John Eager Howard. He was with General Washington in his pursuit and defeat of Cornwallis.)

At the battle of Guiford Courthouse, American forces under the command of General Greene attacked British forces commanded by General Cornwalis at Guilford Court House. The British forces won a tactical victory, but British losses were too heavy for Cornwalis’ forces to bear. The British finally surrendered on October 19, 1781, Americans were officially independent of Britain.