(Please note the links at the bottom to more History)
A highly educated young Frenchman named Jean Rene Charles Huberson came to Richmond, Virginia to teach French in a private school. Upon his arrival he was informed that due to the illness of the schoolmaster, his services would not be needed. The following day he managed to find a job in another school. Huberson was made a Mason in Loge l’Etoile de la Ciconde located in Bordeaux, France, chartered by the Grand Orient of France. This young man loved Masonry very much, and within a month he was filled with the ambition to organize a Masonic Lodge in Richmond. The Lodge that is now known as Fraternal Lodge had been envisioned. Once the idea was born, Huberson went to work with almost feverish activity. Within a short time he had interested several other French citizens of Richmond, and on May 1, 1849, he founded and constituted, provisionally, the Worshipful Lodge of St. John, under the distinctive title of Loge Francaise with a total membership of nine.
On July 4, 1849, the election of officers was held resulting in the election of
Charles Huberson Worshipful Master
V. A. Favier , Senior Warden
Robert Duquesne, Junior Warden
P. A. H. Descayrac, Secretary
Sebastian Delarue, Treasurer
Michel Delarue, Master of Ceremonies
Francois Delarue, Keeper of Archives
Jean Baptiste Petit, Hospitaler
Pierre DeVaux, Tiler
On July 12, 1849, the Lodge unanimously resolved to solicit a charter from the Grand Orient of France. The meetings were held in the basement of a house belonging to Sebastian Delarue on the east side of what was then called French Garden Hill, (609 N. 9th Street), and on November 1, 1849, a visit was paid (by appointment) to Loge Francaise (called Huberson’s Lodge) at one of its regular meetings by Right Worshipful John Dove, Grand Secretary of the Grand Lodge of Virginia, Most Worshipful James, Evans, Deputy Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Virginia, Most Worshipful Robert C. Scott, Past Grand Master, and Brother F. W.Rosier, a member of St. John’s Lodge No. 36, who had brought about the friendly meeting. Because he spoke both French and English, he acted as interpreter.
Perhaps this was the first time in history that regular Masons and (so called) “clandestine” Masons sat down together in perfect amity. The Lodge was duly opened on the first degree (as was the custom according to the French rite), Dr. Dove and Brother Rosier setting the example and Brother Rosier translating for Most Worshipful Evans and Scott acted as interpreter.
After several meetings with Dr. Dove and others, it was decided that the little Lodge should apply to the Grand Lodge of Virginia for a charter. After some correspondence with the Grand Orient of France, the Grand Lodge of Virginia, and Loge Francaise, a dispensation was granted by the Grand Lodge of Virginia, after which the first meeting under dispensation was held on August 23, 1850, in a small room in Temperance Hall, situated on the south side of Broad Street between First and Second. At this meeting the solemn ceremony of “healing” the members of the Lodge was performed. On October 11, 1850, the Lodge met in the Academy Building, later known as the Athenaeum, on Tenth Street, and adopted bylaws based on those of Richmond Lodge No. 10. The charter was received on the day of St. John the Evangelist, December 17, 1850. The dedication of the Lodge took place in the Academy building. The officers of the Grand Lodge of Virginia and a large number of visiting brethren attended. The French National Air, the Marseillaise was sung by the members; the East was decorated by the flags of the United States and France, crowned with laurel, in the center of which was the square and compasses, symbolizing Union and Strength.
The Most Worshipful Grand Master of Masons in Virginia, James Evans, assisted by the Grand Secretary of the Grand Lodge of Virginia, John Dove, dedicated and consecrated the Lodge according to ancient custom. After the ceremony was concluded, and after solemnprayer by the Chaplain, Loge Francaise entertained with one of its “little banquets.” Worshipful Brother Huberson, Brother Rosier, and Brother Descayrac performed the laborious work of translating the York ritual into French and teaching it to French-speaking members. From this time forward Loge Francaise went ahead working in French, according to the York ritual. At the end of 1852, Worshipful Charles Huberson departed for his native country. Unfortunately and most regrettably, Charles Huberson passed out of the picture, but his name will be remembered, proudly and affectionately, as long as Fraternal Lodge will continue to exist. July 24, 1854, was a day memorable in the history of this Lodge, since on that day it had the honor of laying the cornerstone of Union Station Methodist Church. This occasion probably is the only time that the French language has been employed at the laying of acornerstone in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The Lodge began recording its minutes in English in 1857. The name of this Lodge was changed from Loge Francaise to Fraternal Lodge in 1890, while Worshipful Brother Louis Nachman was Worshipful Master.
Fraternal Lodge is proud to have had such men as William Lovenstein, State Senator; J. Thompson Brown, who served on the original committee that established the Masonic Home, member of the finance committee of both the Grand Lodge and the Masonic Home for many years; John F. Mayer, 33rd degree Scottish Rite Mason, served as Sovereign Grand Inspector General of Virginia; Julius Straus, Treasurer of the Lodge for many years and a member of the finance committee of the Grand Lodge of Virginia; L. Z. Morris, member of the finance committee of the Grand Lodge of Virginia for many years; Marx Gunst, Richmond City Councilman and vice-president of theBoard of Aldermen for many years; Solomon L. Bloomberg, Grand High Priest of the Grand Royal Arch Chapter of Virginia and President of the City Council of Richmond; Leon Wallerstein, Treasurer and Board member of the Masonic Home for many years; Fred H. Powell, active and prominent in city affairs and President of the Common Council for many years; Dr. Edward N. Calisch, Rabbi of Beth Ahabah Congregation more than fifty years, active in Masonic affairs in Richmond and the State, including the 100th anniversary of Worshipful George Washington=s death, and delivered the address at the grave of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington, Virginia; Rear Admiral Lewis L.Straus, Jr., outstanding member of the Atomic Energy Commission, secretary to Herbert Hoover during World War I, President of the world famous Institute for Advanced Study at Princeton, New Jersey,
consultant and financial advisor to the six children of John D. Rockefeller, Jr.; and many others as members.
Below is a link to a detailed account of the History of Fraternal Lodge No. 53 from it’s charter in 1850 through 1991 including illustrations…and a link to the actual lodge minutes from June 3rd, 1892.