Provincial Grand Orange Lodge of New Brunswick
New Brunswick, Canada
Provincial flag of New Brunswick.
Tradition credits the Military with having brought the Orange Association to Saint John, and there seems to be no doubt that the regiments then stationed in this City, held Warrants and met together in the very early days from 1818 to 1831 when Verner L.O.L. was organized by James McNicol, with whose name the Orange Order in the Province will forever be associated.
It was in 1838, that James McNicol organized a Provinicial Grand Lodge which functioned for six years with Brother McNicol as Grand Master. At that time there were between forty and fifty Lodges throughout the Province. The Grand Lodge of New Brunswick carried on successfully until the present Grand Lodge of New Brunswick was organized on August 5th, 1844, under a Warrant from Sovereign Grand Lodge of British North America.
The Organization of the present Grand Lodge of New Brunswick came about in the following manner: In the year 1843, the officers of the Grand Lodge, not being satisfied with the working of the Order in New Brunswick, applied to Lord Kenyon, Imperial Grand Master of the Universe, for legal authority to establish a Grand Lodge in the Province. His reply was to the effect that three years previous, he had given to Ogle R. Gowan of Brockville, Ontario, authority to establish the Order in the Colonies of British North America, the British Parliament having passed an Act to that effect. After receiving this information steps were immediately taken to procure a warrant from the then established Grand Lodge of British North America, to organize a Provincial Grand Lodge for New Brunswick. The Warrant having been procured, a meeting of the Worshipful Masters of the various Lodges then in good standing was called in Saint John to organize. The Warrant was issued July 3rd, 1844.
Up to this time New Brunswick had no official Warrant, other than the so-called dispensation issued by virtue of the travelling Warrant held by a Rifle Brigade formerly in the City.
A list of those present at the organizational meeting held at Nethery's Hotel, Church Street, Saint John is interesting:
Rather a noted character was prominent in the Association at this time in the person of William H. Needham, a lawyer, an alderman and a member of the Provincial Government. He held the office of Grand Secretary of the original Grand Lodge and was a great influence in the early days of the Order in Saint John. He was the first Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of New Brunswick.
In 1857, the officers of the Provincial Grand Orange Lodge were:
In 1865, Brother McNicol was elected as the R.W. Grand Master of New Brunswick and served for two years, this earning the honors by virtue of faithful service to the Association.
In February 1845, a semi-annual meeting of the Grand Lodge was held with returns from twenty-seven lodges. By the close of 1845 this had been increased to thirty six. Two years later the number had grown to eighty-one. At the close of 1848 there were about one hundred and ten lodges, and within the next three years following, the number on the roll had reached the one hundred and fifty mark.
It was in 1838, that James McNicol organized a Provinicial Grand Lodge which functioned for six years with Brother McNicol as Grand Master. At that time there were between forty and fifty Lodges throughout the Province. The Grand Lodge of New Brunswick carried on successfully until the present Grand Lodge of New Brunswick was organized on August 5th, 1844, under a Warrant from Sovereign Grand Lodge of British North America.
The Organization of the present Grand Lodge of New Brunswick came about in the following manner: In the year 1843, the officers of the Grand Lodge, not being satisfied with the working of the Order in New Brunswick, applied to Lord Kenyon, Imperial Grand Master of the Universe, for legal authority to establish a Grand Lodge in the Province. His reply was to the effect that three years previous, he had given to Ogle R. Gowan of Brockville, Ontario, authority to establish the Order in the Colonies of British North America, the British Parliament having passed an Act to that effect. After receiving this information steps were immediately taken to procure a warrant from the then established Grand Lodge of British North America, to organize a Provincial Grand Lodge for New Brunswick. The Warrant having been procured, a meeting of the Worshipful Masters of the various Lodges then in good standing was called in Saint John to organize. The Warrant was issued July 3rd, 1844.
Up to this time New Brunswick had no official Warrant, other than the so-called dispensation issued by virtue of the travelling Warrant held by a Rifle Brigade formerly in the City.
A list of those present at the organizational meeting held at Nethery's Hotel, Church Street, Saint John is interesting:
- William H. Needham
- James McNicol
- Charles McL. Gardner
- Squire Manks
- Richard Seely
- Robert Pickthall
- Stephen Dailey
- Samuel Corbett
- Robert Hannah
- Henry P. Otty
- Joseph L. Mullin
- Thomas Hill
- William Reid
- William Earle
- John Willis
- James Sullivan
- H. Boyd Kinnear
- John W. Cudlip
- Andrew Gilmour
- Robert Shives
- Thomas W. Peters
- William Jenkins
- John Hall
- Andrew P. Otty
- Klias Wetmore
- William Black
- George Christie
Rather a noted character was prominent in the Association at this time in the person of William H. Needham, a lawyer, an alderman and a member of the Provincial Government. He held the office of Grand Secretary of the original Grand Lodge and was a great influence in the early days of the Order in Saint John. He was the first Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of New Brunswick.
In 1857, the officers of the Provincial Grand Orange Lodge were:
- John Earle Esq., Grand Master
- W. Grieves Esq., Deputy Grand Master
- Joseph Coram Esq., Deputy Grand Master
- W. Deniston Esq., Deputy Grand Master
- Geo. F. Rouse Esq., Grand Secretary
- John Myers Esq., Grand Treasurer
- Rev. John Flanders, Grand Chaplain
In 1865, Brother McNicol was elected as the R.W. Grand Master of New Brunswick and served for two years, this earning the honors by virtue of faithful service to the Association.
In February 1845, a semi-annual meeting of the Grand Lodge was held with returns from twenty-seven lodges. By the close of 1845 this had been increased to thirty six. Two years later the number had grown to eighty-one. At the close of 1848 there were about one hundred and ten lodges, and within the next three years following, the number on the roll had reached the one hundred and fifty mark.
Officers for 1888:
- Major Andrew J. Armstrong, Right Worshipful Grand Master
- William J. Hunter Esq., Senior Deputy Grand Master
- Alderman G. H. Parker, Junior Deputy Grand Master
- Hon. George Baird J.P., Grand Chaplain
- Samuel T. Mosher, Grand Secretary, Saint John
- Robert Willis Esq., Grand Treasurer, Saint John
- Robert A.C. Brown Esq., Grand Lecturer
- Hon. John C. Henry J.P., Deputy Grand Secretary
- Robert Cochran, Deputy Grand Chaplain
- Andrew Long, Deputy Grand Chaplain
- S.V. Skillen, Deputy Grand Chaplain
- Joseph Higgins, Deputy Grand Chaplain
- Abraham Wilson, Deputy Grand Chaplain
- Henry McAfee, Deputy Grand Chaplain
- H.G. Wadman, Deputy Grand Chaplain
- W.L. Dixon, Deputy Grand Chaplain
- S.F. Nesbitt, Deputy Grand Chaplain
- George J. Brittain, Deputy Grand Chaplain
- George S. Wiggins, Deputy Grand Chaplain
- Daniel McGruar, Deputy Grand Chaplain
- E. O'Donnell, Deputy Grand Chaplain
- J.A. Leeman, Deputy Grand Chaplain
McMillan's Agricultural and Nautical Almanac, 1889