Storied History of the Clintonville Charter
June 9, 1874, the Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of Wisconsin, held their annual Communication in Millaukee Wisconsin, where it was voted to grant a charter for what was to be known as Clintonville Lodge 197 F & A M with the three principal officers being installed were
Brother G. S. Doty, Worshipful Master,
Brother O. M. Doty Senior Warden and Brother C. M. Fischer, Junior Warden
On June 28, 1874, W. D. Sexton, W. W. Stacey and U. P. Clinton were the first three canidates to petition Clintonville Lodge for membership. U. P. Clinton, the founder of the City of Clintonville served as the Worshipful Master of the Lodge in 1888. In the Lodges first 100 years of existance it had 73 Worshipful Masters. One of our Masters, Dr. E. A. Miller who served as Master in the year 1904 and '05 was listed as the 36th oldest living Master Mason in the nation. Brother Miller was raised to the Sublime Degree of Master Mason on September 20th, 1892 and passed from our midst on January 6th, 1968 at the age of 97.
The Lodge grew with the community, meetings were held in the upper floors of business establishments converted for that purpose. A new Lodge Building was built in 1921 at a cost of $40,000; much of the labor, material and the land were donations and gifts. The indebtedness was paid off in 23 years and the bonds burned in 1944.
When the Clintonville Community Hospital was built, several Brethern collected a total of more than $1400.00 and outfitted room 308.
Because of crowded conditions. the Clintonville Public School used the basement and first floor of the temple for eight years, as did th Red Cross Chapter and the Waupaca County Association for retarded people used two rooms each in the basement, and the Senior Citizens of Clintonville met in the dining room two afternoons each month. The Clintonville Masons were happy to have the room for such organizations as long as it did not conflict with Masonic Functions.
The Following is written by Past Master Brother Owen Nielson
To the best of my recollection and from the minutes and records of Clintonville Lodge that I have read, or have been aware of, I find that other than Masonic Charity to Brethern in need, Clintonville Lodge #197 F & A M and Masonic bodies who met in the Masonic Temple, have contributed much to the benefit of the City of Clintonville and it's citizens.
(1) The School System used the Lodge Building for at least (50) years for classrooms and office space at no rental charge except utilities.
(2) Five Hundred Dollar ($500.00) scholarships have been given to graduates of Clintonville and Marion High Schools for over thirty (30) years.
(3) Senior Citizens used the dining room and kitchen for many years.
(4) Defibrilaters were donated to Clintonville Fire and Rescue, Clintonville High School, Marion High School and New London High School, a total of eleven have been donated.
(5) Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00) was donated to Waupaca County K-9 Patrol.
(6) Junior Baseball was supported with uniforms and cash for five (5) years. A pizza party was sponsered for the kids and family at the end of each season.
(7) The Lodge gave the Clintonville Cemetary Association One Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00) towards the new entry sign in memory of Dr. E. A. Miller.
(8) The Lodge donated a granite monument and train bell to the city in honor of all veterans to be used on Memorial Day.
(9) The Masonic burial plot was donated to the cemetary Association to be used for destitute persons.
(10) Purchased bricks for the Veterans Memorial, a total of One Thousand One Hundred Twenty-Five Dollars (1125.00). honoring some Past Masters.
(11) In the year 1999 the Order of the Eastern Star donated monies to the Clintonville Public Library, Marion Public Library, Historical Society of Clintonville and the Main Street Memorial, over Thirty Thousand Dollars ($30,000.00) in total.
(12) For many years Eastern Star sponored a young child from Korea through the Childrens Christen Service.
Past Masters of Clintonville Lodge 197 F & A M
| 1873-G. S. Doty 1874-G. S. Doty 1875-O. M. Doty 1876-O. M. Doty 1877-O. M. Doty 1878-Caleb Fischer 1879-O. M. Doty 1880-O. M. Doty 1881-W. H. Oviatt M.D. 1882-W. H. Oviatt M.D. 1883-W. H. Oviatt M.D. 1884-W. H. Oviatt M.D. 1885-Caleb Fischer 1886-G. W. Jones 1887-W. H. Cook 1888 -U. P. Clinton 1889-W. H. Oviatt M.D. 1890-F. M. Guernsey 1891-F. H. Plumb 1892-Caleb Fischer 1893-Caleb Fischer 1894-Frank Gause 1895-Frank Gause 1896-Frank Gause 1897-Frank Gause 1898-Frank Gause 1899-Frank Gause 1900-George Bennett 1901-Frank Gause 1902-Frank Gause 1903-Frank Gause 1904-E. A. Miller M.D. 1905-E. A. Miller M.D. 1906-Henry Anthes 1907-Henry Anthes 1908-James E. Long 1909-James E. Long 1910-Walter Olen 1911-Walter Olen 1912-Llewellyn Cole 1913-Llewellyn Cole 1914-Otto L. Olen 1915-Otto L. Olen 1916-Fred Ruth 1917-Fred Ruth 1918-A. B. Mayhew 1919-H. E. DuFrane 1920Chauncey Williams 1921-Guy H, Billings 1922Chauncey Williams 1923-Art Felshow |
1924-W. A. Garfield |
1975-Henry Sengstock 1976-Nathan Tribby 1977-Frank Morgan 1978-Henry C. Krueger 1979-Arthur Schweitzer 1980-Harold Huntley 1981-Gary Keller 1982-Gary Keller 1983-Roger Sage 1984-Owen R. Nielson 1985-William Rhodes 1986-John C. Miller 1987-Harold Huntley 1988-Gary Keller 1989-Gary Keller 1990-Reid Nelson 1991-Harold Huntley 1992-Reid Nelson 1993-Reid Nelson 1994-Harold Huntley 1995-Reid Nelson 1996-Ed Mitchell 1997-Danford Jesse 1998-Danford Jesse 1999-Danford Jesse 2000-Danford Jesse 2001-Danford Jesse 2002-Danford Jesse 2003-Danford Jesse 2004-Danford Jesse 2005-Danford Jesse 2006-Danford Jesse 2007-Danford Jesse 2008-Danford Jesse 2009-Danford Jesse 2010-Edward (Rusty) Mitchell 2011--- 2012--- 2013--- 2014--- 2015--- 2016--- 2017--- 2018--- 2019--- 2020--- 2021--- 2022--- 2023--- 2024--- 2025--- |
Appendant Bodies of the Clintonville Masons
Clintonville Chapter #27 Order of the Eastern Star, Chartered January 8, 1892
Clintonville Chapter #103 Royal Arch Masons, Chartered February 16, 1921
Clintonville Commandery #44 Knights Templar, Chartered May 6, 1921
Clintonville Bethel #26 Jobs Daughters, Chartered June 28, 1940
Inter-City Shrine Club, Chartered 1944
Inter-City Chapter Order of the DeMolay, Chartered December 17, 1964
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