Minas Lodge was formed in 1872 after a few citizens of the town requested the permission of the Grand Lodge of Nova Scotia to form a Freemason’s Lodge in Parrsboro. The request was favourably received, special dispensation was granted and the first meeting was held in August 1872, The Grand Lodge of Nova Scotia granted the Charter June 4th 1873. It was signed by M.W.G.M. Wimburn Laurie and Grand Secretary Benjamin Curren.
The Charter members were the Rev. Thomas W. Johnson,W.M.; Sampson Moore;S.W., W.F. Jones,J.W.; John W. Choisnet, Treasurer; Robert B. Dickson, Secretary; Thomas Page, George Allen, Thomas R. Crane and Benjamin Young.
Notes on the Charter Members:
Rev. Thomas W. Johnson was the Anglican clergyman at that time. It was largely through his efforts that the Lodge was formed. He remained Master of the Lodge until 1874 and raised no less than nineteen men in a little over one year.
Sampson Moore was a great grandson of Sampson Moore of Connecticut who was one of the first settlers of Truro.
W.F. Jones was a native of Maine. While in Parrsboro, he carried on extensive lumber operations. When the Town was incorporated in 1889 he was elected Mayor and served in that capacity until 1892.
John W. Choisnet was a sea Captain. His son Jules was also a member of Minas Lodge.
Benjamin Young was another lumberman from Maine. At different times he owned some of the most valuable timberlands along the shore.
Robert Dickson was a son of Jesse Dickson, one of the first residents of Spring Street. He was a carpenter and helped build the first Methodist church, once used as an Opera House. He taught school in 1849 and served as clerk of the District Board of School Commissioners from 1850 – 1863. He died a very young man.
Thomas Crane was a sea captain, George Allen, a ships carpenter and Thomas Page’s occupation is unknown.
The first lodge meetings were held in a building owned by William Eaton, situated to the rear of Eaton’s store. In a a very short time this room was abandoned and quarters were found on the upper floor of the Parrsboro Drug Store. They later moved to the Holmes building where they rented a room from the Oddfellows. In 1914 the Masons decided to have a building of their own and they bought the building.
This building was destroyed by fire in December 1921. The earliest minute books and much of the historical record of the Lodge was lost in this fire. They rented the Knight’s Room in Smith’s Hall until 1923. The cornerstone of the present building was laid on September 26th 1922.
To put the beginning of Minas Lodge in historical perspective; it was formed five years prior to the construction of the railroad in 1877, seventeen years prior to the incorporation of the Town and twenty seven years before the Town put in electric lighting.
- Meeting Night: Third Monday except July & August
- Meeting Time: 7:30pm
- Installations Time:
- Installations Location: Masonic Temple, 159 Main St
- Lodge Number: 67
- Street Address: Masonic Temple, 159 Main St
- Town/City: Parrsboro, NS
- Map for Minas No. 67 – Parrsboro
- Secretaries: Rick Harvey, E-Mail: rpharvey@ns.sympatico.ca
