Farmers Lodge History

The Beginning of Free Masonry in Shelby County and Norristown, Indiana

Freemasonry, the first fraternal organization in Shelby County, is almost as old as the county itself.

When Indiana became a State in 1816, the northern two-thirds of its land area still was the habitat and hunting grounds of various Indian tribes. Two years later, by the Treaty of St. Marys, the Delawares agreed to vacate within three years the middle third of the state, making available for settlement the area now comprising Shelby County.

The newly acquired land was rapidly surveyed: and on the first Monday of October, 1820, the Brookville Land Office commenced sales to prospective settlers. Several families moved into the area before 1821, following the Whetzel Trace, and settled at various spots up and down Blue River. Shelby County was organized officially in 1822, after having been authorized by the legislature at Corydon, IN in late 1821.

At least five of these early settlers - Dr. David Tracy, Sr., Justus Ferris, Joseph Adams, Percy Kitchell, and John C. Walker had been members of Masonic Lodges before coming to the community.

In November, 1824, these five men, meeting upstairs in the log home of David Tracy, prepared a petition to the Indiana Grand Lodge, requesting a dispensation to form and hold regular lodge meetings in "Hanover, Shelby County." Hanover at the time was the township comprising the northern one-fourth of the county and had a total of probably twenty families. Not more than two hundred families then lived in the whole county.

The requested dispensation was granted on November 15, 1824 by M.W. Grand Master Jonathon Jennings who also was Governor of the State of Indiana for the year of 1825. The next year a Charter, Dated October 5, 1825, replaced the dispensation, and the Lodge officially became Lafayette Lodge # 28. The name Lafayette was chosen in honor of the famous French patriot who in 1824 made his last visit to our country. This name was retained for over twenty-seven years until it was changed to Shelby, which is the present name.

As the population grew in numbers and villages began to be laid and plotted out, there were a number of Masons in each community who were desirous of having a Lodge of their own.

On July 24, 1852, a few months prior to the Chartering of Lafayette Lodge No. 28, a meeting of several members of the ancient and honorable fraternity of Free and Accepted Masons residing in the vicinity of Norristown, Shelby County, Indiana, convened at the home of Brother Alexander Copeland. According to the Minutes of the first organized meeting, Brothers Daniel Flynn of Greensburg Lodge No. 36, Thomas Moore and Josiah Vaughn of Milford Lodge No. 4, James M. Norris, William E. Bone, David J. Conger, David Conger, Alexander Copeland and John Harlow of Lafayette Lodge No. 28 were present.

Brother David Flynn now was called to the Chair and David Conger appointed Secretary after the object meeting being stated by the chairman. Brother Copeland offered for adoption the following to-wit:

Resolved that we deem it expedient at this time to take the preliminary steps to organize a Lodge in this place. Which after being only considered was unanimously adopted.

Resolved that a committee be appointed for the purpose of procuring a petition to the M.W. Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of the State of Indiana and that said committee be clothed with full powers to take all the necessary steps to obtain from said Grand Master a dispensation to open a regular lodge of Free and Accepted Masons in this place, and that said committee report their proceedings herein at an adjourned meeting hereof to be called at as early a day as possible.