This history compilation is dedicated to all of the Brethren of Meridian Sun, both past & present and especially WB Melvin Rand and WB Donald P. Marshall
WB Rand compiled a booklet called the “Sesquicentennial History, 1824-1974” and published it on June 8, 1974. WB. Rand was Master of Meridian Sun Lodge in 1948.
WB Marshall compiled a manuscript called the “175 years of Freemasonry 1823-1998” and published it on March 26, 1998. WB. Marshall was Master of Meridian Sun Lodge in 1990. WB Donald P. Marshall passed to the Celestial Lodge above on September 16, 2007. WB Don had many irons in the fire, he along with his wife Helen were the center of almost all of our fund raising dinners. He was always willing to help in any project or repair necessary in keeping the Temple or Lodge up and running. His advice was always sought after and freely given. “He will be missed”. WB Ken Ertel asked the Lodge to name the Lodge meeting room after WB Don & the lodge voted it’s approval. A Plaque was purchased by WB Ertel stating that the Lodge was named after WB Don.
In the late 1700’s the land we now know as Summit County was part of Connecticut. It was originally occupied by the Native American Indians including the Miamis, the Pottawatomies, the Delawares, the Shawnese, the Ottawas, the Senecas and a Mingo settlement on the Cuyahoga River in Boston Township. The Indians who were found in Richfield were mostly Wyandottes and Ottawas.
The township of Richfield is known as Town 4, in Range 12, and may well be considered one of the choice townships in the Connecticut Western Reserve. Its estimated value in an early day as a township was judged above the average. A strip of land, designated as " Tract 7," about seventy-two rods in width east and west, and extending the whole length of the township from north to south, containing about seven hundred acres, was cut off the east side of the township and annexed to the township of Boston, thereby placing the geographical center about thirty-six rods west of the centers of other townships in the same range.
Just as the individual is the foundation of our Society of Friends and Brothers, so is the Masonic Lodge the fundamental organization of it. This basic unit of the organization is called the "Blue Lodge”, it always operates under the code prescribed by a Grand Lodge. There is no higher Masonic authority than a Grand Lodge, and each Grand Lodge is the sovereign authority within the State or Country over which it claims jurisdiction.
At a meeting of delegates from all the Lodges in this state, at Chillicothe, on the first Monday of January (4th), in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and eight; and in the year of light five thousand eight hundred and eight; were present, to wit: Robert Oliver, Ichabod Nye, William Skinner from Union Lodge No. 1; Thomas Henderson, Francis Mennessier, from Cincinnati Lodge, No. 13; Thomas Gibson, Elias Langham, from Scioto Lodge, No. 2; John W. Seely, George Tod, Erie Lodge No. 47; Isaac Van Horn, Lewis Cass from Amity Lodge, No.105
On January 7th, A.D. 1808
The convention then proceeded to elect, by ballot, the following officers of the Grand Lodge, viz: -- Brother Rufus Putnam, Right Worshipful Grand Master; Brother Thomas Henderson, Right Worshipful Deputy Grand Master; Brother George Tod Right Worshipful Senior Grand Warden; Brother Isaac Van Horn; Right Worshipful Junior Grand Warden; Brother Henry Massie, Grand Treasurer; Brother David Putnam, Grand Secretary; Brother Philemon Beecher, Grand Senior Deacon; Brother Levin Belt, Grand Junior Deacon, Brother Charles Augustus Stewart, Grand Marshal; Brother Peter Spurck, Grand Tyler. Convention then adjourned until Saturday evening, six o’clock.
The following is from a booklet printed by The Cleveland Masonic Library & Museum in 2008 commemorate the 200th anniversary of the Grand Lodge of Ohio and was printed with the Grand Lodge’s permission.
November 2010: The Grand Lodge requested that each Lodge make an electronic copy of their Charter. A copy of Wayfarers Charter was made available for use as an example and I, using their format inserted the changes that are in our charter from 1823 that isn’t in theirs. They received their charter at a much later date and in addition to the names, dates and Brothers petitioning the Grand Lodge for Meridian Sun’s charter a lot of the wording was also different but by using their format it made my job a lot easier.