Trimble Lodge No. 117, Free & Accepted Masons — Camden, New Jersey
The Trimble Lodge, No. 117, Free & Accepted Masons was constituted on February 2, 1871. Camden Lodge, No. 15, was the “mother” lodge of Trimble. The lodge was named for Joseph Trimble, who served three terms as master of Camden Lodge and three years as grand master of the state. Over the years, many of Camden’s leading citizens were members. As with many other Camden groups, businesses, and individuals, the Lodge moved to the suburbs after World War II and has been based for many years in Cherry Hill, New Jersey.
On December 15, 2004 the Trimble Lodge No. 117, along with Ionic Lodge No. 94 and Universal Lodge No. 216, was reconstituted as USS New Jersey Lodge No. 62, Free & Accepted Masons, based in Cherry Hill, New Jersey.
Trimble Lodge maintains a website at trimblelodge.com.
Masons Celebrate 65th Anniversary of Trimble Lodge
Camden Courier-Post —
500 Members of Fraternity Attend Banquet and Ceremonies — Grand Officers Attend
Masons of the Eighteenth and Twenty-ninth Districts united last night with Trimble Lodge, No. 117, in celebrating the sixty-fifth anniversary of the constitution of that lodge.
More than 500 members of the fraternity attended the exercises in Camden Masonic Temple, Fourth Street below Market street. Grand lodge and lodge officers of the two South Jersey districts were guests. Past Masters of Trimble constituted the anniversary committee.
The program opened with the banquet, Robert T. Lee, grand chaplain, offering the invocation.
The ceremonies opened with a reception to the charter members of Parkside Lodge, No. 217, which was sponsored by Trimble. William G. Hinderer, past master, welcomed the visitors.
The visiting masters were welcomed by Robert W. Wythes, past master. Past masters of Trimble were welcomed by T. Jerome Donaghay, past master.
Officers Presented
George Kirkpatrick, acting grand marshal, presented the following grand lodge officers: Martin J. Deitz, Weehawkin, grand master; Charles B. Folley, Hawthorne, deputy grand master; Arthur M. Dietrick, South Orange, junior grand warden; Walter Cole, Trenton, deputy grand secretary; Richard C. Woodward, Bordentown, past grand master; Frank C. Sayrs, Haddonfield, past grand master; Arthur P. Johnson, Haddonfield, past grand master; Henry Lullman, Englewood, senior grand deacon; Frederick C. Bauer, Jr., Camden, grand sword bearer; David McGregor, West Orange, grand historian; John S. Caie, Woodcliffe, secretary to grand master.
The grand lodge was welcomed by John D. F. Morgan, worshipful master.
The invocation was offered by Charles W. Garman, past master.
The Craft Choristers, of Red Bank, sang a number of selections under the direction of Allan R. Woolley.
George S. Winner, oldest living member of Trimble, who was raised on February 21, 1873, was presented by Frank T. Flinn, chairman of the anniversary committee and second oldest past master.
The grand master congratulated the lodge on behalf of New Jersey Masons. Rev. Alonzo S. Fite, of Glenside, Pa., gave a history of Masonry in Colonial times around Boston. His topic was “The Green Dragon Inn and Colonial Masonry.” Rev. Fite, a member of Caleb Butler Lodge, Ayer, Mass., was introduced by Past Master Johnson.
Other members of the anniversary committee were Kirkpatrick, secretary; Arthur C. Abele, Robert T. Lee, Johnson, Hinderer, George E. Townsend, Donaghay and Frederick W. Radel.
History Presented
They presented a chronological history of the lodge in booklet form to each member and visitor. This history shows the lodge was constituted on February 2, 1871. Camden Lodge, No. 15, was the “mother” lodge of Trimble. The lodge was named for Joseph Trimble, who served three terms as master of Camden Lodge and three years as grand master of the state.
The organizers of the lodge were George H. Fairfield, George F. Fort, Marmaduke E. Taylor, Dr. H. Genet Taylor, Dr. William S. Fort, Wilbur F. Rose, Nathan F. Cowan, Frederick A. Rex and J. Graham Milligan.
At the first meeting, Rev. Joseph F. Garrison, rector of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, was presented for membership. He was the father of former Secretary of War Lindley M. Garrison and the late Supreme Court Justice Charles C. Garrison.
The lodge was constituted in Morgan’s Hall, Fourth and Market streets, then known as Masonic Hall. Fairfield was the first worshipful master; George F. Fort, senior warden; Marmaduke Taylor, junior warden; Dr. Taylor, treasurer; Milligan, secretary; Cowan, senior deacon; Rex, junior deacon; Rose, master of ceremonies, and Charles H. Gordon, tiler.
The present officers of the lodge are: Morgan, worshipful master; Henry K. Hartman, senior warden; Elmer L. Herman, junior warden; Arthur P. Johnson, treasurer; William E. Cox, Jr., secretary; Garman, chaplain; Wythes, marshal; William H. Senseman, assistant marshal; S. Walter Brown, proxy to grand lodge; Frank Hall Clark, Harry M. Dease and Abele, trustees; Harry W. Blankenhorn, senior deacon; Ernest F. Birbeck, junior deacon; Joseph Horneff, senior master of ceremonies; George C. Needham, junior master of ceremonies; John W. Hicks, senior steward; Clarence R. Faulkner, Jr., junior steward, and Lee, tiler.
Prominent Members of Trimble Lodge No. 117
Charter members in boldface.
Bernard Ahlberg — Dr. G. Russell Atkinson — Charles W. Austermuhl
Elwood Bearint — Charles S. Boyer — Dr. James E. Bryan
Joseph Cramer — Wayland Post Cramer
Enos B. Dellmuth — Raymond R. Donges
Charles H. Ellis
Frederick A. Finkeldey
John F. Harned — E. Allen Hughes
Dr. William I. Kelchner — Edward Stokes King
Walter S. Mattison
Walter L. Phillips — William I.J. Phillips — Alfred R. Pierce
Charles A. Reynolds — William L. Roberts
Frank B. Sitley — Walter N. Senseman — Thomas M. Stanger — John A. Stutzke — Christian S. Stark Sr.
Dr. H. Genet Taylor
Ralph G. Van Hart
Wilmer Mason Wheeler
Philadelphia Inquirer — July 29, 1915
Enos B. Dellmuth Dies from Stroke
Camden Courier-Post —
Death Ascribed to Devotion to Duty as Grand Jury Foreman
Enos B. Dellmuth, 43, prominent civic leader and foreman of the June term of Camden county grand jury, died at his home, 426 Chambers street, yesterday following a stroke at the close of the jury’s last session on Friday.
Dellmuth died a martyr to his duty, according to the members of his family and his friends. He had not been feeling well for about five weeks, but continued to attend the grand jury sessions every Tuesday. Finally his condition became such that he could not attend the regular session last Tuesday.
He was staying at his summer home in Seaside Heights last Friday when he was notified that the grand jury would meet that afternoon to make its final presentment to Judge Samuel M. Shay. As the foreman must sign all true bills and recommendations, Dellmuth motored to this city. While he was driving he suffered a slight stroke, but he continued to the courthouse.
Some premonition of serious illness and possibly death must have come to him during the meeting, for while the grand jurors discussed a resolution calling upon the board of freeholders to appropriate more money for a Camden charitable institution one of the jurors, who knew that Dellmuth was a candidate for freeholder from the Ninth, remarked,
“I guess that will be taken care of when Mr. Dellmuth gets on the freeholder board.”
“I don’t know about that,” Dellmuth was heard to mutter.
A few minutes after the jury had been officially dismissed by Judge Shay, the foreman complained of severe pains in the head, and he was accompanied to his home by fellow jurors. His condition rapidly grew worse, and Dr. Wesley Barrett diagnosed his ailment as cerebral hemorrhage. Dr. Elliott Schull and two specialists confirmed the diagnosis.
Dellmuth would have been 44 on October 24. According to members of his family, he always dreaded his forty-fourth birthday, as his father and a sister had died in their forty-fourth years.
The deceased served four years as councilman from the Ninth ward, and was the Republican candidate for freeholder at the coming general election. He was a former president of the Ninth Ward Republican Club and at the time of his death was vice-president. He was a member of Excelsior Consistory, Trimble Lodge, No. 117, F. & A. M.; Camden Shrine Club; A. A. O. N. M. S., of Trenton; The Seven O’Clock Club of Philadelphia; Camden Elks, Camden Rotary Club and other civic associations.
He was manager of the eastern division of the C. Howard Hunt Pen Company, Camden.
The deceased is survived by his wife, Florence D.; his sister, Mrs. A. Dellmuth Hauser, of Camden; a son, Carl, former Camden High School three-letter athlete and now a student at Swarthmore College, and four daughters, Ethel, Dorothy, Marian and Mary.
The members of the grand jury will convene tomorrow evening and go to the Dellmuth residence to pay their last respects. The members of the Ninth Ward Republican Club, of which Edward Holloway is president, will meet 8 p.m. tomorrow at [?] Broadway and then visit the home of the late vice-president.
Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Wednesday at his late residence. Masonic and Elk services will also be held. Interment will be in Harleigh Cemetery.
Chief Colsey Dies at 67 of Heart Attack
Camden Courier-Post —
Police Head Succumbs During Sleep While Suffering From Cold
MEMBER OF FORCE IN CAMDEN 27 YEARS
Chief of Police Arthur Colsey, veteran of 27 years in the department, died of a heart attack in his sleep at his home, 2937 Stevens street, last night. He was 67.
Apparently in good health except for a slight cold, Chief Colsey left his office in City Hall at noon yesterday, telling his assistants he was going home “to nurse the cold.”
Shortly after 5 p. m., Chief Colsey asked his son, Arthur, Jr., to take Mrs. Colsey on a shopping trip. When they returned two hours later, they found him dead on a couch. The son said his father told him he was going to take a nap before he went to a doctor’s office to receive treatment for the cold.
Chief Colsey was a Camden merchant before entering the police department. For years he was active in the Republican party. He was highly respected by all men in the department. The chief was quiet in manner and the excitement pertaining to strikes in the city a few years ago found him calm in the most delicate situations.
Born in Kidderminster, England, in December, 1872, he came to this country when 17. He was in the department store business with his brothers at Ninth and Market streets for years. He served in the old City Council from 1907 to 1911 from the Second ward. At that time he lived at Eighth and Linden streets.
Joined Force in 1912
Colsey was appointed a patrolman by former Mayor Charles H. Ellis on March 13, 1912, while Elisha A. Gravenor was chief. After several months as a street patrolman he was assigned to the First District patrol wagon. Then he was made a district detective. Next he was promoted to a full ranking detective under Detective Chief William Schregler.
After being appointed a detective he was assigned as a plainclothesman and secretary to Mayor Ellis. He served in this capacity seven years. In 1923 he was appointed chief clerk of the police department with the rank of captain.
In 1924 he was made chief of the vice squad, which made 380 raids for prohibition law violations. The squad also assisted the federal authorities in 180 more liquor raids and participated in 54 raids on disorderly houses and 38 gambling places.
In 1927 the City Commission abolished the rank of captain in the department and Colsey remained as chief clerk without the title. The rank of captain was restored to him by the City Commission in 1932 by motion of Commissioner David S. Rhone.
When former Chief John W. Golden retired on a pension on June 11, 1934, Colsey was named acting chief by Mayor Roy R. Stewart. He was named permanent chief on August 30, 1934, by Mayor Stewart. At the same time John H. Lennox was named permanent chief of the fire department.
During the absence of City Commissioner Mary W. Kobus, director of public safety, Chief Colsey was acting director.
Colsey was one of the most popular men who served as chief, both in his department and in civic and political circles. After he was made a full ranking captain in 1932 a series of testimonial dinners were given by the East End Republican League, Twelfth Ward Republican Club and Eleventh Ward Republican Clubs. He was boomed for chief at each of the dinners. Another testimonial was given when he was acting chief by the Camden Police and Firemen’s Association.
In February, 1931, his appointment as chief was urged to succeed Chief Lewis H. Stehr but Golden was named.
While a resident of North Camden he served as president of the Second Ward Republican Club. He was president of the Twelfth Ward Republican Club in 1932.
Prominent Lodgeman
Chief Colsey was a thirty-second degree Mason, being a member of Trimble Lodge, No. 117, Free and Accepted Masons; Crescent Temple, Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, and Camden Forest, No. 5, Tall Cedars of Lebanon. He also was a member Camden Lodge, No. 293, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks; Camden Lodge, No. 111, Loyal Order of Moose; Camden Aerie, No. 65, Fraternal Order of Eagles; Sons of St. George, Foresters of America, Improved Order of Red Men, Camden Local, Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association; International Police Chiefs’ Association, New Jersey State Police Chiefs’ Association, Camden Police and Fire Association, and the Camden County Republican Association.
Coroner Ernest Larossa issued the death certificate due to a heart ailment.
The funeral will be held at 2 p. m., Wednesday with burial in Arlington Cemetery. Other arrangements have not been completed. The body will be on view from 7 to 9 p. m., Tuesday at the home.
The chief is survived by his widow, Lillie; a brother, Thomas Colsey, a merchant and ranking officer of the Loyal Order of Moose; and two grandchildren, Arthur Colsey, 3rd., and Lillian Colsey. The grandson, a student at Western Maryland College, was notified last night of his grandfather’s death and left immediately for Camden.