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History of Dade Lodge Masons

Dade Lodge Masonic Temple ~ History ~

    The First Fraternal Society to be established in Key West, was Dade Lodge No.14, Free and Accepted Masons, chartered January 16, 1845. Its first officers were Oliver J. Noyes, Worshipful Master; Alexander Patterson, Senior Warden; and Benjamin Sawyer, Junior Warden.

    In 1869, Dade Lodge erected a large two-story building on the northeast side of Simonton Street, about midway up the block, between Caroline and Eaton Streets. The second floor was used for lodge purposes, the lower floor for entertainment and subsequently, for the first public school conducted in Key West. This building was destroyed by fire in 1886, and a large three-story brick building was erected in its place, being completed in 1889. On September 9, 1919, a tropical hurricane destroyed the roof of the building, to such an extent that it was necessary to move to another location at 508 Fleming Street. The bricks that remained after the building was no longer used were later used to erect the building across the street on the Western side of Simonton Street that is now known as Casa Antigua.

    In 1921 the Lodge moved into the wooden Scottish Rite Temple building along with Anchor Lodge No.182 and the Order of Eastern Star located on the corner of Eaton and Simonton Streets.

    Through the combined help of all the Masonic Bodies and the Order of Eastern Star in Key West, today stands the present Scottish Rite Temple which was started in July, 1950 and dedicated June 3, 1951.

    During the building of the new temple, Dade Lodge met in the lodge hall of Orden de Caballero de La Luz at 422 Amelia Street, until it met for the first time in the new temple May 16, 1951.



WHO WAS MAJOR DADE?

    Virginia-born Dade was commissioned a lieutenant of infantry during the War of 1812. He saw considerable service in Florida and was with Gen. Andrew Jackson at Pensacola when, in the summer of 1812, Spain ceded the territory to the United States.

    In 1835, Dade, now a major, was post commander at the Army barracks at Key West. In December of 1835, Major Dade was ordered from Key West with a company of infantry to reinforce the small garrison at Fort Brooke, Florida.

    On the morning of December 28, Dade led his column out of Fort Brooke and crossed the north fork of the Withlacoochee. It was here that the Indians ambushed Dade and his men from behind stunted pines and palmetto underbrush. By noon, Dade's column had been all but wiped out. Of the 110 officers and men in the detachment, only three severely wounded privates escaped the slaughter. They eventually died of their wounds.

    Only the annihilation of Custer's troopers on the Little Bighorn some four decades later was to surpass the carnage near the forks of the Withlacoochee as the greatest disaster ever to befall the Army in the annals of Indian warfare. This disaster went down in history as "Dade's Massacre" and signaled the beginning of the longest war ever waged by the Army.

    The remains of Dade and his command were removed from the burial grounds on the Fort Brooks-Fort King road to St. Augustine for reinterment. Some years later a marble column was raised at West Point, honoring Dade and his command.

    Dade City, seat of Pasco County, is near the site of Fort Dade, a fortification built on Egmont Key at the entrance to Tampa Bay.

    Near Bushnell, in Sumter County is an 80-acre Dade Battlefield Memorial. The marker on one of the several shafts reads: "Here     Major Dade Fell".

    A living memorial to Dade was established in February, 1836, in the naming of Florida's newest county for Major Dade.

    In January, 1844 a petition was presented and read to the Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of Florida, convened at Tallahassee, from sundry Master Masons at Key West, praying for a dispensation to work under the name of "Dade Lodge" with Oliver J. Noyes as first Master, Alexander Patterson as first Senior Warden, and Benjamin Sawyer as first Junior Warden.

    The same being considered and found to be in due form and properly recommended, dispensation was ordered to be issued, as prayed for, under the name and style of "Dade Lodge No.14", and which was accordingly issued and delivered to Brother Patterson, Senior Warden.

    The proceedings of the Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of Florida convened January 13, 1845, read that "The Committee on By-laws of Dade Lodge No.14, U.D. and recommended that Charter be granted, which was received and the Charter ordered to be issued".

    The Masonic History of Major Dade is at this point rather vague. However, it is known that he was a Mason and having lived within the memory of those Masons who founded this Lodge, they must surely have deemed him worthy of this Masonic honor in memorializing him nine years after death.