January 9, 2006 was a historic meeting night for Princeton Lodge. On this date 150 years ago the Grand Lodge of New Jersey granted a warrant to form a lodge known and numbered as Princeton Lodge #38. Of the seven petitioners for the warrant, two brothers were from Washington Lodge #33 in Elizabeth, one brother was from Union lodge #19 in New Brunswick, two were from Trenton Lodge #5, and two were from the old Princeton Lodge #30 which had become extinct in 1821. When we consider the previous attempts to have a Masonic Lodge in Princeton, we must marvel at reaching this historic milestone. The first Princeton lodge was granted a charter on October 25, 1765 by Jeremiah Gridley, Grand Master of St. John’s Grand Lodge of Massachusetts. This was prior to the formation of New Jersey’s Grand Lodge which was on December 18, 1786, 21 years later. The charter stated the the lodge number would be #3, the third lodge formed in New Jersey and would meet in Prince Town, NJ. Its first worshipful master was Richard Stockton who later signed the declaration of independence. It is not proven but believed that lodge meetings were held at his home in Morven. It should be remembered that members of that early lodge were British subjects since America was a colony of Great Brittain at that time. Prince Town Lodge #3 was evidently short lived because no record of Masonic activity in Princeton has been found from 1765 to 1813. It must be remembered however that a revolutionary war and the war of 1812 were fought during that time period. After 48 years of Masonic darkness in Princeton, a petition to establish a lodge once again was granted. This charter was granted by the Grand Lodge of New Jersey on November 9, 1813 to form a new lodge in Princeton known as Princeton Lodge #30. This lodge was also short lived with the last official records of the lodge showing a date of November 2, 1816. Due to a failure of representation at Grand Lodge and nonpayment of dues to the charity fund, Grand Lodge demanded the warrant of Princeton Lodge #30 on November 13, 1821. The present lodge, Princeton Lodge #38, came into existence on January 9, 1856 and for a century and a half has functioned uninterupted with distinction and honor for that long period of time. The members of Princeton Lodge are proud of their 150 years of service in the Princeton area and look forward to marching towards its 200th year anniversary with the same leadership, dedication, and zeal as in the past!
