The first officers were: John R. Reed, W. M.; Joel Jones, S. W.; John Brooks, J. V.; Josiah Brown, Treasurer; Joshua Z. Cozens, Secretary; Elias Clark, Senior Deacon; Samuel Blakesley, Junior Deacon, and Lewis Thayer, Tyler. They each continued in office for years afterwards and nearly all reached the East.

The lodge continued active until about the time of the Morgan excitement, the meeting becoming less frequent, and poorly attended, the last communication of which there is any record was held June 15th, 1829, although according the Grand Lodge records the Charter was continued to 834, when it was surrendered.

On the 5th day of February, 1852, the lodge was reorganized, under dispensation, with Horace Wilder, W. M.; Samuel Blakesley, S. W.; Ezra Dibble, J.W.; Henry Keyes, Treasurer; Nelson Selkirk, Secretary; Harvey Guthrie, S. D.; David Nobles, J.D.; Philander Wheeler, Tyler.

Instituted under Charter November 18, 1852, with the same names as charter members. The lodge being assigned the Number 222, which it has held since.

The first meetins of Evergreen, N0. 222, were held in a room over the store of C. Hall, which they occupied in common with the Odd Fellows, continuing this location until 1856, when by agreement with the Board of Education, they added a second story to the new school house on Broad St. and occupied the same quarters the same Fall. This hall was duly dedicated, with impressive ceremonies on June 24th, 1857. The lodge continued their meetings here until 1869, when it sold its interests to the Board of Education and moved to its old quarters on Main Street.

During the summer of 1870, the lodge together with Conneaut Chapter, No. 76 R. A. M., entered into an agreement with the builders of the new Union block, and erected a third story on this building, securing a large and commodious hall, with suitable adjoining rooms. The first communication was held in the new rooms September 19th, 1870. The rooms were partially refurnished during the summer of 1876.

Stated communications of the lodge have always been held on the first and third Thursdays of each month.

In the year 1860, just before the Civil War, Evergreen Lodge reports ninety-one members, W. B. Chapman being the representative to the Grand Lodge and receiving compensation for the trip the sume of $32.36, being an amount slightly greater than that paid the Grand Lodge for grand dues.

An occasional touch of humor appears in some of the Grand Council meetings in 1872. A member of Evergreen Lodge having appealed to the Grand Lodge, the committee to whom the report had been referred, reported as follows: "Your Committee have patiently examined the voluminous document, covering some fifty-five pages. Your Committee do not claim to have read and weighed every word of these heavy papers with the nicety of lexicographers, as they are clearly of the opinion that it is not necessary to eat a whole beef to ascertain whether it is tainted or not.

Your committee would recommend that the appeal be dismissed, and that the action of the lodge be affirmed."

During the year 1870, M. W. G. M. Alex. H. Newcomb visited Evergreen Lodge to settle some minor difficulty among the brethren, and in his report, after stating that all was now harmonious, "in nine cases out of ten such troubles have no foundation and if the brother feeling aggrieved would exercise the proper spirit, there would be no need for arbitration, if they would learn to subdue their passions, keep a tongue of good report, and practice charity, all would be well."

One of Conneaut's outstanding Masons was the late John F. Lane, for many years a conductor on the New York Central. Brother Lane was Grand Master of the Grand Countil of Royal and Select Masters of Ohio for the year 1906. He received his 32° in 1884, was nominated and elected to receive the 33° Sept. 22nd, 1908, the degree being conferred to him at Boston, Mass., Sept 21, 1909.

The following copy of letter of notification received by Brother Lane, will partially explain the method of selection for this honorable degree.

The following honors were also conferred on Bro. Lane:

• Honorary Member of Lorain Council, No. 103, R. and S. M.., Lorain, Ohio
• Appointed representative of the Grand Commandery, K. T., for North Dakota.
• Appointed representative of the Grand Council, R. & S. M., for Vermont.
• Appointed representative of the Grand Chapter, R. A. M., for Arkasas.
• Instituted Painesville Coucil, No. 104, R. & S. M., Decemeber 20, 1910.
• Commander of Cache Commandery, No. 27, K. T.
• Thrice Ills. Masters of Conneaut Council, No. 40, R. & S. M.
• High Priest of Conneaut Chapter, No. 76, R. A. M.
• Wor. Master of Evergreen Lodge, No. 222, Conneaut.

The name Evergreen seems to have been of a conflicting nature, Evergreen Lodge, No. 63, was grandted a dispensation March 17, 1821, located at Salem (Conneaut), the Grand Lodge Annals frequently confuse No. 63 with No. 62, this number having been assigned to St. Jerome Lodge of Chagrin, Cuyahoga County, during the same year.

In 1852 a Dispensation was issued to Evergreen Lodge at Conneaut, and a Charter granted the same year, and in 1853 a Dispensation was grated to "Evergreen" Lodge at Steubenville, and a Chater granted later in the year and number 234 assigned to this lodge, however, in 1854, the name was changed to "Meridian."

Thereafter Evergreen, No. 222, being known as located in Conneaut.

December 26, 1889, was the occasion of the dedication of the new hall of Evergreen Lodge, M. W. Grand Master Leander Burdick.

Perhaps the most important event in Ashtabula County Masonry in the year 1935, was the ceremonies of the layin of the corner stone for the new Temple under construction in Conneaut. The event taking place Sunday, May 26. There being present nearly one thousand Masons from Ohio and surrounding States, and also some fifteen hundred spectators, making a total of about twenty-five hundred individuals. The building when completed will cost $30,000.00 and is being erected by the Masonic bodies of Conneaut: Evergreen Lodge, No. 222, F. & A. M.; Conneaut Chapter, No. 76, R. A. M.; Conneaut Council, No. 40, R. & S. M.; Cache Commandery, No 27, Knights Templar and Rose Chapter, No. 22, O. E. S.

The Temple is the culmination of the growth of Masonry in Conneaut over a period of 114 years and the materialization of a dream that has been nurtured for generations. Work on the structure has progressed rapidly and the building will be ready for occupancy about August 15.

The ceremonies being under the auspices of the Grand Lodge of Ohio, F. & A. M. Most Worshipful Carl W. Ellenwood, of Wooster, Grand Master for the State, laid the corner stone, Dillion Crist, of Akron, Grand Deacon of Ohio, presided as Grand Marshal, Right Worshipful J. Phillip Perry, of Jefferson, Grand Junior Warden of Ohio, presided as Deputy Grand Master; Rt. Em. Sir. Louis Wieber, of Cleveland, Senior Grand Warden of the Grand Commandery, Kings Templar of Ohio, delivered the address of the day; W. H. Maddox, of Roseville, Grand Tyler of Ohio, officiated as Grand Tyler; Wor. Bro. Louis P. Clark, of Warren, district lecturer of the 25th Masonic District of Ohio, officiated as Senior Grand Warden, and Ex. Comp. Burr Sanford, of Youngstown, Grand Master of the Third Veil, Royal Arch Mason of Ohio.

The following Conneaut Masons officiated as Grand Lodge officers pro tem in the stations follwoing their respective names: Wor. Master Clyde G. Bailey, of Evergreen Lodge, as Grand Junior Warden; Earl C. Hankin and Tom L. Smith as Grand Deacond; Robert W. Halliday as Grand Secretary; H. P. Sanford as Grand Treasurer; Ex. Comp. C. B. Hicks, High Priest of Conneaut Chapter, No. 76, R. A. M. and Brother Clyde Long, Junior Deacon of Evergreen Lodge, as Grand Stewards; Rev. J. Rankin as Grand Chaplain; Past Masters W. H. Cooney and J. E. Lick as Grand Stewards; H. R. Rhinehardt, Tyler of Evergreen Lodge, as Grand Tyler; F. M. Long and W. I. Mozart as Assistant Marshalls directing the procession formt he lodge rooms to the site of the new Temple; The following Past Members of Evergreen Lodge bore Corn, Wine and Oil; W. R. Hubbard, F. L. Stevents, F. L. Horton and Lincoln Range, and Past Masters E. L. Wellman and G. R. Jacobs bore Light and Brother Gaylor Millard active Mason for 62 years, bore the Masonic Bible, Square and Compasses.

Cache Commandery Knights Templar, acted as escort to the procession, directed by Capt. General B. N. Greenman, there being sixty-four Knights in uniform.

El Kadir Grotto band of Ashtabula, led the procession.

The day began with the opening of Evergreen Lodge, No. 222, at 10:30 o'clock, by the regular officers. At 12 noon, a dinner at the Hotel Cleveland, was tendered to the Grand Lodge Officers, and other visiting he of the various Masonic bodies, 75 percent being present. Simultaneously, Rose Chapter, O. E. S., entertained the wives of the visiting officials at a dinner at Pop Inn [Kingsville].

At 1:30 p.m., Grand Lodge opened lodge in Masonic Hall, and after presentation of the visiting heads of the Masonic bodies, a parade was formed to proceed to the site of the New Temple. The procession proceeded West on Main Street to Buffalo Street to the new Temple site, at the intersection of State and Broad Streets, the entire section having been previously roped off by the local police.

The oldes living member of Evergreen Lodge, James H. Judson, who is in his 66th Masonic year, was transported to the site by automobile.

Chas. Marcy and Sons donated the corner stone, the members of this firm all being members of Evergreen Lodge. The stone measures 29 1/2 x 22 3/4 inches and is of grey felsite granite. Inscribed upoin the stone in addition to the Square and Compasses are two dates, A. D. (Anno Domini) 1935 and A. L. (Anno Lucis) 5935. SEaled being the stone was placed a copper box, containing: A Masonic Bible bearing the Square and Compasses; a Masonic directory of the Conneaut bodies; a list of all present and past members of the various Conneaut Masonic bodies; a history of Evergreen Lodge, No. 222, F. & A. M.; a Chapter penny; a history of the Masonic Temple Co.; Masonic Program; a telephone directory and City of Conneaut directory; post card views of Conneaut, time tables and a road map of Ohio; the May 25th edition of the Conneaut News-Herald, containing an account of the proposed events, photographs; a history of the deposit box; list of City and County Officers.

The copper box was constructed by John Helander, raised inscriptions on the face of the box by Harry McKay.

The Clyde Smith Radio shop built and installed the amplifying system, consisting of a portable microphone and several Philco speakers, the system being operated by George Thompkins and Clyde Smith.

The ceremonies were conducted from a raised platform, the Grand Officers descending to the southwest corner for the actual laying and sealing of the corner stone, after which the working tools were officially presnted to the Architect and Contractor, William Johnson, President of the Consolidated Contruction Co., Inc. of Ashtabula, builders of the Temple.