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| 192 Main Street Matawan, New Jersey 07747 |
Lodge Phone – 732 637 0192 Email – Info@MatawanLodge.org |
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James E. Miller, Worshipful Master |
Gregory H. Nazarian, P.M., Secretary |
| Christopher DiStefano, Senior Warden | Arthur J. Campbell, P.M., Treasurer |
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| 1st & 3rd Tuesdays except July & August Gavel Sounds – 8:00 PM |
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| — Celebrating More Than 100 Years of Freemasonry — |
| A Brief History — Matawan Lodge No. 192 was founded by a nucleus of members from the defunct Aberdeen Lodge No. 90 and members who demitted from Caesarea Lodge No. 64. The first regular communication of Matawan Lodge No. 192 was held on Friday evening February 18, 1910, at 192 Main Street, Matawan. Lodge was convened by the Most Worshipful Grand Master J. Clarence Conover, who presented Matawan Lodge with a dispensation empowering the Lodge to operate and function as a Masonic body until such time it was constituted. The Lodge was granted a warrant on April 21, 1910. An emergent communication of the Grand Lodge of the State of New Jersey was called on the evening of May 6, 1910 at the same address as above, by the Most Worshipful Grand Master, Alton H. Sherman for the purpose of constituting Matawan Lodge No. 192 and installing officers. After due ceremonies, a full slate of officers was installed with Theodore H. Sickles as Worshipful Master. Our Lodge has convened for the past 100 years in the same building, located at 192 Main Street, Matawan. Although coincidental, it is interesting to note that both the Lodge and street numbers are the same. Included among our notable members was one U.S. Congressman, William H. Sutphin, who was also a charter member. During the past 100 years, we have been honored with several appointments to the Grand Staff. Living members who have served are R.W. James Kudrick, Past Senior Grand Deacon; R.W. Leonard E. Stokes, Past Grand Pursuivant; R.W. Walter C. Davis, Past Grand Chaplain; and R.W. Charles R. Watson, Past Grand Sword Bearer. |
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Our Neighboring Communities: Matawan-Aberdeen Settlement began about 12,000 years ago when people who migrated eastward from Siberia spread throughout the Americas. Those who settled in this area developed into the Lenni-Lenape. About the year 1000, an agricultural society developed, and small villages dotted what was to become New Jersey. The Lenape began a westward retreat in the face of European settlement and disease beginning in the late seventeenth century, beginning in Monmouth County by the mid–eighteenth century. Although the Lenape presently live in Ontario and Oklahoma, their legacy survives in such names as Mohingson, Luppatatong and Matawan Creeks and Raritan Bay. The earliest known attempt at European settlement was in 1650 under the Dutch, when the south side of Raritan Bay was purchased from the Lenni Lenape. No known attempt was made to make good on settling this area, and in 1664 the entire area came under English possession. The earliest English land grant in Aberdeen was in 1677 when Sir George Carteret granted 36 acres to Jonathan Holmes. This is in present-day Oakshades on Mohingson Creek. In 1684, Surveyor General Thomas Rudyard received a grant of 1038 acres on Raritan Bay and Matawan Creek, the present location of Cliffwood and Cliffwood Beach. Owing to Rudyard's high office, this was quite controversial, and in 1685, the Board of Proprietors issued an order regarding the laying out of land. Section 7 addressed questionable activity such as Rudyard's, and he sold his land to his son-in-law, Samuel Winder. The 1680's saw an influx of Scottish immigrants fleeing religious persecution in response ti a 1683 book by George Scott extolling the virtues of Scottish settlement in East New Jersey. In 1701, a village site of 100 acres was granted by the Proprietors to 24 Scottish settlers of the area. These men and six others also purchased a landing site on Matawan Creek. The village site eventually came to be called Mount Pleasant, and the landing, as it became an important shipping point for the produce of Middletown Township, became Middletown Point. A third, very scattered settlement developed in the eighteenth century west of Matawan Creek, and was called Matawan or Matavan. Since 1693, what was to become Aberdeen Township remained part of Middletown Township which, at the time, consisted of what is now Aberdeen, Holmdel, Hazlet, Middletown (including Sandy Hook), Matawan Borough, Keyport, Union Beach, Keansburg, Atlantic Highlands, Highlands and a sliver of Colts Neck. It originally extended as far northwest as Cheesequake Creek, that portion being ceded to Middlesex County in 1710. By 1848, Middletown was considered too large and unwieldy, and legislation was passed dividing it into two halves, the western half to be a new municipality, Raritan Township. In 1857, Raritan was further divided. Legislation sponsored by Assemblyman Beers passed the State Assembly and Senate, was signed by Governor William A. Newell, and on February 23, 1857, Matavan Township was incorporated. This included the village of Middletown Point, Mt. Pleasant, and Matavan. The Township was named for the creek as well as the village of Matavan. The spelling of "Matawan" or "Matavan" had been interchangeable, however, when the act was published "Matavan," a Lenape word meaning "where two rivers come together" had been used. In 1865, due to postal confusion with Middletown, the Middletown Point post office was renamed "Matawan," to reflect the name of the Township. This section is the present downtown area of Matawan Borough. In 1882, the spelling of the Township was officially changed to "Matawan." When the railroads were built in the 1870's several stations were established. As the station at Main Street was to be "Matawan," the one at Cliffwood Avenue had to be something else, although the old name "Matavan" was still applied to that area. To avoid near duplication, "Hutschler's Crossing" was briefly used; the railroad then changed the station name to "Cliffwood," after the coastal area of the Township. In 1885, the Cliffwood post office was established and the name of the old Matavan settlement passed into obsolescence. That same year, the former Middletown Point section, which had adopted the name "Matawan," was incorporated by referendum as the Borough of Matawan. Originally a self–governing district within the Township, the Borough gained full municipality status in 1896. In response to demand, a post office was established at Mt. Pleasant in 1889. As that name was in use elsewhere, a new name was needed. "Freneau" was chosen, in honor of Philip M. Freneau, the "Poet of Revolution," and a former Mt. Pleasant resident who is buried in the area. This post office has since been closed. |
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© 2012 Matawan Lodge No. 192 F&AM | ||||||||||||
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