The story of Hannibal Lodge No. 188, A.F. & A.M., is an interesting one. The character of the men who first formed the Lodge was most excellent. The part the Lodge has played and its members have in the civic and community life is of great interest and too long to be told here.
For the first time the reason for the information of Hannibal Lodge is put in print. Just preceding the Civil War, there was a number of Free Masons living in Hannibal who were members of lodges elsewhere and who wanted to form their own lodge. St. John's Lodge had been in existence for some time. The membership did not come from that lodge. Bro. A. G. McDaniel, a Past Master of Hannibal Lodge, was the only one of the original group who formed the Lodge who most of us knew. He was not a charter member, because his dimit had not arrived from Virginia, but he was present when the Lodge, was instituted and acted as junior warden in the place of the one named in the dispensation.
The original numbers were eight: Dr. B. N. Crump, Dr. Edward Duffield, John B. Helm (grandfather of A. C. RoBards and Helm Davidson), Francis Davis (father of William A. Davis, a member of this Lodge, and grandfather of Judge Charles B. Davis, a judge of the Federal Court), Thomas A. Harris, Thomas K. Collins, R. Lamar and William M. Collins.
These Free Masons presented an original petition for dispensation as follows:
"To the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of the State of Missouri: The undersigned petitioners, being Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, having the prosperity of the Fraternity at heart and willing to exert their best endeavors to promote and diffuse the genuine principles of Masonry, respectfully represent that being nonaffiliated at this time, and for other good reasons, they are desirous of forming a new lodge in the City of Hannibal, Marion County, to be named Hannibal Lodge. They therefore pray for letters of dispensation to empower them to assemble as a legal lodge to discharge the duties of Masonry in a regular and constitutional manner, according to the original forms of the Order and the regulations of the Grand Lodge. They have nominated and do recommend Bro. B. N. Crump to be the first master, Bro. Edward Duffield to be the first senior warden and Bro. John B. Helm to be the first junior warden of said lodge. If the prayer of the petition shall be granted, they promise a strict conformity to all the constitutions, laws and regulations of the Grand Lodge." Signed "B. N. Crump, J. B. Helm, R. Lamar, F. Davis, Thomas K. Collins, William M. Collins, Thomas A. Harris and Edward Duffield."
On March 8, 1859, the dispensation is dated and on that date the Lodge was instituted. B. N. Crump was named as first worshipful master, Edward Duffield as senior warden, and John B. Helm as junior warden. The Lodge was set to work by N. P. Kunkle, district deputy grand master of the Ninth Masonic District.
The first meeting under the dispensation was April 14, 1859, when Francis Davis was appointed senior deacon; Thomas K. Collins, treasurer; William M. Collins, secretary; and William R. Kidd, tyler.
Edward Duffield, Thomas A. Harris and John B. Helm were appointed a committee to draft a set of By-laws.
At the second meeting, on April 2 1, the second and fourth Mondays were decided upon as the dates for the regular communication. The lodge has met on these dates ever since.
Also at this meeting the first petition was received. It was that of William H. Hatch, who afterwards served the First District of Missouri in Congress so many years and whose statue stands in Central Park. He was a member of the Lodge at his death.
W. P. Reynolds was the first to petition for affiliation, his petition being presented on April 25, 1859. On this date the By-laws, consisting of 25 articles, were adopted.
May 23, 1859, was the last meeting under the dispensation. On this date William H. Hatch was elected and received his first degree.
The Grand Lodge in May, 1859, granted the Lodge a charter and gave it its number and the first meeting under the charter was held June 13, 1859, the same officers selected as named when the election of officers was held in the dispensation and appointed thereunder. These officers were installed at a meeting held St. John's Day, June 24, 1859, at 10:00 a.m.
The Lodge pursued the general tenor of its ways until July 4, 1860, when the lodge hall, charter, jewels and everything (except the record book) were destroyed by fire.
Having received its new charter the Lodge went to work and continued its general policies until 1871 when it lost a large number by the organization of Itura Lodge No. 406. Twenty-nine members were named in the dispensation for this lodge which was dated April 4, 187 1. Most of these members came from Hannibal Lodge No. 188. J. S. Bocker was its master, S. H. Anderson its senior warden, and J. K. Hayward its junior warden.
Itura Lodge No. 406 lasted until April 13, 1880, on which date (exactly nine years after its institution under dispensation) it voted to consolidate under the name and number of Hannibal Lodge and the last minutes of Itura Lodge No. 406 was now closed sine die, peace and harmony prevailing.
It would take too long to tell the story since that date. Its history is interesting. One who reads its pages cannot feel otherwise than the Lodge has faithfully done its work well. The 89 years of its existence have justified its institution. It has continually struggled to spread and communicate more light.