Dover Lodge #489 had the pleasure to host the officers of the Grand Lodge of Ohio to celebrate its 150th birthday! Many Brethren were in attendance to help celebrate this milestone. Included below is the oration delivered by our Grand Orator.
It may come as a surprise to some, but as we gather today in Westlake to celebrate 150 years since this Lodge was chartered, we recognize that there was no Westlake in Ohio at its formation! The early settlers of the land upon which we now assemble had begun to arrive in 1810 – the Cahoons, the Porters, and their friends and family – all names that we now recognize as being memorialized in the street names that surround us. Leverett Johnson, the 16-year-old brother of Rebecca Porter, began clearing the land where we now meet in 1811 as a gift to his bride, Abigail Cahoon. To mark the completion of his work, Johnson built his new bride a cabin in which to start their life, right where Center Ridge Road meets Crocker Road today – a mere 200 feet from where we now stand. Leverett Johnson lived to the ripe age of 61 years, and upon his passing, he donated part of his land to become Evergreen Cemetery just across the street. He and his wife Abigail are buried there.
As additional settlers continued to arrive, they granted a name to the blossoming community on November 11th, 1811 – Dover Township, from which this Lodge takes its name. So why do we now call this land Westlake, while the Lodge name remains as it was? The problem stems from the fact that in the 1850 US census, it was noted that there were fully 5 “Dovers” in the State of Ohio! This caused many difficulties in deliveries for the US postal service. The several “Dovers” in Ohio began to change their names such that by the 20th century, there were only two left – our land and a second Dover down in Tuscarawas County. When our township ordered a fire truck and found it mis-delivered 100 miles south, the postal service had had enough and urged the citizens to change the town’s name in 1915.
In the spirit of expediency, our forefathers immediately began working on a new name for the township. Candidates for the new name included Westlake, Clague Park, Claguewood, and Park Ridge. But as these decisions tend to go, the residents decided on “Westlake” – after 25 years of deliberation!
The history of Westlake mirrors the spirit of today’s brothers of Dover Lodge, who, like the early residents of this city, understand the importance of differentiation in order to be most effective. After 150 years of illuminating the community with the Light of Masonry, Dover Lodge continues to distinguish itself as a beacon of Masonic education and contemplation. Despite their small numbers, the Lodge, like those early settlers, works tirelessly to ‘clear the land’ of the modern troubles that burden the mind of every man who joins the Fraternity under its roof. By providing an initiatic experience that profoundly impacts each man’s life and alters his perspective, the Lodge strives to serve the community in the best way possible – by nurturing men of depth and consequence.
Today, we celebrate 150 years of Freemasonry in this thriving city. Let us look to the future with hope and optimism, as Dover Lodge #489 continues to grow, just as it has in recent years. May it continue to illuminate the path for all who seek to build a better world, shining the Light of Masonry upon their journey!
