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Montana Army Lodge No. 1 (U.D.) was meeting at Montrichard, France, three different
In 1917 members of the 163rd Infantry from Fort places were utilized, viz: A cave, a mushroom canning
William Henry Harrision located at Helena, Montana factory and a warehouse. At Bouree, France two
formed the Montana Army Lodge No. 1., with a charter meetings were held in a chateau owned by an American
membership of twenty-three Master Masons, all at that named, Wells, who very kindly gave the Lodge the use
time members of the Second Montana Infantry later of a large room.
known as the 163rd United States Infantry.
The first meeting was held in Stateroom 325, of Of the unfinished work of the Lodge arrangements
the USS Leviathan, formerly the Hamburg-American were already made to have the degrees upon Candidate
liner “Vaterland,” then and now the largest ship afloat. Chauncey R. Fowler conferred by Yellowstone Lodge
This meeting was held on the evening of December No. 26. Sea and Field Lodge No. 2, of the jurisdiction
21, 1917, the ship being at the time just off the south of New York conferred the F.C. and M.M. degrees
coast of Iceland. The Lodge held, all together, eighteen upon Brother Albert Joigenson, at Paris, France.
meetings. The last being held at St. Aignan, France,
January 18, 1919. Major Foot, Master of Montana Army Lodge
The nineteenth meeting was a special Communication stated I want to say that we Masons of Montana “in
of the Grand Lodge of Montana held at St. Aignan on our Country’s Service” enjoyed the work of our Army
March 29, 1919, under Proxy from Most Worshipful Lodge and I feel that it has justified the granting of the
Grand Master Brother E. M. Hutchinson for the Dispensation. The Masons we made were all good material
purpose of installing Right Worshipful R. E. Hathaway and I am certain will be a Credit to the Craft. While we
as Senior Grand Warden. frequently met and labored under great difficulty, we always
Of the Masons raised by the Montana Army Lodge parted with a feeling that it was all worthwhile, and in the
-Orville L. Anderson was killed in action before being Lodge room, the only place where officers and enlisted men
initiated. Chauncey R. Fowler was elected at the last could meet on the level, where no military rank prevailed, we
meeting of the Lodge, but was not initiated; Louis were Brothers together and the ties that bound and united
N. Fournier and Albert Jorgenson were initiated but us before, had for us a newer, a greater and a more solemn
owing to being transferred to another Division were meaning. And now, as the Master of Montana Lodge No.
not passed. All the others were initiated, passed and 1, I return to you the gavel placed in my hand by Most
raised in Due Form. Worshipful Grand Master Jones on September 8, 1917
The following degrees were conferred by courtesy ,and trust that you will find my work to be good and true.”
upon proper authority from this Grand Lodge: S.
Clarke Kennett, M.M. Degree for Helena No. 3, Helena, Article complied by information from the Grand Lodge of
Montana. William V. Fivans, E.A., F.C. and M.M. Oklahoma, Masonic Service Association, Archives of the
Degrees for Livingston No. 32, Livingston, Montana. Grand Lodge of Montana and Daniel Gardiner paper on
Leonard S. Beard, E.A. Degree for Starr King No. 344, the Montana Army Lodge.
San Francisco, Calif. Walter W. ‘McDonald, E.A. and
F.C. Degrees for Bozeman No. 18 Bozeman, Montana.
D. S. Lewis, E.A. and F.C. Degrees for Three Forks
No. 73, Three Forks, Montana. Stanley Arkwright,
E.A., F.C. and M.M. Degrees for Yellowstone No. 26,
Miles City, Montana.

The Lodge received requests and authority to confer
one hundred and three courtesy degrees, but was
unable to comply with more than those above listed.
The meeting places of the Lodge were various. Several
meetings were held in a school building in St. Alignan,
until the trustees of the school entered an objection
to the use of the building by Freemasons. Thereafter
meetings were held in a building rented by the United
States Army for an Officers’ Mess. While the Lodge

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