By the year 1930, it had become evident that growing industries had attracted thousands of people to the Canton area. Many of these were sojourning Masons from various lodges of Ohio and other jurisdictions throughout the United States. The opportunity was now at hand to gather these brethren into a new lodge. Under the leadership of Dr. and Brother Lee D. Ellsworth, then a member of Canton Lodge No. 60, organized a meeting for December 19, 1930. At this meeting, Wor. Bro. Albert A. Welsbacher, Past Master (1918) of Canton Lodge No. 60 was elected Worshipful Master. Bro. Lee Ellsworth was elected Senior Warden and Bro. Jesse Mason, Junior Warden.
Dispensation was granted by the Grand Lodge of Ohio on January 21, 1931, but was not forwarded until March 18, 1931. On April 9, 1931, the first Stated Meeting of Trinity Lodge was held.
On November 12, 1931, Trinity Lodge No. 710, F. & A. M. was duly Constituted and Consecrated. By this time, membership had grown to 51 members.
The first Annual Report to the Grand Lodge in 1932 indicated that the lodge was growing with a total membership of 82.
The depressed economic conditions of the early 1930’s found the lodge exercising extreme frugality. The lodge funds had been frozen as a result of the “Bank Holiday” and with a cash balance on hand of less than $75.00 the lodge survived through the result of the excellent leadership provided by the professional members of the lodge.
By 1940, the assets of the lodge had been released and the financial status was much improved. Membership continued to grow with the lodge reporting 133 members that year.
An annual picnic, celebration of the feast of St. John the Evangelist, and a Father and Son Banquet were extremely successful events hosted by the lodge during the late 1940’s. Membership continued to expand as evidenced in the Annual Report for 1950 that showed a total membership of 302 individuals.
Owing to the extreme temperatures and humidity, the lodge not being air conditioned, as well as the fact that many of the brethren were vacationing during the summer months, Trinity Lodge amended its By-laws on June 2, 1960 to suspend labor during the months of July and August. Membership for 1960 had reached a total of 422 brethren.
The years 1970 – 1980 brought a leveling of memberships causing the lodge to again asses its financial position and make appropriate corrections even though the net worth of the lodge was well over $60,000. Annual dues were raised from $17.00 to $20.00 and the dues of members 70 years of age were raised from $8.00 to $12.00.
Trinity Lodge has distinguished itself by spawning a large number of individuals who have contributed their time and talents to the good of the fraternity by accepting positions of responsibility in York Rite, Scottish Rite, serving as District Education Officers, and District Deputy Grand Masters.
Proud of our past, confident of the present and hopeful of the future, Trinity Lodge may look back on a long and distinguished history of significant contributions to Freemasonry in the Canton area.
