Petersburg Lodge No. 15, A.F. & A.M.

                                                             Petersburg, Virginia

Petersburg Lodge No. 15 was first chartered by the Grand Lodge of Scotland on May 6, 1786 and then by the Grand Lodge of Virginia on October 29, 1787. Due to the great fire of 1815 there are no records of membership prior to 1800. The original Virginia charter was signed by Most Worshipful Edmund Randolph, Grand Master of Masons in Virginia.

The meager records show that the Lodge presumably held its meetings in Taverns or in private homes located on Lombard or Back Street, which is now E. Bank Street. The first complete report was made to the Grand Lodge of Virginia on December 8, 1800 with Walter Ferguson, Worshipful Master; John burns, Senior Warden; and Edward G. Tolwell, Junior Warden. The Lodge met on the fourth Thursday in the home of Brother John Arbuckle until sometime in 1802, at which time they moved to the Masonic hall which was located in Blandford which was on the corner of Miller and Old Church Streets. This building was destroyed by fire in 1819, but no records were lost.

The last report to the Grand Lodge of Virginia was made in 1804, at which time Worshipful Edwin Beasley was Worshipful Master. In 1808 the Lodge was declared dormant because it had not made a report for four years, but for some unknown reason the charter was never revoked by the Grand Lodge of Virginia. The Lodge remained dormant until January 15, 1831, twenty-three years, when Worshipful Edwin Beasley, Petersburg Lodge No.15, Worshipful John Pollard, Past Master of Blandford Lodge No. 3, and several others met in the home of Brother Hiram Haines and resuscitated, by application for a charter, Petersburg Lodge No. 15. The original charter was still in existence. They listed John Pollard, Worshipful Master; James Davidson, Senior Warden; and Lewis Lunsford, Junior Warden. A dispensation was issued on January 18, 1831. The Lodge had lost 23 years of existence.

In 1883 the Lodge changed its meeting place to the building on the corner of West Bank and North Market Streets and its meeting day from Thursday to Wednesday. The rent was $25.00 per annum. On July 11, 1859, the Lodge moved to Liberty Hall located on the corner of Sycamore and Bollingbrook Streets. On April 14, 1879, they moved to the Odd Fellows building on N. Sycamore Street, there to remain until the Masonic temple on West Tabb Street, which was occupied by Blandford Lodge No. 3, could be repaired. This Lodge moved into this building, with the approval of Blandford No. 3, on November 26, 1879 and remained there until the building was sold and demolished.

The Petersburg Masonic Building Corporation constructed a building on a lot at 115 South Sycamore Street in 1969 and Most Worshipful Julian C. Roden, Grand Master of Masons in Virginia, laid the cornerstone.

The founders of this Lodge were mostly soldiers in the Revolutionary War. John Voinard, for instance, a Frenchman who came to this country with Lafayette and under the influence of George Washington, joined the Fraternity. Many soldiers received their degrees in this Lodge, the most notable being General George E. Pickett, hero of Gettysburg.