About Us
History
The storied history of Guiding Star-Angle begins in December of 1864. A petition, with a recommendation from Lily Lodge #342, was submitted on December 6th for the creation of Guiding Star Lodge. A dispensation from the Grand Lodge of New York was provided on December 8th. On December 9th eleven Master Masons came together for the first communication of Guiding Star Lodge #565. After a few months of successful communications under dispensation – a Warrant was issued by the Grand Lodge of New York. Guiding Star Lodge #565 received their Charter on June 24, 1865.
The first communications were held at the home of one of the charter members within the small village of Tremont (predating the formation of Bronx County and current New York City borders). The name Guiding Star was recommended by Brother Ralph L. Anderson. Soon after the commencement of the Lodge - rooms were acquired and meetings held in a two-story frame house at the corner of Mott Street and Railroad Avenue (now known as 176th Street and Park Avenue).
Less than two years after the formation of the Lodge, the Guiding Star Relief Fund was established (February 1866) to “dispense aid and care for the needy, irrespective of race or creed.” The Fund was established through voluntary contributions of the members.
The Lodge went through gradual but steady growth over the first forty years. By the end of the first decade of existence, the Lodge was but forty-five members. By 1884, the lodge reached eighty-three members and by the end of the third decade, one hundred and sixty-two members were part of Guiding Star Lodge. In 1905, the Lodge reached two-hundred and eleven members – two hundred more than it has started with during its founding – forty years earlier.
First owned home of
Guiding Star Lodge
1882-1904
In 1882, through the generosity of one of the charter members, the Lodge was enabled to acquire land on Tremont Avenue and erect, for their use, a “Masonic Hall.” Members met at the Hall from 1882 to June 1904. Notable events in this Hall include the May 1887 visit of Grand Master John Stewart. Guiding Star Lodge was recognized by the Gran Master’s selection of their lodge to make his official visit to the twenty-seven lodges comprising the Seventh Masonic District (The first District home of Guiding Star before the restructuring into the Bronx Masonic District in 1918).
In 1903, a committee was appointed to research the construction of a new building for the Lodge. On November 5, 1904 – Grand Master Frank Hurd Robinson laid the cornerstone of the Bronx Masonic Temple. Between eight hundred and nine hundred Free Masons attended the event – one of the greatest assemblies of Masons in the Bronx’s history. The Bronx Masonic Temple was built and funded by Guiding Star Lodge, but the rooms were fitted for use by many of the District’s Lodges, as well as Ivy Chapter, Royal Arcanum, and Knight Templars. The upper floor consisted of the auditorium and ante rooms. The second floor consisted of offices and two lodge rooms. The first floor was devoted for store space and the basement included two bowling alleys.
Bronx Masonic Temple 1905
On November 6, 1915, Guiding Star celebrated its 50th Anniversary. The Lodge membership had reached upwards of 370 brothers by the time of the 50th anniversary celebration. In 1921, under Master of the Lodge R:.W:. John Lackey, 50 candidates were raised – a feat unmatched to date. In December of 1930, the membership of Guiding Star reached 589 Brothers. During the 1930s and the Great Depression, membership in many lodges decreased. Membership gradually declined over the next few decades for Guiding Star but on November 23, 1965, the Lodge celebrated its Centennial at the Bronx Masonic Temple.
After 100 years of a Masonic presence in the Bronx, New York, Guiding Star Lodge began of a period of consolidation and collaboration with other Bronx Masonic Lodges.
Past Masters of Guiding Star Lodge, No. 565
1865 Morris Wilkins
1866 Charles C. Thurston
1867 Fred Starbuck
1868 Jack Buckout
1869 R. Leigh Anderton
1870 R. Leigh Anderton
1871 R. Leigh Anderton
1872 Morris Wilkins
1873 G. Fred Starbuck
1874 G. Fred Starbuck
1875 Richard Hillman
1876 Richard Hillman
1877 Richard Hillman
1878 Richard Hillman
1879 Richard Hillman
1880 Richard Hillman
1881 Richard Hillman
1882 Caleb E. Garcy
1883 Jno. S. Bush
1884 Robert I. Lomas, Jr.
1885 Richard Hillman
1886 Louis Eickwort
1887 Louis Eickwort
1888 Charles O. Kirkup
1889 Charles O. Kirkup
1890 Martin Walter
1891 Martin Walter
1892 Charles W . Spooner
1893 Walter E. Andrews
1894 John Osborn
1895 Charles W. Spooner
1896 Edward F. Hurd
1897 C. Leonard Starbuck
1898 C. Leonard Starbuck
1899 Andrew De Wilde
1900 Andrew De Wilde
1901 John Osborne
1902 Woodruff L. Post
1903 Halsey K. Smith
1904 William E. Trull, Jr.
1905 John B. Rae
1906 R . Ward Hillman
1907 William J. Millard
1908 Charles H. Broas
1909 N. B. K. Hoffman
1910 George A. Kuhner
1911 Jesse Collins
1912 Philip J. Vetter, Jr.
1913 Warren F. Mellny
1914 Frank A. Spencer, Jr.
1915 Herbert A. St. George
1916 Joseph L. Lockhart
1917 William T. Lear
1918 S. Joseph Bowman
1919 Richard W. Hill
1920 James N. Timmerman
1921 John Lecky
1922 Nicholas Pecora
1923 John Wilson
1924 William W. Dowden, Jr.
1925 F. William Hentz
1926 Louis H. Wiese
1927 Louis Eichhorn
1928 Charles F. Boekell
1929 George M. Walter
1930 Charles E. Reynolds
1931 Louis Waechter, Jr.
1932 Adolph F. Burgtorf
1933 George R . Dunham
1934 Walter Sullivan
1935 Frank C. Bryan
1936 Hartley E. Humphrey
1937 Daniel E. Brown
1938 George C. Gillies
1939 Irving J. Fajans
1940 William P. Perkins
1941 Richard A. Hansen
1942 William W. Dowden, Jr.
1943 Sheldon J. Ziegler
1944 Coley L. Baird
1945 George M. Irwin
1946 Stephen Jencsik
1947 George V. Sitler
1948 Charles A. Soltis
1949 Frederick J. Starr
1950 Andrew A. Shanks
1951 Delmer L. Watson
1952 William H. Rappolt
1953 Frank A. Bicka
1954 Ray G. Waste
1955 George J. Oehrlein
1956 Edward Steel, Jr.
1957 Henry H. Compton
1958 Gerard J. Rupp
1959 Gerard J. Rupp
1960 David Babilot
1961 John E. Gluth, Sr.
1962 Albert Babilot
1963 Joseph Wright
1964 Oliver Pouliot
1965 Joseph H. Hoeffer
1966 Albert Babilot
1967 Joseph Wright
1968 Joseph Wright
1969 Allan Babilot
1970 Elon Ebanks
1971 Albert Conn
1972 Richard Major
1973 Edwin Ulrich
1974 Zoltan Hodinka
1975 John Leech
1976 Robin T. Mielke
Past Masters of Guiding Star - Angle Lodge, No. 565
1977 George W. Vitarius
1978 Frank Baker
1979 Frank Baker
1980 Allan Babilot
1981 George W. Vitarius
1982 George W. Vitarius
1983 George W. Vitarius
1984 John Leech
1985 Oliver L. Pouliot
1986 William F. MacGregor
1987 Arthur A. Fenty
1988 William C. Johnsen
1989 C. Lee Brown
1990 Manfred Wuttke
1991 Robert E. Roeser
1992 Eli Shaban
1993 Eli Shaban
1994 William C. Johnsen
1995 William C. Johnsen
1996 Eli Shaban
1997 Paul R. Olsen
1998 Charles J. Wilkes
1999 Kasem Shaban
2000 Kasem Shaban
2001 Charles J. Wilkes
2002 Michael Connolly
2003 Michael Connolly
2004 Michael Connolly
2005 Kasem Shaban
2006 Michael Connolly
2007 Michael Connolly
2007 Robert E. Zigrest II
2008 Robert E. Zigrest II
2009 Efrain Hernandez
2010 Efrain Hernandez
2011 Efrain Hernandez
2012 Efrain Hernandez
2013 Anthony B. Colon
2014 Raymond Vargas
2015 TJ Carrizales
2016 Herman Guy
2017 Gilberto Agosto Jr.
2019 Frank Mercado
2020 Michael Sikos
2021 Robert Goicochea
2022 Scott Raffa
2023 Chris Nieves
2024 Gilberto Agosto III