The Orange Lodge in Hammond Parish
Tradition
tells us that Londonderry Heroes LOL # 91, presently located in
Markhamville, is the "father of Orangeism in Kings County." The
Londonderry Heroes LOL # 91 was organized in the home of James
Alexander on October 20, 1848. Meetings had previously been held in
this home in 1847, and were held there until 1865 when they moved into
a new hall they had built in Upper Hammond or Londonderry. In 1886, the
lodge moved again as they moved into their new hall in Markhamville.
Tradition tells us that the original hall in Londonderry was hauled
down over the hills to the site of the present hall. A careful look at
the materials used to build the new hall suggests that this possibly
was done, with the hall being extended upward to the present two-storey
building that stands today. In either case, the lodge moved into the
new building and still meets there today.
However, two interesting facts have been uncovered. The first is
that although LOL # 91 is often considered the "father of Orangeism in
Kings County," its claim as such is brought into question when you
study the history of the Orange Order in New Brunswick. Boyne LOL # 15
was organized at Moss Glen on the Kingston Peninsula by 1847. Although
the organization date is uncertain, the year 1847 has been reported as
the date of organization. However, it is also noted that at the
organizational meeting of the Provincial Grand Lodge under a traveling
warrant in 1838, William Jenkins represented the lodge in Moss Glen.
Therefore, it can be established that the lodge in Moss Glen was in
existence before the lodge known as LOL # 91.
The second interesting fact that has been uncovered is that
there was another Orange Lodge in the Hammond Parish area prior to the
organization of LOL # 91. This lodge met at Hillsdale as late as 1848,
and perhaps later. When it was organized is not known. However, it was
in existence as early as 1843, five years earlier than LOL # 91. The
proof for this was found in a trunk in LOL # 91 a few years ago in the
form of four certificates issued by this lodge for men who would become
the founding members of LOL # 91. This lodge, whose name is not known,
had the number 31 and had an official seal with that number on it. Of
these four men, Frances Hunter, who joined on 14 June 1843, John Mills,
who joined the 12th of December 1846, Charles Alexander, who joined
15th May 1847, and John Armstrong, no date, three of them transferred
to LOL # 91 in time for the October 20, 1848, organizational meeting,
John Mills joining a month later for some reason. These transfer
certificates are signed by the Master, James A Cassidy, the Deputy
Master, James Sherwood, and the Secretary, N P Wanamaker, of LOL # 31.
By 1869, the lodge number has been given to another lodge is
Glassville, Carleton County, suggesting this lodge went dormant some
time prior to 1869.
So although at least two lodges existed in Kings County prior to
LOL # 91's organization in 1848, one of these lodges was in a portion
of Kings County no longer covered by that County Lodge and the other
went out of existence some time shortly after the organization of LOL #
91. And since LOL # 91 had such a large membership for such a long
time, the largest of the Kings County lodges, there is some relevance
to the claim of this lodge being the "father of Orangeism in Kings
County." It may not have been the earliest, but LOL # 91 was the
strongest Orange Lodge in Kings County and is still going strong more
than 155 years later.