Named for one of Madison County's most famous citizens, Linn Banks Lodge received a dispensation from the Grand Lodge of Virginia on October 21, 1854 and received its charter from the Grand Lodge on December 12, 1855. The namesake of the Lodge was born in what is now Madison County on January 23, 1784 and was the son of Adam Banks and Gracey James Banks. He attended William and Mary College in 180
6 and was admitted to practice law on April 10, 1809. He served as Colonel in the Virginia Militia during the War of 1812. The Masonic Lodge owns his sabre. Colonel Banks served as a member of the House of Delegates from Madison County from 1812 through 1838. He served as a member of the United States Congress from 1838 until his death on January 13, 1842. Colonel Banks served as Speaker of the House of Delegates from 1816 until 1838. His 22 year tenure as Speaker remains the longest term in that office. Colonel Banks was married to the former Eliza J.H. They lived on the Rapidan River in Madison County. He drowned in the Conway River and is buried in Madison County. The original Masonic Lodge in Madison County was Madison Lodge No. 64. Tis lodge received its charter on December 16, 1801. The first Master of the Lodge was John Booker. Leonard Barnes and Churchill Gibbs were the first Senior and Junior Wardens, respectively. While no one knows for certain where the Lodge held its meetings, it is believed that they were in the home owned by Mr. Harlee Pate in the town of Madison just north and adjoining the current Masonic Lodge. This building originally served as an ordinary, the 18th century name for what we now call a hotel. In addition to being the Pate's residence, it was a bed and breakfast. The top floor of the residence is still set up as a Masonic Lodge. The residence has changed hands since that time. According to the records of the Grand Lodge of Virginia, Benjamin Cave represented Madison Lodge #64 in Richmond in 1805. Benjamin is an ancestor of the Cave family which is still prominent in Madison County matters. In 1812 the Lodge was represented in Richmond by William Waller Hening, the author of the Hening's Statues, an important set of Virginia history and legal reference books. In 1818 the Lodge became dormant and finally around 1847, became non-existent. Many prominent members of early Madison County families were members of Madison Lodge No. 64. Among the list of members were John Walker, Sr., John Walker, Jr., George Eve, Churchill Gibbs, John Field, Reuben Fry and John Wright. In 1854, seven masons residing in Madison County petitioned the Grand Lodge of Virginia to form a Lodge at Madison Court House to be named Linn Banks Lodge. This petition was signed by James L. Kemper, David H.E. Saunders, George Leitch, Thomas J. Humphreys, Hiram W. Gordon, Nelson W. Crisler and Rufus K. Fitzhugh. The Grand Lodge issued a dispensation and Linn Banks Lodge held its first meeting at the law office of James Kemper on Friday, November 13, 1854. The original meeting nights were on the Friday evening before the full moon of each month. The first Master of the Lodge was James L. Kemper. David H.E. Saunders was the first Senior Warden while George E. Leitch served as the first Junior Warden. On March 2, 1855, the Master requested to procure a suitable lodge hall. On March 12, 1855, Linn Banks Lodge met in a new lodge room rented from Belfield Cave. This was located on the top floor of the Eagle House, owned at the time by Mr. Harlee Pate. On February 26, 1857, Thomas Humphreys requested that a committee of three masons be appointed to contract with Mr. Cave for the right to build a lodge room on Mr. Cave's lot. John Lamon was contracted to construct the lodge room on the lot adjoining the southern end of his dwelling. On October 9, 1857, Mr. Lamon received the sum of $15.73 as the first payment for his work on the building. The new lodge room was dedicated on June 17, 1858 at a public ceremony held at the Baptist Church in Madison. The first meeting was held in the new lodge room on that same date. Meetings have been held continuously in that lodge room since. Of note, Mr. Lamon was initiated as an Entered Apprentice on June 16, 1858, the night before the dedication of the new lodge. James L. Kemper served as Master of the Lodge from 1854 until 1858 and again from 1866 until 1868. Kemper, who served as a Brigade Commander in General Pickett's Division at Gettysburg, became Governor of Virginia in the 1880s. Kemper Lodge No. 64 was named after him when chartered in 1896. As with all other forms of activity, the Civil War greatly disrupted active Masonry. From March 28, 1861 until January 25, 1866, Linn Banks Lodge did not meet. When the Lodge resumed meetings in January of 1866, James Kemper was elected as Master. Due to the severe economic conditions in Virginia during reconstruction, Linn Banks Lodge barely survived. During the year of 1867, the Lodge received considerable financial support from Lexington Lodge No. 310 in Brooklyn, New York. By deed dated November 20, 1879, Belfield Cave and his wife conveyed the second story of the brick building, wherein the lodge continues today, and the stairway leading to the second floor to the Master, Wardens and members of the Lodge. In 1993, Linn Banks Lodge purchased the lodge building from the Cave family. Public activities of the lodge over the years have included laying the cornerstone of the Confederate Monument on September 19, 1900 and the laying of the cornerstone of the Rochelle Methodist Church. Two Grand Master of Masons in Virginia call Linn Banks Lodge their home lodge; Francis Hill (1894) and John Randall Quinley (2005). (Thank you to Past Master William Berry for compiling this information).
