The Petition for the first Masonic Lodge in Buchanan County was applied through Liberty Lodge No.31, issued May 11th 1841 by R.W.B. Joseph Foster Deputy Grand Master, Secretary Protem, Grand Lodge of Missouri U.S.A. The name given was Katzell Lodge. Chartered members were Eli Hubbel, Worshipful Master; John Browning, Senior Warden; Simeon Kemper, Junior Warden; R. Duncan, Treasurer; Frederick Waymore, Secretary; and J. Selsil, Tiler. James Highly was also a charter member .
Eli Hubbel was a member of Wisdom Lodge from Massachusetts,John Browning from Liberty Lodge No.31 Missouri,
Simeon Kemper from Montgomery Lodge No.23 Kentucky,
Frederick Waymore from Lipton Lodge No.33 Indiana.
Also chartered with this first dispensation were John Edgar from Liberty Lodge No.31 Missouri,
Cornelius Gilliam from the Lodge at Jefferson City Missouri and S.K. Waymore from Lipton Lodge No.33 in Indiana. Katzell Lodge met in regular stated communications until a Charter was issued as Sparta Lodge No.46 at the next annual Grand Lodge proceedings October 8th 1842.
(The above picture is an Artist's view of St. Joseph in 1858 looking toward Wyeth Hill, the Missouri River and the future site of the Court House built in 1871.)
Earlier in 1827, there was a Trading Post along the Missouri River at the mouth of Blacksnake Creek named Blacksnake Hills, owned and operated by Joseph Robidoux, who traded with the Native Americans. For many years the only evidence of European settlement within a 50 mile radius was a large log house surrounded by a stockade built by Robidoux to conduct his business. There were no cameras with which to record a picture of the Blacksnake Hills Trading Post but the journal of Richard Hayes McDonald from Kentucky wrote a description at the time. The journal is deposited in the Library of the Commonwealth of Virginia in Richmond, Virginia:
"From his cousin's, Richard went to where the city of St. Joseph is now located, and where the only occupant and owner of a business house was a Frenchman named Robadoux [sic], who had lived there a number of years as an Indian trader, and who was at that time still engaged in the occupation. He was moving around dressed in an old, red flannel shirt, his trousers strapped around his waist, on his head a slouched hat, and so tanned and weather-beaten that is was difficult to tell whether he was a white man, a mulatto, or an Indian. his establishment consisted of three log-cabins, one or more of which were filled with furs of otter, beaver, buffalo, deer, bear, and other skins; in the other buildings were stored provisions, trinkets, and supplies for the Indians, the latter chiefly in whiskey, tobacco, and liquors. The old man seemed to be a very energetic, enterprising, shrewd business manager. He was familiar with several dialects of Indian language, and was highly respected by all the natives who dealt with him...', 'From this trading outpost grew the city of St. Joseph, in many respects, perhaps, the most promising city west of St. Louis and this side of the Rocky Mountains. Many of its handsome streets are named after Roubadoux or some members of his family, and their foreign sound might surprise a stranger unacquainted with the origin of the nomenclature.' (From "Old Saint Joe, Gateway To The West, 1799 - 1932, Sheridan A. Logan, copywrite 1979, John Sublett Logan Foundation).
Mr. Robidoux contracted two Surveyors to create plats for a town he had proposed to build next to his Post in the area named Saint Michael's Meadow. This area was mentioned by Meriwether Louis, in his journal on July 7th in the Lewis and Clark expedition of 1804. Brothers Frederick W. Smith and Simeon Kemper, both members of Sparta Lodge No.46 surveyed plats for the settlement. Brother Frederick W. Smith named his plat Saint Joseph after Mr. Robidoux's, Patron Saint and Simeon Kemper named his plat Robidoux. Frederick Smith's plat was selected and was recorded at St. Louis, Missouri in July 1843. The population at that time was about 200.
In 1845 a Dispensation was created for a new Lodge to be located at Saint Joseph. It's name was DeWitt Lodge. In 1846 the County Seat for Buchanan County was relocated from Sparta to Saint Joseph and a Charter was granted for St. Joseph Lodge No.78 October 14th 1846 with Sinclair K. Miller, Worshipful Master; Simeon Kemper, Senior Warden; and James Highley, Junior Warden. Within the first year Samuel E. Love was elected Secretary. Joseph Robidoux's son Felix was a charter member. there were a total of 22 members by October 2nd 1847.
Picture from: "The Lewis and Clark Journey of Discovery"
http://www.nps.gov/archive/jeff/lewisclark2/circa1804/StLouis/blockinfo/Block6ARobidoux.htm
