Western Star Lodge No.21 (Ohio

Among the pioneers of Canfield were those who soon wished to establish a Masonic lodge there, as they resided no less than twenty miles from any regular Lodge of Masons, and travel was either on foot or by horse. They therefore petitioned the Grand Lodge of Ohio then sitting at Chillicothe, through Eire Lodge No. 47 of Warren, (which had been created by a charter of the Grand Lodge of Connecticut at New Haven October 19. 1803, and later became Old Erie No. 3 of Ohio) for a charter to sit and work as Masons in the Village of Canfield, Trumbull County,.

The petitioners were: Charles A. Boardman (note the town’s name), Isaac Newton, Francis Dowler, Richard Fitch, Charles B. Fitch, Tryall Tanner, Lewis Hoyt, William Logan, Hervy Ripley, George Stillson, Elisha Whittlesey, Archibald Tanner, Arad Wan and Elijah Wadsworth. Pursuant to this request, John Leavitt, Master of Erie Lodge No. 47 forwarded a letter of recommendation to the Grand Lodge, and after due consideration, the Grand Lodge, by Henry Bush, Grand Master, on January 17, 1813, by dispensation established a Lodge of Ancient York masons, to be held in the town of Canfield, to be denominated the WESTERN STAR LODGE NO. 21, and appointed Elijah Wadsworth to be the first Master, Tryall Tanner to be the First Senior Warden and Isaac Newton to be the first Junior Warden. Tradition tells us, that the name Western Star was the suggestion of Elijah Wadsworth.

On June 8, 1813 the brethren met at the home of Zalon Fitch, from where they next assembled at the school house to hear an address by Brother Darrow of Vienna, then returned to the Fitch house where the officers were installed by George Todd, appointed by John Leavitt, Master of Erie Lodge No. 47 for that duty. Thereafter Western Star Lodge met 'on the Thursday preceding every full moon' and continued under dispensation until a charter was obtained; the charter was presented at a meeting February 8, 1816, together with an accompanying letter of January 17, 1816 from Western Star's representative to the Grand Lodge, William W. Cotgreave. The lodge met at the Fitch House until April 28, 1814, when larger quarters were needed, and arrangements were made for a room at the house of Brother Bostwick; in November 1820, the lodge procured a room for meeting at Brother Stoddard's house.

The current temple is in Boardman; the foundation stone was laid by the GL of Ohio in 1999:

Jewel of Bro. Fred Warnock, master in 1918.