Under a dispensation granted by Hamilton E. Leach, grand exalted ruler, Trenton Lodge No. 105, Benevolent Protective Order of Elks, was formed October 24, 1888. It had about fifty members, among them some of the best-known men of the city. General Richard A. Donnelly, father of Mayor Frederick W. Donnelly, was the lodge’s first exalted ruler.

 

The first meeting of the new lodge was held November 22, 1888, in Temperance Hall at South Broad and Front Streets, where the Goldberg department store is now located. The December meeting was held in the Odd Fellows’ Hall, North Broad and Hanover Streets, and it was not until April 1, 1889, that the lodge moved into its own quarters at 23 and 25 North Warren Street.

 

The lodge was very prosperous at this time, and had in its membership men who were outstanding in many walks of life.

In the spring of 1894 the lodge again moved, going this time to 38 West State Street. The entire dwelling was used by the order and fitted up as an Elks’ home, but in October 1895, for some reason, the organization went back to its location at 23-25 North Warren .Street, this time occupying the second floor.

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From 1895 to 1900 Trenton Lodge No. 105 was inactive, but from the beginning of the century until 1909 it had rapid growth, It was then proposed that the lodge should have its own home. This suggestion proved a popular one, and soon $35,000 was guaranteed for the project. The committee appointed selected the present site, 120-122 North Warren Street, and under proper authority issued twenty-year bonds of $25 denomination, which were purchased by the members. The new building was begun in 1910, completed the following year and formally opened January 1, 1912.

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The new home was dedicated May 21, 1913, with District Deputy Grand Exalted Ruler Alexander W. Mack, of Somerville Lodge No. 1068, as master of ceremonies.

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Our Charter Members

 

Richard A Donnelly

Charles Slee

Welling G Sickel

Ernest C Stahl

Francis T O Neill

Harry F Smith

WH Linburg

Watson F Van Camp

AE Allen

Chas H Young

Fred F Katzenbach

Horace Biddle

Jos B Shaw

John Hart Brewer

Elijah Mountford

Daniel J Bechtel

Manuel Kline

Chas Y Bamford

WB Johnston

ACD Wilson

Henry F Cook

Frank N Roberts

William Richey

STJ Byam

Fred Duggan

TH Parry

Harry C Taylor

Chas A Reid

JB Cox

TN Conrad

SJ Jackson

JS Cleaver

HM Casper

CT Sutphin

Edwin Fitzgeorge

MT Laird

Augustus La Rue

AJ Cahill

Felix M O Neill

Wm Henry Koons

Jno F Speeler

HA Donnelly

Jno H Heil

ED Boyd

Jno C Owens

Walter Lenox

AR Kuser

WS Cadwallader

HO Stewart

EF Hooper

Jas McDonald

WB Davis

John Rellstab

Eckford Moore

 

 

 

The First Officers of Lodge #105

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Exalted Ruler 

Richard A Donnelly

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 Esteemed Leading Knight

Charles Slee

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Esteemed Loyal Knight

Welling G Sickel

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Esteemed Lecturing Knight

EC Stahl

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Secretary

FT O Neill

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Treasurer

HF Smith

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Esquire

HA Donnelly

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Inner Guard

FN Roberts

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Chaplain

Elijah Mountford

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Trustee

AE Allen

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Finance Committee

WS Lenox, Edwin Fitzgeorge, Manuel Kline

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Trenton Lodge No 105 Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks was instituted November 22nd 1888 The lodge at first secured quarters in Updegrove & Letts building Nos 23 and 25 North Warren street where the parlors were furnished in such a manner that they were pronounced to be the finest in the State  On January 11th 1894 the lodge moved into the property No 38 West State street which they had purchased and fitted up for their accommodation Ever ready to assist the needy the Elks were the first to come to the relief of the victims of the Johnstown calamity $100 was subscribed shortly after the news reached the city and the Elks immediately formed a relief committee for the purpose of soliciting subscriptions and receiving clothing A benefit given at the Opera House under their auspices netted over $600 and a baseball game also arranged by them secured $140 more for the sufferers In this way thousands of dollars and a large amount of clothing food and other necessaries were collected The charter members of the lodge were Richard A Donnelly Charles Slee Welling G Sickel Ernest C Stahl Francis T O Neill Harry F Smith WH Linburg Watson F Van Camp AE Allen Chas H Young Fred F Katzenbach Horace Biddle Jos B Shaw John Hart Brewer Elijah Mountford Daniel J Bechtel Manuel Kline Chas Y Bamford WB Johnston ACD Wilson Henry F Cook Frank N Roberts William Richey STJ Byam Fred Duggan TH Parry Harry C Taylor Chas A Reid JB Cox TN Conrad SJ Jackson JS Cleaver HM Casper CT Sutphin Edwin Fitzgeorge MT Laird Augustus La Rue AJ Cahill Felix M O Neill Wm Henry Koons Jno F Speeler HA Donnelly Jno H Heil ED Boyd Jno C Owens Walter Lenox AR Kuser WS Cadwallader HO Stewart EF Hooper Jas McDonald WB Davis John Rellstab Eckford Moore The first officers of the lodge were as follows Exalted Ruler Richard A Donnelly Esteemed Leading Knight Charles Slee Esteemed Loyal Knight Welling G Sickel Esteemed Lecturing Knight EC Stahl Secretary FT O Neill Treasurer HF Smith Esquire HA Donnelly Inner Guard FN Roberts Chaplain Elijah Mountford Trustee AE Allen Finance Committee WS Lenox Edwin Fitzgeorge Manuel Kline The membership list includes many of the leading citizens of Trenton The following are the officers Exalted Ruler Wm Y Johnson Secretary Edwin Fitzgeorge Treasurer William Foster The Elks building on West State street is the former SK Wilson mansion and has been remodeled and refurnished The parlors are adorned with costly pictures whilst the room devoted to the lodge meetings is of particular beauty During the winter Social Sessions are held when the programme includes as a rule Trentonians who are entertainers These hours of festivity are extremely popular features of local life