Peggy Smith-Hake's
"Window to the Past"
Iberia A. F. & A. M. Lodge #41​0
(Article originally published in the newsletter, SEEKING 'n SEARCHING ANCESTORS, October 1987)
​​(Printed in THE MILLER COUNTY AUTOGRAM-SENTINEL, in the column, WINDOW TO THE PAST, Oct. 22, 1998)​
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According "Goodspeed's History of Cole, Miller, Moniteau, Benton, Osage, and Maries Counties, 1889", the Iberia Lodge #410 of the A.F. & A.M. (Masons) was organized in 1873. According to Schultz's History of Miller County, Iberia Masonic Lodge #410 was chartered on October 13, 1871 but no mention is made of their Masonic hall until 1889 when it was stated, "(in 1889) they had a hall and other property valued near $2,000." The hall evidently was in existence as early as 1876 because an old Miller County newspaper (The Miller County Vidette) reported that the Iberia I.O.O.F. Lodge met in "the Masonic hall" for their meetings. The first officers of Iberia Lodge #410 were William E. Wheeler, W.H. (born about 1825 in Kentucky); George W. Helm, S.W. (born about 1820 in Tennessee); and Benjamin F. Brickey, J.W. (born 1820 in Kentucky). Helm and Brickey were neighbors in the old Fairview/Livingston Cemetery community and Wheeler lived a short distance east of Iberia.
By 1889, sixteen years after organization, they had 42 active members on their roster. Early Worshipful Masters of Lodge #410 included: Albert A. Arendall (operator and miller of the old Brays Mill); Squire John Ferguson (a native of Dumfries, Scotland who was a noted Civil War veteran); Francis E. Lombar (early merchant of Iberia and born in New York); Thomas J. Marchant (another early Iberia merchant from Tennessee); Theodore B. Robinson (an attorney who was born in southeast Missouri); and Miles J. Davidson (another businessman of Iberia whose ancestors came to Miller County from East Tennessee).
Iberia had several other fraternities and societies during the era following the Civil War. It appears the Masons (Lodge #410) were the first to organize followed by:​
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1. Iberia Lodge #340 I.O.O.F. (Independent Order of Odd Fellows) who organized in 1875 with seven members. In 1878, they were holding their meetings at the Iberia Masonic Hall. By 1889, they had a membership of 40 persons.
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2. G. A. R. Miles Carroll Post #111 (Grand Army of the Republic), a society of Union Civil War soldiers. They organized in 1884. The G.A.R. built their own hall, which was destroyed in a fire in the early 20th century. They rebuilt and the building still stands today and is the home of Iberia American Legion Post #105.
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3. Iberia Olive Branch Lodge #543 of I.O.G.T. (International Order of Grand Templars), organized in 1881. Many of their members were people who attended the Iberia Congregational Church. I do not know if they ever built their own lodge hall in the town. (The Grand Templars were a temperance group who preached abstinence of alcoholic beverages and what they considered other vices).
In two issues of an old Miller County newspaper, "The Miller County Vidette", dated August 1876 and December 1878, there were advertisements of county societies, but Iberia's Masonic Lodge (organized in 1873) is not mentioned. There were Masonic Lodges at Tuscumbia and Brumley who advertised the time and place of their meetings and listed their W.M.'s and Secretaries. Unfortunately Iberia did not post their meeting in the old newspapers, so the important information needed cannot be found to substantiate their early history.
Iberia's Masonic Hall (built c/1873) is qualified to be placed on the National Register of Historic Places as well as the American Legion Hall (originally the Grand Army of the Republic Hall) sitting a short distance south of the Masonic building. I believe, from my research, that the Iberia Masonic Hall may be the oldest building still standing. in the town today and is so rich in the early history of Iberia.