ST. JOHN'S LODGE, MIDDLETOWN, Was constituted under a charter from R. W. Thomas Oxnard, Esq., Provincial Grand Master at Boston, bearing date, or rather granted, the 14th day of February, 1754. The petitioners, to whom the charter was granted, were Richard Alsop, Jedediah Stow, Ichabod Camp, Thomas Tyler, Israel Abbott, Jno. Eason, Samuel Bement; and they nominated Jehosaphat Starr for their first Master, who was appointed, with Thomas Tyier for Senior Warden, and Richard Alsop for Junior Warden. Bro. Ichabod Camp was the first Treasurer, and Bro. John Eason the first Secretary. Besides the above named petitioners and officers, the first members were Philip Mortimer, George Phil-lips, Thomas Edwards, George Lasor, Elijah Davis and Samuel Griffin. Their first meeting was held at Capt. Michael Burnham's tavern, Feb. 26, 1754, when Br. Starr read his "deputation" from the R. W. Provincial Grand Master, and the aforementioned officers "were accepted in the usual manner." The following are a few brief extracts from the original by-laws:

Art. 1. It is ordered, that this Lodge meet every Wednesday evening, till the members are all good workmen.
Art. 2d obliged them to close the Lodge at 9 o'clock, or sooner; and no brother was allowed to insist upon or force a brother to stay longer.
Art. 3. Any brother guilty of profanity, during Lodge hours, was fined 1 shilling, lawful money, to be deposited in the fund for the relief of poor brethren.
Art. 4. The earnest money for a candidate was £1, to be returned if his petition was rejected, and on admission £1 more, and a pair of gloves to each mem¬ber present at his admission.
Art. 8. Every member and visiting brother shall pay 1 shilling each night he is at Lodge.
Art. 10 provides for keeping the Festivals of St. John the Baptist and St. John the Evangelist, according to ancient usage.
Art. 13. The Treasurer shall account to the Lodge every 6 months, and the surplus in his hands shall be put in the chest, to raise a fund for the relief of poor brethren.
Art 14. If any brother should be so void of shame as to disguise himself with liquor, or shall come disguised to the Lodge, he shall pay a fine of 2 shillings, and be dismissed for the night; and the next Lodge night that he comes he shall be severely reprimanded, and dealt by according to the manner of Masons.
Art. 15. Whoever promotes feuds or animosities among the brethren, or endeavors to disturb the tranquility of the Lodge, shall likewise be dealt by as seemeth meet unto the Master and his men.
Art. 16. As Masonry ought never to be neglected, and as true cement is neces¬sary for keeping the Lodge in a firm state, so if any member be in town and absent himself of a Lodge night, he shall be charged his club, unless he give a sat¬isfactory reason for his absence.

The Lodge kept along with its regular business, through the Revolutionary War, and during the "troublous times" of later years, without surrendering its charter. At the formation of the Grand Lodge it received a new charter, and took rank as "number two" on the roll of Lodges in this jurisdiction.

The Lodge's first meeting place was in Burnhams Tavern.The lodge currently meets in it's 79 year old building located at 33 Pleasant Street, Middletown Connecticut. on the first and third monday of each month,excluding July and August.

Although founded as an F&A.M. Lodge, St. John's Lodge adopted the nomenclature of A.F. & A.M. after the formation of the Grand Lodge of Connecticut.