When the Grand Orient of France chartered La Loge Française of Richmond, Virginia, in 1849, it became the first French speaking Lodge in the United States. Later that year on November 1, members of the Grand Lodge of Virginia and St. Johns Lodge #36 met with the brothers of La Loge Française in the first recognition of a “regular” or English Lodge and a “clandestine” or French Rite Lodge to take place in America.
As a result of the fraternal feelings that permeated the meeting, the Grand Lodge of Virginia communicated with the Grand Orient, and a Charter was granted La Loge Française by Virginia on December 17, 1850. The ceremony surrounding the investiture of the Charter included the presentation of flags for the Commonwealth of Virginia, France, and the United States. Both Masonic Craft and York Rite ceremonies were included and translated into both French and English for the guests. In 1890, the name of the Lodge was changed to its present form, Fraternal Lodge #53. Fraternal is an appropriate name for the Lodge on many levels.
One such level is the account of how it came to pass that Masonry in Richmond was saved during the Civil War. An official account of the event was published by Fraternal Lodge in 1874, and involves the heroic actions of La Loge Française’s Tiler, Thomas Angel. According to the records, Bro. Angel acted “with commendable zeal, energy and presence of mind” while the Union Army was bearing down on Richmond. Taking his duty as “guarding the entrance” to the Lodge most seriously, the Tiler gathered together not only the Lodge jewels, documents, and regalia from La Loge Française, but also from the other Lodges within Richmond. After securing the items within La Loge Française, he clothed himself in a lamb skin apron, the “time honored badge of a Mason”, and assumed his duties at the door to the Lodge to await the arrival of Yankee troops. His wait was short.
When the Yankees marched on Richmond, a Major Stevens found Bro. Angel at his post. Impressed with the Tiler’s zeal, the Major assigned a Masonic brother within his command, Sergeant Gibbs, to remain on post with the Tiler and see that “none passed but such as were duly authorized”. The Major also sent men to protect the home of the Tiler’s daughter. Gibbs and Angel stood guard for the ensuing three months.