Ellettsville’s Masonic Lodge was instituted on May 28, 1857 and worked under dispensation by the Grand Lodge for two years until it was granted a charter in 1859. The first regular meeting was on July 7, 1857 and 8 of the 9 charter members were present. During the first fifty years the lodge had 18 different masters. Barton Acuff, was the first worshipful master. He served in that office for eight years. Also serving as master during that period were J.K. Phipps who served for seven years, and John S. Johnson, John H. Shook, and G.W. Faulkner each served as master for 5 years. The first hall was a frame building at the Southwest corner of Sale and Oak Streets. William Buchanan was the first to petition the lodge for membership. He received the master mason degree on February 28, 1858. Brother James Edward Ellett, for whom the town was named, was the twenty-eighth member of the lodge and was raised to a master mason on January 10, 1865.