Vinton Lodge No. 131 received its charter on October 24,1845, making it the second oldest lodge not only in Gallia County, but also in the Twelfth District.
The first Worshipful Master Anselm T. Holcomb eventually served in the office fourteen times, and was also the first worshipful master at Centerville Lodge. A relative, Samuel R. Holcomb, held the office twelve times between 1855 and 1882. Another early master, William Symmes, served six times in the East before going to Siloam Lodge where he was Master for the first two years of its existence.
The earliest available membership figure for Viton Lodge comes from 1865 when the Grand Lodge Proceedings credits them with forty-six. By 1880, the number had increased to fifty-one. From 1854 to 1885 Vinton also had a Royal Arch Chapter. From 1914, the lodge has shared its quarters with Vinton Chapter No. 375, Order of the Eastern Star.
As time passed, most masters of Vinton Lodge served shorter tenure than the older Holcombs, although R. S. Turner spent nine years in the Oriental Chair between 1880 and 1899, and H. R. Turner served four times in the first decade of the twentieth century. Meanwhile membership, with the usual fluctuations, continued to increase and by 1920 reached 114. During the Great Depression Vinton's membership fell back into the nineties, but regained triple digits by 1940 and has so remained.
In September 1976, Vinton Lodge became the proud owners of a new lodge hall. Both the lodge and the 0. E. S chapter members engaged in a variety of activities to help pay for the building. Lodge brothers served as "gate keepers" at the Gallia County Junior Fair and the Eastern Star made and sold apple butter at the Bob Evans Farm Festival.
Known for their congeniality, Vinton Lodge has gained some notoriety as a "Bibs and Ribs" body. Several members became known for their propensity to wear bibbed overalls at meetings and also for their barbequed rib dinners at annual inspections. The Lodge also earned renown for their annual oyster supper held each December.
Both the lodge and Eastern Star jointly sponsor the Mary and Dewey Walker Memorial Scholarship in which a deserving local student receives an annual $1,000 scholarship to the college or university of their choice. The Walkers both were active members of the local Masonic bodies with Dewey serving for many years as Secretary of Vinton Lodge.
In 2019 Vinton Lodge reported a membership of 126. Several now deceased members have been honored in various ways. Long-time educator and Rio Grande College Physics Professor, the late Francis Burdell, became a rare recipient of a Seventy-Five Year Pin prior to his death early in 2007. Dan Evans served as District Deputy Grand Master in the early 1980s. Virgil Cross received the Knight of the York Cross of Honor. Paul Saunders was also a Knight of the York Cross of Honor, and was the recipient of a Sixty-Five year pin before his death.
Finally, Vinton Lodge has continued to have persons surnamed Holcomb as presiding officers: to-wit H. R Holcomb in 1906 and 1907, and Donald R. Holcomb, most recently in 2006.
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