It all started when eight pioneer settlers met to form a lodge at the Forty Mile Creek. A warrant authorizing the Lodge had been previously issued by the Grand Lodge of England, for a Lodge of Masons at the Forty Mile Creek in Upper Canada, to be numbered 761 on the English Register and No. 15 on the Provincial Lodge Register. The Lodge’s first meeting was held December 17, 1799 in the house of John Foot, known as the Red Tavern. It was located at about 55 Main Street East, where Grimsby Chrysler used to be. It was a popular place for the villagers to meet and socialize. Meetings of the lodge were held on a regular basis in homes and Taverns in the early days, and all proceedings were faithfully recorded in the minute books. These books have been carefully preserved, and are in the possession of the lodge today.

At a meeting dated December 27, 1799 the name was unanimously agreed upon to become Union Lodge No. 15. The name Union had no special significance other than to have meant Unity among the brethren.

The Forty was being settled by many United Empire Loyalists who lost their property in the Mohawk Valley, New York and fled to Canada. One of them, Colonel Robert Nelles, came to this district with his family between 1783-1787, where he had served as a Scout in the British army, during the American War of the Revolution. He soon became a force in the business, religious, Masonic, political and military life at The Forty.

He built around him a small community, three buildings of which stand today - "The Manor," 126 Main St. West, was built in 1798, and is often termed the oldest house between Niagara and the Bay of Quinte, The Colonial frame house on the corner of 125 Main St. West, and the small stone cottage, across from Trinity United Church, at 99 Main Street West.

His name headed the subscription list of those who were responsible for the building of St. Andrew's Anglican Church and he generously gave the land on which it was built.

He was installed as the first Worshipful Master of Union Lodge.

He owned and operated a Mill, an Inn, a stage-coach and boat service. He bought and shipped wheat and lumber by boat, from the old wharf at the west of the Forty Mile Creek, to Montreal. He was elected Township Warden from 1797 until 1801, at which time he was elected to the Legislature of Upper Canada. He represented Lincoln, W. York and Haldimand from 1801 to 1808 and again from 1813 to 1820.

Col. Robert Nelles was largely responsible for the formation of the 4th Lincoln Regiment, of which he was in command at the end of the War of 1812. He served all during the war and was in the battles of Queenston Heights and Lundy's Lane.

Using Col. Nelles and other founding members like Woolverton, Nixon, Pettit, and Moore, is easy to see that the Masonic Brethren were very active in the formation of The Forty. This is perhaps why it was appropriate for Union Lodge #7 to be one of the two major exhibits that opened the new Grimsby Museum in 1984.