The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1871-06-30


act dates, and full list OF names, N
not attainabIe by and means now, q
hand. The facts. however, herein stat
ed, may be relied upon implicitly.
Sometime previous to the year 1919,
dispensation was granted to certain per
sons whose names, without record
cannot, at this distant period from tn
transaction, be recalled, to open Lodg'
of Free and Accepted Masons," in thu
town ofColumbia, Tenn. The were reg
ularly organized, and held their meet
lngs IN an upper room of building OF
South Main Street, which covered tht
ground now occupied by the store o
George Hodge. After remaining there
for some time they removed TO an upper
room on East Main Street, about the
place where Mr.. James Hodge recently
built silversmith shop.
Feeling the want of suitable apart
ments for the use of the Graft, they de.
cided to build house for themselves
on an eligible situation. They selected
the lot on which the Hall now stands
ca g. Houston. (now Mrs. Dew.) For the
consideration Of six hundred dollars she
bargained it to the Masons, but at they
had not as vet been incorporated the
deed was made to Matthew d. Cooper,
May 18th, 1877, which conveyed the
property to him in his own right. A
charter of incorporation was obtained,
and Mr.. Cooper conveyed it to, "The
Master, Wardens and Brethren of Co
Iumbia Lodge No. 81, in 1928. On the
10th of June, 1877, in the presence Of a
large concourse of people, Mr.. Cooper,
with the cooperation OF perhaps hun
bred or more of his brethren, laid the
corner stone, with Masonic ceremonies;
and at the same tune delivered an ora
ton appropriate TO the the SUBJECT IN
hand. A part OF the ceremony consis-
ted IN the reading OF scneouie OF the
articles deposited IN the casket, Whlcn
was embedded In the corner seone.
Ihls was done py Jesso !" Ely neW.
Among the things IN the casAeG Mere
the name OF Inc dreslosnI " .hv ne. m. ea
states then In ONCE anu pis iaS. H MSS
SAG 10 congress; tne n@naSs W WIG W" ~
eInoS. ana other eiyii U VI tho
oteuo 1 ~ y ennessee, -n az 80 ~, 81 s,ao
year Io1k Sse laSt nodaiIoi " H, Eno news,
paper, IN on n 'm . R;h ~ u: q
ooIh o. n }3I.as oo;.s tho, si1oinens oi
ea .i. 0 y. .n throa sh;i hh use, "
VII: One uona., . sn,lns plece'
an eise.een pemeS piooe, n nis pemce'
anu aioui P eoo th; - en ,s " i ~ oup
per cent. O.nei LILIES my law peei'
put IN, Wnlcn are noI r9iieinperea.
Inc deslgh o. the nan Was uraI.ed ny
MI. manson Oar1.neiS m, .hsn recently
from Lexington, va in9 pIIk WoIk
was asslgleo 70 MI LeEr Ne.cnuln, tne
carpenter worh.o MI. He ez ran waro'
ana the stone cu..,nS w MI Ganii Mar-
Tin, anu was eAecu.eo py WI. A.nsuown.
ieet from Market o.Ieet, was MEYER coHl-
mai drait Is now IN the possession OF
ward IN thecalpenter 3 WORK. itsnows
portico OF peautllul proportions,
which was never put UP 1or the want Oh
funds. -
The money with which TO buy the
ground and erect the edlfice, was raised
by lottery, duly authorized by the
Legislature OF the state. The tickets
sold las many as were,) at ten doilars
each. A good many were on hand at
the time OF the drawing. Inc owners OF
the soid tickets had become ciaihorOus
for the drawing. Inc managers Yield
ed, and 1t SO happened that one OF the
unsoid tickets drew the capital prize OF
5000. They hao not proceeded very
lar with the WorA III tIey iouhu IL nee
essary to institute a second scheme. In
this the tickets were SOLD at three dol
lars apiece, ana as IN the nrst an I'M
sold ticket drew the capital prize OF So
900. The second effort 1alied 10 realize
enough to complete the building, but
sufficient to iinlsi. the OUTSIDE, and the
upper Tooms!for the use OF the Graft.
The lower rooms were afterwards fin
ished, and used for a Female School,
taught by Rev. DE-. DANIEL stephens
and Mrs. Shaw; and also as place OF
worship by the Episcopa! Church. This
Female School was the germ from which
grew the present "Femaie institute.
OF all the Masons remembered TO have
belonged to the Lodge ana the hoyal
Arch Chapter at that date, ~ une 10, $50
only five are now living IN CoiuinDla
and its vicinity. Ihese are: oo1; MAI
thew d. Cooper, Nlmrod Porter, Mailman
Naught, DR.. James w. >; friefson, ana
Judge VIM. T. Martin, their ages rang
The appended list of Masons' names,
though very imperfect for want OF the
lost records, is about as near correct as
can he made from the memories OF these
survivors-all of whom are old men.
There are doubtless many others, VINO
are not in Vt:
Hilary Langtry, VIM u Kennedy NJ
ID Cooper Ihos Jones, Jas w Fr'er,
son, Jas York, Harry HUI, Jas y
Hill, Alex krkpatrlck, Mm u Dicklli-
son, Jas X Polk, John 3 hays, 1h0mas
Maddln, joel d sanders, hezehia Y
nan, a ? Io P,, MsiV w n p E,oSdS Dnla