The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-01-09
HISTORY OF HIRAM LODGE.
Col. John Nichols Tells the Story Of Masonry
IN Raleigh.

Col, John Nichols Tells the Story Of Masonry
In Raleigh
Col. John Nichols last night at the cele-
bration OF the Tooth anniversary of Hiram
Lodge No. 40. of this city. told the his
tory of that organization most interest
ingly. The following are some extracts
from his address:
AT the meeting of the Grand Lodge
at Newbern, commencing on the 4th
day of December, 1892, William d.
Davie, late Governor of this State, and
late one of the ministers plenipotentia-
ry from the United States to the Court
of France, was the Grand Master pre-
siding. He was the third Grand Master,
having been preceded by Samuel john
ston, late Governor of this State, AMI
lately one of the judges of the Supreme
| Court of the State and Richard Caswel,
| late Governor of this State.
At this session of the Grand Lodge
charters We're granted to four lodges,
to-wit.:
Eagle, 19--Hllsboro.
| Raleigh 20--Tarboro.
| Democratic, 21-Raleigh.
| Laurel Hill, 22-Richmond county.
| At the same session it was decided to
| permanently locate the Grand Lodge at
| the new capital of the State which had
been located on Hunters Plantation in
| Wake county. Bro. Jas. Banks, in his
unpublished "reminiscences of Masonry
in North Carolina says:
Hitherto the towns Of HillSboro,
| Tarboro, Newbern and Fayetteville had
| been honored with the communications
of the Grand Lodge, but rival sprung
into existence. Hunters plantation
| had been selected as the capital of the
State. 1t was in vain that Fayetteville
built a new State House to tempt the
economical fathers in the Legislature to
continue the sessions of the General
Assembly there, on the site of the cap
ital Party spirit ran high. Between
Fayetteville and Raleigh there was o
tie vote. Timothy Bloodworth gave
the casting vote in favor of Raleigh,
and he is the same who was honored
by being elected first q. S. Senator
from North Carolina. The seat of EN-
pire was thus irrevocably moved from
the Cape Fear and Raleigh became the
city of Magnificent distances"
FIRST HELD IN RALEIGH.
In December, 1894 the Grand Lodge
was for the first time held in Raleigh.
There it has ever since met. AT this
session William r. Davie was elected
Grand Master, James Glasgow. John
Louis Taylor and William Duffey were
among the Grand officers elected.
At the next session. 1896, William r.
Davie was reelected Grand Master
and Robt. Williams Grand Secretary
1t was at this communication of the
Grand Lodge that it issued it's Il st
charter beyond the limits of the State
A charter was granted to brethren re-
siding in the town of Nashville, Tenn
by the name of Saint Tammany No.
of Tennessee
On the 14th of April 1898 the G.and
Lodge was held for the purpose Of Jay
ing the corner stone of toe Univect.ey
building.
Democratic Lodge, established in
1892, had brief and inharmonious OK
istence. Its membership was compose
chiefly of . few old soldiers, Gre Volt
tionary) and foreigners who ha2 come
to Raleigh TO work IN the capital ard
aid in building up yle nnN CITY. rs
meetings were held at little hotel
located at the head of Fayetteville
street where Turner's n. c. Bookstore
was located for many years and where
there is now drug store The hotel
was known as "Casso's Tavern and
was kept by Peter Casso, member OF
Democratic Lodge.
THE OLD LODGE.
The lodge was little more than CLUB
and the old fashioned custom of serV-
ing refreshments was one of the chief
attractions at the meetings, and often
twas said:
There was the sound of revelry by
night
This was during the period OF the
French Revolution when Atheism hA@
entered so largely into the sentiments
of the Frencn people. There were SYM
pathizers with this French sentiment
among the foreign element of Demo
cratic lodge and in consequence Of his
sentiment there arose confusion, dis
sensions and disorder in the lodge
RODY ADKINS.
One Rodman Atkins, or Rody Atkins
as he was called, the Architect of the
old State House was the leader OF the
foreign element while Col, William
Polk, a pronounced churchman led the
home or native element. The conse-
quence was that the charter of Demo-
cratic lodge was finally surrendered,
and it's Jewels, regalia and furniture
was turned over to the Grand lodge.
have been unable to find any record
of the exact date when the charter was
SURRENDERED, but il mulsL haze been pres