Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1908-04-10
Historical Sge,eh

which is a sort Of Face or miro
ductory, will prove OF interest to
the reading public, we obtained per-
mission from the committee to
publish same in our issue Of to-day.
Highland lodge, like al other
similar o. anizations, has had its
seasons of prosperity, adversely,
gains, and losses since its organiza-
ton nearly forty years ago. The
sketch prepared by tue committee
is as follows:
Prior 10 the year 1896, a few residents
of the county of Highland, in the State
of Virginia, who had been members of
masonic lodges in other counties OF the
above named state, recogsizing the ad-
yantages and lofty ideals of fraternal
order based on the teachings Of the Su-
rene Architect of the Universe, con-
ceived the idea of instituting in Monte
terey Highland county, Virginia, lodge
of ancient; free and accepted masons.
rdingly, they secured charter
from the Grand Lodge of Virginia, form.
ed lodge of Masons, and called it
Highland Lodge Number ITO.
The first regular communication OF
the lodge was held on the twentieth day
of Nay, in the year 1869, in the upper
story of the county court house. The
members present at this first commune
cation were James G.. Newman, Wor-
shipful Master, Austin w. Campbell,
Senior Warden, William NJ. Chew, Jun
ior Warden, George W. Fraley, .secreta-
John S. McNulty, Senior Deacon,
William Kinkead, Junior Deacon, Peter
Kinkead; Treasurer, Konrad Kramer,
TYLER, and Samuel A. Gilmore. At this
communication the petitions for mem
bership of Thomas Hanson Slaven, Jesse
NJ Chitester and Jesse Allan Bussard
were presented to the lodge and received
These applicants were afterwards init
ated into the lodge, passed and raised
and became trusted end useful members.
John S. McNulty, Samuel A. Gilmore
and Thomas Hanson Slaven are members
of this lodge at this date. At this COM
munication the lodge adopted for its use,
with slight modification, the bylaws of
Eureka Lodge No. 1876; and they have
been used by the lodge until the present
time.
The lodge continued to use the upper
story of the county court house for its
home until the year 1881. In the year
1880, the records of the lodge and Of
Highland County Circuit Court Clerks
Office, show that John Trimble, who is
now a member of this lodge, decided to
Adam F. Swadley, Joshua Lunsford and
L. Fl. Stephenson, Trustees of Highland
Lodge No. ITO, lot on the northwest
ext entity of the town of Monterey, to be
used fol the erection upon it of a Mason
ic Temple--a home for the brethren OF
the lodge. In the same year the building
was begun, and completed in the early
part of the year 1854 two-storY
struct ure, standing on the summit OF
hill n the northwestern section of Mon
terey. overlooking the towL.
The corner stone of the temple was
laid April 6, 1881, with impressive Ma
sonic ceremonies. The following is a
list of the articles deposited in the box
in the corner stone.
Copy of the charter ofthe lodge,
Roll of members and copy of bylaws,
List of state officers,
Mem bers of the state board OF educa-
tion,
Names of the judges of the Court OF
of Virginia,
A specimen of the coin af 1880,
A COPY of the Highland Recorder pub
lished in 1880,
A program of the masonic ceremonies
at the laying of the corner stone. :
The temple has beautiful location, is
well constructed and affords a commodi-
GUS home for the brother masons of the
county-a fitting memorial to the zeal OF
our brethren who erected this structure.
The following members have served as
Worshipful Master Of the lodge from its
infancy until the present time:
James C.Newman, May 90, to 1869 until
June "a, 1872.
Jacob G. Matheny, June "a, 1872 until
June "a, 1878.
Charles S, NJ. See, June "a, 1873 until
June "a, 1874.
jesse A. Bussard, June %, 1874 until
June "a, 1876.
Joshua Lunsford, June "a, 1876 until
June "a, 1878.
Jacob {. Matheny, June "a, 1878, until
June "a, 1880.
Henry M. Patterson, June "a, 1880 un-
til June "a, 1884.
Samuel W. Sterrett 1884 until 1886.
Isaac H. Trimble, 1886 until 1888.
]. E. Williams, 1888 until 1893.
Isaac H. Trimble, 1898 until 1896.
Sullie B. Sieg, 1895 until 1897.