Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1911-05-31

4. IL McCurry and LA. Cole. I.
The present officers are Elias Earle,
w. NJ; L. A. Cole, S. W.; =. -.
Bradbury, j. w.
Bro. Seaborn also furnishes me a
list OF some of the early Masons of
Fair@Play Lodge, viz: VIM. j. Xix,
ID. II. Glenn, Samuel H. Hardin, S.
s. McJunkin, Samuel Crawford, A.
j. Hunt, II. M. Barton, l.. l.. Jar
rard, ]. l.. McCurry, r. e. Mason,
DR.. Hardin, Harrison Price, Benjamin
Holland, VIM. Holland, A. j. Marett,
VIII. Sheldon, j. l.. Reeder and S.
H. Marett.
These are some Of the first mem
befs of the Lodge. What a galaxy
or cluster Of stars In the history of
Masonry in Oconee county Is seen in
the lives of these men. When we
look backward and study the growth
Of this country, in all Of It's differ
ent phases, what these men and the
other great crowd of departed Ma
sons, members of Walhalla Lodge,
have done in making this country
what 1t Is to-day, we ell should be
proud that we have been counted
worthy to take up their work where
they laid 1t down and try and make
ourflives better and more useful to
the country than did they, profting
by their example and experiences.
When I study the lives Of these
men, the most Of whom | personally
knew, and were friends Of mine, |
am proud that l belong to and have
been counted as one Of the many
Masons who have hewn out and
blazed the way for a better citizen
ship In Oconee county. These men
were all often tried and were never
denied, and were willing to be tried
again, and have been counted worthy
to enter the sanctum sanctorium or
Holy Of Holes of the Lodge.
Seneca Lodge.
Seneca comes next, and l am in
formed by Bro. John Myers, Secre-
tary of Seneca Lodge, that On August
lst, 1914, (1S74), the following
named brethren p]etitioned the Most
WIG. M. for a dispensation to or
ganize a Lodge Of Ancient Free Ma
sons at Seneca, to be known as Sem
eca City Lodge, and that Bros. A. H.
Ellison, e. H. Cox, John M. Dumas,
M. B. Hunnicutt, Thos. Bibb, c. w.
Hunt, A. w. Thompson, John G. Cary,
II. G.. Hardin, DR.. John Hopkins and
G.. N. Cothran, signed this petition.
The dispensation was granted August
9Th, 1874, and the following breth-
rem were appointed as officers: DR..
John Hopkins, w. M; e. II. Cox,
s. w, and Q. w. Hunt, J.. W., and
that on December 7th, 1874, a char
ter was granted to the aboYe~omcers
TO be known MS GenUrG( CITY Iu6ge,
10. SO. Some years later the namc
vas }hnn&ad to Seneca L.ud&e. they
nov have III thG!r lodge roll -
m"HFbere The Lodge. IS III n pros
porous condition, anu the present Off
GERS are Bros. j. l.. Holly, w. NJ;
j. H. Bryan, S. W., and r. B. Allen
Jones, j. w.
Westminster Lodge.
Westminster comes next in success
sion, and, as already stated, was
chartered December 13, 1876, two
years after Seneca. l have already
stated who the charter members
were, and =" no were the first officers.
There are now on the Lodge roll rs
members, being the largest Lodge in
the county.
Courtenay Lodge.
Courtenay Lodge, No. 249, comes
next. This Lodge was chartered
September 9th, 1902, and the first
officers were Bros. H. Lee Newman,
w. M; j.. H. Bryan, S. W.; st. John
Courtenay, J.. w. Grand Master Wal
ter Whitehead attended the conse-
Grafton and dedication of the Lodge,
and there were present on this &C.
casion over hundred Master Ma
sons.
Courtenay Lodge Is the best equip
ped and furnished Lodge in the
county, having $1,000 worth Of fur
niture and regalia at this time.
Their present officers are Bros. G. l..
Anderson, w. M; J. A. O'Kelley, S.
W. G.. M. Whitmire, j. w. They
have 43 members on their Lodge roll
now.