Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1914-07-01
MASONIC BRETHREN
HAD NOTABLE AFFAIR
Grand Master Keller Assisted
In Comforting Degree.
Special Meeting Followed With Ban
quet-Masons Present From t
All Around the County.

Last Thursday marked another
memorable occasion in Masonic cir
cles in that city, the afternoon and
evening being devoted to special
meetings of Lancaster lodge No. 20,
F. & A. M. for the comforting of the
M. NJ. degree upon two candidates
DR.. Rush Godfrey and DR.. Jas. A
Fowler, both of this city. The oc-
casion was also in honor of Col. j.
G.. Clark, who has been a member of
this lodge for fifty years, during
which period he has number of
times been elected to preside as
master, and has served in that
capacity at various periods for a
total of about Is years. Col. Clark
will celebrate his 89th birthday
within few days and yet retains his
mental vigor to a remarkable degree
This occasion was also in honor of
number of other masons who have
been members of this lodge from 30
to 40 years, among whom are,
George Rech, Samuel Stephens.
Delos Abrams, Will Clark, Geo. P
Goble, C. B. Zeigler, j. H. Wright.
r. Meyer Jr., E. E. Mccoy and
others. Mr.. Stephens, in point of
years that he has been a mason,
ranks them all with a record of 81
years, but 20 years of this time he
was member of Potosi lodge and
Omitted to Lancaster lodge about p
years ago.
B. F. Keller, the newly elected
grand master of the Wisconsin Grand
Lodge, honored this occasion with his
presence and officiated in the
capacity of Master of the lodge at
the evening session, when the third
degree was conferred upon Dr.
Fowler. All of the other stations In
the lodge We're also filled by past
masters in the comforting of the.
degree-W. A. Johnson, F. W.
Halferty. A. J. Wiedenbeck, E. A
Berge, Col J. G. Clark and j. B..
Bradbury. The degree was con-
ferred upon Dr. Rush Godfrey by the
worshipful master, L. D. Eastman,
and the other regular officers of the
lodge, in the afternoon.
Following the degree work in the,
evening fine banquet was served IN
the lodge reception room, where
covers were laid for about 100
Every chair was occupied by mem
bers of the order, including those
from a number of other lodges
throughout the county-Potosi, Bee
town, Cassville, Fennimore, Bloom
ington, Montfort and Cuba City all
having representatives in attendance
Grand Chaplain Prior, of Dodgeville
who occupies very warm place IN
the hearts of Lancaster masons, had
expected to be present but was
prevented from coming by sickness
Ex-Mayor Joseph T. Bennett of
ficiated as POSTMASTER and number
of after dinner speeches were made
Clark, Kenneth F. Burgess, r A
Watkins, of Lancaster; DR.. Hitch
cock, of Montfort, DR.. E. E. Nc
Donald, of Cuba City, E. A. Berge,
of Potosi, Harry Patch of Mt. Hope,
r. N Hoskins, of Bloomington, E
J. Roethe and j. B. Bradbury, of
Fennimore, Samuel Birch, of Bee
town, and others; w. A. Johnson re-
cited masonic poem by Rudyar6
Kipling.
Grand Master Keller, whose home
is in Lacrosse, is an old Grant county
boy, having lived for many years at
Bagley and is we'll known all through
this section of county. He was there
fore able to greet many old time
friends upon this occasion.
The hall was tastefully decorated
by ladies of the Order of the Eastern
Star, who also took charge of prepar-
ing the banquet. 1t was indeed q
notable as we'll as very enjoy able
affair.