The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1915-08-05
FIFTY YEARS A MASON.

On Saturday night, August 5, 1855, at
Fillmore, this parish-ffty years ago to.
day-the editor of this paper was raised
to the sublime degree of a Master Mason"
1t is far call to that eventful night in our
lfe's history, but "the recollection thereof"
is as deeply impressed in memory as though
it were not so many years ago when a
friend "voucbed" for us that night. AL
though there were about twenty five menu
bers present on that occasion, we can recall
only the following named: T. w. Bledsoe.
Worshipful Master; A. A. Abney, A. }.
McDade, w. E. Hamilton, DR.. T. A. Snider,
j. A. Snider, T. N. Braden, J. A. Edwards,
Henry Barnacastle, James Ford and A.
Lawrence. As a matter of parish, as we'll
as masonic history (for there are some
names which have almost passed out OF
recollection) we give below the names of the
officers and members of Fillmore Lodge
No. 154 during 1865, kindly furnished US
by our friend and brother, Mr.. John A.
Davila, Grand Secretary of the Grand
Lodge of the State of louisiana:
Officers-T. W. Bledsoe, W. NJ; Henry
Barnacastle, S. W.; John C.. Barton, W.;
A. Lawrence, Treasurer; T. N. Braden,
Secretary; Samuel Berry, S. D.; L. c..
Raspberry, j. D.; P. B. Thompson (not a
member) Tyler.
Past Masters-A. A. Abney, T. w. Bled-
soc, A. J. McDade, Henry Barnacastle and
w. G. Springfield.
Members-D. C. Applewhite, j. L. Biggs,
W. w. Brunson. W. E. Brothers, J. C.
Cahill, J. H. Collins, S. M. Cade, R. K.
Coombs, H. P. Cooper, W. E. Dortch,
James Ford, f. Ferguson, Henry Gutherie,
NJ l.. Hodges, A. H. Hollingsworth, Rev.
Daniel J. Henderson, Elijah Hudson, W. E..
Hamilton, G.. W. Harrell, w. j. Hickman,
w. j. Key, II. j. Lyons, John Latchum,
jacob Miller, David N. Mitchell, David
Plat, William Plat, J. A. Phelps, l.. J..
Phillips, John W. Raines, T. A. Skinner,
j. B. Saxon, DR.. T. A. Snider, j. H. San
ders and W. H. Scanland. Total, 45.
Died: 1862. L. Applewhite, W. B.
Bryan, w. T. Garner and j. S. Saxon.
1853. S. Edwards, j. A. Ferguson, j. c.
Hodges, M. H. Hodges, Godfrey Martin
and W. G. Ray. 1865-W. W. Brunson
and A. H. Hollinsworth.
We also take the liberty of adding to
this article the following letter from Mr..
Davilla relative to our masonic record:
g In reply to your letter of the 21st, | re-
greet sincerely to say that have not been
able to locate the minute book of Fillmore
Lodge. Further, that the lodge failed to
report to the Grand Lodge from the year
1861 to the year 1865, and that at the close
Of 1865 they presented a report OF which
the attached is verbatim copy. As you
will note, this embraces the work of the
missing years.
Sour records do not show the day nor
the month Of 1865 that you were initiated,
passed or raised in Fillmore Lodge. The
charter of the lodge was granted February
u, 1858, and surrendered at the Grand
Lodge session of 1879.
1.-THE records in your case only show the
years without specific dates. You Omitted
from Fillmore Lodge in 1866 and affiliated
with Bellevue No. IS, the same year. You
were the Master Of Bellevue No. IS, during
the years 1870 and 1885. You were Dis
trict Deputy Grand Master during this same
year under Joseph P. Horner, Most Wor-
shpful Grand Master. OMITTED from
Bellevue No. So during 1893 December
Sth) and affiliated with Cypress Lodge No.
49,. the same year.
Your personal connection with the
fraternity appears to have been continuous
and unbroken, and although younger
man both in years and Masonically, from
what have noted, you will permit me to
take OF my hat and salute you for the Ma.
sonic spirit your record shows. am sorry
that it has been impossible 70 have answer
ed you more pointedly and only hope the
result will suit your purpose"
Fillmore Lodge surrendered it's charter
RI I'D oil: Sc, hou I,
rendered to the Grim Reaper, we believe
except Judge T. N. Braden and the writer
Their life's work is well done. They lived
in the true spirit of Masonry, which is te
honor God and elevate man. They wrought
well and We live over in memory and recall
their noble actions-their busy life anc
splendid manhood, not wholly perishing
but "blossoming in the dust"
Bellevue Lodge was chartered January
"a, 1851, and surrendered its charter to the
Grand Lodge about 1857. During March
1856, the writer of this article actuated, by
desire to have lodge in his home town
proposed to Il number of former members
of Bellevue Lodge that if they would petit.
ton the Grand Lodge asking for the resto-
ration Of the charter of the lodge he would
go to New Orleans at his own expense and
advance the amount necessary for the re-
turn Of its charter. The offer was accept
ed, the charter returned and Bellevue
Lodge Immediately re-roganized, went to
work, paid its debts, increased rapidly in
membership and prospered until the town
began to decrease in population on accoun,
of the removal Of the parish site. Decem-
Der 8, 1898, when the writer Omitted,
Bellevue Lodge sadly yielded to the in
evitable, held its last meeting in Bellevue