Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-06-15
TABLET is UNVEILED
ON OLD MAS0NS' HALL
In Continuous Masonic Use Longer
Than Any Building in
United States. :.
ADDRESS BY w. A. CLARKE
Memorial Shows That Structure Was
Used as Army Hospital During
War of 1S12-Home of Richmond
Randolph Lodge for 100 Years.

Randolph Lodge for 100 Years.
! In the presence of an interested
throng Of Daughters of the War OF
! 1872 and Masons, beautiful marble
tablet was unveiled ut Mason's Hail.
! on East Franklin Street. near Eigh-
teenth, yesterday afternoon. This
! structure has been the home of Rich
| mond-Randolph Lodge No 10, Ancient
| Free and Accepted Masons. for 100
| years, and during the War of 1912 was
used as military hospital. 1t has
Deen IN continuous Masonic occupation
longer than any other building in the
| United States.
~ was TO commemorate the use to
| which the building was put during the
second and last war Of the United
states with Great Britain that the tab
| let was located at this spot The exer-
cises were under the auspices of Doro-
thea Payne Madison Chapter, National
Society United States Daughters of
/ 1872, with Miss Catherine p Evans as
acting regent This organization has
for one of its purposes the marking of
places of historical interest incident to
the War of 1912. The tablet was given
by the city OF Richmond at the solicita-
ton of Dorothea Payne Madison Chap
ter.
SECRETARY CLARKE GIVES
HISTORIC RECORD
On behalf of Richmond Randolph
Lodge. w. a. Clarke. Jr., it's secretary
made brief address, in which he re-
cited many historical events in con-
nection with NIasons' Hall and the
lodge. Tho cornerstone OF the build
ing was laid in September. 1885, a few
months after the erection OF the State
Capitol was begun. The funds for the
structure were raised through a lottery
authorized by the Legislature of Vir-
ginia. and 4 dispute which arose over
the awarding of the prizes, was settled
by the trustees, of which John Mar
shall. later chief justice of the United
states Supreme Court, was member
Chief Justice Marshall was one of many
distinguished Virginians who have
been affiliated with Richmond Ram
dolph Lodge, which was named in
honor of Edmund Randolph, Governor
OF Virginia, and grand master of Vir-
ginia Masons, when its charter was
granted. Just 100 years ago, the Unit
cd States military authorities i'm
pressed the hall rs a military hospital
RECORDS OF LODGE
ARE WE'LL PRESERVED
The records of the lodge are we'll
preserved and there are many interest
ing facts contained in the volumes dat
Ing back to 1885. One shows that in
1924 Marquis do Lafayette. the French
nobleman who fought for American in
dependence; his nephew, George Wash
ington Lafayette. and General Vasseur.
or his staff. were elected honorary
members of the lodge upon the visit to
Richmond of Lafayette and his suite.
He was received by Richmond- Ram
dolph Lodge on that occasion and made
, an address in response to his introduce
ton. The signatures of the French
n n orn
Between the States, frequent called
lions of the lodge were held,
many OF them to bury brother Masons
| from all sections OF the South, who fell
while with the Confederate army in tho
engagements around Richmond MANY
army officers were initiated under dis
pensations from 1861 to 1865, the rec
ords show. Another notation on tho
books Is n brief story of the evacuation
OF Richmond by the Confederate army
in April, 1865. and the effect of the
downfall of the Confcderacy upon
Richmond-R Randolph Lodge All its
funds were in Confederate notes and
bonds, and, although having many
widows and orphans OF Masons to care
for, the organization undertook the
work and successfully weathercd the
demonstrations" days.
ANCIENT BUILDING
ONCE DAMAGED ny FIRE
The main parts of the hall contain
the same material Of which IL was orig
inally constructed. IT was damaged by
fire in 1907, requiring considerable re-
pair work, but it stands to-day prac-
tically as it did when Richmond-R
dolph Lodge was in It's infancy The
policy under which the loss from the
! 1907 fire was paid was taken out in 1904
by Chief Justice Marshall, one of the
trustees William Foushee, the first
Mayor Of Richmond, was charter
| member of the lodge. and ut one time
worshipful master. Richmond Lodge
! No. 10 also occupied the hall for years
| after ii was erected
| Judge ID. c. Richardson. of the Hust-
ings Court, gathered much Of the his
torical data regarding the building. On
! account Of his court duties he was I'M
able to make an address.
Rev. J. Calvin Stewart. d. D., pastor
| of Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church,
| offered an invocation, in which no
! asked Divine guidance for Woodrow
| Wilson. President of the United States.
| in the present crisis incident to tho
! European war. DIR. Stewart introduced
I Mr.. Clarke.
The tablet was unveiled by Master
William jefferson Judd and Miss Mar
| garct Eugcnia Kern.
! The inscription on the tablet is az
| follows:
'"This tablet commentaries the fact
! that this building, used first by the
( Masons. then jointly with them as 2
military hospital during the War Of
| 1912. and again solely by the Masons.
has been longer in continuous Masonic
! occupancy than any other building in
the United States. Placed by the city
! of Richmond at the request OF Dorothea