Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1919-06-20
Tazewell, Virginia.
MASONRY so YEARS AGO.

MAoONR1 oU l EAKS AGO.
The following very interesting
letter was recently received in this
Office from C. w. Sprachcr, who
formerly lived in Tazewell, but now
is Il resident of Richmond:
| visited Ilenrico Lodge No. 1870
IN evening or so ago, and while there
was shown by Brother Joseph Wilson,
the genial secretary, copy of the
proceedings of the Gn,nd Lodyh,
held in the City of Richmond, Dc
ccmbcr 18th, 1868. Naturally | look
ed up the record of No. G2 and found
some very interesting things concern
ing the Lodge ut that time. The
brethren met ut that time "over the
store of Jas. p. Keelly, on the even
ing proceeding the convcning of
County Court" and the following
were the officers in charge:
Alfred p. Brown, Worshipful Mast
cr.
John II. Anderson, Senior Warden.
George w. SPOTS, Junior Warden.
John M. Estill, Treasurer.
Patten X. Spracher, Secretary.
George w. Daughcrty, Senior Dea-
con.
Harvey q. Pcery, Jr., Junior War
den.
Andrew j. Vanpelt, Tiler.
Past Masters: VIM p. Cecil, Wash
lngton SPOTS, Isac L. Chapman, Will
liam G, Bottimore, JAS. Anderson,
or course, 1t was with great
deal of pride that | pointed out to
Brother Wilson that my father was
Secretary of the Lodge at that time
Not to be outdonc in matter of
secrctaryship he showed me that his
father was secretary of 1870 Mt the
same time, so you see / fail to score
ON him on that point. We then took
the list of members of 40 and tried
to see how many of the members at.
That time were alive today and found
that not one of them are living. The
thought then occurred to me that may
be some of the men who were mem
bers of 62 might nave escaped the
grim reaper, but having been away
from Tazcwell for so long / was un-
able to say. / will give you the list
of names appearing OH the roll at
that time:
Sterling f. Watts, james r.. Doak,
Hamilton r. Boyle, james r. Wittcn,
Robert C. Graham, Joseph Harrison,
Achilles Tynes, William Yost, Ed
ward A. Holmes, Charles j. Crockett,
William r. Peery, Addison Crockett,
William 0. Yost, Blair b. Greever,
Francis M. Peery, John II. Whitley,
Augustus +. Henderson, FerdinGn S.
Dunn, Henry B. Harman, Andrew j..
May, Thomas G. Witten, John L..
Croft, Elgan l.. Whitley, Dcnnison B.
Baldwin, John Thompson, James ii.
Gillespie, of Thos.
James II. Gillespie, of VIM.
James II. Whitley, John r. Douthat,
Samuel M. Witten, Vincent A. Wit
cher.
AS you see the men composing
the membership of the masonic lodge
were among the most prominent men
that Tazewell county has produced.
A great many of these men were
friends of my boyhood days and the
friendship Of these men is n priceless
heritage that shall ever cherish. A
great many of them have passed on
to the celestial lodge above and if by
reason of strength any of them have
escaped the ruthless ravages of time
and are living today may the Su-
preme Architect deal gently with
them and may their declining days
be bright and pleasant.
This old copy of the proceedings
contains some very interesting read
ing and l only wish that it was SO
you could see it. The meeting of the
Grand Lodge in those days seems to
have been quite an occasion. Taze-
well was represented at this com.
munication by Worshipful Brother
VIM. P. Cecil. Imagine the hardship
the trip to Richmond in those days
involved, but it appears that we had
man in those days that was suffi.
GENTLY interested in the welfare OF
our lodge to undertake it.
I thought / would send you this
sketch as it appeared very interest
ing to me and hope that if you car
use it that it will be interesting te
some of your readers.
Fraternally yours,
CLARENCE w. SPRACHER.