Pa^e Four
The North Carolina Mason
February, 1973
THE NORTH CAROLINA MASON
Published once a month by the Grand Lodge of
1. F. & A. M. of North Carolnia. Successor to The
Orphans’ Friend and Masonic Journal.
Second class postage paid at Oxford, N. C. 27565
’OSTMASTER: Please send P.O. FORM 3579 io:
THE NORTH CAROLINA MASON
Oxford Orphanage Printing Department
Oxford, North Carolina 27565
BOARD OF PUBLICATION OF
THE NORTH CAROLINA MASON
WILLIAM E. FULMER, P.M., Chairman
ALFRED A. KAFER, JR., P.G.M.
ROBERT L. PUGH, P.G.M., Managing Director
SAM A. HENNIS, JR., P.G.M.
J. EARL WATSON, Grand Marshal
REYNOLD S. DAVENPORT, Editor
P. O. Box 17602
Raleigh, North Carolina 27609
News items, pictures, inquiries, comments, and
»ther correspondence should be addressed to:
REYNOLD S. DAVENPORT, Editor
P. O. Box 17602
Raleigh, North Carolina 27609
Please enclose $7.50 with each picture submitted
or publication. Pictures should be taken in black
tnd white and should be of quality suitable for re-
iroduction.
Address changes should be addressed to:
THE NORTH CAROLINA MASON
Oxford Orphanage Printing Department
Oxford, North Carolina 27565
BILL PRICE
William Knox Price, Sr. will soon be step-
,ing down from his post as business manager
tnd secretary-treasurer of Masonic and East
ern Star Home. Because he is who he is, that is
ibout all he will be stepping down from.
Bill Price serves Masonry exceedingly well
n various capacities, he has always done so,
rnd he can be depended upon to continue his
tigh service. In fact, the increased free time
•rought about by his retirement from the Home
nil likely signal increasing activity in vari-
us Masonic areas.
Bill is unique. He always comports himself
nth a dignity and reserve that inspire instant
espect and admiration by all who meet him,
et those fine qualities never obstruct the free
low of the warmth and true Brotherhood
zhich have endeared him to all who know him.
Ie is one of those of whom ill is never spoken.
Certainly it is a little saddening to realize
hat the pleasure of future visits to the Home
/ill not be heightened by the opportunity to
hat a few moments with Bill Price; but it is
heering to know that this fine Mason remains
vailable for continued service to the Craft.
Bill Price is a Mason’s Mason.
Onslow York Rite Bodies
Honor Marion W. Eubank
By Gerald W. Ringler, Secretary-Recorder
At a Stated Convocation of the Onslow York
Lite Masons held recently Marion Wilson Eu-
ank, Past Presiding Officer of the Onslow
r ork Rite Masons was elected to receive the
'ork Rite Merit Award for exceptional ser-
ice to York Rite Masonry. This award is rec-
gnized throughout the state of North Caro-
ina and is to honor their distinguished mem-
ers of the York Rite who have rendered such
xceptional and devoted service to Masonry in
eneral and to the Onslow York Rite in parti-
ular. The award is to be presented at a Ladies
light banquet to be held in the near future.
Many a man on the road to success fails
ecause he gets off at the wrong station.
History of N. C. Masonry
Editor’s Note: In the Proceedings of 1938 Grand
Historian Alexander Atkinson presented The Begin
ning and Early History of Freemasonry in North
Carolina. We will print that history in its entirety,
by sections, in this and succeeding issues. The por
tion appearing in this issue deals with the earliest
known Masonic activity in the state. The next
portion to be published will list the lodges known
to have existed in North Carolina prior to the
establishment of the Grand Lodge.
There are certain things which all Masons
long to know. We are told that one of those
things was lost, and we are taught to look for
ward to the time when it shall be found. I am
reminded of that very forcibly when I try to
write of Freemasonry in North Carolina from
its beginning. The early history of the Craft is
clouded in mystery and hazed in uncertainty,
due to the lack of records, to the incomplete
ness of records, and to the actual loss of some
records. We, in North Carolina, are not alone
in this state of affairs, for the histories of
practically all other jurisdictions are spotted
with the same expressions of doubt and un
certainty of their earlier life.
In this sketch I shall deal mostly with the
early history of the Fraternity in this State.
The beginning of Freemasonry in North Caro
lina dates back more than two hundred years,
for we find some evidence of Masonry in North
Carolina immediately after the Colony of Caro
lina was divided into North Carolina and
South Carolina, in 1729. It is stated by Mar
shall DeLancy Haywood in his history, written
in 1906 that, “the Craft was actively at work
in North Carolina prior to 1735, for in that
year enough Masons had assembled in the Cape
Fear settlement, near the present city of Wil
mington, to form a lodge. This was Solomon
Lodge, chartered by Thomas Thynne, second
Viscount Weymouth, Grand Master of the
Grand Lodge of England. In the History of
Freemasonry and Concordant Orders, it is
stated that application was made for charters
for Solomon Lodge at Cape Fear in North
Carolina, and Solomon Lodge at Charleston,
South Carolina, at the same time. Solomon
Lodge at Cape Fear was duly entered on the
roll of the Grand Lodge in England, but by
some oversight, Solomon Lodge at Charleston
was omitted. Some years later, however, this
injustice to the Lodge in South Carolina was
OFFICERS OF THE GRAND LODGE OF
A. F. & A. M. OF NORTH CAROLINA
BERL M. KAHN. Grand Master
Box 780, Goldsboro 27530
NATHANIEL C. DEAN Deputy Grand Master
Box 351, Norwood 28128
WILLIAM L. MILLS, JR. Senior Grand Warden
Box 368, Concord 28025
S. FRANK NOBLE, JR Junior Grand Warden
310 Ave. A, New Bern 28560
JAMES W. BREWER Grand Treasurer
P. O. Box 1666, Greenville 27834
CHARLES A. HARRIS . .. .Grand Secretary
P. O. Box 6506, Raleigh 27608
HIRAM J. CASEBOLT . Senior Grand Deacon
107 Longview Lake Drive, Raleigh 27610
LESLIE H. GARNER .Junior Grand Deacon
P. O. Box 1446, Greenville 27834
J. EARL WATSON Grand Marshal
P. O. Box 588, Mt. Airy 27030
JACOB C. GOODMAN, JR. . Grand Steward
3808 Flowerfield Rd., Charlotte 28210
WILLIAM B. BELLOIS ... Grand Steward
P. O. Box 1024, Wilmington 28401
FRED F. HARDING Grand Tyler
2707 Barmettler Street, Raleigh 27607
JAMES E. SPICER, C.L ... Grand Lecturer
Box 1111, N. Wilkesboro 28659
JAMES I. REYNOLDS _ Grand Orator
P. O. Box 853, Clinton 28328
WILLIAM T. HATCH Judge Advocate
327 Hillsborough Street, Raleigh
I. BOYD HOPKINS Grand Chaplain
Rt. 3, Box 57-A, Mt. Airy 27030
JAMES G. JOHNSTON Grand Historian
7609 Glencannon Dr., Charlotte 28212
The prayer on the plaque pictured above is
spoken by the boys, girls and adults at Oxford
Orphanage three times each day, before each
meal. The plaque, presented by the Class of
1961, is attached to the wall in the main dining
room at Oxford. This prayer was taken from
“Ben Hur” and we have not been able to de
termine when it first came to be used at
Oxford. Miss Nettie Bemis, writing in “Life At
Oxford”, says the prayer was being used when
she first arrived on the campus in August of
1897, so we know it has been a part of Oxford
life for more than seventy-five years. Perhaps
some reader can shed further light. Memorize
the prayer and you will be able to ask the
blessing along with the children when you visit
the Orphanage this year.
remedied, and it was properly enrolled with
precedence from 1735.” Two years later, 1737,
South Carolina must have organized its Grand
Lodge, for in 1937 it held its 200th Annual
Communication. I am not concerned with
South Carolina’s Grand Lodge history, but let
me digress to say that in the Proceedings of
the Grand Lodge of North Carolina for 1912,
I find a review of other grand jurisdictions,
and the Proceedings of the Grand Lodge of
South Carolina of 1910 is headed with these
words: “134th Annual.” If that Grand Lodge
was 134 years old in 1910, then in 1937, 27
years later, it must have been (134 plus 27)
161 years old. But the Proceedings of 1937
were written for the 200th Annual Communi
cation. We, in North Carolina, today say that
we are holding the 150th Annual Communi
cation of our Grand Lodge, and some of our
historians have said, and some records show,
that our Grand Lodge was formed in 1787, and
that a communication was held that year. If
that be true then we are today holding our
152nd Annual Communication instead of the
150th. But let us get back to the earlier history
and come up to that a little later.
On St. John’s Day, June 24th, 1789, in an
historical address before St. John’s Lodge,
now Lodge No. 3, of New Bern, Francois
Xavier Martin, jurist and a great historian,
said this about Masonry’s coming to the Colo
nies: “Masons crossed the Atlantic with the
first settlers of the British Colonies in
America, and, soon after, the Grand Master
of England appointed Provincial Grand Mas
ters and Constituted regular Lodges in the
new world. The Carolinas, whose settlement
is of later date, had no Provincial Grand Mas
ter until 1736 (A. IL. 5736), when the Earl of
Loudoun appointed John Hammerton, Esquire,
to that dignity. From him a regular succession
can be traced to Joseph Montfort, Esquire,
who was appointed by the Duke of Beaufort.”
’ have quoted the above from that part of
Gould’s History, dealing with North Carolina
as written by Past Grand Master, F. D. Win
ston. The same extract from Judge Martin’s
address as quoted by Winston, is given in the
Morth Carolina’s Masonic Code of 1892, and
is also quoted by Marshall DeLancey Haywood
(Continued on Page Six)