HISTORY OF CALLAHAN
MASONIC LODGE
Callahan Lodge Beginnings to Now
Callahan Lodge #32, F.&A.M. Charter Members
Various Locations of Callahan Lodge
Callahan Lodge
Confederate Soldier Connections
Seminole Indian Wars and
our early Callahan Lodge Members
Callahan Lodge History
from Florida Grand Lodge Book
Callahan Lodge Corner Stones
(This site is an ongoing process and under revision as we gather historical information on our lodge. We request anyone with information on our lodge history to share it with us. We are particularly interested in the location of our first lodge, subsequent lodge locations and any old pictures of the old lodges or lodge events).
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Callahan
Lodge #32, F.&A.M. Charter Members
Callahan Lodge received permission from Grand Lodge of Florida on July 4th, 1868 to begin working “UD or under dispensation.” Grand Lodge of Florida formally chartered Callahan Lodge #32 on January 14, 1870 to meet at Callahan in Nassau County, Florida.
Callahan Lodge
No. 32 was chartered with twenty charter members. The following are those charter officers
and members:
William J. Dopson, W.M. |
James W. Geiger |
James
Fabius Clark, Sr.Warden |
John Jefferson Higginbotham |
James
Geiger, Jr.Warden |
John Hampton Jones |
John
Price, Jr., Treasurer |
Leton Uriah Morgan |
John C. C.
Jones, Secretary |
Talbert S. Morgan |
Josiah
Benjamin Little, Sr. Deacon |
Benjamin C. Parker |
Henry
Camille Tison, Jr.Deacon |
R.R. Ratcliff |
Jehu
Booth, Tyler |
Golphin Nowling Tison |
Owen S.
Albritton |
Redden Turner |
Jesse J.
Edmondson |
Nathaniel Smith Upchurch |
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Various
Locations of Callahan Lodge
(From MASONIC HISTORY OF CALLAHAN LODGE #32)
The first Hall was the second floor of the Old Masonic Temple, owned by the Callahan Lodge, on the south side of the Seaboard Railway near the Callahan Depot.
1. When the first Temple was burned down. The Lodge rented a Hall on the north side of the Railway. Opposite the former lodge.
2. Soon Brother William Jennings Pickett erected a two story brick building on the lot next to where the original Hall stood and theLodge rented the second floor for a Hall and in a very short time it was consumed by fire.
3. Then the Lodge moved into a Hall next door to the place where it had moved from on the north side of the Railway again. There it remained until November 7, 1950.
4. Then the Lodge moved into its own Hall November 7, 1950. This was located one block from Number 1 Highway west on Baldwin Road and west by that road.
5. Newest location at 45085 Frank Brookins Drive was moved into in 1993.
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Callahan Lodge Confederate Soldier Connections
Our Lodge history states: “20 Brethren, all Confederate Veterans, was granted a dispensation to form Callahan Lodge.”
In the Masonic Lodge History of Callahan Lodge #32 there is information about each Worshipful Master that were mentioned as Confederate Soldiers:
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James Fabius Clark (Worshipful Master 1871, 1872, 1873) was born in Lincolnton
County, GA, in 1823 and died December 5, 1910 and interred in Masonic Plot in East
Evergreen Cemetery in Jacksonville, FL. Received
his Masonic Degrees in Solomon Lodge #20 in Jacksonville in 1840’s. Brother Clark
served in the last Seminole War 1856 and 1857. Brother Clark and his son Henry Joseph
Clark served together for four years in the Confederate Army. He also became the second
Worshipful Master of Ezra Lodge #67 for the years 1873, 1874, & 1879. Of note: It was
his father Major General Elijah Clark who commanded the troops that fought the
Revolutionary Battle of “Alligator Creek” in Callahan on 30 June 1778. |
|
Josiah Benjamin Little (Worshipful Master 1875, 1879) born in Wilmington, NC on
July 26, 1826; died April 17, 1917. He is buried in Higginbotham Cemetery. He was a
revered Confederate soldier, once curiously observed by a friend that saw him tip his hat
to an ex-slave, of whom he inquired why. He replied, “He tipped his hat to me, and I
would not let an ex-slave have better manners than I.” |
|
Ephriam Harrison (Worshipful Master 1877, 1878, 1879, 1881) born south end of
Amelia Island June 1, 1836 and died September 28, 1891 with remains interred in old family
cemetery on south end of Amelia Island at the Harrison Estate. He served in the
Confederate Army with the rank of Sergeant-Major, and was wounded just before the war
closed and was hospitalized at Alligator (now Lake City, FL). At time of his death he was
serving the 8th year as Superintendent of Public Instruction in Nassau County.
(W: Harrison was not Charter Member). |
|
William McQueen Sanders (Worshipful Master 1880) born in Nassau County about 1830
and died December 2, 1899 and interred in East Evergreen Cemetery in Jacksonville, FL. He
bore the title of “Captain Sanders” through respect of his having served in the
Confederate Army from 1861 to 1865. (W: Sanders was not Charter Member) |
Confederate Soldier Information on other Charter Members:
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Leton Uriah Morgan – born on 26 May 1838 and died on 13 Jun 1919. Married to
Martha Drew on 10 Oct 1879. He enlisted at Callahan, Florida in Co. K, 2nd FLA
Calvary on 16 May 1862. His received a Florida Confederate Pension (A02155). |
|
Benjamin C. Parker - married Martha
Geiger on 29 Dec 1859 and he died 24 Nov 1900. His wife received a Florida Confederate
Pension (A12037) after his death. The request shows he was in the 2nd Regt
Florida Calvary along with Nathaniel Smith Upchurch (also a Charter Member of Callahan
Lodge). |
|
Nathaniel Smith Upchurch – (Raleigh, NC) born 1824 and died on 15 July 1913.
Served in the 2nd Regt Florida Calvary with Benjamin C. Parker (also a Charter
Member of Callahan Lodge). Served as Treasurer of Callahan Lodge 1874-1875. His witness
statement and signature, dated 20 Sept 1907, appear on petition request for widow of
Benjamin C. Parker to receive Florida Confederate Widows Pension (A12037); at that time he
was residing in Jacksonville, Duval County, Florida. |
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Seminole Indian Wars and our early Callahan Lodge Members
This is excerpt from: “HISTORY
OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA” (Page 457)
CHAPTER XXVI
LOCAL MILITARY
ORGANIZATIONS
In 1835, when it was apparent that there would be trouble with the Seminole Indians, a regiment of militaia was organized in northeast Florida, composed of men from Duval, Nassau, and probably St. Johns Counties. It was known as the Fourth Regiment of Florida ………
The Legislative Council of 1844 authorized the organization of the Jacksonville Guards; for what purpose is unknown………
DUVAL COUNTY MOUNTED VOLUNTEER GUARD
The organization of the Duval County Mounted Volunteer Guard was authorized by the Legislature in 1849, for service on the Indian River frontier in connection with Indian troubles. This company was mustered into service of the State August 7, 1849; the muster roll was as follows:
Officers
Captain: Thomas Ledwith. Lieutenants: John Roberts, Jr., Ephraim L. Harrison+. Sergeants: Aristides Doggett, A.J. Simmons, James
Higginbotham+, Redden Turner+. Corporals:
James W. Higginbotham, Benjamin Falana, Edward Mitchell, Nathanial Wingate. Company clerk: Isidore W. Garnie.
Enlisted Men
Aldrich, Whipple |
Crocker, Henry |
Hardin, James H. |
Andrews, Joseph |
Dooliff, Abner |
Harrell, Mayberry |
Andrews, Thaddeus C. |
Falana, Huster |
Hodges, Samuel |
Bass, William H. |
Geiger, Aaron |
Hogans, Reuben |
Codding, George F. |
Grisham, Jesse |
Hogans, Washington |
(+) Note: These 3 were later to be members of Callahan Lodge
Ephraim L.
Harrison
James
Higginbotham
Redden
Turner
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Callahan
Lodge History from Florida Grand Lodge Book
The Grand Lodge of Florida
Free and Accepted Masons
History – Volume One
The Lodges
Written by J. Roy Crowther, Past
Grand Master
(The picture below was
taken in the 1980’s when the Lodge was located on Hwy US #301 across from Callahan
First Methodist Church. The old building was
torn down when the highway was widened to four lanes).
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Callahan Lodge Corner Stones
Below are the cornerstones that are
on our current building. The one on the left is from our last lodge
that was located on Hwy #301 across from First Methodist Church of Callahan and next to
Robert Connor's Service Station. That lodge
was built in the late 1940's. The lodge on
Hwy #301 did not have a cornerstone laid until 1972 (over 25 years after it started being
used). The old cornerstone was relocated to
the new building and is located to the left of the new cornerstone on our new and current
lodge building.
The location of Callahan Masonic Lodge #32 prior to the last one located on U.S. Hwy #301 was in one of the upstairs rooms in the Brandies ACE Hardware area; above the current location of the Nassau County Record Office. Past Master Roy Wingate, Jr. and Brother Thomas Page said they were Initiated as Entered Apprentice Masons on the same night in the old lodge room located above Brandies Hardware. Brother Wingate went on to say he was Raised several months later to the Sublime Degree of Master Mason by his father, Roy L. Wingate, Sr. who was the presiding Worshipful Master that year.