|
As early as
1908 the advantage of having a Masonic Lodge in this
section of town was recognized, however, nothing was
done about it until Brother Jacob Issacs and Gus
Knapp attended a meeting of the Shawnee Progress
Club in the fall of 1909. This was a Community
Welfare Club to secure better streetcar service,
police and fire protection. During this meeting they
noticed the club was made up almost entirely of
Masons. In fact, there was enough to start a Lodge. They talked
to the various brothers about organizing a Masonic
Lodge in the Shawnee Section and the response was
amazing. Now as the thought had someone behind it to
push it, it caught on like wild fire. Enthusiasm ran
high. Discussions among Master Masons were held on
street cars, street corners and where two or three
were gathered together.
The
favorite meeting places were Kreigers Drug Store at
38th and Broadway and 36th Broadway on Sunday
afternoons. They would
drop in the drug store to buy a few cigars and chew
the rag about the new Masonic Lodge. I mention
cigars because at that time cigarettes were still
referred to occasionally as coffin nails and in the
early days of the lodge quite a few “smokers were
given to make the meetings more enjoyable. At 36th and
Broadway there was a nest of red hot boosters: John
Lotz, Walter Ernwein, Albert Tounsley and Gus Knapp
They would be joined by Alfred Kreiger, Jake Issacs
and others. When the weather got too chilly to
stand on the corner they would move into the living
room of Gus Knaap.
Here they
decided to call an informal meeting on February 2,
1910 in the little hall over Krieger’s Drug Store.
At this meeting 24 of the Master Masons present
signified their desire to demit from their lodges
and affiliate with the one to be instituted. During
this meeting Gus Knapp was elected to take down the
minutes and he served as Secretary of Shawnee Lodge
for forty one years. Alfred Krieger was elected
Master, Jacob Isaacs, Senior Warden and Andred
Diehl, Junior Warden. On the shoulders of these
four men fell the burden of securing the proper
information and know how for the institution of a
Masonic Lodge. At this meeting it was decided to
call the lodge Shawnee.
At the
second informal meeting, February 22, 1910, Herman
Volkerding was elected Treasurer. As there was no
money, his chief duty was to go out and borrow some
and stand security for it. With our
false pride of today, it is doubtful if this man
could become a member of Shawnee: for like George
Washington, he was a whiskey maker—owner of the
Barbee Distilling Company. He gave $36.00 to pay for
our Charter. At this
meeting the little band increased to thirty four.
Everything looked so rosy, they could see nothing
but success ahead so they leased the hall over the
drug store for three years at a rental of $20.00 per
month. Now they had a hall but nothing in it, so
donations were received. Brother Atherton gave
twenty dollars. One brother gave the bible, one the
book marks, Fisher Leaf Company, a pot belly stove
and other money, according to their means.
The result
was that the lodge was well equipped when on March
22, 1910, Grand Master John Cowles instituted
Shawnee Lodge No. 830 U.D. with 34 members. The U.D.
means under dispensation as the charter was not
granted until Grand Lodge met in October of 1910.
Grand Master Cowles appointed Alfred Krieger,
Master; Jacob Isaacs, Senior Warden; Andrew Diehl,
Junior Warden; Gus Knapp, Secretary, Herman
Volkerding, Treasurer; Vic Dupree, Senior Deacon;
George Fisher, Junior Deacon; Charles Erdman, Tyler;
Robert Scott and A.C. Leisinger, Stewards; Reverend
F.C. Whithoff Chaplain.
At the first regular
meeting of the lodge, the next night 32 petitions were
received. As many as three meeting were held each
week and at the end of the year, the lodge had 90
members and over $200.00 in the treasury. Brother
Isaacs was elected to serve as Master for 1911. He
held 73 meetings and often two degrees were
conferred in one night. In March, permission was
given to use the hall to organize Brilliant Star,
O.E.S. This Chapter worked hand in hand with Shawnee
Lodge and without their help Shawnee Temple would
have been delayed several years. In October,
permission was given the Secretary to organize
Shawnee Social Club. This club raised thousands of
dollars for the lodge. Dances were given at the Galt
House at First and Main Street. It was our leading
hotel until Seelbach Hotel was built. Sunset
excursions were given on steamers Columbia and
Hiawatha, many moon-lights the Island Queen, card
parties, shows and dances in our own hall.
Brother Andrew Diehl
was elected Master for 1912. During his
administration by-laws were amended to provide for
an annual Memorial Service to be held in January of
each year. Attendance at this meeting was
obligatory, as that was a part of the E.A.
obligation which went something like this: I
furthermore promise and swear, I will attend the
annual Memorial Service to be held each year in
January. If unable to attend I will notify the lodge
by letter or telegram. This part of the obligation
was discontinued two years later by order of the
Grand Lodge because it added to the ritual. Shawnee
was the first Blue Lodge to hold a Memorial Service
in Jefferson County. On April 10-11 Shawnee Social
Club held a mammoth bazaar at the old Scottish rite
Temple on Fifth Street, north of Walnut. $2,500 was
made at this bazaar. This was considered a large
amount of money, for at this time skilled labor was
receiving about 35 cents an hour and common labor 25
cents an hour.
During 1912 and 1913 it
was necessary to stand examination in the Master
Mason Degree in order to vote or hold office in
Lodge. This was discontinued because the Master did
not know who was eligible to vote. With the $2,500
from the Social club the Board of Trustees on
December 10 was authorized to purchase a lot on
Gunterman court, North or Broadway for $920.00. The
lot on the northeast corner of 38th Broadway was
first considered but it was though the noise of
streetcars would disturb the ritual work. That is
the reason why the Temple was built on a side
street.
Brother Victor Dupree served as Master in 1913. In
June the Board of Trustees submitted a plan to raise
funds for the erection of the Temple. The plan was
to issue non- interest bearing certificates at a par
value of $10.00 to be sold to the members. The plan
was adopted and $3,800.00 was subscribed for many of
these certificates were ne3ver redeemed or cashed
in.
To get the idea off to a
good start the Social Club gave a big banquet for
all members at the Will Hotel at Jefferson Street
and Center (now Armory Place). At this time a number
of the members worked as the U.S. Store-Keeper
Gaugers and at this banquet provided at each plate
as a favor a miniature one ounce bottle of Old
Granddad Whiskey. Because the nearest doctors office
was at 28th and Chestnut, they also provided the
tiler with a quart bottle of their medicinal spirits
to be kept in his locker in case of an emergency.
Brother Oscar Nicholson was elected to be master for
1914. On September 22, plans and specifications of
Shawnee Temple were approved and so that there would
not be any financial difficulties, a group of
members made a written offer to loan the lodge over
$6000. IN order to do this, Brother Isaacs and Alex
Knapp mortgaged their homes. Several years later
Brother Isaacs again borrowed on an insurance policy
to lend the lodge additional money.
Brother W. G. Watson served as master during 1915.
On June 26, contracts were let to build the Temple
at a cost of $13,993.00. This did not include any
furnishings whatever. On April 17 the cornerstone
was laid. The cornerstone contains: The Holy Bible,
By-laws, First Petition received that of Herman
Seely, list of Charter Members, Membership at the
time, list of deceased members, emblem of the order,
lodge of 33 Scottish Rite, letter from Past Grand
Master Cowles, history of Shawnee to date, copy of
Masonic Home Journal, Courier-Journal, Louisville
Times, Evening Post and Morning Herald, Lambskin
Apron, program of the service, list of Grand Loge
Officers, Pocket knife with emblem of order,
photograph of John Cowles, coins and currency to
amount to $9.93. Officers and members of Brilliant
Star Chapter and their by-laws, list of Grand
Chapter Officers.
It
was during this year the lodge decided to issue a
monthly bulletin. It carried no advertising and
after several months it was dropped because of the
expense. On August 3, 1915, the Temple was dedicated
as the most beautiful lodge room in the state of
Kentucky. It was the only one that had the three,
five steps leading to the middle chamber. At this
time the candidates were taken up the winding stairs
and into the middle chamber where the lodge was
assembled. There the wages, principal jewels and
letter G was explained. The lodge would then move
down to the main floor.
For many years the lodge room was used by Shawnee
Lodge and Brilliant Star Chapter only. They refused
to rent to any outsiders. Smoking was forbidden and
you entered the door with a reverence as you would
your church. At this time Brilliant Star Chapter
furnished the kitchen and banquet hall complete with
every item needed. They gave the lodge the beautiful
altar which we refer to now for some reason or other
as our Holy Altar.
Now this Temple does not belong to the Board of
Trustees or Shawnee Lodge, but to all of the
members, as it cannot be sold until all are notified
and the vote must be unanimous. The founding fathers
planned wisely: they have that in the deed. Twelve
years prior to this there was a very strong movement
by some of the members to sell the Temple to some
church for $20,000-if it could have been sold. In
1918, Shawnee Lodge had the distinction of being the
first lodge in Kentucky to confer three degrees upon
a candidate in full form in one night. Lodge opened
at 6:00 PM-not a word was missed and lodge closed at
11:00 PM.
During October of this year, the lodge was closed by
the order of the State Board of Health due to an
epidemic of Spanish Influenza that swept the
country. The lodge was closed for five weeks. It was
the first time a stated meeting was missed. Past
Grand Master Rhea was a regular visitor at our
meetings. He presented to the lodge his private
Masonic Library consisting of 107 volumes, many of
them were rare and out of print. Sectional book
cases were purchased to house the library and member
were allowed to take them home, however, due to the
short memory of some of the brothers, they forgot to
bring them back. Now, none of the books remain in
the cases. Do you have one or more of these books at
home? The lodge also had a Service Flag for World
War I with 60 stars, one being gold for Zack Button
who lost his life in France.
Brother Reebs Clarkson was our Master in 1919. At
this time the Grand Lodge decided to raise one
million dollars to build a new Masonic Home. Each
lodge was given a quota to raise and in a short time
Brother Clarkson announced Shawnee Lodge was not
only the first lodge to go over the top, but had
more than doubled its quota. Brother Clarkson was a
strict ritualist. No pretty words or fancy phrases
could be put into the work or lectures. It had to be
the same as was handed down to him. All candidates
for examination were placed before the altar to
conform to the Grand Lodge by-laws, which say, “The
candidates for examination must be so placed in the
lodge room so that all the craft can hear.” At the
conclusion of the E.A. and F.C. degrees, he would
have a rehearsal of the lecture between the Senior
Deacon and the Junior Warden so that the candidates
would know just what they had to commit to memory.
This also kept the lecture the same as when the
lodge started and every member had the lecture
exactly alike—word for word.
In
1920, Brother John Shrewsbury had the best year with
regards to initiations. The E.A. degree was
conferred on 116 candidates, the F.C. on 129 and the
M.M. on 114. Early in the administration of William
Cloud, he appointed a committee to publish a month
magazine or lodge paper. By May 1st, sufficient
advertising had been sold so that the magazine could
go to press, however, they neglected to choose a
name. The following names were suggested: Hustler,
Shawnee Progress, Shawnee Gavel, Level and Shawnee
Light. Shawnee Light received the largest number of
votes and it has been published under that name ever
since. This was a 24 page magazine. It not only
carried all of the news of the members, it was also
an asset financially up to the year 1950. One year
the net profit was $400.00.
The names of all the members given to the postage
fund were published each month and many times the
gifts were enough to pay the postage for that month.
Since 1928, fifty cents out of the yearly dues of
each member goes to pay for the Light.
In 1930, the librarian of the Scottish Rite Temple
in Washington, D.C., where all Masonic publications
are filed said, “Shawnee Light was the best Masonic
Magazine published by any Blue Lodge in the United
States.”
In
1922 our Mite Box contained $529.00 under Billy
Brock, the amount went to $800.00. These large
amounts were accomplished by sending out a circular
letter December 1st, stating any gifts made to the
Mite Box would be used to buy toys for the children
at Christmas. At this time there were about 600
children in the home. In 1924 under the
administration of Brother James Burt, the Acacia
Relief Club was formed. This club was the
fore-runner of the Low 12 Club, however, it did not
last too long, only five death benefits were paid.
At death the beneficiary would receive all the in
the treasury. The fourth benefit paid $179.00. Two
days later another member died and there was nothing
in the pot. The hat was passed in the anti-room and
$40.00 was received. As this was strictly against
the by-laws, strong protests were made and the club
reprimanded and the club folded up. During the term
of Brother Franklin Henreot the initiation fee was
raised from $30.00 to $50.00.
Brother W. Watson served the lodge in 1926. Shawnee
Lodge was the first to hold religious service at the
new Masonic Home. Shawnee Social Club gave the Supt.
of the Home a new Chevrolet sedan to drive to the
various buildings at the home. At this time, the
lodge went on a spending spree. Elaborate
refreshments were served frequently at various times
during the year. A pipe organ and talking machine
were installed in the balcony. Much charity work was
done, funeral expenses paid, installments paid on a
home—one member received more than $1000.00 as
relief and the Master suggested buying a $4000.00
organ for the Masonic Home. It is easy to spend
other fellows money and it would be well if the
member would think twice before voting money out so
freely. The result was that in the fall of 1927, the
Treasurer informed the lodge expenditures greatly
exceeded the receipts and if additional revenue was
not received, the lodge would be financially
embarrassed.
The dues were raised from $6.00 to $8.00 and the
lodge was taken over by a so called clique. It was a
good clique, since they worked only for the good of
Shawnee. It was the Jolly Club of about 20 members.
They would host several outings during the summer
months usually at some camp on the river. They would
have a few bottles of home-brew, cokes, fried
chicken and all that went to make up a picnic lunch.
Cards, horseshoes and other games were played. They
soon had the lodge back on a sound financial basis.
The last outing held by this club was at the summer
home of Bill Hutcherson in 1937 about five miles
south of Fern Creek. |
