Volume I, Issue 9

Union Masonic Lodge #618, A.F.&A.M.

Newsletter

Special points of in-terest:

Comments

Upcoming Events of Interest

Happenings at the Septem-ber stated

September Birthdays 2

October Birthdays 2

Of Masonic Interest 2

Inside this issue:

Secretary: I think it is appropriate to again acknowledge those brothers who month-after-month voluntari-ly donate the time and expense to print and mail the electronic ver-sion of the monthy newsletter to our

members who do not have email. Basically the same fifteen mem-bers have been involved in this activity since we started the newsletter in January. Only if you receive the newsletter by mail, and don’t en-joy receiving it, please

let me know, so I can remove your name from distribution and save these brothers some time and a few dollars that they are otherwise happy to donate to your enjoy-ment.

Comments

September 12, 2012

Upcoming events of interest

Happenings at the September stated

2012 Grand Lodge 9/21 and 9/22 in Winston-Salem.

Charities Golf Tournament—Friday, September 28, Green Oaks Golf Course, Concord.

Ladies Night Banquet—October 6th. Only 120 tickets

will be sold. $10 each. Family, friends and neighbors are wel-come. Dinner and entertain-ment. All sales in advance. Come and enjoy an inexpen-sive night out.

October 8th—Stated Communi-cation

tions to Bobby! A really hard-working brother.

We still have a leak over our stove in the kitchen, and the roof-ing contractor is addressing the problem under warranty.

Learned that WB Ray Rip-py(Master 1991) has stage 4 brain cancer. Your prayers greatly ap-preciated.

We enjoyed the fellowship of a gathering of 35 brothers, and a delicious fried chicken supper.

WB Bill Moss—with the help of Brother David Barbee—is in-stalling handrails for the steps in the East on Sep11.

Learned that our WB Bobby Burgess became a Certified Lec-turer last month! Congratula-

September Birthdays (by age)

UNION MASONIC LODGE #618, A.F .&A.M.

Of Masonic Interest (History of Union Masonic Lodge #618) 

VOLUME I , ISSUE 9 PAGE 2

October Birthdays (by age)

AGE / BIRTH DATE REPORT (sorted by current age) Age Birth Date Name

89 09/22/1922 ARTHUR R. MOR-GAN

87 09/04/1925 COY L. MCMANUS

86 09/04/1926 JAMES H. WEATHERS SR

80 09/25/1931 MCCAMIE D. HILL

73 09/01/1939 DAVID O. MONTA-GUE SR

69 09/14/1942 JULIAN W. PAGE

57 09/03/1955 DANNY R. MULLIS

55 09/21/1956 JOHN B. BROOKS JR

52 09/11/1960 RONALD G. THOM-AS

45 09/21/1966 DARREN R. HARTSELL

43 09/01/1969 RYAN B. KNIGHT

40 09/05/1972 RODNEY B. SEH-EN

21 09/28/1990 JEFFREY B. JONES

AGE / BIRTH DATE REPORT (sorted by age)

Age Birth Date Name

86 10/24/1925 BYRON H. BEAT-TY

77 10/12/1934 LEROY MCMANUS

73 10/09/1938 JIMMIE BARBEE

68 10/20/1943 KENNETH W. HARTSELL SR

66 10/02/1945 THOMAS M. LITTLE

65 10/16/1946 JOHN G. HATH-COCK

63 10/24/1948 WILLIAM O. BLACK JR

54 10/11/1957 DON A. LAMBERT

51 10/26/1960 ROBERT C. MCEACHERN

46 10/05/1965 AUGUSTUS N. JAMES

37 10/21/1974 WALTER A. BUNT JR

20 10/30/1991 DAVID G. NASH

[I am publishing Brother Little’s history of our lodge in this newsletter, because 81 of our members do not have internet access, and I would like them to have the opportunity to read this just as our members with in-ternet access can do at our web site.]

History of Union Lodge #618

Midland Lodge #618 received dispensation December 3, 1914 and was chartered January 20, 1915.

Unionville Lodge #632 received dispensation January 24, 1916 and was chartered January 17, 1917.

Due to difficult economic conditions it became necessary for Unionville #632 and Midland #618 to merge into one body in order to survive. By taking the “Union” part of the name of Unionville Lodge and #618 from the Midland Lodge, the new name became Union #618. The merger was completed on December 7, 1929, and is written in ink on the original Midland Charter that is still used in the Lodge today. It also states on the Char-ter that no new Charter would be issued.

The officers when the new Lodge was formed were: W.B. Long Master, A.P. Widenhouse Secretary, Charles (continued on p3)

PAGE 3 UNION MASONIC LODGE #618, A.F .&A.M. VOLUME I , ISSUE 9

(continued from p2) Long Senior Deacon, Don Haigler Junior Deacon, Bain Green Treasurer and “Buck” Pope, Tyler.

Brother J. G. Hudson, from Salisbury N.C., was the DDGM and in charge when forming the new Lodge. He later became Grand Master of Masons in North Carolina.

Members of Midland Lodge present at the forming of the new Union Lodge were: A.P. Widenhouse, J.P. Hartsell, J.K. Eaves, Bain Green, Bost Green, John Sossoman (MD), Roland Brooks, Roy Barrett, and a visitor from Canada by the name of Bicket, no first name was mentioned in the minutes.

Shortly after the new lodge was formed, the economic depression took place and again the survival of the Lodge was in doubt. Membership declined rapidly due to members not being able to pay their annual dues of $0.50. To save the Lodge, Brother Baxter Long came forward with a proposition that he would pledge his and his son Charles’ dues for the present year and one year in advance. Others who helped were Dr. J.C. Sossamon and Bain Green. Bost Green cancelled the rent payment for the Lodge Building. Once again, the Lodge was spared.

Original Lodge Building at 4410 Kingsbury Dr. Midland. Structure originally had no Electricity and was heated with scrap wood from a wood products mill across the Railroad from the Lodge. Light was from Oil Lamps. This building was used by the Lodge until 1955. Pictured below as it appears today and is still in use.

Next Lodge Building at the Cross Roads of Highways NC 24/27 and US 601 This building was used as the Lodge from 1955 until January, 2005.

The present Lodge Building(Pictured on the last page) is at 9650 US 601 Midland, N.C. This Building opened in January, 2005, and was dedicated August 12, 2006.

REFRENCES 1. Union Lodge Historical Minutes and other written material 2. North Carolina Grand Lodge Web site http://www.grandlodge-nc.org 3. Lodge Charter 4. Ronald Harkey 5. Article and pictures by Robert Little 6. Edited by Roger Darrell Long P.M. (Dated August 13, 2012)

Don’t forget to pass the word around that our Fellowship Hall

is available to rent. Provide any interested party the mobile

phone number for WB Darrell Cline, who manages all of the

reservations. (704) 791-9470

MAILING ADDRESS: P.O. BOX 497 MIDLAND, NC 28107 MASONIC TEMPLE ADDRESS: 9650 HIGHWAY 601

UNION MASONIC LODGE #618, A.F .&A.M.

Phone: NO PHONE SERVICE AT THE FACILITY Fax: NO FAX SERVICE AT THE FACILITY LODGE WEB SITE: unionlodge618.com

MAKING GOOD MEN BETTER.

2B1ASK1

Newsletter Editor: R. Darrell Long, PM Secretary of Union Lodge #618

Send any constructive criticisms or comments to

UNION MASONIC LODGE #618, A.F .&A.M. VOLUME I , ISSUE 9 PAGE 4

OFFICERS—2012

First row left to right: Installing Of-ficer, Boyd Neal McGee; Junior Deacon, Vincent Joseph D’Andrea; Senior Dea-con, Mitchell Allen Elliott; Master, Ron-nie Lee Sneed; Junior Warden, Thomas Michael Little; Senior Steward, David Franklin Barbee. Second row: In-stalling Marshall, James Ralph Pinion; Treasurer, Thomas Michael Blythe; Sec-retary, Roger Darrell Long; Chaplain, Thomas Orlando Evans; Tyler, David Lee Warwick. (Not pictured: Senior Warden, Robert Allen Love, Jr.; and Junior Steward, Neil Clinton Dunn; both installed at a later date.)