Powhatan Starke Lodge No. 124, A.F. & A.M.

                                                             Petersburg, Virginia

When a small group of Master Masons met in the office of Brother J. Herbert Claiborne on Union Street in Petersburg, Virginia on Monday evening November 7, 1870, for the purpose of forming a new Masonic Lodge for work and improvement, there is little wonder that the name of Powhatan Starke quickly and unanimously emerged as a name for the new Lodge. Brother Starke not only had been a faithful and beloved Brother among them, but also had served with distinction as Grand Master of Masons in Virginia, while at the same time serving as Worshipful Master of Blandford Lodge No. 3, in 1859.

Elected officers at the first meeting were:

Benjamin Harrison                              Worshipful Master

S. A. Plummer                                     Senior Warden

John A. Patterson                                Junior Warden

Samuel Stevens                                   Treasurer

Louis A. Marks                                   Secretary

William T. Plummer                            Senior Deacon

J. Herbert Claiborne                            Junior Deacon

William B. Anderson                          Tiler

The Worshipful Master and Brother Bernard Major were appointed as a committee to request Blandford Lodge No.3, at its next stated communication, to recommend to the Grand Master that a dispensation be issued authorizing Powhatan Starke Lodge to commence work. This request was granted and upon recommendation by Blandford Lodge No. 3, a dispensation was issued for Powhatan Starke Lodge on December 20, 1870.  A charter was issued on December 12, 1871.

The first meeting to be held under dispensation was on January 6, 1871, at which time committees were appointed to transact such business as would come before the Lodge. Meeting quarters were secured in the Masonic hall on Tabb Street. It was agreed that the meeting of this Lodge would not conflict with Petersburg Union Royal Arch Chapter or the Appomattox Commandery. The second Thursday of the month was selected for stated meetings. This was changed on May 12, 1892, to the third Tuesday and remains so today.

This Lodge was in Masonic District No. 9 when it was formed along with Blandford Lodge No. 3, Petersburg Lodge No. 15, Prince George Lodge No. 115, and Corinthian Lodge No. 29, which became extinct and surrendered its charter on December 10, 1884. Later during district changes, these Lodge were placed in Masonic District No. 29 along with Dupont Lodge No. 289, Dinwiddie Lodge No. 136, and Edwards Lodge No. 308.

This Lodge has been called upon many times throughout the years to either lay cornerstones for churches and buildings or to assist other Lodges in that ceremony. The following activities have been recorded:

Episcopal Church, Chester March 13, 1880, assisted Chesterfield Lodge No. 161

St. Johns Episcopal Church, Washington and Dunlop Streets, September 10, 1897

Cornerstone of the new temple, Astrea Lodge No. 246, Waverly, May 26, 1898

Wesley Methodist Church, June 26, 1902

Christian Church, facing Pine Street, May 25, 1906, assisted Petersburg Lodge No. 15

Duncan Brown School, corner of Wythe and Jefferson, May 19, 1908 (School was named for a member of the Lodge, Duncan McGregor Brown)

Owens Memorial Church, May 25, 1912

Matoaca High School, July 5, 1915

Ettrick High School, September 9, 1921

Ettrick Baptist Church new building, September 29, 1921

Colonial Heights Baptist Church, August 1, 1923

Hopewell Christian Church, June 16, 1928, assisted Dupont Lodge No. 289

Fort Grove Methodist Church, Stony Creek, October 26, 1955, assisted Edwards Lodge No. 308, stone actually laid by Most Worshipful William J. McMahon, Grand Master of Masons in Virginia.

The vitality revealed in this record is still seen in the strong and active program of Powhatan Starke Lodge No. 124 today.