Mann Page Lodge No. 157, A.F. & A.M.

Providence Forge, Virginia

Mann Page Lodge No. 157 held its first meeting under dispensation on March 8, 1904 at Waddills Store in Charles City County. George T. Darracott of Brandon Lodge No. 192 was elected Worshipful Master. Most Worshipful Mann Page, for whom the Lodge was named, gave the jewels for the new Lodge. Most Worshipful Page was Grand Master of Masons in Virginia in 1893 and a member of Brandon Lodge No. 192.

Mrs. George T. Darracott made aprons. Brother W. H. Somers gave the gavels to the Lodge.   Brother Persse Deverell of Brandon Lodge No. 192, and senior warden of this Lodge gave the Holy Bible. The charter was granted on February 16, 1905. Dues were twenty-five cents per month and the rent of the room over Waddills Store was two dollars per month. Since the meetings were held at midday it was said that one could look through the cracks in the floor and see customers being waited on below.

Many of the brethren lived in Surry County and would cross the James River by boat and travel about seven miles to get to the Lodge.

The first dark cloud in the life of the Lodge was the death of its namesake on May 28, 1904, at age sixty-nine. It was recorded in his memorial that to know Brother Page was to love him; that he was frank; openhearted; and while impulsive and eager to defend what he thought was right, never willingly inflicted a wound. He had served his own Lodge as Worshipful Master, and though it is not recorded in the minutes of Mann Page Lodge, he must have had a great deal to do with the organization of the Lodge even though he died before it received its charter. It must have been a great disappointment to the rest of the brethren that he could not enjoy the fruits of their labors. However, we must believe that he left his mark in the history of this Lodge. For many years members placed flowers on his grave at Hollywood Cemetery on Memorial Day.

The tiler’s Sword was given to the Lodge by Brother Pages widow. Most Worshipful Pages picture hangs in the Lodge room. It was purchased at a cost of $4.90.

The fee for a Petition for degrees was $5.00. Degree fees were $10.00 for the Entered Apprentice and $5.00 for the Fellowcraft and Master Masons degrees.

In December of 1908 the Lodge began planning for a new building. Chickahominy Lodge No. 286, having been chartered the same year as this Lodge and also wanting to build, was asked to join with the Lodge, but it did not work out. A building committee was appointed on August 11, 1909, with the directions to “draw plans, buy lumber and materials and build a suitable Lodge at Providence Forge.” The first meeting in the new building was held on Wednesday, November 10, 1909, and it was noted that Brother J. R. Parker delivered the Master Masons lecture, he having been raised in Meridian Lodge No.284 in March of that year.

Brother H. C. Rowan, having been raised in Meridian Lodge No. 284 in May 1909, was elected Worshipful Master for 1910. Most Worshipful Joseph W. Eggleston, Grand Master of Masons in Virginia issued the following dispensation: “to permit Mann Page Lodge to elect Brother H. C. Rowan Worshipful Master, who had not served as a warden. I learned that Brother Rowan was the best posted man” (this has been understood to mean that Bro. Rowan was the best-informed man in the Lodge as to the various rules and regulations regarding the running of a Lodge and Masonry in general. Several of the older members who knew him, all of whom have regrettably gone to their reward, talked about what a stickler Brother Rowan was as to the rules and protocol of Masonry, and how knowledgeable he was of the Methodical Digest) “and also the best ritualist in the Lodge and so zealous that in order that work might be done at all on one occasion he worked all day, sunrise to sunset, walked six miles, hired a horse and rode eight miles more, did the work and returned in time to do a days work the next day. >I think I was justified,’” the Grand Master said.