Virginia Lodge No. 177, A.F. & A.M.

                                                             Claremont, Virginia

As a preface to the history of Virginia Lodge it should be recorded that it was chartered to work in the village of Cabin Point, where it worked until February 4, 1892, at which time it was moved to Claremont.

Although Cabin Point Lodge was declared extinct in 1848, there were still evidently enough Masons in the area to desire to have a Lodge. As a result, a dispensation was presented to, and granted by, the Grand Lodge of Virginia dated August 14, 1858, and a charter was issued to Virginia Lodge No. 177 on December 15, 1858, to meet at Cabin Point, Surry County, Virginia with the following officers:

Edward C. Murdough                        Worshipful Master

James C. Wall                         Senior Warden

Samuel H. Burt                       Junior Warden

Most Worshipful Powhatan B. Starke, Grand Master and John Dove, Grand Secretary signed the charter.

The question that immediately arises, for which there is no answer, is why the name “Cabin Point” was not used in re-establishing a Lodge there, as was the case in the re-establishment of several other Lodges in the state. As a result, the only actual connection between old Cabin Point Lodge and Virginia Lodge is the fact that Cabin Point Lodge died in the same building in which Virginia Lodge was born.

The minutes of Virginia Lodge from the date of its institution until September 4, 1886, have been lost. So we have no record of what transpired during that period beyond the fact, gained from other sources, that the Masonic population increased to such an extent in the Burrowsville area, about five miles west of Cabin Point, that they established Brandon Lodge No. 182 in order not to have to travel so far to attend Lodge. They received their charter on December 15, 1875, and it survived until February 1945, at which time it was declared extinct. Its charter and minutes were transferred to the archives of the Grand Lodge of Virginia.

At the October 1886 stated meeting, a motion was made and passed that the time of meeting be changed from 11:00 A.M., on the first Thursday in the month to 7:00 P.M., on the first Thursday of the month, no mention being made of the phase of the moon.

The Lodge was a typical two-story building, with the first floor being rented and used as a store at the rate of $75.00 per year. It being rented in 1888 to Brother Truehart, who was Worshipful Master of the Lodge in 1886-87, and it appears that he was having some difficulty paying his rent. At the August stated in 1888 the Lodge agreed to accept $50.00 in full payment if he paid on application, otherwise to collect by law.

In 1888 the Atlantic & Danville Railroad completed their branch line from Emporia, on their main line from Norfolk to Danville, to Claremont. This, together with the several steamboat lines connecting Claremont with Norfolk and Richmond, resulted in Claremont becoming the main trading center of the area. As Claremont grew more and more, more of the members of the Lodge were residents of Claremont.

At the December 1891 communication it was proposed that the Lodge be moved to Claremont. At the next communication on January 7, 1892, following discussion the vote was taken about the move resulting in eight being for the move and four against. The Master asked if the vote might be unanimous, and it was agreed. There is no mention in the minutes of a dispensation being asked for or granted for the move.

The first communication was held in Claremont on February 4, 1892. An offer by W. H. Haney to rent the second story of his store building for the sum of $80.00 per year for three years was accepted. The secretary was directed to notify the Grand Secretary that the Lodge had moved to Claremont.

The amounts of money involved in various transactions at that period proved interesting. As an instance, a request from the ladies of Cherry Stone Baptist Church for a dollar for the benefit of the Church. The request was honored, and a letter was read at the following communication from the ladies thanking the Lodge for its generous donation. The requests of widows for relief would amount from $1.00 to $2.50, depending on how dire the need. Twenty-five dollars was paid for the burial of Brother James Platt.

Another interesting item was the speed at which some men were made Masons. In numerous instances the three degrees were conferred the same month.

The old temple at Cabin Point apparently had remained vacant, and at the January stated in 1894, Brother Dorn reported that a Mr. M. Q. Rogers wished to rent the first floor. A motion was then made, and passed that the request be granted, with the stipulation that the rent be $3.00 per month, payable in advance, with the further understanding that he would vacate in ninety days if the building were sold.

The lease on the hall over Haneys store expired, and the next move was to the second floor of the store occupied by Brother Dorn. This was May 11, 1895.

At the October stated in 1895 a request was received from Crescent Lodge No. 236, Vienna, for help on building their temple. The Lodge voted to contribute $2.00 to this cause.

At the January stated in 1896 a motion was made and passed that the Lodge move their meeting place from Brother Dorns store building to the G. A. F. Hall, a one-story building. The Grand Lodge apparently took a dim view of this, and at the April stated a letter was read from Grand Lodge relating to meetings on the ground floor. On the June stated a letter was read from District Deputy Grand Master J. R. Bell permitting the use of the building.

During the August stated in 1896 a report was given on the sale of the Cabin Point property to Brother J. A. Rogers for the sum of $200.00, $50.00 in hand and a note in the sum of $84.00, payable in one year, and another $79.50 to be paid in two years. This completes any connection that Virginia Lodge had with Cabin Point Lodge or the property that had belonged to that Lodge. At this same communication the Lodge voted to pay the funeral expenses of Brother S. J. Barnes, amounting to $22.50.

The next item of interest occurred at the stated communication in August 1906, when there was a report that Brother Jonithan Brown had spoken disrespectfully of Brother Ely while on his deathbed. One report was that he had referred to Brother Ely as a d  Rascal and another report was that he called him worse than that. At the October 16, 1906, special communication these charges were read to Brother Brown, and he allowed that he might have said these things, but if he had, he was sorry, and threw himself on the mercy of the Lodge. The Lodge voted that he be reprimanded. He was presented at the altar and the Worshipful Master delivered the reprimand.

Up until 1910 the Lodge had occupied a number of different buildings, the names of which were not recorded. At the July stated following the building committees report, the Lodge voted to purchase a lot and erect a temple. Five members were appointed to develop a plan and three were delegated to locate the best available site.

At the next stated, August 10, the lot committee reported that a suitable lot had been located one block from the town square at the price of $100.00. The building committee reported they had a bid of $1,422.27 to build a cement block two story building approximately 30ft. By 60ft. These two offers were accepted and the erection of the new Lodge hall was started. The first communication was held in the new Lodge hall, although not entirely completed on November 30, 1911.

During the November stated in 1912 Brother Edgar Harrison was appointed a committee of one to solicit aid from the members to purchase the necessary material and wire that the new hall needed for electric lights.

In reviewing these minutes one is impressed with the excellent penmanship. Probably the reason is the fact that they did not have typewriters, and in those days penmanship was taught in the schools along with reading, writing, and arithmetic. However, this changed. The November stated of 1916 finds the first appearance of typewritten minutes.

The Lodge laid the cornerstone of the new Claremont high school on December 7, 1917.

Attached to the June stated of 1919 is a copy of the revised bylaws; one of the interesting changes is the time of meeting, on Thursday on or before the first full moon on each calendar month, and the annual communication on St. Johns Night, December 27. The fee for the degrees was made $25.00 and the dues were forty cents per month.

The August stated of 1922 opened at 1:00 P.M., all members having been notified. There were twenty-one visitors. Three Fellowcraft were examined, following which they were raised to the sublime degree of Master Mason, after which the members repaired to the banquet hall, and together with their wives, mothers sisters and daughters, enjoyed a bounteous and delicious supper. After the banquet, Brother John S. Smith of St. Johns Lodge No. 36 in Richmond conferred the “Daughters” degree on sixteen of the members, seventeen of the wives and eleven daughters.

St. Johns night, December 27, 1924, was an outstanding event. A large delegation from the Lodges from the surrounding area attended and assisted in raising fire Fellowcraft to the sublime degree of Master Mason, four of whom were blood brothers, the Marks brothers, sons of Dr. W. P. Marks, who was a past Master of this Lodge and had the pleasure of taking part in the raising of his sons. The fifth was Right Worshipful Ben E. Baugh who has been active in the Lodge since he was raised, has now received his 50-year recognition, and has been treasurer for a number of years.

A special communication was held on June 23, 1950. The Grand Junior Deacon of the Grand Lodge of Virginia, Right Worshipful William J. McMahon a member of Bremond Lodge No. 241, and another visitor from St. Tammany Lodge No. 5, visited and assisted in conferring the Master Masons degree, with Brother McMahon delivering the lecture.

            On the back cover of the minute book, June 1944 to July 1952, is a plat of the Lodge property taken from the deed dated September 1910.