KYHICKMA-L Archives

Archiver > KYHICKMA > 2002-05 > 1021512627


From: Bill Utterback <>
Subject: New Series: Free Masonry in the Jackson Purchase - Part 1 - Hickman Co.
Date: Wed, 15 May 2002 20:30:30 -0500


My friends -

I had planned to move into McCracken County in today's posting, but one of
our subscribers sent a message to me today asking why I have not talked
about the Masons in the JP region. Good question, but I do not have a
really satisfactory answer, other than the fact that records on the
different Masonic lodges in the JP - at least insofar as their early
history is concerned, are often sketchy and generally maintained by the
Grand Lodge of Kentucky in Louisville. As one whose paternal ancestors were
Masons going back 6 generations, I do have a natural interest in the
Masonic lodges in the JP. With that in mind, I am going to begin a new
series, which is more historical than genealogical, and which will be
covering some of the information I have on the Masonic lodges in the JP.

Our first stop is in Hickman County. The first lodge in that County was
Hickman Lodge 131. Its charter was granted in August of 1843. They
continuously met in the old postoffice building in Clinton until 1966.
Thomas Brown served as the first Master of that Lodge. Solomon Lodge #200
was charted in 1850(and was later known as Neville Lodge, and, later, t he
name was again changed to Model Lodge), and was located in Moscow. This
Lodge merged with Hickman Lodge 131 about 1950. Thomas Merriweather was the
first Master of this Lodge.

The Baltimore Lodge 361 was charted in 1851, and met in a church until the
1890's, and later met on land owned by a Bugg man south of Baltimore. John
H. Nichols was the original Master. This Lodge also merged with Hickman
Lodge, in the 1930's.

Springhill Lodge 575 received its charter in 1876 and surrendered the
charter in 1927, with members transferring to Hickman Lodge. James D.
Crooks served as first Master of this Lodge.

Columbus Lodge 650 was established and chartered in 1891, with L.W.Schenk
as its first Master. This Lodge gave up its charter in 1934 and members
transferred to Hickman Lodge, which by about 1950, was the sole remaining
Masonic lodge in Hickman County.

As we go along, I will discuss lodges in other JP counties, for which
information is available.

-B
===========================================================================

This thread: