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The History of Masonry at Daleville, Alabama and Daleville Lodge 903
PREVIOUS MASONIC LODGES IN DALEVILLE
The only records available indicate that the
first Masonic lodge in the Daleville area was Lodge Number 144, granted
dispensation to meet and work on October 11, 1850, and then granted a Charter On
December 5, 1850.
Not much is known about the brethren who founded this Lodge, but from the
short span of time between dispensation and charter, they must have already been
proficient in Masonic work.
The location of this lodge hasn’t yet been determined, but early
platting and survey maps of the Daleville area give the probable location as
being on what is now called the Old Newton Road, opposite what is now McLin’s
Restaurant. Conflicting maps and
descriptions indicate that the Lodge may have met at several different
locations.
Part of this membership asked for and was granted a charter by the Grand Lodge
of Alabama as a Military Lodge #303 (30th Regiment) on November 2,
1862. All records are incomplete or
non-existent concerning this Lodge except that this charter like hundreds of
others throughout the South expired in 1865.
The various Southern Grand Lodges recognized that to allow these military
lodges to continue could only prolong ill feelings and serve no purpose in
continuing a conflict that had caused so much damage to life, property, and
pride.
Daleville lodge #144 forfeited their Charter at the Annual Communication
in December 1890. No specific reasons were cited, but correspondence with the
Grand Secretary indicate that there was considerable conflict among the members
over raising funds for the erection of the Grand Lodge Temple in Montgomery.
Records indicate that the Grand Lodge retained title to this property at
least as late as January 1955 when they hired an Ozark attorney to look after
their interests when it came to their attention that private parties were using
the property for personal gain.
Apparently the hard feelings were long lasting because it was nearly
twenty years before another dispensation was granted to Daleville.
This time as Daleville Lodge #683 on December 19, 1907.
After a year of work and examination, their Charter was granted on
December 2, 1908.
This Lodge was located not far from our present location in Clayhatchee,
across what is now Hwy 85, near the site of the provident Baptist Church.
It was a two-story wooden building and the bottom floor was rented to
various commercial enterprises over the years, even for a short time serving as
the Post Office at Clayhatchee. The
ground floor would later be the reason for their demise.
It is not known for certain why the Lodge was located at Clayhatchee, but
it is possible that the strong feelings generated by the earlier Lodge may have
had a great part in it.
Their Charter was “arrested” by the Grand Master on April 10, 1946, this being the third and last Charter ever physically picked up by the Grand Lodge. The cause was conflict with Grand Lodge over the renting of the floor to a family as an apartment, which was strictly forbidden by the Constitution.
DALEVILLE
MASONIC LODGE 903
Daleville Lodge 903 was instituted under
Dispensation at the Grand Lodge Annual Communication, November 13, 1953, Most
Worshipful Joseph S. Southhall, Grand Master Presiding.
After a year of work the Committee on Lodges under Dispensation made
favorable recommendation to the Grand Master and a Charter was issued on
November 17, 1954.
Grand Master John W. Preddy appointed Brother James Jones, PGM to act as
his representative and constitute Daleville Lodge 903, which was not done until
Saturday, November 12, 1955, with Brothers James Sasnett as Worshipful Master,
Sidney Sammons as Senior Warden, and Vernon W. Gunnels as Junior Warden.
The reason for the year’s delay was that in 1954 the lodge was meeting
in a room of the Daleville School, but by November 1955 had moved into the two
story building in Clayhatchee, now known as the Clayhatchee Community Building.
An interesting side note is that the first elected Junior Warden, Brother
Gunnels, is not listed as a Charter Member.
This land was donated by Brother Wesley O.
Mills, a Charter Member and Past Master, deeded to the trustees of the Lodge for
as long as the building was used for Masonic purposes at least once each year or
revert to the Mills estate. Ten
members each pledged $100.00 to construct the building.
At the first regular communication of Daleville Lodge 903 on November 20th,
1953, two petitions for the Mysteries of Freemasonry were received and referred
to investigating committees. On
acceptance of the favorable committee reports, it was decided to ask Newton
Lodge 224 to initiate these first two candidates.
In
December of 1953, a committee consisting of Brothers Sammons, Mills, and
Thompson was appointed and later submitted the first By-laws for approval of the
Lodge and submission to the Grand Lodge.
In addition to the $100.00 pledges for a lodge building from each of the
ten Charter Members, Brother Thomas E Dobbins of Marshall Lodge 209 at
Guntersville, Alabama, donated $50.00 to the building fund, and Brothers William
Yates and Charles Clinkingbeard of Mountain Home Lodge 225 donated material for
the aprons.
The committee appointed to investigate and recommend a building site
reported in February 1954, reported and recommended that the lodge join with
Clayhatchee Community in building on a site to be donated by Brother Wesley
Mills. The agreement to be that the ground floor was to be used as a community
activity center and the second floor for Lodge meetings.
In August of 1954, the Lodge voted to borrow $800.00 to pay outstanding
debts and purchase enough additional material to finish the building.
Shortly after, they also accepted a fee from Dale County of $150.00 for
the use of the ground floor as a polling place.
At the regular communication of April 5, 1957, the Secretary was ordered
to petition the Grand lodge to change from Daleville Lodge to Clayhatchee Lodge.
This was not approved.
Due to a fire in the Lodge in March 1959, the next two communications
were held at Newton Lodge 224, where two Brethren were Raised to the sublime
degree of Master Mason.
On August 3, 1968 Daleville Lodge presented its first 50-year pin to Past
Master James Austin.
The records and Minutes are not locally available prior to about 1974, so
that the history of Daleville Lodge 903 is rather sketchy for the first twenty
Years. Considerable research at the
archives of the Grand Lodge would be required to fill this large gap, which will
be done at some future time and a more complete and comprehensive history of
Masonry in Daleville be prepared.
Prepared
by Brother M.C. Himes