“M’town Blue Lodge Has Centennial Celebration”
The 100th anniversary of Morristown Lodge No. 231, F & AM, will be observed this evening in a special ceremony at the Morris-town High School auditorium. A historical sketch of the founding of the Lodge, one of the oldest in the state, will be a feature or the program which begins at 7:30 p.m. The Blue Lodge of Masons was organized in Morristown in October of 1853. Around 1900 the Lodge bought the property situated on the northeast side of the Main and Henry Street corner. A building was erected by the late Judge J.G. Rose, and was occupied by the old Lookout Bank, and later the Morristown Bank & Trust Co. In 1926 this building was remodeled into the present modern structure occupied by the Hamilton National Bank.
The Blue Lodge has its meeting room on the second floor of the original building and now meets on the third and fourth floors of the Hamilton National Bank. The Lodge sold the building to the
bank in 1941.
There are now 425 members of the Blue Lodge. Officers are W.W. Steed, Worshipful Master; Leonard R. Smith, Senior Warden; W.W. McDowell, Junior Warden; B.W. Snyder, Senior Deacon; Melbourne Green, Jr., Junior Deacon; W.H. Gregory, Treasurer; Hugh G. Miller, Secretary; E.M. Northern, Senior Steward; W.E. Horton, Junior Steward; and O.T. Smith, Tyler.
At this evening’s meeting, two of the members will be presented with fifty year certificates: W.S. Murphey and Harry Stetzer. There are already three fifty-year members in the Lodge: W.H. Branton, E.M. Grant and John F. Sullenberger. Honored guest tonight will be Clyde H. Wilson of Knoxville, Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Tennessee. Coy Purkey of the Morristown Lodge will serve as Master of Ceremonies.
The public is invited to attend the historic celebration, and all Master Masons and their wives are expected to be present.
