We hardly deem
it advisable to
undertake to comment
individually on these
early Masons at Biloxi,
but to one familiar with
land titles in this city
and familiar with the
establishment of the
early families here the
list at once impresses
him that who early took
up the work of MAGNOLIA
LODGE were land owners
and builders of Biloxi.
THE FIRST DECADE
Unfortunately
the early history of the
Lodge, so far as
reflected by minutes, is
forever lost due to
fires which destroyed
the records. We have
even been unable to find
the first meeting place
of the Lodge. Therefore,
we must content
ourselves with that
evidence we can glean
from the bare returns
made to the Grand Lodge
of the State of
Mississippi each year,
and it resolves itself
largely into the meaning
of names in the history
of Biloxi. The
membership increased
from its 22 at the end
of the first year to 61
in the year 1860. On the
roster of the year 1861,
we find names who were
truly patriarchs of
Biloxi. Among them we
find Desportes, Balius,
Elder, Lundry, Haven
Krohn, Meaut, Quave,
Ramsey, Reeves
Seemore,Scarborough,Bradford,Taylor,
and others. These
families were prominent
in the early development
of both , the city of
Biloxi, and Harrison
County.
CIVIL WAR
PERIOD
The meager reports for
the war period show that
from 1860 to 1866 the
membership of the Lodge
dropped from 61 members,
down to 25, and the
return shows three blank
spaces in the list of
officers for the Lodge
that year, thus giving
mute testimony of the
disintegrating influence
of that tragic period of
the war between the
States and showing
without question that
the Masons as citizens
took their share of the
burden and suffered
their share of the
consequences. The list
of Biloxi Masons lost in
that war unfortunately
in not available to us.
We feel that quotation
at this point from the
Grand Master, W. S.
Patton’s address in 1966
will convey a true
picture of the status of
masonry as a whole in
the State at that time
and Biloxi appears to
have been an average
lodge, we think it is
the best evidence of the
frame of mind, the
courage and
determination of the
members of this Lodge at
that period:
"The scenes of
the struggle can never
be erased from the
memory of those who
witnessed them.
The grief of the
widow and orphans,
parents and friends, the
towns and homes laid in
ruins, the blighted
prospects of so many
thousands reduced from
affluence to poverty,
the desolate fields, and
above all the many
helpless women and
children made homeless,
and thrown upon the
charity of a cold
unthinking world.
The age in which
we live has great reason
to expect much from us,
and it is our duty as
Mason to use all means
in our power in allaying
all sectional strife,
and to bring about that
peace and harmony
characteristic of our
order which promotes
brotherly love and
charity to all men.
----"
THE DARKEST DAYS
By the year 1875
the membership had
climbed back to 36 in
number and the list of
officers of the Lodge at
the time certainly shows
that the Lodge was then
back on a sound footing.
The officers that year
were men who were
outstanding in the
growth of the City of
Biloxi from the Civil
War period up to the
turn of the century.
We still have no
record, however, of the
detailed activity of the
Lodge during this
period. Old timers say
that about the year 1887
the Lodge apparently
reached a rather low ebb
and the withdrawal of
the charter was
threatened. The newly
elected Master of the
Lodge, Lyman Holley
along with Louis Holley,
John Hahn, John
Morrison, Dr. Pelez,
Caleb Burton, John
Bradford and possibly a
few others got together
and made a determined
stand to turn the tide.
Dr. Perez and Caleb
Burton went around with
a lantern and got
several members out of
bed and finally got a
quorum together. They
acted on the
applications of several
masons who had moved
into the community,
among whom were W. A.
White. Among the local
men initiated about that
time were Lopez, Dukate,
Meaut, G. Edward Park
and others. This seemed
to be a turning point
that brought the Lodge
from its lowest ebb in
its entire history.
These men all became
active Masons and meant
a great deal to the
growth of the Lodge.
THE FIRST LODGE
HALL BUILT
Soon after
receiving its Charter
the Lodge undertook to
secure a permanent home,
and on April 12, 1851,
Gaspard Didier deeded to
Masons of the Magnolia
Lodge of the State of
Mississippi, acting
through their principal
officers, Henry
Cleveland, Worshipful
Master; Daniel Goos,
Senior Warden; John
Henley, Junior Warden;
Louis Pradat, Secretary,
and John Pradat,
Treasurer, a parcel of
land in Biloxi,
seventy-six feet front
on Washington Street,
eighty feet front on
Main Street, bounded
South by Washington
Street and West by Main
Street. The deed is
recorded in Book 5 at
page 513 of the deed
records of Harrison
County. A few years
later, with the aid of a
loan from Benjamin
Holley on May 2, 1854,
they erected a frame,
two story building,
which served as their
home until they sold on
February 27, 1889. It
later was torn down and
the Methodist Church was
erected there about 1908
and served as the home
of that congregation
until 1948. It is now a
furniture store.
BUILDING PRESENT
TEMPLE
About 1905 the
membership, with the
experience of the
several fires behind
them and the
inconvenience of moving
about, determined to
erect a permanent home.
For several years they
had talked about
building. Finally they
appointed a committee to
select a lot or site. T.
H. Gleason and Buck
Chinn were chosen from
the Lodge they select
the lot or site and then
to report. The committee
reported that three lots
were available. One was
the lot on Lameuse
Street where the Elks
Club now stands. The
other was a vacant lot
at the northeast corner
of Fayard and Howard
Avenue, and the third
was the site of the
present building, They
selected the present
site at Main and Howard
Avenue. At that time it
had a small bakery on
the lot which brought
$10.00 rent per month
and the Lodge went along
several years with that
little rental and such
money as it could get
from the members in dues
and finally paid for the
lot.
Finally at one
meeting Brother McIntyre
said, "What’s the use to
keep talking, let’s
build." The suggestion
met with a determined
response from the
membership. They decided
to erect a building for
about $17,000.00. They
got the bonds, most of
them being subscribed,
and bids were asked. But
the best bid by contract
obtainable for the
completion of the walls
and roof and the Lodge
room was $23,000.00. The
other bids were much
higher. They finally
decided to build the
building with the
cooperation of the
members and the use of
labor by the day. They
appointed a building
committee, consisting of
Lyman Bradford, L. R.
Bowen, W. K. M. Dukate
and William Gorenflo. T.
H. Gleason was appointed
chairman and to
supervise the
construction.
Giles Harkness,
a member of the Lodge,
who at the time was
engaged in building work
and handled the
construction, suggested
that, regardless of what
else was done, a good
foundation should be
laid. So approximately
$5,000.00 of the money
was spent on the
foundation of the
Building. It is deep and
wide and permanent.
Getting the bonds
subscribed and getting
them paid for were two
different things, so the
work progressed as they
were able to get cash
for the bonds from the
members and others who
had subscribed for them.
With constant effort,
however, they were able
to progress at quite
regular working time. A
day to day progress
report on the building
in handwriting of Bro.
Gleason is in the
possession of the Lodge
and is an interesting
commentary on the
building problems.
Two years were
consumed in the
construction of the
building, many members
of the Lodge giving
liberally of their time,
as well as their means,
in order to complete it.
GRAND LODGE LAYS
CORNER STONE
The corner stone
was laid on June 24 1911
with an elaborate
ceremony by J.S. Brooks,
Grand Master, and J.W.
Hicks, Grand Lecturer,
and members of the Lodge
serving as proteam grand
officers.
The news item
carried in the Biloxi
Herald gives the full
account: -
"The cornerstone
of the Masonic Temple,
which is to be erected
at the corner of Main
Street and Howard
Avenue, which was laid
Saturday when the
Mississippi Grand Lodge
convened here, with
Grand Master Dr. S.
Brooks, of Lola,
Mississippi, as Master
of Ceremonies with the
following acting members
of the Grand Lodge:
"H.T. Howard,
Deputy Grand Master;
L.R. Bowen, Senior
Warden; W.G. Grayson,
Junior Warden; J.L.
Jondan, Chaplain, J.W.
Hicks, Grand Lecturer;
H.J. Meaut, Grand
Secretary; William
Gorenflo, Grand
Treasurer; E.L. Suter,
Senior Deacon; O.G.
Swetman, S.D.;
J.C.Tyler, J.D.; Joseph
W. Ott, J.D.; S.E. Cowan
and W.W. Syfan,
Stewards; General S. W.
Ferguson, Grand Marshal;
P. Yurgensen, Grand
Sword Bearer; G.A.
Harkness, Grand
Architect; F. Colmer,
Bearer of the Holy
Writings; W. K. M.
Dukate, Bearer of the
Book of Constitution;
George W. O’neal. Bearer
of Oil; Fred Dorhauer,
Bearer of Wine; J.J.
Lemon, Bearer of Corn;
W.W. Robeson, Bearer of
Salt, H.V. Lizana,
Tyler.
"Dr. J.S. Brooks
was introduced by
General S. W. Ferguson.
After a prayer by Rev.
J.L Jordan, the Biloxi
Herald Band, which
furnished music for the
occasion, played "Nearer
My God To Thee,"and this
was followed by a song
"How Firm a Foundation."
"The following
data and documents were
placed in the
cornerstone:
The scriptures;
a list of the officers
for the current year; a
list of the names of
those comprising the
acting grand lodge; roll
of building Lodge; roll
of Coast Commandery No.
19, Knights Templar;
roll of Biloxi Chapter,
of Alexander council,
and the order of the
Eastern Star; a list of
the deputy grand
masters; a copy of the
Biloxi Herald and copy
of the Biloxi
Advertiser; a coin of
the realm. The trowel
was then presented to
Dr. Brooks, the Grand
Master. The symbolical
ceremony attending the
placing of the corn,
wine, oil and salt on
the cornerstone was gone
through. The corn
representing
nourishment; the oil,
joy; the wine,
refreshment; and the
salt, consecration.
"The implements
of the craft were then
placed in the hands of
the acting architect,
G.A. Harkness, after
which Judge T. H.
Gleason, who is
Worshipful Master, spoke
on Masonry, telling in
beautiful language of
its lofty aims, its
idealistic purposes and
its good
works.------------
" General
S. W. Ferguson spoke
briefly on the purpose
and work of Masonry.
"There followed
then a magnificent
banquet in the building
opposite, which was
thrown open for the
occasion. A tempting
array of the choicest
viands had been prepared
by the ladies of the
Order of the Eastern
Star and the local and
visiting Masons were
soon enjoying the
bounteous repast which
had been prepared for
them by the ladies and
many were the words of
praise spoken thereof.
Besides the Grand
Master, Dr. Brooks,
there were a number of
visiting Masons from
Coast and other points."
THE TEMPLE
COMPLETED
Like all who
labor long and well at a
commendable task, their
thought and energy are
put into the job to be
done and no thought is
giving to the reward.
The effort was so great
and the sacrifice of the
membership was such in
building that when the
job was actually done
they did not even give
it enough thought to
note on the minutes the
actual date of moving
into to the new
building. It was early
in the year 1913
however, for it is noted
that at the November 4,
1912 meeting Bro.
Gleason, chairman of the
Temple Committee
reported that the first
and Lodge Room were near
completion, and on the
first floor two of the
stores were rented. He
reported again at the
December meeting that he
had paid out to date the
sum of $13,364.20 and
had sold $17,000 worth
of bonds and thought the
committee would be about
$1200 short.
But at the
February 1913 meeting we
find the glorious note
that the Worshipful
Master, O.G. Swetman,
desired to have the
"Builder of our
Temple"give a talk on
the subject of the
Temple and requested
Bro. Bowen to present
the builder Bro. Gleason
to the East, where he
was met by Brother H.T.
Howard, Past Grand
Master, who with a few
well chosen words
presented Brother
Gleason with a handsome
watch from the members
of Magnolia Lodge. Bro.
Gleason responded and
expressed his
appreciation of the
confidence and esteem
and the token from the
members of Magnolia
Lodge.
So they were
finally in the Temple,
with the first and third
floors completed, but
with the second floor
only roughly partitioned
into three rooms and
hall. The third floor as
then constituted had two
lodge rooms, kitchen,
dining hall and
reception rooms.
FURNITURE OF THE
LODGE
The Officers
stations and other
furniture of the Lodge
has an interesting
history in that they
were not purchased from
Paraphernalia House but
were wrought in the City
of Biloxi, as individual
creative work by Brother
T.J. Rossell a skilled
crasftmen engaged in the
woodworking business.
The officers
pillars, the altar, and
the brazen pillars were
all built by him an
1902, soon after the
last fire, and have been
in continues use by the
Lodge since that time.
Brother Joe Dowling who
was employed by Rossel
at the time personally
assisted in their
construction.
Their original
staining and bronzing
were done by Brother Ed.
Suter, one of the most
skilled men in that line
that Biloxi has ever
produced.
The Brazen
Pillars are especially
beautiful, and we
believe them to be the
most ornate and
attractive of many in
the state.
The five matched
officers chairs were
also produced in 1902
through Brother J.C.
Clower, who was engaged
in the furniture
business at Biloxi.
INTEREST IN
SCHOOLS - CORNERSTONES
LAID
A most
significant event in the
life and growth of any
city is the provision of
schools and plans for
the education of its
citizenship. Magnolia
Lodge was able to
participate in this
notable event in the
City of Biloxi in 1898,
in a most dramatic way,
when William Gorenflo,
W.K.M. Dukate, Laz
Lopez, and Harry Howard,
leading citizens of the
city at that time, and
active members of the
Masonic Lodge, Harry T.
Howard being the then
Master, donated three
public schools to the
City. A resolution of
the City Council invited
Magnolia Lodge, and the
Grand Lodge of
Mississippi to lay the
cornerstones of these
buildings, and the
invitation was accepted.
The following
day December 7, 1898 the
Biloxi Daily Herald
carried a fine account
of the occasion, and we
are indebted to Mr.
Eugene P. Wilkes, its
present publisher, for
the permeation to use
it. The story follows:
Yesterday was a
day that should be
long-lived in memory of
Biloxi and its people,
for it marked a certain
progress in the
educational advancement
of the city. With all
the impressiveness of
the mysterious Masonic
ceremony the
cornerstones of the new
school buildings were
laid, and a completeness
of a rapid stride in the
progress of the city was
known. To an unthinking
or simply curious
person, the day and the
ceremonies were not up
to standard of circus
parade, but to those
looking forward to a
realization of the
material advancement of
the community, they were
fraught with meaning,
for it demonstrated with
unwavering certainty,
two things, that our
people are in earnest in
their interest in and
desire for the proper
education of their
children, and that there
are generous, public
spirited citizens, who
are willing to go give
of their bounty, in a
way that means
something, and something
that forces itself into
the prosperity and means
something, and something
that forces itself into
the prosperity and
substantial growth, not
only of the community
and State, but to the
welfare and continuity
of the Nation. Grand
Master Ex. Gov. J.M.
Stone, who was to
conduct the ceremonies
did not arrive until
10:45 morning train, and
for this reason there
was a delay in the
commencement of the
exercise, but start was
made about 12 o’clock
and the procession,
consisting of all the
pupils of the public
schools in line with
their teachers, and each
grade marked by a
beautiful banner, began
the march to the West
End School. The line of
march was out Howard
Avenue, and the sight of
quite 500 children from
girls and boys almost
grown in physical
development down to the
lisping tots, to whom a
complete knowledge of
the alphabet and numbers
was a wonderful
achievement, was
inspiring -not the
stirring of blood, like
the tramp of conquering
armies, with flying
banners and rolling
drums, but an appeal to
the gentleness and
Christian part of the
beings, that temper and
subdue the innate
savagery that sometimes
seizes hold of us and
runs riot - that
inspiration that
sanctifies and builds up
the altar of home, and
influences us to show
the best of our being.
The West End
school building is a
beautiful modern
structure, complete in
every detail, both as to
architectural design and
continuous usefulness.
This building was given
by Mr. and Mrs. L.
Lopez, and even when it
has served its purpose
and crumbled into dust
of ages it will be an
ever living monument to
one on Biloxi’s best
citizens and his noble
wife.
From West End
the procession moved on
to Back Bay, where is a
structure that will be a
mark maker in the life
of every child who lives
to pass from careless
childhood to the
responsibilities of age,
and no child who crosses
the threshold of that
building will forget the
names of the noble men
who, without price, gave
to them the schoolhouse
that memory will ever
keep in form - WM.
Gorenflo and W.K.M.
Dukate.
From Back Bay
the march back to the
Howard building was
short, but none of the
interest had been lost.
This building was the
gift of H.T. Howard, who
has always responded,
and generously and
often, without the
asking to the needs of
Biloxi, and wherever it
may be, there is no city
that has been more
thought of or more
profusely donated to
than has Biloxi, and the
name Harry Howard, as he
is lovingly called,
should be transmitted
from generation to
generation as one of
Biloxi’s most faithful
friends and noble
citizens. This school
building is beautifully
and centrally located,
and is constructed to
meet every demand for
comfort and convenience.
After this
cornerstone had been
laid, the ceremonies
were concluded, and
marching to their hall,
the Masons, who had
conducted the
ceremonies, disbanded.
Ex. Gov. Stone was
accompanied by Hon. J.L.
Power, the grand
secretary of the Masons.
The day was beautiful
and the ceremony was in
every respect imposing,
instructive and
appreciated. All went
well and work was good.
GRAND MASTER
MAKES MASON AT SIGHT
This incident of
unusual interest
occurred as recalled
personally by Brother
L.R. Bowen who related
it at the 90th
anniversary meeting. In
the year 1898 a number
of the officers of the
Grand Lodge were here in
Biloxi for a Masonic
occasion and the local
committee, as part of
the entertainment,
tendered the visitors a
boat ride to Ship
Island. The boat, Julius
Elbert, was furnished by
Brother L. Lopez, and
the visitors and host
boarded the boat with
picnic lunch and went to
Ship Island. The harbor
at time was filled with
a number of ships
engaged in transporting
lumber. The numerous
sail boats were an
interesting sight but
the large ocean steamers
were unusual to the
visitors, for many of
them had not had
opportunities to see
them. Brother Bowen, a
licensed pilot, was
acquainted with the
captains of the boats
and obtained permission
from Capt. George
Maddrell of a steamer
from Liverpool to let
the visitors go on the
boat and inspect it.
The opportunity
to thus invite the
Masons aboard seemed to
furnish Maddrell a great
deal of pleasure and he
greeted the Grand
Master, as he boarded
the boat, saying,
"Gentleman, you are
welcome to the ship. I
am sorry I cannot greet
you as brothers. It is
my misfortune, but not
my fault." He then
showed the visitors over
the boat, invited them
to his own cabin and
extended them every
courtesy. After they had
completed the round and
spent a pleasant half
hour or more on the
ship, brother Spinks,
the Grand Master, turned
to Captain Maddrell and
remarked, "Did I
understand you to say
that your not being able
to greet us as brothers
was your misfortune, but
not your fault?"
He replied,
"yes, I was reared in
England and early became
a seafaring man and
obtained my license when
I was barely twenty-one
and have had charge of
ships since that time
and have not been in
port at any time long
enough to make
application."
Brother Spinks
replied, "I will accept
that as an application,"
the mate on the vessel
was a Mason and close
acquaintance of the
Captain for a long time
and furnished
satisfactory evidence
concerning him.
Immediately a Master
Mason lodge was arranged
in the cabin, proper
lights and working tools
being readily accessible
on the ship and the
Entered Apprentice and
Fellow Craft degrees
were conferred during
the forenoon and the
Master Mason degree in
the afternoon. Capt.
Maddrell was so elated
at his opportunity to
become a Mason that he
come into Biloxi that
night with the party and
made application for
membership and due
course his name was
enrolled as a Mason of
Magnolia Lodge. Capt.
Bowen told that he had
cards from many ports of
the world. Thus it is
seen by this incident
that Magnolia Lodge has
had a traveling member
going to the far corners
of the earth.
This event is
officially recorded in
the address of Grand
Master J. L. Spinks at
1896 convocation of the
Grand Lodge.
MAGNOLIA LODGE
TO HOST MEETINGS OF
GRAND LODGE OF
MISSISSIPPI
1897- The
seventy-ninth Annual
Communication of the
Grand Lodge of
Mississippi was held in
the City Hall at Biloxi,
on Thursday, February
11th, A.D. 1897. It was
called to order at 11
a.m. with M.W. Grand
Master James F. McCol
presiding. The
proceedings of that year
reveal that a pleasant
and harmonious session
was held. A paragraph
from the Grand Master’s
address to the meeting
is interesting: "The
thanks are due the
Brethren of Biloxi for
their hospitality to the
Grand Lodge. This is the
Oldest town in the State
built up by white
people. This town was
regarded as the El
Dorado of the Western
Hemisphere at the time,
a golden region supposed
to surpass all others in
the richness of its
varied productions. Here
was the first
fortification erected by
the French on the soil
of Mississippi, and
being the seat of
Colonial Government, the
seat of French power and
sovereignty in the
state, as represented by
Royal Governors and
Viceregents, through
whom the King of France
spoke to his subjects in
this far-a-way quarter
of the world."
1903 - The Grand
Lodge came to Biloxi,
again on Feb. 19, 1903,
and held its
eighty-fifth
Communication.
Magnolia’s own members
Harry T. Howard
concluded his year as
Grand Master at that
meeting, and in his
address expressed his
great pleasure in having
the session in his home
town. His detailed
report for the year
showed he had been very
active during the year,
traveling 8,059 miles in
visiting Subordinate
Lodges, laying
cornerstones and
dedicating Masonic
Temples in Mississippi.
He relates with pleasure
his official visit to
his home Lodge Magnolia
120, and his installing
Bro. L.R. Bowen as Grand
Marshall of the Grand
Lodge. We note that Bro.
E.J. Bowers, a prominent
coast attorney, who
later served a long and
distinguished term in
Congress from this
District, was a member
of his Law Committee.
Evidently fearful of a
shortage of
accommodations Bro.
Howard, in his address
thanked Brother Niles,
the then Federal Judge,
for postponing the
February term of the
Federal Court in Biloxi
until the week following
the Grand Lodge Meeting.
He also mentions the
assistance of Bro. J.H.
Neville in the matter.
At the close of the
meeting the following
resolution was
unanimously adopted by a
rising vote: "Resolved
that the officers and
members of this Grand
Lodge present their
grateful acknowledgments
to our retiring Grand
Master Harry T. Howard,
the members of Magnolia
Lodge, and the citizens
of Biloxi generally, for
the kindness, courtesy
and generous hospitality
extended to us during
the entire session of
this very pleasant Grand
Communication. That the
thanks of the Grand
Lodge be and are hereby
extended our most
obliging and liberal
Brother Dukate, for the
use of his splendid
Theater Building as a
place of meeting during
our stay in this pretty
little sea coast city.
And that the thanks of
this Grand Lodge be and
are hereby tendered Most
Worshipful Grand Master
Harry T. Howard, for the
amiable, efficient and
impartial manner in
which he has conducted
the duties of his high
office during the past
year."
The officers of
Magnolia Lodge at the
time of this meeting
were:
L.R. Bowen,
Master; J.C. Bradford,
S. Warden; G.W. Grayson,
J. Warden; T.P. Dulion,
Treasurer; H.J. Meaut,
Secretary; and R.B.
Harrison, Tyler.
The Dukate
Theater was at the
present site of the
First Bank of Biloxi.
