A History of High Knob Lodge #697 F&AM


Shepherdtown, Kentucky
Over One Hundred Years of Masonry

High Knob Lodge Homepage

1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 Text Version

John W. Mullins

October 21, 1896
John W. Mullins, Daniel S. Botkin and Marion Muncy traveled to Louisville to receive a charter for a new lodge at High Knob in Clay County to be known as High Knob Lodge Number 697, Free and Accepted Masons. Other charter members were: Green Amyx, John Botkin, Henry Botkin, Felix Estridge, Jacob Gabbard, Enoch Longsworth, Elihu McDaniel, Charles Robinson and David Turner.

The lodge met at One PM on the Saturday after the full moon.

Lodge dues were $2.00.

(Joseph Ponder and Leander Robinson were the first candidates to receive the Entered Apprentice Degree at High Knob.)

June 12, 1900
Funeral services were conducted for Rev. Marion Muncy. Rev. Muncy had served as Master in 1899.
September 12,1903
A committee consisting of Zachariah Jackson, Perry W. Welch and Charley Robinson was formed to consider selling the original building and choosing a site for a new hall.
February 6, 1904
A committee consisting of John H. Ward, Zachariah Jackson and Felix Eastridge was formed to select a site which was the cheapest and most convenient for the new lodge hall and to establish a line with Pond Fork Lodge #601.
March 5, 1904
Three sites for the new hall were listed. Site #1 would cost $12.50 and would begin at an oak bush above the road on top of the bank below the road on top of the bank below Elihu Eastridge running North 8 rods, thence east 5 rods, South 8 rods thence, to the beginning which contained one-fourth of an acre. Site #2 would cost $15.00 and Site #3 would cost $25.00. Site #1 was chosen.

A committee consisting of James Morris, Elihu W. McDaniel and John H. Ward was appointed to confer with Robert Clark Lodge #646 on jurisdiction.
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April 2, 1904
The lodge voted to reconsider the location of the new lodge hall. The new site was to begin on an oak above the Perry Welch place, running a strip 1/2 rod wide to the top of Hill in the Elihu Eastridge field to a 50 feet front and on 75 feet back, continuing in all about 1/8 of an acre. The asking price was $25.00.

The lodge voted to take off the top of the High Knob Hall and to take the mid flooring and framing from the mid joist at any time seen fit.

John B. Bond

July 2, 1904
A letter was received from O.D. Thomas, Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Kentucky granting the lodge their request to move their lodge hall about a mile in distance from their present location, seeing that Pond Fork lodge had agreed to the change in jurisdiction.

A committee was appointed to obtain a deed to the property purchased from Elihu Eastridge near the High Knob post office and to draw out from the treasure $25.00 to pay for the site.

The Building committee was empowered to receive bids on the hall to be built and have the power to accept the lowest bid and to reject any and all bids. Bids must include how much the bidder shall furnish and how much the lodge must furnish, such as windows and lumber. The committee consisted of: Elihu McDaniel, John B. Bond, James H. Forman, John H. Ward, and Perry W. Welch.

July 30, 1904
The building committee reported they had let the bid on the lodge hall to Eli Baker at the cost of $134.00. The work was to commence on August 1, 1904 and to be completed August 26, 1904. The lodge voted to draw $25.00 from the treasury to make a down payment to Mr. Baker and empowered the committee to borrow what was needed to finish the building.

James H. Forman was appointed to haul the furniture to the High Knob Post Office.

The Master ordered the lodge to meet at the new lodge hall at the next stated meeting, August 27, 1904.
August 27, 1904
The first meeting was held in the High Knob Hall in Jackson County. Lodge was opened at 2:30 PM. The building committee was to draw from the treasurer $25.00 to pay on the hall and again was to draw $49.18 to pay on the hall and borrowed from Miss Eauline Bond $62.32.

The secretary was ordered to borrow enough money to pay for Grand lodge dues should enough not be collected in time.
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October 1, 1904
The lodge voted to allow the Master, John W. Mullins, to return the seal of the lodge to the Grand Lodge and to have the seal changed to reflect the new location of the Lodge Hall.
October 20, 1904
The lodge ordered Brother Stephen McQueen to buy and install a stove. The lodge paid 75 cents to John W. Mullins for the lodge seal.
September 16, 1905
The lodge voted to buy oil and four wall forms and have the hall roof painted. Perry W. Welch, J.S. Rains and John B. Bond were appointed to the committee.
October 14, 1905
The building committee voted that Brother Alex Steel was to be paid one dollar per day to paint hall and the roof. A motion was made by John H. Ward and seconded by J.S. Rains to have Brother Steel buy white lead and blue paint. (He was paid $2.00 at the next meeting.)

The lodge voted to draw $4.75 from the treasury to buy wall lamps and lamp oil. Brother Perry W. Welch was ordered to buy a stove and have it installed by the next meeting and to take the money from the treasury.
December 19, 1905
The lodge ordered Brother Perry W. Welch to furnish five bushels of coal for the stove.
July 7, 1906
A petition was received to vote on a new lodge to be established at Caution in Clay County, Kentucky. The lodge voted against the right to establish a new lodge.
August 11, 1906
A petition was received to vote on a new lodge to be established at Manchester in Clay County, Kentucky. The lodge voted against the right to establish a new lodge. A petition was also received to reconsider the new lodge at Caution. The lodge voted not to reconsider.
September 8, 1906
A petition was received to reconsider the vote on the new lodge at Manchester. This time the lodge voted to give the right to establish the new lodge. A petition was received to reconsider the vote on the new lodge at Caution. The lodge voted to not reconsider.

The lodge voted to pay 50 cents to Miss Marian Welch for refreshments of pies and cakes.
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October 6, 1906
The lodge voted to have Perry W. Welch to put up stove, polish it and furnish three joints of pipe and then present a bill to the lodge. He was to investigate the price of carpet and spittoons.

The lodge voted to allow the new lodge at Caution to be established if it was also approved by Manchester, Robert Clark and Oneida lodges and that action would be taken on the Manchester lodge first by the Grand Lodge.
November 3, 1906
The lodge voted to provide money to buy building paper and wall paper and carpet and spittoons to furnish the hall. A committee consisting of Brother Perry W. Welch, Brother John B. Bond and Brother John W. Mullins was formed to investigate best prices and report at the next meeting.
December 1, 1906
A claim was allowed to draw from treasury $14.24 for wall paper and carpet, paper and hauling. Brother Issac Langdon was paid $4.00 for being Tyler at 8 meetings and $1.00 for washing aprons. Secretary, James H. Forman, was paid $13.68 for 12 meetings and 68 cents in stamps.
January 5, 1907
The petition fee was $10.00, the Entered Apprentice fee was $5.00, the Fellowcraft fee was $5.00 and the Master Mason fee was $5.00.

A motion was made and passed that John B. Bond and Enoch Longworth put on the sheeting and wall paper, put the carpet down and put up the stove and say what their time is worth.
February 2, 1907
The lodge voted to pay John B. Bond and Enoch Longsworth $4.50 each for the work on the hall. Perry W. Welch was ordered to have 18 aprons made and he was paid $1.50 for refreshments.
March 2, 1907
Perry W. Welch was paid $1.85 for 18 aprons. The lodge ordered that Mckee Lodge #144 could confer the Master Mason Degree on Brother William Murry at his request.
March 30, 1907
The lodge voted to pay John B. Bond $1.00 for 18 spittoons and that the lodge let him have 3 1/2 yards of carpet and that would settle the account in full.
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August 24, 1907
The lodge paid Grand Lodge Dues which were $99.00.
May 16, 1908
The lodge voted to have a celebration June 24, 1908 and for Secretary, James Forman, to cordially invite in writing the sister lodges: Pond Fork #601, Robert Clark #646, Pleasant Hill #535, Caution U.D., Manchester #794, William McKinley #793, McKee #144 and Oneida #736.
June 5, 1909
A committee from High Knob Lodge #205 Knights of Pythagoras asked the Masonic lodge to make them an offer for one-half interest in the Masonic Hall. The lodge voted to sell one-half interest to the Knights of Pythagoras for $175.00. The Secretary was ordered to pay the recording fee for the deed.
August 7, 1909
A motion was made to increase the amount of dues per member for the maintenance of the old Masons Home by twenty-five cents. Ten voted against and two voted for the increase.

The lodge voted to recommend a lodge at Fogertown.
September 4, 1909
The lodge ordered the Secretary to write the Grand Master that the action of this lodge in recommending a lodge at Fogertown was illegal and tell him to withhold dispensation for said lodge until this lodge could take legal action in the matter.

The lodge voted to buy four dozen parade and funeral badges and four dozen white gloves. The lodge voted to have 200 copies of the by-laws printed.

1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 Text Version
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