History of Suthers Lodge No. 259, A.F. & A.M met under dispensation from Most Worshipful Grand Master of Virginia Masons dated January 30, 1894. Met on February 1, 1894. Present were the following: Thomas W. Coman, Worshipful Master Interim; Harry Bell McColgan, Senior Warden; A. F. Litts, Junior Warden; William M. Jenkins, Secretary; W. H. Suther, District Deputy Grand Master as Tiler. Lodge was closed in ancient form. Lodge met again on February 5, 1894. Committee was appointed to procure a stove and furniture. Ten dollars was received from E. W. Miller accompanied with application for membership. He was a lumberman laid over one month. Masons lodge was dispensed. T.W. Coman, Worshipful Master; S. H. Dooley, Secretary. The lodge continued to meet and accept members until December 6, 1894. at that meeting, T.W. Coman made a motion to name H. B. McColgan Worshipful Master on the Charter. The charter was received on December 21, 1894. suthers Lodge was duly constituted as Suthers Lodge. New officers were elected: H. B. McColgan, Worshipful Master, A. F. Litts, Senior Warden; J.M. Wampler, Treasurer; Thomas Coman, Secretary; George W. Fitzer, Senior Deacon; William M. Adams, Junior Deacon; W. J. Strickler, Chaplain; M. L. Stallard, Steward; E. H. Oulds, Steward; S. H. Dooley, Tiler. The members were composed of all kinds of trades - railroad officials, real estate, merchants, lawyers, and doctors. They met in the building named Rohr Building, Lot 7, Block 8 for $3.00 a month. They met on the third story. From there they moved to a building on 7th street on the third floor which later burned. It was called the C. W. Reese Building. Suthers Lodge bought a lot in Highland Cemetery for members to buried if they were unable to buy a lot. The corner stone of the Methodist Church was laid by Suthers Lodge on September 21, 1899. The corner stone of the Presbyterian Church was laid May 14, 1906. the corner stone of the Norton U. S. Post Office was laid in September 1916 by Suthers Lodge 259 and Cyrene Commandery # 21. from time to time donations were made to widows of deceased brethren. Lodge dues were paid by the lodge for disabled members who could not pay. Donations were made to the Masonic Home on occasion when the lodge was financially able. Later they sponsored children and widows of members to the Masonic Home. The writer of this history knew most of the old timers. I was here in 1918 while most of them were living. They were real Masons. Suthers Lodge was named for W. H. Suthers who helped as District Deputy Grand Master. He was not a member of the Suthers Lodge. He was a member of the Big Stone Gap Lodge. Our lodge sent his wife, who lived in Oklahoma at the time of his death, a resolution praising him as a dedicated Mason and Church man and that we were glad our lodge was named Suthers Lodge. A lot of our minute books were destroyed by fire and some lost in the different moves to other buildings. Suthers lodge finally was able to contract for a building in 1959. our present temple was dedicated and paid for 20 years later. Then we got in debt again for a new roof which cost almost as much as the building originally cost due to rising cost of materials and labor. The eastern star has helped on this debt, but we are still in debt. There are many things I could write in detail but limited to two pages, many things have to be left unsaid.

JOE FISCHER
August 9, 1988