History of Diamond Lodge No. 83
The First 80 Years (1891 through 1971)
On a petition dated 2 November 1891 and on the recommendation of St. Andrews Lodge No. 35 of Renton, Washington dated 31 October 1891, Grand Master Thomas Amos granted on 16 November 1891, a dispensation to Hugh Evans, John M. Phillips, Alexander Turnbull, William T. Jones, John Hamilton, Charles Peacock, Emilien Pommell, George F. Jones, Thomas Tonkin, David Webber and R. A. Langford to open Lodge at Black Diamond, under the name of Diamond Lodge, appointing Hugh Evans, Worshipful Master, J. M. Phillips, Senior Warden, and Alexander Turnbull, Junior Warden.
The first meeting of Diamond Lodge, U. D. was held on 28 November 1891 at which time W\ Hugh Evans appointed David Webber, Treasurer, R. A. Langford, Secretary, Lewis Whitfield, Senior Deacon, Thomas Tonkin, Junior Deacon, George F. Jones, Senior Steward, Peter Hanson, Junior Steward, John Hamilton, Marshal, and William T. Jones, Tyler.
The second Saturday of each month was chosen for stated meetings. The first applications for membership were read at the 12 December 1891 meeting. There were four applications for the degrees and four for affiliation. A committee was appointed to draw up By-Laws. The initiation fee was $50. Dues were $6.00 annually, $3.00 semiannually, or $1.50 quarterly. The first degree work was conferred on 15 January 1892, an Entered Apprentice degree on Mr. Thomas R. Davies.
Chartered on 15 June 1892, Diamond Lodge No. 83 was dedicated and consecrated by the Officers of the Grand Lodge of Washington on 16 July 1892 and the Officers who had served during the dispensation were regularly installed into the same stations and places.
The first Masonic Funeral Services were those of Brother John D. Hamilton on 13 February 1894.
Early in 1893 requests were made by the Foresters, Knights of Phthias, and Odd Fellows for rental of our Lodge facilities. This was followed by like requests from other institutions until there were 10 or 11 organizations in addition to Diamond Lodge meeting in the Hall. This blanketed most of the days of the month. Special meetings to confer the degrees were frequent. While it seems that income should have provided some permanent surplus, rentals were at such low rates that most of the time the cash on hand after payment of bills was less than $100.
After 10 years of illumination of the Hall by oil lamps, an installation of carbide gas lights was made in November 1901. One thousand pounds of carbide every four months cost $50 and freight charges of almost $6.
In 1903 it became apparent that the upkeep of the Hall amounted to more than the revenue. An audit revealed a loss of $187.81 in the 18 months from 9 November 1901 to 9 May 1903. To compensate for this, it was decided that the Lodge discontinue the hiring of a janitor. Banquets at the expense of the Lodge were also discontinued, except for the annual Installation of Officers. Member of Diamond Lodge No. 83 planned to do the janitorial work. Apparently, our members were not sufficiently adept at janitorial work, so the ladies of Laurel Chapter No. 47, Order of Eastern Star, stepped in and gave the Hall a thorough cleaning. This, by the way, is only one of the many instances of assistance rendered by them, not only cleaning and adorning the Hall, but financially, for most of the years of our existence, the latest being a big investment in the covering of the floor and the comfortable seats which surround it. Janitor service was reestablished on 11 March 1904.
The foundation for the new Temple was laid in 1903, and it was occupied in 1904. In December 1906, electric lights were installed in the upper halls, the lower hall equipped with carbide lights. Electric lights were charged on the basis of 50¢ per drop per month. The amount to start was $7.00 and increased as more lights were added, until in 1934 it was $15.00 per month. Negotiations brought a great reduction in this costs by installing a meter.
In the 1950's the problem of insufficient income from occupants again arose and when rental increases were announced, all but Eastern Star and Diamond Lodge moved. The Laurel Assembly of Rainbow for Girls was organized in 1956 and became a most welcome addition to the Temple.
Worshipful Brother Harry English was installed as Master for 1954, closed Lodge after refreshments, and before the next meeting was the victim of a slide in the Landsburg Coal Mine. Past Master Harry Armstrong also met a tragic death on 1 August 1959 when his home burned to the ground.
The panels on the South Wall display pictures of all Past Masters from 1892 to date. (These panels are now located on the North Wall) This project was started by Past Master Ralph K Sims (Master in 1949) and we are indebted to him for the filling of Panel No. 1 with pictures of the Past Masters who pioneered our Lodge.
Diamond Lodge has been especially fortunate in the election of Secretaries for the first 81 years of its existence, only four Secretaries through 1971. Brother D. B. Davies (February 1895 through 1906), Worshipful Brother D. K. Porter (who not only served as Master in 1911, 1921, and 1922, but also 35 years as Secretary), Brother Ira S Sweeney served as Secretary for 16 years, and in 1963 was made an Honorary Past Master of Diamond Lodge. Martin R. Luther was elected Secretary in 1965 and was in his sixth year in 1971.
It is not a common event when a father and his three sons are accepted all at one time into our Fraternity. This occurred with the initiation of Richard Luther and his sons Martin, Melvin, and Merle in 1955. They made steady progress through the Chairs and the three sons are all Past Masters. Brother Richard Luther passed away in 1963 during Melvin Luther's year as Master. Richard Luther was Tyler at the time of his demise. It should also be noted the Ambrose Collins, Past Master, installed successively his three sons as Masters; namely Eugene Collins, Kenneth Collins, and Donald Collins.
We have had four Honorary Past Masters (through 1971): Most Worshipful Lemmuel W. Sims, Worshipful Leigh Donyns, Worshipful Earl Gadbois, and Worshipful Ira S. Sweeney. There have been three 50 year members who have passed to the Celestial Lodge above through 1971; namely James M. Jorgensen, Marshall L. Richard, and Thomas Sidebottom. Four other 50 year brethren (through 1971) are Worshipful Joseph Floberg, Evan S. Thomas, Earl Upton, and Oliver Swanson.
Our Lodge Hall had served us well in the past, but time had rotted the foundation of the building, the roof needed replaced, and many improvements and maintenance had depleted the treasury. In 1954 Worshipful Martin R. Luther started a savings account in the Lodge and Temple Board. The following year he was elected Secretary, Worshipful Merle Luther was elected Treasurer, and Worshipful William Pearson was elected Secretary of the Temple Board. These three Worshipful Sirs donated their salaries to the building account. In 7 years there was an accumulation of $10,000. We were fortunate in 1970 to have a young Worshipful Master, Gomer Evans, who activated the Fraternity in the actual building of a new Temple. Our Worshipful Master in 1971, Lynn E. Barnes, continued the program, aided by the Temple Board and a Building Committee. Laurel Chapter No. 47, Order of Eastern Star, with Worthy Matron Donna Woodard and Worthy Patron Ted Woodard donated $2,000. Laurel Assembly No. 144, Order of Rainbow for Girls, donated $1,000. Under the leadership of Mother Advisor Muriel Evans Wing and Rainbow Dad Frank E. Wing, the Assembly has aided Diamond Lodge immensely. These two organizations have furnished the new Temple with banquet tables and 125 chairs.
The Cornerstone of the new Temple was laid by Grand Master Wayne J. Deming and his Officers on 10 April 1971. The building was hoped to be finished and occupied by September 1971, with the old Temple removed and that site to be used for parking. Another milestone for Masonry in our area.
We wish to thank Very Worshipful Herbert T Edmond, Grand Deputy, for his concern and the help which he has given to Diamond Lodge No. 83. The outstanding turnout of the brethren for labor on the Temple is commendable. The cedar roof (now replaced), the plugs donated by Lyle Bremmeyer, the hours of splitting and trimming the shakes, the brick west wall built by Worshipful Merle Luther and his family, the concrete work, wiring, etc. all done with many hours of our Brothers' devotion. To the committees who each Saturday and Sunday prepared dinners for the working crews go our deepest gratitude. Thank you to all who took part in the past and in the future we are so proud of. We will be proud to say we are members of the Orders of Masonry.
The 80 year history detailed above was transcribed (with minor edits) from a document prepared by Lynn E. Barnes, Worshipful Master, and Martin R. Luther, Secretary, in early 1971.
I invite someone to prepare a history of the past 35 years of Diamond Lodge and submit it to the Webmaster