History

2008: William F. Harlow
2007: William F. Harlow
2006: Claude E. Rentz
2005: Patrick B. Lerch
2004: Grayson W. Mayfield, III
2003: Joseph A. Platts
2002: N. Allen McMillan, Sr.
2001: Nathaniel A. Shaffer
2000: Everett W. Moore
1999: William J. Peeples, Jr.
1998: Robert W. Brown, Sr.
1997: Harvey C. Boss
1996: Henry A. Rigdon
1995: James L. Smith
1994: Danny N. Crapse, Sr.
1993: Wilbert R. Gooding
1992: Marty A. Gibson
1991: Johnny L. Sumler
1990: Rueben R. Murdaugh
1989: William F. Harlow
1988: Harold B. Harvey
1987: William O. Gooding, Jr.
1986: Hilton H. Hoover, Jr.
1985: Charles H. Loadholt, Jr.
1984: James E. Bilka
1983: Charles L. Yeomans, III
1982: Steve B. Long
1981: Benjamin M. Ayer, PDDGM
1980: Marvin M. Murdaugh
1979: John Stanley
1978: William H. Creech, Jr.
1977: Aubrey E. Smith
1976: Glenn N. Bennett
1975: W. Furman Zeigler
1974: Charles V. Cook
1973: Nicholas W. Hamilton
1972: Nicholas W. Hamilton
1971: James M. Kring
1970: Robert D. Heape
1969: Robert S. Cain
1968: Tommie Rentz
1967: Nicholas W. Hamilton
1966: Don C. DeLoach
1965: Bobby G. Sullivan
1964: Norman C. Weaver
1963: Junius B. Lee
1962: Homer A. Goettee
1961: S. Randolph Rentz
1960: Cary L. Youmans
1959: Gene Stanley
1958: Aubrey E. Goettee
1957: William F. Horton
1956: Newman W. Harter
1955: Ralph H. Vaughn, PDDGM
1954: Perry G. Kearse
1953: Cecil E. Mason, PDDGM
1952: Marvin R. Kinard
1951: James L. Holland, Jr.
1950: Harold S. McMillan
1949: Morris Young
1948: James E. Freeman
1947: Francis M. Vincent
1946: Odie W. Mole
1945: Auswell L. Yarley
1944: Newton C. Barnes
1943: Newton C. Barnes
1942: Frank A. McClure
1941: Earl. F. Peeples
1940: Earl. F. Peeples
1939: Earl. F. Peeples
1938: Earl. F. Peeples
1937: P. J. Walker
1936: Eugene. M. Peeples
1935: Frank. A. McClure, Sr.
1934: Ben T. BeLoach
1933: Robert S. Even
1932: Eugene M. Peeples
1931: Eugene M. Peeples
1930: Barnie R. Hiers
1929: Barnie R. Hiers
1928: Wilbur N. Ginn
1927: Wilbur N. Ginn
1926: Wilbur N. Ginn
1925: Barnie R. Hiers
1924: Barnie R. Hiers
1923: Barnie R. Hiers
1922: Barnie R. Hiers
1923: Barnie R. Hiers
1921: Barnie R. Hiers
1920: Barnie R. Hiers
1919: Eddie P. Carter
1918: Eddie P. Carter
1917: Eddie P. Carter
1916: Barnie R. Hiers
1915: Thomas A. Hamilton
1914: Julius W. Manuel
1913: Julius W. Manuel
1912: Julius W. Manuel
1911: Thomas A. Hamilton
1910: Barnie R. Hiers
1909: Grafton G. Douling
1908: Walter E. Richardson
1907: Walter E. Richardson
1906: Walter E. Richardson
1905: Thomas A. Hamilton
1904: Thomas A. Hamilton
1903: W. S. Smith
1902: Thomas A. Hamilton
1901: Thomas A. Hamilton
1900: W. T. Hamilton
1899: D. W. Terry
1898: D. W. Terry
1897: W. J. Causey
1896: N. H. Hamilton
1895: N. H. Hamilton
1894: N. H. Hamilton
1893: W. J. Causey
1892: W. J. Causey
1891: A. F. Hagan
1890: W. J. Causey
1889: W. J. Causey
1888: W. J. Causey
1887: W. J. Causey
1886: N. H. Hamilton
1885: N. H. Hamilton
1884: J. T. Polk
1883: J. W. Peeples
1882: W. P. Murphy
1881: C. C. Cummings
1880: Irvin F. Duke
1879: W. A. Searsey
1878: W. A. Searsey
1877: George H. Hoover
1876: William H. Shuman
1875: Allen J. Gill
1874: Allen J. Gill
1873: Allen J. Gill
1872: Allen J. Gill
1871: William R. Rouse
1870: William R. Rouse

1869 through 1899

Evergreen Lodge No. 153 was chartered on November 17, 1869, in Varnville, South Carolina. The Annual Return to the Grand Lodge for that year indicates that the Lodge met at a place belonging to Ephraim Peeples, “near Hickory Hill,” which is very near the current location of Varnville. E. Peeples was also the first Treasurer of the Lodge. The original day of Regular Communications was on the Second Saturdays of each month, but that had been changed to the Second Thursdays by 1871. There were 60 Master Masons in the Lodge, per this first Annual Return. With such a significantly large amount of members for such a new Lodge, it is assumed by the researcher that Evergreen Lodge No. 153 was given birth by a large and, relatively, nearby Lodge. The researcher continues to search for this “birth” Lodge.

The Annual Return for 1870 refers to the meeting place as “Silver Hill.” Silver Hill, though not a common place name today, is located just a few miles from Varnville.

By 1871, Evergreen Lodge was clearly meeting on the Second Thursdays and is in Varnville…specifically, it is at “Varnville, Port Royal Rail Road.”

There are no minutes prior to 1878. The first entry on May 9, 1878, explains why. There was a fire. Minutes, charter, and even the seal were apparently destroyed. The current Charter, which still resides in the Lodge, is dated December 11, 1878.

The minutes of Dec 27, 1884, provide the first mention that the Lodge has moved to Hampton, South Carolina (known as Hampton County Courthouse in those days). The researcher currently has, in his hands, copies of documents, dated December 11, 1884, that show when the Lodge requested a dispensation to move from Varnville to Hampton County C.H.

During these earlier years, the Lodge habitually paid for or supplemented burial and obituary costs for its deceased Brothers.

In the list at right, the reader will notice the name of WB W.J. Causey, who first became the Master of this Lodge in 1887. This appears to be the same W.J. Causey who was one of the four Commissioners for Hampton County appointed by Governor Wade Hampton in 1878 on occasion of the act that formed the County.

In the 1870's through the 1890s, installations of officers were often public and took place in churches and/or the county court house. These installations normally occurred on the Festival of Saint John the Evangelist.

Evergreen Lodge No. 153 appears to have given birth to at least two other Lodges during these years. In 1875, based upon the Annual Return for that year, twenty-two members of Evergreen Lodge No. 153 demitted to affiliate with Mt. Moriah Lodge No. 196. It is assumed thus far, though more research is pending, that Mt. Moriah No. 196 was formed primarily by members of Evergreen No. 153. The origins of Stafford Lodge No.216 in Furman are rather well documented in that on January 9, 1879, the minutes indicate that a contingent of Evergreen Lodge Brothers seeks and receives approval from the Lodge to petition the Grand Lodge for a dispensation to start a Lodge at Stafford Crossroads.

Many of the minutes mention paying for a notice or summons with the Guardian and the Messenger. The Guardian is a newspaper that still exists today. It was initially assumed by the researcher that the Messenger was another newspaper that operated in the area back in those days. It has now been determined, due to hints in some later minutes, that the Messenger was a person...or company. It was a courier service.

1900 through 1950

By the turn of the century, the minutes provide indications that the Lodge is not doing well financially. The flow of degree work has decreased dramatically from earlier years and the Lodge is having trouble in paying its Grand Lodge assessments and the rent for its hall.

Minutes during the year 1901 mention, for the first time since 1885, a Lodge in Brunson, South Carolina, which is less than ten miles from Hampton. In 1885, the minutes refer to this Lodge in Brunson as a defunct Lodge. The minutes in 1901 seem to indicate that the Brunson Lodge is again active and is involved in a dispute with Evergreen No. 153 concerning money and petitioners. It may do well to note here that, at one time in South Carolina, each Lodge was confined to certain geographical areas from which it could accept petitions. Based upon the minutes, it would appear that Evergreen has accused the Lodge in Brunson of accepting at least one petition from a man in Evergreen’s jurisdiction. The minutes go so far as to indicate that money was paid to actually do a survey in order to determine the dividing line between Evergreen’s and the Brunson Lodge’s jurisdictions. The Lodge at Brunson does not exist in today’s times.

MORE TO COME...