History of Freemasonry in Hampton, Georgia

Home

Freemasonry has existed in the Hampton area for 150 years. In 1853, Pine Grove Lodge #177 was chartered at Bear Creek Georgia. Bear Creek was changed to Hampton in 1872. The lodge purchased a 25 by 45 feet lodge room on the second floor in the eastern (back) side of building located at James and Main Streets in 1891 for $50.00 and met there until about 1900 when it moved to Lovejoy for 12 years. The lodge returned to Hampton in 1913 and continued to meet until December of 1932 when the members voted to surrender the charter.

Even though there was no longer a lodge in Hampton, many of the former members of Pine Grove Lodge moved their membership to Fraternal Lodge #37 in McDonough and kept the light of Masonry burning in the Hampton area. About 1940, Southern States Equipment Company in Alabama bought Henderson Foundry and Machine Works and began moving their operations to Hampton. Some of the men working at the plant became Masons and soon there was interest in forming a lodge in Hampton.

In 1946, a dispensation was requested to form a new lodge at Hampton. This was issued by Most Worshipful Grand Master, J. Henry Wilkinson on February 14, 1946, appointing Joe M. Westmoreland, Howard H. Marshall and Robert M. Chappell as the top three officers. The lodge was chartered as Hampton Lodge # 70 on October 23, 1946 and officially constituted as a Lodge on December 19, 1946 with 38 charter members. It was the practice during this time to re-use numbers which had previously belonged to another lodge and # 70 belonged to Williamson Lodge # 70 at Williamson, which was surrendered in 1945.

The lodge met on the second floor of the City of Hampton building at 2 Cherry Street. This building housed the city office, fire station, and jail. Many years were spent meeting there and many brethren climbed those many steps to the second floor. In 1967 the lodge had a barbeque to begin raising funds to build a new building. This was followed in the Spring of 1968 with the first annual fish fry (which is still held annually). This goal would soon be accomplished.

Around 1968, the Lebanon Primitive Baptist Church property at 34 McDonough Street was donated to the lodge by the three surviving members of the church, Mrs. Grace LeGuin, Mrs Hettie Martin, and Mrs. Bess Pollard. After the old church building was torn down, the lodge began construction of its new building in August 1969. The building was basically completed in October 1970 with the installation of the carpeting upstairs. The Cornerstone and Dedication ceremonies for the building were held on November 28, 1970 and were presided over by Most Worshipful Grand Master, Ralph C. James and Worshipful Master, Roger Betsill.

The lodge building was built at a cost of approximately $25,000 and many members donated time and labor in its construction. The Master’s station, Senior and Junior Wardens’ stations, altar and the pedestals for the three lesser lights were handmade by Brother Bill Gilbert. The Master and Warden chairs were purchased in 1971 at a cost of $259.00. The member seats were purchased from the  McDonough Theatre at $1.50 each and re-covered at a cost of $2.00 each.

The lodge continued to grow in its new location and on September 6, 1974 , the mortgage burning ceremony was held at the lodge with almost 100 members and visitors present. Among the visitors present at that historic meeting were the Most Worshipful Grand Master, Henry Troy Hooper and Past Most Worshipful Grand Master, J. Gordon McKenney.

The lodge today provides not only a meeting place for its members, but a meeting place for the community as well. Several organizations meet here and many families use the building during the year for parties, reunions and other gatherings. The members are proud of our facilities.

--- This lodge history prepared by Bro. Joe Turner, who served as Master of Hampton Lodge in 1976.