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OFFICERS 2007
HISTORY- THE FIRST 100 YEARS OF SMITH LODGE # 775, F&AM
The origin of Smith Lodge began on November 23, 1905, operating under dispensation, granted because 23 Master Masons from other Lodges in and out of our area (Hampton #235; Poage #325; Greenup Lodge #89; Buena Vista Lodge #60, Whites Creek WV; Morning Dawn Lodge #7,Gallpolis, OH; and Stonewall Lodge #200, Buckingham Co. VA.) wanted to study and practice Freemasonry and be of greater service to God and to mankind in the community.
Brother S. J.Ogden, Master of Poage Lodge # 325 was appointed by Most Worshipful Grand Master James Garnett to conduct the installation of Officers, and they included:
James D. Foster, Master; Hunter Barnett, Senior Warden; Minot Smith, Junior Warden. The Craft then elected Brothers Ezra Smith Secretary; Chapman Cobbs Treasurer; and Samuel Smith,Tiler. The Master appointed James Rathburn Senior Deacon and Henry Smith Junior Deacon.
Charter members of Smith Lodge were: James D. Foster, Ezra Staley, Minott R. Smith, Albert G. Watkins, Carl S. Patterson, David G. Smith, Hunter D. Barnett, Chapman C. Cobbs, Charles O. Honaker, Joshua I. Bailey, Henry Smith, James I. Rathburn, John T. Cundiff, Joseph A. Ainsko, Samuel S. Smith, Robert Rodgers, Orville G. Temple, James M. Smith, John A. Hill, Uriah T. Short, Charles R. Hager, Ezra w. Smith, and James Swearingin.
The first Lodge meetings were held in the Gilley Block on the corner of Bellefont and Houston Streets in Russell. On December 12, 1912 the Lodge moved to the George Osborn Building at the corner of Bellefont and Ferry Streets. On May 16, 1946 the Lodge moved to the City Building and remained there until November of 1976, when we moved to the present site at 2506 Argillite Road, Flatwoods, Kentucky.
During our stewardship as a Lodge, we have had the privilege of laying cornerstones on behalf of our Grand Lodge at Meade Memorial Methodist Church July 27, 1909, First Baptist Church July 3, 1924, and the Russell City Building June 16, 1925.The cornerstone for our present building was laid by the Grand Master on January 17, 1977.
Smith Lodge grew to be one of the largest Lodges in the Commonwealth in the 1960’s, mainly as a result of a sound economy in the area, with Armco Steel, Ashland Oil, and the CSX Railroad employing large numbers. However, in the late 1980’s up until the present the area saw a decline in the economy and thus a slowing of growth in the Lodge. This Lodge as of today still has 277 members on the rolls, still one of the largest in District 27.
Smith Lodge has had many Past Masters that have held leadership roles in our Masonic Family. For example, William T. Smith (1926) and Billy Joe Callihan (1965) were Potentates at El Hasa Temple; Howard Hopkins (1949) Charles Stevens (1970, 1991) and Kerry Sluss (!992) have received the 33rd Degree; Willard Wellman (1972) was Grand Royal Patron of Amaranth and Grand Commander of the Grand Commandery of Kentucky; Ron Bell (1966) was Most Illustrious Past Grand Master of the Grand Council of Kentucky (along with Kerry Sluss) and a Past Prior of KY Priory # 25; and HD Fuller (1986,1989), Charles Stevens, and Kerry Sluss received the Knight York Cross of Honor in the York Rite. Charles Powell III (1989) has received the Daniel Carter Beard National Masonic Scouter Award from the Boy Scouts of America, as well as members George Hendricks and David Bradley.
As we forge into our next century of service to this Fraternity, it is our hope we can live up to the standards set by our predecessors who exemplified the high ideals that make our Fraternity one of the greatest on this Earth. May Freemasonry be in the hearts of the men who are now leading us, and may they instill into the ones who petition in the future to carry on the tradition and teachings of Masonry for centuries to come!
Fraternally, Kerry Sluss, Past Master , Historian
(Thanks go to the Brothers that compiled previous histories of the Lodge.)
PAST MASTERS OF SMITH LODGE # 775, F&A M
1906 James Doyle Foster
1907 James Doyle Foster
1908 James Doyle Foster
1909 James I. Rathburn
1910 James I. Rathburn
1911 James Doyle Foster
1912 Hunter D. Barnett
1913 Samuel Smith Hill
1914 Samuel Smith Hill
1915 Otey William Stennett
1916 Mathew Edward Collins
1917 John Burton Francis
1918 Samuel Smith Hill
1919 Clifton Riggs Callihan
1920 Clifton Riggs Callihan
1921 Patterson Anderson Williams
1922 Clarence Cecil Stevens
1923 James David Smith
1924 Raymond Percy Stevens
1925 George Tony Washington
1926 William T. Smith
1927 Harry Andrew Dent
1928 Oswald Endler
1929 Carl Samuel Patterson
1930 Clarence Riley Bratten
1931 Clyde Samuel England
1932 Hiram Anslem Bear
1933 Alfred Tate Moore
1934 Alfred Tate Moore
1935 James David Smith
1936 William Alonzo McKenzie
1937 Alfred Jennings Ward
1938 Nelson Smith Armstrong
1939 George B. Hubband
1940 William Bryan Webb
1941 John Herbert Vallance
1942 John Herbert Vallance
1943 Merle Edward Riggs
1944 W.E. Wimmer
1945 Raymond Edward Bryant
1946 Carl C. Roby
1948 Robert H. Riggs
1949 Howard Clement Hopkins
1950 Elmer Robert Barber
1951 James Willis Layne II
1952 Fred U. Simpson
1953 George H. Keene
1954 William Everett Blackburn
1955 Calvin Bethel Ruggles
1956 William Hubert Vallance *
1957 Charles P. Preston
1958 Russell L. Abdon
1959 Benjamin T. Hayes
1960 Walter G. Ratliff
1961 Floyd M. Hill *
1962 Charles E. Rose *
1963 William M. Fultz
1964 Ottis L. Hensley
1965 Billy Joe Callihan *
1966 Ronald Dee Bell *
1967 Estill Raymond Hicks
1968 Donald Raymond Hicks *
1969 Robert B. Carte Jr.
1970 Charles L. Stevens Sr. *
1971 Darrell Carte *
1972 Willard G. Wellman
1973 Doris Ed Brown
1974 Doris Ed Brown
1975 Stanley Stamper *
1976 William H. Tackett *
1977 Bobby Coiner
1978 W. Phillip Thompson *
1979 Randolph J. French *
1980 Freelin H. Wright Sr.
1981 Stephen Blevins *
1982 Donald Raymond Hicks *
1983 Charles Powell III *
1984 Ron Sammons *
1985 Frank V. Firestine *
1986 Homer Don Fuller *
1987 Ronald Lewis *
1988 John L. Sparks
1989 Homer Don Fuller *
1990 W. Ron Dye *
1991 Charles L. Stevens Sr. *
1992 Kerry Sluss *
1993 Dennis Kiser
1994 Tom Stevens *
1995 Charles Huguenot *
1996 Joseph Arthur
1997 James Whitaker *
1998 Walter H. Hilburn
1999 Ed Murray *
2000 Jack A. Lee
2001 D. Courtney Childers *
2002 Kevin Grubb *
2003 Carl Pruitt *
2004 Brian Hewlett *
2005 Richard “Dick” Fields *
2006 Randy B. Reed *
2007 Duyane L. King +
* Living Past Masters
Ezra W. Smith
James D. Foster
Otey W. Stennett
Ezra W. Stennett
Clyde S. England
Ottis L. Hensley
Estill R. Hicks
Walter H. Hilburn
Courtney Childers
Kerry Sluss
W. Ron Dye
Charles R. Shepherd
Oswald Endler
Robert Carte Jr.
Ronald D. Bell
Floyd M. Hill
Ronald Lewis
SMITH LODGE #775
Charles W. Powell, III, Master
, Senior Warden
, Junior Warden
Ron Dye, Secretary
Ron Lewis , Treasurer
, Senior Deacon
, Junior Deacon
, Senior Steward
, Junior Steward
, Tiler
Randy Reed, 3 year Trustee
Greg Stevens, 2 year Trustee
Charles W. Powell, III, 1 year Trustee