Gate City Lodge No. 694
The History of Gate City Lodge #694
This is the history of Gate City Lodge # 694, A.F. & A.M., of Greensboro, North Carolina from the first meetings in 1951 through the beginning of 1997. Some records have been lost over the years, requiring some information to be pieced together from various sources. Apologies are extended for any errors or omissions in this history.
Special thanks are due Brothers "Chris" Christensen, PM, William D. Ray, PM and Mack Gordy Sr., PM for the information and assistance they provided on the Life Members and the years when the lodge was formed. Brother Christensen died in 1992 and is buried in Arlington National Cemetery. Brother Gordy also died in 1992 and is buried in Greensboro.
The history of Gate City Lodge # 694 began in 1951 when the first meetings to organize the new Lodge were held. That year, thirty-nine Master Masons received an official dispensation from the Grand Lodge of North Carolina authorizing the formation of a fifth Masonic Lodge in Greensboro. The first meeting was held on October 3 and the first officers were installed on October 23, 1951.
The Lodge received its charter the following year on May 13, 1952. By the end of that year, membership had increased from the original thirty-nine charter members to sixty-five members.
Forty-four years later, at the end of 1996, Lodge membership had grown to 332. During its forty-five year existence, Gate City Lodge has shown a steady increase in membership.
The first degree work in Gate City Lodge was performed on November 13, 1951 when five candidates were Initiated in courtesy work for Guilford Lodge # 656. These Brothers were passed in Gate City Lodge on November 27,1 951, again as a courtesy for Guilford Lodge.
The first Entered Apprentices for Gate City Lodge were initiated on December 11, 1951. These first Entered Apprentices were Brothers Harmon James Davis, Woodrow Murray Fordham, Daniel Stuart Hockaday and Gus Spiro Schofield.
The Lodge treasury began with $ 35.00 contributed from the membership. The Lodge fee was $ 50.00 and annual dues were $8.00 in 1951. The fee was raised to $ 75.00 in 1957 and to $100 in 1995. Lodge dues have been raised a little more often than the fees. It was not until the mid 1960's that the annual dues were increased for the first time to $ 10.00. This was followed by increases to $ 15.00 in 1974, $20.00 in 1979, $ 30.00 in 1986, $35.00 in January 1987 and $ 40.00 in 1994.
There have been forty-five different Masters in the history of Gate City Lodge through 1997. The first Master of the Lodge and Master for the first three years was Robert Garland Paschal. Included at the end of this history is a listing of all Past Masters of Gate City Lodge.
Since receiving its charter in 1952, the Lodge has honored eleven Brothers with life memberships. These Brothers are: James Thompson Benjamin Sr., James Oliver Thornton, PM, Robert Garland Paschal, PM, Mack Lee Gordy Sr, PM, Howard Juel Christensen, PM, Arthur Lloyd Johnson, PM, Lee Gorrell Rumley Sr, PM, Jack Bowling Butler, PM, William Duncan Ray Jr., PM, Gary Ray Ballance, PM and Gerald Lynn Potter, PM.
Since receiving its charter in 1952, Gate City Lodge has been honored to have three of its members serve as District Deputy Grand Masters. In addition to Life Members Brother Bob Paschal, PM and Brother Mack Gordy Sr., PM, Brother Alvin Powell, PM also served as a District Deputy Grand Master. The Lodge has also had four of its members serve as District Deputy Grand Lecturers: Brothers Robert Garland Paschal, PM, Charles Gray,PM, Douglas Schmidt, PM, and Gerald Potter, PM.
Thomas Clyde Archer, Perry Hampton Beeson, James Thomas Benjamin, Lawrence Bennie Blakey, James William Bolejack Sr., Jack Bowling Butler, Andrew Wesley Clark, James Barrett Clements, William C. Collard, Wade Charles Cornatzer, William Alfred Ellis, William Milton Findley Jr., Mack Lee Gordy Sr., Norman Eugene Greene, Fredrick Coleman Hitchcock, James Hickman Hodden, June Spencer Howell, John Fred Johnson, James Henry King, U.D. Koontz, William Blake Lentz, James Nicholas Masseros, Henry LeRoy Myers, Donald Clark McCurdy, James Preston Oliver, Clarence Monroe Owens, Robert Garland Paschal, Paul H. Prince, Guy H. Simpson, Edward Harold Smith Jr., Robert Lee Snow, Samuel Moore Sprowl, Walter Mahlon Stamper, James Oliver Thornton, Robert Gaehel Trosper, Willliam Clark Wallace, Arthur W. Welch, Joseph Wesley Wright, and Hal LeRoy Simpson.
Of this, the following are still members in good standing in Gate City Lodge: Lawrence Bennie Blakey, Jack Bowling Butler,PM, John Fred Johnson, James Preston Oliver, Clarence Monroe Owens, PM, and Hal LeRoy Simpson.
