| Lodge Secretary David A Roach, PM POB 3386 Pineville, La 71360 318-487-9412 |
| Solomon Lodge No. 221, F&AM of the Grand Lodge of the State of Louisiana Located In the City of Faith, Hope, and Charity Pineville, Louisiana, USA |
| To relieve the distressed is a duty incumbent on all men, but particularly on Freemasons, who are linked together by an indissoluble chain of sincere affection. To soothe the unhappy, to sympathize with their misfortunes, to compassionate their miseries, and to restore peace to their troubled minds, is the great aim we have in view. On this basis we form our friendships and establish our connections. Illustrations of Masonry, Page 72, by William Preston, 1772 |
| OFFICERS FOR 2009 Worshipful Master - Michael J Huff Senior Warden - Brad White Junior Warden - Roger Shirley Treasurer - Charles "Chip" White, PM Secretary - David A Roach, PM Chaplain -Gary Penton Senior Deacon -Bill Collins Junior Deacon - Jerry Paul McDaniels, Jr., PM Marshal - Andy Pedneau, PM MC - Evans Junea, PM Senior Steward - Mike Smith Junior Steward -Charlie Ramos Tyler - Alfred Pedneau Jr., P.M. Lecturer - Jack Wainwright, P.M. |
| HISTORY OF OUR LODGE |
The following information came from the book, "Let There Be Light", By Dr H Glenn Jordan:
"Solomon Lodge No. 221 was chartered on February 13, 1874, in the community of Pineville, Louisiana. George W. Bolton,
John L. Walker, and Louis Abadie served as the first officers for the Lodge. Solomon practiced an early form of daylight
savings time in that the meetings were held at 7:30 PM during the months of March thru April and 8:00PM for the
remaining months At the conclusion of the last meeting for the first year under the charter, the secretary made the
following notation in the minutes:
"The above meeting closed the work of Solomon Lodge No. 221 for the year 1874, the first year's work under our charter,
and while the Lodge has done but little work and has run in debt a small amount during the year, still the members have
cause to congratulate themselves in that they have a neatly furnished Lodge Room and the bills against the Lodge are in
the hands of its members. Above all, while discord and corruption prevail around us, peace reigns supreme within the
walls of the Lodge."
On April 6, 1910, Solomon Lodge No. 221 merged with Oliver Lodge No. 84. Eleven years later, on April 7, 1921, Solomon
Lodge was reorganized. A new charter was issued on February 7, 1922, and the old number was reassigned to the new
lodge.
In 1926, Oliver Lodge No. 84, Solomon Lodge No. 221, and Alexandria Lodge No. 398 formed the Alexandria-Pineville Relief
Bureau which provided concern and care for transient Masons and their families and other charitable services to the
area.
The Fraternity's membership statistics after WW II reflect a period of awakening of interest and progress for all Lodges.
In 1940, the Grand Lodge reported a total membership of 20,282 in 244 Lodges, an average of 83.1 members per Lodge.
By 1964, the zenith of Masonic membership in the state, the state recorded 512 members in 284 Lodges averaging 181.4
members per Lodge. The bulk of that growth, a reflection of the rural to urban shift, was found in the urban areas.During
that same year, Oliver No. 84, Solomon No. 221, and Alexandria No. 398, all reported a total of 1201 members. On February
26, 1926 Solomon Lodge gave Curtis T. Hines Lodge, of Tioga, the privilege of meeting in our Hall for a rental fee of $10 a
month. Our charter membership in 1922 was 125. We grew to, a whopping, 321 members in 1965
Today our Lodge is 115 members strong and growing again. Thanks to help from our friends and
brothers at Curtis T. Hines Lodge No. 317 in Tioga, La. and Colfax Lodge No. 259 in Colfax, La. Proving
that brotherhood is still alive in Central Louisiana. Solomon Lodge No. 221, located at 638 Main Street in Pineville, La.,
continues to meet on the 2nd and 4th Thursdays at 7:30 PM bringing "faith, hope, and charity" to our community.
Obituary of a member of the early Lodge:
Shumake, Edward T. - Weekly town Talk, 24 May 1884
"Departed this life in Pineville, La., at the residence of his father-in-law, Mr. W. A. Griffin, at 5 AM, Tuesday, May 20th, 1884. He
was the son of Mr. H. and Mrs. K. Shumake, of Georgia. Both his deceased father and his living mother have unblemished
records as members of the Baptist Church. He was a native of Baker County Georgia, and was born May 4th, 1844. He came
to Louisiana some 20 yearss since. He was married at Pineville, La., May 14th 1879, to Miss Nettie Griffin. For some years he
had been an upright member of the Masonic fraternity.
He was interred at his own request by Solomon Lodge, No. 221, F& AM, in the Mt. Olivet Cemetery, of Pineville, La., at
5PM, May 20th, 1884.
He lived to know no enemies. His record is blotted with no intention of wrongs against his fellow man. He not only enjoyed the
warm affection of loved ones at home, but he was the object of appreciation by an entire public. In his last hours he suffered
much without impatience or complaint. He professed faith in the Lord Jesus, and declared himself reconciled to die some
weeks before his death. We laid him away within the earthen walls of that chamber to which we commit the most sacred, and
most beloved interests of this life. There we must leave him, till we shall come forth amid
the celestial song of the eternal morning. His Friend."
His death was untimely early, but his life is enviable to those who don't know how to live.
"Solomon Lodge No. 221 was chartered on February 13, 1874, in the community of Pineville, Louisiana. George W. Bolton,
John L. Walker, and Louis Abadie served as the first officers for the Lodge. Solomon practiced an early form of daylight
savings time in that the meetings were held at 7:30 PM during the months of March thru April and 8:00PM for the
remaining months At the conclusion of the last meeting for the first year under the charter, the secretary made the
following notation in the minutes:
"The above meeting closed the work of Solomon Lodge No. 221 for the year 1874, the first year's work under our charter,
and while the Lodge has done but little work and has run in debt a small amount during the year, still the members have
cause to congratulate themselves in that they have a neatly furnished Lodge Room and the bills against the Lodge are in
the hands of its members. Above all, while discord and corruption prevail around us, peace reigns supreme within the
walls of the Lodge."
On April 6, 1910, Solomon Lodge No. 221 merged with Oliver Lodge No. 84. Eleven years later, on April 7, 1921, Solomon
Lodge was reorganized. A new charter was issued on February 7, 1922, and the old number was reassigned to the new
lodge.
In 1926, Oliver Lodge No. 84, Solomon Lodge No. 221, and Alexandria Lodge No. 398 formed the Alexandria-Pineville Relief
Bureau which provided concern and care for transient Masons and their families and other charitable services to the
area.
The Fraternity's membership statistics after WW II reflect a period of awakening of interest and progress for all Lodges.
In 1940, the Grand Lodge reported a total membership of 20,282 in 244 Lodges, an average of 83.1 members per Lodge.
By 1964, the zenith of Masonic membership in the state, the state recorded 512 members in 284 Lodges averaging 181.4
members per Lodge. The bulk of that growth, a reflection of the rural to urban shift, was found in the urban areas.During
that same year, Oliver No. 84, Solomon No. 221, and Alexandria No. 398, all reported a total of 1201 members. On February
26, 1926 Solomon Lodge gave Curtis T. Hines Lodge, of Tioga, the privilege of meeting in our Hall for a rental fee of $10 a
month. Our charter membership in 1922 was 125. We grew to, a whopping, 321 members in 1965
Today our Lodge is 115 members strong and growing again. Thanks to help from our friends and
brothers at Curtis T. Hines Lodge No. 317 in Tioga, La. and Colfax Lodge No. 259 in Colfax, La. Proving
that brotherhood is still alive in Central Louisiana. Solomon Lodge No. 221, located at 638 Main Street in Pineville, La.,
continues to meet on the 2nd and 4th Thursdays at 7:30 PM bringing "faith, hope, and charity" to our community.
Obituary of a member of the early Lodge:
Shumake, Edward T. - Weekly town Talk, 24 May 1884
"Departed this life in Pineville, La., at the residence of his father-in-law, Mr. W. A. Griffin, at 5 AM, Tuesday, May 20th, 1884. He
was the son of Mr. H. and Mrs. K. Shumake, of Georgia. Both his deceased father and his living mother have unblemished
records as members of the Baptist Church. He was a native of Baker County Georgia, and was born May 4th, 1844. He came
to Louisiana some 20 yearss since. He was married at Pineville, La., May 14th 1879, to Miss Nettie Griffin. For some years he
had been an upright member of the Masonic fraternity.
He was interred at his own request by Solomon Lodge, No. 221, F& AM, in the Mt. Olivet Cemetery, of Pineville, La., at
5PM, May 20th, 1884.
He lived to know no enemies. His record is blotted with no intention of wrongs against his fellow man. He not only enjoyed the
warm affection of loved ones at home, but he was the object of appreciation by an entire public. In his last hours he suffered
much without impatience or complaint. He professed faith in the Lord Jesus, and declared himself reconciled to die some
weeks before his death. We laid him away within the earthen walls of that chamber to which we commit the most sacred, and
most beloved interests of this life. There we must leave him, till we shall come forth amid
the celestial song of the eternal morning. His Friend."
His death was untimely early, but his life is enviable to those who don't know how to live.
