Mayo Lodge No 198
Information comes from the files of Rus Stevens in the California file held at the Campbell County Historical & Genealogical Society in Alexandria Ky.
Mayo Lodge No 198
F&AM
Appearing in the proceedings of the Grand Lodge of Kentucky in the year 1850 is the following report of lodges UD.
"Also, the work and by-laws of Mayo Lodge UD and find the same correct. They recommend that a Charter be granted under the name and stle of May Lodge No 198 to be held at Beallmont, County of Campbell, and State of Kentucky; and that James McCrone be the first Master, J K Mollyneaus, first Senior Warden and Gibson Simonson, first Junior Warden thereof."
Thus did this lodge become a fact.
Also from the Grand Lodge records of the year
1850, the original roster comprised;
Officers
James McCrone, Master
James H Mollyneaux, S W
T S Young, Treasurer
Charles Rid S D
B J Beall, J D
D S Carny, S&T
Master Masons; J B Otten, Wm Jennings, L
Beagle, Gibson Simonson
Entered APprentices: M J Morin, Thomas Bates
Rejected: ________________, about 36 years of
age, dark complexion, 5 ft. 8 or 9 inches tall, occupation tavern keeper.
Expelled: ____________ Junior Warden of said lodge, about 34 years of age, light
hair, blue eyes and rather heavy build, and goes ot California on teh 20 of July
1850. For gross un-Masonic conduct-Fraud.
A history written by James N Saunders, P G M, refers to Mayo Lodge as having been installed by Col H H Mayo, P G M, a member of the Licking Valley Lodge No 135 (now defunct). According to this history the first meeting place was upstairs over James Young's store at Belmont, Kentucky. (Belmnt, also called Beallmont, was the riverfront section of the unincorporated area and postal district now known as Mentor).
In 1856, the Lodge moved to Beech Grove (Flagg Spring) where a hall was built over the school house.
During the Civil War, 1861-65, the lodge hall was destroyed by fire and all records previous to February 28, 1863, were lost. Communication with the Grand Lodge was re-established in the latter part of 1865 with the aid of A C Dicken. A history written by A C Dicken (now lost but quoted by A E Dicken, his son and is currently keeper of Mayo lodge) indicates that the seat of the lodge was moved from Beech Grove to California, Ky. for a brief period and then was returned to the previous site.
On February 27, 1890, the lodge was removed to California were it has remained to the present day. the hall now in use was built in 1903.
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE DECADES:
1850: Lodge founded at Belmont
Ky.
Membership: 13
Treasurer's Report: ?
1860: Records lost; Meetings held at Beech Grove (Flagg Springs Ky.)
1870: Meetings held at Beech Grove. Excerpted from minutes of lodge from April 9 to July 9; Mayo Lodge was invited by Aspen Grove Lodge to join them in a Masonic celebration on July 24th; W A Morin, P Maines and John B Williams appointed as a committee to arrange the joint celebration; W A Morin was authorized to borrow $20.00 for the purpose of setting up a booth at the celebration grounds; July 9 minutes include a report that the affair was a success and the borrowed money had been repaid.
1880: Meetings held at Beech Grove. Excerpted from minutes for the year: January 24, committee was in force to consider the advisability of moving the lodge to California; the Master was authorized to borrow sufficient funds to make up Grand Lodge dues.
1890: Minutes of February 1 record a motion made and carried unanimously that lodge be moved to California temporarily; committee to procure hall recommended the schoolhouse.
1900: Meeting at California. Excerpted from minutes of this year: Hall facilities sub-rented to Lodge of Patrons and husbandry and another piece of lodge property was rented for the purpose of securing revenue.
1910: Meeting at California in present hall. Excerpted from minutes; April 23, Paid to Alexandria Bank $65.72 balance due them on Mayo Hall and mortgage released.
1920: Meetings at Mayo Hall, California Ky. Excerpts from minutes: May 8, Brother Blackford, Campbell County Chairman of the Million Dollar Movement-Widows and Orphans Home, made his plea in behalf of the proposed home; May 22, committee from Newtown (Ohio>) Lodge invited Mayo Lodge to witness inspection of their lodge on June 3. November 13, the lodge unanimously accepted proposal to have a $400.00 light plant installed.
1930: Meeting at Mayo Hall, California Ky. Excerpts from minutes March 8; a motion was adopted to rent the lower hall of the lodge to Kinney and Shinkle for a storage room, July 12-45.00 allowed Brother _________ to continued treatment for cancer.
1940: Meeting at Mayo Hall, California Ky. Excerpts from minutes. January 12-Lower hall now being rented as post office and committee appointed to investigate repairs and other work tob e done in this room; May 21-The Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Kentucky issued a proclamation setting aside this date as re-obligation day.
1950: Meeting at Mayo Hall, California Ky. Centennial year and after much deliberation, a celebration was planned. Final date arrived for this event, October 28, 1950.
1890 LODGES CITED TO APPEAR THIS SESSION
Mayo Lodge Nov 198 sent O T Smith, Secretary (August 14) Unrepresented for 1888 and 1889, dues owing for 1888 and 1889.
LODGES U D COMMITTEE REPORT
We have examined the Grand Master's dispensation to those lodges whose charges were arrested through error to irregularity, including No 198 and recommend that their charters be returned to them and they be permitted to continue work as though their charters had not been interfered with.
REPORT FINANCE COMMITTEE
In the matter of Mayo Lodge 198, which from the
proof has suffered greatly from the location, being inconvenient and remote to
many of its members, which is now happily removed by a change in location, in
accordance with the law, ask that this Grand Lodge remit a small amount in dues.
We recommend the remission.
J R Rogers
H R French, Committee
The history of Mayo and the jurisdiction has been turbulent. Probably the greatest single castastrophe affecting both was the 1937 Ohio River Flood, which defaced the records prior to that year. The lodge is even today feeling the impact of that tragic period. Much credit is due to Brother Charles Short for his efforts in keeping the lodge together during this period and the ensuing years.
In view of the dissolution of Licking Valley Lodge No 135, Mayo may look to Robert Burns Lodge No 163 in aiding Col H H Mayo install 198. Much lodge furniture was obtained from Robert Burns Lodge some of it believe to be original furniture of that lodge.
MASTERS
1850-1852 James McCone
1853-1855 J F Truesdell
1856-1858
James M Jolly
1859-1860 J C Demoss
1861-1863 Cal Demoss
1864-1866 M A Morn
1867-1869 J C Demoss
1870-M A Morin
1871-1872 John B Williams
1873-Wm A Morin
1874-A C Dicken
1875-John A Jolly
1876-Wm A Morrin
1877-John A Jolly
1878-J C Demoss
1879-Edward P
Ball
1880-1881 James F Shaw
1882-1883 E M Jolly
1884-1885 J V Jolly
1886 H H Deputy
1887 John A Jolly
1888 John B Williams
1889 O T Smith
1890-1895 J F Shaw
1896 J G Thorn
1897 D S Bonar
1898-1900 J G Thorn
1901 W A Philips
1902 M M Miller
1903-1904 J G Thorm
1905 M M Miller
1906 W A Philips
1907 M M Miller
1908 E E Ball
1909 M M Miller
1910 Wm F Smith
1911 W A Philips
1912 Wm F Smith
1913-1915 H K Shaw
1916 O H Jordan
1917-1918 E R Daniel
1919 Wm F Smith
1920 John Shaw
1921 Wm C Young
1922 E R Daniel
1923 George Tarvin
1924 M H Young
1925 E E Ball
1926 Wm F Smith
1927 Wm Kinney
1928 Clarence Ellis
1929-1930 George Tarvin
1931-1932 Wm Kinney
1933 Frank E Boyers
1934-1935 Charles Short
1936 Mott Henderson
1937 A N Dicken
1938-1939 Charles Short
1940 Mott Henderson
1941 Charles Mardis
1942 Wm C Flora
1943 Charles Short
1944 Charles Mardis
1945 Ellis O Hodge
1946 Ellis O Hodge
1946 Herman Sorenson
1947 Patrick Dicken
1948 Frank C Boyer
1949 John W Potter Jr.
1950 Axel Stone