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Lodge History
The Grand Lodge of North Carolina has this web page showing the North Carolina Lodges that was founded by the Grand Lodge since 1787. Knap of Reeds Lodge was founded December 8,1853.
On March 2,2004, WB Gary Edgerton along with Senior Warden William T. Hutchins, Jr. and WB Alton P. Mangum gave a presentation of Knap of Reeds History.
KNAP OF REEDS LODGE # 158, A.F. & A.M.
Brief Historical Presentation
for
150th Anniversary - March 2,
2005
Presented by:
William T. Hutchins, Jr.
2005
Brother George B. Umstead compiled a Brief History of the Lodge in 1987
and I have attached his compilation hereto as Exhibit A (with all of the
Exhibits except for Exhibit B (the old Bahama Lodge) omitted). Brother Alton
Mangum graciously provided me with a written outline of his presentation
tonight which I have attached as Exhibit B. As such, I am going to avoid to the
extent possible a restatement of the items put together by Bros. Umstead and
Mangum.
It is my understanding that the current location of the Lodge is the
fourth (4th) such location. The Lodge was originally named Union Hall Lodge
according to the minute book for the Lodge. I have been unable to determine the
origin of the name "Union Hall" and the Grand Lodge of North Carolina
has no record of the existence of Union Hall Lodge.
The location of Union Hall Lodge was, according to Bro. Umstead’s
compilation, on or about the plantation known as Fairntosh. The construction of
Fairntosh began around 1810 by Duncan Cameron. Duncan was the son-in-law of
Richard Bennehan who owned the Stagville Plantation which was adjacent to
Fairntosh. Richard Bennehan had been a partner with William Johnston as the
owner of Stagg’s Tavern and was later the owner of Stagg’s Store (located on
the Indian Trading Path).
Duncan Cameron died in 1853 which, incidentally, was around the time of
the founding of the Lodge. Following Duncan’s death, Fairntosh was owned by
Paul Cameron. Paul Cameron was, according to some sources, the wealthiest man
in the State of North Carolina at the outbreak of the War Between the States.
It is unclear why the Lodge met at Fairntosh. I have been unable to
determine whether Richard Bennehan, Duncan Cameron or Paul Cameron were Masons.
It is well known that Richard Bennehan was a close personal friend of William
Davie who was both Governor of North Carolina as well as Grandmaster from
1792-1798. I was also able to determine that Duncan Cameron’s brother, John
Adams Cameron, was not only a Master Mason but was Grandmaster from 1820-1821.
Therefore, it seems at least reasonable that one or more of the owners of
Fairntosh and/or Stagville may have been a Mason.
According to Bro. Umstead’s compilation, the Lodge moved from Fairntosh
to the area known as Knap of Reeds in southern Granville County around 1853.
This was roughly the same time that the founding brothers were issued a charter
by the Grand Lodge of North Carolina. Prior to that date, it would appear the
Lodge met without a Charter. For unknown reasons, the name changed from Union
Hall Lodge to Knap of Reeds Lodge at or around the time the Charter(s) was/were
issued.
The Lodge is in possession of two (2) Charters issued by the Grand
Lodge. It is unknown as to why there are two Charters. According to Grand
Secretary Walt Clapp, the Grand Lodge only has records of the one for Knap of
Reeds # 158 issued December 8, 1853 for a lodge located at "Knap
O’Reeds" in Granville County. One Charter (which now hangs over the
Master’s chair) lists the original Master and Wardens as Joseph Woods, LT
Burton and Dennis Tilley while the other (which now hangs over the Senior
Warden’s chair) lists C. W. McCally, Joseph Woods and LT Burton.
Knap of Reeds is, of course, the name of the creek which now feeds into
Falls Lake. Around 1853, Knap of Reeds was also a small community which eventually
had a Baptist Church, a post office (according to the 1877 edition of The
North Carolina Business Office Companion) and, as of 1895, a population of
46 (according to the 1895 United States Census). It is my understanding that Knap
of Reeds continued as a community until the creation of Camp Butner around
World War II.
Interestingly, a carpet bagger / author / lawyer / judge named Albion
Tourgee authored a novel entitled Bricks Without Straw which was
published in 1880 and which takes place at a plantation named Knapp of Reeds.
The plantation is, of course, fictional. However, my reading of portions of the
novel indicates that the Knapp of Reeds Plantation was in all likelihood a
fictional version of Fairntosh. Tourgee was a well known anti Ku Klux Klan
activist and the book centers on the evils of the Klan. Tourgee was also
Plessy’s lawyer in the landmark Plessy v. Ferguson (1896) case which set
the standard for the "separate but equal" doctrine which was struck
down by Brown v. Board of Education in 1954.
Knap of Reeds and the other land around the Lodge at that time was,
according to Bro. Mangum, located at or near the land known as "Veazey
Ridge". Veazey Ridge was owned by Squire Alfred Moore Veazey until the War
Between the States. Squire Veazey was a Justice of the Peace who attended Knap
of Reeds Baptist Church and who lived from 1818 to 1895.
One of the earliest members of the Lodge to receive the degrees was a
relative of Squire Veazey’s named Squire D. Umstead who, according to Bro.
Umstead’s compilation, was initiated June 26, 1854. Squire D. Umstead was the
grandfather to Governor William B. Umstead who was elected as Governor of North
Carolina in 1952 but who was not a member of the Lodge. Squire D. Umstead was
also a 1845 delegate of the Round Hill Temperance Society (along with Richard
Peed who was Master of the Lodge in 1862-1863).
Round Hill was the name of the community which was located near the
present site of the Bahama Ruritan Club. There was a private school founded by
D. C. Parrish (who was Julian S. Carr’s father-in-law) in 1848 known as Round
Hill Female Academy. John Peed, who was Master of the Lodge in 1853, again from
1858-1859, in 1867, and again from 1869-1872, was a member of the Round Hill
school committee.
When the railroad line for the Durham-Lynchburg line came through the
area around 1887, Round Hill became a station and the name was changed to
Bahama. At that time, there was a migration towards the area of the depot and
the area around the depot and Mount Bethel church experienced a period of
growth from 1910-1925. It is Bro. Alton Mangum’s opinion that the growth in the
area was the reason behind the move of the Lodge to Bahama. The date of the
move and the growth of the area around that time certainly give credence to
Bro. Mangum’s opinion. Whatever the reason, in 1915, the Lodge moved to its
third (3rd) location at the building owned by the Lodge located on the main
street of Bahama. The building had two stories and the downstairs was rented to
Bro. Alfred Wilkins who ran the store until around 1950. The Lodge remained in
"downtown" Bahama until the Lodge moved to its current location in
1981-1982. The presentation of Bro. Mangum will, among other topics, speak to
the decision to move the Lodge to its current location on land sold to the
Lodge by Dr. Marie Roberts.
FORWARD
The information contained, in this brief history of Knap of Reeds Lodge #158, Bahama, N. C., is not 100% accurate. Old records of the lodge, thought to have been burned in a fire, around 1899, were not all completely destroyed. Some of them were saved, and due to their age were very brittle. Some pages appeared to have been missing from the original minutes. Also, the original minutes were written in longand, of course, in what some people may call script writing, making them very hard to read.
Some information was secured from local people, who were born about the time the lodge was moved to Bahama, N. C. from its location, near Knap of Reeds Creek, in what is now known as Camp Butner.
Part of the information is based on legend, especially as to the origin of the name Knap of Reeds.
The origin of Knap of Reeds Lodge #158, A.F.&A.M., had its beginning from a desire of masons living in the vicinity, of what is now known as Farintosh, to form a lodge for the betterment of mankind, especially brother masons.
Under a dispensation from the Grand Lodge of North Carolina, the exact date of which the original records did not state, a lodge was formed July 22, 1853, and met for a time in a private home, no building for a lodge as such being available. Just how long the lodge met in a private home the records did not state. However, the lodge was given the name of Union Hall.
Union Hall Masonic Lodge was located near, in what later became to be known as Farintosh. In later years, a railroad was run between Durham, and Lynchburg, Virginia. it is entirely possible that the railroad, and its right—of—way, took over the original site, and first home of Union Hall Masonic Lodge, at the first forming of which, no number was assigned, according to original records
Exhibit A shows a general view of the area of the location of Union Hall Masonic Lodge. This picture was taken at the intersection of the now abandoned N&W railroad, and old Oxford Highway, approximately six miles in a north-east direction from the city of Durham, N. C. Up the tracks, in the background, is a little place caned Farintosh, approximately 3 miles from the point of intersection, in the general vicinity of which Union Hall Masonic Lodge was located.
Just exactly when, and for what reason, the original records did not state. But sometime in 1853, Union Hall Masonic Lodge was moved to Granville County, and located near, in what is now known, Knap of Reeds Creek. If the lodge met in a private home, or if a building of their own was built, the original records available did not state. The lodge name was then changed to Knap of Reeds #105 May 27, 1854. See Exhibit B.
The name Knap of Reeds has a legendary origin. One is that the Indians called it Knot of Reeds, and from that developed the name Knap of Reeds, from which a creek running near-by probably got its name. Another is that there is a biblical reference as to how the name Knap of
Reeds came about.
About a year after moving from near Farintosh, the lodge apparently, from old records, decided to get an official name, and number. On December 10, 1553, the lodge was issued a charter, and was then officially known as Knap of Reeds #158. The original charter, now hanging in the present—day lodge building, is still readable, but barely.
Knap of Reeds Lodge #158, A.F.&A.M. continued to meet in a building, near Knap of Reeds Creek, from 1853, to 1915, when it was moved to Bahama, N.C., its present location. (See Exhibit B.)
In 1915, the lodge was moved from Knap of Reeds, in what is now known as part of Camp Butner, N.C., to Bahama, N. C., and was then housed in a general store, on the second floor. The exact date of the movement the records did not state. (See Exhibit C.)
Mr. Alfred C. Wilkins, a member of that lodge, and the great—grand— father, of the present master James Clark, ran the general store for many years, and was a very loyal mason. He kept the local children from getting into the lodge by saying "baa, baa, baa" every time we would get to the door on the second floor. We kids thought that the proverbial goat was after us, and we ran away in short order.
On meeting nights, Mr Wilkins would ring a bell, on the ground floor of the lodge which housed the general store, to let local masons know that meeting time was near. That bell has been re—finished, and now hangs near the secretary’s desk in our present location. It is now rung only on special occasions.
Brother Pervis Tilley was a loyal mason for forty—eight years, being a member of Knap of Reeds. He was also secretary for many years. In a fire around 1899, over which he had control, a fire occurred, and many of the original records were destroyed, but not enough to keep some the early history of the lodge from being known. Presently living, is brother Otis Jackson, a past—master, who has been a member for over fifty years.
Sometime in the late 1960s, it was decided, by the members of the lodge, that better quarters were needed, the old building in Bahama having begun to crack, and creek. Heating became a problem in the winter. At one time the only heat was from a wood stove, in later years which was changed to oil heat. When air-conditioning became available, a small window type was installed, which cab be seen in the upper..left hand corner of Exhibit C.
Property was obtained from Dr. Marie Roberts, who at one time was Bahamas only source of medical aid, when needed. She served well in that capacity for several years.
On the property obtained from Dr. Roberts, a sign was placed, saying "The Future Home of Knap of Reeds Masonic Lodge. It stood there for sometime, till one day, according to local legend, a brother asked, "when will the lodge be built." Well this brother reportedly said, in that case I will be there in about twenty minutes, with my back—hoe, to lay off the out—line. Well, as local legend says, more work was done, the finances started to roll— in, and when the
building was completed, an-I the key turned in the front door, it was all paid for. (See Exhibit I).
The present property is located approximately one-half mile from the intersection of U.S. 501, and Bahama road, about eleven miles from the city of Durham. It consists of spacious grounds of a half acre or better, a picnic shelter, a tool shed, and beautiful trees, and shrubbery. The building itself consists of a small, but useful lodge meeting room, a preparation room, a foyer, adequate dining facilities, a kitchen well equipped, and two bathrooms, whereas the previous building had none.
The actual date of the start of the construction is not known, but it is believed to be in the late 1980s, or early 1981s, as the last meeting was held in the previous building on July 15, 1981, the first meeting in the new building on August 5, 1981. The new building was dedicated on June 7, 1982.
A fact, that may be of historical masonic interest, is that four direct generations of Umsteads have been either members, and/or masters of the lodge. Squire D. Umstead was initiated on June 214, 1854, passed on June 26; 1854, and raised July 8, 1854. His son Alvis K. was affilitated on January 20, 1866, and demitted on January 6, 1875. His son George Bascomb was initiated on February 10, 1917, passed on March 10, 1917, and was raised on April 10, 1917. His son George Bernice was initiated on August 17, 1983, passed October 5, 1983, and was raised on November 16, 1983.
Of further historical Masonic interest, is a picture of an old Masonic apron, believed to be a past—masters aprons shown in exhibit E. It belonged to Squire D. Umstead, which has been passed on the fourth, presently living, direct generation.
Knap of Reeds Masonic Lodge #158, A.F.&A.M. meets the first, and third Wednesdays of each month, at 7:30 PM, unless other-wise notified.
HOME | FREEMASONRY | THE SECRETARY'S PAGE | MEETINGS AND DIRECTIONS |
LODGE OF SORROW | OFFICERS | LODGE HISTORY | LODGE CALENDAR|
OUR FAVORITE LINKS | PAST MASTERS | MASONIC STUDIES | PICTURES