A bit of our proud history
Summerville Lodge No. 234 in Berkeley County was granted a charter at the Grand Lodge
Annual Meeting in Charleston, S.C. on December 13, 1892 by Most Worshipful
Grand Master, William T. Brance.
At the annual communication on December 11, 1900, held in Charleston, SC, the Grand Master revoked the charter of our lodge because of inactivity since 1898. The following officers were listed; Worshipful Master, Millan C. King. Senior Warden, A.J. Garey; Junior Warden, P.H. Hutchenson; Secretary, H.M. Manigault and Tiler, A.J. Braid.
Sometime near the end of 1908 or early 1909, Dr. Edmund W. Simons of Summerville, S.C. took on the task of reviving and re-chartering our Lodge. The earliest correspondence available is dated January 20 of 1909 from the Most Worshipful Grand Master, James L. Michie, advising Dr. Simons of what was required to revive our lodge. Apparently nothing much was done until the summer of 1915 when Dr. Simons really started proceedings toward reviving the lodge.
The First meeting of our Masonic Brethren assembled in the Knights of Pythias Hall at 8:00pm on July 27, 1915. , Worshipful Brother Edward C. Lee, P.M. was called to the chair. Brother E.M. Mixon was requested to act as Secretary. Twenty-two Brothers signed the minutes of their first meeting, which was forwarded to the District Deputy Grand Master for information. Meetings were scheduled for every Tuesday until the re-organization was completed. The Brethren present at this meeting were Carl Palenbaum, R.E. Russell, Carl A. Maass, Just D. Limehouse, John W. Swicegood, Fred B. Krepps, Edward L. Braid, Moses Beck, Harry L. Lang, H.O. Bloomer, F.A. Dunning, J.M. Flowers, Soloman Mermon, A.E. Rickenbacker, H.M. Batcheler, Edmund W. Simons, W. Fred Jordan, William T. Hampton, Aaron Mirow, E.M. Mixon and Edward C. Lee.
At this meeting, Brother Edward C. Lee was made Chairman of the group, with Brother Edward M. Mixon as Secretary. These men continued to act until September 7, 1915, when a committee appointed by the Chairman, recommended that the officers of the Lodge be named in order that the proper steps be taken to apply for the Despensation to work. This committee recommended Brother George Harris Weber, Superintendent of schools as the Worshipful Master; Brother W.F. Jordan, a merchant, as Senior Warden; Brother Edward L. Braid, a Banker, as Junior Warden; Brother R.M. Russell as Treasurer; Brother E.M. Mixon, a produce merchant, as Secretary; Brother Fred B. Krepps and John Swicegood, as Stewarts and Brother Fred H. Maass as Tiler. Brother E.M. Mixon attended three meetings after which the work as Secretary was done by the beloved Physician, Brother Edmund W. Simons. With the help of Right Worshipful Brother William G. Mazyck, District Deputy Grand Master, these men guided the group through the formative months, the application for Despensation to work, the selection of a meeting place, etc..., until the charter was granted.
This information was first compiled by Brother Hugh Hamilton in 1955
and later updated by Brother Elmer Hunt, PDDGM in 1995.
