Waynesburg Masonic Lodge to celebrate 200th anniversary
WAYNESBURG — August 25, 1817, was a momentous date for the 12 original members of Waynesburg Lodge #153 of Free & Accepted Masons.
That was the day they received their charter from the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, which made them the second oldest Masonic Lodge west of the Alleghenies, second only to Brownsville.
The 12 founding members were Thomas Fletcher, Rees Hill, Thomas Layton, Samuel Clark, William Fletcher, Thomas Mitchell, William Harvey, Adam Hays, John Heaton, Samuel West, John Phillips and William Ross.
While the lodge has retained records from its very first year of existence, the first known site was the William Inghram Building across the Opera House in Waynesburg. The venue was mentioned by one of the lodge’s past masters at its 100th anniversary.
The Asa Hoge property in Waynesburg became another lodge site when members purchased a building on the property and used it as a place of meeting for a number of years. Once the lodge vacated the Asa Hoge location, members met on the third floor of the Opera House and shared the building with the Odd Fellows, who met one floor below.
The current location in Waynesburg’s Giant Eagle Plaza has been the lodge home since 1988. With 256 members, the lodge holds monthly meetings at 7:30 p.m. the second Monday of every month, except for June and July, when it remains idle.
To celebrate its 200th anniversary, the lodge is planning a dinner along with its monthly meeting on Friday, Aug. 25 at the Giant Eagle location. The event will be open to current members as well as members from other lodges.
Throughout the year, the lodge will hold several public events, starting with a spaghetti dinner with salad, garlic bread and dessert from 1 to 7 p.m. on Saturday, March 25. The cost of the meal is $7 per person.
“Half of the proceeds from the dinner will go to Morgan Yoney, who underwent a double lung transplant and is still awaiting a kidney transplant,” said Lodge Master Daryl Guthrie. “The other half will go toward supporting the lodge.”
On Saturday, Oct. 21, the lodge is planning to hold a Halloween party with a section of the building turned into a haunted area. The public is invited to join the event, although the exact time has not yet been set.
In December, the lodge will also stage a Christmas party for members and family.
Since its founding, the lodge has continued to serve its community and brothers. Last year, members marched in the annual Veterans Day parade in Waynesburg and made a donation to the restoration of the Crouse schoolhouse. Members also volunteer to ring the bell for the Salvation Army during its annual Christmas holiday fundraising drive.
While the Masons, a fraternal organization, do have female contingents like Eastern Star and the Rainbow Girls, lodge #153 currently doesn’t have a female component.
“After our lodge was established, several other lodges were organized in Waynesburg and Greene County,” Guthrie said. “However, we currently remain the sole Masonic lodge in the county.”
As current lodge master, Guthrie was born in Fayette County but moved to Carmichaels, his current home, in 1973 after being discharged from the Marines. Now a retired supervisor at the Emerald Coal Mine, Guthrie joined the Masons in 1984 and served as lodge master in 1989, 1990, 1998 and now 2017.
Prominent Greene County men who have served as Masters of this Lodge, include Thomas Fletcher in 1817; James R. Rinehart, 1874-84; Thomas Crago, 1900; Edward Martin, 1912 (yes, the military hero); Charles Spragg, 1817; Paul R. (Prexy) Stewart, 1923; Austin Dillie, 1928; W. Morgan Henderson, 1940; Kenneth G. Baily, 1943; John E. Baily, 1944; W. Bertram Waychoff, 1947; William R. Davis, 1977; and William M. Baily, 1981.
Thomas Fletcher, the first Master of the Lodge, is believed to be buried in the Presbyterian Cemetery in Jefferson, although it’s not been proven.
The tombstone that marked his grave has been toppled and cannot as yet be located. A photograph of the stone shows his death in 1845 at the age of 79, which makes his year of birth 1766. He was also Post Master for Jefferson.
Rees Hill, second Master of the lodge, was born 1776 in Virginia and died in 1852 near Winchester, Virginia. He was a colonel in the War of 1812 and was a representative for Greene County in the state House and also served as state senator.
Captain Bradley Mahanna, who served lodge master in 1844, carved the first statue of General Nathaniel Greene, which stood on the top of the Waynesburg Courthouse for 75 years until it the creation was destroyed by fire.
The current officers of Lodge 153 are Daryl Guthrie, Master; Anthony Ross, Senior Warden; Charles Lemley Jr., Junior Warden; J Bradley Monas, Secretary; Richard Krause Sr.,Treasurer; John C Walters, Chaplain; Darrin Grimm, Senior Deacon; Alan McClure, Senior Master of Ceremonies; Timothy Parson, Junior Master of Ceremonies; Russel Yoney, Pursuivant; Rodney Scherich, Guide; and James Amos, Tyler.