A Peek into Summers County’s Past: Talcott Masonic Lodge

TALCOTT W.Va. (WVDN) – Editor’s Note: Each week, local history collector William Jones discusses items from his collection and their historical significance. In this edition of A Peek into Summers County’s Past, Jones is detailing photos of the Masonic Lodge that was once in Talcott.

This is a photo from the Masonic Lodge in Talcott that was formerly known as “Talcott Lodge No. 100.” The second story of the John Henry Museum was the Masonic Lodge and Eastern Star meeting place back in the day. How it came about is quite a happenstance.

L.G. Rhodes was getting ready to construct a new store in Talcott around the turn of the century. His original plan was for a single-story structure. The Freemasons approached Rhodes and propositioned him to add a second story to his already existing plan for his store.

Their idea for doing this was to have a regular meeting place for their Talcott Lodge. Rhodes agreed and added the second story. It is a very large open space the full size of the store building. The Masons and Eastern Star utilized this space for over 50 years.

The photo you see of the store with the Model T in front of the two-story building was L.G. Rhodes’ new store with the second-floor meeting hall. L.G. was the first person to have a car in Talcott and can be seen in the photo with his new car in front of his store. The photo of the 34 people was taken upstairs in the store at a lodge meeting in 1952. The names left to right are as follows; W.R. Billy Boyd, Robert E. Bennett, Delbert Miller, Marion Kesler, Lossie Rhodes, Benson Sowers, John Wallace, H.J “Mac” Bartgis, Earl Rudisill, Marion F. Bennett.

P.M. “Pat” Boyd, George Rudisill, Melvin Thompson, Dr. Albert Holmes, Caleb Talbott, Estil Ballengee, Alvie Turner, Frank Kesler, William Perdue, Tom Ballengee, Melvin Loudermilk, Russell Honaker, Frank Rudisill, Ashby Huffman, Lester Lively, Earl Nelson, Jack Wallace, Jennings Garten, Roy Richmond, Emett Shirey, Mack Noland, Clarence Mann, Harry Long and Warren Bennett.

I have never found a date of when the Masonic Lodge stopped having meetings in Talcott. L.G. built his new store in 1905 and several accounts have said it was used as the meeting hall for over 50 years. Add the fact my father, David Jones, has a memory of going with his father, David Jones, to a Masonic lodge meeting there and sitting in the truck while Grandpa Jones went upstairs for the meeting. 

It can be deduced that because of my father’s memory and the various statements I have read about it, it stopped being used as a masonic hall in the early 1960s. Some of the men in this photo were more than likely the last members of the lodge who saw it out to the end.

The photo of the green book is my Great-grandfather, O.D. Thompson’s, 1925 masonic bible. It says on the cover “Orice D. Thompson Talcott Lodge No. 100.” His father, L.W. Thompson, whom I have mentioned in a few of my prior pieces, was also a member until he passed in 1949.

My Great-grandmother, Gladys Thompson, O.D’s wife, was a member of the Eastern Star for decades as well. Not Summers County history but it is worth the mention, my grandfather, David Jones, who attended at least one meeting in this building was also a member of the Odd Fellows. A fraternal organization like the Masons and Eastern Star. 

I found Grandpa Jones’s 1942 Odd Fellows membership card while cleaning out Grandma’s house three years ago. He had been a member while living in Greenville, West Virginia during his 20s. I always find it very interesting that businessmen of that time went by their initials only. Such as “L.G. Rhodes,” “L.W.,” “O.D. Thompson” and others. For whatever reason “W.G. Jones” (William Gary Jones) doesn’t quite have the same feel to it.

This is the end of another edition of A Peek into Summers County’s Past. If you have a story from Summers County’s history to share, send an email to news@hintonnews.com.