Seminole Lodge No 304 F&AM

This site is dedicated to it's history

April 16, 1952 to July 23, 2007

1953

FLOYD LAWRENCE HAMILTON, born 1910 in Wellington Kansas, raised to degree of Master Mason during 1937, in Doric Lodge No.140, Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. Demitted to Seminole Lodge No.304 in 1952. Occupation -Utility Foreman. Master of the Lodge at age 43.

In 1959 w. Bro. Floyd Hamilton was honored with the Grand Lodge appointment of District Deputy Grand Master of 27th Masonic District. During his term as District Deputy the annual Christmas Party for residents and employees of the Florida Masonic Home in St. Petersburg Florida was conceived. This annual affair, acknowledged as the highlight of the year at the Home, by both recipients and Advisory Board, was a conception of our own Bro. I. A. Sterling. The dimensions of this project quickly involved all Lodges of this District and has provided a cohesiveness - over the years - within the Lodges of the District. 

Brother Hamilton has many accomplishments and credits in the York Rite Bodies, Order of Eastern Star, and Grand Lodge Committees.

1954

LAWRENCE ELIAS ROGERS, born 1921 in Norwich, Conn. Raised to degree of Master Mason during 1937, in Doric Lodge No. 140, Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. Demitted to Seminole Lodge No.304 in 1952. Occupation - Photographer. Master of the Lodge at age 33.

W. Bro. Rogers moved soon after 1954 to Kew West Florida where he now resides and operates a photography supply concern.

1955

JAMES WILLIAM STEVENS, born 1917 in New Castle, Penna. Raised to degree of Master Mason in 1948 in Doric Lodge No.140, Ft. Lauderdale, F1a. Demitted to Seminole Lodge No.304 in 1952. Occupation - Baker, and more recently -Politics. Master of the Lodge at age 38.

On April 2), 1959 W. Bro. Stevens demitted from Seminole Lodge No. )04 for the purpose of forming a new Masonic Lodge in Oakland Park Fla. Subsequently, during 1960 Grand Lodge Session, J. Dewey Hawkins Lodge No. 331 was Chartered with W. Bro. Stevens as their first Master.

In 1967 W. Bro. Stevens was honored with the Grand Lodge app- ointment of District Deputy Grand Master of 27th Masonic District.

1956

ARTHUR J. ROYAL. born 1922 in Cincinnati Ohio. Raised to degree of Master Mason during 1945. in Carthage Lodge No.573. in Cincinnati. Ohio. Demitted to Seminole Lodge No.304 in 1952. Occupation -Barber. and more recently -Lumber Supply. Master of the Lodge at age 34.

1957

LEE ROY MARENIUS HALVORSEN, born 1873 in Syracuse, Nebraska, died during 1970 in Ft. Lauderdale Florida. Raised to degree of Master Mason during 1911 in Western Star Lodge No.2, in Nebraska City, Nebraska. Demitted to Seminole Lodge No. 304 in 1952 by way of Doric Lodge No.140, Ft. Lauderdale Fla. Occupation - Retired from a School Teaching profession. Master of the Lodge at age 84.

IN MEMORY - W. Bro Lee Roy M. Halversen died April 3, 1970 in Ft. Lauderdale Florida. W. Bro. Lee was an affable person with many interests. A retired schoolteacher in Nebraska from where he moved, with his wife, to Ft. Lauderdale Fla. At ages 79 thru 85 he was a rifle instructor and authorized rifle qualifier for BOY SCOUTS of AMERICA, in this area. Sometime during latter part of 1957, while Master of the Lodge and while conducting a regular communication, an impressive group of York Rite Masons arrived and bestowed upon W. Bro. Halvorsen, the award of KNIGHT OF THE YORK CROSS. W. Bro. Lee had previously served as principle Officer of all York Rite Bodies, needing only to serve as Master of the BLUE LODGE. He was first in 27th Masonic District to achieve this honor, and W. Bro. Jarrell, the second.

His spirit, congeniality, and enthusiasm belied his age. He was an inspiration to the Craft of Freemasonry and an active member of the Order of Eastern Star.

HISTORICAL NOTE - Memorial Lodge Chartered during 1957.

Memorial Lodge, sometimes referred to as a Lodge of Sorrow, was formed for the singular purpose of performing Masonic Funerals. The temperate climate of this area attracted numerous elderly residents of whom a considerable number were Master Masons and thus an inordinate number of Masonic Funerals. Memorial Lodge existed for about 12 years dating from 1957, and would still exist now in 1977 except for a Grand Lodge requirement that the Master and two Wardens of all Memorial Lodges be Florida Masons. The difficulty of finding local Masons with the time and inclination to assume this responsibility resulted in loss of Charter about 1970.  Some of the advantages of Memorial Lodge were availability and quality of performance -practice makes perfect -they were professionals. A system of telephone communications could muster an assembly of Masons and perform a service on two or three hour notice.

Since 1970 or thereabouts, the burden has fallen upon the District Deputy to assign funerals for "out of State Masons", in rotation, to the Lodges of the District. Depending on hour day, this presented problems and frequently resulted in a poor representative attendance.

            Hopefully, someday, Memorial Lodge will be re-organized and our image, to the un-initiated, at funerals, will be again enhanced

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