Normal Lodge #673 AF&AM

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The Normal Masonic Lodge held its organizational meeting on February 20, 1871.  It was not until October 3, 1871 that our Charter was signed making Normal Lodge No. 673 a regularly constituted lodge authorizing them to meeting and work.  A list of the Charter members is as follows:

James W. Gray

Henry Van Doren

Samuel J. Reeder

Henry McCormick

E. P. Knight

Gilbert S. King

William A. Pennell

Benjamin F. Carpenter

Clarence Owen

W. W. Ross

The first location of Normal Lodge was established at 140 East Beaufort Street, Normal in the second story of a frame building owned by C. Parks who operated a general store on the ground floor.  Since its inception the lodge has moved seven times.  Its seventh and last move was into the present Masonic Temple.

This present temple was dedicated on the evening of July 6, 1926. The cornerstone had been laid November 25, 1925 and a box of sealed contents placed under the cornerstone.

The box was opened once in 1971 for the 100th anniversary after which it was resealed with additions of then current mementoes, some Lodge and city pictures, brochures and other items the brethren thought would be of interest to our brothers in 2071.

In 2005 the lodge consolidated with Danvers Lodge #742, retaining our name and number.  Sixty-six men joined as a result of the merger.

Through the years Normal Lodge has produced several Grand Lecturers.  The names of those who have achieved this high honor are listed below with the date when they were commissioned by the Grand Lodge of Illinois.

Elbert W. Crandall, Sr. (Deceased)

William L. Davis (Deceased)

Leslie W. Nelson (Deceased)

Bud Buescher (Emeritus)

Ronald K. Blue (Past Examiner)

John D. Dorner

There have also been several affiliated Grand Lecturers and several Certified Lodge Instructors.

Jeffery James Fox  Certified Lodge Instructor

John Harold Perkins  Grand Lecturer Emeritus

Charles Herbert Ross, Jr.  Certified Lodge Instructor

Kenneth Wayne Smith  Grand Lecturer

Jerald Howard Starks  Certified Lodge Instructor

This is a list of the Past Master's of Normal Lodge since its inception:

*Coy, W. 1871

*Gray, J. M.. 1872

*Lackey, James S.. 1873

*Lackey, James S.. 1874

*Dickinson, A. F.. 1875

*Lackey, James S.. 1876

*McCormick, Henry. 1877

*Lackey, James S.. 1878

*Lackey, James S.. 1879

*James, Josiah M.. 1880

*James, Josiah M.. 1881

*James, Josiah M.. 1882

*Champion, George. 1883

*Garret, John S.. 1884

*Champion, George. 1885

*Champion, George. 1886

*Garret, John S.. 1887

*McCormick, Henry. 1888

*McCormick, Henry. 1889

*Gill, Clark L.. 1890

*Gill, Clark L.. 1891

*Gill, Clark L.. 1892

*Skinner, Albert. 1893

*McCormick, Henry. 1894

*Fleming, Robert L.. 1895

*Fleming, Robert L.. 1896

*Fleming, Robert L.. 1897

*Lindblad, Andrew. 1898

*Lindblad, Andrew. 1899

*Bright, Reuben. 1900

*Bright, Reuben. 1901

*McReynolds, Bert. 1902

*McReynolds, Bert. 1903

*Bright, Reuben. 1904

*Bright, Reuben. 1905

*Bowles, Leroy E.. 1906

*Bowles, Leroy E.. 1907

*Brown, Hardin J.. 1908

*Phillips, Frank. 1909

*Bright, Reuben. 1910

*Morgan, Alanson. 1911

*McCormick, Henry. 1912

*McCormick, Henry. 1913

*McCormick, Henry. 1914

*Mead, Charles H.. 1915

*Keys, Truman H.. 1916

*McKnight, William. 1917

*Corrington, Alfred. 1918

*Metcalf, Harry B.. 1919

*Metcalf, Harry B.. 1920

*Tobias, E. A.. 1921

*Richards, Earl. 1922

*Hamm, Edward J.. 1923

*Metcalf, Gail W.. 1924

*Porterfield, C. J.. 1925

*Bullock, Harvey W.. 1926

*Kerr, John W.. 1927

*Clesson, Fred R.. 1928

*Crandall, Elbert W.. 1929

*Lynch, Jewel P.. 1930

*Glover, Lucien. 1931

*Mercier, August. 1932

*Davis, William Lee. 1933

*Odell, William. 1934

*Stout, Arthur E.. 1935

*Gapen, Shepard E.. 1936

*Blum, John G.. 1937

*Palmer, Roy H.. 1938

*Peyton, Leland W.. 1939

*Bill, Arthur. 1940

*Miller, Charles. 1941

*Robeson, Ray. 1942

*Mead, Herman. 1943

*Iliff, Arthur. 1944

*Whitman, Frank. 1945

*Cates, William L.. 1946

*Cline, A. D.. 1947

*Ackerman, Robert. 1948

*Beadles, Charles E.. 1949

*Goodwin, Harold. 1950

*Kewley, Russel. 1951

*Saylor, Russell. 1952

*Thorpe, Ernest O.. 1953

*Chirst, Ralph V.. 1954

*Nelson, Leslie W.. 1955

*Pease, Vernon Ronald. 1956

*Bair, William Emanuel. 1957

*Johnson, R.. 1958

*Dewitt, A.. 1959

*Ritter, Weldon Le Roy. 1960

*Scott, R.. 1961

*Miller, E.. 1962

*Harris, W.. 1963

*Campbell, James Edwin. 1964

Crouch, Chester Walden. 1965

*Miller, H.. 1966

Lane, Dallas Lee. 1967

*Davis, W.. 1968

*Wilson, Douglas Arthur. 1969

*Radley, W.. 1970

*Girard, G.. 1971

*White, E.. 1972

*Brown, Walter Howard. 1973

Blight, Donald Howard. 1974

*Bey, D.. 1975

Burton, Frank Leroy. 1976

Mayol, Donald Eugene. 1977

Riley, Charles William. 1978

*Vawter, Melvin Glen. 1979

Brown, William Walter. 1980

Perkins, George Frederick. 1981

*Settles, Gary Lynn. 1982

*Williams, Percival. 1983

Buescher, Waldo Henry. 1984

Clower, John Ellis. 1985

De Vore, Forrest Leland. 1986

Broughton, Gary Franklin. 1987

Blue, Ronald Keith. 1988

Cloyd, Ivan Oral. 1989

Young, David Edward. 1990

Cloyd, James Clifton. 1991

*Wells, Michael Gregory. 1992

*Young, Clarence Cloyde. 1993

Darnall, Darrell Jean. 1994

De Vore, Kenneth Wayne. 1995

Cloyd, Ivan Oral. 1996

Pelhank, Wayne Alan. 1997

Carney, Barry Gene. 1998

*Wiegand, George Fredrick. 1999

*Hope, Wallace C. 2000

Armstrong, William W. 2001

Grimm, Jimmie Lloyd. 2002

Kerber, Robert Jean. 2003

Estes, Jeffrey Lynn. 2004

Dorner, John David. 2005

Ross, Charles Herbert. 2006  

Rinker, Joshua Phillip 2007

 

   *Deceased  !Demitted

 

 

The Square and Compass