---------- > I have a small booklet put out by the Masonic Lodge of Moorefield about > 1957/58. My uncle was a member and gave this to my father. > > LODGE HISTORY > > Original Charter 1807, No. 80 > > The original charter for Moorefield Lodge No. 80 A.F. & A.M. was issued by > Right Worshipful Grand Master David Robertson in the State of Virginia > under the date of December 15, 1807 with > James Machir, Worshipful Master > Thompson McDonald, Senior Warden > Nathan Parrell, Junior Warden > > This Lodge's first report to the Grand Lodge of Virginia under date of 1808 > listed the following officers in addition to those listed above: > John M. Smith, Secretary > William Courley, Treasurer > James Pierce, Sr., Deacon > John Duffield, Jr., Deacon > John Hopewell, Sr., Steward > Jesse Cunningham, Jr., Steward > John Gibbony, Tyler > > The following names appeared as members: > John Craigen Isaac Pancake > John Cunningham Ambrose Updegraff > Samuel McMechen Edmond Waggoner > John S. Scone George Sauman > David Carson Frederick Troutwine > Sol Cunningham Peter Hull - E.A. > Solomon Fisher Martin McNemara - E.A. > James Miles William Naylor - E.A. > Nathaniel Pendleton James Dailey - E.A. > Robert T. Flannigan Geo. Neville - W.D. > James Johnson > > James Machir, the First Worshipful Master was born 1764 in Tannadice, > Scotland. He was commissioned a Colonel in the Colonial Army under General > Washington. He served as a Congressman from this district in the Fifth > Continental Congress at Philadelphia, later he served as a Delegate from > this District on eight occasions at the General Assembly of Virginia in > Richmond. The records of the Grand Lodge of Virginia show in 1812 that > "James Machir Moorefield Lodge No. 80 was appointed on a Committee to find > the most expedient mode of creating funds for the care of orphans and > widows of Masons." > > In this Lodge's report to the Grand Lodge under date of 1812 the following > new members were listed on the roll: > Warner Throckmorton - M.M. > Peter Hull - M.M. > Charles A. Turley - F.C. > Valentine Simmons - F.C. > Alexander Sanford - E.A. > Armistead O'Bannon - E.A. > > Suspended were Thomas Bennett and John Bentley. > > It is very interesting to note that during these days and many years > thereafter, Entered Apprentices and Fellow Crafts were members of a lodge > the same as Master Masons, and neither the Subordinate lodges or Grand > Lodge of Virginia opened on anything but the E.A. Degree except when > necessary to confer the F.C. or M.M. Degree, or when for a trial of a > brother when the Entered Apprentices and Fellow Crafts were not Permitted. > > In 1843 the step-up was made by the Virginia Grand Lodge, requiring all > three degrees to become members of a lodge in the Grand Jurisdiction of the > Grand Lodge of Virginia. It was noted that during this period the > Moorefield Lodge No. 80 failed to make its report to the Grand Lodge and > was declared dormant by the Grand Lodge of Virginia. We are indebted to > James M. Cliff, Grand Secretary of the Grand Lodge of Virginia, for most of > the above information. > > Past Grand Master J. Bernard Dodrill of the Grand Lodge of West Virginia > stated in his History of Masonry in the South Branch Valley that when > Moorefield Lodge No. 80 was chartered, Wheeling was but a small town, > Morgantown, Fairmont, Clarksburg, Parkersburg, and Charleston were post > villages. Huntington was a vast forest, Hinton was only a clearing, > Grafton was known as Three Forks, Moundsville as Elizabeth and Bluefield > and Beckley were forests. The original Charter granted to Moorefield Lodge > No. 80 is still in the possession of the lodge as well as the Working Tools > of the Lodge that were used at that time. > > Charter of 1860 - No. 192 > > By special dispensation of the Grand Lodge of Virginia, under date of > September 12, 1860, Moorefield Lodge No. 192 was authorized. The first > officers under this charter were: > J. K. Chambers, W.M. > G. W. McNeill, S.W. > Charles L. Cunningham, J.W. > John W. Basore, Secretary > Phillip T. Shearer, Treasurer > Francis Silver, Sr. D. > R. D. Long, Jr. D. > James Chipley, Tyler > > This was a very active and progressive lodge up until the Civil War. The > lodge suspended operations and all meetings from November 21, 1861 to July > 20, 1865. However the lodge operated continuously from this latter date > presumably under their Virginia Charter, No. 192 until July 3, 1869. This > charter is also in the lodge at the present time. > > Charter of 1869 - No. 29 > > Our present charter was issued by the Grand Master of Masons of West > Virginia on July 3, 1869, and we were designated as Moorefield Lodge No. 29 > A.F. & A.M. > > The first meeting of this lodge under their present charter as disclosed by > the records, show following to be the regular officers: > H.M. Gamble, W.M. > J. J. Chipley, S.W. > E. O. Harwood, J.W. > P. T. Shearer, Treasurer > E. M. Williams, Secretary > J. B. Gilkeson, S.D. > R. J. Tilden, J.D. > J. M. Linthicum, Tyler > > As far as can be ascertained this lodge first met in the Allen building (on > Corner). Its next place of meeting was on the third floor of the P. T. > Shearer building now occupied as a drug store, later on the third floor of > the Post Office building and now in its own fine building just south of the > Post Office. > > Past Grand Master and Grand Historian J. Bernard Dodrill of the Grand Lodge > of West Virginia stated at the dedication of our new Masonic Home in 1949, > that Moorefield Lodge No. 29 never worked under dispensation, but received > its charter by the Grand Lodge of W. Va. endorsing its Virginia Charter. > That it has continued to work continuously since being chartered Dec. 5, > 1869 as No. 29 and has retained this number to the present time and is the > only lodge in this district to enjoy this distinction. > > The large brick and lime building which the lodge now occupies is owned by > the lodge. It has been remodeled and enlarged so that now we have one of > the finest and most up-to-date department stores in this section of the > state occupied by the Coffman Fisher Company. It has three apartments on > the second floor together with a fine Blue Lodge room, dining room and a > modern kitchen. The income from this building will enable the lodge to pay > off its indebtedness in about ten years. > > The committee in charge of the construction of this fine new building was: > G. R. Kiracofe, P.M. > W. C. H. Poole, P.M. > B. J. McWhorter, P.M. > Respectively Submitted, > G. R. Kiracofe > L. R. Grover > Roy C. Wilson > >