Civil War Lodge of Research #1865 AF&AM

 

As per request of Senior Warden, following is ENTIRE text of announcement.

A full weekend of activities, friendship and Brotherhood are lined up for the December communication.

On Friday evening (December 2), we will gather at Library Tavern 1330 Richmond Road in Williamsburg.

On Saturday (December 3), incoming officers are expected at the lodge by 9am for an installation rehearsal.  Virginia regulations require a rehearsal prior to an open installation.  Yorktown Lodge #205 is at 221 Ballard Street in Yorktown.  Lodge opens at 10am.  There are big holiday events going on that day just a short distance away (walking distance) for the ladies while we have our meeting.  After lodge closes, we will have lunch at the lodge. 

We'll return to the lodge room at 12:45pm for an Open Installation of Officers.  Our ladies and non-Masonic guests are welcome to attend.  Then, at 2:30pm, we'll gather at the Yorktown Visitor Center for a program on the Civil War battle there.

Saturday night, we'll return to Williamsburg for dinner at Milano's Italian Restaurant, 1635 Richmond Road.

Remember, this is Grand Illumination weekend in Williamsburg.  The fireworks display is scheduled for 7pm.

For those who are staying over on Saturday night, we have made reservations for breakfast/lunch (you choose) at 11am at Astronomical Pancake House, 5437 Richmond Road in Williamsburg, at 11am on Sunday, December 4.

We have not made arrangements for hotel accommodations because there are so many choices in various price ranges.  On the Bypass Road in Williamsburg alone, we listed Sleep Inn, Comfort Suites, Days Inn, Holiday Inn & Suites, Comfort Inn, Hampton Inn, and others.  Bypass Road is a convenient location to the restaurants where we'll be gathering.

Rich Radi, Secretary
540-270-7539
mail- P.O.Box #259, Middletown, VA 22645

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A Stated Communication of the Civil War Lodge of Research #1865 was held  at the Masonic Temple of William King Lodge #227, A.F.&A.M. 137 E. Main Street, Saltville, VA 24370  on Saturday, October 1^st, A.D. 2011, A.L. 6011, at 10:00 AM. 

The Officers were as follows  - 

Master  - Raymond ‘Mickey’ Moats

Senior Warden – Gary Laing

Junior Warden – Mike Achhammer

Treasurer – absent

Secretary – Richard Radi

Senior Deacon – Chuck Workman

Junior Deacon – Joe Bongiovi PT                  

Chaplain – John Shroeder

Tiler – Pat Mulligan, Sr PT

SR Steward – absent

JR Steward – absent

Marshall - Wayne Price  

VISITORS:                             As written in Visitors Guest book

                                      (If you are not in the Guest book, then you were not here!) 

A Masonic Lodge was opened in Due and Ancient Form and after Pledging Allegiance to the Flag of our Country. The Secretary read the Dispensation from the Grand Lodge of Virginia allowing this Lodge to hold its Communication at the above noted location and time.  

A summary of the minutes of the last Stated Communication was * [ x ] read

*[  ]dispensed with.   

CORRESPONDENCE:

From the Grand Lodge of Virginia, there was a 'Thank You' for being a Hole Sponsor in the Stan Johnson Golf Tournament in Buena Vista, VA.

All proceeds benefit the Masonic Home of Virginia.  

There was a letter from MW Jim Cole of MAHOVA, dated 7/18/11 thanking us for our donations. The total as of that date is @ 332.00. 

There was a Thank You from Jeff Spence, Development Officer of MAHOVA for a $100.00 donation. 

And another Thank You from Jeff Spence for thr Memoriam in honor of Brother Raymond Schnierer of California. 

There was a letter from the Grand Master okaying the CWLR aprons with the proviso that -

1.   Only the members of Civil War Lodge of Research #1865 are to wear the aprons.

2.   The aprons are to be worn at tiled Lodge meetings only, nowhere else. 

There was a letter from the Masonic Service Assn thanking us for our $100.00 contribution to the disaster in North Dakota. 

Brother Frank Farrar of Berkshire, UK sent a letter of interest in The Great Train Robbery event. In addition, he enclosed pictures and a history of the reconditioned steam engine “Foremark Hall” (#7903) of which he has an interest in. This engine is the namesake of Sir Francis Burdett (1813-1892) and was celebrated with a Festive Board of Burdett Lodge #1293. The program for the evening was included in the package. Anyone who wishes further information, please contact the Secretary. 

We have received the quarterly pamphlet from the George Washington Masonic Memorial. It is available for anyone to peruse. Remember that our Lodge is a New Century member of the Memorial. 

Following the Earthquake and the Hurricane, there was a request from the Masonic Service Ass'n for disaster relief for Vermont, Connecticut, New York and Virginia. Another request followed for Pennsylvania. The Worshipful Master ordered a donation of $500.00 to be divided equally among the States affected. 

There was a request from Brother Clayton Gaskins of Newsoms, VA for someone to give a program on 'Masonry and the Civil War and what CWLR is doing to preserve it '@ Courtland Lodge #86 on October 18^th, 7:30PM.

This Lodge is in SE Virginia. The Secretary will try to find someone. 

There was a Call for the Grand Annual Communication of the Grand Lodge of Virginia, commencing on Friday, November 11^th in Richmond, VA. 

Info from the Grand Lodge Secretary's Conference -

ñ It was noted that the mailing address for MAHOVA has been changer to -

          500 Masonic Lane, Henrico, VA 23223

          and

ñ It is requested to make a $100.00 donation to buy a ticket to the Annual Banquet for a resident of MAHOVA. The Worshipful Master ordered this done. 

The Secretary's desk was cleared with all bills, necessary for the operation of the Lodge, ordered to be paid as read. 

The Secretary reported our total membership now is 341. 

We have 85 LMIP’s. 

REGRETS: Brothers Keith Millar and David McMorris of Scotland,

Jim Herendeen and Stanley Morehead of Virginia, Pat Curtis of West Virginia send there regrets about missing the meeting. 

PETITONS & BALLOTING:  Petitions was read for -

Jerry Edens – Terra Alta, WV  *  Charles Fultz – Terra Alta, WV

Charles Redfield – Toms River, NJ  * David Hoagland – Wintersville, OH

The vote was unanimous. 

WELCOME BROTHERS! 

REINSTATEMENTS:  Raymond Ryan, Jr. - Powhatan, VA  

DEMIT:  Christopher Evans – Richmond, VA 

DEATHS:  none reported 

TREASURER REPORT: There was no Treasurer report. 

COMMITTEE REPORTS:             

                   SICKNESS & DISTRESS – John Shroeder reported on Lauris Eek and Gary Laing reported on Paul Barrass. 

                   APRON Committee – The plain white aprons with our logo on the flap were approved by the Grand Master. Mickey Moats will check on the the original apron committee. 

                   REPRINT Committee – Rich Radi and Gary Laing – .we will soon have the transactions available on our website.

                   AUDIT Committee – Audit needed for December meeting. Gary Laing, Chairman, Mike Achhammer & Joe Bonjiovi. 

OLD BUSINESS: Our Minutes are still lost.

(This will remain as old business until I find them or I die trying.) 

We have a supply of Medals AND Lapel Pins @ a cost of $5 each. If I have to mail them, there is an additional charge of $2 for EACH order. 

I also have Blue caps and Grey caps with our Logo. They are $12.00 each.

It will cost another $5.00 to mail them so why don't you attend a meeting and save the postage! 

DUES: DUES NOTICE! - 2011 dues ($20.00) is due

HOWEVER, if you are suffering from this lousy economy or a loss of employment, PLEASE contact me CONFIDENTIALLY.

I GUARANTEE that we can remedy the situation.  

There still are 13 who have not paid for 2010. They will be removed from  the Roll on January 1^st if they don't contact me. 

NEW BUSINESS: A donation of $100 was made to William King Lodge #227

for the use of their Lodge room and their hospitality.  

W. Gary Laing reported on the talk he gave on August 9^th in Terra Alta, WV.

 Terra Alta Lodge is a warm and friendly Lodge. There were about 25 members in attendance and Gary thought that his talk was well received because he was invited back! Worshipful Mickey also made the trip to Terra Alta, accompanied by Dave Piper and Neil Lilly, Sr. 

Worshipful Mickey displayed the 1^st National flag that was donated to our Lodge by Brother John Dubbs at the Great Train Robbery event. We have had the flag dated back to the 1920's with a value of about $900.00. Originally, it was thought that we would have the names of locations visited by CWLR stitched on the flag but on account of this new information, we will use streamers for the locations and keep the flag on display. 

Brother Pat Mulligan suggested that a member planning to attend a future Communication should inform the Secretary or Master. The benefit would be two-fold -

1- It would help with making the Friday night dinner arrangements and

2- We would know who to look for in case of a mishap or travel problems. 

Worshipful Mickey noted that the July supplement to the Virginia Herald has an article on the Friend to Friend monument and other Civil War articles. 

Gary Laing mentioned the Face book page that he has. 

INTRODUCTIONS:  The Worshipful Master had everyone introduce themselves. 

ANNOUNCEMENTS: The December meeting will be on December ^3rd at 10AM @ Yorktown, Virginia. Details to follow. 

Upcoming meetings of CWLR –  

 April 14^th – Franklin, TN (Five Tragic Hours – the End of the Army of Tennessee) 

No further business appearing, the minutes were read and approved and the Lodge was closed in Ancient Form and Harmony at  11:55 A.M..

Respectfully submitted, 

Richard C. Radi, Secretary            W. Raymond M. Moats,  Worshipful Master 

AFTER THE LODGE CLOSED; 

PROGRAM:

We had a sumptuous meal provided by the Eastern Star, then we walked up the street to the Museum of the Middle Appalachians. At the museum we were provided with a private tour by the local historian. There was also a diorama of Saltville and the surrounding area showing the salt marshes and salt pumps.

Saltville is a small town that lies mostly in Smyth County in southwestern Virginia, between the Holston River and the Tennessee and Virginia Railroad. During the Civil War , Saltville was of strategic importance for two reasons: the railroad provided an important link between the eastern and western theaters of the war, and the town's salt marshes were crucial in supplying provisions for the Confederate army. As such, Saltville was the target of numerous Union raids. It was also the site of a battle on October 2, 1864, when outnumbered Confederate cavalry troops repulsed the advance of Union troops, under the command of General Stephen G. Burbridge. On December 20, 1864 - Union General George Stoneman captured Saltville, destroying the town's salt marshes which were crucial in supplying provisions for the Confederate army.

The geology of Saltville is critical to its role in American industry and in the Civil War. Millions of years ago, the area around Saltville was submerged in salt water, and the deposits left behind fed everything from wooly mammoths to the first humans and, as early as 1567, enticed European settlers to trade with Native Americans living in the area. During the Civil War, salt was essential to preserving the provisions of the Confederate army and, indeed, Saltville mines supplied salt to much of the country during the summer of 1863.

A  good time was had by all!