KNAP OF REEDS LODGE # 158, A.F. & A.M.

Brief Historical Presentation

for

150^{th Anniversary - March 2, 2005}

Presented by:

William T. Hutchins, Jr.

2005

Brother George B. Umstead compiled a Brief History of the Lodge in 1987 and I have attached his compilation hereto as Exhibit A (with all of the Exhibits except for Exhibit B (the old Bahama Lodge) omitted). Brother Alton Mangum graciously provided me with a written outline of his presentation tonight which I have attached as Exhibit B. As such, I am going to avoid to the extent possible a restatement of the items put together by Bros. Umstead and Mangum.

It is my understanding that the current location of the Lodge is the fourth (4th) such location. The Lodge was originally named Union Hall Lodge according to the minute book for the Lodge. I have been unable to determine the origin of the name "Union Hall" and the Grand Lodge of North Carolina has no record of the existence of Union Hall Lodge.

The location of Union Hall Lodge was, according to Bro. Umstead’s compilation, on or about the plantation known as Fairntosh. The construction of Fairntosh began around 1810 by Duncan Cameron. Duncan was the son-in-law of Richard Bennehan who owned the Stagville Plantation which was adjacent to Fairntosh. Richard Bennehan had been a partner with William Johnston as the owner of Stagg’s Tavern and was later the owner of Stagg’s Store (located on the Indian Trading Path).

Duncan Cameron died in 1853 which, incidentally, was around the time of the founding of the Lodge. Following Duncan’s death, Fairntosh was owned by Paul Cameron. Paul Cameron was, according to some sources, the wealthiest man in the State of North Carolina at the outbreak of the War Between the States.

It is unclear why the Lodge met at Fairntosh. I have been unable to determine whether Richard Bennehan, Duncan Cameron or Paul Cameron were Masons. It is well known that Richard Bennehan was a close personal friend of William Davie who was both Governor of North Carolina as well as Grandmaster from 1792-1798. I was also able to determine that Duncan Cameron’s brother, John Adams Cameron, was not only a Master Mason but was Grandmaster from 1820-1821. Therefore, it seems at least reasonable that one or more of the owners of Fairntosh and/or Stagville may have been a Mason.

According to Bro. Umstead’s compilation, the Lodge moved from Fairntosh to the area known as Knap of Reeds in southern Granville County around 1853. This was roughly the same time that the founding brothers were issued a charter by the Grand Lodge of North Carolina. Prior to that date, it would appear the Lodge met without a Charter. For unknown reasons, the name changed from Union Hall Lodge to Knap of Reeds Lodge at or around the time the Charter(s) was/were issued.

The Lodge is in possession of two (2) Charters issued by the Grand Lodge. It is unknown as to why there are two Charters. According to Grand Secretary Walt Clapp, the Grand Lodge only has records of the one for Knap of Reeds # 158 issued December 8, 1853 for a lodge located at "Knap O’Reeds" in Granville County. One Charter (which now hangs over the Master’s chair) lists the original Master and Wardens as Joseph Woods, LT Burton and Dennis Tilley while the other (which now hangs over the Senior Warden’s chair) lists C. W. McCally, Joseph Woods and LT Burton.

Knap of Reeds is, of course, the name of the creek which now feeds into Falls Lake. Around 1853, Knap of Reeds was also a small community which eventually had a Baptist Church, a post office (according to the 1877 edition of The North Carolina Business Office Companion) and, as of 1895, a population of 46 (according to the 1895 United States Census). It is my understanding that Knap of Reeds continued as a community until the creation of Camp Butner around World War II.

Interestingly, a carpet bagger / author / lawyer / judge named Albion Tourgee authored a novel entitled Bricks Without Straw which was published in 1880 and which takes place at a plantation named Knapp of Reeds. The plantation is, of course, fictional. However, my reading of portions of the novel indicates that the Knapp of Reeds Plantation was in all likelihood a fictional version of Fairntosh. Tourgee was a well known anti Ku Klux Klan activist and the book centers on the evils of the Klan. Tourgee was also Plessy’s lawyer in the landmark Plessy v. Ferguson (1896) case which set the standard for the "separate but equal" doctrine which was struck down by Brown v. Board of Education in 1954.

Knap of Reeds and the other land around the Lodge at that time was, according to Bro. Mangum, located at or near the land known as "Veazey Ridge". Veazey Ridge was owned by Squire Alfred Moore Veazey until the War Between the States. Squire Veazey was a Justice of the Peace who attended Knap of Reeds Baptist Church and who lived from 1818 to 1895.

One of the earliest members of the Lodge to receive the degrees was a relative of Squire Veazey’s named Squire D. Umstead who, according to Bro. Umstead’s compilation, was initiated June 26, 1854. Squire D. Umstead was the grandfather to Governor William B. Umstead who was elected as Governor of North Carolina in 1952 but who was not a member of the Lodge. Squire D. Umstead was also a 1845 delegate of the Round Hill Temperance Society (along with Richard Peed who was Master of the Lodge in 1862-1863).

Round Hill was the name of the community which was located near the present site of the Bahama Ruritan Club. There was a private school founded by D. C. Parrish (who was Julian S. Carr’s father-in-law) in 1848 known as Round Hill Female Academy. John Peed, who was Master of the Lodge in 1853, again from 1858-1859, in 1867, and again from 1869-1872, was a member of the Round Hill school committee.

When the railroad line for the Durham-Lynchburg line came through the area around 1887, Round Hill became a station and the name was changed to Bahama. At that time, there was a migration towards the area of the depot and the area around the depot and Mount Bethel church experienced a period of growth from 1910-1925. It is Bro. Alton Mangum’s opinion that the growth in the area was the reason behind the move of the Lodge to Bahama. The date of the move and the growth of the area around that time certainly give credence to Bro. Mangum’s opinion. Whatever the reason, in 1915, the Lodge moved to its third (3rd) location at the building owned by the Lodge located on the main street of Bahama. The building had two stories and the downstairs was rented to Bro. Alfred Wilkins who ran the store until around 1950. The Lodge remained in "downtown" Bahama until the Lodge moved to its current location in 1981-1982. The presentation of Bro. Mangum will, among other topics, speak to the decision to move the Lodge to its current location on land sold to the Lodge by Dr. Marie Roberts.

FORWARD

The information contained, in this brief history of Knap of Reeds Lodge #158, Bahama, N. C., is not 100% accurate. Old records of the lodge, thought to have been burned in a fire, around 1899, were not all completely destroyed. Some of them were saved, and due to their age were very brittle. Some pages appeared to have been missing from the original minutes. Also, the original minutes were written in longand, of course, in what some people may call script writing, making them very hard to read.

Some information was secured from local people, who were born about the time the lodge was moved to Bahama, N. C. from its location, near Knap of Reeds Creek, in what is now known as Camp Butner.

Part of the information is based on legend, especially as to the origin of the name Knap of Reeds.

The origin of Knap of Reeds Lodge #158, A.F.&A.M., had its beginning from a desire of masons living in the vicinity, of what is now known as Farintosh, to form a lodge for the betterment of mankind, especially brother masons.

Under a dispensation from the Grand Lodge of North Carolina, the exact date of which the original records did not state, a lodge was formed July 22, 1853, and met for a time in a private home, no building for a lodge as such being available. Just how long the lodge met in a private home the records did not state. However, the lodge was given the name of Union Hall.

Union Hall Masonic Lodge was located near, in what later became to be known as Farintosh. In later years, a railroad was run between Durham, and Lynchburg, Virginia. it is entirely possible that the railroad, and its right—of—way, took over the original site, and first home of Union Hall Masonic Lodge, at the first forming of which, no number was assigned, according to original records

Just exactly when, and for what reason, the original records did not state. But sometime in 1853, Union Hall Masonic Lodge was moved to Granville County, and located near, in what is now known, Knap of Reeds Creek. If the lodge met in a private home, or if a building of their own was built, the original records available did not state. The lodge name was then changed to Knap of Reeds #105 May 27, 1854. See Exhibit B.

The name Knap of Reeds has a legendary origin. One is that the Indians called it Knot of Reeds, and from that developed the name Knap of Reeds, from which a creek running near-by probably got its name. Another is that there is a biblical reference as to how the name Knap of

Reeds came about.

Knap of Reeds Lodge #158, A.F.&A.M. continued to meet in a building, near Knap of Reeds Creek, from 1853, to 1915, when it was moved to Bahama, N.C., its present location. (See Exhibit B.)

In 1915, the lodge was moved from Knap of Reeds, in what is now known as part of Camp Butner, N.C., to Bahama, N. C., and was then housed in a general store, on the second floor. The exact date of the movement the records did not state. (See Exhibit C.)

Mr. Alfred C. Wilkins, a member of that lodge, and the great—grand— father, of the present master James Clark, ran the general store for many years, and was a very loyal mason. He kept the local children from getting into the lodge by saying "baa, baa, baa" every time we would get to the door on the second floor. We kids thought that the proverbial goat was after us, and we ran away in short order.

On meeting nights, Mr Wilkins would ring a bell, on the ground floor of the lodge which housed the general store, to let local masons know that meeting time was near. That bell has been re—finished, and now hangs near the secretary’s desk in our present location. It is now rung only on special occasions.

Brother Pervis Tilley was a loyal mason for forty—eight years, being a member of Knap of Reeds. He was also secretary for many years. In a fire around 1899, over which he had control, a fire occurred, and many of the original records were destroyed, but not enough to keep some the early history of the lodge from being known. Presently living, is brother Otis Jackson, a past—master, who has been a member for over fifty years.

On the property obtained from Dr. Roberts, a sign was placed, saying "The Future Home of Knap of Reeds Masonic Lodge. It stood there for sometime, till one day, according to local legend, a brother asked, "when will the lodge be built." Well this brother reportedly said, in that case I will be there in about twenty minutes, with my back—hoe, to lay off the out—line. Well, as local legend says, more work was done, the finances started to roll— in, and when the

building was completed, an-I the key turned in the front door, it was all paid for. (See Exhibit I).

The present property is located approximately one-half mile from the intersection of U.S. 501, and Bahama road, about eleven miles from the city of Durham. It consists of spacious grounds of a half acre or better, a picnic shelter, a tool shed, and beautiful trees, and shrubbery. The building itself consists of a small, but useful lodge meeting room, a preparation room, a foyer, adequate dining facilities, a kitchen well equipped, and two bathrooms, whereas the previous building had none.

A fact, that may be of historical masonic interest, is that four direct generations of Umsteads have been either members, and/or masters of the lodge. Squire D. Umstead was initiated on June 214, 1854, passed on June 26; 1854, and raised July 8, 1854. His son Alvis K. was affilitated on January 20, 1866, and demitted on January 6, 1875. His son George Bascomb was initiated on February 10, 1917, passed on March 10, 1917, and was raised on April 10, 1917. His son George Bernice was initiated on August 17, 1983, passed October 5, 1983, and was raised on November 16, 1983.

Of further historical Masonic interest, is a picture of an old Masonic apron, believed to be a past—masters aprons shown in exhibit E. It belonged to Squire D. Umstead, which has been passed on the fourth, presently living, direct generation.

Knap of Reeds Masonic Lodge #158, A.F.&A.M. meets the first, and third Wednesdays of each month, at 7:30 PM, unless other-wise notified.

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