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November 2016

Trestle Board

St. John’s Lodge No. 1

Portsmouth, NH

The Master’s Message

I am sure many of you have been to Masonic events and “get togethers” where a brother will pass on to you something he has picked up in his travels and which he thinks you might have an interest. It may be a lapel pin, an announcement, a card that carries a message reflecting a Masonic philosophy or teaching, an invitation, etc. In the past four years, while serving as D.E.O. and now Grand Historian, a number of things have been passed on to me at Lodge meetings and visitations I have attended around the district. At times, these items are handed to me during a conversation, immediately deposited in one of my pockets or in my wallet, and all to often forgotten about. Last week I found one such card in my wallet while looking for a receipt (it is amazing how fast the billfold section of one’s wallet becomes a “junk collection” center when a debit card becomes the primary method of payment for most everything one buys!). I just happened to flip this blue colored card over to see what it was and when I finished reading it, I decided to pass on the contents to all brethren who read our monthly trestle board: just a short poem with catchy little phrases – but I think it says a great deal!

Be An Active Brother Be an active brother, The kind that would be missed; Don’t be just contented That your name is on the list.

Do attend the meetings And mingle with the crowd; Don’t stay at home And crab both long and loud.

Don’t leave the work for just a few And gripe about the clique And take time out to visit A brother who is sick

There is quite a program scheduled That means success if done, And it can be accomplished With the help of everyone

So attend the meetings regularly And help with hand and heart,

For those brothers who wish to make a cash donation for this year’s Toys for Tots drive, a donation pitcher will be placed on the dinner serving line at each meeting from November to mid-December. Toy shopping will be done by lodge volunteers as funds are collected.

Thirty-nine states offer at least one style of specialty license plats re-lated to Freemasonry. In thirty-six states, the plates are adorned with the Square and Compasses logo, with an accompanying caption, “FREEMASON”, “MASONIC FAMILY”, “MASONIC FRATERNI-TY”, “MASTER MASON”, or “BLUE LODGE” on the plate. Eleven states offer a license plate referencing Prince Hall Masonry. Eleven states offer specialty plates for Shriners. Seven state have plates for Eastern Star and Maryland offers a Scottish Rite license plate. So, what do we have in New England? Unfortunately, New Hamp-shire and Maine do not offer Masonic license plates. Rhode Island does not, but Vermont, Massachusetts and Connecticut all offer plates with the Square and Compasses. Maryland offers the most choices, eight different designs.

Be an active brother And take an active part

Think this over, brothers And are we right or wrong? So be an active brother, Please don’t just belong !

We are now approaching that time of the year when most everybody wishes a day consisted of forty-eight rather than twenty-four hours. The holidays are rapidly approaching: everything outside the four walls of your home needs to be winterized, the ”toys of summer” (boats, golf clubs, grills, etc.) need to be placed in storage, and “snowbirds” must prepare for the “great migration” southward. St. John’s Lodge is not exempted from this “fall rush”. Brethren, our Annual Toys for Tots Drive has begun! The Saint John’s Masonic Association will be holding its annual meeting on the same evening as our November stated. The Annual Meeting of Saint John’s Lodge will take place during our December stated and the Installation of Officers for 2017 will take place on Saturday December 10! In addition we have Fellow Craft and Master Mason Degrees being done during November and December (respectively).

I wish you, your family, friends, and fellow brethren the Happiest of

Thanksgivings and hope, as we enter these few remaining days of the year,

that you can join us for as many of our scheduled events as possible. I also

want thank all our brethren who served or are serving in the Armed Forces of

the United States and ask that you take time on this upcoming Veterans Day,

to recognize the service they gave on behalf of our nation.

Fraternally Yours,

Wor. Rod MacDonald

Master’s Message cont..

SJMA meeting @ 5:00 PM Regular meeting

Stated Communication Saint John’s Masonic Association Annual Meeting

Wednesday, November 2, 2016 Dinner—Turkey will all the fixings 6:00——($10)

Lodge Opens 7:00PM SJMA Annual meeting will start at 7:30PM

Officer dress—White tie and tails

Special Communication—Fellow Craft Degree Wednesday, November 16, 2016

Dinner—Shrimp and chicken alfredo 6:00-($10) Lodge Opens 7:00PM

Officer dress—White tie and tails

Grand Lodge of New Hampshire Semi-Annual Communication Saturday, November 19, 2016

Lodge opens 9:00AM Officer dress—Business suite w/regale

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November 2016

Glenn R. Gordon Secretary

glengordon@comcast.net

Roderick MacDonald Worshipful Master

RodMStJohnsNo1@comcast.net (603) 436-4071

Contact Information:

St. John’s Lodge Historical Sketch

Thomas Albert Ward

There’s a short road that connects Middle Road and Munroe Street near the former Lafayette School; it’s called Ward Place. On April 9, 1914, by action of the City Council, the city of Portsmouth purchased for $1,500 the lot on Lafayette Road across from Ward Place owned by the Consolidated Coal Co. for the purpose of constructing the Lafayette School. At that same meeting, the Council voted to accept the offer of the owner of the adjoining lot, to give the same for a playground, with the one condition that no building be erected on it or that no roads be laid across it. Ward Park is that really nice triangular parcel on the left that you drive by when traveling from the gas station at the beginning of Middle Road toward Greenland. The person who donated the land was Thomas A. Ward. Thomas Albert Ward was born in Lawrence, Massachusetts, on May 10, 1858, the son of William and Mary (Holford) Ward. He came to Portsmouth with his family when he was a child and attended local schools. After graduating from high school, Tom started his business career working with his father in the operation of a distillery of pure molasses rum. The very successful business was called William Ward & Sons. The distillery was located at 28 Dennett Street in Portsmouth with the business office at 43 Market Street. On the death of his father, Tom became head of the firm which was also a wholesale and retail dealer of foreign and domestic wines and liquors. In his later years, Tom was Vice President and Director of the Stowe and Woodward Company of Newton, Massachusetts, a firm that processed rubber and polymers for machinery applications in the textile, tannery and paper industries. Interested and active in public affairs in Portsmouth, Tom was a member of the Board of Public Works in 1921-23. He was also a member of the Republican City Committee and served as a delegate to several Constitutional Conventions. On February 5, 1884, Tom married Carriedella Newton and they

lived at 206 Lafayette Road at its junction with South Street (Ward’s Corner) and they had two sons, Sherman B. and William E. Ward. Tom was an active member of Portsmouth Lodge, No. 96, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, Portsmouth Country Club, the Warwick Club and the Portsmouth Athletic Club. He was also a member of the Mechanic Fire Society where he served as president of the organization in 1905 and 1906. He died at the young age of 68 years on April 20, 1927 and he is buried in the South Street Cemetery in Portsmouth. Brother Tom was also a prominent member of our Masonic Fraternity. He affiliated with St. John’s Lodge No. 1, F&AM on February 16, 1881 and was a longstanding York Rite Mason and member of DeWitt Clinton Commandery, Knights Templar. Today we remember him for his generous gift of Ward Playground to the City of Portsmouth.

Alan M. Robinson, PM Historian

Remember: 1. We need your Email Address to lower the cost of mailing. 2. Dues bills and cards have been pay early . Anyone owing more then 2 years will

be suspended at the Dec. meeting, you have received a separate notice on this 30 day ago, consider this you 2nd notice.

Answer to July Trivia— Rising Sun Lodge of Keene

November Trivia: In what year did Masonic Membership in the United States hit its all time

high?

Masonic Trivia