History

Drawing by Diane Cole Patterson - 1987

Celebrating 50 Years! (1965-2015)

A full length history of our lodge is now available online. We also have hardcopies available on Amazon. Make sure to set your charity on Amazon to MHCO.

James Bryan Green : September 2, 1873 - September 11, 1964

James Bryan Green was born on September 2, 1873 in Wake County, North Carolina to Bryan W. Green and Mary Jeffreys Green. Our brother married Mary Rose Morgan of Dublin, Virginia in 1907. They were married for 19 years until Mary Rose's death in 1926. They were the parents of two daughters, Sarah Adell and Margaret Rose. Sarah married Hubert M. McLendon, a Charter Member of James B. Green Lodge.

Our brother was raised to the sublime degree of Master Mason in Hiram Lodge No. 40, A.F. & A.M. on December 12, 1901. He served as Master of Hiram Lodge in 1905 and again in 1906. He affiliated with Neuse Lodge No. 97, A.F. & A.M. in 1923. He was elected Treasurer of that Lodge in 1936 and remained so until his death. Neuse Lodge No. 97 became Millbrook Lodge No. 97 in 1945 and was once known as Forestville Lodge No. 97.

Our Brother received his 50-year Membership Award in 1952 from the Grand Lodge of North Carolina and was made a "Life Member" of Millbrook Lodge in 1953. He received the "Golden Jubilee Award" in 1963. He was a member of the York Rite Bodies of Raleigh.

James Bryan Green died on September 11, 1964. His funeral was held at Millbrook United Methodist Church, with Masonic Graveside Services in the church cemetery.

Short History of James B. Green Lodge

In the spring of 1965, Worshipful Brother James Starling Johnson Jr. - who had just completed his tenure as Master of Raleigh Lodge No. 500, A.F. & A.M. - and Brother Stuart Buchanan discussed the possibility of forming a new Masonic lodge. It had been about 65-years since the last lodge was instituted as Raleigh Lodge No. 500 in the year 1900. Knowing these Brethren to be young men, it was assumed that neither was a Charter Member of Raleigh Lodge No. 500. Their enthusiasm was contagious. Soon, Brother Jimmy was at the Grand Lodge of North Carolina office to relate his idea to the Grand Secretary, Most Worshipful Brother Charles A. Harris, PGM, and to Worshipful Brother Hiram Casebolt, who were all in agreement with the idea.

Communication was made with all of the lodges in the district, all of which were also in agreement. Cards were signed by 37 Master Masons who were intent on becoming Charter Members of the new lodge.

James B. Green Lodge #735 Charter Members

James C. Abrams Alexander Holder Jr.
William R. Abrams James S. Johnson Jr.
Lenzy L. Ashworth J. C. Knowles
Clifton N. Bagley Charles A. Lloyd
Robert L. Ballard Lonnie D. Lloyd Jr.
William C. Beamon Hubert M. McLendon
Stuart L. Buchanan William W. Melvin
Claiborn W. Burnette William D. Moon
Albert B. Congleton Jack Moore
Melbourne G. Davis Jack D. Moore
Henry W. Dempster Jr. George C. Poythress
Harold W. Earp Bobby R. Senter
Donald M. Etheridge Marvin J. Spivey
Paul Etheridge Jr. George L. Stockstill
Charles E. Graham James E. Swindell Jr.
Daniel E. Harrell Herbert W. Wheless
Roy M. Harris M. Eugene White
Willard T. Hawkins George A. Yancey
Willie A. Hawkins

A petition was then filed with the Grand Lodge. On October 11, 1965, the Grand Master, Most Worshipful Brother Sam A. Hennis Jr., issued a dispensation establishing James B. Green Lodge UD. The name "James B. Green" was selected to honor Worshipful Brother James Bryan Green, Past Master of Hiram Lodge No. 40, A.F. & A.M., who during his long and useful life was a devoted member of the Craft.

Several offers were made for a meeting place, and on the invitation of Millbrook Lodge No. 97, our meetings were held in that lodge hall until a building of our own was completed.

At its annual communication in April 1965, The Grand Lodge unanimously approved the petition of James B. Green Lodge UD to be constituted as James B. Green Lodge No. 735, A.F. & A.M.

An emergent communication was called for James B. Green Lodge members only on November 28, 1969 to vote on buying a building on Glenwood Avenue, to buy a lot in the North Hills area, or to proceed to buy an unimproved lot for the building of a Lodge Hall. All of these items failed to pass. The possibilities of moving our meeting place to the old Grand Lodge Hall in downtown Raleigh was also discussed. After this meeting, every member began an earnest search for property on which to build.

In 1970, we were getting near to the day when we would have our own building. At our February 10, 1970 stated communication, Brother L. D. Lloyd, a Trustee, informed the Lodge that we might be able to purchase some property on Jeffreys School Road (the street name was later changed to Lynn Road). The Trustees were authorized to determine the zoning of the property and to obtain an option to purchase the property, not to exceed $6,000. This time, we were successful and were on our way to a new home on Lynn Road.

At our stated communication on July 14, 1970, our Trustees were given approval to secure a loan of $15,000 from Raleigh Savings & Loan Association for the construction of our building on Lynn Road. The Lodge received a dispensation from the Grand Lodge dated August 24, 1970 to construct a Lodge Hall in accordance with the plans submitted.

Our building was constructed by the members of James B. Green Lodge. Every nail that was driven (except for the shingles) was put there by some member of our Lodge at that time. There was never any discontent or grumbling by anyone and it did not rain in the daytime during the actual construction of the building. The furniture of the Lodge was made by the Brethren.

On February 12, 1971, the Grand Lodge granted our request for the Lodge to hold our first stated communication in our newly completely building on February 23, 1971. Worshipful Brother Harold Jones, Master, requested Worshipful Brother Jack D. Moore, PM, to fill the East and open the Lodge for the first time in our new building. Worshipful Brother Jack was Master during the construction of the building. When we worked nights and Saturdays, he was seldom absent. At the end of the meeting, Worshipful Brother Harold Jones requested Brother George L. Stockstill to fill the East and close the Lodge.

On Saturday, October 9, 1971, the Grand Lodge of North Carolina held an emergent communication at James B. Green Lodge for the purpose of dedicating our new building. The Grand Lodge was opened in ample form by Most Worshipful Brother William W. Mimms, Grand Master. The Grand Master dispensed with labor and several guests were admitted. The Ceremony of Dedication was then conducted with the usual Masonic custom. Special guests included Mrs. Sarah Green McLendon and Miss Margaret Green, the daughters of James Bryan Green.

Lifetime Members

Lifetime membership is the higherst honor a lodge may bestow on one of it's members.
George L. Stockstill † Charter Member February 13, 1968
James S. Johnson Jr. † Charter Member, Charter Master February 22, 1977
W. Charles Beamon † Treasurer Emeritus April 26, 1988
Robert D. Truelove Jr. † Building Superintendent and Cook Emeritus November 11, 1997
C. Roger Morgan Secretary Emeritus April 14, 1998
George M. Stockstill † Past Master and Trustee August 28, 2007
Alan B. Bonner Jr. † Past Master and Trustee October 11, 2008
J. William Hudson † Past Master October 11, 2008
Jack L. Walters Past Master and Trustee January 28, 2014
Michael W. Brantley † Past Master, Joseph Montfort Medal Recipient April 28, 2015
† Deceased

Past Officers

In Memoriam

Joseph Simon Bishop10/6/1968
Daniel Lee Ellis3/11/1970
Paul Moore Brown8/30/1970
Jackson Howie Craig1/5/1975
John Porter Hollis10/1/1976
Marvin Alexander Guess Jr.10/26/1976
Charles Hunter Watkins7/19/1978
Frank McDonald Inman Jr.10/8/1978
George Leamon Stockstill10/4/1979
Keith Raymond Foster11/2/1980
Walter Clifton Gibson Jr.11/24/1980
Raymond Walter Catlette11/23/1981
Robert Tony Barham Sr.4/20/1982
Thomas Isaac Williams3/16/1983
Marion Wesley Chatham12/3/1985
Willie Allan Hawkins12/31/1985
Joseph Alton Bowling8/11/1986
Bobby Ray Senter4/3/1988
James Starling Johnson Jr.2/15/1990
James Howard Bailey2/22/1990
Arthur Raymond Cole9/13/1990
Rayford Banks Champion2/4/1991
George Clinton Poythress9/30/1991
James Willard Griffin12/4/1991
John Ernest Brownsword5/10/1992
Thurston Ervin Rowe11/8/1994
William Daniel Stancil2/1/1995
Thomas Michael Preston5/7/1995
Carleton Meno Schenkewitz8/2/1995
Jack Edwin Murphey4/12/1996
James Clyde Copeland6/11/1996
Harry Everitt Valentine6/11/1996
James William Speed III7/14/1997
Charles Clifford Pearce11/9/1997
Charles Toby Harris12/20/1997
Thomas Erastus Green Jr.1/9/1998
Henry Walker Dempster Jr.4/18/1998
Paul Etheridge Jr.8/7/1998
William White Melvin11/27/1998
Forrest Nesbit Pearce2/24/1999
Paul Robert Markle2/25/1999
Lonnie David Lloyd Jr.3/11/1999
James Vance Martin10/27/1999
James Alex Cheek11/1/1999
Edward Bowling Hall10/10/2000
Joe Thomas Gahagan11/23/2000
Robert Keith Hartley12/14/2000
Melbourne Glenn Davis12/31/2000
Franklyn Henry Lloyd4/12/2001
John Harold Myatt Jr.6/8/2001
Charles Brooks Dent1/31/2002
Thomas Galvin Allen2/19/2002
James Prince McQueen3/8/2002
Clarence Elmer Wilson4/18/2002
John Walter Cartwright6/12/2002
William Charles Beamon9/21/2002
Ballie Durham Mizelle10/13/2002
Charles Edmond Bailey2/6/2003
Howard Francis Cannon Jr.7/18/2003
Willard Thomas Hawkins12/5/2003
L Banks Holt3/27/2004
Ray Austin Dedrick5/4/2004
Donald McGee Etheridge11/11/2004
Kenneth Waddell Hales11/17/2004
George Washington Barnes12/20/2004
Marvin Joseph Spivey1/23/2005
Vincent James Iraggi3/3/2005
William Preston Smith3/17/2005
James John Wilhelm4/12/2006
David Arvis Jensen Jr.7/20/2006
William Coakley Tulloss1/2/2008
William Steven Burgess5/12/2008
David Rhudy Jackson11/4/2008
Herbert Norris Robertson6/11/2009
Ray Merel DeBerry7/25/2009
James Dalphus Caprell10/21/2009
James Ira Ragland11/17/2009
George Bowles Starnes1/13/2012
Ernest Stephen Barany2/10/2012
Robert Earl Oakley6/29/2012
Robert Daylon Truelove Jr.8/5/2012
Lewis Parker Wilson9/17/2012
George Allen Yancey12/29/2012
Clyde Saunders O'Quinn1/23/2013
Louie Thomas Lassiter4/9/2013
James Cleveland Abrams6/22/2013
Harvey Greene Jackson10/28/2013
Charles Jackson Baldwin7/4/2015
John William Hudson11/8/2015
Marion Maurice Lipscomb11/1/2015
Richard Millard Eddins4/13/2016
Bobby Carroll Watson5/18/2016
Benjamin Stuart Terry6/7/2016
Leo Dabney Heartt6/25/2016
Stanley Orin Barefoot4/19/2017
Edward Joseph Silber1/9/2018
Waldemar Dmitro Stopkey4/10/2018
Rex Allen Girton6/28/2018
Michael Wiley Brantley 8/15/2018
Robin Austin Dedrick11/22/2018
James Elliott Swindell Jr1/11/2019
Allan Baker Bonner Jr.5/30/2019
William Leon Moody09/09/2019
Jack Donovan Moore09/14/2019
Charles Aaron Silber09/29/2019
Byron Bruce Hamilton01/06/2020
George "Buck" McLean Stockstill09/06/2020
Wade Dennis Holland09/08/2020
Connie Mack Altman11/14/2020
Lloyd Murray Hunter12/08/2020
John Carl Held12/08/2020
Joseph Cecil Terry01/11/2021
Donald Hughes Grider03/28/2021
James Robert Haven04/05/2021
Lessie Truelove07/25/2021
John Fox Hutchins08/17/2021
Robert Lee Taylor08/28/2021
Charles April Lloyd11/24/2021
Gerald C. Letterman07/05/2023