All hail to a great past, a past from which was built a prologue whereby we have gained an inspiration for the future. We express to those who have preceded us, the "Wise Master Builders" of the past, our profound appreciation for having built so wisely and so well.
The old name for Tucson was Tulquson or Tuqueson. (Prior to this the original name was "Chuk'shon, O'Odham (and quite possibly Hohokam) for dark "water" or "place of dark water". In 1856 it probably had a population of three hundred. In 1880 it had four hundred inhabitants, about thirty being Americans. From then on it was a saga of the "collapse" of time. The post-Civil War era, not unlike all wars, brought forth a movement of men and women with a true pioneer spirit, seeking opportunities in spite of danger and adverse conditions. There were men such as Morris Goldwater, Samuel Hughes, Phillip Drachman, Abraham Marx and George Roskruge, who brought a new character to Tucson, including Freemasonry.
While many men who arrived in Tucson during the 1860's and 1870's were Masons, it was not until April 11, 1857, some thirty seven years before statehood, that a group sparked by George J. Roskruge met at the home of Jacob S. Mansfield and formed a Masonic Club. The Club ceased to meet February 1876. It was not until October 19, 1879 before another attempt to organize was made, when a Masonic Relief Association, with 22 members, including Edward Ochoa, H. Diaz Pena and Charles Etchelk, was formed. This was but another organizational step which eventually became what is now Tucson Lodge No. 4, F. & A.M.
The United States acquired Arizona from Mexico in 1848. The Arizona Territory was organized by an Act of Congress, February 24, 1863 and was admitted as a state February 14, 1912 by a proclamation signed by the Masonic President of the United States, William Howard Taft.
Like many other institutions, Freemasonry came to Arizona from California, where the first Lodge was organized in San Francisco in 1849 by the Grand Lodge of California. On October 11, 1866, a group of Prescott Masons were granted dispensation (April 23, 1865) to organize Aztlan Lodge No. 177 and was subsequently chartered October 11, 1866 under the Grand Lodge of California. Later there followed, Arizona Lodge No. 257 (dispensation granted August 9, 1879 and chartered October 16, 1879), Phoenix; Tucson Lodge No. 263 (dispensation granted February 19, 1881 and chartered October 15, 1881), King Solomon Lodge at Tombstone (dispensation granted June 4, 1881). White Mountain Lodge No. 5 of Globe was granted its dispensation July 5, 1880 and its charter January 18, 1881 from the Grand Lodge of New Mexico.
In 1880 Globe had no building that had more than one floor and the Grand Lodge of California prohibited lodges under its jurisdiction to hold meetings on the ground floor of a building. Since the Grand Lodge of New Mexico did not have this restriction the Masons of Globe sought dispensation there. In 1882 Arizona Territory was the home of five Masonic Lodges - four of which were chartered under the Grand Lodge of California. Since the word Aztlan is said to mean "Aztec region or locality", it is rather evident why the Prescott brethren selected this name, when they first organized. The California Grand Lodge accepted it when the dispensation was granted. Between that time and the application date for the charter, the brethren had a change of mind and they voted to change the name from Aztlan Lodge to Arizona Lodge. They expressed their wish to the California Grand Lodge but found they had been overruled when they received their charter as Atzlan Lodge No. 177.
The Orndorff Hotel began business as the Phillips House in 1856, a newly built one-story rambling adobe at Main Avenue and Pennington (where the current City Hall now stands). It incorporated a portion of the Old Presidio wall. Tucson was than a part of Dona Ana County, New Mexico Territory until 1863. The second, wooden, story was added to the hotel's south wing n 1882 to house the town's first Masonic Temple (what is now Tucson No. 4). The Temple meeting room was 20 feet square and 20 feet high, would later become famous as the guest room occupied by U.S. Generals William Tecumseh Sherman, Nelson A. Miles, John C. Fremont, George Crook and later still by showman Buffalo Bill Cody. Covered balconies wrapped around the hotel's entire second floor. All of its 62 rooms were accessible from the outside doors.
The name changed a half dozen times in the 1970's and '80's, longest known as the Cosmopolitan Hotel. In 1889 the Orndorff family bought the hotel back. A newspaper article in 1928 looked at the hotels' earlier days. "It was on the patio that the socially elite gathered each Saturday night. There was strumming to maidens standing on the balconies while stern duennas in their mantillas patrolled their senoritas as they danced with dashing young Spanish cavaliers."
Although the larger and more fashionable Santa Rita Hotel opened in 1904 (still standing across the street from the Tucson Scottish Rite), the Orndorff continued to draw important guests into the 1900's. The hotel was the focal point of one of the earliest civic efforts at historic preservation. When its owners announced plans to tear it down in 1934, the Chamber of Commerce proposed to buy it for $15,000 and remodel it for use as a "pioneers rest home" and quarters for the Arizona (the Pioneer) Historical Society.
But first a fire, then a bizarre accident spoiled the Chamber's plan. Sixty-year old John Eves was sound asleep in his Orndorff room one morning when the wall of an adjacent building collapsed, sending tons of adobe crashing through the wall of Eves room and crushing him where he slept. The entire hotel was closed and razed within months. Tucson City Hall now stands where the Orndorff was.
Upon acquiring a new Lodge hall (the Orndorff Hotel), Tucson Lodge No. 263 on February 5, 1882 invited the four other lodges to the dedication of the facilities on March 21st. At this time Aztlan Lodge and White Mountain Lodges solicited the 3 remaining lodges to send qualified delegates to participate as a duly constituted convention proposing to start a Grand Lodge of Arizona. Aztlan Lodge was quite content with its relationship with the Grand Lodge of California and declined to send any representative to Tucson and expressed the opinion that it was "inadvisable and premature to consider constitution of a Grand Lodge." The body of brethren who assembled in Tucson clearly demonstrated that they were men of decision and action who moved rapidly to their goal. With a minimum of protocol they established a rapport and understanding which led to the election of seven Grand Lodge officers, namely;
Ansel Mellen Bragg, Grand Master (Tucson)
John Taber Alsop, Deputy Grand Master (Phoenix)
Alonzo Bailey, Senior Grand Warden (Globe)
William A. Harwood, Junior Grand Warden (Tombstone)
Abraham Marx, Grand Treasurer (Tucson)
George James Roskruge, Grand Secretary (Tucson)
Still in the capacity as a Masonic Convention, the four lodges in Arizona, under the Grand Lodge of California, opened on the 3rd degree. The representatives assembled in Tucson on March 25, 1882 and duly installed the elected and appointed officers of the Grand Lodge of Arizona, with a total membership of 714. The Grand Lodge of Montana Proceedings for 1882 reports the organization of the Arizona Grand Lodge with this observation. "There was, in the Territory, one other chartered lodge "Aztlan at Prescott", and working under Dispensation was Tombstone delegates from the latter were present at the convention but did not participate - Aztlan was not represented, though it seems to have agreed to all that had transpired and received the post honor by becoming #1 under the new Grand Lodge."
There was some awkwardness in getting to work as a new Grand Lodge but the Constitution of California was adopted with few changes, and with very little fanfare the Territory of Arizona had its Grand Lodge. On June 14, 1883, a petition was granted under the name of Aztlan Lodge No. 1, F. & A.M. of Arizona. On the 19th of July, King Solomon Lodge of Tombstone was officially given their charter with the number 5.
In the Arizona Proceedings of 1883 Morris Goldwater (Senator Barry Goldwater's uncle) was Chairman of the Committee on Correspondence for the Arizona Grand Lodge and a Past Master of Aztlan Lodge No. 1 It seems that there was some excellent judgment demonstrated as well as exemplary Masonic charity extended by the three Arizona chartered lodges to their sister lodge at Prescott. Bigness or numbers never dazzled Arizona Masonry - quality of dedicated Masons has been and is the sought-after goal! Yet in less than a century the original five member lodges have grown.
EPES RANDOLPH LODGE TOP
In 1922, at the time of the formation of Epes Randolph Lodge, Tucson was a rather sleepy community of about 30,000 residents. Tucson was supported by the activities of the railroads. The offices of the Arizona Eastern Line were above the Aaronson's Brothers store and the offices of the Southern Pacific of Mexico Lines were at the corner of Congress and Stone. Several mines were operating - the Silverbell and the Twin Buttes mines particularly. And Tucson was already noted for its beneficial effects on tuberculosis patients. A tent colony for lung disease existed at the site of the Comstock Hospital located at 1036 E. Adams Street (which is located in the heart of the University area and is residential) and the government hospital for veterans' was located at Pastime Park (the hospital moved in 1928 to the present day site). Pastime Park then became a popular beer garden. The old central dining room for this hospital was a skating rink which was torn down. The location (Oracle and Pastime Road) is now a strip shopping mall.
Masonry was very active at this time. Tucson Lodge No. 4 was not only a social center but a real force in the community. This was a time of turmoil in Tucson. The railroads employed a large part of the community and their President, Colonel Epes Randolph of Virginia, was a strong Mason. He infuriated the non-Protestant employees by allowing all Masons free time to attend Masonic meetings.
In the year following the death of Colonel Epes Randolph trouble began to plague the meetings of Tucson Lodge No. 4. Railroad strikes had caused feelings to run high in the Lodge which were made up primarily of railroad men.
A group of 14 members of Tucson Lodge No. 4 met and agreed to petition for a new blue lodge - and naturally chose the name of the Lodge to be in honor of their former Illustrious friend and Brother Colonel Epes Randolph.
The petition for the formation of the new lodge was presented to the Most Worshipful Grand Master Louis G. Moyers in the spring of 1922 and on June 24, 1922 a dispensation was issued. There were 30 chartered lodges in attendance at this 41st annual Communication of the Grand Lodge. The dispensation was granted naming the following Mason's as officers of the new lodge, Under Dispensation (U.D.).
Peter Elisha Howell, Worshipful Master (Peter Howell Elementary School)
Sixten Alvin Brings, Senior Warden (Brings Funeral Home Family)
Eric Monthan, Junior Warden (Davis-Monthan Air Force Base)
H.H. Holbert, Treasurer
Henry H. Grimshaw, Secretary
At the time of the dispensation there were 14 members. In the following year leading up to the granting of the charter the Lodge initiated 23, passed 13 and raised 11 candidates with 17 affiliations. There were 7 rejections bringing their total membership up to 42 members. Five years later they had a membership of 173.
Attending that first meeting were 16 members of Tucson Lodge No. 4 including George Roskruge, Grand Secretary, who spoke on the history of Masonry in Arizona. The Lodge met originally at noon in the Old Pueblo Club, where he served as President. They then commenced meeting at the Orndorff Hotel on the second Tuesday of each month,. Brother Brings describes their ritual as "pretty rough at first". In fact, he recalls, "one part of the ceremony as "frequently bloody". The first "tiled" meeting of Epes Randolph Lodge U.D. was held on August 24th, 1922 at the Tucson Scottish Rite where they met until Tucson Lodge No. 4 asked them to share the meeting rooms of their new Temple at 1944 E. Allen Road.
The Tucson Daily Citizen for August 25, 1922, carried the concluding statement - "This lodge is the second lodge in the Masonic Order established in Tucson and was organized as a result of decided growth."
The new lodge was extremely active between the date of dispensation and the receipt of their charter one year later. Petitions were numerous, frequently numbering 10 or 12 to be read at each Stated meeting. Degree meetings were held 3 or 4 nights per week. At each meeting 5 or 6 degrees were conferred - sometimes exemplifying all 3 degrees during the course of an evening.
The charter was officially granted by the Most Worshipful Grand Master Louis Moyer on February 14, 1923 at the Grand Lodge Communication held in Prescott, Arizona. Tucson Lodge No. 4 donated the officer jewels and utilized their equipment and paraphernalia for some time afterwards. It should be noted that Epes Randolph Lodge was the first lodge to be named after an individual other than a Masonic figure from the times of King Solomon's Temple. Membership in Epes Randolph Lodge No. 32 rose continuously until the early 1960's where its membership peaked at 611 members (1967). At this point the demits and deaths began to approximately balance the initiation and affiliations, leaving the lodge with a slightly fluctuating membership of 650 members. Today the membership stands at 250.
Epes Randolph Lodge No. 32 has produced Masons who have attained high offices in other Masonic bodies. In addition, seven of its Past Masters have gone on to serve the supreme office as Grand Master of Masons in Arizona, averaging approximately one Grand Master every decade.
Brother G.M. Butler, 1939
Brother Lee Garrett, 1948
Brother Ronald C. Nicholson, 1958
Brother Kenneth D. Anderson, 1968
Brother Richard A. Kidwell, 1981
Brother Charles D. Mason, Jr., 1983
Brother Robert F. Hannon, 1995
Brother Rex R. Hutchens, 2006
Outstanding in terms of service and attendance were:
Brother Sixten Alvin Briggs, Secretary for more than 20 years
Brother R.C. Nicholson, Secretary for more than 20 years
Brother Richard A. Kidwell, Secretary for more than 26 year
Today, there are 63 Masonic Lodges in Arizona with over 10,000 members. The retirement communities account for several thousand more "sojourners". Tucson has ten Masonic Lodges; Tucson No. 4, Epes Randolph No. 32, Adobe No. 41, Aaron No. 49, Oasis No. 52, Marion McDaniel No. 56, Builders No. 60, Jerusalem Daylight No. 66, Nelson C. Bledsoe No. 74, Anahuac No. 81 (a Spanish speaking lodge) and Southern Arizona Research Lodge No. 2. Lodges in nearby communities are Temple No. 51 in Oracle, Green Valley No. 71.
COLONEL EPES RANDOLPH TOP
His sudden death at 10:30 p.m. on August 22, 1921 of pulmonary hemorrhage was a great loss for Tucson Lodge No. 4 of which he was a member. Epes Randolph came to Arizona as a tuberculosis patient in 1894. His interest and his genius were in the field of railroad management. In fact, at one time or another, he was high in the management level of most of Arizona railroads, President of many, and at the time of his death held the position of President of the Arizona Eastern and Southern Pacific of Mexico Lines.
He was a 20 year member of the Blue Lodge. He was invested with the Rank of Knight Commander of the Court of Honour (KCCH), October 16, 1917 and received his 33°, Tucson Scottish Rite, on October 21, 1919. He served as Eminent Commander of Arizona Commandery No. 1 (1915), High Priest, Royal Arch Masons (1911), Eminent Grand Commander of Arizona Commandery, Knights Templar (1920), Vice President of the Scottish Rite Cathedral Association and a member of the Shrine. He served as illustrious Potentate in 1921 of El Zaribah Shrine (Phoenix). His non-Masonic activities included high offices in the Tucson Elks Club, Chancellor of the Board of Regents of the University of Arizona and President of the Old Pueblo Club.
His funeral, or funerals, were entirely Masonic. At 8:00 p.m. on August 23, 1921 the Knights Templar performed their funeral ritual and at midnight the first Kadosh Ceremony (Scottish Rite) was performed over his remains. His body rested in the lobby of the Tucson Scottish Rite Cathedral throughout the following day. At 4:00 p.m. August 24 all businesses in Tucson closed their doors and at 5:00 p.m. every wheel in the railroad system with which he was connected halted. Also, at 5:00 p.m. the Blue Lodge ceremony was conducted by Tucson Lodge No. 4, followed by internment ceremonies at Evergreen Park (Ft. Lowell and Oracle Roads). Over 70 Honorary pall bearers including the Governor of Arizona and prominent railroad officials were in attendance.
Epes Randolph was born August 16, 1856 and passed on to the Grand Lodge above on August 22, 1921. He was born in Lunenburg County, Virginia, the son of William Eston Randolph and Sarah Lavina Epes Randolph. Both parents were also born in Virginia.
He was principally engaged in railroad work from 1876 to 1885. His principal business was construction and maintenance. His railroad accomplishments were:
President, Arizona Eastern Railroad
Chief Engineer, Kentucky Central Railroad
Chief Engineer, Cincinnati Elevator Railroad
Chief Engineer, Transfer and Bridge Company, 1930
Chief Engineer and Superintendent, Newport News and Mississippi Valley Company. 1890
Transferred to Louisville, Kentucky as Chief Engineer
General Superintendent, Chesapeake Ohio & Southern Ohio Valley Companies
While in the Ohio Valley area resigned due to illness in 1894 and moved to Tucson. He came to Tucson in 1895 originally as a health seeker. His health was permanently impaired while diving, due to heavy air pressure, constructing a railroad bridge across the Oho River (from Cincinnati, Ohio to Covington, Kentucky. In Tucson he served a Superintendent of the Southern Pacific Railroad in 1895 (its headquarters was located in Tucson for six years). He moved to Los Angels for a short period of time when the headquarters was relocated there. He returned to Tucson in 1904 as he had developed tuberculosis and returned to survive.
He was elected Vice President and General Manager of the Southern Pacific Railroad of Mexico.
Became President of the Gila Valley, Globe and Northern Rail Company.
President of Mariposa, Phoenix and Salt River Valley Railroad Company.
President, Canaea, Yaqui River and Pacific Railroad Companies of Mexico.
Other Accomplishments:
February 20, 1897: Arranged for a special train for the 19th Legislative Assembly to come to Tucson to inspect the University of Arizona.
Elected to the Board of Regents March 26, 1919, University of Arizona.
Conferred Honorary Degree, Doctor of Law, University of Arizona.
President, California Development Company:
A large irrigation project operating in the Colorado desert in the State of California which irrigated 600,000 acres. He had led the enterprise involving the closing of a crevice and turning the waters of the Colorado River back into the original channel after the same had flowed into the Salton Sea for some two years and created a lake 50 miles wide, maximum depth of 100 feet. The Colorado River at the point of the crevice was 120 feet above sea level, and the bottom of the Salton Sea 285 feet below sea level.
From 1914 - 1919 he pushed hard for the development of the Southern Pacific of Mexico Line south into Old Mexico, joining with the Mexican Lines of Guadalajara, Mexico, in the small state of Jalisco, Mexico. He also had varied interests in many small mines and oil companies of the Southwest.
Epes Randolph was made a Mason in Florida and served as Master of the Lodge. Research of available records did not reveal the name of the Florida lodge he was affiliated with. He affiliated with Tucson Lodge No. 4 February 10, 1911. He joined the Celestial Lodge on High at 10:30 p.m., August 22, 1921 at his apartment in the Santa Rita Hotel. The City Council issued a proclamation. The New York Southern Pacific Director sent a large floral offering in the form of a "broken column". His final resting place was at the Evergreen Cemetery in the family plot.
At the time of his death he was serving as:
President, Southern Pacific of Mexico Railroad Company
President, Arizona Eastern Railroad Company of Arizona
Director, Pacific Electric Railway of Los Angeles, California
President, Sunset Development Company
Chancellor, Board of Regents, University of Arizona
Vice President, Consolidates National Bank of Tucson
Vice President, Banco de Sonora, Guaymas, Sonora, Mexico
President, Old Pueblo Club, Tucson
Grand Commander, Knights Templar, State of Arizona
Potentate, El Zaribah Shrine Temple, Phoenix
33°, Tucson Valley, Scottish Rite
Trustee, Arizona Masonic Home
When Epes Randolph Lodge No. 32 received its charter on February 14, 1923, they chose the name of Epes Randolph in memory of this devoted and distinguished Mason. This was the first lodge in Arizona to be named after a prominent Mason of modern times.
He was survived by one brother, Henry I. Randolph and two sisters (names unknown) who resided back East. His wife, Mrs. Elenor (correct spelling) Taylor Randolph passed away November 12, 1948 at her apartment in the Pioneer Hotel and was buried next to her husband in the Masonic plot of the Evergreen Cemetery.
From August 16, 1934 to 1937 there was a Randolph Club (in his honor) that was formed. The purpose and demise of this group of men, consisting at one time of 60 members, could not be traced. The officers
In 2007-2008 a bust of Colonel Randolph was erected opposite the ball park by the Randolph Neighborhood Assoication. It is a beautiful corner and consists of railroad wheels as benchs, ties and the bust of Epes Randolph.
J.J. O'Dowd, President
Gus Schneider, Secretary
Oney Anderson, Jr., Historian
PROLOGUE TOP
Epes Randolph Lodge No. 32 currently meets in the facilities owned by Marion McDaniel Lodge No. 56 located at 3959 E. Mabel Street (Alvernon and Speedway area) in Tucson, Arizona. The Lodge customarily convenes on every Wednesday with the Stated meeting being held the 2nd Wednesday of each month. All Stated meetings are preceded by a dinner to which our ladies and families are cordially invited.
The Lodge normally goes "dark" during the summer months of July and August, however, Stated meetings are held during these months.
NOTE: The information contained in this historical sketch on Epes Randolph Lodge No. 32 was obtained from previous records of Richard A. Kidwell, PGM, Arizona Daily Star, Arizona Historical Society, various Proceedings of the Arizona Grand Lodge and was compiled by Donald E. White, Master (1998) on the occasion of the 75th Anniversary of the Lodge, February 14, 1998. It is updated from time to time to reflect the current status of the Lodge being last updated February 14, 2008.
Last Updated May 1, 2009
