MASONIC HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY
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CLARKSVILLE LODGE NO. 89, CLARKSVILLE, TENNESSEE
Masonry was first introduced into Montgomery County about the time of the War of 1812. The Grand Lodge of North Carolina, because there was no Grand Lodge in Tennessee at that time, granted Rhea Lodge a dispensation on May 1, 1812, to establish a Lodge at Port Royal in Montgomery County. At that time, Port Royal was a well known settlement, and about as prominent as Nashville. Palmyra, first known as Blountville, was also a well known place in Montgomery County. On February 12, 1813, the Grand Lodge of North Carolina granted a Charter to Western Star Lodge No. 61, which had been operating as the Rhea Lodge in Port Royal. On surrender of its charter to North Carolina, it was (re-) chartered by the Grand Lodge of Tennessee as Western Star Lodge No. 9.
According to the records Western Star No. 9 appears to have been born with a “Roving Disposition” meeting variously in residences in Port Royal, then Turnersville, and last in Springfield. In Springfield, it met also in sundry public buildings until it was able to purchase a Hall. For this “Roving Disposition”, the Lodge was reproved by the Grand Lodge at the Grand Lodge Quarterly Communication in January 1818. Following the receipt of a valid petition, giving reasons for their move to Springfield, the Grand Lodge granted the requested petition of the Lodge to remain in Springfield.
Montgomery Lodge No. 10 was chartered on April 14, 1814, to operate in Clarksville, Tennessee, and it did operate until 1838. For a lack of membership and for being inactive for a period of time, the charter was surrendered on October 4, 1838, or rather it was forfeited.
Clarksville Lodge No. 89 was chartered on October 12, 1839, and it has been continuously operating for the past 163 years despite two major disasters. The Lodge building was burned during the Civil War in 1863 and the Lodge building collapsed in 1949 due to construction next door.
Tannehill Lodge No. 116 was chartered in Clarksville on October 6, 1848, even though Clarksville Lodge No. 89 was still operating. Tannehill Lodge No. 116 ceased to exist in 1860. Acacia Lodge No. 157 was chartered on October 2, 1849, to operate in New Providence 9 (now part of North Clarksville). Acacia Lodge No. 157 survived until January 28, 1931, at which time it consolidated with Clarksville Lodge No. 89.
McCulloch Lodge No. 189 was chartered on October 8, 1850, to operate in Palmyra (southwest of Clarksville). The charter of McCulloch was arrested on January 31, 1934. Fredonia Lodge No. 225 was chartered on October 5, 1852, and operated until January 18, 1931, when it consolidated with Clarksville Lodge No. 89.
Valley Ford Lodge No. 228 was chartered on October 4, 1853, at Oakwood. Valley Ford Lodge No. 228 surrendered its charter on January 29, 1919. John Hart Lodge No. 247 was chartered on October 8, 1856, to operate at Peachers Mill (North of Clarksville and south-west of Fort Campbell), and did so until January 30, 1901, and then with only 14 members, they surrendered their charter. Hampton Loge No. 257 was chartered on October 8, 1856, to operate at Hampton Springs, and did so until October 7, 1858, when they consolidated with Turnersville No. 137, and became known as Hampton Lodge No. 137. Hampton Lodge No. 137 later moved to Port Royal, and subsequently consolidated with Red River Lodge No. 537 in 1921.
McAlister Lodge No. 402 was chartered on November 16, 1870, and is still in existence. They have had several homes since their beginning. The first home was near the creek South of the Cabin RowHighway 18. They then moved to Cabin RowHighway 18 and occupied that building for many years. Some years ago, they constructed a modern masonry building at their present location in Cunningham. Palmyra lodge No. 747 was chartered in 1948 and has been existence ever since. It is located in the city of Palmyra and is very active. Queen City Lodge No. 761, in Clarksville, was chartered in 1956. It is a very active Lodge and has increased in membership.
During the first year of operations of Clarksville Lodge No. 89 (1839-1840), they initiated ten men. In 1841, they initiated 28, passed 27 and raised 24. The exact location of the Lodge building from 1839 until 1850 isn’t known, but is believed to have met in the homes of its members. From 1850 up and until November 1863, the building was located near the Episcopal Church on Franklin Street where the Church’s Parish House now stands.
In November 1863, just after a regular first Monday night meeting, the Lodge Hall was burned, supposedly by Federal troops who occupied the town at that time. The regular meeting in December 1863 was not held due to the loss of Lodge’s charter and all its furniture. However, on December 31, 1863, the Grand Lodge granted a dispensation for the Lodge to operate until a new charter could be obtained, and on the first Monday in January 1864, the regular monthly meeting of the Lodge was held in the Odd Fellows Hall, which was not in use at that time. It subsequently met in the Planters Bank Building on the Public Square. It later moved to a building where the old Boillin-Harrison Company at the upper end of the Public Square on Franklin Street.
In 1872, it moved to the Alwell building on the southwest corner of Franklin and First Streets, and remained there until a new Temple was built on the southeast corner of Third and Commerce Streets. In 1900, Clarksville Lodge No. 89 in conjunction with Clarksville Chapter No. 3, Royal Arch Masons, and Clarksville Commandery No. 8, Knights Templar, pooled their resources and built a Temple at Third and Commerce Streets. At that time it was the most imposing structure in Clarksville. It served as the meeting place for the Lodge and the York Rite Bodies until it collapsed in 1949. The Lodge room was also used by the Junior Order of the United American Mechanics, and Clarksville Chapter No. 202, Order of the Eastern Star. On the second floor were offices used by several groups and the Beth El Temple, a Jewish organization. The street floor housed two stores and the basement house a bottling plant.
The building fell on August 12, 1949, due to excavation work adjacent thereto which undermined the building foundation. In the collapse, one man, the Director of the United Service Organization, was killed. The original structure cost about $25,000, and the indebtedness of $17,000 was paid off in early 1940. Soon after the building was destroyed, the Directors of the Building Corporation, made arrangements with the Knights Pythias Temple, located at Third and Franklin Streets, for a space to be used by the Lodge. The Knights Pythias turned their Lodge over to Clarksville Lodge No. 89 for Lodge No. 89’s exclusive use, with the exception of every second and fourth Tuesday. Lodge No. 89 paid a rental fee of $35 a month and furnished janitor service and paid all utilities. Clarksville Lodge No. 89 used these facilities from August 12, 1949 until October 1, 1967, when it moved into its current building, located at 223 North 2nd Street.
For the period of time the Lodge was without its own building, the Building Corporation continued to secure suitable tenants to support the building of a new Lodge in order to have rental funds to pay for the new building. In 1965, the Welfare Department was looking for larger working spaces than those they occupied in the basement of the Court House in Clarksville. Negotiations were completed with Montgomery County for Clarksville Lodge to support the needs of the Welfare Department. Work on a new Lodge and a favorable attached building to support the Welfare Department was completed in October 1967.
The Lodge Hall and its rental property is free of debt, thanks to the efforts and dedication of the Clarksville Lodge No. 89 Building Corporation. The committee consists of several Past Masters of Clarksville Lodge No. 89. The Committee is responsible for the maintenance of the Lodge Hall and attached buildings.
A great amount of educational work was sponsored by Clarksville Lodge No. 89 during its early years. The Montgomery County Male Academy was one of its educational institutions. In 1845, the Masonic College was founded, and in 1848, the Montgomery County Male Academy merged with the Masonic College, taking the name of Montgomery Masonic College and Male Academy. This institution continued through 1855 when it was given to the Presbyterian Synod of Nashville to be operated by them as a male college and academy. A number of scholarships were retained by Clarksville Lodge.
The Presbyterians changed the name of the college to Stewart College, and later the name was changed again to Southwestern Presbyterian University. This was the forerunner of Austin Peay Normal School and located where Austin Peay State University now exists. Reports made by Clarksville Lodge 89 between 1839 and 1861 indicate Masonry continued to do great work. The Lodge kept debt free, educated many children and contributed to the support of its less fortunate members and their dependents.
The Lodge took an active part in public affairs, as is evidenced by attendance as a body of Masons at the dedication ceremony of Greenwood Cemetery in 1873 and at the laying of the cornerstone of the old Post Office in 1897. The Lodge celebrated its 150 year anniversary in 1989 with a rib-eye steak dinner. At that time, the Lodge had a membership of 433 members, including 27 living Past Masters and 17 Fifty year members. Despite the decrease in Lodge membership, state-wide, Clarksville Lodge No. 89 ended the year 2007 with 417 members. In the past two years, Lodge 89 has been noted as the most productive Lodge in the State with the most degree work. In 2006 it conferred 72 degrees and in 2007 it conferred 93 degrees.