Scranton, Jackson County, Mississippi, 1891
Scranton, the seat of justice of Jackson County, is a growingly important
town of one thousand one hundred and fifty inhabitants, on the Southern border
of the county and state on the shore of the Mississippi sound, and on the
Louisville & Nashville railroad.
Other towns in this county are East Pascagoula, West Pascagoula and Ocean
Springs. The two Pascagoulas depend on Scranton for mail facilities. Ocean
Springs, which is noted chiefly for the extensive pecan culture of Col. W. R.
Stuart, has a population of five hundred.
Pascagoula lodge No. 202, A. F. & A. M. , is situated at Moss Point, and has
seventy-five members. It was organized at East Pascagoula in 1855. Its charter
members were Thomas L. Sumrall, W. M.; A. E. Lewis, S. W.; W. G. Elder, J. W.;
J. E. Sarozin, secretary; Cheri Sarozin, treasurer; W. Griffin, S. D.; Lyman
Randall, J. D.; Bernard Gillsley, tyler. The lodge was cordially supported, and
grew and prospered till 1862, when the environments of war became too great for
it, and in common with nearly all other interests it was compelled to succumb.
Nothing is found of its work till it was reorganized in 1866 by H. B. Griffin,
senior warden, holding over from 1862, H. L. Houze, a past master of Wilson
lodge No. 72, acting as W. M.; J. M. McInnis, J. W.; A. H. Delmas, secretary; H.
Krebs, treasurer; W. G. Elder, J. D.; J. B. Delmas, tyler. After its
reorganization the lodge took on its old-time vigor and prosperity, and speedily
took high rank among the Masonic institutions of the state. About this time it
was removed to Moss Point, where a suitable building awaited it. It soon
numbered among its members nearly all the leading citizens of the vicinity, and
has for many years impressed itself upon the morals of the community, as well as
contributed largely to all charitable enterprises. Its charities reach away up
into the thousands. In each of the yellow-fever epidemics of 1874 and 1878, this
lodge dispensed hundreds of dollars indiscriminately to initiated and profane
alike. In the Masonic councils of the jurisdiction of Mississippi, Pascagoula
lodge No. 202 has not been without her honors. In 1881 one of her past masters,
J. W. Morris, was appointed senior grand deacon, and another, M. M. Evans,
district deputy grand master, in 1880 and 1881. The same individual was
appointed deputy grand master by the lamented Grand Master Patty, in 1884, and
was elected junior grand warden in 1886, senior grand warden in 1887, and grand
master in 1888; was appointed on the committee of complaints and offenses in
1889 and 1890, and on the committee of law and jurisprudence in 1891. J. K.
McLeod, another past master, was appointed on the committee on complaints and
offenses in 1886 and 1887. The lodge at this writing is occupying its accustomed
position among the lodges in the state, and will doubtless continue to write
itself in the history of Free Masonry in Mississippi. Its worshipful masters
were: Thomas L. Samrall, two years; A. E. Lewis, five years; W. G. Elder, one
year; H. B. Griffin, one year; H. L. Houze, seven years; S. A. McInnis, three
years; M. M. Evans, three years; J. K. McLeod, six years; J. W. Morris, one
year; T. A. Coulson, two years; W. Watkins, one year; J. H. Rolls, one year; J.
W. Stewart, present incumbent.
H. L. Houze R. A. chapter No. 108, situated at Moss Point, was organized January
17, 1876. with the following charter members: H. L. Houze, H. P.; D. M. Dunlap,
king; Nelson Wood, scribe; W. H. Rolls, C. Of host; J. W. Griffin, P. S.; W. C.
Morrow, R. A. C.; George Wood, M of third V.; D. A. Yates, M. of second V.; C.
W. Calhoun, M. of first V.; H. C. Horens, treasurer. This chapter was named in
honor of its first high priest, a patriarch in Masonry. One who had devoted much
of his life to its service, and who has always loved Masonry for its pure and
elevating influence, his life has been an exemplification of Masonic tenets and
principles. It was therefore but a just tribute to call the chapter which he did
so much to establish and maintain after his name. H. L. Houze chapter No. 108
has contributed its share toward charitable enterprises, always joining with
Pascagoula lodge for that purpose. Among the leading members of the grand
chapter, she has her representative in the person of J. K. McLeod, one of the
past high priests, who was installed grand principal sojourner in 1887, grand
captain of host in 1888, grand scribe in 1889, grand king in 1890 and deputy
grand high priest in 1891.
Pride of Moss Point lodge No. 1913, grand united order of Odd Fellows in
America, composed exclusively colored persons, was organized in 1879, with the
following as charter members: D. Anderson, C. S. Colland, A. Haskins, B. J. Mayo
and W. W. McInyon. It now has thirty members, and is devoted to the care of the
sick and destitute of its members. It expends considerable in this direction.
Scranton lodge No. 45, I. O. 0. F., was instituted April 5, 1886. Its charter
members were W. F. A. Parker, J. H. Rolls, E. P. Blalack, S. J. Armstrong, J. S.
Blalack, W. K. Mead and J. W. Mead. It has at present writing eighty members,
and is a thrifty and prosperous lodge, embodying most of the prominent citizens
of Scranton and vicinity among its members. It annually dispenses large amounts
in charity, and is a useful, moral agent. Its members are liberal in its
financial views, having built a very imposing edifice for the occupancy of the
lodge, with several rooms and halls for rent for offices and other purposes.
This building cost upward of $5,000 and is a beauty in architecture. Scranton
lodge No. 45, stands in the front rank of Odd Fellows' lodges in the state, and
will doubt-less impress itself upon the history of that order.
Gulf lodge No. 2884, Knights of Honor, situated at Moss Point, Miss. , was
organized June 8, 1881, with the following charter members: AV. D. Bragg, W. E.
Bingham, A. Blumer, S. J. Bingham, George N. Cook, Burton Goode, AV. Fred
Herrin, John W. Morris, E. C. Woods and D. A. Yates. It numbers at present
seventy-five members, including most of the leading persons of the community. It
has always been a useful adjunct to the moral and financial forces of the
county, having in its brief existence contributed largely not only to the
healthy, moral sentiment of the town and vicinity, but has dispensed to the
widows and orphans of its deceased members amounts aggregating $18,000.
Escatawpa lodge No. 3115, Knights of Honor, was organized in 1884 with sixteen
charter members. It now has thirty-two. It has paid out 16,000 in benefits.
Gulf lodge U. D. , A. F. & A. M. , is in process of organization at Scranton,
Miss. Its charter members are S. T. Hariland, M. C. Pankey, W. M. Denny, R. D.
Smith, J. A. Miller, M. C. Allman, W. A. Chapel, C. P. Bowman and 0. H. Alley.
They are all well-known gentlemen and will doubtless conduct this new lodge
successfully.
Back to: Mississippi Counties, Cities and Towns, 1891
Source: Biographical and Historical Memories of Mississippi, Goodspeed Publishing Company, 1891
