Malta News for the week of February 3, 2015

Not too many would have thought a road trip at below zero would have been fun, but four from Malta bundled up and traveled to Hinsdale; Jim and Gaelen Curtis, John Flansaas and Sarah Osmundson.

Jim Curtis and John Flansaas are both Masons of the Malta Lodge #57.

Jim & Gaelen Curtis and Sarah Osmundson are members of the Order of Eastern Star, Sacajewea #37 of Malta.

They attended to a historical centennial celebration for the Mason’s of the Kyle Lodge #96 in Hinsdale.

At 2 p.m. on Sunday, January 17, 2016 Master Mason Bernie Hart welcomed everyone to the 100 Year Centennial of Kyle Lodge #96 in Hinsdale, Mt.

The following compilation of historical events will include homesteaders of both western Valley County and eastern Phillips County. The information was gathered beginning in 1933 by Al E. Simonsen, 1949 by Dr. T.L. Cockrell and 1990 by Donni Linn as presented by Kyle Lodge Secretary Jim McColly.

This humorous story was written by Dr. T.L. Cockrell and given to the Kyle Lodge to archive by his son, Tom C. Cockrell on November 19, 1991.

“It may surprise you but the father of this lodge was a woman. In March 1914, Mrs. Charles Tanner decided it would be a nice thing for Hinsdale to have an Eastern Star Lodge. But there was a stumbling block, we had no Masonic Lodge. She approached two of Hinsdale’s citizens who were known to be Masons and asked them, ‘why not be men instead of mice, assert their rights and have a Masonic Lodge in Hinsdale?’

After weeks of cajoling she had them show enough enterprise as to make a list of who was then known residents of western Valley County who were members of the Masonic Fraternity.

After a careful canvas it was found there were seventeen that could thus qualify. Upon further persuasion these two above mentioned Masons were finally corralled in the Tanner home and by nice words of encouragement and large plates of ice cream and cake, were induced to write seventeen official notices, mailed out that day dated April 6, 1914.

The notices stated –

On April 20, 1914 there will be a meeting at St. Anthony & Dakota Elevator for the purpose of determining and of the feasibility of organizing a Masonic Lodge in Hinsdale. If you can possibly make arrangements to lay aside other pressing problems we would appreciate your attendance at 8 p.m.

Fraternally yours, Thomas L. Cockerell, M.D. and Roy Jones.

At the stated hour we were surprised to have 100% attendance. Everyone full of enthusiasm and some full of even more good cheer.”

Present this past Sunday (2016) was Sidney Simonsen, a 50+ year member of Kyle Lodge. Simonsen was accompamied by his sister Jean Williamson (the third sibling is Grace Kline of Seatle, WA area). Their father, Al E. Simonsen was a charter member of the Kyle Lodge and he revealed some of the conditions of the first meetings leading up to the chartering.

“The first meeting to discuss the undertaking of starting a lodge was held on February 28, 1914 in the print shop of J.T. Ferris who published the Hinsdale Homestead.

Publication has ceased and the building was vacated. It had poor lighting and no heat. It was decided the print shop was too cold and cheerless.

O. E. Camburn made the office of the elevator a place to meet and it was gladly accepted. It was rather crowded but more comfortable. Not all could be seated at once but we managed. It was there we selected our officers and naming the lodge. Naming the lodge took up much discussion. Someone proposed Hinsdale Lodge, I proposed Kyle. By the count of votes Kyle was the winner. (Reporter’s note taken in Q&A discussion after Jim McColly’s presentation: Dan Kyle was a member of the North Star Lodge #46 of Glasgow. He ranched south of Beaverton. Donni Linn’s great grandfather trailed cattle up from Texas in the mid 1880’s for Kyle.)

On July 23, 1914 Kyle Lodge was opened at the school house that stood on the west side of town (moving from the elevator). Fees were fixed at $50. The schoolhouse didn’t fulfill our wants and a place had to be found.

Mrs. Lannon had purchased the print shop and moved it to where the old dormitory now stands. She added to this building a boarding house and remodeled it to make a hall on the west side. We rented this for lodge meetings and sublet to the IOOF and the Woodmen.

No electric lights were in town at this period. A three burner angle lamp dripped and smoked in the center of the hall. Bracket lamps adorned the side walls and no carpet graced the floor. Our heating was by stove.

Our land lady took to letting out the hall to others between meetings. The matters grew from bad to worse. Hall rent was always coming due and the rent from others seemed never to come.

March 22, 1919 was our last meeting of our Lodge at the Lannon Hall. None seemed to regret a change from those quarters at the close of this meeting.

The Masonic Temple Association took over the Welton building, remodeling the second floor for our special use and has been our home since.”

At present, (2016) the upper floor of the old Claypool Store is where the Kyle Lodge holds meetings. Kyle Lodge received the charter on September 16, 1915 and was regularly installed as a Lodge on November 13, 1915.

Hinsdale is still a farm and ranch community so the centennial celebration was slated for January 2016, in hopes of less work interferences. Eight members of the Kyle Lodge and nine guests were present on Sunday, January 17th.

Donni Linn made available the Phillips County side of Kyle Lodge and was also presented by Jim McColly.

“On April 15, 1914 Saco started organizing a Lodge and on September 17, 1914 the Saco Lodge #94 as chartered.

In 1922 the Saco Lodge building burnt to the ground along with almost all of their records of its beginnings.

From 1922 on it was very active in many Masonic activities as well as being supportive of the Boy Scouts, Saco Rifle Club and several of the Saco School organizations.

The last building the Saco Lodge met in was the top floor of the C.P. Martin Store.

In 1985 Saco Lodge #94 was consolidated with Kyle Lodge #96 of Hinsdale.”

Special guest speaker, Grand Junior Warden of the Grand Lodge of Montana, Jeff Harada closed the centennial celebration.

Harada is also Secretary/Treasurer of Loyalty Lodge #121 of Wolf Point and Worshipful Master of Circle Lodge #136.

In three years the Loyalty Lodge will celebrate a centennial.

The Montana Grand Lodge will celebrate 150 years in Helena June 23, 24 & 25, 2016. Everyone present on Sunday was given a 150 Year Grand Lodge pin.

Harada considered it an honor to serve the Northern Lights District consisting of the area from Sidney to Malta, Scobey to Circle and recently Glendive.

Harada stated, “Most people wouldn’t understand why we travel on the Hi-Line on such cold days, it’s because we are brothers and sisters.”

Harada wished us all God Speed and God Bless.

(Reporter’s note: per the Eastern Star banner at Hinsdale; the Riverview Chapter #80 of Hinsdale was chartered in 1918, the Valley Chapter #29 was chartered in 1902 and consolidated with Riverview in 2002 and the Saco Chapter #81 was chartered in 1917 and consolidated with Riverview in 1988.

So in the end Mrs. Tanner got the Order of Eastern Star Lodge started in Hinsdale after all.)