Continuation of the History of Harmar Lodge No. 390 F & AM
1967 to Present Day – November 30, 2004
Author, John H. Russell, Past Master of Harmar Lodge in 1980
Like my predecessor Worshipful Brother Robert M. Noll, “what I say may not meet with the belief of the facts known to many of our members and my conclusions may not meet with the approval of all. I have, from the records and conversations with our older members, tried to ascertain facts, conditions and personal information, and what I shall say is the result of this research which comments as I have visualized them.”
Thirty-seven years have passed since Worshipful Brother Robert M. Noll completed his enormous task of composing the history of Harmar Lodge No. 390 from just prior to its conception in 1867 to the year 1967, as heretofore presented. Even though considerable time has passed since that momentous day in 1967 when we celebrated our one hundred years of existence, few events have occurred during the time since, as noteworthy of historical value to Harmar Lodge as those that took place previously.
Masonry, like so many other socially important ideologies valued by our ancient brethren, has seemingly taken a back seat to what society now calls progress. The roster for Harmar Lodge has declined from five hundred five to three hundred fifteen, a decrease of thirty-seven percent since 1967. This decline in membership also holds true for Masonry throughout Washington County, the State of Ohio and the country as a whole.
Even though few significant events, relating to the overall history of Harmar Lodge, occurred during these past thirty-seven years, Harmar Lodge has had many moments for which the Brethren can be very proud. We have added another Masonic Affiliated Body to the roster of those meeting in the Masonic Temple, we have added many names to our rolls of Distinguished Brethren, and have added thirty-three more names to our ever-growing list of Past Masters, which can be viewed in its entirety on the Past Masters Page.
During the year 1968, Marietta Chapter No. 12 Order of the White Shrine of Jerusalem was added to the list of Masonic Affiliated Bodies meeting at the Marietta Masonic Temple. They had been meeting at the Odd Fellows Hall and on June 19, 1968 had asked for a Special Dispensation to move their meeting place to the Marietta Masonic Temple, which was granted, and on September 20, 1968 held their first stated meeting in the Temple.
In addition to the Deputy Grand Masters of the Seventeenth Masonic District previously named, Harmar Lodge has been honored with additional Distinguished Brethren.
..….and even the purple of the fraternity may rest upon your honored shoulders……
And so it came to pass, that Harmar Lodge was privileged to have two of its outstanding members selected to further serve Masonry by becoming Grand Officers. The first two members, and only members as of this writing, to serve in any Grand Body from Harmar Lodge.
In 1972, Right Worshipful Brother Earl C. Gifford was elected to start through the chairs in the Royal Arch Masons of Ohio, as Grand Master of the First Veil. Nine years later, in October of 1980, after having served all of the stations in the line, he was elected Most Excellent Grand High Priest of Royal Arch Masons of Ohio for the term year of 1981.
Right Worshipful Brother Gifford was then selected by the Grand Lodge of Ohio to serve as District Deputy Grand Master of the Seventeenth Masonic District from 1982 through 1985. After serving his term as District Deputy Grand Master, he went on to serve as the Grand Secretary of Royal Arch Masons of Ohio from 1987 through 2001. Right Worshipful Brother Gifford and his wife Sally are now residents of the Ohio Masonic Home in Springfield, Ohio where he served for ten years as a Trustee, the last two of which he served as Foundation President.
