Helion Lodge
Helion Lodge #1 is a Masonic lodge in Huntsville, Alabama. It is the oldest lodge of Freemasons in the state. According to Grand Historian Joseph Abram Jackson's Masonry in Alabama, it is "the birthplace of Freemasonry in Alabama." Helion Lodge is also the common name for the building, built in 1911, where the lodge meets.
History
In 1805, a Revolutionary War veteran named John Hunt built a log cabin at the Big Spring and began what would grow to become the modern city of Huntsville, Alabama. Just six years later, on August 21, 1811, Madison Lodge #21 received its dispensation from the Grand Lodge of Kentucky. In 1812, it received its official charter from the Grand Lodge of Kentucky. John Hunt was among the first members, as was Leroy Pope, who had given the city its original name of Twickenham. On April 6, 1818, a second Lodge was formed in the county, Bethesda Lodge #2. In 1824 the two Lodges combined as Helion Lodge #1 under the Grand Lodge of Alabama.Helion Lodge survived the dark years of the American Civil War, when Huntsville was often occupied by the invading Union Army. The quiet little town grew rapidly after World War II, when the area became host to both Redstone Arsenal and the Marshall Spaceflight Center. Notable members involved in the growth of Huntsville's defense and space industry are Senator John Sparkman and Mayor Joe W. Davis. Helion Lodge soon came to have the largest membership in the state. As a result, in 1962 a new Lodge was formed in Huntsville, Solar Lodge #914. Most of the members came from Helion Lodge. Five years later, in 1967, a third Huntsville Lodge was formed, Apollo #921. Both younger Lodges consider Helion as their mother Lodge and dual membership is common.
On Wednesday night, August 30th, 1922, Helion was the location of the formation of Twickenham Chapter of The Order of DeMolay; the first chapter of The Order of DeMolay in the state of Alabama.
Past Masters 1811-1899
1811 Marmaduke Williams -1812 Louis Winston -
1813 David R. Moore -
1814 David R. Moore -
1815 David R. Moore -
1816 David R. Moore -
1817 David R. Moore -
1818 William Atwood -
1819 William Atwood -
1820 William Atwood -
1821 Alexander Erskin -
1822 W. J. Grimes -
1823 W. A. Hutchinson -
1824 W. J. Grimes -
1824 Issac Williams -
1825 William Feeny -
1826 William Feeny -
1827 John J. Fackler -
1828 John J. Fackler -
1829 William Feeny -
1830 John Acklen -
1831 W. A. Hutchinson -
1832 W. A. Hutchinson -
1833 W. A. Hutchinson -
1834 W. A. Hutchinson -
1835 W. A. Hutchinson -
1836 W. A. Hutchinson -
1837 James Penn -
1838 James Penn -
1839 James Penn -
1840 James Penn -
1841 James Penn -
1842 James Penn -
1843 Ellison Smith -
1844 James Penn, MWGM -
1845 James Penn, MWGM -
1846 J. M. Davidson -
1847 J. M. Davidson -
1848 Arch E. Mills -
1849 J. M. Davidson -
1850 Fred Gate -
1851 J. J. Sample -
1852 J. J. Sample -
1853 J. F. Steele -
1854 William Gormley -
1855 William Gormley -
1856 William Gormley -
1857 William Gormley -
1858 William Gormley -
1859 William Gormley -
1860 William Gormley -
1861 William Gormley -
1862 William Gormley -
1863 J. E. Young -
1864 J. E. Young -
1865 E. B. Clapp -
1866 J. J. Dement -
1867 J. J. Dement -
1868 J. J. Dement -
1869 J. J. Dement -
1870 S. J. Mayhew -
1871 S. J. Mayhew -
1872 M. C. Baldridge -
1873 W. S. Reddick -
1874 Bernard F. Ludwig -
1875 Bernard F. Ludwig -
1876 M. C. Baldridge -
1877 M. C. Baldridge -
1878 John L. Rison -
1879 John L. Rison -
1880 John L. Rison -
1881 M. C. Baldridge -
1882 M. C. Baldridge -
1883 M. C. Baldridge -
1884 M. C. Baldridge -
1885 M. C. Baldridge -
1886 M. C. Baldridge -
1887 M. C. Baldridge -
1888 W. C. Weaver -
1889 M. C. Baldridge -
1890 M. C. Baldridge -
1891 M. C. Baldridge -
1892 Amos B. Jones -
1893 Amos B. Jones -
1894 Thomas Taylor -
1895 Joseph Skinner -
1896 Alred Moore -
1897 W. C. Wheeler -
1898 W. C. Wheeler -
1899 W. C. Wheeler
Past Masters 1900-1999
1900 Unknown -1901 W. C. Wheeler -
1902 H. C. Pollard -
1903 H. C. Pollard -
1904 Augustus F. Evans -
1905 Frank Ford -
1906 F. P. Culver -
1907 Leroy Suggs -
1908 Leroy Suggs -
1909 R. C. Brickell -
1910 J. H. Ballentine -
1911 J. H. Ballentine -
1912 H. C. Pollard -
1913 J. W. Battle -
1914 J. L. Kendall -
1915 J. L. Kendall -
1916 J. L. Kendall -
1917 A. F. Kendall -
1918 G. H. Heymann -
1919 Alex M. Dunn -
1920 Alex M. Dunn -
1921 J. B. McCord -
1922 W. R. Laxson -
1923 Sam C. Alexander -
1924 Sam C. Alexander -
1925 Sam S. Rice -
1926 Sam S. Rice -
1927 Charles. O. Rolfe -
1928 Robert C. Chase -
1929 F. J. Shick -
1930 James D. Rice, Jr. -
1931 John S. McLure -
1932 John S. McLure -
1933 William B. Allen -
1934 William B. Allen -
1935 P. S. McCormick -
1936 Joe B. Hill -
1937 Cowan Y. Wilson -
1938 T. Pickens Gates -
1939 F. Floyd Broyles -
1940 John S. McLure -
1941 Henry R. Martin -
1942 Henry R. Martin -
1943 Clyde Martz -
1944 Clyde Martz -
1945 Abe Pizitz -
1946 Clyde Martz -
1947 Jasan A. Williams -
1948 John W. Walker -
1949 William B. Allen -
1950 John H. McGaha -
1951 L. L. Baucom -
1952 William B. Jones -
1953 E. H. Hall -
1954 William H. Ealy -
1955 D. Shelby Vaughn -
1956 Doyle W. Ealy -
1957 William A. Cobb -
1958 Dan L. Warden -
1959 J. D. Harris -
1960 W. L. Guthrie -
1961 J. C. Beeler -
1962 Wendell McKinney -
1963 Carl Pickens -
1964 Randolph Rush -
1965 Robert F. Jean -
1966 James W. Bass -
1967 James G. Williams -
1968 William W. Byrd -
1969 Charles D. Rozell -
1970 Charles Keathley -
1971 Emory J. Ferguson -
1972 Marlin Hinkle -
1973 Hubert Lemaster -
1974 Hollis L. Sharp -
1975 R. M. Slaughter -
1976 Robert J. Cannon -
1977 Fred Beddingfield -
1978 Clarence W. Landrum -
1979 Robert Kachelhofer -
1980 Ronald W. Thomas -
1981 B. J. Nelson -
1982 Alvie Berry -
1983 David Allen -
1984 Lee D. Parker -
1985 Johnie Wilbanks -
1986 James Garry Smith -
1987 James Wesley Reach -
1988 Wayne Dee Jordan -
1989 Clarence M. Albright -
1990 Donald Douglas Beal -
1991 David K. Hall -
1992 Charles R. Kirch -
1993 J. Shelby Aston -
1994 John W. Herron -
1995 Danny B. Lamont -
1996 E. J. Wadsworth -
1997 Theo Starkey -
1998 Ray C. Dunn -
1999 James S. Blanteno
Past Masters 2000-Present
2000 George Hall -2001 John Pavlick -
2002 David Milam -
2003 Raymond Tanner -
2004 James Henley -
2005 Dennis Peterson -
2006 Larry Gilliss -
2007 Andy Thomas -
2008 Steve McGlocklin -
2009 Michael Feld -
2010 Jerry Burpee -
2011 Ed Kachelhofer -
2012 Ken Carpenter -
2013 David Miller -
2014 Jared Cassidy -
2015 George Lewis -
2016 Dean Lilja -
2017 John Hood -
2018 Mike Morgan -
2019 Doug Collinsworth -
2020 John D. Pennington
Location
Helion Lodge stands on the original site of Madison Lodge #21 at 409 Lincoln Street in the Twickenham Historic District of Huntsville. The present building is over 100 years old and was designed by a noted architect and Lodge member named Edgar Love. The cornerstone was laid in 1911.The building was officially named Eunomia Masonic Hall after the Royal Arch Chapter, but is now simply called Helion Lodge. It is home to both Helion Lodge and the Huntsville York Rite bodies, as well as to Helion Chapter #203 Order of the Eastern Star and to White Light Assembly #66, International Order of the Rainbow for Girls. It is the home of the oldest Lodge of Freemasons in the state of Alabama.