Black Diamond Lodge No. 538

Founded in 1873 by Harvey Wells and his influential father-in-law Hezekiah S. Bundy, Wellston became a relative “boomtown” in the Jackson County coalfields during the last quarter of the nineteenth century.  Masons in the area tended to belong to either Trowel Lodge in Jackson, Orphan’s Friend in Wilkesville or especially Mineral, just across the county line in Hamden. In April 1884, a group of local brethren—including the aforementioned Wells and Bundy—petitioned the Grand Lodge for a dispensation which was soon given and the charter granted on October 21, 1886. The first Worshipful Master, Isaiah H. McCormick was a merchant in the small village of Ray (or Raysville)several miles west of town on the Jackson-Vinton County line.  In the early years Black Diamond was on of several “moon lodges” in the area, meaning that they met on a stated day of the week nearest the full moon.

Being located in one of the larger towns in the district Black Diamond Lodge grew more rapidly than others.  By 1890, they reported a membership of seventy-six, ranking them sixth in size among the lodges in what is now District Twelve, behind only those bodies in county seats and Middleport. By 1900. with 120 members hey had climbed to fourth in size, surpassed only by Trowl, Morning Dawn and Lawrence. During those early years Black Diamond met in a variety of rented locations, but with the chartering of Chase Chapter No. 162 OES and Wellston Chapter No. 174 R A M, the members made a more diligent efforts to either build or purchase their own temple. “The Search for a suitable Temple ended on June 21, 1913” when local masons purchased what had until recently been the Buckeye Hotel on the corner of Broadway and Railroad Streets.  Some remodeling had to be done to convert the second floor into a dining and recreation hall and the third floor into a meeting room, but the Masonic bodies moved in on February 12, 1914 and have since occupied what the lodge history termed “On the Corner…By the Railroads.” Sometimes ritual work had to be delayed while noisy trains passed nearby.  Continued enthusiasm was reflected in the chartering of Wellston Council R & S M in 1917 by 1920, Black Diamond Lodge reported a membership of 230, ranking them a close third in size in the District trailing only Lawrence and Trowel.

`The next three decades were generally healthy ones for Masonry in Wellston although the Great Depression did bring a drop in membership, but the fraternity resurged in the 1940s and 1950s. Social events such as dances took place on the second floor until about 1947 and a card and billiard games for members flourished under the auspices of a Square and Compass Club.  By the fifties these activities tailed off with the changing nature of society.  After a membership peak of 273 in 1959, numbers declined for a few years but then rebounded in the late sixties and afterwards passing 300 in the late seventies. By the late nineties it dropped under 200 for the first time since the depression.

Several Black Diamond brethren have been honored by the fraternity over the years. R.W Bro. Rodger Stephenson served as District Deputy Grand Master while the long-time lodge secretary G. Bernard McKinnis spent a stint as District Education Officer.  The following have received the Knight of the York Cross Honor: Carl Dotson, David C. Dotson, Paul H. Gettles, Thomas V. Littler, Randall D. McManaway, George F. Ramsey, and Robert H. Teichman.

--adapted and updated by Ivan Tribe from J. Gordon Morrow et al., On the Corner…By the Railroads (1974)