THE FOLLOWING IS A MASONIC LODGE RELEASE
ABOVE: L to R, grave of C.L Sandusky, photo of L.D. Gass, grave of L.L. Lockard, and photo of R.A. Hooton.
Public welcome September 10th at Spring Hill Cemetery
DANVILLE, IL, August 24, 2023- Olive Branch Lodge No. 38 will hold its third annual Founders’ Day Celebration at 2:00 PM on Sunday September 10th at Spring Hill Cemetery, 301 E. Voorhees.
This year’s event is a historical cemetery walk. It will begin near the recently installed plaque at the grave of John Charles Black in Block 12 of the cemetery. General Black and his Brother William Perkins Black were the first pair of brothers to receive the Medal of Honor for action in combat during the Civil War. General Black was also a Freemason in Olive Branch Lodge. A current member of the lodge will deliver a presentation on his life.
As the walk continues, current lodge members will deliver talks at the graves of four other members of Olive Branch Lodge each of whom presided over the lodge and who were distinguished leaders not only in the lodge, but also in their communities. These members were leaders in the military and government as well as in local community organizations. Brian Pettice, the current secretary of the lodge said, “We hope this Founders’ event, like the others before it, helps to educate our lodge members and the public about the role the members of the lodge have played in the history of, not only the lodge, but the city, state, and nation as well. We hope people will come out and meet us and learn a little of the history of all of us.”
The walk will be a half mile loop visiting the graves of the five Masons and ending near where it began. The lodge suggests arriving at the cemetery a bit early to park and make your way to General Black’s grave. Lodge and youth group volunteers will be on site at 1:30 pm to direct people to the walk and to nearby parking during the walk.
Olive Branch Lodge No. 38 has been a member of the Danville and Vermilion County community for over 175 years and is a local unit of the Fraternity of Freemasons. For more information about Freemasonry or the lodge, visit their website at https://olivebranchlodge38.blogspot.com/ or email the lodge at olivebranch38@gmail.com.
