Past Masters
of King Hiram's Lodge
1931 to Present
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George Stephen Chapman, Jr. ( 1899 - 1970 )
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Harry Louis Eastman ( 1877 - 1933 )
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Ernest Hayes Small ( 1876 - 1939 ) Master 1934 Lighthouse Service Ernest H. Small was born in North Truro December 23, 1876 and joined the Lodge in 1926. He spent many years in the Lighthouse service and served as a Marine Reporting Agent for the Boston Chamber of Commerce. He would telegraph his reports of ship traffic along the coast to Boston on a regular basis from an office located near Highland Light. Being the owner of the only horse in Truro at the time he was very much in demand especially during salvage or "wrecking" operations when ships went aground at Truro. His skill at this enterprise and a shrewd business acumen earned him a chapter in author Henry Kittredge's "Mooncussers of Cape Cod" and in Edward Rowe Snow's "A Pilgrim Returns to Cape Cod." He went on to operate the Highland House in North Truro, near Highland Light and died July 18, 1939 at Brookline, Mass. |
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Ernest Hayes Small, Jr. ( 1904 -1998 ) Master 1935 Farmer Earnest H. Small, Jr. was born in North Truro April 25, 1904, joined the Lodge with his father in 1926 and succeeded him as Master in 1935. Wor. Small was presented his veterans medal from the Lodge in 1976. He made his home in Largo, Florida where he passed June 3, 1998.
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Ralph Chandler Tinkham ( 1899 - 1983 ) Master 1936 - 1937 Station Agent Cape Cod Railroad Ralph C. Tinkham was born at Mattapoisett, Mass. on September 14, 1899. He joined the Lodge in 1926 serving as Lodge Treasurer and clerk of the Building Association as well as Master. He was appointed District Deputy Grand Master for the Provincetown district in 1961 - 1962. He was presented a Veterans medal from the Lodge in 1976. |
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Irving Hobart McNayr ( 1906 - 1993 ) Master 1939 - 1940 Provincetown Light and Power Company Irving H. McNayr was born December 17, 1906 at Hanover, Massachusetts. He was raised a Mason in Paul Dean Lodge of North Easton, Mass. in 1928 and joined King Hiram's Lodge on January 10, 1934. He served as Master of the Fifteenth Lodge of Instruction in 1941 - 1942. He was presented his Veterans medal from the Lodge in 1978 and prior to his death divided his time between homes in Old Orchard Beach, Maine and Miami, Florida. |
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Gustav Aust ( 1903 - 1991 ) Master 1941, 1942, 1943 Printer Gustav Aust was born in Pawtucket, R.I. on March 1, 1903 and joined the Lodge in 1936. He arrived in Provincetown in 1930 as a printer and operated the Advocate Press on Bradford Street, the Provincetown Advocate for twenty years and the New Beacon newspaper through the last years of its existence. He left the printing business and operated the Sunnyside Cottages in North Truro before retiring to Port Charlotte, Florida in 1974. |
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Rev. Charles Edward Garran ( 1883 - 1953 )
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Irving Atwood Horton ( 1912 - 1995 ) Master 1947 - 1948 B. H. Dyer & Co., Provincetown Irving A. Horton was born in Eastham, Mass. on December 12, 1912. He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II and joined the Lodge in 1936. At the time of his initiation his occupation was listed a dairyman. He operated the Pleasant View Cottages in North Truro for thirty years and retired from B. H. Dyer & Co. in 1978 after thirty two years. He was elected Selectman in Truro in 1946 and retired in 1976. He also served as Veterans agent for the Town. In addition to serving as Master of the Fifteenth Lodge of Instruction he was a Trustee of the Pilgrim Memorial Monument Association. He served as Lodge Tyler until 1992 and as Chaplain in 1993. |
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William Nickerson Rogers ( 1907 - 1963 )
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Churchill Taylor Smith ( 1902 - )
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Clifford Bates Taylor ( 1912 - 2006 )
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Henry Bayles Fisk ( 1912 - 1957 ) Master 1953 - 1954 Proprietor, Fisk Funeral Home, Provincetown Henry B. Fisk was born in Princeton, N.J. on August 26, 1912. He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II as an embalming technician and later worked for Taylor's Funeral Service in Provincetown. He joined the Lodge in 1947 and was the proprietor of Fisk Funeral Home formerly located on Johnson Street. He died suddenly of a heart attack on December 1, 1957 at age 45. |
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Burton Kenney ( 1910 - 1998)
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Wesley George Felton ( 1917 - 1970 ) Master 1959 - 1960 Restaurateur Wesley G. Felton was born in Montague City, Mass. October 6, 1917. He came to Provincetown and joined the Lodge in 1950. He was raised in Bay State Lodge on April 20, 1948 and upon his arrival in Provincetown opened and operated the Cottage Restaurant at 149 Commercial Street. On his first visit to King Hiram's he was asked to fill in as Senior Deacon for the Fellowcraft Degree. In addition to his duties as Master he served as Chaplain, Ritualist, Proxy to Grand Lodge, Representative to the Board of Masonic Relief and Master of the Fifteenth Lodge of Instruction in 1963 - 64. He also served as Chairman and a member of the Provincetown School Committee and a Trustee of the Provincetown Methodist Church. He died October 19, 1970. |
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Rev. Gilman Lewis Lane ( 1926 - ) Master 1961 Pastor, Provincetown Methodist Church, Retired Wor. Gilman Lane was born at Gloucester, Mass. July 28, 1926 and was formerly a member of Euclid Lodge No. 194 in Madison, Maine. He joined the Lodge in 1956 at which time he was pastor of the Provincetown Methodist Church. He was actively involved with the Provincetown Fire Department and Rescue Squad and has since retired to Raynham, Mass. |
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John Robert Patrick ( 1908 - )
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William Wentworth McKellar ( 1897 - 1987 ) Master 1964 - 1965 Commander, U.S. Coast Guard William McKellar was born at Mobile, Alabama on May 26, 1897 and became a Mason at Lakewood Lodge No. 601 in Ohio on May 16, 1938. He joined King Hiram's in 1954. He served in the U.S. Navy and Coast Guard from 1916 through 1950 and upon his retirement became a permanent resident of Provincetown. He was active in civic affairs, serving as Executive Director of the Provincetown Chamber of Commerce, the Board of Selectmen, Chaiman of the Airport Commission and Veterans Agent for the town. When the murals in the Lodge room were damaged during renovations in the 1970's, he was personally responsible for financing and refurbishing them by hiring talented Provincetown artist Charles Couper. He served as Master at age 67 then served an additional two years as Senior Deacon. On December 1, 1980 he was presented the Joseph Warren Distinguished Service Medal on behalf of Grand Lodge. An impressive collection of his officers jewels, certificates and awards was presented to the Lodge in 1994 by his daughter Martha Hensley. |
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George Perley Felton ( 1938 - 2004)
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LeRoy Eugene Atkins ( 1931 - ) Master 1968 - 1969 CVS Pharmacy Wor. Leroy Atkins was born in Provincetown July 4, 1931. When he joined the Lodge in 1960 he was a printer having learned the trade from Past Master Gustav Aust at the Advocate Press. He worked at the Advocate Press for 16 years, owned and operated the Provincetown Printery for 6 years then owned and published the New Beacon Newspaper for 2 years. He was also a pressman for the Patriot Press in Hyannis. He was elected Secretary of the Lodge in 1969 succeeding the late R. W. George Chapman and is currently serving his 35'th year in that office. In addition to serving as Proxy to Grand Lodge, Representative to the Masonic Board of Relief, DeMolay Chairman, and Trowel Representative he has served as Secretary of the Fifteenth Lodge of Instruction as well as Master in 1971 - 72. He served as Secretary of the Royal Arch Chapter for three years and has served as Secretary of Universal Lodge for 17 years. In 2001 he served as Master of Nauset Light Lodge. He served the Town of Provincetown on the Charter Commission, Board of Health and Personnel Board and the Town of Truro as a member of the Zoning Board of Appeals. He was presented the Joseph Warren Distinguished Service Medal on behalf of the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts in 1993 in recognition of his tireless contributions to Masonry, his church and to his community. He and his wife Virginia currently make their home in Orleans, Mass. |
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William Dearborn Hersey ( 1910 - 2005)
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Irving Rich Wheeler ( 1914 -2003 ) Master 1972, 1973, 1974 Truro Police Department, Retired Wor. Irving Wheeler was born in Quincy, Mass. on August 4, 1914 and joined the Lodge in 1966. He owned and operated the Harbor View Motel and Cottages in North Truro, was employed as an aircraft mechanic and worked for Bethlehem Steel Co. and Armstrong Cork Co. He served as President of the Truro Chamber of Commerce, Chaiman of the Zoning Board of Appeals, a member of the Truro Police Department, Fire Department and Rescue Squad and was active in the Truro Christian Union Church. In addition to serving three years as Master of King Hiram's Lodge, he occupied the Wardens chairs and served as Senior Deacon as well as Proxy to Grand Lodge, Representative to the Masonic Board of Relief and was a Director of the Masonic Building Association. Wor. Irving Horton was also active in the movement to relocate and save Highland Light. |
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Joseph Sousa Barros ( 1914 - 1979 ) Master 1975 - 1976 Foundry Owner / Operator Joseph S. Barros was born April 27, 1914 in West Bridgewater, Mass. and joined the Lodge in 1973. At the time he joined the Lodge he was semi-retired, having owned and operated a non ferrous metal foundry at Taunton, Mass.. He joined Alfred Baylies Lodge in Taunton on April 18, 1952 and served as Master of that Lodge in 1956 and 1957. In 1972 he retired to Truro and became active in the Lodge and the Royal Arch Chapter. He had the unusual distinction of having installed his son, John, as Master of Alfred Baylies Lodge then having his son install him as Master of King Hiram's Lodge in 1975. At the time of his death on September 26, 1979 he was serving as an instructor and Tyler for the Fifteenth Lodge of Instruction. |
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Donald Armand Belisle ( 1925 - )
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Marc W. Belisle ( 1951 - )
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Frederick E. Young ( 1949 - )
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| Robert J. Walther ( 1947 - ) Master 1987, 1988 Real Estate Broker / Builder Wor. Robert J. Walther was born in New York City, N.Y. on July 10, 1947. He was raised to a Master Mason at Universal Lodge, Orleans, Mass. on June 10, 1977 subsequently serving as Master there in 1983, 1984 and 1985. He affiliated with King Hiram's Lodge on February 7, 1983. He served as Master of the Fifteenth Lodge of Instruction in 1987 - 1988 and currently resides in Orleans, Mass. |
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Chronis Kalivas ( 1944 - )
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Mario Benito Meré ( 1938 - ) Master 1993 Internet Service Provider Wor. Mario Meré was born in New York City, N.Y. on July 19, 1938. He was raised to a Master Mason at Mount Horeb Lodge on April 7, 1971 and affiliated with King Hiram's Lodge on May 7, 1990. He served as Junior and Senior Wardens at King Hiram's before being elected Master in 1993. During his tenure as Master he reformed and re-organized the Board of Directors for the Masonic Building Association, and re-wrote the Association's by-laws. He updated the Lodge By-Laws and championed the cause for preserving and restoring some of the Lodge's most valuable artifacts and restoration of the lodge building by founding the Artifacts and Restoration Committee and Museum. He introduced King Hiram's Lodge into the telecommunications age by being the first Lodge in Massachusetts on the World Wide Web. (August 20, 1995) He served as Master of Mt. Horeb Lodge, South Dennis, in 1998. Was on the Grand Lodge Service Committee for 5 years and has been appointed District Awareness Officer for the Provincetown 32nd Masonic District. |
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Scott Jeffrey Alden ( 1953 - ) Master 1994 Retail Manager Wor. Scott Alden, a Mayflower descendent of John Alden, was born at Brockton, Mass. on September 12, 1953. He was raised to a Master Mason at Mount Horeb Lodge, South Dennis, Mass. on April 2, 1990 and affiliated with King Hiram's Lodge on May 3, 1989. He continued the artifact preservation / restoration project begun by Past Master Mario Mere' and hosted the first annual holiday party in December that has become such a popular event. He also revived the Lodge's active participation in the scholarship award program at Provincetown High School. He serves as an instructor and a sought after lecturer at Lodge of Instruction and at Lodge meetings on Cape Cod. He has taught courses at Cape Cod Community College and is active with the Cotuit Kettleers of the Cape Cod Baseball League. |
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Walter Briesler Pollock III
( 1956 - ) Master 1995, 2001, 2003 Owner / Operator, Classic Signs, Hyannis, Mass. Wor. Walter "Chic" Pollock was born at Hyannis, Mass. on August 6, 1956. He was raised to a Master Mason at Mount Horeb Lodge in South Dennis, Mass. on May 4, 1988 and affiliated with King Hiram's Lodge on April 2, 1990. In addition to preservation of the Lodge's archives and collection he arranged to have the Paul Revere Officers Jewels and Past Masters jewels refurbished and suitably displayed in the Lodge. He was the driving force in designing, and restoring the facade of the Lodge building to approximate as closely as possible the way it looked when built in 1870. Working closely with architects, contractors and town boards his design was featured in articles in the Provincetown Advocate, Cape Codder Newspaper and received accolades from the Provincetown Historical Society. He was a member of the Downtown Hyannis Historic District Study Committee and the Barnstable Architectural Review Board. He currently serves the Lodge as Senior Warden, is a director of the Building Association, belongs to Sylvester Baxter Royal Arch Chapter and is a member of Mariners Lodge in Cotuit, where he is currently serving as Senior Deacon. |
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James Jordan Theriault (1956 - ) Master 1996, 2005 Mechanical Engineer Wor. James Theriault was born at Boston, MA on April 8, 1956. He was raised to a Master Mason at King Hiram's Lodge on March 4, 1991. He holds an Associate Degree in Engineering from Wentworth Institute of Technology and a Bachelors Degree in Science from Worcester Polytechnic Institute. Prior to joining King Hiram's Lodge he spent two years living in Nanjing, Peoples Republic of China, as a Technical Representative and worked as a Field Representative at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute during development of the Argo-Jason System which located and photographed the R. M. S. Titanic in 1985 - 1986. Since joining the lodge in 1991, he has spent considerable time making a transcript of the lodge records back to 1796 and cataloging the lodge's collection of documents and artifacts. In addition to supervising the restoration of several pieces, including a five piece set of 19th century Past Masters' Aprons that can now be viewed in the lodge, he arranged for the restoration of the lodge's original charter signed by M. W. Paul Revere in 1795. This charter, which had been kept in a bank safety deposit box, is now available for the members to view for the first time in over seventy-five years. He currently serves the Lodge as a director of the Building Association, and is the Lodge Historian/Museum Curator. |
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Michael Anthony Janoplis (1958 -) Master 1997 Restaurateur Wor. Michael Janoplis was born at Hyannis, MA on May 3, 1958. He was raised a Master Mason at King Hiram's Lodge on February 1, 1993 by Wor. Irving Horton who in 1947 also raised his grandfather, Bro. Michael Janoplis, Sr. Wor. Janoplis was instrumental in bringing the Knights of Columbus to King Hiram's Lodge for a joint social gathering which has now become an annual event, as well as installing a state-of-the-art fire and security system to protect Lodge artifacts. He is also a member of the Aleppo Temple, Lodge Council Chapter Consistory Scottish Rite Bodies Valley of Boston, Sylvester Baxter Royal Arch Chapter, Anchor and Ark Club, All Cape Past Masters Association of Cape Cod A. F. & A. M., Cape Cod Shrine Club, The Hellenic Square and Compass Club as well as a charter member of Nauset Light Lodge. He has served as the Lodge as Tyler, Lodge Auditor, Masonic Awareness Chairman, Chairman of the Scholarship Committee, D.A.R.E. Representative, and President/Treasurer of the Masonic Building Association. |
| David Reynolds Thomson Master 1998 and 2000 |
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Southard Lippincott Master 1999 |
| Matthew E. Monroe Master 2001 and 2002 |
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Mark Allen Finley Master 2004 Marine Biologist/ Merchant Marine Officer Wor. Mark Allen Finley was born in Pueblo Colorado on June 16, 1958. He was raised a Master Mason at Hightstown Apollo Lodge #41 AF&AM in Hightstown, NJ on June 12, 1998 and joined King Hiram’s Lodge in January of 2000. He holds a Bachelors Degree in Marine Biology from Shippensburg State College in PA and a Merchant Marine Masters License from the U.S. Coast Guard. While living in NJ he worked as an ROV pilot and sonar specialist under contract to the US EPA Environmental Response Team on hazardous waste investigations. He and his wife, Nancy, moved from NJ to Brewster, MA in 1999 and he started a new ecology-theme harbor cruise on the “M/V Viking Princess” from MacMillan Pier. He initiated a renewed connection to the sea for King Hiram’s Lodge by hosting several evening cruises for members and guests and was responsible for starting the Annual Masonic Angel Fund Sunset Cruise onboard the whale watch fleet of Provincetown. He and Nancy currently live in the smoky mountains of Eastern Tennessee. Pictured with his
Mother, Delaine Fitz, and his Father-in-law, Robert J. Morse
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All the historical content in these pages researched and compiled by Wor. James
J. Theriault, curator of King Hiram's Museum and lodge historian. Any comments concerning
content may be sent to James J. Theriault, 541A Main Street, Hyannis, MA 02601
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