CLINTON — On Saturday, December 7, in an annually repeated ceremony, Dalton W. Mayo became the 161st man to serve as grand master of the Grand Lodge of Ancient, Free and Accepted Masons of North Carolina. He and his officers were installed at 11:00 a.m. here at the Sunset Avenue School.
Mayo’s journey as a Grand Lodge officer began when he was appointed grand steward by Gene T. Jernigan shortly after he was elected grand master in 2006. Past Grand Master Jernigan, now as installing officer, assisted his appointee in beginning the final steps on his path along the Grand Lodge line.
Hiram 98’s old bell, recently boxed and tamed for transport and indoor use, chimed the hour to open the ceremony of installation. In spite of the cold drizzle, Jernigan and Clinton Mayor Lew Starling (a member of Hiram 98) welcomed about 300 guests to the ceremony. He presented Mayo the Key to the City of Clinton. The color guard of the Heroes of ’76, Camp Lejeune Chapter 329 of the National Sojourners presented the colors. Thomas A. Harriett of Zion 81 led the Pledge of Allegiance. Harriett was aboard ship in Pearl Harbor when it suffered the infamous surprise attack 72 years to the day previous. Music for the occasion was performed by Michael W. Thornton of Hiram 98.
Mayo kneeled at the altar, and Installing Chaplain Rev. T. Arnold Pope offered a prayer for the coming year and the success of our new officers. The ceremony was very similar to the one you see when your own lodge installs its officers. Each officer stepped to the altar, took an oath to serve his Grand Lodge office well. Each was then charged and presented the apron and jewel of his office by Past Grand Master Robert E. Gresham Jr., assistant installing marshal. Past Grand Master Charles M. Ingram, installing marshal, presented the grand master’s apron.
The Grand Lodge officers installed were Grand Master Dalton W. Mayo (Hiram 98), Deputy Grand Master Douglas L. Caudle (Statesville 27), Senior Grand Warden Bryant D. Webster (Nichols-West Asheville 650), Junior Grand Warden A. Gene Cobb Jr. (Royal White Hart 2), Grand Treasurer Lewis R. Ledford, PGM (Statesville 27), Grand Secretary T. Walton Clapp III (Mystic Tie 237), Senior Grand Deacon Jimmie B. Hicks Jr. (St. John’s 3), Junior Grand Deacon Speed Hallman (Eagle 19), Grand Marshal Dwight McLauchlin “Mack” Sigmon (Catawba 248), Grand Stewards P. Shaun Bradshaw (Stokesdale 428), R. David Wicker Jr. (Oxford 122), Grand Tyler Thomas Michael Bass (Hiram 98), and Grand Chaplain Rev. Andrew Benjamin Wood (Roseboro 585). Appointive officers who are not installed were Grand Historian James Massie Gillispie Jr. (Roseboro 585), Grand Lecturer Edward Earl Wells (Hiram 98), Grand Orator Past Grand Master Mansour Hatefi (District of Columbia), and Judge Advocate James R. Stevens (Garner 701).
Scheduled pro tempore officers who took care of opening Grand Lodge and held chairs until each officer was installed were: Raymond L. Turner (St. Johns 13) as grand master; L. Davis Weddle (Hiram 98), deputy grand master; John V. Matthews (Garland 644), senior grand warden; J. Jefferson Murray (Wallace 279), junior grand warden; Luther C. Jones (Warsaw 677), grand treasurer; Christopher M. McLamb (Mingo 206), grand secretary; Jeffery A. Shipp (Hiram 98), senior grand deacon; David L. Jones (Hiram 98), junior grand deacon; Stokes D. McKay (Coharie 379), grand marshal; Dalton L. Rouse (Wallace 279) and Tommy W. Tew (Coharie 379), grand stewards; Jeffery B. Taylor (Roseboro 585), grand tyler; and R. Gerald Strickland (Coharie 379), grand chaplain.
The day before the installation, the Board of General Purposes met for the last time with Grand Master Preslar. A dinner honoring the incoming grand master was held on Friday night at Sampson Community College. Refreshments followed the installation. The event was directed by Johnny Surles and Bobby Meadows and the Knights of St. Andrew served as ushers.