Knights Templar Commandery Officers in Roanoke, Randolph, Alabama

http://files.usgwarchives.net/al/randolph/newspapers/templar1.txt
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January 2004

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COMMANDERY IS ORGANIZED HERE
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   Thursday, July 15, will go down in fraternal history as the greatest day in the history of 
Roanoke and Randolph county in the Masonic order, for on that day a Commandery of Knights Templar 
was duly organized here. Among the organizers present were Grant Eminent Commander of the Grand 
Commandery of Alabama, Sir Knight Hartford L. ISON; Grand Recorder of the Grand Commandery of 
Alabama, Sir Knight George. A. BEAUCHAMP; Sir Knight Dr. Fred H. CRADDOCK, of Sylacauge [sic] 
Commandery; many Knights from the Dadeville, Opelika, and other Commanderies.
   Twenty applicants were received in the new Commandery, which is known as No. 30, and ten 
members already residing in Roanoke brought the local membership up to thirty, a fine beginning 
for the honorable Knights. At 5:30 o’clock in the afternoon the entire body, with Eminent 
Cammander [sic] SALIBA leading, marched to the Methodist church steps and posed for pictures. 
At 7:00 o’clock a sumptuous barbeque was served by the ladies of the Eastern Star in Wood’s Hall, 
after which the work of confering [sic] the remaining sublime degees of Knighthood continued 
until 3 o’clock, a.m. The uniform of the Knights is a striking costume of somewhat Germanic 
appearance.
   Officers of the new Commandery are as follows:

Dr. G. M. SALIBA, Eminent Commander;
B. C. JONES, Jr., Generalissimo;
Dr. J. W. HOOPER, Captain General;
M. D. BOULWARE, Senior Warden;
Sam WHATLEY, Junior Warden;
E. M. MOORE, Prelate;
T. B. WOOD, Treasurer;
J. A. WALLS, Recorder;
Sam M. SALIBA, Standatd [sic] Bearer;
Louis Dudley WARDER, [no position listed]
J. P. RADNEY, Captain of the Guard.

   She [sic] new Commandery faces a bright future in Roanoke, according to the belief of those 
interested in Masonery [sic]. It is understood that many new applications have been received 
since last Thursday.

[From The Roanoke Leader (Randolph County, Alabama), 21 July 1915, p.1]