Harrison County, WV: Bios - Frederick Ernest Delbridge ******************************************************************* USGENWEB NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. ******************************************************************* Submitted by Valerie Crook The History of West Virginia, Old and New Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc., Chicago and New York, Volume III, pg. 6-7 Harrison County FREDERICK ERNEST DELBRIDGE is secretary of the vari- ous Masonic bodies in the City of Clarksburg, Harrison County, with official headquarters in the local Masonic Temple. He was born at Bristol, England, August 2, 1868, and is a son of William and Ann (Luke) Delbridge, who came to the United States when he was a child of three years and who established their home at Weston, Lewis County, West Virginia, whence they later removed to Shinnston, Harrison County. The son Frederick E. re- ceived his youthful education in the public schools of Shinnston, and as a youth he worked three years as an assistant to his father, a stonecutter by trade and voca- tion. He then turned his attention to learning telegraphy, and as a skilled telegraph operator he was employed several years in the Clarksburg office of the Western Union Tele- graph Company. He resigned this post to accept his present position as secretary of the various Masonic organi- zations in Clarksburg. The fine Masonic Temple in which he maintains his office was erected in 1913 by the Clarks- burg Masonic Building Company, a corporate organiza- tion formed by local members of the Masonic fraternity. Mr. Delbridge has shown marked ability in handling the manifold details of his administrative work, which involves his service as secretary of the following named organiza- tions: Hennon Lodge No. 6, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, which was chartered in 1867 under the dispensa- tion of the Grand Lodge of West Virginia, but the original Virginia charter of which was obtained in 1814, its mem- bership in 1921 being 636; Clarksburg Lodge No. 155, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, which received its charter in 1919 and which now has a membership of 200; Adoniram Chapter No. 11, Royal Arch Masons, with West Virginia charter granted in 1873, but with original charter by the Grand Chapter of Virginia under date of December 15, 1871, its membership in 1921 being 574; Clarksburg Commandery No. 13, Knights Templars, which was chart- ered May 10, 1900, and which recorded in 1921 a member- ship of 465. In the local jurisdiction are also two Scottish Rite bodies that receive similar secretarial service on the part of Mr. Delbridge, these being Mizpah Lodge of Per- fection No. 5, chartered October 21, 1913, and having in 1921 an enrollment of 1,087 members; and Clarksburg Chapter No. 5, Knights of the Rose Croix, which, after working two years, received its charter October 20, 1921, its membership being 736. In addition to the local Masonic Club, of which Mr. Delbridge likewise is secretary, his indi- vidual affiliations run the full gamut of both the York and Scottish Rites, in the latter of which he has received the thirty-second degree, besides being a member of Nemesis Temple of the Mystic Shrine in the City of Parkersburg. He has been a close student of the history and teachings of the time-honored fraternity and finds great satisfaction in his various Masonic affiliations, as well as his adminis- trative service. He and his wife hold membership in the Presbyterian Church in their home city and are popular in the representative social circles of the community. In 1909 Mr. Delbridge wedded Miss Bessie M. Shuttle- worth, a member of one of the oldest and best known families of Harrison County, which has been her home from the time of her birth.