History of Bestor G.
Brown Lodge
No. 433 A.F. & A.M.
Page 3
Bestor G. Brown Lodge in
its conception brings forth an
idea, cumulating in the minds of many Masons in Wichita,
prior to 1921 that the city could be better served in the
spreading of the Masonic doctrines and philosophies if a
fourth Blue Lodge existed here, thereby giving more
opportunity to those desiring to work and share in the
furthering of those noble teachings in righteous living the
chance to do so.
Bestor G. Brown Lodge became a reality when in the
fall of
1921, Ransom Stephens, Dr. Lang F. Bowman, and William
J. Bauerle, sojourners in Wichita from their home lodges,
wrote the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Kansas asking
for letters of dispensation. The request for permission to
found another Blue Lodge, and a petition for dispensation
bearing the signatures of sixty-three charter members was
tendered the Grand Lodge. Of the sixty-three signing the
petition, twenty were from local lodges, twenty-six received
their degrees in lodges in Kansas outside Wichita; four were
from Missouri and four were from Indiana. Nebraska,
Oklahoma, and Colorado furnished two from each of those
states, and one each from Illinois, Arizona, and
Pennsylvania, all having demitted from their home lodges in
order to establish Bestor G. Brown Lodge.
On May 9,1922, dispensation
was granted by the Most
Worshipful Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Kansas,
John McCullogh, authorizing Bestor G. Brown Lodge U.D.
to form and open a Lodge and to confer the Entered
Apprentice, Fellow Craft, and Master Mason Degrees
"according to Ancient Custom, and not otherwise", until
December 31, 1922, unless otherwise revoked.
On May 18,1922, the first meeting of the Lodge, was
held on
the third floor of the old Brosius Building which stood at the
present site of Montgomery Ward Co., at the comer of
Douglas and Topeka, The dispensation from the Grand Master was read in
which was given the names of those who had petitioned, and stating that
they had been recommended as Master Masons in good standing by Sunflower
Lodge No. 86, Wichita Lodge No. 99; and Albert Pike Lodge No. 303. Grand
Master McCullogh appointed Edgar W. Ingram to preside as Master while
operating under dispensation, with Winfred D. Ames and Leon C. Amend in
the Senior and Junior Warden offices.
After the reading of the
dispensation. Worshipful Master
Ingram took over the East and with the appointed Wardens in
their stations a lodge of Master Masons was opened.
Worshipful Master Ingram then appointed the following to fill the
remaining offices. The following Brethren served Bestor G. Brown Lodge U.
D.:
W. M. Bro. Edgar W. Ingram S. W. Bro. Winfred D. Ames J. W. Bro. Leon C, Amend Treas. Bro. William J, Baurle Sec. Bro. John M. Naramore S. D. Bro. George C, Tredick J.D. Bro. Carl Edward Steel S. S. Bro. James A, Glover J, S. Bro. Marques D. Brown Tyler Bro. Clyde S. Shelley