T h e m i s s i o n o f f r e e m a s o n r y i n n o r T h C a r o l i n a i s T o r a i s e T h e m o r a l, s o C i a l, i n T e l l e C T u a l, a n d s p i r i T u a l C o n s C i e n C e o f s o C i e T y b y T e a C h i n g T h e a n C i e n T a n d e n d u r i n g p h i l o s o p h i C a l
TeneTs of broTherly love, relief, and TruTh, whiCh are expressed ouTwardly Through serviCe To god, family, CounTry, and self under The faTherhood of god wiThin The broTherhood of man.
The Mason
NORTH CAROLINA
(USPS 598-260) is published bimonthly by e Grand Lodge of AF & AM of North
Carolina, 2921 Glenwood Avenue, Raleigh, NC 27608.
ird class postage paid at Oxford, NC 27565.
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to e North Carolina Mason, School Of Graphic
Arts, Masonic Home for Children, Oxford, NC 27565.
Grand Master
Douglas L. Caudle
Board Of Publication
John A. Pea (Chair)
R. Kevin Combs
C. omas Nelson Jr.
John A. Sullivan
John R. Beamon III
Editor
Ric Carter
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Page 2 The North Carolina Mason January/February 2015
NC Mason Deadlines
Issue Deadline Approximate Publication Date
January/February .......................... January 1 .................................... February 1
March/April ............................... March 1 ......................................... April 1
May/June .................................... May 1 ............................................June 1
July/August ...................................July 1 .......................................... August 1
September/October ....................September 1 ................................. October 1
November/December ..................November 1 ................................December 1
CRISSIE WRIGHT, from page 8
Grand Master Douglas L. Caudle plans to visit
more than half our districts this year. His meetings
started in late January and will finish at the end
of May. His meetings will be similar to the area
meetings of the past few years. Pre-meeting meals
are scheduled for 6:15 p.m. with the tyled meeting
starting at 7:00 p.m. District officers and the grand
master will be received with usual honors.
You may make your lodge's reservation for the
meeting with your district deputy grand master
or host lodge secretary. Please be considerate of
the host lodge. Make your reservations for din-
ner at least seven days before your scheduled
meeting. It is very frustrating to try to plan for
February 23 ...38 ......Horse Creek 719 ........................................ 60 Courthouse St., Columbus
February 24 ...35 ....... State Line 375 ................................................. 115 Mulberry St., Grover
February 25 ...24 ........ Asheboro 699 ................................................325 Sunset Ave., Asheboro
March 10 .......21 ..... Roman Eagle 550 .......................................... 11611 US 15-501, Aberdeen
March 11 .......10 ....... Goldsboro 634 .............. Shrine Club, 3716 US Highway 117 S., Dudley
March 12 .......15 ........... Hiram 40 .....................................................1520 Caswell St., Raleigh
March 17 .......12 ....... Pythagoras 249 ...............................................201 E. Nash St., Southport
March 18 .......11 ......... St. John's 13 ................................................. 113 Lodge St., Kenansville
March 19 .......17 .......... Bladen 646 ....................................... 106 S. Cypress St., Elizabethtown
March 30 .......31 ....... West Gate 738 ..................................... 5924 Brookshire Blvd., Charlotte
March 31 .......23 ....... Stokesdale 428 ......................................... 8420 Ellisboro Rd., Stokesdale
April 1 ...........29 ......... Monroe 244 ...............................................520 E. Franklin St., Monroe
April 13 .........41 ............ Clay 301 ................................................104 Sanderson St., Hayesville
April 14 .........40 .........Glenville 551 ...................................................4625 Hwy 107, Glenville
April 15 .........39 ......Mt. Hermon 118 ................................................... 80 Broadway, Asheville
April 16 .........34 ........ Lovelady 670 ................................................... 721 E. Main St., Valdese
April 27 ..........7 ............St. John's 3 ................................................ 516 Hancock St., New Bern
April 28 ..........5 ......... Skewarkee 90 ...................................610 N. Smithwick St., Williamston
April 29 ..........3 ........ Providence 678 ..................................... 33 Old Columbia Rd., Columbia
April 30 ..........1 ........... Eureka 317 ................................... 218 S. Hughes Blvd., Elizabeth City
May 12 ...........9 .......Morning Star 85................................................. 220 Barnes St., Nashville
May 13 ..........19 ............ Eagle 19 .............................................. 142 W. King St., Hillsborough
May 14 ..........13 .....John H. Mills 624 ..............................................8057 Hwy 39, Henderson
May 18 ..........33 ........... Snow 363 .........................................................240 Temple Dr., Boone
May 19 ..........37 ..........Linville 489 ................................................... 200 Pineola St., Newland
May 20 ..........25 .......... Renfro 691 ................................................... 212 Franklin St., Mt. Airy
May 27 ..........30 .........Statesville 27 ............................................... 302 E. Front St., Statesville
a meal when reservations have not been made.
Your lodge will be responsible to pay for all
meals reserved. ose who have not made reser-
vations should not expect to eat.
In case of inclement weather, meetings will be
cancelled in accordance with local schools cancel-
lations. If a meeting is cancelled, the host lodge and
district deputy grand master will be notified. Your
lodge may cancel its stated communication to at-
tend your district meeting. Information will also be
posted on the Grand Lodge web site: . is schedule was the schedule as of January
25, 2015. Changes may be necessary. Please consult
your lodge for updates.
GM's district meetings
squall turned into a violent storm.
"Captain Clark decided not to risk the Dia-
mond Shoals in the threatening weather and
ordered the ship to head for a safe harbor in
Beaufort. But, when gale-like winds caused the
main mast brace to part, Clark was compelled
to beach the vessel on January 8, about six miles
west of Cape Lookout Light and three miles
east of Beaufort Bar.
"e Crissie Wright – helpless on the west
end of Shackleford Banks, where it lay broadside
— was breached by every incoming icy wave.
Howling winds and snow and sleet covered the
rigging and deck with ice.
"e crew of the Crissie Wright was without
food or heat for three days and was unable to
reach the mainland. ey wrapped themselves
in the main sail in an attempt to ward off the
freezing gales.
"e residents of nearby Diamond City,
whalers and fishermen, gathered on the beach
and built large fires to signal crew members they
knew of their plight. In an attempt to rescue the
crew, residents carried and dragged their boats
over the dunes and tried repeatedly to launch
their small boats. But, the force of the storm and
power of the incoming waves repelled each at-
tempt. Horrified residents stood helpless when
they witnessed two of the crew going overboard.
the "History of Berlin," Charles Wright is listed
as a businessman, and his wife and daughter are
both named Christine. Capt. Clark, a widower,
was survived by his 15-year-old daughter, Sallie.
Ironically, Charles Wright's son Walter Wright
married Clark's daughter Sallie. Christine Wright
— "Crissie" — became Sallie's mother-in-law.
We learn more of the ship in David Moore's
article in the October 2011 edition of Tributar-
ies, the journal of the North Carolina Maritime
History Council, "…as cold as the night Crissie
Wright came ashore…"
e Crissie Wright was "... a fine three-mast
schooner being built at the Blew and Phillips
shipyard in Bridgeton, [New Jersey]... Her di-
mensions are 120 feet lower hold, and five feet
between decks. She is in every respect a staunch
and graceful vessel, and has been built with a
view of speed." Made of white oak and pine, she
was registered as 126 feet long with a breadth of
34 feet, drawing just less than nine feet.
Its official Wreck Report reveals, "e ship
was sailing from Baltimore to Savannah with a
600 ton cargo of ground guano valued at $30,000.
Crissie Wright had an estimated value of $20,000.
Both the ship and cargo were listed as total losses.
Crissie Wright sprang a leak during a snow storm
after dark and sank off Rough Point, North Caro-
lina. Not surprisingly, a heavy sea was running as a
result of a 60 mile per hour wind."
"On January 12, e New York Times fea-
tured a story entitled "e Trail of the Storm"
discussing trains stuck in snow or having to
burrow through drifts, river towns threatened
by floods and ice flows, and the coldest weather
ever known in the South." is was the storm
that destroyed the Crissie Wright.
A New Bern newspaper of the time reports,
"e vessel went ashore Friday night six miles
west of Cape Lookout light. e steward was
swept away soon after the vessel struck, one
sailor was drowned in attempting to get ashore
and another was knocked overboard and lost on
Sunday by the breaking of the mizzen-mast. e
captain and mate froze to death on Sunday night
at 8 o'clock. Another sailor, the only one of the
crew left, was rescued about 10 o'clock by a crew
of natives. e steamer Nellie B. Dey, of Beau-
fort, Capt. Dudley, brought off the three frozen
men. e rescued man is named Charles Tayt.
Although badly
frost bitten, he is
doing well. e
natives, to the
number of fifty
men, with several
boats that they
carried across the
banks, stayed on
the beach from
Saturday un-
til Monday, and
made every effort in their power to reach the
sufferers, but the wind was blowing a gale right
on the beach, making a tremendous sea in which
no boat could live. e rescued man did all in his
power to keep his companions from freezing. He
beat and kicked them constantly, but to no pur-
pose. ey would sleep, and sleep brought death.
e rescued man is from Buffalo. e crew of the
schooner were without anything to eat or drink
from Wednesday night, the 7
th
."
Much public art was commissioned in the
recovery from the Great Depression. Among
the works produced was a large painting in the
Beaufort, NC Post Office of the wreck of the
Crissie Wright. Simka Simkhovitch painted it in
1940. It can still be seen there in what is now the
Beaufort City Hall.
To see more of Mary Warshaw's history of
North Carolina's coast, visit . David Moore is nautical
archaeology curator at the North Carolina Mar-
itime Museum in Beaufort.
Crissie Wright Lodge in Smyrna
Old Burying Ground
Jim Goodwin's Crissie Wright model
"e frozen bodies were taken to Beaufort,
and three shipmates were interred in a common
grave in the Old Burying Grounds in Historic
Beaufort. Capt. Clark's body was returned home
to Berlin, New Jersey.
"To this day, the wreck of the Crissie
Wright has remained part of the legend and
folklore of the town of Beaufort. The grave of
the sailors is part of the historical tour of the
Old Burying Grounds.
"Of the thousands of ships that have gone
down off the coast, the Crissie Wright captured
the imagination and hearts of the folks of Beau-
fort. 'Cold as the night the Crissie Wright came
ashore' was a way natives of Beaufort often de-
scribed extremely cold weather.
e name of the ship apparently came from
the family of one of the investors.
"While Capt. Clark was the principal owner,
other investors [included one] Charles Wright. In
CHARLOTTE — On June 21, 2014, Cliff-
side 460 held an emergent communication at
the Scottish Rite Temple here to raise Aaron
Collins. What made the day more special was
the second section of the Master Mason De-
gree being performed by a cast made up mostly
of past grand masters led by then Grand Mas-
ter Dalton W. Mayo.
ey opened the day with a country breakfast
prepared by Clyde Early and his friends.
Cliffside Lodge's officers opened lodge, re-
ceived Grand Master Mayo, and then conferred
the first section of the degree.
With Grand Master Mayo at his side, Past
Grand Master William L. Dill (2010) conduct-
ed the proceedings of the second section with
the assistance of PGM Dewey Preslar Jr. (2013),
PGM Robert E. Gresham (2012), PGM W.
Berry Ridgon (2007), PGM Gene T. Jernigan
(2006), PGM omas W. Gregory (1998), and
PGM Richard G. Moore (1993).
Grand Master Mayo delivered the lecture,
and Bob Braswell made the charge.
— Jack Huskey
Mack
Sigmon
photo
Grand Masters degree team
Eastern Wake County Masons work together
WENDELL — On November 16, members of Wendell 656 took advantage of one of
those valuable Masonic privileges — lodge visitation. They traveled as a group to share a de-
gree with their Prince Hall Brothers at Mount Perry 183. Mount Perry Lodge's membership
consists mostly of Zebulon and Wendell residents. They were invited to participate in the
Master Mason Degree. Prince Hall North Carolina Grand Master Toby Fitch was there and
spoke to the assembly about their growth and how that growth is mostly among young men.
Reports from participants were very positive. — Ray Burch
Andy
Hicklin
photo
Ric
Car
ter
photo
Ric
Car
ter
photo