The North Carolina Mason

J ames Hartman was a member of Ashe Lodge 594 and a Certified Lecturer, an alderman in the town of West Jefferson, and a part-time deejay at the local radio station. In many ways, Tom Hartman has followed in his father's footsteps, but has added his own since James' sudden passing in 2000. Like his dad, Tom is a part-time deejay at WKSK, a.k.a., "The Farm," which boasts a strong local flavor. Like his dad, he's a member of Ashe and a Certified Lecturer – plus, he's served as District Deputy Grand Lecturer multiple times. Tom was an alderman in West Jefferson, too – and in 2019, was elected its mayor. "Nobody ran against me," he said. "I don't know if that was good or bad. They might have known what I was getting into better than I did." Even so, he's helped the town of 1,800 in the state's northwest corner get past the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic, then forge ahead despite the current economic state. Downtown bustles with dozens of small businesses, including a cheese factory; numerous restaurants; Life Store Bank's corporate headquarters; a first-run, twin-screen cinema whose ticket and concession prices are surprisingly affordable; and the renovation of the West Jefferson Hotel is progressing toward a 2023 reopening. Hartman's family moved to West Jefferson when he was a second-grader. He attended Appalachian State University and majored in banking/ finance. Ironically, town hall occupies former bank building. Taking a job in Hickory after graduation, Tom joined Hickory No. 343 at age 24. He was its Master in 1984 during his 10 years in Hickory before he moved back to West Jefferson. He was Master of Ashe Lodge in 1998. "I got all of my formal education, if you will, at the Hickory lodge," which boasted five lecturers at the time, he said. "They caught me and taught me whether I wanted to learn or not. … It's always easier to learn when you're young, and I thought I'd get it while I could. I was single at the time and had time to study and practice. I figured I might as well go ahead and get started. I was Certified when I was 26." Back home in Ashe County, Hartman held a job in middle management with Gates Rubber, a manufacturer of fan belts, radiator hoses and the like. When Gates left town in 2014, Hartman hired on at GE Aviation and ran a computer-operated Jack of All Trades District 33 DDGL is a Man with a Diverse Life Story By Thomas Pope Stedman #730 12 | T H E M A S O N M AGA Z I N E

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