John Huske Anderson

John Huske Anderson, a direct descendant of James Hogg, patron and benefactor of this Lodge, was born in Wilmington, North Carolina on 20 December 1868. He was the sonof Colonel John Huske Anderson, C.S.A, and Mary Louise Dobbin, daughter of James C. Dobbin of Fayetteville, North Carolina.  His parents moved to Brooklyn, New York, when he was two years of age and there received his education in the public grammar schools and city high school.

 

From 1884 to 1908 he was employed by a New York wholesale dry goods firm and spent twenty years of this as a traveling salesman.

 

He served as Sergeant, Company A, 2nd North Carolina Volunteers during hte Spanish-American War.

 

He was married on 14 December 1898 to Miss Lucy Worth London and to this union were born three children: Lucy London - Mrs. Thomas M. Wooten of Fayetteville, NC; Henry London Anderson of Fayetteville, NC; John Huske Anderson, Jr., Raleigh, NC.

 

In 1908 he established a retail dry goods business in Fayetteville, North Carolina, and continued this until 1918. During this time he served as a member of the Fayetteville Independent Light Infantry, and in 1913 as Master of Phoenix Lodge No. 8.

 

During World War I he served as a Lieutenant in teh Fayetteville Independent Light Infantry (F.I.L.I.), the second oldest company with a continuous record in the United States (organized in 1793).

 

 

In 1919 he entered the service of the United States Government as an income tax auditor.  During this year he also served as the Most Excellent High Priest of the Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons in the State of North Carolina in.

 

In 1920 he served as the Right Eminent Grand Commander of the Grand Commandery of Knights Templar in the State of North Carolina.

 

In 1921 Huske served as Most Illustrious Grand Master of the Grand Council of Royal and Select Masters in the State of North Carolina.

 

In 1927 John Huske Anderson served as Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of North Carolina A.F. & A.M.

 

In 1928 he accepted an appointment to the office of Grand Secretary of the Grand Lodge of North Carolina, A.F. & A.M., made vacant by the death of W. W. Willson, in which he served with credit and distinction until his voluntary retirement on November 7, 1945, because of failing health.  During this time he also served as the Most Excellent Grand High Priest of the General Grand Royal Arch Chapter International from 1939-1942.

 

Representing the Grand Lodge of North Carolina, he was on four occasions the guest of the Grand Master of Masons of Scotland, the late King George V.  In 1936 he paid an official visit to the Grand Lodge of Sweden and was entertained by its Grand Master, king Gustavus Adelphus.

 

At the time of his retirement the Grand Lodge elected him Grand Secretary Emeritus.  Anderson continued to contribute to the Fraternity in this role until his lamentable death in 1948.

 

After several years of failing health he died on 9 September 1948, in the Veterans' Hospital in at Fayetteville, North Carolina.  Funeral services were held at St. John's Episcopal Church in Fayetteville on 11 September 1948 followin which his mortal remains were laid to rest in Cross Creek Cemetery with Masonic Honors; an Emergent Communication of the Grand Lodge of North Carolina being called for that purpose and presided over by Most Worshipful Russell R. Huffman, Grand Master.

 

Anderson received the Joseph Montfort Medal for Distinguished Service to Freemasonry from the Grand Lodge of North Carolina A.F & A.M in 1940.  His medal was one of the first three ever awarded by the Grand Lodge.

 

He was coroneted as an Honorary 33rd Degree Mason, and received the Knight Grand Cross from the Grand Council of Allied Masonic Degrees.  The Grand Lodge of Massachusetts awarded him its Henry Price Medal.

 

John Huske Anderson was known during his lifetime as North Carolina's Number One Mason, a title which he richly deserved.  he was known and loved, not only in the community in which he lived, but throughout the State, our nation, and the world - it having been his privilege and pleasure to serve the Craft far and wide.

 

His administrative genius kept the Grand Lodge of North Carolina on an even level for the many years he served as Grand Secretary.  his going has left a great void.  There will never be another John Huske Anderson but his life and record will serve as a constant influence and stimulus to others to do more for the cause he loved so well and to which he gave unstintingly so many years of his life.

John Huske Anderson's Masonic affiliations were as follows:

 

Manual Lodge No. 636, Brooklyn, New York

 

Initiated 4 January 1898

Passed 1 March 1898

Raised 15 March 1898

Demitted 21 April 1903

 

 

Republic Lodge No. 690, New York City

 

Affiliated with immediately after demitting from Manual Lodge No. 636

Demitted 15 January 1910

 

 

Phoenix Lodge No. 8, Fayetteville, North Carolina

 

Affiliated 13 May 1910

Served as Master, 1912

Served as Secretary for 12 years

 

 

Progressive Chapter No. 198, R. A. M., Brooklyn, New York

 

Exalted 7 March 1902

Demitted 1907

 

 

Phoenix Chapter No. 2, R. A. M., Fayetteville, North Carolina

 

Affiliated 13 January 1908

Served as High Priest from January 1909 to January 1914

 

 

Enosh Council No. 5, R. & S. M., Raleigh, North Carolina

 

Greeted 1904

Master 1919

 

 

Raleigh Commandery No. 4, Raleigh, North Carolina

 

Dubbed 1903

 

 

Palestine Commandery No. 20, Fayetteville, North Carolina

 

Charter Member and first Commander

 

 

Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite

 

Joseph Montfort Lodge No. 3, Enfield, North Carolina

 

Received Degrees 30 June 1919

 

William R. Davie Chapter no. 4, Enfield, North Carolina

 

Received Degrees 30 June 1919

 

Liberty Council, Wilmington, North Carolina

 

Received Degrees 7 April 1927

 

Wilmington Consistory, Wilmington, North Carolina

 

Received Degrees 7 April 1927

 

Crowned an Honorary Member of the Supreme Council, 33rd Degree, Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite, Southern Masonic Jurisdiction, at Washington, D.C., on 24 October 1941.

 

 

Ancient Arabic Order, Nobles of the Mystic Shrine

 

Oasis Temple

 

Greeted member 1904

 

Sudan Temple

 

Charter Member 1916

Served as Potentate 1921

 

 

Grand Lodge of North Carolina

 

Served on Finance and other committees

Filled various positions in Grand Lodge, including:

Deputy Grand Master - January 1926

Acting Grand Master - March 1926 when office became vacant due to death of Grand Master John E. Cameron

Grand Master - January 1927

 

 

Grand Chapter of North Carolina

 

Grand High Priest - 1919

 

 

General Grand Chapter fo the United States of America

 

General Grand High Priest - 1939

 

 

Annointed Order of High Priesthood, North Carolina

 

President - 1919

 

 

Grand Council, R. & S. M., North Carolina

 

Grand Master - 1921

 

 

Grand Commandery of North Carolina

 

Grand Commander - 1920

 

 

By virtue of being Past Master of Phoenix Lodge No. 8, on of the constituent Lodges that formed the Grand Lodge of North Carolina in 1787, he was a member of the Order of Colonial Masters.

 

 

North Carolina Lodge of Research

 

Affiliated - 22 June 1932

Demitted - 2 October 1936

 

 

Allied Masonic Degrees

 

Cossillis Council No. 2A

Served as Sovereign Master

 

 

Grand Council Allied Masonic Degrees

 

Knight Grand Cross

Senior Grand Warden - 1932-1933

 

 

Illustrious Order of the Red Cross of Constantine - St. John of Patnos Conclave No. 67

 

Served as Sovereign