The
following is the text of a presentation given by Brother Dyke Rothenberger at Springhill
Cemetery for the annual Founders’ Day Observance of Olive Branch Lodge 38 on September,
10, 2023.
We
have now reached the grave of Lloyd Loraine Lockard otherwise known as LL
Lockard. The family headstone bears the names Hartman,
Lockard, and Farnsworth. Lloyd and his wife,
as well as their parents are buried here.
Lloyd was born December 25, 1892, in Princeton, Indiana to Alfonso D.
Lockard and Lottie J Neely. Surely it
was a Christmas they would never forget.
Later, in the early 1900’s, Lloyd and his mother Lottie would move to
Danville, IL where she would remarry to Delmar W Farnsworth and live on West
Madison St., not far from the recently erected new Carle Clinic Building.
Lloyd
began working at an early age, as every young man did during this time. He worked for Leonard F. W. Stuebe’s
architectural firm here in Danville as a draughtsman. The firm is known to have
designed such places as the Vermilion County Courthouse and the Danville Masonic
Temple in Danville. Later, they would
also design the old Mattoon Masonic Temple. It was here Lloyd would change his
life forever. Worshipful Brother Stuebe
would introduce Lloyd to the lifestyle of masonry. Brother Stuebe served as Worshipful Master of
Olive Branch Lodge #38 in 1918.
Lloyd
would be elected to receive the degrees of Masonry in Olive Branch Lodge #38 on
March 19, 1918. He was initiated an
Entered Apprentice on March 22nd, passed to the Degree of Fellowcraft on April
9th, and raised to the Sublime Degree of Master Mason on May 5th, 1918.
Later that year Lloyd joined the
Scottish Rite in the Valley of Danville’s Victory Class in December. As a 32nd Degree Scottish Rite
Mason, Brother Lockard was very active in the Valley. He was the Valley’s 24th Thrice
Potent Master of the Danville Lodge of Perfection and the 20th Sovereign
Prince of the Walter A. Stevens Council Princes of Jerusalem. Brother Lockard would also work his way
through the chairs at Olive Branch #38 being elected Worshipful Master in 1924.
1924
would also be a momentous year personally for Lloyd as he would marry the love
of his life, Madge Tacy Hartman, On June 24th of that year. Lloyd’s passion for masonry would now be
shared by his wife Madge. They would
both join Eastern Star and become very active members-- each serving as Worthy
Matron and Worthy Patron of Danville Chapter 854. Madge would pass away in 1985 and never
remarried, showing her love and commitment to Lloyd.
In
1930 in Danville, the first steps were taken to start a new organization for
young men aged 14 to 21. The
organization was called DeMolay. DeMolay
is an international fraternal organization that was founded as a club for boys in
Kansas City, Missouri in March of 1919 and which was named for Jacques DeMolay,
the last Grand Master of the Knights Templar. The Order seeks to instill in young men seven
cardinal virtues—FILIAL LOVE or love of family, REVERENCE FOR SACRED THINGS,
COURTESY, COMRADESHIP, FIDELITY, CLEANNESS, and PATRIOTISM. By living according to these ideals these
young men have the best chance to become the best version of themselves as
sons, brothers, friends, and citizens. It
was an influential Mason from Kansas City, named Brother Frank Land and 9 young
men that started the Order of DeMolay.
Within 3 years DeMolay was established as a national organization with
Chapters in 39 of the 48 states at the time.
Hundreds of Chapters were spouting up all over the United States in the
10 plus years after its humble beginning.
Brother Lockard would be instrumental in getting the Danville Chapter
started in 1930, serving as a supervisor or “Dad” for the young men. He would be the original Chapter Dad in
Danville.
On
February 12, 1931, his earthly work was interrupted as Dad and Brother Lloyd Loraine
Lockard passed away at Lake View hospital following the amputation of his right
leg between the knee and his hip. In
honor of Dad Lockard’s work in the creation of the Danville DeMolay Chapter,
the boys were asked to attend his funeral as a body.
As
evidence of the esteem in which Dad Lockard was held, the Danville Chapter of
DeMolay was named L.L. Lockard Chapter when it received its Charter in
1931. L.L. Lockard Chapter of the Order
of DeMolay operated under that Charter for over 50 years, finally surrendering
it in 1985, the same year the Madge passed away. That
might have been the end of Dad Lockard’s legacy, but four years ago in 2019,
the Order of DeMolay once again took steps to start a new Chapter of DeMolay in
Danville. When the young men involved in
that effort learned of Dad Lockard, they chose to honor him again by naming
this new Chapter L.L. Lockard Chapter Order of DeMolay.
As
we think about the memories of the men we have talked about today, perhaps we
might recognize some of the names—Sandusky and Hooton are still recognized
locally with streets and neighborhoods named for them or their families. Some of their stories still resonate
today—what is a bigger story than historic bravery in the Civil War.
Perhaps
Brother Lockard’s legacy isn’t as easy to see, but I would propose that it is
right in front of us. Would the DeMolays here today, who welcomed and directed all of you as you arrived here today, please come forward. Dad and Brother Lockard’s legacy is the difference made in
the lives of young men for over 50 years.
It is the difference made in the lives of these young men here
today. Dad and Brother Lockard’s legacy
is the FUTURE. It is the FUTURE that
will surely be better than it might have been because these young men are
learning the values and virtues of the DeMolay—an organization that might not
be here today were it not for the life of Lloyd Lorraine Lockard.
