W. J. Calhoun

 

  As we continue our historical post in celebration of the 175th anniversary of Olive Branch Lodge we return to Brother G. H. Stephens's article of 1946.  The next Worshipful Master that Brother Stephens notes in his article is W. J. Calhoun.  He says, “In 1879, the lodge was fortunate in W. J. Calhoun as its leader.  He was a young and enthusiastic member of the bar and a personal and lifelong friend of President McKinley, who entrusted him with appointments of great responsibility.  The President sent him on an important diplomatic mission to Venezuela in which he was most successful.  He was given later the appointment as ambassador to China and on his return to this country became a member of the Interstate Commerce Commission.  During his two years as master of Olive Branch lodge, he displayed his leadership in many ways and built up the Masonic Institution to a very high level.  The Lodge room was in the Schmidt block on W. Main St. where it had very commodious and pleasant quarters.  This lodge room was the busy center of fraternal and social activities during the next decade.”

Wikipedia gives an interesting, though brief, synopsis of Brother Calhoun’s life here.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_J._Calhoun