The History of Mackey Lodge #122, Ringgold, Bienville Parish, Louisiana : 1854 to 1862

James Bryan 1815-1884 (left)
Joseph B. Bryan 1824-1907 (right)

On 14 October 1853, as recommended by a number of members of the Sparta Lodge, No. 108, a Dispensation for the formation of the lodge in Ringgold, Bienville Parish, Louisiana, was granted. This lodge was called Mackey Lodge. My great-grandfather's brothers, James and Joseph Bryan, were charter members of the lodge, along with their brother-in-law, James C. Watts. 

Prior to the formation of the lodge in Ringgold, some of the charter members were members of the Minden, Mt. Lebanon, and Coushatta Lodges. 

Family found on this 1852 Coushatta Lodge roll: James Bryan,
Joseph B. Bryan, John Regan (half-brother to Joseph and step-brother to James),
Robert E. Hammett (brother-in-law) and James C. Watts (brother-in-law)

The following typed notes were found in the files of Marguerite Cook Clark. This post is the first of several where you will see notes and other items of interest she saved regarding the Mackey Lodge. 

This is the first of four posts about Mackey Lodge. Here are links to the other posts. 

• The History of Mackey Lodge #122, Ringgold, Bienville Parish, Louisiana : 1866 -1908

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Diana

© 2023 

James Bryan and Joseph B. Bryan, photographs, n.d.; digital images, 2016, from the privately held photo collection of Marguerite Cook Clark (1913-1989), Waynesville, North Carolina, 2021. Photos were accessed and scanned at the home of Marguerite Cook Clark's daughter in Alpine, Texas, on April 28, 2014, September 14, 2014, and November 9 to 11, 2016. Used with permission. 

The History of the Mackey Lodge #122, 1954; digital images, 2016, from the privately held collection of Marguerite Cook Clark (1913-1989), Waynesville, North Carolina, 2021. Records were accessed and scanned at the home of Marguerite Cook Clark's daughter in Alpine, Texas, on April 28, 2014, September 14, 2014, and November 9 to 11, 2016. Used with permission.

Proceedings of the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of the State of Louisiana at its Annual Communication Held at New Orleans, Jan. 19th, 1852, (New Orleans: Crescent, 1852), 141;  PDF download, Louisiana Masonic Library/Museum (https://library.la-mason.com/pastproceedings.html: downloaded 21 ‎March ‎2020).

Proceedings of the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of the State of Louisiana at its Annual Communication Held at New Orleans, Jan. 16th, 1854, (New Orleans: Sherman & Wharton, 1854), 11;  PDF download, Louisiana Masonic Library/Museum (https://library.la-mason.com/pastproceedings.html: downloaded 21 ‎March ‎2020).