Civil War Lodge of Research #1865 A.F. & A. M. Lodge News – August 6, 2019 1) Our next CWLR #1865 stated will be held on Saturday, September 28, 2019. (Please note the date difference from the normal 1st. Saturday in October.) The gavel will fall at 10:00am at Day Lodge #58, AF&AM, 100 E. Main St., Louisa, Virginia. After our normal business meeting we will move to the dining room where Worshipful Gregory Hasaflook will give a presentation on Civil War era carbines. That will be followed by lunch and then we will tour the Trevilian Station Battlefields. This will be conducted by Worshipful Ed Crebbs. Both of these brothers are CWLR members and also of the hosting Day Lodge Both are experts in Civil War history, particularly that which happened in the local area. The Lodge shares a building with the Louisa United Methodist Church. This is a wonderful history that started when the building was original constructed in the mid 1800’s. It is a beautiful building in its meeting/dining hall, its church sanctuary, and its Masonic Lodge room. The photo is of the Lodge Room looking East. Parking is available behind the building. Access is also available from the rear parking lot to the dining room and to the stairs to the Lodge room. PLEASE be aware that there are no elevators or chair lifts. Access to the 2nd floor is only by 4 flights of 7 stairs each with 3 landings. Donuts and coffee will be available at 9:00am in the dining hall. The Battle of Trevilian Station was fought for control of the Virginia Central Railroad and happened over two days in June 1864. Friday and Saturday dinner locations are to be determined. 2) There are no hotels in the immediate Louisa area. The closest might be in the town of Orange, but they are very expensive and none of the 3 establishments had many rooms for quantity booking due to weddings. I thought of who would be needing rooms and thought of those predominately coming from the East and of those using the 95 corridor. Fredericksburg seemed an ok location, and there is no other lodging between. Charlottesville might offer some possibilities. However that is further west and for many would require backtracking to get to the lodge. One hotel there did not return my inquiry. I looked at some hotels in the Short Pump area of Richmond. In some cases poor reviews turned me off. Others were already booked with very few rooms available, or rates and distances, the same as Fredericksburg. We have an arrangement for rooms with the Best Western at 2205 Plank St., Fredericksburg. This is right off of Rte 95, exit 130A. Rooms including tax are $102.40/room. The phone number is 540-371-5050. Reference the Civil War Lodge when reserving. Reservations must be made on or before Friday, September 13, 2019. Please note this hotel is approximately 1 hours’ drive to the Lodge in Louisa. Consider camping, a cabin, etc. The camping alternative: Small Country Campground offers a variety of furnished cabins and travel trailers. You would need to bring bed linens and towels. It is a very nice campground with the normal range of tent to full hookup sites. Their costs are attractive and you would be less than 8 miles from the Lodge. At this writing there were sites and cabins available. Contact them for particulars. www.smallcountry.com 540-967-2431 4400Byrd Mill Rd, Louisa, Va. 23093 3) The Civil War Lodge of Research #1865, as well as the other Virginia Research Lodges, is being very much encouraged to produce and make available for the Grand Lodge Library research papers on our topic of interest, Mason to Mason relations during the war. These papers are to have a specified quantity of pages and style for sharing and publishing. Attached are the guidelines. If you have a topic and you would like to create a paper and share with your brothers, please let me know. 4) We are looking to establish an E-Trestleboard. With the current style we are limited in what news and information we can provide in a snail mailed addition. For instance we have just enough space to inform of upcoming events and their necessary what, where, when and how. We do not very often have space to share the good things that happened at our events or to sing the praises of one of our members for receiving an honor or doing a good deed. With more space and E-Trestleboard would make those things possible as well as including photo and articles of information. It is certainly reasonable that many of our members have access to the web and could receive our CWLR Trestleboard and other notices on line. If you would like to be on our new e-mailing list, email your name and email address to our secretary: Rich Radi at cwlr1865@hotmail.com Please do not assume that he already has the information. Do It Now!! Please!! 5) For a few years our Treasurer has been advocating an increase in dues. He has stood by his reasoning; went over our income and expenses with past and present officers and just about anyone in hearing range. His perseverance has paid off. Enough members are in agreement that at this September 28 stated communication, the necessary steps will begin for the discussion and action and approval of By-Laws to reflect a proposed increase in CWLR annual dues to $30.00. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact me. Fraternally, Richard Burkman Worshipful Master CWLR #1865 A.F.&A.M. E-mail: richardanddebi@verizon.net Home: 410-760-4809

FROM THE EAST:
Lodge News – December 7, 2024
Incoming Worshipful Master’s Message
Civil War Lodge of Research No.1865 A.F. & A.M.
Greetings and Salutations my brothers of the Civil War Lodge of Research!
I am Creighton Lovelace of North Carolina and it is a humble dream come
true to be tasked to serve this illustrious and Unique Lodge as Master. I got
interested in the War Between the States when I was around 5 years old,
when my Uncle, Jerry Lee (a Mason) told me we were kin to General Robert
E. Lee. I was amazed! I had seen pictures of him and knew he was a famous
general. When I went to school in kindergarten, I told my classmates I was
kin to “General Lee” and they asked me how I was kin to an orange car! Ha!
Later in 5th grade, I learned more about him in NC History and then in High
School I became a reenactor and had already been a member of the Sons of
Confederate Veterans since 1995. Today, I’m privileged to teach World and
US History at Trinity Christian School in Rutherfordton, NC and I
get to teach my students about all kinds of history including “the War” and
how it changed the South, America and the World! That’s one reason why
we all joined the Civil War Lodge of Research, right? To learn more about
this era and conflict? Perhaps you learned, like I did, through an ancestor.
Or perhaps you read about it in history class and was intrigued. However
we did, we got “hooked” and found ourselves amazed at how scores of boys,
who weren’t “ready” went and did their duty to their respective Causes and
Countries. How did I get here? Well, I became a Master Mason in 2006 and
was catapulted into the East and served as Master of Spindale Lodge No.
673 back in 2009 just three years after I was raised! I was in no way “ready”
to serve, but I served as Master, the best I could. I served as Master for two
years in my current home lodge at Western Star No. 91 in 2022 and 2023. I
still deemed myself not “ready” but then again, that’s one reason why we’re
Masons, right? We’re still trying to get “ready” to serve in life, to be better
husbands, fathers, sons, citizens, worshipers of the Great Architect of the
Universe. That’s what I strive to do each time I enter the pulpit at
Danieltown Baptist Church, where I’ve served as Pastor since 2004. In my
20 years as pastor, I’ve realized we’re never really “ready” for most things
in life. But with His help and the help of our family and friends, we can
make it through. That’s one blessing I’ve received ever since I was raised to
the Sublime Degree of Master Mason, I’ve gained a LOT of brothers through
our great fraternity. With my God and my brothers by my side, how can I
not succeed in life? I want to let yall know that I thought I was getting things
“ready” for our December 7th meeting, only to find out that Murphy’s Law
can kick in at times. But thankfully, I’ve got my brothers by my side. I hope
that some of you can make it. For “ready” or not, it’s gonna be here. On
that date we will mark 83 years since the attack on Pearl Harbor.
America wasn’t “ready” at that time but she quickly got “ready” and
we emerged victorious by God’s grace. Brothers I’m hoping that we
will have an awesome year in 2025! I can’t wait to see what is in
store. Let’s make the best of it whether we’re “ready” or not.
Together we’ll make it. If I can do anything for you, just rattle my
cage. Stay tuned for more information and fun facts this year!
Sincerely and Fraternally,
Creighton “Creig” Lee Lovelace, D.D.
Pastor, Danieltown Baptist Church
Senior Warden Civil War Lodge of Research No. 1865

Secretary Sez
My Brothers – Thank you for your expressions of concern over my
recent mini-stroke (TIA) that kept me away from the last meeting.
Back to normal (?) now.
2025 Dues are now payable.
Send to me at above address or call if you have questions. I look
forward to seeing everyone “Down South” for our next few
meetings. Best Fraternal Regards,
Best Fraternal Regards,

CWLR Store
(Available at all meetings or email hart.bennett@gmail.com)
(Sorry, no pictures at this time. Hats and medals are top quality)
Hats
Camo, Grey, Blue
$15 each (plus $7 S&H
$10 S&H overseas)
Medals (left to right)
Member, Manassas
$10 each (plus $7 S&H
$10 S&H overseas)
Pins
$10 each (plus $5 S&H)

Bennett Hart
9638 Park Street
Manassas, VA 20110
571-271-2730
hart.bennett@gmail.com

Call for Papers!

Brethren, if you are interested in preparing a paper for 2025, please look at guidelines on the website and drop Brother Secretary (hart.bennet t@gmail.com ) a note.