| William H. Upton Naval & Military Lodge #206 history: |
The
Camp Pendleton Marine Base in California is named after our founder:
Major General (then Colonel) Joseph Henry Pendleton.
Our lodge was chartered in 1915 and the early members
included
many men who made significant impact locally, nationally, and
internationally. These included: Colonel Pendleton, Robert E.
Coontz
who was later to become Cheif of Naval Operations for the US Navy.
Brother Luther E. Gregory was the first chartered Master of the lodge.
Admiral Gregory during and after his illustrious naval career performed
important services for Masonry. In 1995 Charleston Lodge and
Wm. Upton Lodge merged. Charleston Lodge was chartered in 1926. More
Here later
....
 Major
General Pendleton |
 Admiral
Coontz |
Our Lodge
was named for Honorable Judge William H. Upton
William
H. Upton was
a son of William Upton, who was a Chief Justice of Oregon and
Comptroller of the United States Treasury under President Hayes.
William H. Upton was the sixth of eleven children. He graduated from Yale College in 1877, spent three years in the Navy Department at Washington DC, and afterward graduated with honors from the George Washington University Law School. Mr. Upton came to Walla Walla, Washington, in 1880 to practice law. In 1888 he became a member of the Territorial Legislature and in 1889, and again in 1892, he was elected Superior Judge of Walla Walla and Franklin counties.
Judge Upton was Master of Blue Mountain Lodge, No. 13, F. & A. M., of Walla Walla in 1892. He was known as a Masonic scholar, becoming Grand Master of the MW Grand Lodge of Washington in 1898.
Judge Upton made many significant contributions to Masonry; his most significant being his committee report of 1897 on Black Masonry and his efforts as Grand Master passing a resolution recognizing Prince Hall Masons in the State of Washington, however the majority of the other white Grand Lodges in the United States and Canada withdrew Masonic relations with the Grand Lodge of Washington until the resolution was repealed. The resolution was reluctantly rescinded in June 1899. William H. Upton continued to write on this subject with conviction.
His work on Black Masonry was an important chapter in Masonic history. He died on November 3, 1906. Upton's sincere interest was demonstrated by a provision in his will that no monument should be erected over his grave until “both colored and white Masons could stand over it as brothers”. In June 1990 the Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of Washington passed a resolution recognizing the Prince Hall Grand Lodge and William. H. Upton’s monument now displays the Masonic emblem.
William H. Upton was the sixth of eleven children. He graduated from Yale College in 1877, spent three years in the Navy Department at Washington DC, and afterward graduated with honors from the George Washington University Law School. Mr. Upton came to Walla Walla, Washington, in 1880 to practice law. In 1888 he became a member of the Territorial Legislature and in 1889, and again in 1892, he was elected Superior Judge of Walla Walla and Franklin counties.
Judge Upton was Master of Blue Mountain Lodge, No. 13, F. & A. M., of Walla Walla in 1892. He was known as a Masonic scholar, becoming Grand Master of the MW Grand Lodge of Washington in 1898.
Judge Upton made many significant contributions to Masonry; his most significant being his committee report of 1897 on Black Masonry and his efforts as Grand Master passing a resolution recognizing Prince Hall Masons in the State of Washington, however the majority of the other white Grand Lodges in the United States and Canada withdrew Masonic relations with the Grand Lodge of Washington until the resolution was repealed. The resolution was reluctantly rescinded in June 1899. William H. Upton continued to write on this subject with conviction.
His work on Black Masonry was an important chapter in Masonic history. He died on November 3, 1906. Upton's sincere interest was demonstrated by a provision in his will that no monument should be erected over his grave until “both colored and white Masons could stand over it as brothers”. In June 1990 the Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of Washington passed a resolution recognizing the Prince Hall Grand Lodge and William. H. Upton’s monument now displays the Masonic emblem.
Find more history here.