Walter W. Coleman

Worshipful Master: 1894-1895, 1897, 1903, 1905

Worshipful Coleman was a Hydraulic Engineer by trade and was actually responsible for installing St. Petersburg’s first water system that supplied fresh water to this pioneer town on the edge of Tampa Bay. Worshipful Coleman and his Wife Mary Ellen also built, owned, and ran the Paxton House Hotel which at the time was one of the largest hotels in the area boasting 32 rooms for guests and stayed open year round. The Paxton House Hotel was a block away from the Detroit Hotel on Central Ave and 1st Street. The location is now an empty lot as seen in the pictures attached. Through Worshipful Coleman’s guidance Lodge 139 was able to forge through the early years and last the test of time. Worshipful Coleman passed to the Celestial Lodge Above in 1909 and is interred at the historic greenwood cemetery which is located on 9th street and 11th ave s. like most of the other early pioneers of St. Petersburg.

George L. King

Worshipful Master 1896

Worshipful King was one of the first lumber mill owners in Lower Pinellas Point/Maximo Point located in New Cadiz just east of Gulfport.  He is credited with spearheading population growth in the 1890’s in Lower Pinellas Point/St. Pete Village.  He died of cancer in February 1904 and is interred in Greenwood Cemetery.

Robert Johnson

Worshipful Master 1898

Very little is known about Worshipful Johnson at this time.  We do not have a photograph of him and have been unable to locate one.  We do know that he served as District Deputy Grand Master of District 16 in 1901.

Henry W. Hibbs

Worshipful Master 1899

Worshipful Hibbs pioneered in the shipping of fresh fish to northern markets from St. Petersburg. He even built his own ice plant for this endeavor. He was elected Mayor of St. Petersburg in 1894-95. He served for two one year terms.  He is credited with starting the first real public improvements in the city.  Among other projects, the laying down of board and oyster walks, building the first school and banning hogs from the streets.  Worshipful Hibbs died in 1942 and is interred at Royal Palm South Cemetery.

William A. Sloan

Worshipful Master 1900

Worshipful Sloan was the first Town Marshal in St. Pete.  He passed on June 25, 1906 and is interred at Greenwood Cemetery.

David Murray

Worshipful Master: 1901-02

Worshipful Murray is another of our early Masters of whom we have limited knowledge.  We do know that he came here in 1890 and installed an ice plant for the Crystal Ice Company, the first ice company of St. Petersburg. We also know that he was one of two of our early Masters to be elected Mayor of St. Petersburg.  While Mayor, he laid the cornerstone of the first public school building in St. Petersburg.

Henry Miner

Worshipful Master 1904

Worshipful Miner was a man of action.  He spent most of his life on the water and was a Steamship Captain prior to his first retirement.  During the Spanish-American war, he was chosen by his employer, the Plant system, as the only man capable of taking ships through the Spanish Blockade to Cuba.  On one such trip, he caught yellow fever and, according to one newspaper account, “he would have died had not Theodore Roosevelt and other officers, all fellow Masons, pulled him through on a diet of brandy and morphine.”  Symptoms from the fever forced him to retire from active command of the Plant ships.  After retirement, he received his pilot’s license and engaged in pilot service on Tampa bay for the next 20 years, according to a newspaper article.  Worshipful Miner set sail for the sunset on December 20, 1923 and is berthed at St. Bartholomew Cemetary in St. Petersburg.

William B. Pope

Worshipful Master: 1906-09

Worshipful Pope is another of our Masters whose life is not well documented.  We do know that he was the District Deputy Grand Master from District 27 from 1912-1915.  We also know that he entered the “Lodge on High” on December 13, 1930, and is interred at Royal Palm South Cemetery.

Elmer C. Howard

Worshipful Master: 1910-11

Worshipful Howard’s life path is illusive.  About all we know about him is that he passed away in 1931 and is interred in Oaklawn Cemetery located in Winter Haven, FL.

Willison H. English

Worshipful Master 1912

Worshipful English was an avid sportsman and tarpon fisherman.  So much so that he was one of the founders of the local club.  He was also active with Sunshine Commandery No. 20 of the Knights Templar.  While participating in a funeral for a fallen Templar, Worshipful English suffered from heart failure and immediately passed away.  The date was January 3, 1918.  He is interred, along with several other early city leaders and Lodge leaders, at Greenwood Cemetery.

George Presstman

Worshipful Master 1913

Worshipful Presstman co-owned a local machine shop.  He built racing boats and was very active in community affairs. He passed away on January 18, 1951 and is interred in St. Bartholomew Episcopal Cemetery.

H. D . Edwards

Worshipful Master 1914

Worshipful Edwards was the owner of the successful Edwards Shoe Store.  He was considered to be one of the most successful businessmen in our city.  He also was a founder, director and cashier of the Florida Bank and Trust Company.  In late March of 1919 he purchased a business in Ft. Meade.  At that time, he resigned his position with the bank and left the city.

Wellington W. Birchfield

Worshipful Master, 1915-16, 1924

Worshipful Birchfield came to St. Petersburg in 1904 to manage the drug business of the late J. C. Williams, founder of St. Petersburg.  He spent 20 years as a pharmacist for the Poinsettia Pharmacy, later Bennett’s Pharmacy.  He was also a director for the Bee Line Ferry Company and a past president of the West Coast Title Company and he was very active in several Masonic organizations.  He passed away on May 24, 1941, and is interred at the Royal Palm South Cemetery.

Frances B. (Frank) Duryea

Worshipful Master 1917

Worshipful Duryea was a very active man involved in several Masonic bodies, community affairs on many levels and various civic organizations. He served the Merchants Association as their Secretary for 25 years.  In 1932 Worshipful Duryea received the Honorary Legion of Honor from the International Supreme Council of the Order of DeMolay.  Some of the Jurisdictional and Grand Lodge Offices he held are:  1917-19 Junior Grand Steward, 1920-25 Senior Grand Steward, 1926-27 Junior Grand Deacon, 1928 Grand Marshal, 1929 & 1933 District Deputy Grand Master for the 16th Masonic District, 1934 Grand Sword Bearer.  Worshipful Duryea passed away on February 1, 1950 and is interred at Memorial Park Cemetery in St. Petersburg, Florida.

Elve C. Reed

Worshipful Master 1918 (Jan-Oct)

Worshipful Reed was a very patriotic man.  After several attempts to enlist in the United States Military “he was rejected for military service on account of slight physical defect.”  So he went to the Y.M.C.A., where he succeeded in passing their tests.  He was accepted for duty abroad in either France or Italy.  He departed in late October, 1918.  He requested and received Dispensation to honorably resign from the office of Worshipful Master. The Lodge also received Dispensation to elect a new Worshipful Master at that time.  Worshipful Reed passed away on January 15, 1945 and is interred in Bay Pines National Cemetery.