Notable Members

NOTABLE MEMBERS OF OSSEA LODGE # 317

Governor William Alexis Stone - Initiated on July 16, 1867; Crafted and Raised on August 13, 1867, by dispensation.

Born in Delmar Township, Tioga County, Pa., April 18, 1846. The son of Isreal and Abigail Stone. His early life was spent on his father's farm. He was raised on said farm and at the age of 17 he enlisted in the Civil War, Company A, 187 Pennsylvania Volunteers. He participated in the engagement at Yellow House, or Six Mile Run, August 18, 1864 and in the siege of Petersburg from August 19 to September 22. He was several times promoted and on March 10, 1865, was advanced to the grade of second lieutenant. He mustered out on August 3, 1865 as a Second Lieutenant. He was educated in the district schools and at the State Normal School in Mansfield, Tioga County (today known as Mansfield University). He graduated in 1868 with high honors. After the war, Governor Hartranft appointed him assistant adjutant general of the Thirteenth Division, National Guard, with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. He studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1870, first practicing in Wellsboro and later in Pittsburgh; was District Attorney for the Western District of Pennsylvania; was a member of the Fifty-second, Fifty-third, fifty-fourth and fifty-fifth Congresses.

On June 9, 1898, he was made the candidate of the Republican Party for Governor of Pennsylvania and November 8th of the same year was elected to that office.

He wrote a book entitled "The tale of a Plain Man". He died March 1, 1920 and was buried in Wellsboro Cemetery with his two wives.

Supreme Court Justice Henry W. Williams - Initiated June 22, 1858

Henry W. Williams was born July 30, 1830 in Hartford, Susquehanna County, PA. He was an attorney at law in Wellsboro. Henry W. Williams was made a Mason in Ossea Lodge No. 317, Wellsboro, in June 1858. He was Secretary in 1864, Junior Warden in 1865, Senior Warden in 1866, and Master in 1867. He was a member of Tioga Royal Arch Chapter No. 194, Wellsboro (1866), where he was High Priest for eleven years (1870-1872, 1877-1879, 1882-1886). He also belonged to Tyadaghton Commandery No. 28, Knights Templar, Wellsboro, of which he was Eminent Commander.

In Grand Lodge he was District Deputy Grand Master of the Eighth Masonic District from 1881 to 1884. He was also Junior Grand Warden in 1893 and 1894. Senior Grand Warden in 1895 and 1896, Deputy Grand Master in 1897 and 1898, and Grand Master in 1899. He was commissioned and became a Supreme Court Justice on December 22, 1887. He was present at the laying of the corner stone at the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania. He died while in office as the Right Worshipful Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania January 25, 1899 just twenty nine days after taking office. He died of Bright's disease in a Philadelphia hotel, while on Supreme Court business. Lodge No. 624, Philadelphia (est 1901) was named in his honor. He was buried in the Wellsboro Cemetery with all Masonic Honors while still a member of Ossea Lodge.

George Linton, Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Army - Initiated December 13, 1939, Crafted January 15. 1940 and Raised February 14, 1940

George Linton was born in Philadelphia on December 21, 1905 and died at the age of 84. He was a resident of Tioga County as an attorney when he died on November 25, 1990. George Linton, while in the Army during the war in the Philippines assisted in starting the first Masonic Lodge in Manila since it was occupied by the Japanese. This is that story: The year was 1945. While the Japanese were driven out of the Main City, they still held the high hills around Manila which included control of the reservoir and thus the water supply. There were flies, malaria, no water, dysentery, starvation; entire city blocks destroyed by bombings and an indomitable spirit of happiness and relief of the population albeit some were homeless and some were starving. The homeless built lean-to's from the corrugated tin blown from the roofs of their houses; and the starving emaciated youngsters fought over the garbage from our mess halls, and if it rained, they stood in the rain, naked, to get clean. Of course, we, the conquering heroes, were given the "red carpet" treatment, and the officers (why not the enlisted men also?) were invited to a victory banquet in the area which my troops occupied along the banks of Manila Bay. I still wonder where they got the food that was served to us. At any rate, I met a Chinese Christian, 32 degree Mason at this dinner whose name was Bernard Lim. He had a ring on his finger and I had my Consistory Passport (which I carried at all times) in my pocket. I showed him my passport and, you guessed it, we were brothers from then on. Bernard, we called him Bernie later, had a cigar factory in Manila and during the War, he smuggled cigars to the guerillas who conducted commando tactics, plus any money he could get his hands on to help supply the guerillas. As a result, there was a bounty on his head if he got caught. After dinner he told me that the Right Worshipful Grand Master of the entire Philippines was beheaded by the Japanese, that all Masonic gatherings were forbidden by punishment of death. He then invited me to visit his home in the suburbs of Manila to meet his wife and 5 daughters. The little girls ranged from about five to fifteen years old. All spoke Spanish, English, and their native tongue, Pangasinan. The Japanese also forced all Philippinos to learn to speak their language. After dinner, Bernie and I started talking about Free Masonry, and I asked him if he would help me to open the first Masonic Lodge in Manila since it was occupied by the Japanese. The more we talked about it, the more enthusiastic we became. We had nothing to start with. We needed a hall, tools, someone to occupy the chairs, lights, a candidate (if possible) and well, just about everything. Bernie said he could round up some Master Masons whom he knew, and could vouch for, to fill some of the chairs. I said that I knew a Sea Bee outfit in our area and I thought the commanding officer was on the square.

So I saw the Skipper of the Sea Bees and sure enough he was not only a third himself, he said he had a second in his outfit who did not have time to get his third before they went overseas. Now I arranged a meeting with Bernie, myself and Captain Harry of the Sea Bees. Now things really started to happen. Bernie took Harry to the meeting place in Pasay. It was sort of like a storage place on a second floor on a back street. Bernie got the hall rent free, Harry provided a 750 watt generator, wire, lights, etc. Then his men made all the necessary tools, produce the candidate for the third, and came up with a Past Master who was on the Third Degree Team in the U.S. and he agreed to act as the Worshipful Master. I obtained a Bible from the battalion chaplain. We all agreed that we would fill the rest of the chairs with Masons that Bernie would come up with on the night of the opening.

The Stage was set. Harry said "Give me a week". Bernie and I said, "You have a week". Bernie spread the news and Harry made the tools and wired the place and provided the bulbs and the power for the occasion, and I "pulled rank" and went to the "proper sources" to get some refreshments. The scene opens on the joyous and eventful night. Bernie sure spread the news. We had enough Master Masons to suffice and then some. Without rehearsal whatsoever and even though the Americans were 10,000 miles from home, the Sea Bee, was raised to the sublime degree of a Master Mason and I felt as though I was back home in Ossea Lodge.

P.S. Five years later, Bernie Lim stopped off to see me and my family in Wellsboro, PA. on a trip around the world, so he could visit my family as I did his. And while here he told me that Free Masonry in the Philippines was stronger than it was before the Japanese came. And he said, "Free Masonry shall never die," and I said "So mote it be".