Horace W. tyler lodge no. 290 History

 The following account was written, in his own hand, by our late Past Master, W.B. Robert S. Wood, Sr. Judging from the list of Charter Member then living, it appears to have been written in late 1991. I apologize for any errors in spelling or grammar; this is a direct copy from the original author. -Webmaster 

Some time about 42 years ago, Bro. Claud Anderson (a Past Master of John Paul Johns Lodge in Gig Harbor) and Bro. Authur J Mitchell (Jack Harrington’s father-in-law) met at the University Place Builders Supply, owned by Bro. Mitchell, and in a conversation, got to discussing the possibility of a Masonic Lodge on the West side of Tacoma. They were joined by several local Brethren and, after a while, some advertisements were put in the newspaper to that effect.

Thus Bro. A.J. Mitchell, Sr., and W.B. Claud Anderson were actually the originators of Horace W Tyler Lodge.

They met later with Lloyd Sell, Jr., who at that time was Worshipful Master of William P. Dougherty Lodge. W.B. Sell and the Lodge agreed to sponsor Horace W. Tyler Lodge and were joined enthusiastically by V.W.B. Alger (at that time the District Deputy in District No. 14) who offered his assistance. A petition was soon on its way to the Grand Master asking for dispensation.

This dispensation was granted to 33 member of various lodges on August 17, 1949. V.W.B. Alger also suggested the name ‘Horace W. Tyler’ after the late Grand Secretary of the Grand Lodge of Washington. Subsequently we added members from other lodges, and made some at our own so that when our Charter was granded on June 21, 1950, we had 66 Charter Members.

Of the original Charter Members, time has taken its toll, only 11 remain of the original 66, they are:

• Bro. Donald U. Buri
• Bro. Frank Carson (now at San Antonio, Texas)
• Bro. Charles Gage
• W.B. Wayne Gotchy, Past Master
• W.B. John J. Hoheim, Past Master
• W.B. Melvin C. Monsen, Past Master
• Bro. Maurice Palmer (now in Vista, California)
• W.B. Horton O. Wilcox, Past Master (lives in Renton, Washington but has been ill)
• W.B. Herman M. Williamsen, Past Master of Cottage Grove Lodge in Oregon.
• And me, Robert S. Wood, Past Master

It is noted that at this date there are 5 of the original 66 Charter Members remaining, they are:

• Brother Donald U. Buri
• W.B. Wayne F. Gotchy
• Brother John J. Hoheim, Jr.
• W.B. Melvin C. Monsen
• W.B. Herman M. WIlliamsen

These 66 members succeeded in getting Freemasonry off to a great start on the West side of Tacoma. 76 new members were gained in the years 1956-1960 and plans were drawn up to build a top story to the basement building. Bids went out sometime in late 1960 and on January 28, 1961 the low bud of $20, 800 by V. W. McLinn, contractor-builder, was accepted. It should be noted that this bid did not include electrical, floor covering, heating, plumbing, or painting, and an extra $250.00 was allotted for hardware.

1. A copy of the King James version of the Holy Bible.
2. A flag of the United States of America.
3. A 1962 United States Mint set consisting of the 5 coins currently minted in the Uni9ted States of America.
4. A 1962 membership roster.
5. A list containing the names of: The Charter Members, the Past Masters of the Lodge, and a list of the Brothers of Horace W. Tyler who have been called to that Celestial Lodge above.
6. A copy of “Not Made With Hands” the history of the first 100 years of the Grand Lodge of Washington by VWB Paul W. Harvey of Wm. O. Dougherty #224.
7. A copy of the By-Laws of Horace W. Tyler Lodge #290.
8. A roster of the officers of the Grand Lodge of Washington for June 1961 to July 1962
9. A Copy of the Tacoma News Tribune dated February 20, 1962 containing the story of America’s entry into the Space Age with the three orbital flights of Colonel John Glenn.
10. A copy of the Tacoma News Tribune dated Sunday, April 8, 1962 containing a story of the Corner Stone Ceremony, and several articles concerning the 1962 Space Age World’s Fair “Century 21” opening in Seattle, April 21 1962.

About a year later, in June of 1973, the Tyler Temple Corporation started a campaign to raise money to carpet the Lodge Hall. Honorary Past Master Ray Packard drew up a chart. This chart, consisting of 360 squares, was then reproduced on a large plywood sheet by Bro. G. Lester Pederson.  Each square represented $10.00, for a total of $3600.00. These squares were made available to members of Tyler Lodge #290, Tyler Chapter #248 Order of the Easter Stare, Tyler Assembly #137 Order of the Rainbow for Girls, and Olympic View Chapter Order of DeMolay. By January, 1974, $2000, 00 had been donated. A semi-retired carpet dealer and a devoted Mason, Harry Kirisham, an Honorary member of Tyler Lodge and Past Master of Fair Weather Lodge #82, advised the Temple Board that there was enough money to complete the project, as he could get the carpet at a very good price. The 1974 Temple Board consisted of : Brothers Edward Morgan, Charles Craig, Richard Roberts, Clarence Ramier, William Taylor, Robert Wood, Don Ferfuson, G. Lester Pederson, and Steven Scott.At the January Board meeting, the board appointed Clarence Ramier and Charles Craig, assisted, by Faye Anderson, Past Matron of Tyler Chapter #248 OES, to select the carpet and make a purchase.  Under the supervision of Bro. Harry, the carpet was laid in February 1974, by volunteers from the lodge and Board members. 

As early as 1910, the Grand Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Washington State had expressed some concern about a clandestine group calling themselves the “American Masonic Federation” which had made some inroads into parts of the northwest. A groupo which Paul Harvey had noted in his book, Not Made With Hands, “as motivated more by greed than by Masonic principals.” In about 1918 this group, perhaps as anticipated, organized Calidonia Lodge No. 1, which met in Fraternity Hall, located on Tacoma Avenue, across the street from the present Tacoma Library.For about 3 years they apparently met with some measure of prosperity but by 1922 had fallen on rather hard times. Their ultimate demise probably came about through word of mouth and the realization of their ‘members’ that they were not regular Masons. During the time of their prosperity they had purchased some rather deluxe lodge furniture apparently to be used in a building to be constructed. This furniture was delivered shortly before the lodge’s timely demise.During the three years prior to 1923, it is suspected that they made a Mason of one Son-of-Norway, a man who must remain nameless. In1922, the Sons (and Daughters) of Norway, who had been rented a space in the Eagles Hall on Fawcett Avenue, laid the Corner Stone for the spacious and beautiful Normana Hall at 15th and South K Street. Almost coincident with the move of the Sons of Norway to the now completed Normana Hall, came the delivery of the Masonic furniture for Calidonia Lodge #1. Probably through the nameless brother, who had since discovered his error and joined a regular Lodge, the Sons of Norway were approached as to whether or not they would be willing to store the new furnishings in their new building, with the proviso that they could any part of it of so desired.  Like many organizations who have completed buildings, the Sons of Norway seemed a but pressed for funds to furnishings their new building, so accepted the offer with considerable enthusiasm. So, in 1923 the stations, alter and other items ordered for Calidonia Lodge #1, began their service to the Sons of Norway. All items were put to use except the two columns, which being of no use to that organization, were summarily stored in the building attic. 5 years passed.In 1928, probably as a result of some litigation, it is unlikely that Calidonia Lodge ever paid for the furnishings, the Sons of Norway, made formal payment to someone and became the owners of the property. For 27 years from 1923 until a fire in 1950, the columns rested in the attic at Normania Hall.About the time that Tyler Lodge was given a dispensation, Brother Harry Christopherson of Fairweather, Brother Julius Tollefson of Wm P. Dougherty and a Carl Berg, (now deceased) possibly of Fairweather, all acting as committee for the Sons of Norway to clean up the attic of Normana Hall, (they had been getting some guff from the Fire Department) discovered the long forgotten columns. They immediately thought of a good home for the long ‘exiled’ pillars.Permission was received from the Sons of Norway and the columns were dusted off and repainted. On May 15, 1951, a delegation lead by W.B. John Diamond, Master of Fairweather Lodge visited Horace W. Tyler Lodge and presented the columns to the Lodge. Harry Christopherson made the presentation with the story just related and according to the minutes of Tyler Lodge, the columns were accepted with great gratitude. They have been refurbished twice; once by our late Brother Lyle Heinberger and latter by W.B.’s Hahenkratt and Roberts. New Capitals were added for the Terrestrial and Celestial Spheres and new bases were added to give them a bit more height. Their origin was cloudy and the ‘exile’ had been long, but at Tyler Lodge the columns had at last found a respectable and permanent home.. 

The following is the presentation that Mrs. Chelsea Hansen gave at our 75th anniversary celebration in June of 2025. 

Hello, my name is Chelsea Hansen, I am the curator of the Washington Masonic Library

& Museum. I am so pleased to have been invited to join you to celebrate 75 years of

your Lodge, and to share a little bit about your namesake—Horace Tyler, Past Grand

Secretary of the Grand Lodge of Washington for 39 years.

At first glance, there is not a lot written about Tyler. There is an obituary in the Grand

Lodge proceedings, and a couple of short write ups about him in books about

Freemasonry in Washington. It took quite a bit of digging through Grand Lodge

proceedings year after year to really get a sense of the man from his Grand Secretary

reports, and from the glowing praises many Grand Masters had for him in their

addresses. I hope what I’ve put together does justice to him and his legacy for this

Jurisdiction.

I’d like to start by painting a picture of a very pivotal moment for Washington Grand

Lodge. The year was 1905, and our Jurisdiction had been in existence for 47 years.

Membership was growing exponentially, much like the American population of the newly

formed Washington State. One of the Grand Lodge’s most recent points of pride was

that two years earlier, fellow Freemason and President, Theodore Roosevelt had

stopped by on his tour of the West Coast to help lay the cornerstone for the new

Tacoma Masonic Temple. Much of the success, members of this Jurisdiction would

agree, was due to the steady leadership and vision of the Grand Lodge’s co-founder

and Grand Secretary of 47 years, Thomas Milburne Reed.

However, at 80 years old, Reed’s health was not what it used to be, and he took on

(seemingly for the first time) an assistant, by the name of Horace Tyler. Tyler, who had

moved from Wisconsin eight years prior, was a member of Spokane Lodge No. 34, was

a founding member of Tyrian Lodge No. 96, and after relocating to Seattle, joined St.

John’s Lodge No. 9. He was a tall man, seemingly sporting a full head of white hair from

an early age. He was also an avid pipe smoker, one author speculating that “he must

have been the largest consumer in these parts of his favorite tobacco.” He also drove

what he himself called a “flivver,” which was slang for a Model-T that had seen better

days.

Prior to his appointment as Reed’s Assistant, Tyler had dabbled in different businesses:

flour milling, banking, an Abstract of Title business, and had served in several appointed

positions such as City Controller, County Auditor, and US Marshal. With all that

bouncing around, it seemed he hadn’t found his purpose until this opportunity presented

itself. Tyler barely had time to set his briefcase down on his desk before experiencing

several unplanned trials by fire.

The first big test for Tyler was that two weeks before the 1905 Annual Communication,

Thomas Reed fell ill and was forced to miss it for the first time in over 40 years. Tyler

was asked to step in as Acting Grand Secretary, and he was up for the challenge. In the

Grand Secretary’s Report, he expressed that Reed was on the mend, and said in his

closing remarks: “This past year has been exceedingly pleasant in association with our

Grand Secretary, and the kindness and courtesy of our Grand Master will long be

remembered as the most pleasant year of my life.” It seems Tyler had thrived when

faced with a big test and had finally found his purpose.

However, the big challenges were just starting. That October, Reed passed away

somewhat unexpectedly. As a steadfast pillar for the Jurisdiction, this death was both

heartbreaking and easily could have caused upheaval. The Grand Master for that year,

Edward Franklin Waggoner, quickly appointed Tyler as acting Grand Secretary, later

saying in his 1906 address: “A Grand Master situated as I have been, is forced to lean

heavily on the Grand Secretary for assistance. I have done this, but Bro. Tyler has been

fully equal to the emergency and I wish to thank him for it.”

It was at that same Annual Communication that Tyler was appointed Grand Secretary, a

position he would hold for the next 39 years.

Tyler filled the void left by his predecessor with a rare kind of grace, composure, and

competence that shows he was the perfect person found at the perfect time. His level-

headedness helped right the Grand Lodge after another devastating loss in his first year

as Grand Secretary—the sudden death of Past Grand Master William Upton, who had

been in the middle of writing the Grand Lodge’s new Masonic Code. So, during Tyler’s

first year, he hurried down to Walla Walla to collect Upton’s notes and take on the

additional responsibility of finishing the code. He didn’t complain but rather apologized

in the next Annual Communication that the code was a few months behind schedule

given the circumstances.

While many would have understandably felt intimidated or overwhelmed by the sudden

responsibilities thrust upon them, Tyler seemed to sincerely enjoy the work. He ran his

office by a rigid set of rules, that to the outside onlooker must have made the job look

much easier than it was. In each Grand Secretary’s report, there is an air of calm, of

gratefulness for the brotherhood, comradery, support, and trust offered him throughout

the year. He also often expressed his hopes and excitement for the year ahead.

Yet perhaps he pushed himself a little too much at times, as the constant schedule took

a toll on his health. In the 1909 Communication, the Grand Lodge voted to give him

three-months vacation, because he had been “harassed by a severe illness,” for several

months prior, all while continuing to perform his duties. The following year, Tyler

reported he only took three weeks of that time off but was most grateful for the

“generous action” that did much to lift his spirits in a time he most needed support.

However, his health continued to ail him throughout the years, so he hired his son,

Edward, as Assistant Grand Secretary to share some of the responsibilities.

In 1918, Grand Master George Lawler painted a vivid description of the Grand

Secretary’s work ethic, which I will read to you now:

“The office of the Grand Secretary, as you all know, is the business depot of this rapidly

growing Fraternity; and the accurate detail work required to keep a perfect record of the

many business transactions, Lodge and individual membership records, the library and

numerous other important matters, is amazing to all who have any particular notice of

the conscientious work of your Grand Secretary and his assistant.

I thought I knew something about it, as I have been a close intimate of Brother Tyler for

many years before becoming Grand Master. I have watched him labor through the

entire day without even leaving the office for lunch, and often returning after dinner for

several hours at night. All this continued until his health broke and it became necessary

for him to take his son into the office as his assistant. Yet, under the most trying

circumstances, I have never known him fail to swing around from that desk constantly

loaded to the guards, and with a Lincoln-like sweet patience give all that his years of

past experience and tireless study had stored up in his brain or in the archives of the

Grand Lodge to any who sought it. Now, since the honor of being your Grand Master, I

can fully appreciate his value to this Grand Lodge. His health is again failing, and I

strongly recommend that you prepare the way to conserve the resources of his

knowledge and experience for this Grand Lodge by forcing him to take a vacation at

least once a year, and ignoring his refusal to accept a larger salary by means of which

these vacations may be possible under the present high cost of living.”

The Grand Lodge did indeed grant and insist that Horace Tyler take a month off every

year (with an allowance), which was impressive, since paid time off was a rare concept

in 1918. Tyler reported the following year that he, “spent the money and had a good

time, returning with better health and renewed vigor.” However, going forward, he

decided to break that time up into smaller trips so as, “not to interfere with office work.”

In 1931, on his 25 th anniversary as Grand Secretary, a committee of ten Past Grand

Masters who had worked with Tyler put forth the resolution to award him the rare title of

Honorary Past Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Washington. This title had only

been awarded once before in the history of this Jurisdiction. Today, it has only been

awarded seven times, and not to any other Grand Secretary. While several other Grand

Secretaries in the history of Washington Grand Lodge had either been a Grand Master

previously, or stepped down to make themselves available, Tyler never did so. If I may

make an educated guess, it seems he was already where he wanted to be—serving the

Fraternity faithfully in the background. However, at that moment in the 1931 Annual

Communication, he was brought into the spotlight and was from then on referred to as

Most Worshipful, and granted all the honors awarded to any other Past Grand Master in

this Jurisdiction.

Tyler continued faithfully in the role until his passing at his son, Edward’s home on

October 22, 1944 at the age of 89. His body was laid to rest three days later at the Tyler

family plot at the old Tacoma Cemetery. Every elected Grand Officer was present, as

were many Past Grand Masters. He was preceded in death by his wife, Emma and

daughter Fannie, and remembered by his son, Edward, his other daughter, Susan, as

well as seven grandchildren, and fifteen great-grandchildren. At the following Annual

Communication, Past Grand Master Edward Poole read a moving eulogy, in which he

said,

“Those Masons who knew [him] intimately know that upon acquiring the Masonic

degrees 65 years ago, he chose its teachings and philosophy for his guide in his future

life. That this is correct is evidenced by his loving, kindly, and considerate care of the

members of his family...Despite his devotion to the cause of Freemasonry...he

never...wavered in his duties as husband and father.”

Poole went on to say, “During Brother Tyler’s life as a Master Mason he found frequent

opportunities to advise and assist those younger in the Craft, and was a helpful guide to

many in their search for Masonic Light. He lived a good life. He was a builder in

Freemasonry. He left his imprint upon our Craft.”

Carrying on the Tyler legacy of graceful guidance in the face of upheaval, Horace’s son

Edward continued on as Assistant Grand Secretary until his own retirement in 1953. He

was able to witness his father receive one more great honor in 1950 when a new Lodge

forming in Tacoma chose the name Horace W. Tyler No. 290.

So, while it is true that little has been written about the man, as the backbone of this

Fraternity for 40 formidable years, it’s safe to say that MW Horace Tyler’s legacy speaks

for itself. Apart from all we have learned about the man, numbers don’t lie. Under his

tenure, The Grand Lodge of Washington quadrupled its membership from 9,000 to

42,000 and gained 124 new Lodges. Simply put, Tyler’s legacy was building this

Jurisdiction up from the strong foundations laid by our founders. It is so exciting to see

this Lodge continuing to build upon that legacy today.

Congratulations on Horace W. Tyler Lodge’s first 75 years, I look forward to seeing what

you do next.