Here is an undated photo of Frank Wilkinson (middle) and two other masons. This was probably taken at one of the annual dinners some time in the 1950’s or 1960’s.
This is the graduation program from my father’s High School Graduation.
For some reason, there are about a half dozen or so of my dad’s Middle School and High School report cards. These span from 1951 to 1956. He graduated from Central High School in 1956 and attended Bellevue Middle School (now closed). The High School was built in 1903 and is now on the US National Register of Historic Places (source: Wikipedia). Here are some more details about Central High School.
This is the program from the “34th Annual Dinner Dance Sea & Field Lodge Number 2-983 F. & A.M.” My grandfather was not a member of this lodge, so he must have attended as a guest. Based on some of the other mason keepsakes, it looks like he was invited to events help by other lodges.
My Grandfather (Frank Wilkinson) was a mason in the (49 UNICAS Lodge in Syracuse, NY. Here in an invitation from another lodge to their annual dinner.
This is the program for the 1955 Annual Dinner Party for Uncas Lodge No. 949. This was one of the years that he was the Master of this lodge. He is only 47 in this picture…everyone looked older in the 1950s.
Here is a letter written to my Father (Robert “Bob” Wilkinson) regarding a Stauffer family history book he was purchasing from someone in newport news. I assume that he bought this book for his mother (Joanna Stouffer Wilkinson). He was 16 years old when this letter was written. Note: $4.09 in 1955 would be equivalent to $35.67 today (2015). A bit pricey for a used book.
The book is called Records of the Proceedings of the John Stauffer Memorial Association, 1911. The whole book is available online.
Here are several images of the book.
Looks like this house is now the Newport New Courthouse.
This is an undated picture of Nellie Stouffer (my Father’s maternal Grandmother) getting on a plane. She died in 1960, and she is not with her husband, who died in 1941. So this was probably taken sometime between 1941 and 1960.
She is boarding an Eastern Airlines airplane.
Bob, Frank and Joanna, Frank Wilkinson, Joanna Stouffer Wilkinson, Masons
1955 Mason Family Photo
June 1, 1955Here is a picture from 1955 of the “Masters & Families”. Not sure wher this picture was taken. My father (Bob Wilkinson or Bobbie as he was known then) is the tallest one in the middle of the picture. His parents (Joanna Stouffer Wilkinson and Frank Wilkinson) are directly in front of him.
A “Master Mason” is the highest rank a Mason can achieve. You have to master increasingly difficult silly handshakes and passwords to make it to this level. I believe you must also purchase a very ridiculous hat to achieve this level in the Masonic order. (source: Wikipedia)
Here is a close up of Frank, Joanna, and Bob.
This is a program from the “Installation of Most Worshipful Raymond C. Ellis as Grand Master”
This appears to be the installation of the state-wide Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of New York.
