Carrollton Lodge #57

Carrollton Lodge No. 57

History

Carrollton Lodge No. 57 began as a vision of men in the Carrollton community with similar values of placing God first, family second, career third, and the Most Worshipful Prince Grand Lodge of Georgia fourth. These men knew that keeping their priorities in this order would create a lodge that would outlive the original visionaries and provide a home for future generations.

Brother Robert Hendril was appointed the Worshipful Master by Past Grand Master John Wesley Dobbs in 1947 when Carrollton Lodge was Under Dispensation (UD). Past Grand Master John Wesley Dobbs granted Carrollton Lodge a charter during the rand Session on June 10, 1948, and the lodge hall still holds the original charter with his signature. Past Master Hendril was elected and officially installed in December 1948. Past Master Hendril set the pace for the lodge for years as he served as Worshipful Master from 1947 to 1955.

The second Worshipful Master was Brother Garlon Gibson. He served the lodge from 1956-1958. Brother Snoop Shackleford, the third Worshipful Master, served from 1959-1962. Brother Slim Walkins served as the fourth Worshipful Master and carried us through the 1960s (1963-1969).

Brother Claude Dothard served as the fifth Worshipful Master and served during the years 1970 and 1971. Brother Leonard Brewer served as the sixth Worshipful Master and was the longest-serving Master of Carrollton Lodge in our colorful history. He served faithfully for 11 years, from 1972-1983.

Brother Willie Lowe served as the seventh Worshipful Master from 1984-1985, with Brother Michael Reid as the eighth Worshipful Master from 1986-1987. Brother James Reid served as the ninth Worshipful Master from 1988-1989.

Brother Harold Mullins became the tenth and twelfth Worshipful Master and brought the lodge into the 1990s and served from 1990-1991 and then again from 1993-1995. It is important to note that Past Master Harold Mullins was instrumental in chartering Villa Rica Lodge in the early 1970s, creating a strong brotherhood between the lodges that still exists today.

1992 Brother Robert Springer was the eleventh Worshipful Master of the Lodge. 1996-1997, Brother Willie Brown served as the thirteenth Worshipful Master; from 1998-1999, Brother Norman Thomaston served as the fourteenth Worshipful Master.

Brother Eugene Swint brought the lodge into the new Millennium when he became the fifteenth Worshipful Master in 2000. He served during the years 2000-2001. His son, Brother Derrick Swint, served the lodge as the sixteenth Worshipful Master from 2002-2004. After serving the lodge, Past Master Derrick Swint ascended to the position of Grand Lodge security and became one of the first known Past Masters of Carrollton Lodge to be appointed to a Grand Lodge position. Brother Shawn Johnson was elected the seventeenth Worshipful Master and served in 2005.

In 2006, Brother Joel Mends was elected and installed as the eighteenth Worshipful Master. He served in 2006 and 2007 and was the first known brother elected Worshipful Master of Carrollton Lodge, not raised in Carrollton Lodge. During 2009 and 2010, Brother Ellis Brock served as the nineteenth Worshipful Master of the Lodge and was the second brother to serve as master of the lodge without being raised in Carrollton Lodge.

In December 2010, brother Deion Parham was elected as the twentieth Worshipful Master of Carrollton Lodge No. 57 and served in 2011. His election represented a return to the brothers selecting a brother for leadership in the East from Carrollton Lodge.

In December 2011, Brother Titus Swint was elected and installed as the twenty-first Worshipful Master. He also served in 2012 as the Worshipful Master of the lodge.

In December 2012, Brother Preston Crowder was elected and installed as the twenty-second Worshipful Master and faithfully served in 2013. In 2013, Past Master Harold Mullins received his Gold Card for 35 years of faithful service to Carrollton Lodge No. 57, Carrollton Chapter No. 28, and the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Georgia.

In December 2013, Brother Jamie Echols was elected and installed as the twenty-third Worshipful Master. He served in the year 2014. In December 2014, Brother Dwight Hartage was elected and installed as the twenty-fourth Worshipful Master. The lodge returned to selecting a Worshipful Master not raised initially in Carrollton Lodge No. 57. He faithfully served during the year 2015.

In December 2015, Titus Swint was re-elected to the East as the twenty-fifth Worshipful Master of Carrollton Lodge No. 57 and served in 2016.

In December 2016, Brother Marlon Bell was elected and installed as the youngest Worshipful Master in the recent lodge history. He was the twenty-sixth elected Worshipful Master and faithfully served during the

Years of 2017 and 2018. During Worshipful Master Bell’s second year (2018), Atlanta Masonic District No. 3 West held their church visitation in Carrollton, a first for Atlanta Masonic District 3 West.

In December 2018, Brother Bertram Thomas Jr. was elected and installed as the twenty-seventh Worshipful Master. He represented a return to the lodge, electing a brother as Worshipful Master that was not raised in Carrollton Lodge. Under this administration, the club returned to the MLK parade with the Carrollton Chapter (OES) supporting the 16th Grand Worthy Matron PM Deaidra P. Wilson during the first Grand Matron’s retreat in Carrollton. During this administration, Past Master Titus Swint became the second Past Master appointed to a Grand Lodge position. He accepted the appointment of Grand Assistant Marshal from the 18th most Worshipful Grand Master, Honorable Corey D. Shackleford Sr.

In December 2019, Brother Bertram Thomas Jr. was elected to a second year as Worshipful Master. The lodge had five meetings before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The last meeting in March 2020 was an official visit from the 18th Most Worshipful Grand Master, Honorable Corey D. Shackleford Sr. The lodge transitioned to a Zoom virtual meeting environment, which posed a true challenge for the lodges in the jurisdiction of Georgia. In November, Worshipful Master Thomas presided over the raising of Brother Omar Roberts in November 2020, the youngest brother to be raised into a lodge who also graduated from King Solomon Youth Chapter and Truth and Union Knights of Pythagoras.

In December 2020, Brother Machion Bray was elected and installed as the twenty-eighth Worshipful Master of Carrolton Lodge No. 57. He became the first brother in the history of the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Georgia to be elected Worshipful Master of a lodge after being healed following serving as Grand Master of an International affiliation. He is honorably leading the lodge through the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic. During this administration, Past Master Bertram Thomas Jr. was appointed the Grand Editor of the Masonic Digest by 18th Most Worshipful Grand Master Honorable Corey D. Shackleford Sr. Worshipful Master Bray served the lodge faithfully from 2021 through December 2023.

On December 19, 2023, Brother Edwin Thomas, Jr was elected and installed as the twenty-ninth Worshipful Master of Carrollton Lodge No. 57. The lodge continues the tradition of service to the Carrollton city and county community and the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Georgia that began on our charter day, June 10, 1948!