JOHN A. B. JONES LODGE #529,
F. & A. M.
CAMDEN, MISSISSIPPI
UNDER DISPENSATION: April 5, 1911
CHARTERED: February 20, 1912
MEETS: 2nd Thursday @ 7:00 PM
2124 Hwy 17
Camden, Mississippi
HISTORY
From the Grand Masters 1912 address to the Grand Lodge: On April 5, 1911 I signed a dispensation for a new Lodge at Camden, which for want of a better name I named it John A. B. Jones Lodge.
This lodge is named for Rev. John Alexander Bares Jones, a Methodist minister born near Port Gibson in 1830. Reverend Jones was a Mason having received his degrees at Feliciana #31 in St. Francisville, LA in 1853. He also received his York Rite Chapter Degrees there in 1853. In 1864 he took his Royal and Select degrees at Old Gallatin in Mississippi and was Knighted at Magnolia Commandery #2 in Vicksburg in 1869. He is known to have served in churches in locations around central and south Mississippi and southeast Louisiana during the mid to late 1800's. He is also known to have been a member of Brookhaven Lodge #241 in 1864 and Coeur de Lion Commandery #13 in Port Gibson, MS in 1877. He was Past Grand Priest and Past Grand Commander of the York Rite in Mississippi. He died on January 13, 1910.
John A. B. Jones Lodge No. 529 at Camden constituted April 13th, 1912 by Brother W. N. Paulette.
From the Grand Masters 1913 address to the Grand Lodge: Received petition from John A. B. Jones Lodge to receive petition of Methodist minister who had not lived in Jurisdiction twelve months. Refused because no dispensation of the Grand Master could lengthen the time of his residence in this Jurisdiction.
It is believed that the current lodge building was built in 1929. The cornerstone shows J. W. Melvin as Worshipful Master and V. L. McDaniel, G. W. Thomas, and J. H. Melvin as the building committee and that is the only year that all four were members with J W Melvin as Master.
MEMBERS
CAMDEN CHAPTER #229
ORDER OF THE EASTERN STAR
MEETS: 1st Monday @ 7:00 PM
2124 Hwy 17
Camden, MS
