Clovis Lodge No. 417 Past Masters

1936 - 1959

This list is a work in progress and if anyone has pictures or information on any of these past masters, please contact the Las Palmas-Ponderosa Lodge Secretary so that your information and pictures can be added to this page.

(numbers refer to findagrave.com memorial links)

1936 Travis Ray Pendergrass (1892 - 1951) 100531005  Brother Travis Pendergrass affiliated with Clovis Lodge in 1926 from Sheridan Lodge No. 64 in Oregon.  He had received his first and second degrees in December of 1919 and was made a Master Mason on January 24, 1920.  His occupation was pharmacist.

1937 Dr. James Elmo Pendergrass (1896 - 1952) 100478349  Brother James Pendergrass petitioned Clovis Lodge for the degrees of Masonry in 1924.  He served as Master immediately after his brother Travis. 

Brother Pendergrass was born in Visalia and attended Clovis High school for 1 year (1914 - 1915) before attending Oregon State University in Corvallis, Oregon for 2 years.  He then was a medical student for 4 years in Nashville, Tennessee before returning to Clovis to practice medicine.

1938  John Ivan Polson (1897 - 1985) 97568496 Brother Polson petitioned Clovis Lodge for the Degrees of Masonry on May 9, 1921.  He was 23 years old at the time.  He had been working in farming and at the time of his application he was working for the Fresno County Commissioner of Horticulture, a job that he retired from after 37 years of service.

Brother Polson served as a Clovis City Councilman from 1966 to 1970 and was elected mayor in 1968 and served until 1970. He also served on the Clovis Elementary School Board.

His sister married one of the Reyburn brothers.

1939 James Wilson Bittle (1897 - 1941)  102101845  Brother Bittle petitioned Clovis Lodge for the degrees of Masonry on January 14, 1927.  In his petition he listed his occupation as:  "Grocery business 2 years, farming 6 years, Army 2 year previous to that school."  This would mean that he served in WW I.

1940 Christopher Kastner (1878 - 1954) 33705036 Brother Kastner, a native of New York, petitioned Clovis Lodge for the Degrees of Masonry in March of 1927.  In his petition he listed his occupation as "Meat dealer."

He was initiated on May 6, 1927, passed on June 17 and raised on July 29, 1927.

1941 Ebert Waldo Franck (1893 - 1978) 157711414 Brother Franck petitioned Clovis Lodge for membership in 1932.  He received the degrees of Masonry in Olive Branch  No. 269 in Tulare, CA in 1929 and 1930.  He was the Clovis City Clerk for 11 years. 

1942 Carl Oscar Larson (1903 - 1974) 60872161 Brother Larson petitioned Clovis Lodge for the Degrees of Masonry in February of 1935.  In his petition he stated that in the past he had been an installer for Western Union Telephone Company, "conducted his own shop from 1928 - 1930" and in 1930 became a ranch foreman for A. J. Cobb Co.

During his year as Master, he conferred 6 First Degrees, 5 Second Degrees and 5 Third Degrees for Clovis Lodge and an additional Third Degree as "complimentary."  At the end of his term as Master, Clovis Lodge had 240 members.

There are no records in his Lodge file to indicate when Brother Larson died, but we are currently researching a grave in Longmont, CO (the town where he was born) for a Carl Larson who was born in 1903 and died in 1974. 

1943 Terrill O. Glenn (1907 - 1993) 157708455  Brother Glenn was born in Valley Junction, Iowa and it is unknown when he came to California.  In 1926 he became employed as a salesman for Standard Oil Company.  In 1934 he petitioned Clovis Lodge for the degrees of Masonry.  He was initiated on October 25, 1934, passed on November 22 and raised on December 20, 1934. 

He received his 50 year Golden Veterans Award from Clovis Lodge.

 1944 George Wayne "Wayne" Rall (1893 - 1974)  135798127 Brother Rall received all of the three degrees of Masonry in Kismet Lodge No. 489 in Highland Park, Michigan in 1919.  He affiliated with Clovis Lodge on October 10, 1935. 

1945 Richard LeRoy Greene (1901 - 1969) Brother Greene was born in Missouri and petitioned Clovis Lodge for the degrees of Masonry in 1936.  At the time of his application he stated that he had been a truck salesman for various oil companies for the prior 10 years.  On October 9, 1958 he demitted from Clovis Lodge as he had been elected to membership in Soquel Lodge No. 746 in Soquel, California.

1946 Harold Crawford Fine (1905 - 1963) 30489984 Brother Fine petitioned Clovis Lodge for the degrees of Masonry in February, 1939.  On June 1 of that year he was raised to the sublime degree of Master Mason.  He must have been appointed to the officer's line quickly as he was Master only 6 years later.  Clovis Lodge was busy in 1946 as they initiated 30, passed 36 and raised 38 candidates.  At the end of the year they had 335 members.

At the time of his application he worked as a clerk for Rosenberg Bros.  From 1936 to 1960 he owned the Clovis Insurance Agency.  In 1947 he was the Clovis City Clerk.

1947 C. Sam Johnson (1906 - 1987) 102095052 Brother Johnson, a native of Fresno, petitioned Clovis Lodge for the degrees of Masonry in March of 1940.  He was raised a Master Mason in Clovis Lodge on September 19, 1940.  During his year as Master he initiated 24, passed 23 and raised 23 Master Masons.  At the end of his year as Master, Clovis Lodge had 357 members.  Many of these degrees were conferred in the afternoon before Lodge reconvened in the evening to continue conferring degrees.

Up until March of 1937 Brother Johnson was involved in farming.  He then became the Assessor-Collector for the Fresno Irrigation District, a position that he held for 33 years.  He is, perhaps, best known for keeping Christmas Tree Lane alive in Fresno.  He served on the Christmas Tree Lane Committee for 23 years, retiring in 1980.

1948 Milton H. Jones Sr. (1887 - 1959)  157770208 Brother Jones was born in Gainesville, Texas and moved to Freson in 1933.  He listed his occupation as Grocier and Postmaster in Pinedale.  He petitioned Clovis Lodge for the degrees of Masonry in March of 1939 and was initiated on May 18, passed on June 29 and raised on November 2 of that year.

During his year as Master, he conferred 25 first degrees, 29 second degrees and 24 third degrees.  By the end of his term Clovis Lodge had 377 Master Mason members.

In 1955 he retired as the Pinedale Postmaster after 20 years of service.

1949 Jacob Spate (1897 - 19??) Brother Spate was born in Russia.  In December of 1937 he petitioned Clovis Lodge for the Degrees of Masonry.  In his petition he stated that he was a mechanic for Bonner Packing Co.

1950 Thomas Ray Magatagan Jr. (1906 - 1980) 138605871 Brother Magatagan applied for the Degrees of Masonry from Clovis Lodge in December of 1942.  In his application he stated that the was a "timekeeper and foreman for Rosenburg Bros. & Co."

During his term as Master, Clovis Lodge initiated 40, passed 32 and raised 27 Master Masons.  At the end of his term as Master, Clovis Lodge had 401 members.

1951 John Rahl (1899 - 19??) Brother Rahl applied for the Degrees of Masonry in Clovis Lodge in February, 1943.  In his application he indicated that he had ranched for several years, but was currently at a Cafe in Clovis. He also indicated that he resided on a ranch.

During his term as Master, Clovis Lodge initiated 23, passed 21 and raised 31 Master Masons.  At the end of his term as Master, Clovis Lodge had 427 members.

1952 Horace W. Jenckes (1902 - 1989) 154822256 Brother Jenckes petitioned Clovis Lodge on February 18, 1938.  He was initiated on June 2, passed on September 15 and raised on October 6, 1938. 

At the time of his application he said that he was a bookkeeper for Bonner Packing Company.  Many years later he retired from Bonner Packing Company as a weigh master.

During his year as Master, Brother Jenckes conferred 27 First Degrees, 28 Second Degrees and 22 Third Degrees.  At the end of his term as Master, Clovis Lodge had a total membership of 446.  Shortly before his death, he was presented with a 50 year Golden Veterans Award.

1953 Richard Lee Bradford (1902 - 1962) 89969093 Brother Bradford petitioned Clovis Lodge for the Degrees of Masonry on April 26, 1934.  In his petition he stated that his present business was that of "Garage proprietor" in Tollhouse.

During his year as Master, he initiated 23 Masons, passed 29 and raised 27 Master Master Masons.  At the end of his term as Master, Clovis Lodge had 469 members.

1954 Leonard Edwin Matthews (1910 - 2001) 158059685  Brother Matthews petitioned Clovis Lodge for the Degrees of Masonry in 1936.  In his application he indicated that he was a bookkeeper by trade.  Later he was a partner in the Fresno Truck Center. 

During his year as Master, Clovis Lodge initiated 21, passed 24 and raised 26 Master Masons.  At the end of his term as Master, Clovis Lodge had a membership of 493.

Brother Matthews was presented with his 50 year Golden Veterans Award on December 9, 1986.  He was the 3rd Matthews brother to serve Clovis Lodge as its Master.

1955 Howard Brown Stafford (1896 - 1988) 140271998  Brother Stafford petitioned Clovis Lodge for the Degrees of Masonry in April of 1945.  In his application he stated that he had been the owner of a nursery and that currently he was employed by Fresno County as a "Stand and ? inspector.

During his term as Master, Clovis Lodge initiated 22, passed 21 and raised 24 Master Masons.  At the end of his term, Clovis Lodge had 505 members.

1956 Edward Freel Cunliffe (1901 1992) 157781047 Brother Cunliffe petitioned Clovis Lodge for the Degrees of Masonry on February 5, 1946.  He was initiated on April 4, passed on April 20 and raised on May 23, 1946. 

During his term as Master, he initiated 19, passed 13 and raised 16 men to the sublime degree of Master Mason.  At the end of his term, Clovis Lodge had 513 members.

1957 Frank Tillman (1914 - 1983) 33829075 Brother Tillman petitioned Clovis Lodge for the Degrees of Masonry on June 5, 1944.  In his application he stated that he currently resided in San Francisco, CA and that prior to serving in the U.S. Army, he had worked in the lumber industry as well as a salesman for Union Oil Company.  He later became a lumberman for Bretz and Yancey Lumber Company.

During his term as Master, Clovis Lodge initiated 32, passed 27 and raised 19 Master Masons.  At the end of his term as Master, Clovis Lodge had 527 members.

1958 Max Mervyn Wilson (1908 - 19??)  Brother Wilson was born in Albert Province, Canada.  On April 2, 1948 he petitioned Clovis Lodge for the Degrees of Masonry.  In his application he indicated that he was an inspector of public works with the Bureau of Reclamation and the U.S. Army Engineers in several western states.  He was currently working on the Mendota Canal.

During his term as Master, Clovis Lodge initiated 17, passed 19 and raised 17.  At the end of his term, Clovis Lodge had 547 members.

1959 Robert Wilfred Bretz (1915 - 1990) 22927170  Brother Bretz petitioned Clovis Lodge for the Degrees of Masonry on January 2, 1945.  At the time of his application he stated that he was an equipment operator for the State Division of Highways at Shaver Lake, CA.  He was also the logging foreman for Bretz Lumber Co of Clovis, California.  During the summer he lived at Shaver Lake and during the winter he resided in Clovis. 

During his term as Master, he initiated 18, passed 18 and raised 21 men to the sublime degree of Master Mason.  At the end of his term, Clovis Lodge had 546 members.

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Last updated February 12, 2016