SDGMWhortonW
WILLIAM F. R. WHORTON 1878-1955
Grand Master of South Dakota, 1921-1922
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BIOGRAPHY
From "The First 100 Years of the Grand Lodge A.F. & A.M. of South Dakota, 1875-1975", Page 108:
Brother Whorton was born in Mitchellville, Polk County, Iowa, December 12, 1878. He was educated in the public schools of Wolsey and Huron, South Dakota. He was a graduate of Huron College and Northwestern University Dental School. At the time he was Grand Master he had a dental practice in Huron.
He was married to Miss Verna Kalb of Winona, Minnesota, on March 14, 1906. They had three children.
Hew made a Mason on May 18, 1901, in Huron Lodge No. 26. He was a member of the York Rite Chapter, Council, and Commandery. He served as Illustrious Grand Master of the Grand Council. He was a member of Oriental Consistory No. 1 in Yankton and El R1ad Shrine in Sioux Falls.
1922
The gift of a lot suitably located and large enough to accommodate a good-sized building was offered to the Grand Lodge by the Sioux Falls Masonic Bodies. The lot was purchased for $7,000.00 and offered by warranty deed on which to erect a suitable building for the Grand Lodge Library and the Grand Secretary's office. Grand Master Whorton appointed a committee of five at the forty-eighth Annual Communication held at Huron in 1922. The committee examined the lot offer and recommended that it be accepted. It was decided that the matter be referred to a committee of three with instructions to investigate and report to the Grand Lodge at the next Annual Communication.
Duplicate charters were issued to Northville Lodge No. 149 and Mt. Aetna Lodge No. 128, Keystone. Although Montrose Lodge No. 48 had suffered a fire, their charter had been saved.
During the year 186 members had been taken by death, so reported the Necrology Committee. Among them was the first and oldest Past Grand Master, Thomas H. Brown; Past Grand Master John H. McCord; and Brother Benjamin F. Ives, Grand Lecturer Emeritus.
The Grand Secretary called attention to the fact that in the lodges were a few who had had fifty years of continuous membership. He suggested some token of appreciation might be presented in the name of the Grand Lodge. A special committee was appointed and their recommendation was adopted that the Grand Secretary George A. Pettigrew be a committee of one to design an appropriate badge and certificate and report at the next Annual Communication.
The Grand Master reported that there was some interest in placing a monument on the site of the church in Vermillion where the Grand Lodge held their first organizational meeting. A committee appointed by the Grand Master recommended that the incoming Grand Master appoint a committee of three to investigate and report at the next Annual Meeting.
Lodges had been constituted at Bristol, Onaka, Irene, Fairfax, Colome, and Pollock. Dispensations had been issued for new lodges at Letcher, Gann Valley, Sioux Falls, Garretson, Tulare, and Bancroft.
Cornerstones had been laid for the Methodist Hospital and the Court House at Rapid City as well as a YMCA building in Aberdeen. The newly-created Board of Custodians of the Work made its first report. The membership had increased to 17,792.
The Mileage Committee was paying eight cents per mile, one way. The Board of Trustees reported having spent $2200.00 for needy brothers, during the year.
The Committee on Correspondence reported, "The Masonic World is gradually coming out of the tangle in which we were plunged by the effects of the Great War."
