William Waters

Brother

William Waters

(born circa 1848 - death date not confirmed at present)

Tucson Lodge, No. 4 (Tucson, Arizona); Temple Lodge, No.33

We do not currently know a lot about Brother William Waters. The Temple Lodge Minute Book records for the Regular Lodge Meeting of 3 November 1900 indicate that:

“...Application of Bro. William Waters, late of Tucson Lodge, No. 4 Tucson, Arizona was read and on motion received. Carried. The following investigation committee were appointed: Bros. Robinson, Gidley and Whittome....."

The Temple Lodge, No. 33 Minute Book records for the Regular Lodge Meeting of 1 December 1900 indicate that:

“....Report of investigation committee on application of Bro. Waters for affiliation was then read and on motion the report was received, the committee discharged and Bro. Waters voted for and elected.... [and that] Bro. Waters was elected Tyler...”

He served as Tyler of Temple Lodge from December 1900 to 1903.

We contacted Tucson Lodge, No 4 in Tucson, Arizona to see if there is more information available on Brother Waters' membership in that Lodge.

In response to our query, Tucson Lodge, No. 4 and the Grand Lodge of Arizona have kindly provided the following information from their records about Brother William Waters:

Birth Date: about 1848, in England; Occupation: miner, later employed as a boilermaker by the Southern Pacific Railroad; Came to Arizona in 1880; Date Presented: 29 August 1881 in Tucson UD of California (later Tucson Lodge #263, now Tucson Lodge #4 on the Register of the Grand Lodge of Arizona); Elected (for Initiation) on 26 September 1881; Initiated an Entered Apprentice on 4 November 1881; Passed to the more Honourable Degree of a Fellow Craft on 2 December 1881; Raised to the Sublime Degree of a Master Mason on 9 December 1881.

The Arizona records also show that Brother Waters was Suspended For Non-Payment of Dues on 1 November 1889 and remained suspended until 2 September 1900. He was reinstated on 2 September 1900 and demitted the same day.

As indicated above, Brother Waters presented his Application for Affiliation to Temple Lodge, No. 33 on 3 November 1900, two months after being reinstated in Tucson Lodge, No. 4 after being suspended for non-payment of dues by that Lodge for nearly 11 years, and after demitting from Tucson Lodge, No. 4 on the same day he was reinstated.

Brother Waters married in Arizona. His wife's name was Simonia; she was born in 1857. They had five children: Elida (born 1884), Alfred (born 1884), Fred (born 1886), Stella (born 1893) and Irene (born 1898).

Since Brother Waters was a miner, it is possible that he came to Duncans (as Duncan was then known) to work in the copper mines which had then recently opened on Mount Sicker, about 10 kilometers north of Duncan. Other Brethren of Temple Lodge, No. 33 played leading roles in the Mt. Sicker copper mines, notably Harry Smith and James Whittome. We cannot, however, state this with any certainty at this time.

There is a William Waters, who died in May 1909, buried in Mountain View Cemetery in Vancouver, B.C. At present we cannot say with any certainty whether this is the same William Waters who was a member of Tucson Lodge, No. 4 and Temple Lodge, No. 33. The stated birth date of 1849, however, indicates that this is possibly the same person.

We will add more information to this page as we discover any additional information on Brother Waters. Our thanks to Tucson Lodge, No. 4 and the Grand Lodge of Arizona for their assistance in providing information on Brother William Waters.