East Central Lodge #631 History
Early in 1971 several Master Masons who were members of three different lodges (Moss Point Lodge No. 202, Moss Point Ms.; Ezel Lodge No. 426, VanCleve, Ms.; and R.P. Bowen Lodge No. 420, Lucedale, Ms.) and lived in the Hurley, Wade and surrounding communities started discussions about petitioning the Mississippi Grand Lodge for a charter. Brother J.D. McKee, who owned and operated the Hurley Hardware Store served as an information point.
In the following weeks several brothers including J.D. Mckee, Hillard Jones, Denis Jones, Ed Neville, Harold Kirkwood, Tommy Smith, Eddie Jones, Donald Hamilton, Gilbert Prince, Russell Ryles, Lavelle Kirkwood, Bobby and Raymond Waltman and others met several times at Ezel Lodge No. 426. We agreed to petition the Grand Lodge of Mississippi for a charter.
Five signatures were required for the petition. Some of the brothers held offices in other lodges and could not sign the petition. Petitioners were required to demit from their home lodges before they signed the petition with no guarantee their home lodge would take them back if the petition was denied.
East Central Lodge No. 631 was chartered on February 16, 1972.
Brother J.D. Mckee was the prime mover and tireless in the efforts of getting the petition signed and presented to the Grand Lodge. He designed the lodge building and guided the brothers in building the Lodge. He truly fulfilled his obligation as a Master Mason.
Sadly, in 1978, the Great Architect called Brother J.D. McKee home. This Temple is a fitting Memorial to Brother J. D. McKee.
The plaque reads: "This Masonic Temple East Central Lodge No. 631 Stands as a Memorial to J.D. McKee the designer and builder of this beautiful Temple"
