Dudley F. Black
Courtesy of “History of Hollywood Lodge No. 355 F. & A.M.”
Fortitude Lodge No. 107, Kansas Hollywood Lodge No. 355, California
From “History of Hollywood Lodge No. 355 F.& A.M.”
“Dudley F. Black was born on a farm in Carroll County, Missouri, February 7, 1881. He attended the Kansas City public schools, Washington University and Kansas State University, receiving the degrees of B.S. and C.E. from the last school. He married a schoolmate, Angie Scannon, and had three children, William Carter Black, a pediatrician in San Diego; Dudley F. Black Jr.; and Lieutenant Colonel Richard Thomas Black of the Army Air Corps.
Wo. Black petitioned for affiliation on June 20, 1912, being a member in good standing of Fortitude Lodge No. 107 in Kansas. He was 31 at the time of affiliation and his occupation is listed as Civil Engineer. He demitted from Fortitude Lodge on June 25, 1912. His wife died in November, 1939, and in 1943 he was married to Mabel Engleman, who is well known in Hollywood Masonic Temple.
Dud was Captain in Company C, 513th Engineers, in World War 1, and was on the General McKinstry American Commission to negotiate Peace, located in Paris.
He was raised in Fortitude Lodge No.107, Independence, Kansas, in 1904. He came to Hollywood in 1910 and has been a constant attendant at Hollywood Lodge ever since. Following his year as Master, Dud, one of the best beloved members of the Lodge, served as Secretary for 19 years, retiring at the close of 1943.”
After joining the Army in 1917, Dudley Black spent time at Camp Hogan in Houston, Texas, temporarily assigned to Co. A, 108th Engineers. He shipped out to France from Newport News, VA, aboard the USS Matsonia on April 29, 1918, landing near Bordeaux, France on May 12, 1918.
Courtesy of fold3
He then was sent to Nantes, where he participated in the construction of railroads at least through September of 1918. He also joined the Square and Circle Club in Nantes.
Letter written to the brethren of Hollywood Lodge, September 4, 1918. Courtesy of Hollywood Lodge No. 355 archives.
After the war, he returned to the U.S. aboard the USS Atenas, shipping out of Saint-Nazaire on April 11, 1919. His hand written orders read “To the Chief of Engrs Washington DC”.
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Wo. Black served as Master of Hollywood Lodge No. 355 in 1922.
Lest we forget…