Howard George Whitney
Hollywood Lodge No. 355 – California
Howard George Whitney was born on 20 March, 1894 in Peoria, Illinois. Howard lived in Kalamazoo, Michigan, and in Howe, Indiana, from 1907-1911. In 1913 he moved to Hollywood.
On 5 April, 1916, he petitioned to take the degrees of Freemasonry at Hollywood Lodge No. 355.
Image courtesy of Hollywood Lodge No. 355 archives.
On 5 June, 1917, at the age of 23, he registered for the draft. He lists himself as single and employed as a “clerk” for the California Fruit Growers Exchange in downtown Los Angeles. In answer to the “Do you claim exemption form draft (specify grounds)?”, he responded “Cal. Fruit Growers Exchange a grower’s organization distributing citrus and deciduous fruits.”
Image courtesy of fold3.
Brother Whitney was given his “traveling card” by the Grand Lodge of California in March of 1918. He was just beginning his time in the trenches in France.
Image courtesy of Hollywood Lodge No. 355 archives.
Image courtesy of Hollywood Lodge No. 355 archives
In May of 1918, he had been in the front lines for three months as a member of F Co., 117th Engineers, 42nd Division, A.E.F.; and in France for seven months.
Image courtesy of Hollywood Lodge No. 355 archives
Image courtesy of Hollywood Lodge No. 355 archives
Image courtesy of Hollywood Lodge No. 355 archives
Image courtesy of Hollywood Lodge No. 355 archives
On 5 November, 1918, the 117th Engineers was in Brieulles sur Bar, Ardennes, France, celebrating the arrival of their field kitchen.
Image courtesy of ohioimage.org
He resided in Los Angeles after the war, later moving up to Altadena.
During World War 2, he again registered for the draft, this time at the age of 48. He lists his employer as “U.S. Dept. of Agriculture”.
Image courtesy of fold3.
Image courtesy of fold3.
On 21 June, 1948, he and his wife, Maurine, sailed from Honolulu, Hawaii to San Pedro, California, arriving on 26 June.
Howard entered the celestial lodge above on 9 August, 1949.
“Soft and safe, my brother, be thy resting place. Bright and glorious be thy rising from it.”
Lest we forget…