Golden Masons – John Dillard and son Gay Douglas Golden

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John Dillard Golden was born 17 July 1868 in Georgia. His exact birthplace other than ‘Georgia’ goes unrecorded, but at age two he was living at the interestingly-named Shake Rag, Henry County, Georgia. This is just outside of and southeast from Atlanta, Georgia; look for Stockbridge, Georgia on a map.

Note: Am not aware of the historical significance of ‘Shake Rag’, but a village or town of this name exists in at least four Georgia counties. It is a very popular name with some neighborhoods and businesses also bearing the moniker. In Henry County, Shake Rag came into existence about the time of the Revolutionary War.

John Dillard’s parents were Nathaniel Greene Golden (1812-1882) and Elizabeth Jane Sosebee (1848-1930).

John Dillard married Mary Etta Blankenship in 1894 at Graham County, North Carolina and had four children: Gay Douglas Golden (1897-1979), Pansy Veloura Golden (1900-1985), Ada Golden (1903-2004), and Vera Velva Golden (1910-2003).

John Dillard Golden c1950s
John Dillard Golden is third from the left. Photo courtesy of Carole Alessi.

When John Dillard Golden passed in 1957, the Masonic Order Pickens Star Lodge No. 220 of Jasper, Georgia issued the following Resolution to wish well his family.

John Dillard Golden
Letter courtesy of Carole Alessi.

 

Son Gay Douglas Golden was also a Mason and is shown below with a Masonic pin on his coat lapel.

Gay Douglas Golden
Gay Douglas Golden, circa 1920. Photo courtesy of Carole Alessi.

MANY thanks go for sharing these photos to Carole Alessi, granddaughter of Gay Douglas Golden, and great-grandaughter of John Dillard Golden.


You are welcome to add to or to correct this story by contacting: Bill Golden, Norfolk1956@gmail.com

BTW – I look forward to sharing your stories, photos and in-search-of quests. Contact me at the email address above.

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