Copyright © 2020 by Wendy Waszut-Barrett
In 1923, Thomas G. Moses wrote, “June 22nd, I took a run over to Ft. Scott and met the committee on Masonic work. At this new Temple Roy Givens came down and we had quite a showing. Our old work is in the present Temple and as they are well please with it, I feel that we stand a good chance on it, but one can never tell.”
After closing the Fort Leavenworth Masonic scenery contract in 1924 Thomas G. Moses wrote, “Went to Kansas City where I met Roy Givens. A day’s rest in a hotel bed made me fit for another jaunt on to Denver where we rested for a day before going to Cheyenne…. Givens went back to Denver after we had a showing of our model, without getting much encouragement as to our chances on a $16,000 contract.”
I am still a little perplexed about Given’s relationship with Moses. In 1920, census records report that Givens was the manager of a uniform factory. It is possible that Givens was supplying fraternal regalia, working with Moses to deliver complete installations, similar to the agreement between Bestor G. Brown of M. C. Lilley and Joseph Sosman of Sosman & Landis. They worked together to delivered scenery to Scottish Rite stages during the 1890s and first decade of the twentieth-century. Moses may have been trying to establish a concrete Masonic link with western Masons again.
James Roy Givens was born on August 23, 1885 in Salina, Kansas. He was the son of John Wesley Givens (1842-1921) and Penina Jane McCall (1847-1966). As a young many, “Roy” Givens was featured as an excellent student, participating in both musical and theatrical productions. He went on to law school, graduated from college and was admitted to the bar by June 1905. He even made the headlines with a few of his cases. And then he joined the fraternity…
On Oct. 20, 1906, the “Salina Evening Journal” announced, “Roy Givens and George Meyers received the first degree in John Brown Lodge, A.F. and A.M. last night” (page 3). This was John H. Brown Lodge, No. 216, A.F. & A.M.
By the next spring, the “Salina Semi-Weekly Journal” announced “Roy Givens will be secretary to Grand Master Wellington” (1 March 1907, page 7). The article reported, “Roy Givens, a young man who has lived in Salina all his life, and who for the past year has been private secretary of T. L. Bond, grand master of Kansas Masons, left Wednesday for Ellsworth, where he will take a similar position with E. W. Wellington, who was elected to succeed T. L. Bond as grand master at the grand lodge at Wichita last week. Roy is an excellent stenographer and his association with Mr. Bond for the past year, and the fact that he took care of a great deal of the grand master’s private Masonic work, makes him peculiarly fit for the position. He has many friends in Salina who will regret to see him leave this city, but he will not be so far away to come home for a visit occasionally.”
Grand Master Wellington was Waldo Wellington. A year later the two were mentioned in the newspapers again. On Nov. 12, 1908, the “Ellsworth Messenger” announced, “Roy Givens, of Kansas City, spent a few days this week in Ellsworth with his friend, Waldo Wellington. While here he received his degree in Ellsworth Chapter, No. 54, R. A. M.” This means that after completing the third degree and becoming a Master Mason, he entered the York Rite.
In 1911, Givens married Florence Grace Robb (1882-1964). The couple celebrated the birth of two daughters Nina-Belle Givens (1912-1983) and Sarah Jane Givens (1915-2010). Both were born in Kansas City, Missouri.
Over the next few years, Givens was repeatedly connected with the fraternity, and then nothing. Moses only mentioned Givens in 1923 and 1924. By 1930, Givens was the manager of a refrigeration factory in Kansas City. He continued in that capacity for the next decade. I have uncovered very little else so far. Givens passed away on Nov. 16, 1959 in Kansas City, Missouri.
To be continued…
