Chartered October 26, 1928
The origin of this Commandery is rather complex as Proceedings from Virginia’s Grand Encampment list three different charter dates. The 1928 Proceedings list “Blacksburg Commandery U.D. (under dispensation) with a charter date of December 14th 1927. Note the U.D. status, not a number. In the 1929 Proceedings the report for “Blacksburg Commandery No. 32” shows a charter date of October 26th 1928. Moving to the 1961 report of “Blacksburg Commandery No. 32” in the Proceedings the charter date is listed as September 12th 1929. All following records of Proceedings show a charter date of October 26th 1928 in the report for “Blacksburg Commandery No. 32” . The actual framed copy of the original charter held in the current “New River Valley Commandery No. 32″ Asylum has the date as October 26th, 1928. This seems to be the correct date of the final charter. Of special interest is the fact this Commandery was originally named DeMolay Commandery then they were informed there was already a DeMolay Commandery located in Lynchburg. Thus they had to rename the Conclave “Blacksburg Commandery”. This may explain some of the different charter dates.
So how did this Commandery originate? Very interesting story. Sir Knight Tom Varner tells the story of its origin as found in documents on the Virginia Tech website. DeMolay was started in Virginia around 1927. A group of about twenty 18 year old gentlemen began college at Virginia Tech. They had just become members of DeMolay in their hometowns and they wanted to continue their fraternity meetings while at VPI. At that time, the main buildings for Blacksburg Institute (former name for VPI) sat on top of the hill where Main Street comes down to College Street. At the bottom of the hill, just off Main Street, was the Masonic Lodge. So this was a reasonable place to begin their search for a DeMolay Chapter. These gentlemen approached the Blue Lodge leaders (Hunter’s Lodge) about them sponsoring the DeMolay to meet in their lodge if they formed a chapter. Remember, DeMolay was new in Virginia and they really wanted their own chapter. Hunters Lodge said “no” they could not sponsor them. Then the gentlemen asked the High Priest of the Royal Arch Chapter “Can you sponsor our new DeMolay chapter,” again the answer was “no”. Reportedly the reason for the Blue Lodge and Royal Arch saying no was because they did not feel they could sponsor an exclusively “Christian” organization as they were themselves not exclusively “Christian”. Thinking they should now go to the head of the Commandery in Virginia before asking the local Commandery they approached the Grand Commander of Virginia. To their delight the Grand Commander said “of course we can sponsor you”, “but there is no Commandery in Blacksburg.” These determined 18 year old men went to the Blue Lodge and asked if they would “PLEASE” form a Commandery so they would have a sponsor for their new Chapter of DeMolay. Thus Blacksburg Commandery No.32 was formed. In the archives of the VPI library is a framed copy of the original charter for ZOROBABEL Chapter of DeMolay dated April 25th, 1929. There were 39 charter members signed on that charter. So obviously the gentlemen found out there were other DeMolay brothers on campus. So we may conclude that the charter date of October 26th, 1928 is the correct date for the origin of Blacksburg Commandery No. 32 as it would correspond with being charted just before the DeMolay chapter was chartered.
By the year 2005 the members of Hunter’s Lodge meeting in the Masonic Hall downtown Blacksburg came to a realization that their beloved building no longer met their needs. There was expensive maintenance and repairs to be done and the stairs inside and outside were too difficult for the brothers to climb. So the Masonic Lodge in downtown Blacksburg was sold for $610,000.00. The money was placed in an account and later invested. During this time Hunter’s Lodge and Blacksburg Commandery, along with the other bodies meeting in that building, moved their possessions to McDaniel Lodge at 710 College Street, Christiansburg. The Blue Lodge, Royal Arch, Commandery and Order of the Eastern Star continued to meet in Christiansburg. In about 2012, Hunter’s Lodge constructed a beautiful new lodge building on Prices Fork Road. In February of 2013 the Blue Lodge moved their meetings to that location but the Commandery and Royal Arch continued to meet in McDaniel Lodge in Christiansburg. On May 2nd, 2015 “Blacksburg Commandery No.32” officially changed the name to New River Valley Commandery No.32. Over the years many prominent citizens of Virginia have been members of the Blacksburg Commandery. These gentlemen were lawyers, doctors, senators, representatives etc. There is a very large 800 page textbook of “Virginia’s History” that contains photographs and biography of Virginia’s leading men from about 1920 -1960. Listed in many of these biographies is their attendance and graduation from VPI. And……they list their membership in Masonic, Council, Chapter and Commandery while attending VPI.
In 1987, the Grand Commander of Virginia, Mansell H. Hopkins Jr., was from Blacksburg No. 32. Mansell was a student of VPI and later became a professor of Electrical Engineering there. There have been other members who were in the Grand Commandery of Virginia:
Roger Duncan – Grand Warder (2009)
Fred Koziel – Grand Standard Bearer (2011)
In 2020 Joe G Broce Sr was elected Grand Sword Bearer. Fred and Roger dropped out of line , today Joe is Grand Captain General.
There is a persistent representation from New River Valley No. 32 on the Virginia Drill Team that competes at the Triennial Encampments. For many years, Virginia had a large drill team that competed in the Triennial Encampment competition. Around 1932 they sent their last drill team for competition. However, in 1996 a new 16 man drill team was organized, and Mansell Hopkins, Joe Broce, and Steve McMurray along with others competed in St Louis in 1997. Joe Broce and Mansell Hopkins also competed in Nashville in 2000. Joe Broce competed in St.Louis 2003. Roger Duncan, Fred Koziel, and Joe Broce competed in Roanoke 2009.
New River Valley No. 32 now has a 6 man drill team that has competed on the state level since 2020 and took home 1st place trophy for 3 straight years. Captain Cole David, Joe Broce, Phil Reed, William Crosscup, Dakota Burton, and Benjamin Blackburn remain on the drill team.
The Charter membership in 1928 for Blacksburg Commandery No. 32 was 45 members. By 1929 there were 63 members. Average attendance was recorded as 95% while meeting twice a month on the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of each month. In 1953 the inspection reports states average attendance as 18. Things improved though because the 1961 report shows 188 members. In 1972 there were 186 members. Currently there are 54 members with average attendance around 11. New River Valley Commandery continues to meet at McDaniel Lodge on College Street in Christiansburg, the 4th Tuesday of each month at 7:30pm.
NRV Commandery Cap & Mantle Badge
The New River Valley Commandery Cap & Mantle Badge summarizes the story of their unique formation.
The upper left half is dedicated to the founders of Zorobabel DeMolay Chapter. If it weren’t for these young men aspiring to continue their DeMolay careers, who knows when, or if, a Commandery is created in the area.
The insignia you see is in reference to the one on the top Charter given to them that is hanging at Virginia Tech.
The right half is in reference to the Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets, to which these young men belonged.
The spears shown here are just part of the insignia of the Corps, but provide a rounded summary of the story.
