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1965 – Edgar Lewis Ott

Edgar Lewis Ott, was born in Columbus, Franklin County, Ohio, on October 11, 1908, the son of Henry and Martha E. Otto He was a life-long resident of that city where he received his elementary and high school education.

During high school, he was employed as a messenger for the Western Union Telegraph Company and on November 1, 1925, assumed the position of clerk with the Columbus office. He retired as office manager of the Columbus Western Union on October 1, 1957, to assume the position of Secretary of the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite, Valley of Columbus.

On October 30, 1929, he was married to Martha Evelyn Gardner of Mt. Gilead, Ohio, who passed away November 17, 1952. On February 19, 1955 he was married to V. June Baldwin of Columbus, Ohio.

His civic activities included: two terms as a member of the Board of Trustees of Goodwill Industries, a member of Trinity Methodist Church, an honorary member of the Ohio State Chapter of Acacia Fraternity, a member of Columbus Rotary Club, the Athletic Club, the Navy League of Columbus.

He was made a Master Mason in Community Lodge No. 684, F. & A. M., in Columbus, Ohio, on June 9, 1939 and served as Master in 1950.

In the York Rite he was exalted a Royal Arch Mason in Community Chapter No. 227, on February 23, 1942 and served as High Priest in 1949; was received as a Royal and Select Master in Columbus Council No.8, on May 14, 1943 and served as Illustrious Master in 1958-1959; was created a Knight Templar in Columbus Commandery No. 69 on January 28, 1950 and served as Eminent Commander in 1959-1960.

He became a member of each of the bodies of the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite in the Valley of Columbus, in April 1946, as a member of the George R. Schoedinger Class. He served as a line officer in Franklin Council, Princes of Jerusalem until he assumed the position of Secretary.

He was crowned an honorary member of the Supreme Council 33°, at Boston, Massachusetts, in September 1960.

He was also a member of Aladdin Temple Ancient Arabic Order Nobles of the Mystic Shrine and has served as an Ambassador since 1959; he was a member of St. Jerome Conclave Red Cross of Constantine serving as Recorder; a member of the Order of Eastern Star, Community Chapter No. 488 where he served as Worthy Patron in 1943; in 1963 he became a member of Ohio Priory No. 18, Knights of the York Cross of Honor. He was a member of North Star No. 45, White Shrine of Jerusalem; Achbar Grotto M. O. V. P .E .R.; the Masonic Veterans Association; the Chapter of Research, Grand Chapter, R. A. M. of Ohio; National Sojourners Chapter No. 10; and a Past Master of Ohio Lodge of Research.

In 1959 he was appointed a Grand Representative to the Grand Lodge of the Commonwealth of Virginia; served as a Conferee in the Grand Chapter Schools, R. A. M. of Ohio from 1950 to 1953 and received the Honorary Legion of Honor, Order of DeMolay, serving on the Board of Trustees of the DeMolay Foundation.

In October of 1953, he was appointed by M. W. Brother John L. Guss to serve as District Deputy Grand Master for the 14th Masonic District of Ohio and served in that capacity for three years. M. W. Brother Andrew J. White Jr., appointed him Junior Grand Deacon in October, 1957 and he subsequently served in the various appointive and elective stations and places in the Grand Lodge of Ohio line until elected and installed as Grand Master on October 17, 1964 in Cleveland, Ohio.

He served The Grand Lodge of Ohio for many years as Chairman of the Ways, Means and Accounts Committee, and as a Trustee of the Ohio Masonic Home, serving as Secretary of the Board of Trustees at the time of his death.

M. W. Brother Ott had completed just over twenty-five years of dedicated service as Secretary of the Valley of Columbus on October 28, 1983, the day of his retirement. On the following day he suffered a coronary attack. Death followed on November 14, 1972.

Funeral Services were held on Friday, November 18, 1972 at Trinity United Methodist Church, Upper Arlington, Ohio and interment was in Forest Lawn, Columbus, Ohio.