Worshipful Brother Sidney Vance Pickens
Sidney Vance Pickens was born near Weaverville N. C. He was the son of William and Elizabeth Britain Pickens (1). At present there is little information that has been found relating to Brother Pickens early years. What we do know is that by 1867 he was residing in Hendersonville N. C. He was an attorney with an office located at 1 S. End Main Street (2). He was involved in various business ventures. Two of which are as follows;
1- Owner of the Hendersonville Street Railway Company with offices located in the same location as his law office. He operated this business from 1891 to 1904. In 1902 the assets of the company consisted of $6000 Capital Stock, 1.5 miles of track, 3 Stephenson Cars and 3 horses (2).
2- In 1875 legislation was passed by the N.C. General Assembly that provided $25,000 to be used to dredge and build levees along the French Broad River between Asheville and Brevard for the purpose of make this stretch of the river navigable. By 1880 the Army Corps of Engineers completed the task and Brother Pickens chartered the French Broad Steamboat Line. Its mission “to carry freight and passengers and if necessary the United States mail” between Asheville and Brevard. By 1881 a twin engine twin side wheel 90 foot craft had been built on a location near Horse Shoe and in August of that year was christened the “Mountain Lily”. Unfortunately the old Kings Bridge located northeast of Horse Shoe was too low for her to pass under so the “Mountain Lily” was hemmed in on a 15 mile stretch of river between Horse Shoe and Penrose. It was relegated to pleasure cruises and dinner cruises for the rest of her existence. A flash flood in 1885 pulled her loose from her moorings and she ran aground near the Kings Bridge. Lumber salvaged from the dock and steamboat was used in building the Riverside Baptist Church in Horse Shoe and the ships bell was hung in the church’s belfry (3).
Brother Pickens was the first Master of Dunn’s Rock Lodge presiding over the first meeting on August 5th 1867. He was installed Master of Dunn’s Rock Lodge for a second term on March 10th 1868. He served in this capacity until October 15th 1869. (5) He was a member of Mount Hermon Lodge # 118 and demitted to affiliate with Dunn’s Rock Lodge in 1867.
He served two terms as Master of our lodge (4-5). He died in 1919. (1)
Sources:
1- http://freepages.books.rootsweb.com/~pickensarchive/sharp/sharp.html
2- From American Street Railway Investments (Publication page 123) Holyoke, Mass.
3- Commercial boating in the mountains By George Ellison
4- History of Dunn’s Rock Lodge by Cal Carpenter.
5- From the minutes and other Records of Dunn’s Rock Lodge.