This depends...did the lodge close down or did it merge with another lodge?

If a lodge closes down, then their records are required to be surrended to the grand lodge along with their charter.

If a lodge merged with another, then their records are required to be surrendered to the other lodge.

In both cases you will need to check with the Alabama Grand Lodge for guidance. If you go the York Rite Freem@sonary website you will find a Grand Lodge locater at the beginning of the site:

http://www.yorkrite.org

Remember, this is the normal procedure but if can be slightly different and nuanced from Grand Lodge to Grand Lodge (state to state).

When you do receive the appropriate guidance please remember that like most non-profit organizations Grand Lodges have limited staff (and lodge staff are all volunteer!)...you can not request things like "Send me everything you have on Thomas Heath?" Be prepared to have precise requests that they can be easily fulfilled. An example would be:

"I understand that my father, Thomas Heath, was a member of such and said lodge, number 57, Tuskegee, Alabama in this time period (approximate dates). Can you verify that they were a member and tell me the dates when he completed his degree work? Also, I have been told that Thomas was a past master? Can you verify this and let me know when he served as Worshipful Master of his lodge?" You must give an approximate date...if a lodge is 150 years old that must know a place to look; records are rarely indexed. Giving the date of his death and place of burial would be wise.

After receiving this information (and you have verified that your father was a past master), then you can contact the Grand Lodge and ask if he ever served as a Grand Lodge officer (elected or appointed), including District Deputy Grand Master.

I would also mention the fact that you and your fellow siblings were residents of the Montgomery Masonic Home. Masons always want to know about home alumni and will be excited to hear your story.