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Freemasons
Politician members in West Virginia, Q-R

  Ned H. Ragland (b. 1909) — of Beckley, Raleigh County, W.Va. Born in Lynchburg, Va., August 18, 1909. Democrat. Lawyer; served in the U.S. Navy during World War II; member of West Virginia state house of delegates from Raleigh County, 1957-58. Presbyterian. Member, Freemasons; Shriners; Elks; Lions. Burial location unknown.
  Nick Joe Rahall II (b. 1949) — of Beckley, Raleigh County, W.Va. Born in Beckley, Raleigh County, W.Va., May 20, 1949. Democrat. Staff assistant to U.S. Sen. Robert Byrd, 1972-74; director of Rahall Communications, family business, owning radio and TV stations; delegate to Democratic National Convention from West Virginia, 1972, 1980, 1984, 1996, 2000, 2004, 2008; U.S. Representative from West Virginia, 1977-2012 (4th District 1977-93, 3rd District 1993-2012); arrested in California for drunk driving, 1988. Presbyterian. Lebanese ancestry. Member, Rotary; Elks; Moose; Eagles; NAACP; National Rifle Association; Freemasons; Shriners. Still living as of 2014.
  See also congressional biography — Govtrack.us page — NNDB dossier
  Barrick Samuel Rankin (b. 1872) — also known as B. S. Rankin — of Kingwood, Preston County, W.Va. Born in Clearfield, Clearfield County, Pa., July 16, 1872. Republican. Physician; surgeon; served in the U.S. Army during World War I; member of West Virginia state house of delegates from Preston County, 1929-32; resigned 1932. Methodist. Member, Freemasons; Knights of Pythias; Junior Order; Odd Fellows. Burial location unknown.
A. L. Reed Archie L. Reed (b. 1898) — also known as A. L. Reed — of Newburg, Preston County, W.Va. Born in Fellowsville, Preston County, W.Va., October 6, 1898. Republican. Automobile dealer; member of West Virginia state house of delegates from Preston County, 1941-44; member of West Virginia state senate 15th District, 1945-60. Methodist. Member, Freemasons; Shriners; Knights of Pythias; Rotary. Interment at Maplewood Cemetery, Kingwood, W.Va.
  Relatives: Son of J. Q. Reed and Virginia (Ridgeway) Reed; married, June 15, 1919, to Madge Marie Morrow.
  See also Find-A-Grave memorial
  Image source: West Virginia Blue Book 1951
E. Ray Reed Edward Ray Reed (b. 1891) — also known as E. Ray Reed — of Clay, Clay County, W.Va. Born in Clay, Clay County, W.Va., March 15, 1891. Republican. Banker; coal business; oil and gas operator; member of West Virginia state house of delegates from Clay County, 1933-36; defeated, 1936; member of West Virginia state senate 4th District, 1941-44, 1951-54; candidate for U.S. Representative from West Virginia 3rd District, 1946; candidate for West Virginia state auditor, 1956; member of West Virginia Republican State Executive Committee, 1967. Methodist. Member, Freemasons; Shriners. Burial location unknown.
  Relatives: Son of James Reed and Carrie (Wheeler) Reed; married 1917 to Lula R. Wilson.
  Image source: West Virginia Blue Book 1951
  Stuart Felix Reed (1866-1935) — also known as Stuart F. Reed — of Clarksburg, Harrison County, W.Va. Born near Philippi, Barbour County, W.Va., January 8, 1866. Republican. Newspaper editor; member of West Virginia state senate 3rd District, 1895-98; postmaster at Clarksburg, W.Va., 1897-1901; secretary of state of West Virginia, 1909-17; U.S. Representative from West Virginia 3rd District, 1917-25. Baptist. Member, Freemasons; Knights Templar; Shriners; Elks; Woodmen. Died July 4, 1935 (age 69 years, 177 days). Interment at Elkview Masonic Cemetery, Clarksburg, W.Va.
  Relatives: Son of Milton D. Reed and Margaret (Stuart) Reed; married, June 16, 1898, to Bonnie Belle Smith.
  See also congressional biography — Govtrack.us page — Find-A-Grave memorial
Walter R. Reitz Walter Raleigh Reitz (1885-1957) — also known as Walter R. Reitz — of Sistersville, Tyler County, W.Va. Born in Barnesville, Belmont County, Ohio, December 8, 1885. Republican. Served in the U.S. Army during World War I; banker; oil business; alternate delegate to Republican National Convention from West Virginia, 1920; member of West Virginia state senate 2nd District, 1927-30. Member, Freemasons; Elks; Delta Tau Delta. Died in 1957 (age about 71 years). Burial location unknown.
  Presumably named for: Walter Raleigh
  Image source: West Virginia Blue Book 1929
  Stanley J. Rexrode (b. 1883) — of Marlinton, Pocahontas County, W.Va. Born in New Hampden, Highland County, Va., August 5, 1883. Republican. Member of West Virginia state house of delegates from Pocahontas County, 1935-36. Southern Methodist. Member, Freemasons; Woodmen; Junior Order. Burial location unknown.
E. Bunker Reynolds Edward Bunker Reynolds (1873-1939) — also known as E. Bunker Reynolds — of Keyser, Mineral County, W.Va. Born in Keyser, Mineral County, W.Va., July 18, 1873. Republican. Lawyer; fruit grower; member of West Virginia state senate 14th District, 1923-38. Methodist. Member, Freemasons; Knights of Pythias; Rotary. Died in Charleston, Kanawha County, W.Va., November 7, 1939 (age 66 years, 112 days). Interment somewhere in Keyser, W.Va.
  Relatives: Son of Francis Marion Reynolds and Belle Rodgers (Hennen) Reynolds; married, December 19, 1918, to Mary Warden Russell.
  Image source: West Virginia Blue Book 1929
Gough Ridenour John Gough Ridenour (1918-1963) — also known as Gough Ridenour — of Grafton, Taylor County, W.Va. Born in Buckhannon, Upshur County, W.Va., August 11, 1918. Republican. Served in the U.S. Army during World War II; geologist; member of West Virginia state house of delegates from Taylor County; elected 1950, 1952; defeated, 1954. Baptist. Member, Freemasons; Veterans of Foreign Wars. Died in Grafton, Taylor County, W.Va., July 3, 1963 (age 44 years, 326 days). Interment at Bluemont Cemetery, Grafton, W.Va.
  Relatives: Son of Alston Gordon Ridenour and Grace Maude (Gough) Ridenour; married, November 1, 1948, to Betty Louise Robinson.
  See also Find-A-Grave memorial
  Image source: West Virginia Blue Book 1951
  Edgar Elwood Righter (b. 1867) — also known as Edgar E. Righter — of Shinnston, Harrison County, W.Va. Born near Saltwell, Harrison County, W.Va., February 18, 1867. Democrat. School teacher; farmer; member of West Virginia state house of delegates from Harrison County, 1923-24, 1931-42; defeated, 1928, 1942. Baptist. Member, Freemasons. Burial location unknown.
  Relatives: Son of John Bigler Righter and Emily Atkinson Righter; married, May 2, 1899, to Rose E. Louther.
  Ray E. Ritchie (b. 1890) — of Ravenswood, Jackson County, W.Va. Born July 30, 1890. Republican. Contractor; banker; mayor of Ravenswood, W.Va., 1933-46; member of West Virginia state senate 4th District, 1935-36. Methodist. Member, Freemasons. Burial location unknown.
  Relatives: Son of A. C. Ritchie and Laura V. Ritchie; married, May 8, 1911, to Pearl Huey.
Evan G. Roberts Evan Garrett Roberts (1870-1949) — also known as Evan G. Roberts — of Moundsville, Marshall County, W.Va. Born in Moundsville, Marshall County, W.Va., May 4, 1870. Republican. Mayor of Moundsville, W.Va., 1910; member of West Virginia state house of delegates from Marshall County, 1927-28; member of West Virginia state senate 2nd District, 1929-32. Presbyterian. Member, Freemasons; Shriners; Kiwanis. Died October 28, 1949 (age 79 years, 177 days). Interment at Mt. Rose Cemetery, Moundsville, W.Va.
  Relatives: Son of John Clinton Roberts and Elmira Adelaide (Garrett) Roberts; married to Cora Luella Courtwright.
  See also Find-A-Grave memorial
  Image source: West Virginia Blue Book 1929
Ford F. Roberts Ford Franklin Roberts (1912-1959) — also known as Ford F. Roberts — of Milton, Cabell County, W.Va. Born in Milton, Cabell County, W.Va., March 7, 1912. Democrat. Merchant; insurance agent; member of West Virginia state house of delegates from Cabell County, 1949-52. Protestant. Member, Freemasons; Moose. Died, in St. Mary's Hospital, Huntington, Cabell County, W.Va., June 19, 1959 (age 47 years, 104 days). Interment at Forest Memorial Park, Milton, W.Va.
  Relatives: Son of James Maxwell Roberts and Lula Mae (Shamlin) Roberts; married, July 20, 1936, to Gladys C. Simonton.
  See also Find-A-Grave memorial
  Image source: West Virginia Blue Book 1951
  William W. Roberts (b. 1901) — of Huntington, Cabell County, W.Va. Born in Christianburg, Shelby County, Ky., March 20, 1901. Democrat. Lawyer; member of West Virginia state house of delegates from Cabell County, 1935-36. Baptist. Member, Elks; Freemasons; Kiwanis. Burial location unknown.
A. Willis Robertson Absalom Willis Robertson (1887-1971) — also known as A. Willis Robertson — of Lexington, Va. Born in Martinsburg, Berkeley County, W.Va., May 27, 1887. Democrat. Lawyer; member of Virginia state senate 22nd District, 1916-22; major in the U.S. Army during World War I; U.S. Representative from Virginia, 1933-46 (at-large 1933-35, 7th District 1935-46); U.S. Senator from Virginia, 1946-67; delegate to Democratic National Convention from Virginia, 1948, 1952, 1956. Baptist. Member, Pi Kappa Alpha; Omicron Delta Kappa; Phi Beta Kappa; Phi Alpha Delta; Sons of the American Revolution; Society of the Cincinnati; Freemasons; Sons of Confederate Veterans. Died in Lexington, Va., November 1, 1971 (age 84 years, 158 days). Interment at Stonewall Jackson Memorial Cemetery, Lexington, Va.
  Relatives: Son of Franklin Pierce Robertson and Josephine Ragland (Willis) Robertson; married, October 19, 1920, to Gladys Churchill Willis; father of Marion Gordon Robertson.
  See also congressional biography — Govtrack.us page — Wikipedia article — NNDB dossier
  Image source: U.S. Senate Historical Office
  Grover Cleveland Robertson (1885-1976) — also known as Grover C. Robertson — of Charleston, Kanawha County, W.Va. Born in Kettle, Roane County, W.Va., August 8, 1885. Democrat. Physician; served in the U.S. Army during World War I; alternate delegate to Democratic National Convention from West Virginia, 1924; chair of Kanawha County Democratic Party, 1941-49. Baptist. Member, Freemasons; Shriners; Knights of Pythias; American Legion. Died February 15, 1976 (age 90 years, 191 days). Interment at Sunset Memorial Park, South Charleston, W.Va.
  Presumably named for: Grover Cleveland
  Relatives: Son of George W. Robertson and Delilah Elizabeth (Melton) Robertson; married, May 24, 1908, to Hattie Mae Lytton.
  Sidney Hampton Robertson (b. 1877) — also known as Sidney H. Robertson; Sid Robertson — of Clendenin, Kanawha County, W.Va. Born in Kettle, Roane County, W.Va., July 3, 1877. Democrat. Banker; merchant; oil and gas business; member of West Virginia state senate 8th District, 1937-42; appointed 1937; defeated, 1942. Southern Methodist. Member, Freemasons; Knights Templar; Shriners. Burial location unknown.
  Relatives: Son of George W. Robertson and Delilah E. (Melton) Robertson; married, December 26, 1900, to Gladys M. Grubb.
Frank B. Robinson Frank Barnes Robinson (b. 1885) — also known as Frank B. Robinson — of Ranson, Jefferson County, W.Va. Born in Fairmont, Marion County, W.Va., September 20, 1885. Republican. Farmer, fruit grower; manufacturer; banker; member of West Virginia state senate 15th District, 1927-30. Presbyterian. Member, Freemasons; Knights Templar; Shriners; Patriotic Order Sons of America. Burial location unknown.
  Image source: West Virginia Blue Book 1929
  French Robinson (d. 1987) — of Elizabeth, Wirt County, W.Va. Democrat. Chair of Wirt County Democratic Party, 1940. Member, Freemasons. Died in 1987. Interment at Owl Hill Methodist Cemetery, Wirt County, W.Va.
  Walter Rollins (1922-1992) — of Kenova, Wayne County, W.Va. Born in Catlettsburg, Boyd County, Ky., January 2, 1922. Democrat. Member of West Virginia state house of delegates, 1971-76, 1985-92 (Wayne County 1971-74, 12th District 1975-76, 14th District 1985-92); died in office 1992; member of West Virginia state senate 5th District, 1977-80. Protestant. Member, Freemasons; Beta Theta Pi; American Legion; Veterans of Foreign Wars. Died February 9, 1992 (age 70 years, 38 days). Burial location unknown.
  Relatives: Son of Walter F. Rollins and Nellie (Hatfield) Rollins; married, April 9, 1943, to Martha Lacock.
  Walter Vergil Ross (b. 1896) — also known as Walter V. Ross — of Bluefield, Mercer County, W.Va. Born in Henry, Franklin County, Va., September 7, 1896. Democrat. Served in the U.S. Army during World War I; lawyer; Mercer County Prosecuting Attorney; chair of Mercer County Democratic Party, 1929-32; member of West Virginia state house of delegates from Mercer County, 1941-48, 1963-64. Episcopalian. Member, Freemasons; Shriners; Elks; Moose; Phi Gamma Delta; Phi Alpha Delta; American Legion. Burial location unknown.
  Relatives: Son of Charles Lee Ross and Annie E. (Frith) Ross; married to Katherine McClung.
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