John J. Easley - Master Mason

John J. Easley, Master Mason at Fredonia Lodge No. 247. The Lodge meets on Fridays that fall before a full moon or on a Friday that is a full moon. It was chartered in August of 1852 and William C. Love was the first Master. A Master Mason is a degree of Freemasonry. 

John was born in Virginia in 1826 to William A. Easley and Tabitha Hoskins (Stone) Easley. He had 5 brothers and 1 sister. His father made him and his younger brother William P Easley co-executors of his will. John was a farmer and lived in Lyon County, Kentucky. 

June 1863 John, William and Thomas Easley are recorded in the Civil War Draft Registration in Caldwell County, Kentucky. 

On 8 November 1863 he married the lovely Elizabeth Allen at Charles Miller's in Livingston, Kentucky. They had 2 children John N. Easley and Charles Easley. Before the year 1870 Elizabeth, John's wife has died. He is living in Fredonia, Caldwell County, Kentucky not far from his 2 brothers, Thomas and William.  

In 1872 John, his brother William and several other men get together and decide to create the Princeton, Marion and Ohio River Railroad Company. The purpose was for Real Estate for a railroad and telegraph lines. 

In 1880 John and his sons live in Eddyville in Lyon County, Kentucky. Eddyville was settled in 1798 and in 1799 became the county seat for Livingston County, Kentucky. In 1809 Caldwell County, Kentucky was formed and Eddyville became the county seat there. Eddyville once again changed county when Lyon County was established in 1854.  The original Eddyville was relocated in 1959 after the Barkley Dam was constructed and the original town flooded with what became Lake Barkley.  

In April 1892 John passes away.