The Knights of Columbus, Council 544, has a rich history in Nashville, TN, and throughout the South. On July 4, 1899, a group of Catholic gentlemen from Nashville consisting of Ferdinand Kuhn, Harry Grimes, W. J. Varley , William Smith, M. M. McCormack went to Louisville, Kentucky, to make the necessary arrangements for an initiation in Nashville. After lengthy negotiations Nashville Council 544 was created on December 30, 1900, the first Council allowed to be formed in the South. For this momentous occasion representative knights came from New Haven, Cincinnati, Toledo, Cleveland, Indianapolis, and Chicago. Louisville alone sent over one hundred knights to witness the launching of this great American Layman’s Order south of the Mason and Dixon Line. The ceremonies were conducted at Watkins Hall then on the southwest corner of Church and High Streets. The house located directly behind the Cathedral was originally owned by Council 544 founder, Ferdinand Kuhn. Now called the Frassati House, it is currently the home for University Catholic, a college campus ministry.
Since that time, the Knights of Columbus Council 544 has continued to espouse the best traditions of Catholic faith and charity. Our goals today remain the same: charity, unity, fraternity, and patriotism. The Atlanta Constitution spoke of the Knights of Columbus in 1902 as, “The Knights of Columbus is an American Catholic order. It is the only secret Catholic order, and has for its object the making of better Catholic citizens. It establishes a very high moral and intellectual standard and its principles are patriotic.” Better words were never spoken about our organization.
Our council meets at the Cathedral of the Incarnation on West End Ave in Nashville, TN, a building with a rich and cherished tradition in itself. We welcome any Catholic gentlemen over the age of 18 and in current good standing with the Catholic church. If you’d like to know more about us, please contact our admissions director, Barney Zeng for more information and to solicit times for our monthly Meet And Greet event. We’d be honored to have you counted among some exceptional Catholic gentlemen from the middle Tennessee area.
NASHVILLE COUNCIL 544
GRAND KNIGHTS thru 1927 from the Book “Sixty Years of Columbianism in Tennessee”
1901-02-Albert D. Marks
1903-05-M. T. Bryan
1906 -Thomas S. Brew
1907 -David P. Wrenne
1908 -M. M. McCormack
1909-10-Thomas J. Crittendon
1911 -Edward J. Smith
1912 -Harry J. Grimes
1913 -John T. Winter
1914 -M. J. Laffey
1915-17-F. J. McCarthy
1918-19-John E. Campion
1920 -Ferdinand E. Kuhn
1921 -Patrick A. Murray
1922-23-James J. Friel
1924-25-George L. Hicks
1925-26-H. A. Tenbrunsel
1926-27-A. J. Sutherland