Masonic Biography and Dictionary comprising The History of Ancient Masonry

Masonic Biography and Dictionary comprising The History of Ancient Masonry, Antiquity of Masonry, Written and Unwritten Law, Derivation and Definition of Masonic Terms, Biographies of Eminent Masons, Statistics, List of All Lodges in the United States, Etc.

Texas – The G. L. of Louisiana granted the first warrant for a Lodge in Texas. This Lodge was held at Brazoria, under date of 17th December, 1835. During the Mexican War the Lodge ceased to work, and in October, 1837 it was reopened at Houston. In 1837, the Grand Lodge was opened at Houston.

Number of Lodges in the various States, from 1816. In 1816, many of the Grand Lodges were not formed, and hence no returns.

Texas – 1816, No. of Lodges – 0; 1822, No. of Lodges – 0; 1859, No. of Lodges – 238; 1866, Members – 10,025 ( with returns from 162 out of 250 Lodges) and Initiated – 759.

(This is a list of Lodges as of 1859, not 1868 the date of publication of the book)

No. 1. Galveston	No. 29. Mt. Enterprise	No. 55. Athens
No. 2. Houston	No. 30. Leona	No. 56. Seguin
No. 3. Anderson	No. 32. Jefferson	No. 57. Gabriel Mills
No. 4. Crockett	No. 33. Montgomery	No. 58. Fort Worth
No. 5 Brenham	No. 34. Columbia	No. 59. Jasper
No. 6. Austin	No. 36. Matagorda	No. 60. Douglasville
No. 7. Huntsville	No. 37. Elysian Fields	No. 61. Wharton
No. 8. Washington	No. 38. Cold Springs	No. 62. Sherman
No. 9. San Augustine	No. 39. Moscow	No. 63. Tarrant
No. 10. Palestine	No. 41. Corsicana	No. 65. Lexington
No. 11. Rusk	No. 42. Fairfield	No. 66. Cameron
No. 12. Henderson	No. 43. Hallettsville	No. 67. Hempstead
No. 14. Wheelock	No. 44. Richmond	No. 68. Decatur
No. 15. Clarksville	No. 46. Columbus	No. 69. Kaufman
No. 18. La Grange	No. 47. Dallas	No. 70. Sabine Pass
No. 19. Marshall	No. 48. Paris	No. 71. Port Sullivan
No. 21. Burleson	No. 49. Gilmer	No. 72. Texana
No. 22. Larissa	No. 51. Gonzales	No. 78. Waxahachie
No. 24. Tyler	No. 52. Bonham	No. 74. Woodville
No. 25. Shelbyville	No. 53. McKinney	No. 75. Belton
No. 27. Lockhart	No. 54. Goliad	No. 76. Veal's Station

Anti-Masonry - In 1826 a great cry was raised by the political tricksters of the country against Freemasonry.

To insure success, the party had recourse to every stratagem, and amongst the most popular was the story hatched out of the so-called and supposed abduction of an individual named Morgan, at Batavia, New York, in 1826, for exposing the secrets of the order. This fellow, finding no doubt his enterprise a failure, secreted himself, and circulated the story in order to meet a ready sale of his work, which was but a republication of "Jachin and Boaz," published in Albany, in 1790, from an English work. The frenzy with which politicians hashed and rehashed this story, obtained for them about 100,000 supporters in New York. In Pennsylvania, where the Hon. Judge Giullis was arrested for complicity in the affair, the party succeeded in dividing the vote. In Vermont, the party, fired with unceasing efforts, succeeded for a time. But this was not to last. The party had grown so rapidly, swollen so hugely with broken-down politicians, and presented such an empty hollowness of principle, that it exploded with the contempt of all good citizens. In Pennsylvania, the Legislature inaugurated a series of persecutions, and the hero Thaddeus Stevens, Esq., of Lancaster, a rejected applicant of Good Samaritan Lodge, Gettysburg, Pa., was not able to force the secrets from the order. The principles of the order having become known and found their way to the people, the sentiment was soon changed, and the ill-shaped Anti-Masonic party, having no other aim than power and corruption, came to an end. But the power behind the throne has again shown its huge-footed plans and the resurrection of its skeleton is now proposed. Whether the new effort will succeed, remains for the future to disclose, but it matters little, as the truths of a genuine Christian system of charity and benevolence, as produced by Freemasonry, are engrafted in the minds of the people, not to be rooted out by persecution. (See U.S. "Anti-Masonic Convention.")

Grand Lodge – The body that has exclusive jurisdiction in a State or kingdom over the Subordinate Lodges, and all Masons within its bounds. It empowers subordinate bodies to practice all the rights of Masonry. Originally the order was not governed by Grand Lodges, but the right existed inherently to act as individuals. However, the ancient brethren met annually, to consult upon Masonry and select a Grand Master. But as the order increased in power and numbers, it became necessary to establish Grand Lodges, for the interest of the order. The first charter granted was to St. Alban’s, for a General Assembly, and subsequently Prince Edwin obtained a charter to assemble all Masons at York. It was thus the order obtained and has ever since recognized the necessity of a Grand Lodge.

Grand Lodges and their Jurisdiction – A Grand Lodge has jurisdiction over the territory of the State in which it is organized, and no other Grand Body can exercise any authority or charter Lodges therein. It is governed by the ancient usages and landmarks of the order, and acknowledges no superior authority than these.

This convention assembled at Philadelphia, 11^th September, 1830. It was the first formidable attempt of a national combination in opposition to Freemasonry. There were 96 members, representing Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, Pennsylvania, Vermont, Rhode Island, Ohio, New jersey, Michigan, Maryland, and Delaware. At that time but few persons of eminence were among the delegates, but several of them, attaching themselves to other "issues," and abandoning political anti-masonry, subsequently became known. Among them were Francis Granger, Henry Dana Ward, Frederick Whittlesey, Wm. H. Seward, N. Y., and Pliny Merrick, Mass. The cement that bound such minds to men like David Bernard, Moses Thatcher, Thaddeus Stevens, and Joseph Ritner, must have possessed powerful magnetism. Francis Granger was made Prest., seconded by six Vice-Presidents. A remarkable fact is, that no State west of Ohio or south of Maryland had a delegate. Maine and New Hampshire refused the part assigned them, and sent no delegate. Fourteen committees were appointed, and the questions relative to Masonic rituals, history, and jurisprudence were divided among them. Mr. Seward was to report resolutions expressive of the sentiments of the Convention. A proposition to inquire into the pecuniary circumstances of the widow and children of William Morgan was rejected, as "that was not the purpose for which they had assembled." Three gentlemen of North Carolina took their seats as honorary members. The committee "on the effects of Masonic ties and obligations on commerce and revenue of the U.S.," were discharged without a report. In the report of the influence of Masonry upon the public press, it was reported that between 1826 and 1830 there had been 124 anti-masonic papers established, to wit: Pennsylvania, 53; New York, 46; Connecticut, 2; Rhode Island, 1; Massachusetts, 5; Vermont, 4; New Jersey, 2; Ohio, 9; Indiana, 1; Michigan,1. A number of these journals simply kept quiet to see what the mountain would bring forth, and when they found it to be a mouse, tacked about and retired from the sinking anti-masonic vessel. The summing up of these profound deliberations were: 1. That the expositions of Masonic secrets are true. 2. That Freemasonry originated early in the 18^th century. 3. That its oath are not obligatory. 4. That adhering Masons are disqualified for public officers. 5. Masonry and its principles are inconsistent with the genius of American Institutions. 6. That Masonry should be extinguished at the ballot –box. 7. That the public Press are evil. The Convention adjourned to meet at Baltimore, Sept. 26^th, 1831, to nominate candidates for President and Vice-President. The Convention nominated Wm. Wirt and Amos Ellmaker for their standard-bearers. These renowned champions went forth to battle, and brought as trophies from the field the electoral vote of Vermont. But the dog was now dead; and the leading fanatical spirits discarded it, as it ever was a worthless hotchpotch of the villainies of broken-down political tricksters.

American Military Lodges. - The following are the military lodges that were instituted in the American army during the revolutionary war.