Archives
They
came in covered wagons, by horseback and on foot. Masonic
Lodges sprang up as frequently as communities. The Cross Plains Community
and the Masonic Lodge share a rich history. Cross Plains Lodge
No. 627 was chartered on December 16, 1886. Officers listed on the Charter are: B.
N. Hendon, Master, W. R. McDermott, Senior Warden, and J. M. Coffman, Junior
Warden. The first Lodge was located in the vicinity of East Caddo Peak.
Information listed here may not be entirely accurate and will be corrected as information
becomes available.
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Cover of
First Return |
Charter
Members 1886 |
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RETURNS
TO THE
Grand
Lodge of Texas
JUNE 24th,
A. L. 5886
(Cross Plains)
Lodge No. (627)
held at
Near Cross Plains
County or Callahan
Post Office at Cottonwood
for the year ending June 24th, 5886
Officers
Elect and Installed for A. L. 5886
B. N.
Hendon
W.M.
W. R.
McDermott
S.W.
J. M.
Coffman
J. W.
T. A.
Ward
Treasurer
P. D.
Norton
Secretary
W. A. Whitlock
S. D.
R. T. Derrington
J.D.
John Early
S.S.
N. L.
Wallace
J.S.
B. A.
Odell
Tiler
Time of
Regular Meeting
Saturday
night on or after each full
moon
Despensation
Date of Charter.
June 1st,
1886
Note:
The above and right represents data from Cross Plains Lodge No.
627's first Grand Lodge Return, Masonic year 1886-1887.
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1.
C. C. Acker
2.
W. C. Black
3.
J. M. Coffman
4.
C. W. Cochran
5.
J. M. Dill
6.
R. T. Derrington
7.
John Early
8.
B. N. Hendon
9.
J. T. Harmon
10. A.
Hinton
11. *W. M. Jones
12.
W. R. McDermott
13.
P. D. Norton
14.
C. F. Osbourne
15.
B. A. Odell
16.
E. Roberts
17.
W. A. Whitlock
18.
T. A. Ward
19.
N. L. Wallace
* Initiated 1886:
W. M.
Jones - Passed and Raised
J. D. Moore - Passed
T. A. Randals - Passed
F. C. Thompson - Passed
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Original Return
Click to enlarge
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Original Return
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A Brief
History
Documents placed in
the corner stone of Cross Plains Public Schools building on August 20, 1912 recorded a
brief history of the Lodge. The document is not entirely clear and the following
represents our best interpretation.
Cross Plains Lodge
No. 627, A.F.&A.M. was chartered Dec. 16th, 1886 and B. N. Hendon, W.M; W. R.
McDermott, S.W.; J. M. Coffman, J.W. under register and jurisdiction in Cottonwood.
Meetings were first held at East Caddo Peak in the upper story of a wooden building about
16 X 24 feet. First meetings were held on Saturday nights on or after each full
moon of each month. We remember the following charter members together with the
above officers: J. A. Coats, J. L. Neesham, Alex S. Ford, B. N. Hendon, D.W----,
C. P.
Osborn, B. I. Ramsey, B. A. Odell, E. Roberts, J. A. Ward, Wen Jones, and W. B.
Farmer. We held meetings in the small structure in all kinds of bad weather until
about 1888.
_____ W.
M. Jones, W. B.
Farmer, E. Roberts, J. D. Moore, & J. M. Coffman with the assistance of a few friends,
there was erected in Cross Plains, a two story wooden building 24 X 48. The upper
story being the property of the Lodge. In this building we continued to work until
our membership had increased to about 54. In 1911 the Lodge was permitted to move
into the upper story of the handsome brick building giving a room of 25 X 70 ft. situated
on Lot 1 in Blk 44 in the Central Addition of the town of Cross Plains. We are
proud of our Lodge and _______ _____________ of Masonry and the World at large.
Witness our hands at
Cross Plains, Texas, Aug. 20th, 1912. Signed by: J. M. Coffman and J. A. Wagner
The above document
notes: "First meetings were
held on Saturday nights on or after the full moon of each month." Lodges of the time met during the full moon that
the members could better find their way by moonlight as they traveled to and from Lodge by
horseback and buggy. These early Lodges were sometimes called "Moon
Lodges."
The Lodge
operated under Dispensation from June 1 until December 16, 1886 when a Charter
was issued by the Grand Lodge of Texas. With the leadership of W:.M:. B.
N. Hendon and eighteen charter members, this period saw four Entered Apprentice,
three Fellowcraft, and one Master Mason degree. There were two demits.
The first Master Mason raised in Cross Plains Lodge was Bro. W. M. Jones on
September 18, 1886. The first Entered Apprentice degrees conferred were on
July 17, 1886 upon Bros. F. C. Thompson and W. M. Jones. Both were passed
to Fellowcraft and Bro. Jones was raised to Master Mason the same year.
Interestingly, Bro. Thompson was shown as a Fellowcraft through the 1898-1899
returns.
The
Masonic year from June 24, 1887 to June 24, 1888 saw the membership increase to
27 under the Leadership of W:.M:. W. R. McDermett. During this period
there were: 3 Entered Apprentice degrees, 3 Fellowcrafts, and 3 Master Mason
degrees. There were also: 2 affilations, 2 demits, 1 expulsion, 1
suspension, and no deaths. Membership at the turn of the century was
33.
It is thought that the
first Lodge building constructed in Cross Plains proper was erected west of the present
cemetery in about 1888. The lower floor of the 24 X 48 wooden building housed the
Cross Plains School. The move in 1911 was to the upper floor of the old First
Guaranty Bank building on the southwest corner of Main and Southwest 1st Street. The school
subsequently moved to it's present campus where the above 1912 document was placed in the
corner stone.
In 1926 the Lodge built
the large two-story brick building at the northeast corner of Main and Northeast
2nd Street at a
cost of approximately $10,000. During the Great Depression the Lodge and the
Nation fell upon hard times and the ground floor was sold to help pay the mortgage.
Several businesses occupied the lower portion including a grocery store and City
Hall. The Lodge continued to occupy the upper level until the building sustained
tornado damage on May 29, 1994.
Deed to the building was
subsequently transferred to the medical group that then occupied the first floor.
A former church building at Beech and SE 2nd Street were purchased from the Garden Club and the
Lodge met there until May 2005.
At the
stated meeting of August 1999 a committee was appointed to locate a more
favorable location on Main Street for the purpose of constructing a new lodge
building. Due to the finagling of a certain Past Master, two lots at 225
South Main Street, adjacent
to City Hall and park were purchased on August 20, 2002. Resolution to
construct a new building was voted at the stated meeting of October and fund
raising began with many brothers contributing. Construction of a 31' X 80'
metal building soon followed
with Lodge members donating much of the labor. With many members and visiting brethren in
attendance, at an historic stated meeting on March 22nd, 2005,
Cross Plains Masonry was returned to the prominence of Main Street.
Click for
From the Trestleboard
Texas Freemasonry and Public
Education
The
State of Texas and the Masonic Grand Lodge share a rich history. Early settlers
of the wilderness that would become known as Texas, included families whose
members were committed to the principles of Freemasonry. In December 1837, their
commitment resulted in the establishment of the Masonic Grand Lodge of the
Republic of Texas.
Freemasons played a key role in gaining
independence from Mexico. General Sam Houston led the Texas army to victory at
San Jacinto. As President of the fledgling Republic, he presided over the
meeting in Houston when the Grand Lodge of Texas was formed. Anson Jones, the
first Worshipful Master of a Texas Lodge, was elected first Grand Master of the
new Masonic Grand Lodge and would eventually serve as President of the Republic.
The three Masonic Lodges which formed the Grand Lodge in 1837 have today grown
to well over nine hundred lodges scattered across our vast state.
The
role of Masons in the establishment of public education in Texas has benefited
Generations. As individuals and as members of the fraternity, Masons were
influential and instrumental in the establishment of a strong public education
system. Mirabeau B. Lamar, a Freemason and the second President of the Republic
of Texas, is remembered as the founder of the Texas public Schools and the
"Father of Education in Texas." Lamar's views regarding education are
clearly reflected in his statement, "the cultivated mind is the guardian
genius of democracy." This
statement was adopted as the motto for The University of Texas.
In
the early days of the Republic when a Masonic Lodge was built in a community, it
was usually a two-story structure. The building was designed to provide a lodge
meeting room upstairs and a schoolroom for the children of the community
downstairs. Masons provided the physical space for the school and, in many
instances, paid all or part of the teachers' salaries.
In
1848, it was determined that ten percent of the revenue of Grand Lodge be
appropriated to support public schools. Today, the Masonic Grand Lodge of Texas
continues to support public schools with programs such as Take Time T o Read.
It is well documented and less well known
that Freemasons initiated the statewide celebration known as Texas public
Schools Week. In 1951, William Jennings (Bill) Burris was Grand Master.
His desire to create a long-lasting program of collaboration with all
Texas citizens directed Burris to an important institution and invaluable
resource--our public schools and our children. Since 1957, the first week of
March has been designated as a special week to celebrate our children and their
educators. During Texas Public Schools Week all citizens of Texas and especially
Texas Freemasons are encouraged to visit their local public schools and
participate in the celebration. Grand
Lodge records in 1952 reflect approximately 150,000 visits made to public
schools by members of lodges across the
state.
Masonic
support and commitment to children is still evident. In 1988, under the
leadership of Grand Master Graham Childress, the Lamar Award of Excellence for
Personal Achievement was established. The Lamar Medal is awarded to students and
educators in recognition of outstanding personal achievement in academics,
citizenship, community service, or sports.
Take
Time To Read gives all adult Texans and especially members of the Masonic
fraternity the opportunity to demonstrate their care and concern for the future
of our children and our state. The
Grand Lodge is proud to partner with Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children
to promote awareness of the importance of reading aloud to children and the
tremendous benefits it offers to all.
Past Masters
of Cross Plains Lodge are listed from 1886 to 2000. Anyone with ancestral roots in the
Cross Plains area is likely to find a Grandfather or Uncle listed here. Certainly,
there will be men that you remember and respected. We are forever grateful for what
these Masons have contributed to our community and fraternity. Records continue to
be researched to resolve discrepancies.
Past Worthy Matrons of the Cross Plains Chapter of the Order of the Eastern Star.
More
to come!
Famous Quotes archive:
Thomas Alva Edison (1847-1931)
"Glory is fleeting, but obscurity is forever."
Napoleon Bonaparte (1769-1821)
"In
a small Lodge, past and present are closely linked, almost too close to
tell the difference."
(Unknown)
The schools
ain't what they used to be and never was.
(Will Rogers)
