Before the Republic of Texas was formed in 1836, several of the leaders of the Texas Independence movement who were Masons from lodges founded in other states met under an oak tree in what is now Brazoria, TX. Anson Jones gathered five other Masonic brothers at a large oak tree to discuss with them the need for form their own lodge in Texas. They agreed to petition the Grand Lodge of Louisiana to grant a dispensation to them to form a new lodge. Before Anson Jones received back the official letter granting his (their) request, the Texas Revolution has gotten fully underway. The Alamo had fallen, the Runaway Scrape was in progress, but the battle at San Jacinto had not yet occurred. However, now that they had formal authorization, Jones and his fellow Masons did form the Holland Lodge and this was the first Masonic Lodge formed in Texas. They technically are pre-Republic of Texas in their formation, making this Lodge older than the Republic! Anson Jones eventually helped establish the Grand Lodge of Texas and was installed as the first Grand Master. Jones happened to also become the last President of the Republic of Texas, during the time it petitioned the US for statehood and was admitted in 1845.
This pink granite marker is placed next to the historic tree, called the Masonic Oak, where Anson Jones, John Wharton, Asa Brigham, J.A.E. Phelps, Alex Russell and J.P. Caldwell met to discuss and agree upon petitioning the Louisiana Grand Lodge to allow them to form the first Texas lodge. There is text on the face of the granite marker that gives a summary of the meeting under the oak tree and being granted permission to form a new Lodge. The back of the marker lists the names of original members of the Grand Lodge of the Republic of Texas. There are 28 names member's names engraved.
FRONT TEXT:
(Masonic Rule and Compass Seal)
Here, "on a day in March 1835", brothers Anson Jones, John H. Wharton, Asa Brigham, J.A.E. Phelps, Alex Russell, and J.P Caldwell met and resolved to petition the Grand Lodge of Louisiana for a dispensation to form a lodge of Freemasons. Their prayer was granted, and Holland Lodge began work. Lodges were later formed a Nacogdoches and San Augustine, and on December 20th, 1837, these three lodges created the Grand Lodge of the Republic of Texas with the first M.W. Anson Jones as the first Grand Master of Masons in Texas.
BACK TEXT:
(Seal of Grand Lodge of Texas A.F. & A.M.)
Original Members of the Grand Lodge of the Republic of Texas
Bache, Richard Jones, Anson
Black, John S. Mathews, Henry
Burton, Isaac W. Millard, Henry
Cooke, William G Miller, Ben
Dart, Christopher Neil, Andrew
Douglass, Kelsey H. Rusk, Thomas J.
Ewing, Alexander Shea, John
Fisher, George Sterne, Adolphus
Fitchett, Daniel Taylor, Charles S.
Fowler, Littleton Thurston, A.S.
Gray, Willian E. Tucker, Edmund
Gregg, Darius Underwood, W.I.
Hardeman, Thomas J. Western, Thomas G.
Houston, Samuel Wright, Jefferson
Erected Jan. 5, 1961
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Waymark of the historic tree, the Masonic Oak, where the meeting was held:
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Masonic Lodge link about the importance of the Masonic Oak to the Freemasons of Texas:
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