Holland Lodge No. 1 AF&AM is the oldest
Masonic
Freemasonry or Masonry refers to fraternal organisations that trace their origins to the local guilds of stonemasons that, from the end of the 13th century, regulated the qualifications of stonemasons and their interaction with authorities ...
lodge in Texas and a founding subordinate member of the
Grand Lodge of Texas
The Grand Lodge of Texas, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons is the largest of several governing bodies of Freemasonry in the State of Texas, being solely of the Ancients' tradition and descending from the Ancient Grand Lodge of England, founded on ...
. The lodge was originally chartered by the Grand Lodge of Louisiana on 27 January 1836, making it older than the
Republic of Texas. It is in the
Museum District of Houston, Texas at 4911 Montrose Boulevard. The building was erected in 1954, designed by architect Milton McGinty. The sandstone mural facade depicting the origins of Freemasonry was carved by William M. McVey.
Lodge history
Founding of Holland Lodge
In March 1835, Anson Jones, John Wharton, Asa Brigham, James Phelps, and Alexander Russell, wishing to formally meet as an organized masonic lodge, met under the Masonic Oak near the burial ground of General John Austin and petitioned the Grand Lodge of Louisiana for dispensation to organize a lodge in the Texas territory. On December 27, 1835, the dispensation was granted by John Holland, Grand Master of Louisiana. Holland Lodge No. 36 of Louisiana was instituted and opened on the second floor of the old courthouse in Brazoria, Texas. Meetings continued here until March 1836, when Brazoria was abandoned due to events related to the Texas Revolution. During this time, the official charter issued to Holland Lodge #36 was delivered to Texas and presented to Anson Jones just before the Battle of San Jacinto. This document arrived safely in Brazoria after the battle, but the brethren had dwindled in number post-revolution.
[Chatham, Walter A. "A History of the Masonic Building Association of Houston." 1974.][Carter, James D. (1955). Masonry in Texas: Background, History and Influence to 1846. Waco, Tx: Comm. on Masonic Education & Service, Grand Lodge of Texas, A.F. & A.M.]
Original Brazoria Courthouse
In November 1837, Anson Jones assembled Masons living near Houston in the Senate Chamber of the original Capitol building (the site of the Rice Hotel and currently the Rice Lofts) and opened Holland Lodge regularly at this location until October 27, 1838. On November 13, 1837, the lodge appointed a committee to meet with members of Nacogdoches and San Augustine to organize the Grand Lodge of the Republic of Texas. This convention occurred on December 20, 1837 in the Senate Chamber meeting place, presided over by Sam Houston, and included representatives of Milam No. 40 and McFarland No. 41. The Grand Lodge's first session was opened on April 24, 1838 at which time Texas lodges were renumbered according to the dates of dispensation. Thus was established Holland Lodge No. 1, Milam Lodge No. 2, and McFarland Lodge No. 3. By November 1838, other lodges formed under the jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of the Republic of Texas, including Temple No. 4 (Houston), St. Johns No. 5 (Brazoria), Harmony No. 6 (Galveston), Matagorda No. 7 (Matagorda), and Phoenix No. 8 (Washington).
The Old Capitol Building
On November 8, 1838, Holland Lodge, Temple Lodge, and the Grand Lodge of Texas (all previously meeting in the crowded Senate Chamber) secured lodge rooms in the upstairs apartments of Kesler's Arcade at 910 Congress Avenue. After a dispute over the rent, the bodies were barred from the building in September 1839 and could not resume labor until February 1840, when they met once again in the Senate Chamber. On June 10, 1840, Holland Lodge agreed to a six-month contract for rooms in the CC Dibble Building at 201 Main Street. During this time, officers of the lodge made a new contract with the heirs of Mr. Kesler and returned to the arcade apartments between February 1841 and January 1847.
![Texas Old Capitol Building](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/23/Texas_Old_Capitol_Building.jpg)
After the turbulent first decade of masonry in Texas, members of Holland Lodge sought to establish a permanent building. Brothers William Marsh Rice and Nichols offered the second story of their new building at 1011 Congress Avenue for five years for the interest on a payment of $1100 which was eventually returned to the lodge. This facility was dedicated on January 16, 1847 and served as the home of Holland Lodge, Houston Chapter #8, and Houston Council #10 until November 23, 1852.
In May 1851, a committee was formed of members from Holland Lodge, Washington Chapter #2, and Ruthven Commandery #2 and submitted a plan for a new three-story building for lodge rooms and a school. By March 1852, a lot had been purchased at the corner of Capitol and Main streets for $600. The erection of the three-story building was contracted for $2500 and completed in October 1852. As planned, the first floor was rented as a school for $20 per month, and the associated bodies met in this new hall until it was destroyed by fire in October 1862.
Notable members
![Samuel houston](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/17/Samuel_houston.jpg)
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Sam Houston - Hero of San Jacinto, President of the Republic of Texas, Governor of Texas and Tennessee, US Senator
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Anson Jones
Anson Jones (January 20, 1798 – January 09, 1858) was a doctor, businessman, member of Congress, and the fourth and last President of the Republic of Texas.
Early life
Jones was born on January 20, 1798, in Great Barrington, Massach ...
- Last President of the Republic of Texas, First Grand Master of Texas
*
David G. Burnet
David Gouverneur Burnet (April 14, 1788 – December 5, 1870) was an early politician within the Republic of Texas, serving as interim President of Texas (1836 and again in 1841), Vice President of the Republic of Texas (1839–1841), and Se ...
- 1st President of the Republic of Texas (interim), Vice President of the Republic of Texas, Secretary of State of Texas
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James Fannin
James Walker Fannin Jr. (1804 or 1805 – March 27, 1836) was an American military figure and slave trader in the Texas Army and leader during the Texas Revolution (1835-1836) against Mexico. After being outnumbered and surrendering to Mexi ...
- Commander of the Texas Army at Goliad
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Juan Seguín
Juan Nepomuceno Seguín (October 27, 1806 – August 27, 1890) was a Spanish- Tejano political and military figure of the Texas Revolution who helped to establish the independence of Texas. Numerous places and institutions are named in his hon ...
- Tejano Patriot
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Benjamin Franklin Terry
Benjamin Franklin Terry (February 18, 1821 – December 17, 1861) raised and commanded the 8th Texas Cavalry Regiment, popularly known as Terry's Texas Rangers, during the American Civil War. An enslaver, planter and prominent citizen of Fort Bend ...
- Founder and Commander of
Terry's Texas Rangers
The 8th Texas Cavalry Regiment, (1861–1865), popularly known as Terry's Texas Rangers, was a light cavalry regiment of Texas volunteers for the Confederate States Army assembled by Colonel Benjamin Franklin Terry in August 1861. Though lesser k ...
*
Thomas S. Lubbock - Commander of
Terry's Texas Rangers
The 8th Texas Cavalry Regiment, (1861–1865), popularly known as Terry's Texas Rangers, was a light cavalry regiment of Texas volunteers for the Confederate States Army assembled by Colonel Benjamin Franklin Terry in August 1861. Though lesser k ...
*
James Pinckney Henderson
James Pinckney Henderson (March 31, 1808 – June 4, 1858) was an American and Republic of Texas lawyer, politician, and soldier, and the first governor of the State of Texas.
Early years
He was born in Lincolnton, North Carolina, on March 31, ...
- Army General, Attorney General of The Republic of Texas, 1st Governor of Texas, US Senator
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Francis Lubbock
Francis Richard Lubbock (October 16, 1815June 22, 1905) was the ninth Governor of Texas and was in office during the American Civil War. He was the brother of Thomas Saltus Lubbock, for whom Lubbock County, Texas, and the eponymous county se ...
- 6th Lieutenant Governor of Texas, 9th Governor of Texas (during US Civil War)
![William Marsh Rice](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/59/William_Marsh_Rice.gif)
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William Marsh Rice
William Marsh Rice (March 14, 1816 – September 23, 1900) was an American businessman who bequeathed his fortune to found Rice University in Houston, Texas. Rice was murdered by his valet Charles F. Jones while sleeping. The murder was pa ...
- Founder of
Rice University
William Marsh Rice University (Rice University) is a private research university in Houston, Texas. It is on a 300-acre campus near the Houston Museum District and adjacent to the Texas Medical Center. Rice is ranked among the top universities ...
*
Peter W. Gray
Peter W. Gray (December 12, 1819 – October 3, 1874) was an American lawyer, judge, and legislator from Texas. He represented Texas in the Confederate House of Representatives
The Confederate States Congress was both the provisional and ...
- Founder of Gray and Botts (Precursor to Baker Botts), Grand Master of Texas
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Ben Taub
Ben Taub (1889–1982) was a philanthropist and medical benefactor in Houston, Texas. Taub ran numerous businesses and served on the boards of directors for several Texas organizations. He helped in the expansion and development of Houston entitie ...
- Philanthropist essential for the
University of Houston
The University of Houston (UH) is a public research university in Houston, Texas. Founded in 1927, UH is a member of the University of Houston System and the university in Texas with over 47,000 students. Its campus, which is primarily in s ...
and
Baylor College of Medicine
Baylor College of Medicine (BCM) is a medical school and research center in Houston, Texas, within the Texas Medical Center, the world's largest medical center. BCM is composed of four academic components: the School of Medicine, the Graduate S ...
*
Ross S. Sterling - Founder of
Humble Oil
Humble Oil and Refining Co. is a defunct American oil company founded in 1911 in Humble, Texas. In 1919, a 50% interest in Humble was acquired by the Standard Oil of New Jersey which acquired the rest of the company in September 1959. The Humbl ...
(Precursor to
Exxon) and 31st Governor of Texas
References
External links
Holland Lodge No. 1 official website
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Freemasonry in the United States
Buildings and structures in Houston