Masonic Lodges of Waxahachie


Overview of the Collection
	Creator:	Waxahachie Lodge, No 90, A.F. & A.M.
	Title:	Masonic Lodges of Waxahachie
	Dates:	1873-1970s
	Accession No.:	MA06-14
	Quantity:	4 boxes
	Language:	The records are in English.
	Repository:	Texas/Dallas History & Archives, Dallas Public Library 1515 Young St Dallas, TX 75201

Historical Background

Freemasonry in Texas dates back to the very beginning of American migration into Texas in the 1820s. In 1828, Stephen F. Austin unsuccessfully petitioned the Grand York Lodge of Mexico for a charter dispensation. It would not be until 1835 that a lodge would be officially created when Anson Jones and five others established Holland Lodge No. 36 with a charter from the Grand Lodge of Louisiana. After the Texas Revolution, this lodge convened with Miliam No. 40 and McFarland No. 41 at Houston in December 1837 to form the Grand Lodge of the Republic of Texas. Masons constituted 1 1/2% the population during the Republic, but filled 80% of the Republic's offices. After annexation to the United States, Mason's continued to be prominent.

Waxahachie Lodge, No 90, A.F. & A.M. was chartered on January 23, 1852. Two years earlier, Waxahachie had been named the county seat for Ellis. The town quickly grew, by 1880 it had become a railroad and agricultural center. By 1920, the town had a population of 7958 people, 200 businesses, including three banks, three cottonseed oil mills, five cotton gins, and two daily newspapers. Lodge No. 90 grew with the town and by 1890 it had 111 members. By 1920 that number grew close to 200. The lodge was more then a social group. Its members participated in philanthropic efforts such as the Masonic Home and School in Fort Worth and the Home for Aged Masons in Arlington.

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Scope and Contents

The collection consists of the papers from three secretaries of the Waxahachie Masonic Lodge No. 90. The original order of their papers has been maintained. J.W. Martin's papers cover 1890s to 1921. From that point W.C. Huckabee becomes Secretary of the lodge. His papers cover from 1924 to around 1930. Both secretaries organized their correspondence alphabetically. The correspondence covers a wide range of administrative functions, from the collection of dues to the verification of degrees. The correspondence ranges from the members of the lodge, to the secretaries of other lodges and finally to the Grand Lodge of Texas. W.C. Huckabee also was instrumental in founding the Waxahachie Order of DeMolay, a boys Auxiliary to the Freemasons. Founded in 1922, DeMolay chapter 494's administrative papers were kept by Huckabee and can be found within this collection.

The final group of papers cover Fred Bunch tenure as District Deputy Grand Master in the 1950s. The papers are of correspondence with the Grand Lodge of Texas, various activities of the Grand Lodge, as well as a series of visits set up to visit and inspect all of the lodges which reside in his district.

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Index Terms
	This record series is indexed under the following controlled access subject terms.
	Organizations:
		Waxahachie Lodge No. 90 Order of DeMolay Chapter 494
	Places:
		Waxahachie (Tex.)
	Subjects:
		Freemasonry
	Titles:
		Masonic Lodges of Waxahachie

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Detailed Description of the Collection



J.W. Martin Lodge No. 90 Prior to 1921
Box	Folder
1	1	Correspondence "A" Prior to 1921
	2	Correspondence "B" Prior to 1921
	3	Correspondence "C" Prior to 1921
	4	Correspondence "D" Prior to 1921
	5	Correspondence "E" & "F" Prior to 1921
	6	Correspondence "G" Prior to 1921
	7	Correspondence "H", "I" & "J" Prior to 1921
	8	Correspondence "K" & "L" Prior to 1921
	9	Correspondence "M" Prior to 1921
	10	Correspondence "N" & "O" Prior to 1921
	11	Correspondence "P" & "Q" Prior to 1921
	12	Correspondence "R" Prior to 1921
	13	Correspondence "S" Prior to 1921
	14	Correspondence "T", "U" & "V" Prior to 1921
	15	Correspondence "W", "X", "Y" & "Z" Prior to 1921

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W.C. Huckabee Lodge No. 90 June 1923 - June 1924
Box	Folder
1	16	Correspondence "A" June 1923 - June 1924
	17	Correspondence "B" June 1923 - June 1924
	18	Correspondence "C" June 1923 - June 1924
	19	Correspondence "D" June 1923 - June 1924
	20	Correspondence "E" & "F" June 1923 - June 1924
	21	Correspondence "G" June 1923 - June 1924
	22	Correspondence "H", "I" & "J" June 1923 - June 1924
	23	Correspondence "K" & "L" June 1923 - June 1924
	24	Correspondence "M" June 1923 - June 1924
	25	Correspondence "N" & "O" June 1923 - June 1924
	26	Correspondence "P" & "Q" June 1923 - June 1924
	27	Correspondence "R" June 1923 - June 1924
	28	Correspondence "S" June 1923 - June 1924
	29	Correspondence "T", "U", & "V" June 1923 - June 1924
	30	Correspondence "W" June 1923 - June 1924
	31	Correspondence "X", "Y" & "Z" June 1923 - June 1924

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W.C. Huckabee Lodge No. 90 July 1924 -
Box	Folder
1	32	Correspondence "A" July 1924 -
	33	Correspondence "B" July 1924 -
	34	Correspondence "C" July 1924 -
	35	Correspondence "D" July 1924 -
	36	Correspondence "E" July 1924 -
	37	Correspondence "F" July 1924 -
	38	Correspondence "G" July 1924 -
	39	Correspondence "H", "I" & "J" July 1924 -
	40	Correspondence "K" & "L" July 1924 -
	41	Correspondence "M" July 1924 -
	42	Correspondence "N", "O" & "P" July 1924 -
	43	Correspondence "Q" & "R" July 1924 -
	44	Correspondence "S" July 1924 -
	45	Correspondence "T", "U" & "V" July 1924 -
	46	Correspondence "W", "X", "Y" & "Z" July 1924 -
	47	Correspondence - Business ,Suppliers & Contracts (C.E. Ward)

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W.C. Huckabee Niris Grotto 1930 Circa

Box

Folder

Petitions for Initiation Circa 1930

Correspondence Circa 1930

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Other Waxahachie Lodge Information

Box

Folder

Chapter No. 73 List Of Members 1923-1924

Commandery No. 71 - Quarterly Returns 1930s

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Order of DeMolay Chapter 494 Circa 1930s
Box	Folder
1	52	Instillation Service April 11, 1928
	53	Resolution December 12, 1928
	54	Dimit
	55	Correspondence
	56	Retirement Notices
	57	Form 10
	58	Financial Reports 1927
	59	Record of Meeting October 15, 1925 - November 12, 1930
	60	Petition for Degrees "A"
	61	Petition for Degrees "B"
	62	Petition for Degrees "C"
	63	Petition for Degrees "D"
	64	Petition for Degrees "E" & "F"
	65	Petition for Degrees "G"
	66	Petition for Degrees "H", "I" & "J"
	67	Petition for Degrees "K" & "L"
	68	Petition for Degrees "M"
	69	Petition for Degrees "N" & "O"
	70	Petition for Degrees "P" & "Q"
	71	Petition for Degrees "R"
	72	Petition for Degrees "S"
	73	Petition for Degrees "T"
	74	Petition for Degrees "U", "V" & "W"
	75	Petition for Degrees "X", "Y" & "Z"
	76	Blank Administrative Forms
	77	National DeMolay Materials

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Frank Oldham, Waxahachie Lodge No. 90 Circa 1950s
Box	Folder
2	1	Petitions & Correspondence circa 1950s
	2	Correspondence circa 1950s
	3	Commandery Correspondence circa 1950s
	4	Grand Chapter of Texas Correspondence circa 1950s
	5	Fred Bunch, Correspondence circa 1950s
	6	Clippings circa 1950s
	7	Scottish Rite circa 1950s
	8	Proclamation - School Week circa 1950s
	9	Reports (blank) circa 1950s
	10	Kiplinger's Washington Letters ca. 1950s
	11	Petitions (blank) circa 1950s
	12	Mailing List of Grand Lodge of Texas Officers December 20, 1957
	13	Masonic Programs circa 1950s
	14	Grand Council of Texas circa 1950s
	15	Waxahachie No. 90
	16	Maypearl No. 524
	17	Chambers Creek No. 499
	18	Nash Lodge No 638
	19	Italy No. 647
	20	Milford No. 262
	21	Ennis No. 367
	22	Bardwell No. 1054
	23	Midlothian No. 584
	24	Palmer No. 459
	25	Ferris No. 460
	26	Forreston No. 513
	27-31	Photographs Circa 1950s

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Ledgers, Minute Books & Oversized

Box

Folder

Order of DeMolay Ch 494 Degrees

Order of DeMolay Ch 494 - Drill Team Ledger

Order of DeMolay Ch 494 - Don Edwin Esselman Ledger

Order of DeMolay Ch 494 - Minutes

Waxahachie Commandery No. 72 - Membership Ledger 1920 ca.

Waxahachie Commandery No. 72 - Financial Ledger 1950

Lodge No. 90 - Secretary Receipt Book 1920 ca.

Waxahachie Commandery No. 71 - Recorder's Book 1950s ca.

Lodge System of Masonic Education - Candidate Reading Record 1960s ca.

Box

Folder

Waxahachie Chapter 73 - Receipt Book 1918 ca.

Waxahachie Council 46 - Minute Book ca. 1960s

Waxahachie Chapter 73 - Minute Book 1970 ca.

Waxahachie Chapter 73 - Ledger & Minutes February 10, 1872 - November 26, 1877

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