1865-1906
The history of Most Worshipful St. Joseph Grand Lodge of Texas A.F. & A.M. (MWSJ) of Austin, TX, began when Union General Gordon Granger stood on the balcony of Galveston’s Ashton Villa on June 19, 1865. There he read aloud the contents of “General Order No. 3”. It started on this day because individuals of African descent in Texas were no longer considered property (enslaved people) and now had the opportunity to “freely” educate themselves and earnestly seek out the American Dream. This newfound freedom moved many Black men from the fields of agriculture to the forefront of business enterprise, which was commonly associated with the Black Elite and Freemasonry going back to 1778.
1906-1907
40 years after the emancipation of slaves in Texas, the per capita of wealth amongst Black people in Travis County was at its apogee. Commoners (farmers, blacksmiths, etc.), educators (professors), politicians, and Black elites all wanted to be “a part” of a membership organization such as Freemasonry. Since their white counterparts would not let them join their organization, they had many other options to become Freemasons since there were three to five Black Grand Lodges in late 1906.
In the case of the beginnings of M.W. St. Joseph Grand Lodge of Texas A.F. & A.M., the individuals responsible for its eventual creation were all ex-members of the National Compact; Prince Albert Hill Sr., Charles L. Mitchell, King R. Rogers, J.V. Mitchell, Jim W. Johnson, and Lawson M. Milas. Their initial Grand Lodge project was the establishment of King Solomon Grand Lodge of Texas TXsosNo.1312801. Of course, after several years, leadership roles within the Grand Lodge became muddled. Eventually, in 1907, King Solomon Grand Lodge split. C.L. Mitchell and K.R. Rogers established a “contra” Grand Lodge. It was named the Hyram Tyrian Grand Lodge of Texas TXsosNo.1807701. The name itself was a testament to the division between the parties involved.
Black Freemasonry now in Texas was in utter disarray as new Black Grand Lodges began to “pop-up” year after year. Many times by individuals who absolutely did not know what they were doing. There seemed to be no solution to what was occurring within Texas until a wealthy black attorney, 33° Freemason and Shriner from Chicago, IL, became involved. This individual’s name was John G. Jones.
John George Jones was born in Ithaca, New York, on September 18, 1849, County of Tompkins. At seven years old, his family relocated to Chicago, Illinois, where he received a good education and, at an older age, studied law under Ferdinand Lee Barnett, a famous criminal lawyer in the State of Illinois and Black Freemason. Jones was the first African American to pass the Iowa Bar on February 23, 1883, and he passed the Illinois Bar on March 24, 1881. He was elected State Representative of the 5th District of Cook County, Illinois. And in the 30th quadrennial presidential election held Tuesday, November 8, 1904, Judge John G. Jones was listed as the vice-presidential nominee of the Lincoln party alone with his presidential running mate E.P. Penn of West Virginia.
Jones became a popular and well-respected defense attorney in Cook County. Amongst his peers, he was admired and formidable. He certainly befriended a few Caucasian Attorneys in the Mud City. One, in particular, was a lawyer from Potsdam, St. Lawrence Co., NY; John Anderson May. Overall, Jones was a well accomplished black attorney, businessman, and civil rights activist.
In Texas, proper Masonic recognition became a growing issue amongst Black Freemasons. John G. Jones offered a solution but asked all black Grand Lodges outside the Prince Hall Grand Lodge to join him in a consolidation dictum. He claimed he had received formal recognition from a Grand Lodge overseas in Romania, and this body would heal all Black Grand Lodges in the New World. This narrative would later be proven as false, yet at the time, it convinced many to join Jones his consolidation efforts. The name of this new Grand Lodge was the Most Worshipful King Solomon Grand Lodge of Texas TXsosNo.1887501.
1907-1924
Even though for a brief moment, there seemed to be some semblance amongst Black A.F&A.M. Freemasons, it was short-lived. Individuals such as K.R. Rogers (Hyram Tyrian Grand Lodge-1907), P.A. Hill (King Solomon Grand Lodge-1904), I.S. Sparks (Supreme Union Grand Lodge-1910), and A.B. Jordan (M.W. Widow Son Grand Lodge-1915) were not entirely convinced John G. Jones was being truthful. Over time, these opposing Grand Masters would pass away, leaving their Grand Lodge bodies platitude and exposed to membership poaching by other Grand Lodges. This was undoubtedly a setback. But one, Dr. George B. Black out of Texarkana, TX, in 1920, wouldn’t mind taking on a challenge. Combining what was left of Hyram Tyrian, King Solomon, Supreme Union, and M.W. Widow Son Grand Lodges, Dr. George B. Black, with the help of W. A. J. White, W. M. White, and Walker Langston took over the operations and incorporated them all into a new Grand Lodge called:
Most Worshipful St. Joseph Grand Lodge, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, and Mt. Olive Grand Chapter Order of the Eastern Star and Daughters of the Sphinx (MWSJ) TXsosNo.4201001, June 30, 1924.
Some of the subordinate Lodges listed in the first manifests were: • Rose Leaf Lodge No. 4; Austin, TX • St. John Lodge No. 5; Austin, TX • Edwards Lodge No. 6; Coupland, TX • Robinson Lodge No. 16; Elgin, TX • Rising Star Lodge No.18; Bartlett, TX • Woods Lodge No. 19; Galveston, TX • St. Andrew Lodge No. 20; Austin, TX • St. John Lodge No. 22; Forney, TX • Knox Lakes Lodge No. 24; Lincoln, TX • Loyal George Lodge No. 26; Austin, TX • Dallas Lodge No. 27; Dallas, TX.
1924-1937
Even though the first few years of the George Black Administration were successful in setting up proper infrastructure and a re-developed Constitution, (MWSJ) was abandoned by Dr. Black due to some personal issues. The educator in the ranks and faithful follower of both Dr. Black and K.R. Rogers, P.A. Hill, would take over the operations of (MWSJ). His first administrative move was to amend the Charter on August 12, 1927, to change the official place of business from Texarkana, TX to Austin, TX, P.A. Hill’s hometown.
The 1930s were the Renaissance years of (MWSJ). P.A. Hill and his administration (including J .A. Reed and S.L. Miller) revamped policies and procedures by re-incorporated (MWSJ) under a different Charter number, TXsosNo.6998901, August 7, 1936, due to some Texas Secretary of State discrepancies. The new Charter was established with the following edict:
1. To control & regulate the practice of Freemasonry in accordance with immemorial usage.
2. To advance the moral and social interest of its membership.
3. To foster good citizenship and honesty in industry.
4. To cultivate the exercise of charity in its broadest sense. 5. To assist the widows and orphans of its deceased members. 6. To stimulate friendship, harmony, and fraternal love.
1937-2022
Growth continued through the strong leadership of Samuel Cleveland Marshall (educator) following the death of P.A. Hill in 1937. S.C. Marshall was instrumental in establishing the Masonic Temple on the 11th Street Corridor in Austin, TX; 1017 E. 11th St. Austin, TX 78702-1906. The Masonic Temple was designed and built by John Linn Scott (Job #395), a member of the American Institute of Architects and well known Texas Architect.
In 1960, Ohio State “Buckeyes” Graduate Marcellus Jack “Andy” Anderson took over as Grand Master of (MWSJ) since ailing S.C. Marshall could no longer fulfill his role as the organizational leader. Austin businessmen O.H. Elliot and Louis J. Brown would join the Anderson administration to assist Anderson in nurturing and expanding (MWSJ) into the Texas Black Masonic organization that it is today, known as the:
“P.A. Hill Faction of Scottish Rite Freemasonry”
It includes: M.W. St. Joseph Grand Lodge, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons of Texas (MWSJ) and the Texas Supreme Council of 33° of the A&A Scottish Rite Masons of the USA (A&A Supreme Council)
Past Grand Masters of (MWSJ) are as follows:
K. R. Rogers, 33° •••••••••• 1910 - 1921
G.B. Black, 33°•••••••••••••• 1921 - 1930
P.A. Hill, 33°••••••••••••••••• 1930 - 1936
S.C. Marshall, 33°•••••••••• 1936 - 1960
M.J. Anderson, 33°••••••••• 1960 - 1996
Rev. Joe L. Webb, 33°••••• 1996 - 2012
Willie Blackwell, 33°•••••••• 2012 – 2016
William Frazier, 33°••••••••• 2016 – 2021
Calvin Bates, 33°•••••••••••• 2021 – Present
