M.W. St. Joseph Grand Lodge Masonic Temple

A historical narrative of the Masonic home of the Most Worshipful St. Joseph Grand Lodge of Texas A.F. & A.M. Masonic Temple

WILLIAM SANDUSKY TOPOGRAPHICAL MAP ADJOINING THE CITY OF AUSTIN - 1840

The 1017 E. 11th Street American Neoclassical Masonic building sits on a plot of land owned initially by Jean E. Barbezat.

ABSTRACT OF TITLE #38067 • COVER PAGE

Lots #2 and #3 is a part of the much bigger Robertson/Stuart & Mair Historic District, known as the historic Austin Outlots reflects the melting pot of ethnic and culturally diverse settlers

ABSTRACT OF TITLE #38067 • PAGE 1

The inhabitants before the 1839 Republic of Texas acquisition of the Austin Parcels were the Native American Indian tribes, the Tonkawa and Comanche.

ABSTRACT OF TITLE #38067 • PAGE 2

Between 1841 and 1869, Austin physician and former Austin mayor Joseph W. Robertson paid back taxes to acquire Jean Elisee Barbezat’s Outlots 2 and 3 in Division B. He would later deed parcels 2 and 3 to his son George C. Robertson on December 15, 1869.

JOHN W. MADISON

In 1884, the Robertson family began selling off parcels to Austin African American residents, primarily local Black businessmen, churches, and organizations. Plot # 2 and 3 were sold to well-known Black businessman / Prince Hall Mason, and trustee for the Black Benevolent organization, “Knights of the Wise Men”, John.W. Madison, on September 14, 1893.

ABSTRACT OF TITLE #65950 • COVER

Outlots # 2 and #3 would remain in possession of the Knights of the Wise Men until July 15, 1938, when it was sold to the third Grand Master of M.W. St. Joseph Grand Lodge, P.A. Hill. It wouldn’t be until July 1949 that the land would officially be used to build a home in which the business of M.W. St. Joseph Grand Lodge could be carried out effectively.

ABSTRACT OF TITLE #65950 • PAGE 1

ABSTRACT OF TITLE #65950 • PAGE 2

3RD GRAND MASTER OF M.W. ST. JOSEPH GRAND LODGE • P.A. HILL 33°

JOHN LINN SCOTT MASONIC TEMPLE DRAFT – JOB #395-A

The American Neoclassical building located at 1017 E. 11th Street was designed by a University of Texas graduate and member of the American Institute of Architects, John Linn Scott of John Linn Scott and Associates.

JOHN LINN SCOTT MASONIC TEMPLE DRAFT – JOB #395-B

The building was inspired by the design and completion of the 1915 Washington D.C. House of the Temple Masonic structure completed by American architect John Russell Pope for the Supreme Council of the Scottish Rite.

MWSJ GRAND LODGE SCOTTISH RITE TEMPLE 1950

Construction of the M.W. St. Joseph Masonic Temple began in July 1949 by contractor J.M. Odom of Austin, TX, for $90,000.00. The original design for the M.W. St. Joseph Masonic Temple was for a 3 story structure. Still, it was decided to reduce the number of stories to two to keep the structure’s price at a more reasonable cost. The building includes 10 office spaces and one large Masonic Meeting Room and kitchen on the second floor.

MWSJ GRAND LODGE SCOTTISH RITE TEMPLE JUNE 2, 1950

Completion of the Masonic structure was completed in May 1950. A Cornerstone Laying ceremony took place on June 17, 1950, whereby the welcome address was made by Justice of the Supreme Court Meade Griffin. The primary address was made by the Honorable Roscoe Conklin Simmons, Chicago, IL.

Lineage

1865 - Present

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