Freestone County, Texas
Social Organizations




Cotton Gin Masonic Lodge #154  (1855-current)
Cotton Gin, Texas

Masonic District 22
Charter granted January 18, 1855
Current Number of Members: 60
Lodge Address: Main & Sessions Sts., Kirvin 75848
Mailing Address: 244 PR 362, Fairfield, 75840
Meetings: 3rd Thur @ 7:30 pm

Chartered in 1855, the Cotton Gin Masonic Lodge is the third oldest lodge in 
Freestone County and second only to Fairfield #103 that is still in existence.

Francis Beth (Coleman) Christian tells of her grandfather Bro. A. P. Carter
who lived southest of Kirven, on lodge meeting days would saddle his horse 
early in the day, ride to Cotton Gin and attend lodge, not returning until
the next day.  Most meetings were scheduled on or about the full moon so the
Brothers would probably have some light traveling at night.

After the railroad bypassed Cotton Gin in 1872 and again in 1906, the town
withered away.  In 1914 A. P. Carter made a motion to move the lodge to Kirven,
which was seconded by W.M. Path and the motion carried.
 
The lodge moved to Kirven in February 1916 and the Woodman of the World Hall
above Mr. Freedman's feed store was rented for meetings.  The Cotton Gin Lodge 
eventually bought the building and moved downstairs.  A new lodge building was started in 1960.
This new building is where the lodge has been meeting ever since.

When the lodge moved, Kiven was a busy and thriving community.  The railroad 
brought big freight and passenger business.  Livestock was shipped from the 
railroad stock pens to Fort Worth and northern markets.  Also, a lot of cotton 
was shipped from Kirven.  Kirven had a section gang, section foreman, freight 
and ticket agent stationed in town.  Several trains a day made stops in Kirvin.

The boll weevil attacked cotton crops bringing economic troubles and later the
Depression.  An Eastern Star Chapter located in Kirven moved to Fairfield in 
1949.

In November 2005, the Cotton Gin Masonic Lodge celebrated its 150th Anniversary 
with a program and an informative booklet.

Deaths Reported at the Grand Lodge Meeting or Annual Lodge Returns:

Ross, G. W. 1868
Lasiter, R. A. 1869
Deming, Lewis 1870
Lennard, J. B. 1871
Lewis, A. A. 1871
Lynn, Jos.  1872
Rawls, J. A. 1874
McInnis, W. G. 1875
Echols, R. R. 1875
Smith, W. H. 1878
Rutherford, J. F. 1879
Colgin, C. W. 1880

Known Past Members:

Smith, William Harrison
   William Harrison Smith affliated with the Cotton Gin Lodge on May 25, 1872 and 
remained a member until his death on Feb 10, 1878.  W. H. Smith was buried at
Cotton Gin cemetery.

Yeldell, Jonathan Paul