Freestone County, Texas Social Organizations Pine Bluff Masonic Lodge #85, A.F. & A.M. (1851-1881) A petition for dispensation was signed by nine Master Masons September 15, 1850. Palestine Lodge No. 31 recommended the petition, and dispensation was granted January 25, 1851 with Joseph B. Hardin the first worshipful master. The lodge's charter was granted January 21, 1852 and demised in 1881. Pine Bluff was the port community for the town of Troy. Pine Bluff eventually vacated when the steamboat traffic died down. The lodge moved to Rock Springs. There is some conflict over the exact year however. The Freestone Co. TX Mason documents list the year as 1866 while the Mason documents in Waco, TX say the move happened in 1872 based on that and subsequent annual returns of the lodge report that their location as Rock Springs and their post office as Fairfield. The members merged into the masonic lodge in Fairfield when the lodge ceased on 24 June 1881. Physical Locations: Troy, Freestone Co., Texas - when granted dispensation in Jan 1851 until moves to Rock Springs between 1866 and 1872. Rock Springs, Freestone Co., Texas - started between 1866 and 1872 till ceased to exist and merged with Fairfield on 24 June 1881. *Conflict - see PB13* Signers of the Original Application: Adams, W[illiam] L. Albright, James Bennett, Seaborn J. Edwards, A. J. Hardin, Joseph B. Lowen, Charles W. Ridlen, Abraham Tarver, Nelson Vanney, John First Lodge Officers: Hardin, Joseph B. (Master) Edwards, A. J. (Senior Warden) Bennett, Seaborn J. (Junior Warden) Members or Visitors Attending: Alford, John R. Anderson, John Q. Barns, G. E. Bennett, B. P. (elected Master on 19 Feb 1853) Blackman, John W. (Moses Cook Lodge, Mississippi, visitor) Bodman, Harrison A. Bradberry, H. G. [surname might be Bradbury] Carroll, Abner Claypool, John N. (member Woodlawn #15, Arkansas) Clough, Zeno P. (member Woodlawn #15, Arkansas) Connally, John (Oliver Branch #26) Coody, Joseph Cravens, J. E. Daniels, Wm. F. (member Dale #25, Alabama) Davis, J. A. [might be duplicate of John A.] Davis, John A. (member Marshall #109, Tennessee) Dillard, L. H. (Euclid Lodge #45) Dorsett, Asa Edwards, W. L. Gaston, Thomas A. (member Dale #25, Alabama) Harper, H. S. Harper, Hugh Henderson, J.M. (member Oliver Branch Lodge No. 25 at Cincinnati) Henry, Conrad Lee, A. G. Malone, Isaac McCreight, James C. McDonald, Green McKnight, J. M. (Euclid Lodge #45 visitor) McLeod, Neil Morton, A. J. Oliver, F. C. Richardson, N. P. Sekridge, R. Sevier, Enoch (member Zena #15, Ohio) Shelton, Charles Standifer, W. R. Thomas, J. N. (Euclid Lodge #45) Towles, Benjamin Waldrom, John Weaver, Ezekiel West, C. D. Williams, George L. (Mt. Moriah #37, visitor) Williams, Isaiah Wilson, John F. Wilson, Leonidas F.(died 1852) Wortham, John Youree (or Gouree), James R. Deaths Reported at the Grand Lodge Meeting or Annual Lodge Returns: Waldrom, John 1859 [no annual returns for lodge in the 1860s found] Hammett, B. T. 1870 (Rock Springs location) Towles, John H. 1872 (Rock Springs location, Fairfield post office) Eskridge, Richard [an E.A.] 1873 (Rock Springs location, Fairfield post office) Hill, Henry S. 1873 (Rock Springs location, Fairfield post office) Webb, J.M. 1878 (Rock Springs location, Fairfield post office) [Editor's Note - I have not found listings of their graves, so it is likely that there is a Rocky Springs cemetery that is lost. John Waldrom's wife is buried at Mayes Cemetery near Bulter. Dr. Henry Hill is buried at the Hill #1 cemetery.] New Members or Visitors at Rock Springs location (after 1866): Avant, N. L. Avant, Thomas Childs, E. W. Cobb, Ira P. Cobb, J. G. Miles, Tim D. Sources - History of Freestone County, Vol I & II; Central Texas Gen. Quarterly; Texas Masonic Deaths by Michael Kelsey, Nancy Graff-Kelsey, and Ginny Guinn Parsons; members of the Fairfield Masonic Lodge. ========================================================================== SOURCE: Book - "Proceedings of the Grand lodge of Texas, from its organization in city of Houston, Dec. A.D. 1837, A.L. 5837, to the close of the grand annual communication held at Palestine, January 19, A.D. 1857, Vol. 1". printed by Richardson & Co., 1857. ------------------------------------------------------ pg. 489. *1* = [Jan. 1852] "... Dispensations for new Lodges have been granted by the undersigned on the dates set forth, the same having been specially reported, as by the Constitution, to the Grand Secretary, at the time, -- to wit: ... Pine Bluff Lodge, at Troy, Freestone county, -- all on the 25th January, 1851. ..." ------------------------------------------------------ [same book, pg. 493] *2* = [Jan. 1852] "Your Committe on Work and Returns from Lodges... Also the work of Pine Bluff Lodge, which is correct. The returns from that Lodge charge for nine members, when there are sixteen. This correction increases the dues of Pine Bluff to $12. We have also examined the work and returns of Fairfield Lodge, which we find correct. ... On motion, the Representatives from the above-named Lodges were permitted to take their seats, as follows: ... Pine Bluff, Bro. J. E. Cravens; Fairfield, Bro. G. A. Evarts; ..." ------------------------------------------------------ [same book, pg. 538] *3* = [Jan. 1853] "The Committe on Returns of Chartered Lodges... ... and Pine Bluff, No. 85, are corrected, -- the work being correct, but the returns not carried out correctly. St. John's is $17.50; Matagorda, No. 7, $18; and Pine Bluff, No. 85, $17. ..."" ------------------------------------------------------ [same book, pg. 558] *4* = [Jan. 1853] "...We have also considered the petition of Pine Bluff Lodge, No. 85, praying the remission of dues for the past and present year. As the subject is now before another Committee, we decline recommending the prayer of petition. ..."" ------------------------------------------------------ [same book, pg. 574] *5* = [Jan. 1853] "...Your Committee have likewise considered the resolution relative to Pine Bluff Lodge, No. 85, and recommend that the dues of said Lodge for the past year be remitted. All which is submitted. ..."" ========================================================================== SOURCE: Book - "Proceedings of the Grand lodge of Texas, from its organization in city of Houston, Dec. A.D. 1837, A.L. 5837, to the close of the grand annual communication held at Palestine, January 19, A.D. 1857, Vol. II". printed by Richardson & Co., 1857. pg. 113. [page 4] *7* = [Jan. 1857, list of lodges] "... Pine Bluff #85 ..." ------------------------------------------------------ [same book, pg. 16] *8* = [Jan 1854, list of lodges] "... Pine Bluff #85 B. P. Hammett ..." ------------------------------------------------------ [same book, pg. 40] *9* = [Jan 1857, list of lodges] "... Pine Bluff #85 B. P. Hammett, proxy and P.M. ..." ------------------------------------------------------ [same book, pg. 52] *10* = [????, list of lodges with correct returns] "... Pine Bluff #85 ..." ------------------------------------------------------ [same book, pg. 53] *11* = [????] "Your Committee have also examined the returns of the following Lodges, received by the Grand Secretary since the last Annual Communication of the Grand Lodge for 1855. ... Pine Bluff, 85, overcharged dues one member, and dues charged at $1 per member, and 50 cents for affiliation, when it should have been $1; the corrections made the amount due $6.40. ..." ------------------------------------------------------ [same book, pg. 52] *12* = "... Your Committee have also considered the petition of Pine Bluff Lodge, No. 85, ... asking the remission of dues for the year 1853, and, finding no good cause why said dues should be remitted, would respectfully ask that the prayer of petitioners be not granted. ..." ------------------------------------------------------ [same book, pg. 113] *13* = [Jan. 1854] "LIST OF LODGES, CHARTERED BY THE GRAND LODGE OF TEXAS WITH THEIR DUES FOR THE PAST YEAR ... Pine Bluff #85 town: Troy; county: Freestone, dues: $14.75 ..." ------------------------------------------------------ [same book, pg. 115] *14* = [Jan. 1855] "... Pine Bluff, No. 85, E. A. McGee, proxy for Lodge ..." ------------------------------------------------------ [same book, pg. 126] *15* = [Jan. 1855] "...It will not be our of place to say that Springfield, No. 74, Fairfield, No. --, Burleson No. 111, Pine Bluff, No. --, ... have prospered during the past Masonic year; ..." ------------------------------------------------------ [same book, pg. 187] *16* = [?] "... We recommend the approval of the amendment to the By-laws of Pine Bluff Lodge, No. 85, as adopted by that Lodge, February 18, 1854. ..." ------------------------------------------------------ [same book, pg. 202] *17* = [Jan. 1855] "... I have, however, recently received a communication from Pine Bluff Lodge, No. 85, at Troy, Texas, in relation to the action of Magnolia Lodge upon the petition of J. O. Cohn for the Degrees in Masonry, which communication I herewith submit to your Grand body for your action, having, as I concieve, no authority myself to act in the premises. ..." ------------------------------------------------------ [same book, pg. 203] *18* = [Jan. 1855] "... To the District Deputy Grand Master of the Ninth Masonic District ESTEEMED AND WORTHY BROTHER: -- It becomes our painful duty to inform you of a gross violation of Masonic law and usage on the part of Magnolia Lodge, No. 113, working under your jurisdiction. At our stated Communication, April 1, 5854, the petition of Mr. J. O. Cohn was acted upon, and petitioner duly rejected. The said Cohn was duly initiated into Magnolia Lodge on their stated Communication in July last. The Secretary of that Lodge then sent us a communication stating the fact, acknowledging the error of said Lodge, and prayed the leniency of this Lodge, and to grant them leave to pass and raise him. This we could not consistently do, as we, from good Masonic evidence, have every reason to believe that said Cohn is not worthy to take any of the Degrees of Masonry. We have known said Cohn for more than two years, and some of us longer, and do not hesitate in saying that he has not the least claim to Masonic sympathy. This communication ordered and approved in open Lodge, October 6, 5855. F. C. OLIVER, Secretary Pine Bluff Lodge. ..." ==========================================================================