Stephenville Masonic Lodge #267
Stephenville, Erath County, Texas
Marker Inscription
The Masonic Lodge in Stephenville organized on July 23, 1860, with 24 masons assembling, including town founder John M. Stephen and four visitors from Gatesville Lodge No. 197. Members first met in a two-story log building facing Belknap Street, with the upper story used for the lodge and the lower story used for school and church purposes. William Motheral was appointed the first worshipful master. The lodge received its charter from the Grand Lodge of Texas on June 12, 1861. In 1891, the lodge leveled the Erath County Courthouse cornerstone. The masons have been active in local and statewide charities, including Scottish Rite Hospital, Masonic Children and Family Services, and scholarships for students at Stephenville High School.
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
On July 23, 1860, twenty-four Masons—including Stephenville's founder John M. Stephen—assembled to organize a Masonic lodge, receiving their charter from the Grand Lodge of Texas in June 1861, on the eve of the Civil War. Members first met in a two-story log building on Belknap Street whose lower floor served as school and church. The lodge helped level the Erath County Courthouse cornerstone in 1891 and has long supported local and statewide charities.
Why it matters
The lodge reflects the central role fraternal orders played in organizing civic, educational, and charitable life on the nineteenth-century Texas frontier.
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Related people
- · John M. Stephen
- · William Motheral
Themes & tags
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