The Milam Masonic Institute
Milam, Sabine County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Many pioneers belonged to the Ancient, Free and Accepted Masons, an order active in education. Among Masons settling in this area by 1845 were Republic of Texas leaders William Clark, James Gaines, D. S. Kaufman, Willis H. Landrum, and F. M. Weatherred. The Rev. Littleton Fowler (1803-46), a Mason, opened in 1845 in this county the Midway Institute, which was soon absorbed by Red Mount Seminary. Set to work at Red Mount (Milam), 1847, was Jackson Lodge No. 35, A. F. & A. M., with John Boyd, G. A. Norford, A. D. Oliphint, O. J. Polley, and J. T. Scruggs as officers. The lodge soon operated the Milam Masonic Institute, successor to the earlier schools. On the charter application (1853) M. M. I. was listed as already "a flourishing school." Later, Sexton Lodge No. 251, A. F. & A. M., operated M. M. I., a great contributor to East Texas culture until tax-funded education became universal in the 1870s. Among supporters of M. M. I. were masons with the family names Anderson, Causey, Davis, DeWeese, Dorsey, Elliott, Gellately, Halbert, Harper, Harris, Jacks, Low, McCloskey, McGown, McMahan, Mason, Nethery, Noble, Pratt, Reeves, Renfro, Sanders, Slaughter, Smith, Speights, Sweet, Tucker, Vickers, Watson, White, Whittlesey, Williams, and Yeiser. (1974)
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Freemasons, long active in frontier education, were among the earliest settlers of Sabine County, and by 1847 a Masonic lodge at Red Mount (Milam) had taken up the work of schooling. The Milam Masonic Institute, successor to earlier academies, was already called 'a flourishing school' on its 1853 charter and remained a leading contributor to East Texas culture until tax-funded public schools spread in the 1870s. Republic of Texas figures and dozens of local families lent it their support.
Why it matters
It shows how fraternal orders like the Masons carried formal education into the East Texas frontier before public schooling existed.
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Related people
- · Littleton Fowler
- · William Clark
- · James Gaines
Themes & tags
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