Before I start this, I should reveal that I have been a Freemason for almost 25 years. I petitioned the Lodge while I was a 21 year old Jr. at Texas A&M. I am a Fifth generation Freemason. Though I petitioned in the Panhandle, I did a great bit of learning the craft at the Lawrence Sullivan Ross Lodge No. 1300. Although I currently have some issues with Freemasonry in Texas, I am very proud to be a Mason, and proud of the history of Freemasonry in the USA and particularly in Texas. The earlier thread about Freemasonry disturbed me. So after thinking about it, I have decided to give a very brief history of some of the greater things the Masonic Lodge has contributed to our history as a Nation, Republic, and State.
Who was the first Freemason to set foot on what is now USA soil? He is probably not of English descent, but I suspect that he rather was of Spanish blood. I have read that there were Freemason’s on the Mayflower, and further that Jonestown was founded primarily by Masons. I will do some research and write about this later when I can provide sources.
First, I want to share a little bit of recent Texas history before I expand on the affect of Freemasonry on world history and particularly American history. There was a famous Texas Ranger, one of the first true Texas Cattlemen, and an inductee in the first class of the Cowboy Hall of Fame in OKC who was a Freemason and modeled his entire business practices on the teachings of Freemasonry. His name is Col. Charles Goodnight (Freemason). Co-founder of the Loving-Goodnight trail, and legend in western lore.
As a young man, he was outfitted under Lawrence Sullivan Ross (Freemason) as a Texas Ranger and helped lead him to a Comanche group holding Cynthia Ann Parker. Later he joined Oliver Loving (Freemason) in driving cattle into Northern New Mexico. I believe that Mr. Loving died in the third cattle drive. Of course all reading this will know that Col. Goodnight came back to Ft Sumner, NM to retrieve the body of Loving and carry it to be buried in Weatherford, Texas as requested by Loving on his death bed. As a Freemason, such a request would never be questioned, just carried out.
Goodnight joined with Irishman John Adair (a tyrant) who was a large land owner in Ireland and Colorado. They formed the JA Ranch located in the eastern Palo Duro Canyon lying south of a line between Clarendon and Claude, Texas. It is one of the oldest and largest ranches in the USA which is still owned by family of the original founder.
John Adair passed away soon after the founding of the ranch. Col. Goodnight worked with Mr. Adair’s widow, Cornelia Wadsworth Ritchie Adair, to maintain the ranch. Now we get to the Masonic part of the story. Col. Goodnight had one rule over the 50+ years that he ran the ranch; every Cowboy and other employee had to either be a Freemason, or had to be in the process of becoming a member.
Freemasons have a duty to other Freemasons. One that is bound beyond bonds that I can describe in this short text. You will read about a “blood oath” and I guess it could be described as that. Though I have never heard of a Mason losing his life because of his misdeeds against a brother Mason in more modern times.
Though in Col. Goodnight’s time, many lost their lives because of misdeeds on the ranch. I have no knowledge of the misdeeds leading to the death of a brother Mason. But growing up near the JA and Goodnight Ranches, I have heard many stories over the years about Col. Goodnight’s form of justice for those found rustling or stealing from the ranch. They were tried on the spot and given a quick hanging and burial. In that part of the world, there were not many trees tall enough to hang a man except around creeks or springs. So shallow graves were usually located nearby. And over the years these graves on the ranch would become revealed due to erosion. I have heard more than one story from old cowboys who have encountered these graves. Typically they see two very weathered boots sticking out of the dirt.
As Aggies we have a certain feeling of obligation or duty to other Aggies. Freemasonry is much of the same. Had Col. Goodnight been an Aggie, he would have hired other Aggies, because in those tough times, you had to have trust in the people who worked for you. And that is the basic tenant that Freemasonry was founded in and has promoted for centuries.
I am in no way trying to promote Freemasonry or encourage membership in the Lodge. I just want to give a little history of how Freemasons have contributed over the years to our growth as a Nation and a State.
If there is interest, I will try and post more in the coming days.
Who was the first Freemason to set foot on what is now USA soil? He is probably not of English descent, but I suspect that he rather was of Spanish blood. I have read that there were Freemason’s on the Mayflower, and further that Jonestown was founded primarily by Masons. I will do some research and write about this later when I can provide sources.
First, I want to share a little bit of recent Texas history before I expand on the affect of Freemasonry on world history and particularly American history. There was a famous Texas Ranger, one of the first true Texas Cattlemen, and an inductee in the first class of the Cowboy Hall of Fame in OKC who was a Freemason and modeled his entire business practices on the teachings of Freemasonry. His name is Col. Charles Goodnight (Freemason). Co-founder of the Loving-Goodnight trail, and legend in western lore.
As a young man, he was outfitted under Lawrence Sullivan Ross (Freemason) as a Texas Ranger and helped lead him to a Comanche group holding Cynthia Ann Parker. Later he joined Oliver Loving (Freemason) in driving cattle into Northern New Mexico. I believe that Mr. Loving died in the third cattle drive. Of course all reading this will know that Col. Goodnight came back to Ft Sumner, NM to retrieve the body of Loving and carry it to be buried in Weatherford, Texas as requested by Loving on his death bed. As a Freemason, such a request would never be questioned, just carried out.
Goodnight joined with Irishman John Adair (a tyrant) who was a large land owner in Ireland and Colorado. They formed the JA Ranch located in the eastern Palo Duro Canyon lying south of a line between Clarendon and Claude, Texas. It is one of the oldest and largest ranches in the USA which is still owned by family of the original founder.
John Adair passed away soon after the founding of the ranch. Col. Goodnight worked with Mr. Adair’s widow, Cornelia Wadsworth Ritchie Adair, to maintain the ranch. Now we get to the Masonic part of the story. Col. Goodnight had one rule over the 50+ years that he ran the ranch; every Cowboy and other employee had to either be a Freemason, or had to be in the process of becoming a member.
Freemasons have a duty to other Freemasons. One that is bound beyond bonds that I can describe in this short text. You will read about a “blood oath” and I guess it could be described as that. Though I have never heard of a Mason losing his life because of his misdeeds against a brother Mason in more modern times.
Though in Col. Goodnight’s time, many lost their lives because of misdeeds on the ranch. I have no knowledge of the misdeeds leading to the death of a brother Mason. But growing up near the JA and Goodnight Ranches, I have heard many stories over the years about Col. Goodnight’s form of justice for those found rustling or stealing from the ranch. They were tried on the spot and given a quick hanging and burial. In that part of the world, there were not many trees tall enough to hang a man except around creeks or springs. So shallow graves were usually located nearby. And over the years these graves on the ranch would become revealed due to erosion. I have heard more than one story from old cowboys who have encountered these graves. Typically they see two very weathered boots sticking out of the dirt.
As Aggies we have a certain feeling of obligation or duty to other Aggies. Freemasonry is much of the same. Had Col. Goodnight been an Aggie, he would have hired other Aggies, because in those tough times, you had to have trust in the people who worked for you. And that is the basic tenant that Freemasonry was founded in and has promoted for centuries.
I am in no way trying to promote Freemasonry or encourage membership in the Lodge. I just want to give a little history of how Freemasons have contributed over the years to our growth as a Nation and a State.
If there is interest, I will try and post more in the coming days.