Marker [004.1]
Whitewright Masonic Lodge No. 167
(110 W. Pine, Whitewright, Texas)
IN
1855, MEN IN KENTUCKY TOWN ORGANIZED A MASONIC LODGE, RECEIVING THEIR
CHARTER THE FOLLOWING YEAR AS THE KENTUCKY TOWN MASONIC LODGE NC. 167. MORE
THAN 20 YEARS LATER, IN 1878, THE MISSOURI, KANSAS & TEXAS RAILROAD
BYPASSED KENTUCKY TOWN, RUNNING THREE MILES EAST IN THE NEWLY ESTABLISHED
TOWN OF WHITEWRIGHT. MANY RESIDENTS OF KENTUCKY TOWN, ORANGEVILLE AND PILOT
GROVE MOVED THEIR HOMES AND BUSINESSES TO WHITEWRIGHT. THE MASONIC LODGE
MOVED IN 1883, AND IN 1893, MEMBERS CHANGED THE NAME TO WHITEWRIGHT LODGE
NO. 167 BUT KEPT THE ORIGINAL KENTUCKY TOWN CHARTER. THE
LODGE HAS OCCUPIED SEVERAL BUILDINGS SINCE IT’S FOUNDING. IT HAS ALSO
SERVED SEVERAL AFFILIATE MASONIC ORDERS, INCLUDING WHITEWRIGHT CHAPTER NC.
198 OF ROYAL ARCH MASONS, WHICH MERGED WITH A DENISON CHAPTER IN 1949,
WHITEWRIGHT COUNCIL NO. 136, WHICH MERGED WITH A DENISON GROUP IN 1971, AND
THE LOCAL ORDER OF THE EASTERN STAR, WHICH RECEIVED ITS CHARTER IN 1948. THE
ORDER OF THE EASTERN STAR, COMPRISED OF MEN AND WOMEN, CONTINUES TO SUPPORT
THE WORK OF THE LODGE. SEVERAL
LODGE MEMBERS HAVE BEEN LEADERS IN GOVERNMENT AND IN THE MASONIC ORDER.
THESE MEN INCLUDE DAN SCOTT McMILLIN, GRAND MASTER OF TEXAS MASONS IN 1915,
WHO SERVED AS BOTH A STATE REPRESENTATIVE AND STATE SENATOR; JAMES J.
GALLAHER, GRAND HIGH PRIEST OF THE ROYAL ARCH CHAPTER OF TEXAS, WHO SERVED
AS GRAND TREASURER OF TEXAS MASONS FOR 20 YEARS; AND JOHN THOMAS BEAN, GRAND
MASTER OF TEXAS MASONS IN 1959, WHO CHAIRED THE CONFERENCE OF GRAND MASTERS
OF MASONRY IN NORTH AMERICA IN 1960. LODGE MEMBERSHIP HAS ALSO INCLUDED
OTHER PROMINENT LEADERS. TODAY THE LODGE IS THE SECOND OLDEST MASONIC GROUP IN GRAYSON COUNTY WITH CONTINUOUS SERVICE. THE HISTORY OF THE LODGE AND ITS MEMBERS REFLECTS THE FORMATION OF WHITEWRIGHT AND THE COUNTY. |