Our Lodge History

 

Oak Wood Masonic Lodge became a vision of several brethren of various masonic lodges throughout Houston and the surrounding areas. There wasn’t a local Masonic lodge located between the township of Spring and Conroe, Texas. The introduction of a new community called The Woodlands brought an upsurge of homes being built north of Houston and the Spring area. With the building of new homes brought additional population.

 

A group of brethren met and set the wheels in motion to create a new Masonic lodge adjacent to The Woodlands, Texas area. Brother D.E. (George) Swarthout set out to obtain the required signatures to form a masonic lodge called Oak Wood Masonic Lodge.

 

The following brethren signed the Petition of Dispensation: Kendall R. Atkins Jr.; Bruce Barbre; Walter T. Berry; William Chadwick III; Frank John Chavez;Paul D. Cicero; George Everett Covey; Jack Doane; Carl B. Haire; J.D. Harrell; B.E. Herbelin; Douglas M. Hudson; Cline D. Johnson; Zell Frank Jones; Douglas Lesser; George Lesser Jr.; George Lesser Sr.; Dwight Lynn Lively; Jerry F. Marhofer; James S. May; Tom O. Meissler; George S. Mitchell; Walter M. Olsen; Lloyd G. Posey; George Roy Slentz; John Thomas Smith; Edwin E.J. Spears; James Stark; Harry A. Strand; D.E. (George) Swarthout; Clarence O. Taylor; Clayton A. Terr; Mike Tusing; Glenn Garlin Vaugh; Malcolm Riley Vaugh; Richard Lee Watson; Joe Eddie Williams; Parker N. Williams; and Phillip Wayne Wise.

 

The petition of Dispensation to Form a New Lodge was completed and submitted to the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge for consideration. On July 5, 1979 the petition was signed by Most Worshipful Grand Master W.P. Lamb of the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Texas. Grand Master Lamb appointed D.E. (George) Swarthout to serve as the first Worshipful Master; James Stark to serve as Senior warden; and Bruce Barbre to serve as Junior Warden. The petition will stand in effect until the next annual communication of the Grand Lodge of Texas Annual Communication in December of 1979. On December 8, 1979 the petition for Dispensation to Form a New Lodge was presented before the Grand Annual Communication of the Most Worshipful Lodge of Texas where the petition was granted and Oak Wood Lodge #1444 became a reality.

 

With the proposal of the dispensation, the brethren from Spring Lodge #1174 agreed to allow Oak Wood Masonic Lodge U.D. to meet at their lodge building in Spring, Texas. Oak Wood Masonic Lodge continued to meet at Spring Lodge on the first Tuesday of each month (Stated Meeting).

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The property located on FM 242 near Interstate 45 was donated to the lodge to construct a Lodge building. Brothers Swarthout, Stark, Barbre, and Tusing each contributed to repay the donation price of the property back to the original donor. A lot of hard work went into clearing the property and designing the Lodge building. Today, our story continues....

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