Grand Lodge I.O.O.F. of Texas

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Early
Past Grand
Master
Jewel

Past Seal
1838 - 1845
Missing 1845-1868 &
destroyed in fire - 1877

Present Seal
1845 - Present
This was the
replacement seal

Jacob de Cordova
For more information on
Brother Cordova
"click image"

What is a Grand Master GM-PGM ?

In Texas the Grand Master (Presiding Officer's) position has Jurisdictional Authority over the Odd Fellow Lodges of Texas. This job is an elected position. The Grand Master not only presides over the Grand Lodge of Texas but he also has a duty to continue local lodge functions by dispensations for the formation of a new lodge or the arrest of a charter of any lodge that he deems it proper to do so. When The Grand Lodge is in session, the Grand Master shall, if present, preside over the sessions, enforce the laws, reserve order, decide all questions of order, and enforce their decisions, subject to the right of appeal to the Grand Lodge. The Grand Master has the casting vote in case of ties, except in elections. He appoints all committees except as otherwise provided by The Grand Lodge.

When The Grand Lodge is not in session, the Grand Master shall fill vacancies in Grand Lodge offices by recess appointment; elect and cause to be communicated the semi-annual password; exercise supervisory power over all Lodges, correct their errors, declare generally and locally the customs and usages of the Order. He also must visit and inspect the books, records, proceedings and work of all Lodges annually or more frequently if necessary either in person or by Deputy and require that their decisions and rulings be obeyed.

The Grand Master may grant many dispensations such as wearing regalia to the funeral of the spouse of a member; holding a public installation of officers and permitting a candidate to receive more than one Degree at the same meeting. The Grand Master can even permit a Lodge to dispense with a regular meeting for good cause. He can grant any other dispensations as may be essential and for the best interest of the Order, provided that no dispensation violates the laws of the Order.

The Grand Master shall receive the 'Honors of the Order' during official visits; receive reimbursement for expenses as The Grand Lodge may provide and in accordance with vouchers submitted for expenses actually incurred. He must report fully in writing to The Grand Lodge at its annual session the State of the Order.

The Grand Master must represent or cause a Representative to be appointed to lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington Cemetery during the annual Pilgrimage on behalf of this Grand Body. Funds for this event must be provided from the Grand Master's Promotional Fund. The Grand Master must visit all the lodges by the end of his term in Grand Lodge. ByThere are many more duties not mentioned in this short passage. For a more details, one must review the 'Grand Lodge Texas Code Book'. which is available to all members in good standing.

The Grand Master's usually serve a one year term however, there are certain exceptions. Since 1841 there have been a few cases where a Grand Master has served more than a one year term . When the Grand Master has completed his term he is considered a Past Grand Master which comes with certain privileges that will not be discussed at this time.

Below you will see several rows of pictures with each image indicating the Texas I.O.O.F. Grand Master for the year starting with the first Grand Master who was James A. Young (in 1841). We have made every effort to locate pictures for each Grand Master. Those without pictures have human icons. Each image is linked to the Grand Master’s Bio. A great effort has been made to locate interesting information for each Bio.

We are still searching new data. If anyone has information that they would like to see added please contact us. Thank you.

THE GRAND LODGE I.0.0.F. OF TEXAS
PAST GRAND MASTERS

To see list of PGMs click here

Latest version of PGM jewel.

You may use the above search box to search within this website. For example, if you want to have a list of all the PGMs from Waco, Texas type the word 'waco'.

Click on images below to read the Past Grand Master's Bio.
We have made every effort to locate a picture of each PGM.
This website is a work in progress. We welcome any additions or corrections to the information provided.
If you have a picture or know of a picture of an I .O.O.F. Past Grand Master please CONTACT US

James
Young
*1841

J.N.O.
Smith
*1842

J.W.
Niles
*1843

R.M.
Hannay
*1844

L. P.
Sundberg
*1845

Wm. M.
Carper
*1846

Oscar
Farish
*1847

L.M.
Hitchcock
*1848

Steven
Kirkland
*1849

Isadore
Dyer
*1850

John M.
Gibson
*1851

Anson
Jones
*1852

J. W.
Moore
*1853

S. J.
Durnett
*1854

William G.
Webb
*1855

Henry
Andrews
*1856

Thomas M.
Likens
*1857

E. P.
Hunt
*1858

Henry E.
Perkins
*1859

P. De
Cordova
*1860 (a)

Clark L.
Owen
*1861

C. R.
Hughes
*1862

John N.
Reed
*1863

C. H.
Leonard
*1864

Thomas M.
Joseph
*1865

A. S.
Richardson
*1866

Willard
Richardson
*1867

J. A.
Haynie
*1868

I. C.
Stafford
*1869

N. D.
Lidstone
*1870

N. G.
Shelley
*1871

B. F.
Christian
*1872

M. B.
Highsmith
*1873 (b)

M. D.
Herring
*1874

A. T.
McKinney
*1875

R. A.
Blandford
*1876

L. F.
De Lesdernier
*1877

John T.
Harcourt
*1878

W. K.
Makemson
*1879

D. Y.
Portis
*1880

J. P.
Loving
*1881

C. R.
Gibson
*1882

A. M.
Dechman
*1883

D. S.
Lemman
*1884

John T.
Walton
*1885

John H.
Johnson
*1886

Henry
Wagenfuhr
*1887

Barnett
Gibbs
*1888

J. S.
Ramsay
*1889 (c)

T. W.
Wiley
*1890

S. B.
Strong
*1891

R. M.
Chapman
*1892

James L.
Autry
*1893

George W.
Glasscock
*1894

Ben S.
Rogers
*1895

W. L.
Blanton
*1896

F. E.
Hunter
*1897

G. O.
Greiner
*1898

W.M.
Edwards
*1899

T.R.
Anderson
*1900

George D. Streeter
*1901

J.R.
Gough
*1902

F.S.
Kerr
*1903

T. L.
Wren
*1904

B.J.
Hubbard
*1905

J.R.
Joiner
*1906

Herman
Schwartz
*1907

Charles B.
Lewis
*1908

W. A.
Spangler
*1909

A.T.
Goodrich
*1910

W.F.
Boggess
*1911

W.
Illingworth
*1912

Marcus W.
Davis
*1913

W. R.
Francis
*1914

E. R.
Misenser
*1915

E. A.
Johnson
*1916

C. L.
Brachfield
*1917

R. L.
Wynne
*1918 (d)

C. L.
Brachfield
*1918 (e)

J. W.
Chancellor
*1919

W. T.
Savage
*1920

Joseph
Murray
*1921

C. A.Wheeler
*1922

J. L.
Slatten
*1923

G. W.
Hawkins
*1924

G. W.
Backus
*1925

J. M.
Pouncey
*1926

C. A.
Wheeler
*1927

James D.
Buster
*1928

Barry
Miller
*1929

Ray
Rector
*1930

F. M.
Compton
*1931

T. W.
Davidson
*1932

W. A.
McIntosh
*1933

G. E.
Knauff
*1934

R. C.
Cowan
*1935 (f)

H. L.
Carpenter
*1935 (g)

H. L.
Carpenter
*1936

John F.
Ross
*1937

J. D.
Warren
*1938

M. M.
Madison
*1939

T. F.
Aston
*1940

J. R.
Ogle
*1941

O. A.
Bateman
*1942

Claud J.
Carter
*1943

B. A.
Carter
*1944

Sherman
Reed
*1945

Mike
Peveto
*1946

Clarence E.
Woods
*1947

Frank
Rundell
*1948

C. M.
McLaughlin
*1949

T. E.
Jasperson
*1950

O. A.
Benthul
*1951

E. O.
Wood
*1952

L. H.
Miller
*1953

V. I.
Grounds
*1954

Earl P.
Vaughn
*1955

Tom H.
King
*1956

Raymond
Gage
*1957

R. E.
Shepherd
*1958

Roy
Kretzmeier
*1959

Howard
Kemp
*1960

E. V.
Riley
*1961

Joe
Hatcher
*1962

W. D.
King
*1963

Jack
Barber
*1964

Leo D.
Richardson
*1965

Dewitt T.
Baber
*1966

Ronald W.
Hughes SR.
*1967

Guy H.
McNeely
*1968

Claude
Morris
*1969

Kenneth E. Deatherage
*1970

Clyde 0.
Hicks
*1971

Josef
Matela Jr.
*1972

Guy W.
Ennis, Jr.
*1973

Henry K. McEntyre
*1974

Jim B.
Cloberdants
*1975

H. 0.
Trent
*1976

J. O.
Duncan Jr.
*1977

T. Wesley
Bolch
*1978

John H.
Hume
*1979

Murph J.
Marrow
*1980

Jack
Weatherby
1981

Bill
Rust
*1982

John
Hubbard
*1983

Homer
Garrett
*1984

William
Miller Jr.
*1985

Sam S.
Varnado
*1986

H. T.
Schuster SR.
*1987

Rabon P.
Moore
*1988

Charles
Roberts
*1989

Lloyd C.
Wilhoite
*1990

Rufus A.
Henry
*1991

Waymon H.
Little
*1992

Bob
Monk
*1993

Howard Holmes
*1994

Bruce
Weeks
*1995

B. J.
Miller
*1996

Harold
Elliott
*1997

E. Dixon
Toney
1998

E. Dixon
Toney
1999 (h)

Eugene
Head
*2000

W. H. Bill
Guy
2001

Jackie
Laney
2002

Merv
Dawson
*2003

Joe
Johnston
*2004

James
Curtis
2005

Frank
Ford
2006

Connie
Baker
2007

Jack
Griffith
*2008

Danny
Wood
2009

James H.
Teel
*2010

Clifton
Cates
2011

Jerry D
McGee
2012

Derrell C. Hollingsworth
*2013

H.T. (Tim)
Schuster Jr.
*2014

John
Linden
2015

Johnny
Cantrell
2016

George
Richards
*2017

Grady
Smith
*2018

Garry
Bolch
2019

Dan A.
Reynolds
2020 & 2021 (j)

John
Woolsey
2022

Troy
Pennington
2023

Charles Stephenson
2024

* DECEASED
(a) - ELECTED TO FILL THE VACANCY CAUSED By THE RESIGNATION OF H. E. LOCKETT
(b) - ELECTED VICE, D.C.GIBBINS, GRAND MASTER- ELECTED, RESIGNED
(c) - J. S. RAMSAY ASSUMED DUTIES, of JOHN J. SEE who had RESIGNED.
(d) - INSTALLED AND RESIGNED BECAUSE OF LEAVING THE STATE.

(e) - ELECTED TO SUCCEED R. L WYNNE who had RESIGNED.
(f) - INSTALLED AND RESIGNED DUE TO ILL HEALTH.
(g) - APPOINTED TO FILL VACANCY, R. C. COWAN, RESIGNED.
(h) - D.G.M. NOT ELECTED - PREVIOUS G. M. RE-ELECTED.
(j) - PREVIOUS G. M. FILLED 2nd TERM DUE TO COVID

Click on image above to enlarge.

The image above is an interesting 1898 artistic depiction of pioneer I.O.O.F. Texas Leaders.

1.   A. M. Dechman PGM
2.   HON. W. L. Blanton PGM
3.   HON. Ben S. Rogers PGM
4.   P. De Cordova PGM
5.   COL. Stillwell H. Russell PGR
6.   Seth B. Strong PGM
7.   Dr. T. W. Wiley PGM
8.   C. A. Keller PGR
9.   S. W. Porter PGT

10.   T. R. Anderson PGM
11.    G. C. Fahm PGW
12.    J. R. Gough PGM
13. D. Ludlow PGP
14. I. Popper PGP
15. Ben W. Rhine PGHP
16. W. M. Edwards PGM
17. Charles L. Saver PGS
18. John Spellmas PGP

19.   HON. James L. Autry PGM
20.  HON. Charles R. Gibson PGM
21.   Genevieve Shearer PPRA
22.   MRS. Christine Benedict PPRA
23.   MRS. Katie McCaulley PPRA
24.   HON. Barnett Gibbs PGM
25.   MRS. Lily McCracken PPRA
26.   John T. Walton PGM
27.   Judge W. R. Makemson PGM