DUANE
Duane's take
Here's how the official marker tells it, and I'll do my best to do it justice. Before the capital of the Republic of Texas had so much as a president walking its streets, a handful of Master Masons were already meeting in somebody's parlor. That somebody was Edwin Waller — the man who surveyed the very townsite of Austin — and the date was October 11, 1839.
One week later, President Mirabeau B. Lamar would roll into town to set up the government of the new Republic. But the Masons?
They didn't wait on presidents. They were already there, already organized, already building something that would outlast nearly everything else in that young capital city. Grand Master Branch Archer made it official on November 7, 1839, authorizing the organization of Austin Lodge No. 12.
Alexander Russell stepped forward as the first worshipful master, and from that day forward, some of the most prominent names in Texas history would pass through those lodge doors. Edward Burleson served the Republic as its vice president, and he was a lodge officer. When he died in 1851, his burial with Masonic honors was the first interment in the State Cemetery — the very first.
Two men who would go on to govern the state of Texas were members of this lodge: Edward Clark and Harden R. Runnels. In its early years the lodge moved around, meeting at various sites, which turns out to have been a good thing to know how to do — because in 1866, fire destroyed the lodge's quarters and burned some of its records.
You don't stop a lodge that was meeting before the Republic had its capital fully unpacked. By 1883, members moved into a new Masonic temple at 7th and Colorado. Then came the Scottish Rite Temple at 18th and Lavaca, which served as the meeting place from 1923 all the way to 1968, when the lodge moved again — this time to a new facility on Bull Creek Road.
Through fires, through the rise and fall of whole eras of Texas history, through natural disasters that called the members out to serve their community, Austin Lodge No. 12 kept meeting, kept responding, kept showing up for the dedications of Austin's public buildings and church structures. Started in a surveyor's house, one week ahead of the president. That's the kind of head start that tends to stick.
What the marker says
Master masons gathered at the home of Edwin Waller, surveyor of the townsite of Austin, on Oct. 11, 1839, one week before President Mirabeau B. Lamar arrived to set up government in the new Republic of Texas capital. Grand master Branch Archer authorized the organization of Austin Lodge No. 12 on Nov. 7, 1839. Alexander Russell was the first worshipful master. Many prominent Texans have been members of this body. Edward Burleson, who served as vice president of the Republic of Texas, was a lodge officer. His burial with Masonic honors in 1851 was the first interment in the State Cemetery. Two Texas governors, Edward Clark and Harden R. Runnels, were members of the lodge. In the early years, meetings were held at various sites. A fire in 1866 destroyed the lodge's quarters and burned some of its records. In 1883 members moved into the new Masonic temple at 7th and Colorado. The Scottish Rite Temple at 18th and Lavaca served as the meeting place from 1923 to 1968, when the lodge moved to a new facility on Bull Creek Road. During its history, Austin Lodge No. 12 has responded to human need in times of natural disaster. Members have participated in the dedications of a number of Austin's public buildings and church structures. (1979)