Beginning with the historical plaque in front of the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Texas building in Waco, Texas, to several published books on Texas Freemasonry, the meeting of Stephen F. Austin and six other Masons at San Felipe de Austin on February 11, 1828 is regularly cited but not fully explored.

This meeting was the first documented Masonic meeting in Colonial Texas, and predates the Brazoria Oak meeting by seven years. The original minutes from this 1828 meeting, along with a hand written form in Spanish, which contains the wording for a petition for charter from the Grand York Lodge of Mexico, are on display in the Republic of Texas Room at the Grand Lodge of Texas Library and Museum in Waco, Texas.

The minutes from this meeting did not resurface until 1877, when the custodian of the archival papers of Stephen F. Austin came across them, and submitted them to the Grand Lodge of Texas, which published this account on page 19 of the December 1877 Proceedings. The Custodian was Brother Guy M. Brian of Galveston, Texas. Below is a verbatim reprint of those minutes:

"At a meeting of Ancient York Masons, held in the town of San Felipe de Austin, on the 11th day of February, 1828, for the purpose of taking into consideration the expediency of petitioning the Grand York Lodge of Mexico for granting a Charter or Dispensation for organizing a Subordinate Lodge at this place, the following brethren were present: Bros. H.H. league, Stephen F. Austin, Ira Ingram, Eli Mitchell, Joseph White, G.B. Hall, and Thos M. Duke.

"On a motion from Bro. Ira Ingram, and seconded, Bro. H. H. League was appointed Chairman, and Thos. M. Duke Secretary.

"On a motion of Bro. Stephen F. Austin, and seconded, it was unanimously agreed that we petition the Grand York Lodge of Mexico for a Charter or Dispensation to organize a Lodge at this place, to be called the Lodge of Union.

"On balloting for officers of the Lodge, the following Bothers were duly elected: Bro. S. F. Austin, Master; Bro. Ira Ingram, Senior Warden; and Bro. H.H. League, Junior Warden

"Attest:

"THOMAS M. DUKE, Secretary"

Who were these men and what were their additional contributions to Texas Masonry? When examining the Masonic histories of Austin and the others, several facts were discovered, first; at that time the Royal Arch Degree was conferred in Craft Lodges under a Master's Warrant. This was an inherent right in Lodges who received their Warrant or Charter issued by a Grand Lodge of Ancient Masons. Secondly, in those days when Masons would leave their home states or territories, they would travel on a Masonic demit, indicating they were in good standing prior to leaving, and that this demit would also be their Masonic credential, until they formally joined another Masonic Lodge. Separate Royal Arch Chapters were in existence at that time under the General Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons formed in 1797, but these were not wide spread.

Due to the ravages of time, conflagrations, inundations, and that act of Northern aggression known as the "war between the states," many Masonic records from the early 1800's have been destroyed and that information is forever lost. The Masonic records of Austin and the others listed in the 1828 minuets are presented below, however the exact Masonic records of H.H. League, Joseph White and G. B Hall are not able to be determined, except that they were at least Master Masons, or they would not have been included at that meeting.

Stephen Fuller Austin November 3, 1793 to December 27, 1836

Stephen F. Austin was made a Mason in Louisiana Lodge No. 109 in the St. Genevieve territory of Louisiana, later to become the Missouri territory. Louisiana Lodge No. 109 was issued a warrant on July 17, 1807, by the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania of Ancient York Masons. Austin was initiated May 1, 1815, crafted June 23, 1815, and raised June 23, 1815.

In an article compiled by Chester R. Johnson other records indicate that Austin was also a member of Potosi Lodge No. 39 which was issued a dispensation by the Grand Lodge of Kentucky in 1816. The Lodge was located in the town of Potosi in the Missouri territory where he was listed as the Junior Deacon in 1818.

Several Masonic authors have incorrectly cited Austin as being a member of St. Louis Lodge No.3. In a letter to Sam R. Hamilton of Farmersville, Texas dated September 25, 1909, the Grand Secretary of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania: William A. Sinn, cites a reply from the Grand Secretary of the Grand Lodge of Missouri affirming, that there never was a St. Louis Lodge No.3, at St. Louis Missouri.

Stephen F. Austin is buried in the State Cemetery at Austin, Texas, and has an entry in the Handbook of Texas Online.

H. H. League 1776 to 1837

Hosea H. League was active in the Nashville, Tennessee area between 1812 and 1824, but no Masonic records have been located. In researching League, the Grand Lodge of Tennessee advised that there were several Lodges in the Nashville area that went out of existence in the early 1820's.

A possibility exists of League having been a member of Mt. Moriah Lodge No. 39 in Dover, Tennessee, but due to the poor quality of microfilm images it not possible to state this as a fact.

Newspaper records indicate that League owned and operated a "House of Entertainment" in Paris, Tennessee in September of 1823. League was arrested as an accessory to murder with Seth Ingram in San Felipe de Austin. After the incident League would go on to become the first magistrate of Harrisburg in what is now Houston, Texas.

In May of 1836 League transferred the Magistrates office to Lynchburg. League's exact date of death, and burial location are unknown except that, probate proceedings were begun in February of 1837. There is no drawing, image, or physical description of him known to exist. League has an entry in the Handbook of Texas Online.

Thomas M. Duke 1795 to 1867

Thomas Marshall Duke was made a Mason in Washington Lodge No.19 in Kentucky. His degree dates are unknown, but was listed as the Junior Warden of that Lodge in 1818, and his last listing was 1820 as a Master Mason.

In 1838 Duke was installed as the charter Senior Warden for Matagorda Lodge No.7 in September of 1855 Matagorda Lodge No. 7 was destroyed in a storm that hit the Texas coast. Along with the records for Matagorda Lodge the records for Cyrus Chapter founded by Dugald McFarland were also destroyed.

Duke was in all probability a member of Cyrus Chapter, but due to the storm of 1855 and Cyrus Chapter's failure to send in rosters or sending incomplete rosters to the Grand Royal Arch Chapter Republic of Texas 1841 to 1849, Duke's Capitular record cannot be determined.

Duke is cited as being buried on his Hynes Bay Ranch, which was located outside of Austwell, Texas. Duke's ranch later became the McDowell Plantation., and the last person to have seen his grave site was W. D. Bickford, now deceased. This was in the early 1950's. There is a possibility that Duke's grave has been taken over by subsistence from Hynes Bay and it may now be underwater.

There is no known drawing, image or physical description of Duke available. Duke has an entry in the Handbook of Texas Online.

Eli Mitchell September 15, 1797 to April 19, 1870

Eli Mitchell was made a Mason in Somerset Lodge No. 84 in Somerset County Pennsylvania in 1821. He was initiated in October, Passed in November and raised a Master Mason in December. He withdrew in 1823. Mitchell would later be installed as the Charter Senior Deacon at Gonzales Lodge No. 30 on August 8, 1848.

The "Come and Take It" cannon was mounted on a cason made from Mitchell's wagon, but it can not be determined as a fact that he fired the cannon at the battle of Gonzales.

Eli Mitchell is buried in the Southwest corner of the Masonic Cemetery in Gonzales, Texas. A copy of a pencil drawing of Mitchell is in a vertical file at the Gonzales County History Museum, and in the vertical file on Mitchell in the Grand Lodge of Texas Library and Museum. It is also available on the internet at the Sons of Dewitt Colony website. Mitchell has an entry in the Handbook of Texas Online.

Ira Ingram August 19, 1798 to September 22, 1837

Ira Ingram was a member of Cumberland Lodge No. 8 in Nashville, Tennessee, his degree dates are unknown, but Grand Lodge of Tennessee records show him as the Master of the Lodge in 1821. Ingram was a member of Cumberland Royal Arch Chapter No.1 also in Nashville, Tennessee, and received his Capitular Degrees in September of 1821.

Ingram would later serve as the first Speaker of the House for the first Congress of the Republic of Texas.

Ira Ingram is buried next to his brother Seth Ingram, in the Southeast section of the Matagorda Cemetery in Matagorda, Texas. Ingram died before the creation of Matagorda Lodge No. 7. There is no drawing, image or physical description of him known to exist. Ingram has an entry in the Handbook of Texas Online.

Joseph White ? to June 14, 1830

No Masonic or Capitular information and little background could be found on White, except he was present at the February 11, 1828 meting in San Felipe de Austin, and that he was born in Georgia, and that he died in San Felipe de Austin on June 14, 1830.

White's exact burial location within the San Felipe Cemetery is unknown, due to the destruction of the grave markers by the Mexican troops during the Runaway Scrape incident. There is no drawing, image or physical description of White is known to exist. White has an entry in the Handbook of Texas Online.

G. B. Hall Dates Unknown

No Masonic or background information could be obtained on Hall, except that he was present at the February 11, 1828 meeting in San Felipe de Austin, and that he was part owner of some property along Chocolate Bayou, close to what is now Alvin, Texas.

Hall has an entry in the Handbook of Texas Online.