By:  Johnson                                           H.R. No. 505
       73R7929 SDU-D
                                  R E S O L U T I O N
    1-1        WHEREAS, The Texas House of Representatives is proud to honor
    1-2  Tenaha Masonic Lodge No. 737 Ancient Free and Accepted Masons,
    1-3  which will commemorate a century of Masonry in its community at the
    1-4  Tenaha Masonic Temple on November 6, 1993; and
    1-5        WHEREAS, On June 11, 1892, William Martin, the secretary of
    1-6  Sam Samford Lodge No. 149 in Center, requested permission from
    1-7  Grand Master John Watson to form a Masonic Lodge in Tenaha, and a
    1-8  temporary dispensation to create the lodge was granted by Grand
    1-9  Master John Waters on September 3, 1892; and
   1-10        WHEREAS, The new lodge had as its first officers Worshipful
   1-11  Master Jesse J. Ramey, Senior Warden Peter Lazarus Johnson, and
   1-12  Junior Warden Dr. O. P. Martindale, who shared their considerable
   1-13  leadership abilities with the lodge's membership through this
   1-14  formative period until December 6, 1893, when the Grand Lodge of
   1-15  Texas granted the Tenaha Masonic Lodge's charter, naming
   1-16  O. P. Martindale as worshipful master, J. E. McWhorter as senior
   1-17  warden, and A. J. Clayton as junior warden; and
   1-18        WHEREAS, The Tenaha Masonic Lodge's growth paralleled that of
   1-19  the burgeoning community it served, increasing its membership from
   1-20  the original 20 to 80 during its first decade of existence; among
   1-21  the lodge's many distinguished members through the years have been
   1-22  A. B. Knight, who served both as the group's worshipful master in
   1-23  1909 and as Tenaha's first mayor, his great-great-nephew, Ike
   1-24  Reeves, who served as master in 1991, and the lodge's current
    2-1  officers, Worshipful Master Clarence P. "Larry" Fontaine, Senior
    2-2  Warden Carl A. Anderson, Junior Warden Ronald E. Fleming, and
    2-3  Secretary Homer J. Potter; and
    2-4        WHEREAS, The members of Tenaha Masonic Lodge have played a
    2-5  vital role in the Tenaha community over the course of the past
    2-6  century, and their lodge continues to lend assistance to a wide
    2-7  variety of worthy projects, including the Shriners Hospitals for
    2-8  Crippled Children and Burns Institute, the Knights Templar Eye
    2-9  Foundation and Education Foundation, the Scottish Rite Hospital for
   2-10  Crippled Children and Dyslexia Program, the York Rite Home for Aged
   2-11  Masons, and the Blue Lodge Masonic Home and School; and
   2-12        WHEREAS, For 100 years, the members of Tenaha Masonic Lodge
   2-13  No. 737 have generously donated their time and talents to the
   2-14  betterment of their community; the initiative, commitment, and
   2-15  dedication shown by these caring individuals have earned them the
   2-16  high regard of their neighbors and all Texans, and they are indeed
   2-17  deserving of special recognition as they prepare to celebrate this
   2-18  momentous occasion; now, therefore, be it
   2-19        RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 73rd Texas
   2-20  Legislature hereby congratulate Tenaha Masonic Lodge No. 737 on the
   2-21  occasion of the 100th anniversary of its founding and extend to its
   2-22  members sincere best wishes for continued success and happiness
   2-23  throughout the years to come; and, be it further
   2-24        RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
   2-25  prepared for Tenaha Masonic Lodge No. 737 as an expression of high
   2-26  regard by the Texas House of Representatives.