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Post by monson on Jul 7, 2011 15:10:17 GMT -5
I've been around this forum for quite a while and hesitate to post anything since I feel that I'm in the presence of quite learned men where Texas and the Alamo are concerned, but I've never seen an article in here on the role Masonry played in early Texas. Certainly it was a unifying factor since all of Texas' presidents were Masons and people such as Bowie, Crockett, Travis, Dickenson, Bonham and Houston to mention a few. I find it interesting when comparing the number of Masons involved with the number of Masons involved in the founding of the United States.
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Post by Kevin Young on Jul 7, 2011 16:04:07 GMT -5
and considering the Alamo became the site of the formation of the Masonic Lodge in SA during the Mexican War...
Also, the role Masonic lodges played in early Mexican politics...
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Post by Allen Wiener on Jul 7, 2011 19:36:43 GMT -5
There's even a plaque honoring the masons who died at the Alamo on the Long Barrack. Here's a photo of it:
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Post by monson on Jul 8, 2011 2:24:50 GMT -5
I've also heard that Santa Anna was a Mason but can find no proof of that. He doesn't appear in any lodge in Mexico.
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Post by Joy Manuel on Jul 8, 2011 7:29:39 GMT -5
I found this, not saying its true, but have found also other sites stating that he was a mason. Added the link incase you wanted to read the whole page. Joy quote (The first Masonic Lodge in Texas was formed in March of 1835, approximately a year before Texas declared independence from Mexico. Although there were Masons in Mexico - Santa Anna was a Mason - the Catholic church frowned on Freemasonry. Therefore, the first lodge was formed in secret) Quote (As previously mentioned, Santa Anna himself was a Mason. Upon being brought before Sam Houston at San Jacinto, he recognized Houston as a fellow Mason and immediately gave the ‘brother in distress' sign.) seguingazette.com/opinion/community_columnists/article_10c2ad58-8e16-11e0-bf46-001cc4c03286.html
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Post by monson on Jul 8, 2011 9:52:32 GMT -5
I found a good article on Santa Anna's capture here: www.grandlodgeoftexas.org/node/111But I recall someone doing the research and stating that they could find no lodge that had any evidence of him being a member.
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Post by monson on Jul 8, 2011 12:54:42 GMT -5
I stand completely and utterly wrong about Santa Anna not being a Mason. I located an article which purports that his Masonic Apron has been found and is the possession of the descendants of the man who guarded Santa Anna after his capture. www.houstonmasoniclibrary.org/exhibit1.html
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Post by sloanrodgers on Jul 10, 2011 19:06:35 GMT -5
So there are no contemporary sources that state Santa Anna was a mason? Why would a flamboyant Mexican president and general like Santa Anna even have such a crudely-designed masonic apron. It also has English writing, instead of Spanish.
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Post by Hiram on Jul 11, 2011 0:39:00 GMT -5
Santa Anna was a member of the fraternity, both Scottish and York Rite. The Masonic sign of distress is displayed in ancient and due form clearly and demonstrably and cannot be confused for any other signal. The apron in the possession of the Stiles family is unmistakably Scottish Rite and can be traced to John Stiles. After Santa Anna was captured, Houston assigned guards to ensure that the general would be safe from retribution and permanent harm. The guards assigned were men of the highest character and a disproportionate number were Master Masons. This occurred in the month of October while Santa Anna was being held at James A.E. Phelps' plantation located near Columbia in Brazoria County. John Stiles, a member of the Red River Blues, was discharged from duty along with other former members of the Blues, near Columbia in the same month. Stiles was in the immediate vicinity of Santa Anna, as was Sam Houston, being that the First Session of the First Congress of the Republic of Texas was convening in the current capital, that being Columbia. In 1842, Santa Anna spared the life of James Phelps' son, Orlando, who had been a member of the Somervell/Mier Expedition, sending him back to Texas with $500 in gold.
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Post by Kevin Young on Jul 11, 2011 11:50:15 GMT -5
a lot of the escoces rite switched over when the yorkino rite was established. Jose Maria Tornel was among those, as was appparently Santa Anna.
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Post by Hiram on Jul 11, 2011 13:50:32 GMT -5
a lot of the escoces rite switched over when the yorkino rite was established. Jose Maria Tornel was among those, as was appparently Santa Anna. Yes, this is true. The single best source for the role of freemasonry not only in Texas, but in Mexico and even the American colonies, is Masonry in Texas: Background, History and Influence to 1846 by James D. Carter, published in 1958.
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Post by Allen Wiener on Jul 11, 2011 14:45:57 GMT -5
Probably a side issue, but at the time of the Texas Revolution, there was a very active political party of "Anti-Masons" that had several representatives elected to Congress. Not quite clear on what their agenda was.
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Post by Hiram on Jul 11, 2011 22:04:52 GMT -5
The Anti-Masonic Party was the first third party, the first party to hold a convention, and the first to put forth a political platform. It was formed in 1827 as a result of the William Morgan affair, held at one time two governorships, Vermont and Pennsylvania, but lost steam in the mid-1830s. Most of the Anti-Masons ended up in the Whig Party along with the National Republicans, ironic in that one of the most prominent Whigs was Henry Clay, who not only was a Master Mason, but also served as Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Kentucky.
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Post by sloanrodgers on Jul 11, 2011 22:59:46 GMT -5
The apron in the possession of the Stiles family is unmistakably Scottish Rite and can be traced to John Stiles. How can this alleged San Jacinto relic be traced to John Stiles or more importantly to Santa Anna? I can find no evidence that this high standard was followed, although General Houston seems to have trusted some rangers. The original Stiles Family account was that Capt. William Becknall's Company of Mounted Volunteers (or rangers) and called by some the Red River Blues, arrived at the San Jacinto battleground a few hours after the fight. They found General Houston laying wounded under a tree. Houston related the events of the battle to Capt. Becknall and Lt. James Clark, then Houston said he must protect the life of Santa Anna. No mention is made of masonic hand signals or who was a Mason and who wasn't. Houston suggested that a few of Becknall's rangers would make good guards for Santa Anna since they were new arrivals to the scene and were not excited by the recent battles. Becknall and Clark supposedly assigned three men from their company to this duty. John Stiles was allegedly one and Isaiah D. Lawson was supposedly another, which implies they were in the company at the time. Family tradition held that John Stiles obtained a masonic apron and other regalia that were once owned by Santa Anna, but the specifics of how he received them seems very indefinite. Another story states that Stiles was sent a "York Rite" apron and silk serape with a letter from Santa Anna. Of course someone eventually realized that the San Jacinto guard story above didn't jive with the facts of John Stiles' enlistment and the sothward movement of Becknall's company, so adjustments had to be made. John Stiles enlisted in Becknall's company on July 14, 1836 at Sulphur Fork Springs, but the company wasn't assembled for the trip south until Aug. 31. The company apparently headed to Nacodoches, where it apparently split in half. Most of the men stayed behind here for various reasons, while Becknall and 24 rangers moved on. John Stiles was later discharged on Oct. 14th, then received pay for his three months service in December.
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Post by Hiram on Jul 11, 2011 23:35:02 GMT -5
RangerRod,
To answer your questions, the apron has remained within the Stiles family since 1836. There is no evidence that it came from anyone other than John Stiles, and they have politely but firmly declined my offer to have it displayed at The Alamo.
Evidence of the disproportionate percentage of Master Masons assigned guard duty can be found in Carter's book, it is well-researched and well-written.
As for the Stiles family story changing, I can only speak to the conversation I had with Lewis Stiles' father Lester some nine years ago. He spoke about his ancestor being in Columbia in October 1836, and having no evidence in my possession of anything contrary to that, I took him for his word.
Authentic or not, it's an interesting item, and even many Masons are surprised when they learn that freemasonry was rampant throughout Latin America (and still continues as such.)
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