History of Mount Horeb Lodge No. 137, A. F. & A. M.
Chartered in North West Williamson County. Meets today in South East Burnet County in Mahomet, Texas
Most likely written by B. H. Stewart in about 1917. (Born April 22, 1843 - Died March 24, 1932)

The history of this Lodge begins soon after the first settlement in this part of the State. In the year 1849 P. G. M. Sam Mather, an Englishman by birth, settled on the North San Gabriel, eighteen miles West of Georgetown, Williamson County; between the date and the latter part of the year 1852, William P. Rich , C. A. Russell, Winslow Turner and M. S. Scaggs settled in the Northwestern part of Williamson County. I. M. Brown and R. G. Rice located in Burnet County five miles N. W. of the Mather settlement; Georgetown was the nearest post office at that time. These men were all Master Masons and were the charter members of the Mount Horeb Lodge.

On the 17th day of September, 1853 a petition for Dispensation for a Lodge at Gabriel Mills, Williamson County was presented to Grand Master A. P. Neil, signed by Sam Mather, Wm. P. Rich, I. M. Brown, C. A. Russell, Winslow Turner, R. G Rice and M. S. Scaggs, and on the 27th day of the same month a Dispensation was granted to the following officers: Wm. P. Rich Wor. Master; Isaac M. Brown, S. W.; M. S. Scaggs, J. W.

Now a word in regard to myself. In the year 1851, John T. Stewart, father of this writer, a native of Tennessee, settled on the North San Gabriel, twenty-two miles N. W. of Georgetown. In 1854 he was initiated and passed and raised to the sublime degree of Master Mason in the new Lodge. I at the time he settled here was eight years old and having lived here ever since! I have been a member of the Mt. Horeb Lodge continuously for forty-nine years. I was personally acquainted with each of the Charter Members. Brother Jno. Dunlop and myself are the only two men now living who were here when the Lodge was organized, and I presume that is the principle reason why I was requested to write the history of this Lodge.

On account of the loss of all the valuable records by fire, which occurred December 19th, 1915, much will have to be omitted which no doubt might have been of great interest.

In submitting the historical facts concerning this Lodge I am sure it will be difficult for the members of the Lodge at this time to fully understand and appreciate the difficulties, trials, and dangers of the Masonic pioneers of this section had to contend with, nevertheless, I shall so far as possible relate the most important facts and incidents in the history of this Lodge from the date of Dispensation to the present time.

The first meeting place of the new Lodge was in a very small board shanty at Gabriel Mills, with a dirt floor. On January 21st, 1854 a Charter was granted, Wm. P. Rich being the first W. M., Issac M. Brown, S. W.; and M. S. Scaggs, J. W.; the charter members were Past Grand Master Sam Mather, Wm . P. Rich, Issac M. Brown, C. A. Russell, R. G. Rice and M. S. Scaggs.

In 1854 a small log house, 14x16 feet was about one mile West of Gabriel Mills for a school house and church; the floor was of black dirt, the seats were made of logs split open in the center, the rough splinters were hewn off with a broad axe; the roof was of oak boards, split with a froe and mallet. The first school this writer ever attended was in that humble building.

Immediately after its completion the Lodge moved into it. The alter they used was a section off a hollow log about twenty inches in diameter with a board cover for a top. After the lodge was closed, this altar would be placed on some poles overhead and there remain until the next meeting of the Lodge. You can imagine how the curiosity of a few of us boys who attended the short terms of school taught there was aroused.

We knew the Masons used it for some purpose, but what for was the question we asked each other. Of course we could have found out, we could have climbed up, removed the cover and inspected everything it contained; be it said to their credit they never did. Of the boys referred to C. C. Stewart, eldest brother of this writer, W. A. Scaggs and H. C. Bittick afterwards became members of the Lodge.

Here in this small log house on a dirt floor, those golden hearted men and Masons, at that time living on the extreme frontier continued to meet around that crude altar until the early part of 1856.

Brother Sam Mather having rebuilt his mill which had been washed away in a disastrous flood in the San Gabriel in May 1854, the Lodge occupied one room in the mill building until a new Lodge building could be erected.

In 1856 P. G. M. Sam Mather and B. K. Stewart each deeded twenty-five acres of land to the Lodge on which they decided to erect a two story frame building. The upper story to be used for a Lodge Room and the lower story for school and church purposes. The building was 20x24 feet, the sills, plates, joists, studding, and rafters were of timbers that were felled, hewn and prepared in the scanty post oak forests near by; the roof was of oak boards split with froe and mallet, the siding and floor for the upper story was of rough pine lumber purchased from the nearest saw mill which was located in Bastrop County, more than sixty miles distant; the lower story for a number of years had nothing but a dirt floor. Immediately after the completion of the building, the Lodge moved into it.

The history of Mt. Horeb Chapter No. 57 Royal Arch Masons being so intimately connected with Mt. Horeb Lodge, it may be interesting to briefly refer to the same.

A petition for a Dispensation for a Chapter of R. A. M. to be located at Gabriel Mills, Williamson County, under date of January 24th, 1857 signed by O. Benedict, Wm. Ferguson, Daniel Hogan, Wm. P. Rutledge, A. H. Chalmers, Sam Mather, J. W. Spreight, L. C. Robertson, Thos. J. Espy, and I. J. Kidd. This partition was recommended by Lone Star Chapter 6, Austin, Texas, under the date of February 14th, 1857.

Deputy Grand High Priest A. S. Ruthven issued the Dispensation under date of April 1st, 1857, in which he appointed E. L. C. Robertson, H. P., Sam Mather K., and Wm. P. Rutledge, S. Companion R. M. Elgin, accompanied by several other Companions from Lone Star Chapter No. 6 instituted the Chapter, installing the above named officers in their respective stations and the following appointees: A. H. Chambers, O. O. H., Wm. O'Hair, P. S., I. J. Kidd, R. A. C., D. Hogan, M. 3rd V., O. Benedict, M. 2nd V., Wm. Ferguson, M 1st V. J.

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