Hempstead Lodge History
The first Masonic lodge in what was later to become Waller County was the Brazos Lodge #75. It received it's dispensation in 1850 and it's charter was dated January 24, 1851. Meetings were held the first Saturday after the full moon each month. In those days when members walked, rode horses or in a buggy the meetings were timed so the brothers could see their way home after the meetings.
Brazos Lodge was first located in Heathville just west of the present day Hempstead which in those days was in Austin County. It was moved to Salem Church in 1854. Two years later it moved again to Rock Island. From there it moved to Hempstead in 1858. The Brazos Lodge was demised on June 13, 1864.
The Hempstead Lodge #749 was chartered on June 5 1893 when 22 Masons submitted a petition for the new lodge. The charter members were,
| E.A. Pace |
J.E.McCluskin |
Sam Farquhar |
| John E. Mills |
D.D. Robertson |
A. Applewhite |
| H.C. Tomkins |
J.W. Renfro |
S. Schwartz |
| H.W. Rankin |
W.M. Lupton |
E.F. Johns |
| M.S. Urban |
E.H. Jones |
F.W. Zadon |
| Jacob Hauser |
J. Blassingame |
G.N. Phelps |
| J.F. Christoph |
E.D. Dixon |
L. Mahan |
| J.H. Morrison |
The first Worshipful Master was E.A. Pace who was also the last Worshipful Master of the Brazos Lodge. Meetings were held on the Friday before the first full moon.