OLDEST - Order of the Eastern Star in Texas, Cedar Bayou, TX
Posted by: 
jhuoni
N 29° 45.312 W 094° 55.679
15R E 313578 N 3293216
In a building shared with Cedar Bayou Masonic Lodge No. 321, Cedar Bayou Chapter No. 11 Order Of The Eastern Star was organized on May 17, 1884, by Joseph W. Ellender.
Waymark Code: WMXZNM
Location: Texas, United States
Date Posted: 03/23/2018
Views: 3
A Texas Historical Marker on the hall states:
Built 1875-1876, largely by labor of members. Lumber, cut to order in Florida, arrived here by schooner in nick of time to escape havoc of 1875 hurricane.
The 1883 worshipful master, J. H. Kipp, made and gave (1889) the carved and inlaid altar and some other appointments.
Oldest Eastern Star chapter in Texas (Cedar Bayou Chapter No. 11, (O. E. S.), organized in 1884, has always met in this hall.
(1970)
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History Lesson:
Order of the Eastern Star is a co-ed Fraternal Organization.
"Our founder was a well-known Master Mason and he wanted the Female Relatives of Master Masons to have a fraternal organization that they could belong to and that the Master Masons could belong to also. The members of the Order of the Eastern Star are dedicated women and men who sincerely reflect the spirit of fraternal love and the desire to work together for good. It gives them the opportunity to give a part of their time to many projects that benefit mankind."
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