All posts by Billy Hamilton

Anson Jones Lecture, Stated Meetings

June Stated Meeting & Anson Jones Lecture

Please join us for the June Stated Meeting and 2025 Anson Jones Lecture for Texas Lodge of Research.

Stated Meeting Details

Date: Saturday, June 21, 2025
Time: 4:00 PM
Location: Onion Creek Lodge No. 220, 706 North Bluff, Austin, TX 78745

Anson Jones Lecture and Dinner

Our 2025 Lecturer is W. Bro. Lt. Col. J.W. David L.G. Clarke G.A., CVO, CCM, ADC, PJGD (UGLE). W. Bro. Clarke is a Past Master of Shotokan Karate Lodge 9752 and The Research Lodge of Amity 9073, both under the United Grand Lodge of England. He is an Honorary Grand Librarian of the Grand Lodge of Scotland, as well as the M.E. Grand Superintendent for The District Grand Royal Arch Chapter of Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean under the Supreme Grand Royal Arch Chapter of Scotland. His lecture will discuss the development and use of affinity lodges in the three “home country” constitutions (England, Scotland, Ireland).

Time: 7:00 PM
Location: Hyatt Regency Hotel, 208 Barton Springs Road, Austin, TX 78704
Meal Options: Beef (total $95 per person) or Chicken (total $85 per person). Please email your choice to [email protected] for each person no later than May 30, 2025. Meal payments should be received no later than June 14, 2025.

There will also be a cash bar located near the meeting room should you wish to purchase a beverage prior to or during the meal.

Please mail checks payable to Texas Lodge of Research and send them to:
PO Box 686
Hereford, TX 79045

Electronic payment is available via PayPal to [email protected]. PayPal pricing: Beef $99, Chicken $89.

Accommodations

A block of 10 rooms has been arranged at the Hampton Inn and Suites in downtown Austin for June 21st. The room rate is $139 plus tax and can be made by calling the hotel directly at 512-472-1500. Please reference Texas Lodge of Research to get the room rate.

Future Meetings of TLR

  • September 20, 2025 – Arlington: Fall Stated Meeting hosted by Arlington Lodge No. 438, 1415 W. Abram St., Arlington, TX 76013.
  • December 6, 2025 – San Antonio: Winter Stated Meeting hosted by Davy Crockett Lodge No. 1225, 519 Alametos, San Antonio, TX 78212.
Installation, Stated Meetings, Stated Meetings

March 2025 Stated Meeting and Installation

Brethren,

Please join us for the March Stated Meeting of Texas Lodge of Research. In keeping with tradition, this meeting will include the election and installation of officers for the upcoming year.

Meeting Details

  • Date: Saturday, March 15, 2025
  • Time: 10:00 AM
  • Location: Victoria Lodge No. 40, 3502 N. Navarro St., Victoria, TX 77901
  • Lunch Donation: $15

Friday No-Host Dinner

The Friday night no-host dinner will be held at Chili’s at 5:30 PM. The restaurant is located at 5004 N. Navarro Street, Victoria, TX 77904.

Accommodations

Our Senior Warden has arranged for a hotel block for March 14th. Rate is $90 +Tax for a single king room. Reservations must be made by calling the hotel directly no later than March 3rd.

Holiday Inn Express & Suites
111 Huvar
Victoria, TX 77904
361-575-1600

Reference TLR when making your reservation.

Future Meetings of TLR

  • June 21, 2025 – Austin: Anson Jones Lecture and Summer Stated Meeting at T. Neal Porter Lodge No. 1354, 311 W. 7th St., Austin, TX 78701.
  • September 20, 2025 – Arlington: Fall Stated Meeting hosted by Arlington Lodge No. 438, 1415 W. Abram St., Arlington, TX 76013.
  • December 6, 2025 – San Antonio: Winter Stated Meeting hosted by Davy Crockett Lodge No. 1225, 519 Alametos, San Antonio, TX 78212.

We look forward to welcoming you to Victoria as Texas Lodge of Research moves into another year of fellowship and education.

Stated Meetings, Stated Meetings

December 2024 Stated Meeting

Our December meeting will be on Saturday, December 21st at 3:00 pm. It will be hosted by Ocean Lodge No. 230, located at 1009 Palo Pinto Street in Weatherford.

This will be an afternoon meeting followed by a Saturday evening “no host” dinner at the Fire Oak Grill.

Host Hotel 
Comfort Inn & Suites Weatherford
2524 S. Main Street
Weatherford, TX 76087
$101+ tax (Saturday night only)

Click here to make your hotel reservation

No Host Dinner – Saturday evening
5:30pm
Fire Oak Grill
114 Austin Ave.
Weatherford, TX 76086

Upcoming Meetings
March 22, 2025 – Victoria Lodge No. 40, 3502 N. Navarro, Victoria, TX

June 21, 2025 – T. Neal Porter Lodge No. 1354, 311 W. 7th St., Austin, TX

September 20, 2025 – Arlington Lodge No. 438, 1415 W. Abram, Arlington, TX

December 6, 2025 – Davy Crockett Lodge No. 1225, 519 Alametos, San Antonio, TX

Stated Meetings, Stated Meetings

September 2024 Stated Meeting

Please join us for our September stated meeting. Our host will be Oso Naval Lodge No. 1282, located at 3215 Reid Drive, Corpus Christi, TX 78404. It will be a morning meeting at 10:00 am on Saturday, September 21, 2024.

There will be no host hotel for this meeting.

“No Host” Dinner (Friday, Sept. 20th) at Joe’s Crab Shack, 444 North Shoreline Blvd., Corpus Christi, TX 78401. Reservation is scheduled for 6:30 pm.

Saturday lunch will be at Oso Naval Lodge.

Lunch menu:
BBQ Brisket and Sausage
Coleslaw and Potato Salad
Banana Pudding
Bread, pickles, onions, jalapenos available
Sweet & Unsweet tea
Requested donation $20 per person

Please note: All paper presentations are given during an open portion of the regular lodge meeting. Spouses, kids, EAs, and FCs are welcome to join us for lunch and presentations.

Next Meeting:

December 21, 2024 – Union Lodge No. 82 in Weatherford. More info to follow.

Anson Jones Lecture, Stated Meetings, Stated Meetings

June Stated Meeting & Anson Jones Lecture

JOIN US AT The Grand Lodge of Texas, 715 Columbus Avenue, Waco, Texas 76701.
Our meeting will be held in conjunction with the annual statewide York Rite Festival on Saturday, June 22nd.  The Lodge will meet at approximately Noon, or as close thereafter, pending the conclusion of the Select Master Degree.  We will determine who will attend the business meeting and make an effort at getting some sandwiches delivered.  Our meeting will be held in the newly set up lodge room on the lower level of the building.  If you haven’t seen the beautiful antique furniture donated by Faith Lodge in Wichita Falls, it’s worth attending just for that.

We will keep the business meeting as concise as possible to allow those who need to participate in the Commandery Orders in the afternoon to do so.  There will be no paper presentations during the meeting.

The 2024 Anson Jones Lecture will follow at 6:30 p.m. in the lower-level atrium of the Lee Lockwood Library & Museum, 2801 Waco Drive.  Our lecturer is Bro. Chris Ruli, former Grand Historian of the Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia and the Valley of Washington, D.C.  Brother Ruli will present “Untold Stories of Freemasons and the White House.”  The lecture is open to all Masons and their guests.  RSVP is required.

We will be offering two registration choices for the lecture:
VIP Package – includes your choice of prime rib or salmon plus a copy of Bro. Ruli’s book Freemasons and the White House for $85.  RSVP deadline June 1st.
Standard Package – includes choice of prime rib or salmon.  RSVP deadline of June 13th.

Please RSVP to PM Christian Moore by email at [email protected] or phone at 512-887-0775 with the names of your party and menu selections. 

We will accept cash or check payable to “Texas Lodge of Research” at the event.  Electronic payment can also be arranged in advance.  No tickets will be available at the door.  Cancelations after June 14 will kindly require payment.
Installation, Stated Meetings

March 2024 Stated Meeting and Installation

**Please mark your calendars for March 30, 2024**

Please join us for the March stated meeting of Texas Lodge of Research. As per our regular tradition, the March meeting will also be our lodge elections and installation of officers.

Our host lodge will be Lufkin Lodge No. 669, located at 508 N. John Redditt Drive, Lufkin, TX 75904. The meeting will be on Saturday, March 30 at 10:00 am. A donation of $15.00 for lunch is requested.

Friday no-host dinner will be held at Ralph & Kacoo’s at 3107 S. 1st Street, Lufkin, TX 75901. Further details will be provided as they become available.

We have been unable to secure a host hotel due to the Easter weekend, however there are several hotels available nearby. They are: Holiday Inn Express and Suites: 936-699-3000; Hampton Inn and Suites: 936-699-2500; Courtyard by Marriott: 936-632-0777; Best Western Plus Crown Colony Inn and Suites; 936-634-3481.

We look forward to seeing you in Lufkin!

Future Meetings of TLR

June 22, 2024 – Waco. Summer stated meeting at Grand Lodge of Texas Memorial Temple and Anson Jones lecture at Lee Lockwood Library. More details to follow.

September 21, 2024 – Corpus Christi. Fall stated meeting. More details to follow.

December 21, 2024 – Weatherford. Winter stated meeting. More details to follow.

Stated Meetings

DECEMBER 2023 STATED MEETING

Please join us for the December stated meeting of Texas Lodge of Research. It will be our academic regalia meeting for the year. We want to celebrate all levels of academic achievement, and all members and guests are encouraged (but not required) to wear their academic robes.

Our host lodge will be Harmony Lodge No. 6, and will take place in the Egyptian Room at the Galveston Scottish Rite Cathedral, 2128 Church St, Galveston, TX 77550. The meeting will be on Saturday, December 16 at 2:00 pm, following a 1:00 pm lunch provided by the lodge. A donation of $15.00 for lunch is requested, and an additional donation for breakfast would be appreciated.

Moody Gardens Hotel, Spa & Convention Center is our host hotel, located at 7 Hope Blvd, Galveston, TX 77554. The hotel has offered Single King and Double Queen Rooms at $179 USD per night, with a block of rooms reserved for us. There will be an hospitality suite Friday night at the hotel.

Please click here to reserve your room.

Please note that self-parking is included in this rate. For any questions, please contact the hotel at (409) 741-8484.

The Friday evening “no-host dinner” will be in the private dining room of Shrimp N Stuff, located at 2506 Avenue H, Galveston, TX 77550. Our reservation is at 6:00 pm. The restaurant is owned by the Worshipful Master of Harmony Lodge, and they have graciously agreed to split the check for each guest.

We are also working with the Galveston Historical Foundation to arrange a private tour of one of the historic homes in Galveston at 10:00 am on Saturday before the meeting. More details will be posted when available.

We look forward to seeing you in Galveston!

Future Meetings of TLR

March 16, 2023 – hosted by Lufkin Lodge No. 669, located at 508 N. John Redditt Dr, Lufkin, TX 75904. More details to follow.

Stated Meetings

September 2023 Stated Meeting

Please join us for our September stated meeting. Our host will be Fredericksburg Lodge No. 794, located at 809 S. Adams, Fredericksburg, TX 78624. This will be an afternoon gathering.  The business meeting is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. with any approved papers to follow.  

Please note: All paper presentations are given during an open portion of the regular lodge meeting. Spouses, kids, EAs, and FCs are welcome to join us for lunch and presentations.

There will be no host hotel for this meeting, as it was impossible to negotiate a room block in Fredericksburg within our customary price range.  There will also be no no-host dinner on Friday evening, but we have arranged for a special event on Friday afternoon (details below).

We look forward to seeing you in Fredericksburg!

Agenda

Friday, September 15

3:00 p.m.: Private wine tasting at Becker Vineyards, courtesy of Brother James Peterson and his wife. This event is limited to 25 and will include a vineyard and winery tour, wine tasting, and charcuterie board. This event will be in lieu of our usual no-host dinner. 464 Becker Farms Road, Fredericksburg, TX 78624. Please book your reservations by Friday, September 8.

Click here to reserve your spot!

Saturday, September 16

10:00 a.m.: Group tour of the National Museum of the Pacific War and Nimitz Gallery. If attending, please visit the link below and click on the “Buy Tickets” box on the top-right of the page. Price is $24 per person (discount available for teachers and veterans). 311 E Austin St, Fredericksburg, TX 78624.

Click here to book your museum ticket!

1:00 p.m.: Lunch at Fredericksburg Lodge No. 794. Suggested donation of $15 per person. 809 S. Adams, Fredericksburg, TX 78624.

2:00 p.m.: Stated meeting at Fredericksburg Lodge No. 794. 809 S. Adams, Fredericksburg, TX 78624.

Future meetings of Texas Lodge of Research

December 16, 2:00 pm – Harmony Lodge No. 6, 2128 Church St, Galveston, TX 77550. We have negotiated a special room rate with Moody Gardens for the hotel, and there will be a hospitality room Friday night after the no-host dinner. More details to follow.

March 16, 2024 – Lufkin Lodge No. 669, 508 N. John Redditt Drive, Lufkin, TX 75904. More details to follow.

Stated Meetings

June Stated Meeting & Anson Jones Lecture

Please join us for our June stated meeting and 2023 Anson Jones Banquet and Lecture.

Our host will be Fort Worth Lodge No. 148, and the business meeting will be held at 2:00 pm in the Fort Worth Masonic Temple, located at 1100 Henderson Street, Fort Worth. The lodge room is located on the 3rd floor, room 420.

Our Anson Jones Lecture will be given during an evening banquet on the 4th floor. $55 per person, black tie formal attire.

Our 2023 Anson Jones Lecturer is Dr. Ric Berman, Past Master of Quotuor Coronati Lodge No. 2076, UGLE and Prestonian Lecturer. His books include Loyalists & Malcontents, From Roanoke to Raleigh, and The Grand Lodge of England & Colonial America – America’s Grand Masters, The Foundations of Modern Freemasonry, Schism, and Espionage, Diplomacy & the Lodge.

Dr. Berman holds a Masters in Economics from the University of Cambridge and a Doctorate in History from the University of Exeter. His post-doctoral research was at the University of Oxford’s Modern European History Research Centre.

Please note: The dinner and lecture is an open meeting. Spouses, EAs, and FCs are invited to join us for our evening event, as well as during any paper presentations given during the regular lodge meeting.

Book your dinner reservation here!

We have negotiated a rate of $179/night plus tax at the Holiday Inn Express & Suites directly across the street from the Fort Worth Masonic Temple. Breakfast is included, and free parking is available at the Masonic Temple. Please select June 16 and/or 17 to see the preferred rate in the booking portal.

Book your hotel room here!

The Friday night no-host dinner will be held at 6;30 pm at Sammie’s Bar-B-Q, located at 3801 E Belknap St, Fort Worth, TX 76111.

There will be a hospitality room on Friday night at the host hotel on the ground floor.

Agenda
2:00 pm – Texas Lodge of Research business meeting and paper presentations – 3rd floor rm #420
5:45 pm – Banquet check-in table opens – 4th floor
6:00 pm – Social hour – 4th floor
7:00 pm – Dinner and Anson Jones lecture – 4th floor commandery asylum

Menu**
Fruit & Cheese (during social hour)
Cranberry Walnut Salad
Chicken Cordon Bleu
Roasted Red Potatoes
Buttered Broccoli
Tiramisu
Tea / Water / Coffee

**Please let us know when reserving your ticket if you have any dietary restrictions.

Stated Meetings

MARCH 2023 STATED MEETING & ELECTION/INSTALLATION OF OFFICERS

Please join us for the March stated meeting of Texas Lodge of Research. We expect to have several papers read, including a paper by W:.M:. Richard Schlaudroff and another presentation by Pierre “Pete” Normand, Past Master of Texas Lodge of Research and Fellow.

Our host lodge will be St. Alban’s Lodge No. 1455, located at the Brazos Valley Masonic Library & Museum, 3411 Longmire Drive, College Station. The meeting will be on Saturday, March 18 at 9:00 am. Please note that this is an hour earlier than our usual start time. We will have a light breakfast available before the meeting, and lunch will be provided.

UPDATE: A donation of $15.00 for lunch is requested, and an additional donation for breakfast would be appreciated.

Texas A&M Hotel and Conference Center is our host hotel, located at 177 Joe Routt Blvd, College Station, TX 77840. The hotel has offered King Rooms at $139 USD per night, with a block of rooms reserved for us. The cutoff date for the reserved block is February 15, 2023, so please book as early as possible at the following link:

Texas Lodge of Research Room Block

Please note that parking is included in this rate for one vehicle per room in the attached Gene Stallings Garage. For any questions, please contact the hotel at 979-260-2235.

The Friday evening “no-host dinner” will be in the hotel at the Brazos Proper Texas Kitchen. Our reservation is at 7:00 pm. The restaurant has graciously agreed to split the check for each guest.

We look forward to seeing you in College Station!

Future Meetings of TLR

Annual Anson Jones Lecture at Fort Worth – June 17, 2023
Host will be Fort Worth Lodge No. 148, located at 1100 Henderson Street, Fort Worth, TX. Dr. Ric Berman, Past Master and Long-Serving Secretary of Quatuor Coronati Lodge No. 2076, UGLE. He was the 2016 Prestonian Lecturer, and author of multiple books on Masonic history available on Amazon. More details to follow as soon as they become available.

Frederickburg – September 16, 2023

Galveston – December 16, 2023