Milam Masonic Institute

Many pioneers in this area belonged to the Ancient, Free and Accepted Masons, an order active in education. Among Masons settling here by 1845 were Republic of Texas leaders William Clark, James Gaines, D.S. Kaufman, Willis H. Landrum, and F.M. Weatherred. The Rev. Littleton Fowler (1803-46), a Mason, opened the Midway Institute in this county in 1845, and it was soon absorbed by Red Mount Seminary. At Red Mount (Milam) in 1847, Jackson Lodge No. 35, A.F. & A.M., began work with John Boyd, G.A. Norford, A.D. Oliphint, O.J. Polley, and J.T. Scruggs as officers. The lodge soon operated the Milam Masonic Institute as successor to the earlier schools, and on its 1853 charter application M.M.I. was listed as already "a flourishing school." Later, Sexton Lodge No. 251, A.F. & A.M., operated M.M.I., which contributed greatly to East Texas culture until tax-funded education became universal in the 1870s. Supporters included Masons from the Anderson, Causey, Davis, Deweese, Dorsey, Elliott, Gellately, Halbert, Harper, Harris, Jacks, Low, McCloskey, McGown, McMahan, Mason, Nethery, Noble, Pratt, Reeves, Renfro, Sanders, Slaughter, Smith, Speights, Sweet, Tucker, Vickers, Watson, White, Whittlesey, Williams, and Yeiser families.

Milam, Texas · United States