Historical Marker Number: 11497
Marker Title: Madison Lodge No. 126, A. F. & A. M.
* Center photo is of a hand painting of the original Madison Lodge
building.
* Third photo is the corner stone from the old building on Fifth St.
(click on photos for a larger view)
Index Entry: Madison Lodge No. 126, A. F. & A. M.
Address: 411 N. 5th St.
City: Orange
County: Orange
Year Marker Erected: 1976
Marker Text:
Hugh Ochiltree (1820-91), George A. Pattillo (1796-1871), and other leading citizens organized this lodge on April 30, 1853. Col. Ochiltree had come to Texas in 1839, fought in the Mexican War, and helped develop the town of Madison (Now Orange). Pattillo settled in the county in 1830, was a local official of the Mexican colony of Texas, a republic of Texas Congressman, and a Veteran public leader. The lodge was chartered under the name by which the town of Orange was known from 1842 to 1858. Officers for the first year were William Smith, worshipful master; Pattillo, Senior Warden; Ochiltree, Junior Warden; A. H. Reading, Secretary; I. H. Hutchings, Treasurer; S. Fairchilds, Senior Deacon; N. Smith, Junior Deacon; Charles Saxon, Tiler. Madison lodge sponsored the town's first public school, 1854-1879, providing housing on the ground floor of the lodge hall--where church services were also held for a number of years. In 1865, a hurricane destroyed the original lodge building. A second was erected in 1878. The present building, with banquet room, offices, and other appointments, was completed in August 1926. Supplemental Plate: Moved from second lodge site at 5th and Elm after sale of property to new, but continuing, location of original Madison Lodge #126, A. F. & a. M.
The information on Historical Markers
is from
The Texas Historical Sites Atlas
Photos by Elaine Stone
Back to Historical Markers
Back to Orange County
TXGenWeb
USGenWeb
