01/26/2026
A brief history of Lexington, Alabama, Masonic Lodge #613
Lexington Masonic Lodge #613 has a long and storied history that dates back to the early 20th century. The Lodge was chartered in 1904 and has been a cornerstone of the community ever since.
A small group of Lexington businessmen, farmers, and church leaders, who were also Freemasons in neighboring Masonic lodges, petitioned the Grand Lodge of Alabama for permission to form a new lodge. A dispensation document authorizing the formation and commencement of work was granted by the Grand Master of Masons of Alabama, Robert Redden, in early March of 1904.
At 10:00 on the morning of March 10, 1904, a small group of men met in Lexington (the exact location of that first meeting place is no longer known) to elect and install lodge officers for the remainder of the year. The Worshipful Master of Greenhill Lodge #402, George Washington Thigpen, Sr., was to be the Installing Officer.
Lodge minutes from that first meeting recorded the names of the men present as George Washington Thigpen, Sr.; Ira Bluford Thigpen; George Washington Thigpen, Jr.; John Thomas McPeters; Hugh Porter Davis; William Thomas Porter; Robert Hugh McGuire; Andrew Lee Phillips; John Buford Thigpen; Dr. Alexander (Alex) Hamilton Smith; James Franklin Phillips; James Mason Hammonds; William Wesley Belew; and John William Lanier, all from Lauderdale County. The visiting brothers from McCallum Lodge #350 in Appleton, Tennessee, included Moses Monroe Powell, William Winston Richardson, Benjamin Newton Matthews, George Washington Dobbins, Benjamin Franklin Newton, John Daniel Powell, and Andrew Hagan.
George Washington Thigpen, Jr. was installed as Lexington Lodge's first Worshipful Master (WM). George was the son of the Installing Officer. The remaining officers would be John Thomas McPeters, Senior Warden (SW); William Thomas Porter, Junior Warden (JW); Andrew Lee Phillips, Secretary; Dr. Alexander (Alex) Hamilton Smith, Treasurer; James Mason Hammonds, Senior Deacon (SD); William Wesley Belew, Junior Deacon (JD); and John William Lanier, Tyler.
At the Lodge's March 25th meeting, petitions for affiliation were received from Brothers Stephen Lee Shelton and Reverend William Hardy White. The petitions were assigned to an investigation committee for further action. In addition, the following petitions for initiation were received from John D. Jones, Stith Milton Williams, Albert Benjamin Porter, Oscar Willis Glover, and William J. Smith, who were likewise assigned to investigation committees to determine eligibility and worthiness. Also, at that meeting, the Worshipful Master appointed brothers Andrew Lee Phillips and Alexander Hamilton Smith to draft the Lodge's by-laws in order to apply to the Grand Lodge for an official Charter. Drafting these bylaws would take several months.
During the Lodge’s first meeting in April, the investigating committees for affiliation reported favorably on Brothers Stephen Lee Shelton and Reverend William Hardy White, and they became the first elected members of Lexington #613.
The committees on the petitions for the first group of men for the three degrees of symbolic Masonry began to report back favorably to the Lodge. Over the next few months, Lexington #613 became busy with the conferral of Entered Apprentice, Fellow Craft, and Master Mason degrees. Brothers Stith Milton Williams and Oscar Willis Glover would have the distinction of becoming the Lodge's first members to be raised as Master Masons. The Lodge was quickly growing in membership.
At the August meeting in 1904, Worshipful Master Thigpen appointed brothers John D. Jones and Robert Hugh McGivens as Senior and Junior Stewards and brother William Hardy White as Chaplain, completing all required lodge officer assignments.
At the November 26, 1904, meeting, the by-laws committee submitted their final draft to the Lodge, which was accepted by majority vote. The Worshipful Master then instructed the Secretary to send the Lodge's dispensation document authorizing the Lodge to work, a copy of the proposed by-laws, and $35, along with a request letter for a Lodge Charter, to the Secretary of the Grand Lodge of Alabama in Montgomery. The Charter was approved the following month at the Grand Lodge's Annual Communication and was signed by the incoming Grand Master, Henry Hudson Matthews. Lexington Masonic Lodge #613 was now an official Chartered Lodge.
Shortly after the Lodge was formed, Lodge officers agreed to enter into a joint venture with local Methodist parishioners and Church of Christ members to build a new building. The Methodist and Church of Christ congregations would occupy the bottom floor, and Lexington Masonic Lodge would utilize the entire top floor for its meetings. It is believed that the location of that first Lodge and church was near the present-day Methodist church, according to documents in the local history section of the Lexington Public Library.
After the lodge/church building was completed and work commenced, a local lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows asked to rent the Lexington Masonic Lodge's space for their monthly meetings and initiation ceremonies. Their request was approved, and over the next few years, both lodges and the Methodist congregation occupying the building's ground floor flourished.
In the winter of 1916, tragedy struck, and the church and lodge building were destroyed by fire. All Masonic lodge furniture and paraphernalia were destroyed in the conflagration, except Lodge minutes and records, which were in the possession of the lodge secretary, Brother A. L. Phillips.
For the next few months, Lexington Lodge met in borrowed spaces. A request was made to the Grand Lodge of Alabama for a new charter to replace the one destroyed in the fire. Following Grand Lodge protocol, a new charter was issued and signed by then-Grand Master Walter Smith and other Grand Officers. It carries the date of September 1916, not December 1904, when the original Grand Lodge Charter was issued.
Brother A. L. Phillips deeded a nearby parcel of land of the old Lodge site to the Methodist Congregation to erect a new church building. Shortly after that, Lexington Masonic Lodge partnered with the Lexington Church of Christ congregation to build a new two-story building on a lot directly across from the Lexington Cemetery and just north of today's Lexington Post Office. Brother A. L. Phillips donated that parcel of land as well. Lexington Masonic Lodge would occupy the upstairs floor of that building until 1962, when the current lodge hall was erected.
In the early days, the Lodge was a gathering place for local Masons who met at least twice a month to discuss lodge affairs, vote on applications for new members, conduct initiation ceremonies, and plan charitable activities. Over time, the Lodge grew in size and influence, becoming a focal point for the community.
In the years that followed, the Lodge remained an essential part of the community, supporting local charities and other civic organizations. Lexington Lodge and several of its officers played a crucial role in the construction of new elementary and high school buildings. Two lodge members, brothers A. L. Phillips and W. W. Belew, donated parcels of land for the new school sites.
As the years passed, the Lodge continued to grow and evolve, adapting to the community's changing needs. Today, it remains a vital part of Lexington's history, and its members continue to play an essential role in supporting education and shaping the town's future.
Whether providing support for local charities or helping to build a stronger, more vibrant community, the Lexington Masonic Lodge has always been there for the people of this great town. And as long as there are Masons who are committed to its ideals, it will continue to be a beacon of hope and inspiration for generations to come.
