Anadaco Lodge No. 176

In January of 1855, a petition to the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of the State of Texas, was written requesting either Letters of Dispensation or a Warrant of Constitution to assemble as a Legal Lodge to discharge the charities of Masonry in a regular and Constitutional manner according to the original forms of the Order and the regulations of the Grand Lodge of Texas. This petition recommended the following officers to be temporarily placed in the office by the Most Worshipful Grand Master:
Brother James M. Cox, Worshipful Master
John F. Scott, Senior Warden
H.H. Mallory, Junior Warden

The petition went on to say "If the prayers of the petitioners shall be granted, they promise a strict conformity to the Constitution, Laws and Regulations of the Grand Lodge of Texas. This letter was signed by H.H. Mallory, Charles E. Bernard, James M. Scott, James O'Toole, Newton King, J.T. Ratcliff, William K. King and James M. Cox.

James O. Illingworth, secretary pro tem of Waco Lodge #92 did certify that the forgoing petition was presented to said lodge at the stated meeting in May and it was unanimously approved and recommended to the Most Worshipful Grand Master. This was dated June 14, 1855.3

Dispensation was granted on June 18, 1855.

There were also minutes recorded from Anadako Lodge #176 in the archives of the Grand Lodge of Texas dated July 28, 1855 to December 27, 1855. The charter was granted on January 24, 1856. In December 1857, the lodge voted to surrender their charter. The members were transferred to Fort Worth to reinforce the Fort. The Master failed to turn in papers prior to 1850. The Most Worshipful Grand Master that signed the dispensation was E.B. Nichols.

The lodge will be a moon lodge and meet on or after the first full moon each month. Their first meeting was held January 28, 2005. The members arrived on horseback and by horse drawn wagon. They were dressed in overalls, jeans, boots etc. Beans and cornbread was served for the meal. The meeting was held by oil lamp, and started by reading the minutes of the last stated meeting which just happened to be the last meeting before the lodge demised!

The name is spelled in various ways, in the petition it is spelled Anadahko. The Grand Lodge of Texas did more extensive research and officially pronounced the spelling as Anadaco.