On August 19, 1893 a
group of Masons, most of whom were members of Mannsville Lodge No.
65, met in Oakland, IT. in a building designated as a Masonic Lodge.
They appointed the following as officers to form a new lodge and
elect officers. R.W. Choate, Worshipful Master; J.H.C. Creekmore,
Senior Warden; I.O. Lewis. Junior Warden; L. J. Bailey, Secretary;
J. A. Donehoo, Treasurer, W. T. Beasley, Senior Deacon; W. H. Hibler,
Junior Deacon, P. R. Flat, Senior Steward; H. Swindell, Junior
Steward; C. C. Yargain, Tyler: Other present were R. Ober, J. K.
Bibbs, J.W. Vandervort. Visitors, J. H. Thompson, Pineville,
Arkansas Lodge No. 306 and P. M. Deer, Caddo Lodge No. 3 Indian
Territory.
The Worshipful Master opened the
Lodge on the Master Mason Degree and after some remarks about the
reason for the meeting, declared Oakland Lodge U.D. (Under
Dispensation) duly coated under a dispensation issued by Most
Worshipful Andrew Hardy, Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Indian
Territory, dated August 12, I893.
A committee was appointed to
procure four lamps, two dozen aprons, window shades and material for
stations. The lodge was closed in due form to meet on Saturday after
full moon in each month at three o'clock P.M.
Signed by P. W. Choate as
Worshipful Master and L. J. Bailey as Secretary. The second meeting
of Oakland Lodge U. D. was on September 2,1893 and a Committee on
By-laws, P. R. Flat, Henry Swindell and W. H. Hibler was appointed.
Also a committee finance, J. W. Vandervort, W. A. Kibler and J. C.
Pinchbeck. Also a committee on Education, L. J. Bailey, P. R. Flat
and J. H. C. Creehmore. During the year the lodge was Under
Dispensation three new members were added: W. L. Riffe and Thomas
Boyd by conferring of Degrees and Charlie Jones by affiliation. On
May 24, 1894 the lodge meeting time was changed from three P.M. to
seven P.M.
On August 30, 1894 a special
meeting was called by District Deputy Grand Master, Brother B.H.
Tanner, and Oakland Lodge No. 67, Indian Territory was granted its
charter. An election was held and the following members were
elected: J.H.C. Creekmore, Worshipful Master; J.W. Vandervort,
Senior Warden; C. A. Vandervort, Junior Warden; J. R. Donehoo,
Treasurer, L. J. Bailey, Secretary; I. O. Lewis, Senior Deacon; T.M.
Boyd, Junior Deacon; W.W. Hibler, Senior Stewart; W.T. Beasley,
Junior Steward; P.R. Flat, Tyler. These officers were duly installed
by Worshipful Brother E.H. Tanner, District Duty Grand Master.
Daring the year 1908 R.W. Choate,
who was the first Worshipful Master of Oakland Lodge No. 67, served
as Grand Master of the Indian Territory Grand Lodge and on June 1,
1905 Oakland Lodge No. 67 was moved from Oakland to Madill. On
February 3,1909 the lodge held its last meeting as Oakland Lodge No.
67 Indian Territory and on March 6, 1909 it held its first meeting
as Oakland Lodge No.74, under the jurisdiction of the Most
Worshipful Grand Lodge, AF & AM of the State of Oklahoma.
By 1970 the old lodge building
at the corner of Madill Plaza and East Main was in such bad
condition the lodge could not get insurance coverage on it and so
made plans for a new building. A fund raising project was started
and as funds were accumulated a lot was purchased at 307 West
Lillie, plans for the lodge building were drawn up and a concrete
floor slab was run and plumbing roughed in.
The Masons and Eastern Star were
beginning to wonder how long it would take to finish the building
project "poor boy style" when the lodge received a letter from a law
firm in California notifying the lodge it was a beneficiary of two
thirds of the Estate of Ennis and Emma Creekmore.
Ennis Creekmore was the son of
the second Worshipful Master of Oakland Lodge No. 67, Brother J .H.
C. Creekmore. Through the generosity of Brother Ennis and Mrs.
Creekmore the lodge received almost sixty thousand dollars from
their estate. This came just at the right time to finish the
beautiful new Lodge Temple where the Masons, Eastern Star, DeMolay
and Rainbow now meet.
Oakland Lodge No.74 met for the
first time in the new Temple on February 1, 1973 and on May 26,1973
the cornerstone was laid and the new lodge dedicated by Most
Worshipful Master John W. Preble, Grand Master and his Grand Lodge
Offices.
Brother Bill Barber, who had
been the leader of the drive to build a new temple; didn't live to
see his dream come true. He passed from this life June 23, 1972.
Those who have served Oakland
Lodge No.74, as Worshipful Master are:
RW. Choate
J. C. Creekmore
I.O. Lewis
J.W. Vandervort
J.N: Bowls
F.B. Henson
L. S. Dillingham
H. J. Ledbetter
W.M. Welch
L.E. Creekmore
J.C. Williamson
F.J. Carter
R: C. Barnett
H. E. Small
W.J. Russell
G.L. Sneed
Grady Webster
W. I. Dowell
J. W. McDuffee
T. D. Alexander
Adran Ewing
R O. Pool
C. K Beater
R. L. Turner
W. E. Pryor
J. E. Grigsby
J. E. Ewing
G. M. Neal
G. C. Wheeler
N. W. Brillhart
O. B. Perryman
W. L. Jacks
R. M. Hollingsworth
C. W. Ward
R. I. Stevenson
J. H. Smith
L. E. Ables
R. R Henry
J. R. Mahan
R. L. Peters
J. O. Murray
M. F. Danner
C. W. Gleason
L. J. Weldon
W. A. Barber
H. D. Brown
R. L. Bourne
L. J. Underhill
O. Livengood
C. L. Clarkson
O. O. Isaacs
H. G. Savage
E. J. Gibbs
V. H. Maxwell
W. L. Moore Jr.
A. M. France
B. D. Crook
J. E Savage
F.J. Limpek
V. P. Smith
J. P. Pickers
H. E. Mayo
C. E. Reed
W.Y. Rushing
T. Eldridge
J. P. Eldridge
H. C. Cantrell Sr.
W.G. Adams
W.C. Cantrell
D.R Peoples
LA. Berkley
A. D. Wellman
R. R Noah
W. E. Reed
C. Sisson
W. C. Clure
D. W. Grider is Worshipful Master for 1986.
by R. L. Bourne, Secretary
The Lodge is now the:
Creekmore Lodge #74
307 Lillie Blvd
Madill, Oklahoma 73446
(580)795-2313