William Walter Emery

William Walter Emery was born in Houston on June 12, 1894. He was a stock clerk at the East Texas Oakland Company when he petitioned Gray Lodge in 1917, and he ran a filling station during the years he advanced through the chairs.

He received the Entered Apprentice degree on July 5, 1917, the Fellowcraft on March 13, 1919, and the Master Mason degree on April 19, 1919. He served as Senior Steward in 1920–1921, Senior Deacon in 1921–1922, Junior Warden in 1922–1923 and Senior Warden in 1923–1924. Grand Master Gus A. Brandt installed him as the 53rd Master in 1924 at a joint installation of the Houston lodges at the Scottish Rite Cathedral.

His year saw the lodge move into its new home. At a summoned meeting on July 9, 1924, 578 members and 53 visitors toured the new Temple and pledged more toward the building. On August 27, 1924, Gray Lodge held its first meeting in the Gray-Temple Masonic Temple, raising H. S. Melvin, Sr., in a degree conferred by Past Master Norman Atkinson and the building committee. The building, valued at about $250,000, would be Gray’s home for the next forty years. Brother J. N. Susie presented a U.S. flag, and Past Master Walling arranged the illumination of the letter “G.”

Grand Master Brandt made his official visit on September 17, received by a line of Past Masters stretching from the door to the altar, and on November 28, 1924, he dedicated the new Temple, with an address by Past Master John H. Crooker. The Order of DeMolay exemplified its work at the lodge’s first meeting of 1925, and a framed portrait of Past Master Atkinson was hung over the Senior Warden’s station in honor of his service as chairman of the building committee.

He died on June 6, 1958.