Horace L. Walling

Horace L. Walling was born at Buda, Texas, on February 24, 1887, and grew up in Austin. He was a Traveling Passenger Agent for the New York Central Lines when he came to Houston early in 1916. He went on to found and manage the Houston Building and Loan Association, retiring in 1932. After the death of his first wife, Alta Grace, he married Mrs. S. W. DeLaMar, the former Dovie Hubbard, in 1944.

He received his degrees in Gray Lodge in 1916: the Entered Apprentice on August 18, the Fellowcraft on September 25, and the Master Mason degree on November 20. He was appointed Junior Steward for 1917–1918 and Junior Deacon for 1919–1920, was elected Junior Warden for 1920–1921, and served as Senior Warden in 1921–1922 under Norman Atkinson. He served on the lodge’s fiftieth anniversary committee and on the committee that chose a site for the new Temple, and he urged the Brethren to support the Gray Lodge Employment Bureau in finding work for Brother Masons.

He was installed as the 51st Master at an open meeting on the San Jacinto Battlefield, where Grand Master Frank D. Johnson installed the officers of the lodges of the 30th Masonic District. He and Norman Atkinson were elected trustees of the new Gray-Temple Masonic Corporation, which would build the lodge’s new home.

With degree work still heavy, his year focused on making new members feel part of the lodge. In March 1923 the lodge held a meeting for the sole purpose of helping newly raised Brethren get acquainted, with talks by Past Masters John H. Crooker and Norman Atkinson and music by the Arabia Temple Band. The lodge began observing George Washington’s Birthday each year, and members of the new Houston Chapter of the Order of DeMolay exemplified their degree work in the lodge room. In October 1922 the lodge mourned Past Master John S. Stewart, “illustrious son of an illustrious father.” By the spring of 1923 Gray Lodge had 1,316 members, the sixth largest lodge in Texas.

He was District Deputy Grand Master of the 30th Masonic District in 1935 and Secretary-Treasurer of the Gray-Temple Masonic Association. He was High Priest of Washington Chapter No. 2, R.A.M., in 1924–1925, Thrice Illustrious Master of Houston Council No. 1, R.&S.M., a member of Ruthven Commandery No. 2, K.T., and a Shriner of Arabia Temple. He died on June 25, 1958, and was buried in Forest Park with Masonic honors by Gray Lodge.