John Nicholson

John Nicholson was born at Rosedale Abbey, England, on June 11, 1873, and came with his parents to Harrisburg, Texas, at the age of seven. His father was a cabinet maker. While still a boy John became an apprentice machinist in the G. H. and H. shops at Harrisburg, and after his apprenticeship he went to the Houston and Texas Central, where he rose to foreman of engines. In 1906 he moved to Kingsville as Superintendent of Motive Power for the St. Louis, Brownsville and Mexico Railway, and in 1910 he returned to Houston as lubrication engineer with the Texas Company, now Texaco.

He was a machinist when he petitioned Gray Lodge, and he received his degrees in 1895: the Entered Apprentice on January 2, the Fellowcraft on February 6, and the Master Mason degree on March 14. After serving as Junior and Senior Deacon he was elected Junior Warden in 1898, and after a year as Senior Warden he was installed as the 30th Master on June 25, 1900, at just 27 years of age. The installing officer was Past Grand Master John Watson, then Grand Secretary, with Past Master Frank W. Campbell as Marshal. Brother Watson addressed the lodge that night, and the bitter rent dispute of a few years before was put to rest.

His year brought the worst natural disaster in American history. On September 8, 1900, the Great Storm struck Galveston and took some 6,000 lives. In Houston the Masonic Temple’s east wall was blown in and the floors of the Grand Lodge room and Holland Lodge’s room collapsed, but Gray Lodge’s room came through undamaged. The lodge immediately gave $100 for the storm sufferers, formed a relief committee, and opened its room to Holland Lodge No. 1 and Ruthven Commandery while their quarters were rebuilt. Earlier that summer the lodge had also adopted life membership for Brethren of 25 years’ standing.

He was an ardent Mason, a member of the York Rite and a Shriner of Arabia Temple, and he also belonged to Red Oak Camp of the Woodmen of the World. He was remembered as a man with a remarkable mechanical mind, about five feet ten, with raven black hair, rather quiet and conservative, who made friends readily and kept them. He married Kate Callum on April 28, 1900, and they had four children. His devotion to Masonry led his son Stuart to become a Mason as well.

He died suddenly on January 3, 1919, in the prime of life, and was buried with Masonic honors by Gray Lodge in Glenwood Cemetery.