John Grant Tod

John Grant Tod was born on January 14, 1864, at Richmond, Texas, the son of John Grant and Abigail Tod. His father, a native of Kentucky and a graduate of Centre College, followed the sea for most of his life. He served many years in the U. S. Navy, then in the Mexican Navy, and finally as Commodore of the Texas Navy, where he served with distinction. The elder Tod married Abigail Fisher West in 1850 and, after living at Galveston and Richmond, spent his retirement years at Harrisburg. The couple had three children: a daughter who died in infancy, Mrs. C. H. Milby, and John Grant Tod.

The younger Tod was educated in the schools of Texas and completed his education at Yale, where he received the LL.B. degree in 1885. He began practicing law in Houston in the office of Mayor Looscan. He served two terms as county judge and two terms as district judge, and he was Secretary of State of Texas under Governor Sayers. He then formed a partnership with Lewis R. Bryan and Charles McRee in Houston, and in his last years practiced alone until shortly before his death. He married Miss Osceola Morriss, and they had two daughters.

He received his degrees in Gray Lodge No. 329 in 1887: the Entered Apprentice on March 14, the Fellowcraft on May 16, and the Master Mason degree on December 10. He was Junior Deacon in 1888–1889, was then elected Junior Warden and Senior Warden, and served as Master in 1891–1892. In 1898 it was Judge Tod’s resolution that created the lodge’s first Building Committee and Building Fund, recognizing that Gray Lodge should one day own a home rather than remain a tenant. He later served as a director of the Masonic Building Association that built the Holland-Gray Temple.

He was High Priest of Washington Chapter No. 2, R. A. M., in 1895–1896 and received the Order of High Priesthood on December 5, 1895. He was Eminent Commander of Ruthven Commandery No. 2, K. T., in 1894, and was also a Scottish Rite Mason and a Shriner.

He died on February 20, 1918, at Galveston, where he had gone for treatment. He was remembered as

“a man of understanding personality, highest ideals of citizenship and sterling character . . . His many activities in behalf of his city will be recalled throughout the years to come, as will his many benevolences, his unostentatious charities, and his real friendships. Judge Tod was one of the most brilliant speakers before the bar of his day . . . On the bench he was equally eloquent, favoring no side, but standing for the right as he saw it, and for justice to all.”