Andral Vann

Judge Andral Vann was born at Elyton, Alabama, on March 31, 1867, the son of Dr. and Mrs. J. V. Vann. He graduated from the University of Alabama and from the Law Department of the University of Virginia, then began practicing law at Galveston, where he married Miss L. Layton. After a return to Virginia, the family came to Houston in 1891. He went to work for the Southern Pacific as a car checker, moved to the office of the tax commissioner, and was later connected with Houston’s interurban railway interests.

He was a claim agent when he petitioned Gray Lodge in 1901, and he received his degrees that year: the Entered Apprentice on June 10, the Fellowcraft on July 23, and the Master Mason degree on August 23. He was elected Junior Warden for 1904–1905 and Senior Warden for 1905–1906, and he was installed as the 35th Master on June 25, 1906, in a joint installation with Holland Lodge conducted by Past Master J. C. Kidd of Holland, with Past Master J. S. Wilson as Marshal.

His was the lodge’s first full year in the new Holland-Gray Masonic Temple at Main and McKinney. Electric fans were installed in the lodge room, and the Secretary’s accounts from early 1907 give a glimpse of lodge life at the time: light globes, a broom and a dust pan, three dozen aprons for $4.50, and 75 bricks of ice cream for $3. Many of the petitioners that year came from the booming oil industry, and two Scottish Brethren from Athole Lodge No. 384 of Kirkintilloch were frequent visitors.

Judge Vann’s greatest contribution came later. On December 4, 1914, he demitted from Gray Lodge to help organize Temple Lodge No. 4, which Gray Lodge sponsored, and he served as its charter Master. Temple Lodge went on to become Gray’s partner in the Gray-Temple Masonic Temple at Clay and Fannin, where the two lodges met together from 1924 to 1964.

He was a 32° Scottish Rite Mason and held the Rank and Decoration of Knight Commander of the Court of Honour. In 1913 he served as both Venerable Master of San Jacinto Lodge of Perfection and Wise Master of Houston Chapter of Rose Croix. He was Grand Senior Deacon of the Grand Lodge of Texas in 1915–1916, and he was remembered as a prominent citizen of Houston and one of the leading Masons of the area.

He died very suddenly on September 11, 1918, just after finishing a telephone conversation. He was survived by his widow, two sons, Lawton and Stuart, and a daughter, Louise.