Austin Masonic Cemetery

Lander County

The Masonic and Odd Fellows cemeteries sit side by side. Many individuals from this community were/are members of both lodges. There are individuals who are buried on the Masonic side who have Odd Fellows symbolism on the gravestones. There are individuals who are buried on the Odd Fellows side who have Masonic symbolism on their gravestones. These web pages will be divided based on the symbolism on the gravestone, and not necessarily on which side they are buried on. In most cases, the symbolism does match the section.

A Masonic Association was established in Austin March of 1864. Associations are established for the purpose of organizing a chartered lodge. Nevada was not yet a state, so all Chartered Masonic Lodges in the Nevada Territory operated under the jurisdiction of California. Lander Lodge #172 (California Jurisdiction) was meeting Under Dispensation. See below for details on the lodges in Austin once Nevada became a state on October 31, 1864.

Lander Masonic Lodge #8: Chartered on January 17, 1865, shortly after the Grand Lodge of Nevada was established. Lander Lodge #8 still meets to this day.

Austin Masonic Lodge #10: Granted permission by the Grand Lodge of Nevada to meet on April 12, 1865. This lodge never gained momentum like Lander Lodge #8 did. They surrendered their Charter in 1871. Civil War sympathies caused much dispute amongst Masons in Austin. There has been speculation that this may have been the reason why members separated and formed this lodge.