Austin IOOF 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 their 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. However, in most cases, the symbolism does match the section.

Austin Odd Fellows Lodge #9 was instituted on January 23, 1864. This was pre-statehood. Prior to the establishment of this lodge, there was an Odd Fellows Association established in Austin in 1863. Alpha Odd Fellows Lodge #11 was instituted on March 14, 1867. I am unsure of the specific years that these lodges stopped meeting. It must not have been too long ago, as the Odd Fellows remained popular in Austin until recent times. A female appendant body of the Odd Fellows known as the Rebekahs still meets in Austin as of very recently.

In the early days of Masonry and Odd Fellowship in Austin, the two organizations worked hand in hand to establish their membership and fund their meeting halls. I have included two stock certificates from 1868 that I own. These are from the Masonic and Odd Fellows Hall Association. These were used to raise capital for building purposes. One of the purchasers of stock was E.A. Sherman. The other was the future Nevada Governor from Eureka, Reinhold Sadler.