The First Lodges and the Grand Lodges.
THE Institution, in its modern system of Speculative Masonry, having been established in Great Britain first, and then upon the Continent of Europe, early in the 18th century, we may well assume that among the various colonists from Europe who made their homes in the Western Hemisphere, there must have been many Operative Masons who had been initiated prior to their emigration.
From the various writers on this subject which we have
consulted, we learn it is recorded that as early as 1680 there came to
We must bear in mind that this was several years prior to the organization of the Mother Grand Lodge of Speculative Masonry, which occurred June 24, 1717.
Roger Lacy’s deputation of 1735, given by Lord Weymouth, Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of England, was the second American lodge on the English Roll.
Gould’s History of Freemasonry says of this lodge: “The Charity of the Society was solicited in the Grand Lodge of England, December 31, 1733, to enable the trustees of the new Colony to send
distressed Brethren to
Hayden, in his Washington and His Masonic Compeers, says: “King
Solomon’s Lodge at Savannah, which had commenced its work under an old oak tree
in 1733, when the first settlement in Georgia began, had belonged to the branch
of Masons denominated Moderns, but in February, 1785, it was proposed by Major
Jackson, who was then one of its members, that they form themselves into a
Lodge of Ancients. The proposition was
referred to a Committee, and was subsequently agreed to, and the brethren were
duly constituted, by the usual ceremonies, a Lodge of Ancient York Masons.”
The Grand Lodge of the “Ancients” never warranted any lodges in the State of
There was a tradition that this old lodge was instituted by General James E. Oglethorpe.
With this short introduction we shall now proceed to present
the histories of the first Lodges and of the Grand Lodges in the several States
and Territories of the
with
Up to the discovery of “Liber B” by Bro. Clifford P.
McCalla, in 1884, of this original lodge, dated June, 1731, everyone had
accepted as a fact that Henry Price, of
Bro. John Dove, in his reprint of the proceedings of the
Grand Lodge of Virginia, in his “Introduction” claims the first lodge “derived
directly from the Mother Grand Lodge of
1733.” He also says:
“During the above period, dating from 1733 and extending to 1792, the Masons of Massachusetts worked under the authority of Provincial Grand Masters appointed by, and deriving their authority from, the Grand Lodges of England and Scotland in 1733, at which period Henry Price was first appointed, by the Grand Lodge of England, Grand Master of the St. John’s Grand Lodge of Massachusetts, in 1734, and upon petition, his authority was extended to all North America, and under his power, thus extended, Benj. Franklin applied for and obtained a Charter for a Lodge at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.”
From all that we can gather in the various sketches of this formation period in the history of Freemasonry in the Colonies, it appears to us that the weight of testimony is in favor of the worliing of Masonry, first in Philadelphia, secondly in Massachusetts by secondary constituted authority, and thirdly in Norfolk, Va., by direct charter, emanating from the Grand Lodge itself.
At the period of the working of
From all the historical data now available our conclusion is that we must give Pennsylvania the preference, by placing that colony foremost, as having started Freemasonry in an original prescriptive, organic form; followed by Massachusetts, as second, in a lodge, chartered by constituted authority of a Provincial Grand Master; and thirdly, by giving to Virginia the first lodge chartered by the Grand Lodge itself; each of these being authoritative, accordlng to the circumstances governing those who instituted the proceedings.
Thus, in
December 28, 1778, the Grand Lodge, with the Brethren,
about three hundred, celebrated
Resolved, That this Grand Lodge
is and ought to be, a Grand Lodge independent of
The Grand Lodge having, up to this time, been under a Warrant from the Grand Lodge of England, was closed finally. A convention was held the next day, September 26, 1786. Thirteen different lodges under warrants of the preceding Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania having full power from their constituent members, therefor:
Resolved, That the Lodges under the jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania, lately held under the authority of the Grand Lodge of England, Will, and do now, form themselves into a Grand Lodge, to be called the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania and Masonic jurisdiction thereunto belonging, to be held in Philadelphia; and that the late Grand Officers continue to be the Grand Officers of Pennsylvania, invested with all the powers, jurisdictions, preeminence, and authority thereunto belonging, till the usual time of the next election; and that the Grand Lodge and particular Lodges govern themselves by the Rules and Regulations heretofore established, till other rules and regulations shall be adopted.
June 24, 1834, the Grand Lodge celebrated “the Centennial
annniversary of the establishment of the first lodge in
On June 24, 1734,
December 4, 1843, the change was permanently made whereby all the business of the lodge, also the opening and closing of the lodge, must be in the Master’s degree. It was at this time also that,
under the lodge Warrant, those
possessing the higher degrees could confer them. Several of
the lodges, as many as four, worbed the Royal Arch degree. In 1849,
Franklin Lodget No. 134, was authorized to loan its
Warrant to confer the Order of the
In consequence of an application from several Brethren,
reading in New England, Free and Accepted Masons, to the Right Honorable and
Most Worshipful Anthony, Lord Viscount Montaguei Grand Master of Masons in
Upon the receipt of this commission, the Brethren
assembled July 30th; and the Charter of Constitution being read, and
the Right Worshipful Grand Master duly invested and congratulated, a Grand
Lodge was formed under the title and designation of “
Right Worshipful Andrew Belcher, Deputy Grand Master; Right Worshipful Thomas Kennelly, Senior Grand Warden; Right Worshipful John Quann, Junior Grand Warden pro tempore.
A petition was then presented by several worthy Brethren residing ln Boston, praying to be constituted into a regular lodge, and fit was voted that the same be granted.
Thus was Masonry founded in
The anniversary of
A petition being presented from Benjamin Franklin and several Brethren residing in Philadelphia for a constitution holding a lodge there,the Right Worshipful Grand Master, having this year received orders from the Grand Lodge in England to establish Masonry in all North America, was pleased to grant the prayer of the petitionerse and to send them a deputation appointing the Right Worshipful Benj. Franklin their first Master.
A petition from the Brethren resident in
At the usual celebration of the festival of
About this time sundry Brethren going hence to
The Right Worshipful Robert Tomlinson having received a commission from the Right Honorable and Right Worshipful John Earl of Loudon, Grand Master of England, appointing him Provincial Grand Master of North America in the stead of the Right Worshipful Grand Master Henry Price, resigned, he was properly installed and invested, and duly congratulated, April 20, 1737.
At the usual celebration, on June 24th following, he was pleased to nominate and appoint the Right Worshipful Hugh McDaniel his Deputy. On the next December festival, the Right Worshipful James Gordon was re-chosen Deputy Grand Master.
In the year 1738 the Right Worshipful Grand Master went to
The Right Worshipful Lodge of Masters, in
The Right Worshipful Thomas Oxnard having received a deputation dated London, September 23, 1743, from the Right Honorable and Most Worshipful John, Lord Ward, Baron of Birmingham in the County of Warwick, and Grand Master of Masons in England, appointing him Provincial Grand Master in the room of the Right Worshipful Grand Master Tomlinson, deceased; which being communicated March 6, 1744, he was properly acknowledged, invested, installed, and congratulated. He then proceeded to nominate and appoint:
The Right Worshipful Hugh McDaniel, Deputy Grand Master; Right Worshipful Thomas Kelby, Senior Grand Warden; Right Worshipful John Box, Junior Grand Warden; Charles Pelham, Grand Secretary.
The following Grand Officers were chosen and installed at
the festival of
Right Worshipful Hugh McDaniel, Deputy Grand Master; Right Worshipful Benj. Hallowell, Senior Grand Warden; Right Worshipful John Box, Junior Grand Warden; Charles Pelham, Grand Secretary.
The petition of several Brethren in
December 27, 1749, a Charter was granted to a lodge in New port, R
I. The Right Worshipful Grand
Master, assisted by his Grand Officers, February 15, 1750, constituted and
consecrated “A Second Lodge” in
At the festival of
Lord Colvill having been appointed Deputy Grand Master, summoned the Brethren to attend him at the Grey Hound Tavern in Roxbury,.January 24, 1752, where he held a Grand Lodge in due form, and the day was celebrated as usual, and Grand Officers were duly chosen.
Lord Colvill having returned to
A dispensation was granted to erect a lodge at
A Grand Lodge was held at Graton’s, in Roxbury, June 26,
1754, “ but by reason of the death of Worshipful Grand Master Thomas Oxnard,
this morning at
“In honor of their Right Worshipful Grand Master, whose loss was sincerely lamented by all who had the pleasure and honor of his acquaintance, and more especially by the Society over which he had for eleven years presided with dignity, they voted to attend his funeral, in mourning, with the honors of Masonry; and to invite the several Lodges in Boston to assist on this mournful occasion.”
October 11, 1754, at the Quarterly Communication, the Brethren petitioned the Right Honorable and Right Worshipful Grand
A year or two since, a clergyman of the Church of
England, who is probably more Conversant with that church in America than any
other individual living, politely furnished us with a document wherein it
appeared that the first regular Lodge of Freemasons in America was holden in
King’s Chapel, Boston, by a dispensation from the Grand Lodge of England,
somewhere about the year 1720. It produced great excitement at the time, and
the Brethren considered it prudent to discontinue these meetings. “Masonic
Mirror and Mechanics’ Intelligencer,” by Bro. Chas. W.
Master of Masons in England, for a new deputatiox to fill King Solomon’s Chair, vacant by the death of their late Grand Master; and recommended the Right Worshipful Jeremy Gridley to him for that Important and honorable trust.
June 24, 1755, the Right Worshipful Deputy Grand Mastet
summoned the Brethren to attend him at Graton’s Tavern, in Roxbury, to observe
the Festival of St. John the Baptist. The Grand Officers were chosen and
present August 21st. At a special meeting the Right Worshipful
Jeremy Gridley informed the Brethren that the Right Honorable and Right
Worshipful Grand Master James Brydges, Marquis of Caernavon, Grand Master of
Masons in
In 1767, Jeremy Gridley, the Provincial Grand Master of
North America, died on September 10th; his funeral took place on the
12th, and the members of St. Andrew’s Lodge, sixty-four in number
(Joseph Warren being the Senior Warden), walked in the procession. After this, however, when every generous
effort on the part of St. Andrew’s had
completely failed, and when it became evident that no “
At a conference held April 28, 1766, between committees of St. John’s Grand Lodge and St. Andrew’s Lodge (Richard Gridley being a member of one and Joseph Warren of the other), the representatives of the latter fully admitted the illegality of their early proceedings, but contended that it was in the power of the Grand Lodge of Scotland to “make irregular Masons regular.” Against this tfle other committee formulated their belief “that the language of the Constitution for irregularities was submission.”
We have quoted this circumstance to show the fallacy of those who refer to the facts connected with the irregularity of the formation of St. Andrew’s Lodge.
We have brought the history of Masonry in
The following copies of two letters from Benjamin Franklin
to Henry Price, in which we find acknowledgments of the relative Masonic
positions of
Right Worshipful Grand Master and Most Worthy and Dear Brethren, We acknowledge your favor of the 23d of October past, and rejoice that the Grand Master (whom God bless) hath so happily recovered from his late indisposition; and we now, glass in hand, drink to the establishment of his health, and the prosperity of your whole Lodge.
We have seen in the Boston prints an article of news from London importing that at a Grand Lodge held there in August last, Mr. Price’s deputation and power was extended over all America, which advice we hope is true, and we heartily congratulate him thereupon and though this has not been as yet regularly signified to us by you yet, giving credit thereto, we think it our duty to lay before your Lodge what we apprehend needful to be done for us, in order to promote and strengthen the interest of Masonry in this Province (which seems to want the sanction of some authority derived from home, to give the proceedings and determinations of our Lodge their due weight), to wit, a Deputation or Charter granted by the Right Worshipful Mr. Price, by virtue of his Commission from Britain, confirming the Brethren of Pennsylvania in the privileges they at present enjoy of holding annually their Grand Lodge, choosing their Grand Master, Wardens and other officers, who may manage all affairs relating to the Brethren here with full power and authority, according to the customs and usages of Masons, the said Grand Master of Pennsylvania only yielding his chair when the Grand Master of all America shall be in place. This, if it seems good and reasonable to you to grant, will not only be extremely agreeable to us, but will also, we are confident, conduce much to the welfare, establishment, and reputation of Masonry in these parts. We therefore submit it for your consideration, and we hope our request will be complied with: we desire that it may be done as soon as possible, and also accompanied with a copy of the Right Worshipful Grand Masters first Deputation, and of the instrument by which it appears to be enlarged as above mentioned, witnessed by your Wardens and signed by the Secretary; for which favors this Lodge doubt not of be ing able to behave as not to be thought ungrateful.
We are, Right Worshipful Grand Master and Most Worthy Brethren,
Your affectionate Brethren and obliged humble Serv ts,
Signed at the request of the Lodge,
B.
I am Your Affectionate brother & humble Serv’t,
B.
P. S. If more of the Constitutions are wanted among your please hint it to me.
These letters were addressed as follows:
To Mr. HENRY PRICE,
At the Brazen Head,
Solomon’s Lodge, No. 1, received a Warrant for
Roger Lacy’s deputation of 1735, given by Lord Weymouth,
Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of England, was the second lodge on the English
Roll for
On December 16, 1786, the Grand Lodge of Georgia was organized in that city, when the permanent appointments made by the Grand Master of England were solemnly relinquished by the Right Worshipful Samuel Elbert, Grand Master, and the other officersls of the Grand Lodge; and regulations were adopted by which the Grand Officers were to be elected annually. Then the last Provincial Grand Master resigned his position, and William Stephens was elected the first Grand Master under the new and present formation. A notable event occurred March 21, 1824. The cornerstone of the monuments to Greene and Pulaski were laid, General Lafayette acting as Grand Master for the occasion.
As there are those still interested in the search for the origin of Masonry in Georgia, and who believe that a lodge existed there prior to 1735, the date of the Warrant of Solomon’s Lodge, which has been lost, it is well to note the following, for reference, as coming from the records: In England a Grand Lodge was holden “by virtue and in pursuance of the right of succession legally derived from the most noble and Most Worshipful Thomas Thyre, Lord Viscount Weymouth, Grand Master of England, 1735, by his Warrant directed to the Right Worshipful Roger Lacy; and by the renewal of the said power by Sholto Charles Douglass Lord Aberdour, Grand Master of Scotland for the year 1755-56 and Grand Master of England for the years 1757-58; as will appear in his Warrant directed to the Right Worshipful Grey Elliot.” (1)
Masonry was somewhat prosperous in
In December, 1826, a convention was held which adopted a constitution dispensing with the quarterly meetings, and made Milledgeville the permanent place of meeting. The Grand Lodge,
Grenadier’s Lodge and Solomon’s Lodge ceased working,
leaving no record. however, which met at
The Milledgeville body met on December 3, 1827, and
elected their Grand Officers. As this was a very interesting period in the
history of Masonry in
Prosperity followed, which was only checked by the Civil
War from 1861 to 1865. Since 1866 prosperity has again visited that
jurisdiction, and no Grand Lodge in the country can boast of a greater increase
proportionally than
On February 5, 1736, a petition (the original of which has
been preserved) was addressed by six Brethren at
I am anxious not to lay too much stress on the precise
meaning attached by me to the mention of manuscript constitution; nevertheless,
I think the petition may be taken as fair evidence that in 1736 there were Brethren in
The granting of the authority, which was a written
instrument, was, in connection with that granted to
It will be observed that, in like manner, as Grand Master, Henry Price issued authority to warrant a lodge to the eighteen Masons in Boston who petitioned in behalf of themselves and “other Brethren;” therefore the Brethren had been meeting as a lodge anterior thereto and discharging Masonic duties: convening and working as Masons without other authority than that of ancient immemorial right, which the Craft had many decades before exercised, of meeting when and where circumstances permitted or required, and choosing their own temporary Master; it is probable that thus many of the old Masons in America had been admitted to the Mystic Rites.
In a letter from Joseph Webb, Grand Master of the Grand
Lodge of Massachusetts, in reply to one received from William Smith, Grand
Secretary of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania, dated
“I have granted a dispensation to
A “convention” of delegates from two or more lodges was
called at
The title assumed by the Grand Body is “The Most Worshipful
Grand Lodge of the Ancient and Honorable Fraternity of Free and Accepted Masons
of the State of
A Warrant was granted in 1735 by Lord Weymouth, Grand
Master of England, for the establishment of a lodge in the city of
Brother Sidney Hayden, in Washington and his Masonic Compeers, (1)
states that Grand Master Henry
Price of
The St. John’s Grand Lodge of Boston, Mass., warranted a lodge in Charleston, S. C., in 1738; this was followed by a grant from the Grand Lodge of England establishing Prince George’s Lodge at Winyaw, in 1743; and Union Lodge, by the same authority, at Charleston, May 3, 1755, and, again, a “Master’s Lodge” at the same place, on March 22, 1756, and a lodge at Beaufort on September 15th of the same year.
The Grand Lodge of Scotland then appeared in the Province, and warranted Union Lodge, No. 98, in 1760.
St. Mark’s Lodge was warranted by the Grand Lodge of England in 1763.
With regard to powers delegated to Provincial Grand Masters,
(1) Hayden, p 240 we have first of record, John Hammerton, appointed by the Earl of Loudoun in 1736.
A second Provincial Grand Lodge was established by a
deputation of the Marquis of Carnarvon to Chief Justice Leigh in 1754. Dr. Mackey, in his Encyclopedia, says upon this
subject that, in 1777, this Grand Lodge, deputized by the Marquis of Carnarvon,
assumed independence and became the “Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons,”
Barnard Elliott being the first Grand Master. As early as 1783 the Athol or “Ancient
“ Masons invaded the jurisdiction of South Carolina, and in 1787 there being
then five lodges of the Ancients in the State, they held a convention, and on
March 24th organized the “Grand Lodge of Ancient York Masons.”
Between the Moderns and the Ancient Grand Lodges there was always a very
hostile feeling until the year 1808, when a union was effected,
which was but temporary, for a disruption took place in the following year.
However, the
From the quotations of authorities herein following, it will
be evident that Freemasonry must have existed in the
squibs are convincing that secret communications were being held either among the residents or the sojourning soldiery. By what authority these assemblies were held we are not yet able to
disclose; whether under powers granted by Daniel Coxe, by reason of the deputation held by him from June 5, 1730, until the expiration of his personal investment, to wit, until June 24, 1732, or those of his successors, who were to be elected every other year on the feast of St. John the Baptist, when the Provincial Grand Master was to be installed. No testimony has been found of the exercise by Bro. Daniel Coxe of his delegated powers; perhaps no action was had by him; yet “it was a rare thing for any reports to be made by the Provincial Grand Masters abroad of their doings.” We incline to the belief that no power was exercised by Brother Coxe pending the period during which he was deputized.
It is not impossible that warranted power existed among the soldiery who were or had been stationed in the Province; nor is it an impossibility that there was an immemorial Charter, or even an inherent or self-born power of constitution the exercise of which would not have been masonically illegal when we consider the condition of the Society, the period, the locality, and Masonic custom, or at least in following the precedent in other lands and of former days.
THE
FOR
1. Colonel Daniel Coxe, June 5, 1730. Time of service, 2 years
2. Captain Richard Riggs, November 15, 1737. “ 14 years
3. Francis Goelet, 1751. “ 2 years
4. George Harrison, June 9, 1753 “ 18 years
5. Sir John Johnson, 1781. “ 10 years
The date of transition of the Grand Lodge from a Provincial to an independent State Masonic organization might be a subject of difference of opinion: herein the date of the summary retirement of the Grand Master and most of the other Grand Officers with the King’s troops is assured as a data, to wit, September 19 and October 1, 1783. It might be urged with considerable force that as a definite date, June 6, 1787, should be given, inasmuch as on that date the Grand Lodge accepted and confirmed the Athol Warrant, and declared its establishment under it.
RATIFICATION OF THE GRAND WARRANT, SEPTEMBER 5, 1781.
The Grand Lodge “Resolved, that next Grand Lodge be appointed for all the Lodges in the State to give in their Respective Warrants or Constitutions, or copies of them properly authenticated, that the Rank and Precedency of the whole may be then determined.”
A more direct resolution from
Accordingly, on March 7, 1787, “The Resolution of St. John’s Lodge, No. 2, referred for consideration to this evening, was read, and debates arising, it was resolved, on motion of Worshipful Brother Malcom, that a Committee be appointed to consider the propriety of holding the Grand Lodge under the present Warrant, and the proper measures to effect a change if it should be thought constitutional and expedient, and report their opinion, with the reasons on which it is founded, to the Grand Lodge, at their next Quarterly Communication.”
The committee on June 6, 1787, reported their consideration of the propriety of holding the Grand Lodge under the present Warrant. The report was read, accepted, and confirmed.
The subject of the Grand Warrant being disposed of, the Grand Lodge, on the following September 5, 1787, adopted this recommendation:
“That as soon as the Committee appointed to establish the precedency of Rank of the Lodges of this City do report, that then all the Lodges in the State be required to take out new warrants and deliver up the old ones, the dues to the Grand Lodge being previously paid.”
The report on lodge precedency and the determination of this subject was finally made June 3, 1789.
In
The organic life of Freemasonry in
John’s Lodge,
by
Thomas Oxnard, Grand Master. Caleb Phillips was the first Master of the lodge thus authorized. Some unpleasantness having been caused by the Master’s withholding from the lodge the dispensation thus granted, a second Warrant was issued dated May 14, 1753. Under these warrants the Newport Brethren were only authorized to confer the first two degrees of Masonry. They did not recognize the limitation, however, and proceeded to confer the Master’s degree as supplementing the degrees of Entered Apprentice and Fellow-craft. On being called to account for thus extending the authority granted them, they made so good an explanation of the causes that had led them to transcend their powers, that the Grand Lodge confirmed them in the exercise of such powers by granting them a Charter to hold a Master’s Lodge.
This lodge - the first organized in Rhode Island - was given additional powers, and we may assume that the ordinary lodge, having control over the degrees of Entered Apprentice and Fellowcraft, was united with or merged into the Master’s Lodge, so that two separate organizations were not maintained.
As throwing some light upon the misapprehension pertaining to the conferring of degrees by St. John’s Lodge of Newport, during this first period of its history, it is important to keep in mind the fact that the third degree was not then, as now, closely united with and expected to follow the two preceding degrees. Candidates for Freemasonry often went no further than the degree of Fellowcraft; those who did advance to the Master’s grade were required to pay an additional fee.
A little more than two years before the granting of the
confirmation Charter to the Brethren of Newport, a Masonic lodge had been
organized in
By the terms of this Charter the Providence Brethren were required to observe the constitution, make returns to the Grand Lodge, and annually keep or cause to be kept the feast of St. John the Baptist, and to dine together on that day, or as near that day as shall be most convenient, and that they send to the Grand Lodge in Boston contributions for poor Brethren.
The Charter of St. John’s Lodge in
The Charter was issued by the direct authority of the eminent and patriotic Jeremy Gridley, then Provincial Grand Master of North America. He was a lawyer of excellent reputation and a devoted member of the Masonic Fraternity.
Freemasonry in
On Monday, June 27, 1791, “being the day affixed on for the
celebration of the Feast of St. John the Baptist” (
representing the two lodges met in
the State House at
By attending as a body on divine service, and making their offering in the house of worship for a benevolent purpose, the Brethren who formed the Grand Lodge of this State, and those masonically associated with them at that time, plainly signified their respect for religion and for that practical charity so much emphasized by the teachings of Freemasonry.
Masonry was introduced into
The earliest lodge of which we have
any reliable evidence in
“1750, Aug. 12. At the Petition of
sundry Brethren at
“Fryday, July the 13th, 1750. For the Lodge at
“In the lists, the Lodge is sometimes described as ‘
Among the archives of the Grand Lodge of Maryland,
fortunately preserved, are the books of three of the old Colonial lodges, viz.:
one located at “Leonardtown, St. Mary’s County,” in 1759; one at “Joppa,
Harford, then
The records of the Leonardtown Lodge extend over a period of three years, and although they appear to be the full and complete minutes of the lodge for that period, there is not the slightest mention by which can be discovered the authority under which it was held, or from whence it emanated.
Upon one of the calendars of the “Modern” Grand Lodge of
England, there is the following entry: “Lodge No. 198, Chartered in foreign
parts, June 6th, 1759.” As this date corresponds exactly with the date of the first
meeting of the Leonardtown Lodge, it is probable that the entry refers to it.
It may, however, have been a branch of the lodge at
The records of the Leonardtown Lodge, with one exception,
those of the
On June 17, 1783, two months after Congress had issued the peace proclamation, we find the lodges on the “Eastern Shore” convened at Talbot Court-house, for the purpose of organizing a Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons for the State of Maryland. There were five lodges represented by deputies, one lodge more than participated in the formation of the Grand Lodge of England in 1717.
There were present at this convention, as a deputy from Lodge No. 7, of Chestertonvn, the Rev. William Smith, who was at the time Grand Secretary of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania, although residing in this State; and Bro. Dr. John Coates, Past Deputy Grand Master of Pennsylvania, a member of Lodge No. 3 of Philadelphia, but then a resident of the Eastern Shore of Maryland. It was unanimously Resolved, “ That the several Lodges on the Eastern Shore of Maryland consider it is a matter of right, and that they ought to form a Grand Lodge independent of the Grand Lodge of Philadelphia.” When the convention prepared to go into an election of officers for a Grand Lodge, Bro. Smith, Deputy from No. 7, stated that “he was not authorized to elect such officers.” Whereupon the convention adjourned until the 31st day of July following. “ The Rev. Bro. Smith was asked and promised to prepare a sermon against their next meeting.”
It was determined to petition the Grand Lodge in
The convention re-assembled at
The resolution adopted at the previous session, regarding the right to form a Grand Lodge, independent of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania, was unanimously reaffirmed. It was further determined that the Grand Lodge should be a moving lodge: “that is to say, it shall sit at different places at different times; also that said Grand Lodge shall have quarterly communications.”
A vote of thanks was then given to Bro. Dr. Smith “for the Sermon preached this day,” and a copy asked for publication. They then proceeded to ballot for Grand Officers, when Bro. Coates was elected Grand Master, and Charles Gardner, Grand Secretary. Other officers were elected, and the convention adjourned, to assemble again at Chestertown, on December 18th following, (1783).
The Grand Lodge assembled according to adjournment, December 18th, but on account of the severe weather a number of the Brethren were prevented from attending, and the meeting was not organized until next day.
“From accident and other causes” there was no meeting on that days nor was there any meeting held, as far as the records show, until nearly three years subsequent. The subordinate lodges, however, maintained their organization and doubtless considered their allegiance to the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania severed, as they were not thenceforth represented in that body.
Masonry in
The charters granted by
August 12, 1750, Hiram, at
January 12, 1753, at
February 4, 1754
April 28, 1762,
April 28, 1709, Compass,
July 10, 1771, St. Alban’s,
March 23, 1780, Union,
Provincial Grand Master of New York (Geo.) Harrison, under Grand Lodge of England, granted a Charter to “St. John’s,” in Fairfield, and afterward Bridgeport, in 1762; “St. John’s,” in Norwalk, May 23, 1765; “Union,” at Greenwich, November 1864; and “St. John’s,” at Stratford, April 22, 1766.
The Massachusetts Grand Lodge (Scotland) granted a Charter to Wooster,”in Colchester, January 12, 1781; “St. Paul’s,” at Litchfield, May 27, 1781; the Charter dated June 21, 1781; “King Hiram,” at Derby, January 3, 1781; “Montgomery” at Salisbury, March 5, 1783 (no record of the Charter to this lodge being granted).
“
The Army Lodge, “American Union,” chartered by
It is said that these lodges, chartered by different Grand Lodges, continued to be harmonious as far as was possible.
A convention of lodges met April 29, 1783, in pursuance to the action of a convention held March 13th preceding; thirteen lodges were represented; the formation of a Grand Lodge was duly discussed, and on January 14, 1784, a Grand Master and other officers were chosen, but no progress was made until May 14, I789, when another convention was called, and this adjourned until July 8, 1789; a constitution was then adopted, officers elected, and the present Grand Lodge of Connecticut was duly organized.
Twelve lodges were then represented, which are all existing at the present date and were at the centennial of the Grand Lodge, 1889.
When the Grand Lodge was organized,
The new Grand Lodge chartered the first lodge at
The growth of the Fraternity and its popularity are shown
in the fact that to the year 1800 the lodges had increased to fortyfour, with
three thousand members. About this time one Joash Hall established clandestine
lodges, one in
When the proposition to establish a Supreme Grand Lodge
was started among the various Grand Lodges,
This Grand Lodge granted two charters to form new lodges
in Ohio, viz.: “Erie,” No. 47, now “Old Erie,” No. 3, at Warren; the other “New
England,” No. 45, afterward New England, No. 4, at Worthington, and now
belonging to the spurious and clandestine body calling itself a Grand Lodge in
Ohio, and the names of all the bodies which constituted that affair have been
published by the Grand Lodge of Ohio in 1898. The above two lodges, with “American
Union,” the Army Lodge, mentioned above, assisted in forming the Grand Lodge of
Ohio in 1808. Jeremy L. Cross was appointed Grand Lecturer in 1816 for the
State of
In 1821 an act of incorporation was passed by the Legislature. In 1823 the Grand Lodge refused to divide the State into Masonic districts. The Grand Lodge made an appropriation, in 1826, of $500 for a monument to Brother George Washington.
At this period the anti-Masonic movements had reached Connecticut, the Brethren generally neglected to attend their lodges and many charters were surrendered and revoked; and such was the condition of the Craft at the annual session of 1831, that all the officers of the Grand Lodge, except the Grand Treasurer, resigned their offices, and new officers, except the Grand Treasurer, were chosen.
Yet at the next annual session only the Grand Master and
Grand Treasurer were present; at that time they adopted the “Declaration of
Masonic Principles,” and this, in some measure, allayed the anti-Masonic sentiments.
Twenty-five lodges were represented at the session in 1841. There was an
improvement up to 1845. and to the present time
Masonry, in that jurisdiction, has kept even pace with all the other States in
The Civil War was the cause of several applications for army lodges. June 6, 1861, a dispensation was issued to twelve Brethren of the 4th Connecticut Regiment for a lodge to be named “Connecticut Union.” No. 90.
Another dispensation was asked for “Ensign” Lodge, No. 91, in the 5th Connecticut Regiment, but was refused.
Several years since (1887) quite a difficulty occurred between Hiram Lodge, No. 1, and the Grand Lodge, in consequence of the Grand Lodge having by statute changed the mode of giving the due-guard of the third degree, which resulted in the arrest of the Charter of the lodge and expulsion of several of the officers After some time better counsel prevailed, and the members, being satisfied that they were wrong in their action, they made all proper acknowledgments, and matters were duly arranged and the Charter was restored, and the utmost harmony has prevailed ever since.
From the Freemason’s Pocket Companion, by Auld and Smellie, published in Edinburgh, Scotland, in 1765, appears “An Exact List of Regular English Lodges;” therein we find “No. 172, The Royal Exchange in the Borough of Norfolk, in Virginia; 1st Thursday Dec., 1733;” “No. 204 in York-Town, Virginia; 1st and 3d Wednesday, Aug. 1, 1755.” This is corroborated by the Pocket Companion published in London, England, in 1759, by John Scott, under the head of “Lodges in Foreign Parts;” “Norfolk, in Virginia, 1st Thursday; York-Town, Virginia, 1st and 3d Wednesday.”
The date calf 1733 is challenged by several of our recent
writers as being a misprints and they say it should
have been 1753. We have seen no cogent reason for this correction, but must
submit to the weight of authority as we have no corroborative evidence to
sustain the earlier date of Bro. John Dove, the Grand Secretary of the Grand
Lodge of Virginia, who was very sure that it was correct, and in the first
volume of his History of the Grand Lodge of Virginia says: “Thus it will be
seen from reliable data, that Masonry was practised in Virginia under chartered
privileges in 1733, derived from the Mother Grand Lodge of England.” Very soon
after these two lodges were chartered, eight other charters were applied for
and obtained frorn the several Grand Lodges existing in
The work of these lodges was continued legally and
masonically under their independent charters, until the course of time and the
eventful period of the Revolutionary War caused them to organize a convention,
which was called to meet at the request of Williamsburg Lodge, No. 6, at
Williamsburg, May 6, 1777, and which resulted in the establishment of the Grand
Lodge of Virginia, October 13, 1778, at Williamsburg, by the election of John
Blair as the first Most Worshipful Grand Master of Ancient York Masons in
America. He was at that time Past Master of Williamsburg Lodge, No. 6. This
Grand Lodge was held in
Charters were continuously granted to new lodges, until their numerical denomination, being derived from various sources, had become too complicated for discrimination; at the meeting in October, 1786, a resolution was adopted that a committee be appointed to regulate the rank of the several lodges then under the jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of Virginia. We make the following table for future reference:
Constitution
No. Name of Lodge. under which
Charter.
Chartered.
1 Royal Exchange 172
June 1, 5741
2 Kilwinning Cross
December 1, 5755 Caroline
Date of
5733
3 Blanford
September 9, 57574
1757County.
5
67
July 21, 5758
Tammany................
February 2, 5759
November 6, 5773
Botetourt
November 6, 5773
Court-house.
8 Cabin Point Royal Arch
April 15, 5775
9 Swan (204)
July 1, 1755Court-house
February 22, 5780
10
December 28, 5780
11
July 8, 5785 Eastville,
N. H. Co.
12 Kempsville
October 1, 5785 Princess Ann Co.
13
February 6, 5786
14
February 28, 5786
15
May 6, 5786
16
La Sagasse
June 15, 5876
17 Charlotte Virginia
July 6, 5786
18
October 29, 5787
19
29, 5787
By reference to the Pocket Companion before mentioned, it
will be seen that York Lodge, No. 204, was chartered for
In the autumn of 1784,
with needle-work of colored silk;
and this, with some other Masonic ornaments, was placed in a highly finished
rosewood box, also beautified with Masonic emblems, and brought to
The first organization of Masons in this colony was a
lodge warranted by the Grand Lodge of England (Moderns) “at
The Royal White Hart Lodge, No. 338, English Register, was
warranted for
In the transaction of the
In 1771, a lodge now known as
Judge Martin, in a discourse delivered on June 24, 1789, says that Joseph Montford was appointed, toward the year 1769, as Provincial Grand Master by the Duke of Beaufort, and in 1771 he constituted St. John’s Lodge, above mentioned as No. 3; that this was probably the true date of the Provincial Grand Lodge of North Carolina, for on December 16, 1787, we find nine lodges in the territory; and that a convention was held at Tarborough and organized “The Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Ancient Free and Accepted Masons of North Carolina.”
In 1771, a Grand Lodge was organized, which met at Newbern and Edenton. The records were destroyed by the English during the War of the Revolution.
December 9, 1787, an effort was made to reorganize the Grand Lodge by the representatives of the following lodges: Unanimity; St. John’s, No. 2; Royal Edwin, No. 4; Royal White Hart, No. 403; Royal William, No. 8; Union at Fayetteville, Blandford, Bute, and Old Cone.
At a meeting of the Grand Lodge held June 25, 1791, the lodges were all renumbered and new charters were issued to them.
The General Assembly of North Carolina incorporated the Grand Lodge in 1797. Some of the lodges were also incorporated.
In 1856,
the war the Grand Lodge converted the building and grounds into an orphans’ home, and with varied success it has at last become permanently one of the best orphans homes in the country. Several additions have been made to the original buildings. This Grand Lodge stands among the first of the Southern States for its prosperity in all essential features.
The first Masonic lodge organized m
Jeremy Gridley, Provincial Grand Master for
June 5, 1778, an application, which did not have a sufficient number of signers, was made to the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts (acting under the Grand Lodge of Scotland), to be called Warren Lodge, to be located at Machias. This petition was returned, and when properly signed, September 4, 1778, the Grand Lodge granted a Warrant, September 10, 1778.
A lodge was warranted by the United Grand Lodge of
Massachusetts, June 1, 1792, to be named Lincoln Lodge. The same Grand Lodge
issued a Warrant for another lodge in
The committee appointed by this convention, in consequence of the determination of the late “Massachusetts Grand Lodge, in 1781,” that all charters granted without the limits of this (Massachusetts) State shall be understood to remain in force until a Grand Lodge is formed in the government where such lodges are held; “requested that the connection with the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts should be dissolved, etc., which was finally granted, donating $1,000 as a foundation for a charity fund, and the District Deputy Grand Masters in Maine were directed to pay what funds they might have in hand belonging to the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts to the new Grand Lodge.
What a commentary this is upon the conduct of very many Grand Lodges, who fought frightfully against the organization of new Grand Lodges in territory where they held lodges under their obedience. The generosity and Masonic bearing of this grand old Commonwealth commend the Brethren thereof to our praise and admiration. We have had occasion in another place to mention this historical circumstance.
June 1, 1820, twenty-four bodies were represented and chose their Grand Officers. William King, the Governor of the State, was elected the first Grand Master.
The Grand Lodge, through the Grand Officers, was incorporated by the Legislature of Maine, June 24, 1824. The Grand Officers were installed, at the meeting-house of Rev. Mr. Payson, by the Grand Master of New Hampshire.
Simon Greenleaf succeeded William King as Grand Master.
At a meeting of the Grand Lodge, July 10, 1820, the following was proposed:
“To consider whether a person, who is conscientiously scrupulous against taking an oath, can be admitted to the benefits of Masonry by solemn affirmation.”
This was fully considered, and on January 8, 1824, the following report of the committee was received and adopted by the Grand Lodge:
“Your committee deem this a question of no little importance as it bears on the interests of the Craft. On the one hand, if decided in the negative, there will be necessarily excluded from a participation of all the Mysteries, and very many of the benefits and advantages of Masonry a large class of Men, among the most respectable of our citizens, on account of their integrity, their conscientious regard for all those great moral principles which dignify human nature, and certainly not among the most backward in deeds of mercy and charity. On the other hand, if decided in the affirmative, it would seem at last to sanction a departure from what, for ages, has been deemed a form of sacred words, and what has not hitherto failed to bind the consciences of otherwise the most hardened offenders. It is impossible that your committee should not examine with mistrust a principle which should shut out from the Masonic Fraternity such men as Clarkson; and they can not close their eyes to the bad effect which sanctioning such principles must have on the moral sense of the Community. On the whole, your Committee conceive that no Masonic principle is violated in adapting the form of the Obligations to consciences of Men equally good and true, but on the contrary, that serious hurt would grow to the Institution of Masonry, by an adherence to the technical form of words, heretofore used, for the purpose of securing that fidelity on the Crafts Men which have never yet been violated, even when all other principles have been wrecked, in the vortex of unhallowed appetites, or the whirlwind of ungoverned passions.”
The Grand Lodges of the
“That the Grand Lodge of Maine be respectfully requested to reconsider the resolution adopted by them on the 8th January, 1834, proposing a new mode in which the degrees of Masonry can he conferred.
“That this Grand Lodge feel themselves bound to refuse to recognize any person, as a Mason, known to be initiated in the Mode proposed by the Grand Lodge of Maine.”
Soon after this the so-called “Morgan excitement”
prevailed to such an extent over all the Northeastern States, that it had the
same depressing effect as in
In 1829 there were fifty-eight lodges. A large number of these suspended their labors.
At the annual meeting of the Grand Lodge in 1837, the
oldest lodge at
This colony was the home of the first Provincial Grand
Master appointed by the Grand Lodge of England for any Province in
On May 13, 1761, a constitutional number of Master Masons
in and about the town of Newark petitioned for and received from the hands of
George Harrison, Provincial Grand Master of the Province of New York, a Warrant
of Dispensation, Directed to William Tukey as Master, and others as officers,
to meet and operate as a lodge, the first meeting-place being Rising Sun
Tavern; after that the communications were held at the residences of the
respective members. The lodge was called
“This Lodge observed Washington’s Birthday as a Masonic Festival as early as 1792; and that venerable Lodge has, from that time to the present, yearly convened on that festive day to commemorate the Masonic Virtues of Washington.”
On June 24, 1762, Jeremy Gridley, Grand Master of Masons
of the
On June 20, 1764, as set forth in an original document in
the Archives of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania, the Grand Lodge of London
(Ancients), Thomas Erskine, Grand Master, appointed Wm. Ball, Esq., Grand Master of Masons for the
In 1779 the headquarters of General George Washington were
at
On February 7, 1780, a convention lodge held at
A convention of Master Masons was held on December, 18 1786, for the preparatory consideration of, and to mark out the course to be adopted for, the formation of a Grand Lodge for the State. This resulted in the adoption of the constitution on April 2, 1787, from which period the Grand Lodge dates.
No written history of Masonic events prior to 1826 have as yet been discovered. From the “Historical Sketch,” by Brother Foster Pratt, M.D., Past Grand Secretary of the Grand Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons, of Michigan, we are enabled to glean all the well established facts as to the early introduction of Masonry into that State: “ From 1764 to 1844, historical material accumulated around our Mystic Temple, not in consecutive records, nor in permanent forms, but in fragmentary papers, and varying traditions; and it has required no little research and labor to dig up from ‘the rubbish’ and to establish beyond question, exact dates, historical landmarks, and the true order of Masonic events.”
There has been no written history of Masonry in
When the British troops at a later date were serving in
These lodges left no trace in
The SECOND MASONIC PERIOD commenced in 1794. From the
peculiar conditions of the country and the times it seems no records were
preserved; yet there was some evidence that during a portion of that time, for
thirty years, Zion Lodge maintained life and performed some labor. So long as
The THIRD MASONIC PERIODW A.D. 1806,
The FOURTH MASONIC PERIOD, A.D. 1812 - 20, second war with
Until October 5, 1813, when the battle of the
The FIFTH MASONIC PERIOD, First Grand Lodge. - A dispensation was
granted by the Grand Lodge of New York in 1821, and instituted
December 26, 1821, by the name of Detroit Lodge, No. 337
March 7, 1822, in the town of
A Warrant was issued September 1, 1824, a dispensation having been issued on June 12, 1824, to form a lodge in Green Bay, in the county of Brown, by the name of Minomanie, No. 374, which is in Wisconsin at this time, as then it was in the territory of Michigan. December 1, 1824, at the town of Monroe, in the county of Monroe, territory of Michigan, by the name of Monroe Lodge, No. 375.
The Grand Lodge was Organized in
1826. -The convention met June 24, 1826. Were present by
their representatives Lodges No. 3, No. 337, No. 374, and No. 375,
all chartered by the Grand Lodge of New York. No. 343 of
The principal importance that attaches to the matter arises from the fact that it became the cause of four years of Masonic confusion, after eleven years of silence. The exact date of the suspension of life is not known, and the manner of it was unique;
“and when dead it did not rest in peace.”
As a Masonic curiosity, the dispensation granted by Grand Master Lewis Cass to Stony Creek Lodge, January 9, 1828, is yet in existence, which is the only lodge which maintained its existence during the dark days of the anti-Masonic excitement.
The SIXTH MASONIC PERIOD, A.D. 1840 - 44, Reconstruction.
The history of the proceedings of the Brethren during the four years between 1840 and 1844 is very interesting but entirely too lengthy for our limits, and we refer our readers to the local history of the Grand Lodges of Michigan.
On September 17, 1844, the Grand Lodge of Michigan was constitutionally organized and elected the Grand Officers - which Grand Lodge continues to the present time and has grown and prospered and is among the leading Grand Lodges of the United States.
There appears to be some uncertainty concerning the first
lodge instituted in
A Charter to Lodge No. 13, at Christiana Ferry, afterward Wilmington, was granted, December 27, 1769; surrendered and renewed, January 22, 1789; was vacated, September 15, 1806, for un-Masonic proceedings in the establishment of the pretended Grand Lodge of Delaware (Hyneman, ante); to Lodge No. 18 at Dover, Kent County, granted, August 26, 1775; surrendered and renewed, May 31, 1787; to Lodge No. 33, at New Castle and at Christiana Bridge, one year at one place and the ensuing year at the other, granted, April 3, 1780; surrendered and renewed, March 1, 1790; vacated, September 15, 1806, for un-Masonic conduct in the formation of the pretended Grand Lodge of Maryland; to Lodge No. 44, at Duck Creek Cross Roads; granted, June 24, 1785; surrendered and renewed, September 6, 1790; has ceased long since; to Lodge No. 63, at Lewistown;
granted, May 28, 1794; vacated, April 7, 1806; to Lodge No. 96, the
Delaware Hiram Lodge at
The Grand Lodge of Maryland granted a Warrant to
In 1778, some of the towns in
We have stated this much of the political history of that
early period, to account for circumstances in the Masonic history, which would
not be otherwise understood, viz.: that the original petition for a Charter for
a Vermont lodge was dated at “Cornish, Vermont,” and why the lodge met at Charlestown,
N. H., in place of Springfield, Vt., which town was named in the Charter.
Again: Ira Allen’s History says that, “On the meeting of the Legislature of
Vermont at
For a period of four years ending February, 1782, both
sides of the
November 8, 1781, a petition from Cornish, Vt., was presented to St. Andrew’s Grand Lodge of Massachusetts, and a Charter was ordered to be issued November 10, 1781, the lodge to be located at Springfield, Vt.
This lodge, instead of meeting at
A Charter was applied for, to St. Andrew’s Grand Lodge,
for a lodge at
Dorchester Lodge was the third lodge constituted in
Union Lodge, at Middlebury, was the last lodge chartered prior to the organization of the Grand Lodge of Vermont. The Charter was issued by the Grand Lodge of Connecticut, May 15, 1794.
A convention was held at
The Grand Lodge continued to hold the annual communications until during the anti-Masonic excitement in 1826. From 1828 to 1836 many of the lodges failed to be represented, and to pay their annual dues to the Grand Lodge. At the Annual Communication, October 11, 1831, a resolution, recommending an unqualified surrender by the Grand Lodge of the charters of the several secular lodges was dismissed by a vote of ayes 99 to noes 19.
Without dwelling upon the history of that time, which tried the souls and patience of all good Masons, we extract from the proceedings of the Grand Lodge held October 7, 1834.
At the session of October 7, 1834, the following transaction took place:
On motion of Bro. Joel Winch, a committee of three was appointed to examine the communications received from secular lodges and present the views of the Grand Lodge at this time. N.B. Haswell, Joel Winch, and Solomon Mason were appointed, who made the following report:
Whereas, The Grand Lodge of the State of Vermont has witnessed with regrets the assembling in different counties of the State of Masons called together by a notice or authority new and unknown to the usages of the craft and in opposition to the constitution of the order; therefore Resolved, That the Grand Lodge deem the assemblage of Masons in the manner above alluded to to be unmasonic and unconstitutional.
Resolved, That the resolution adopted by the Grand Lodge at its last session (whereby permission was given to the secular Lodges to surrender their charters and records, giving to said Lodges authority to retain and dispose of their property and funds as they see fit) was a measure calculated to relieve [all] who wished to retire from Masonry.
Resolved, That the Grand Lodge do hereby receive, and they instruct their Secretary to receive hereafter, such charters and records as may be surrendered by virtue of the resolution aforesaid, and they order the same whenever surrendered to be deposited among its archives.
Resolved, That this Grand Lodge feel it a duty they owe themselves as well as the whole Masonic fraternity to declare, that while its individual members are left to the free and unmolested enjoyment of their sentiments upon the various subjects connected with religion and politics, and the right to judge of men and their actions, they hereby most solemnly declare that Masonic bodies have not tile right to connect the institution with the sectarian or party views of eitherthat any attempt thereat is a gross innovation upon those principles which among good and correct Masons are universally acknowledged, and should be universally practised upon.
Resolved, That the Grand Lodge do at this time as they have hitherto done, declare to the world that the object of their association, and motives for continuing therein, are founded upon the principles of brotherly love, relief, and truth. They disclaim the right of Masons to inflict corporeal punishment and acknowledge no other right to enforce obedience from its members but reprimand, suspension and expulsion.
Resolved, That the Grand Lodge recommend to those brethren who incline still to adhere to the institution of Masonry, to continue to cultivate a spirit of good will towards those who may differ from them respecting the origin and continuance of Free Masonry; and while we are ready to forgive those whose fidelity has been shaken by one of those popular commotions incldent to our free institutions, we are also ready to judge with candor the motives by which they have been governed.
In presenting the foregoing resolutions, your committee will close their report in the language of one of the late officers of this Grand Lodge whose labors on earth are finished; we ask you to gaze with us upon the ominous gathering, which to no eye can be viewless; we ask you to contemplate its swelling aspect, its various phases, and its multiform ramifications; listen to its busy notes of preparation and anticipate its maturity of strength, and then imagine its consummation to have taken place; then cast your eye around and see how many have quaked and quailed, how many have failed, how many have surrendered at discretion, and how many have renounced their faith and armed to batter us down; then complete the picture, and when you find the smoke and din of the conflict is passed, and the light streaming in upon us once more, not a heart flinching, not a hand palsied, but each and every one still invincible in defence of the mighty truth.
If Free Masonry falls, her monument will not crumble, nor her epitaph fade. It is erected upon the everlasting hills, it is firmly planted in the deepest vallies. The widow’s prayer of joy, the orphan’s tear of gratitude as they ascend, like the dew before the solar influence, bear with them its eulogy and its praise. So long as there remains a fragment of the temples of antiquity; so long as one stone of the edifices it has consecrated shall rest upon another; so long as brotherly love, relief, and truth obtain among men, so long will its mausoleum endure. The waves of popular prejudice may beat against it, the shouts of popular clamor may be thrown back in echoes from its base, the winds and weathers of time may press upon it, but still it will endure, glory will encircle it, honor will be yielded to it, and veneration will be felt for the hallowed recollections it quickens into action; and hereafter when he casts his eyes over the galaxy of social institutions among men, the philanthropist will involuntarily associate with his subject that other and celestial galaxy, and realize as now from the fiat that has effected the one, so then from the economy that controlled the other, that he will soon have to mourn for a lost Pleiad which can never more be visible in the moral constellation.
NATHAN B. HASWELL,
For Committee.
NOTE. - When we see the present status of Masonry at the end of the 19th century, how true a prophet was Brother Haswell !
The few faithful Brethren in
Many of the Brethren wished again to resume the work of
Masonry in
The “Green Mountain Boys” will ever maintain the honor and glory of their great antecedents.
Originally, after the discovery by Ponce de Leon in 1513,
The origin of Masonry in
A “memorial from the Brethren of St. Andrew’s Lodge, No.
1, late of West Florida; now of Charlestown, South Carolina, with sundry papers
relative thereto,” was presented to the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania, July 8,
1783. Of this lodge nothing more is known. When the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania responded
to the memorial and a Charter was issued, it was forwarded to the W. Master of
another lodge with instructions to ascertain if the W. Master and members of
the said lodge were of the Ancient and Honorable Fraternity, and consented to
be under that jurisdiction. In 1768, the Grand Lodge of Scotland granted a
Charter to a lodge in
There is no trace whatever of such a lodge.
Brother Mackey indicates that Lodge No. 30, chartered by
the Grand Lodge of South Carolina (Ancients), at
No. 56, at
From the reprint of the Proceedings of the Grand Lodge of
Florida, the committee on the reprint say that the first lodge in East Florida
was St. Fernando, at
Jackson Lodge, at
Washington Lodge, at
November 17, 1788, Lexington Lodge was chartered by the Grand Lodge of Virginia. The following lodges also derived their authority from the same Grand Lodge, viz.: November 25, 1791, Paris Lodge was chartered; Georgetown Lodge received a dispensation, January 9, 1796, and a Charter, November 29, 1796, a dispensation was issued to Hiram Lodge, September 20, 1799, and a Charter was granted, December 11, 1799; a dispensation was issued to Abraham’s Lodge, at Shelbyville, in the latter part of 1799 or commencement of 1800.
Representatives from these five lodges met September 8,
1800, at
This convention, composed of the above five lodges by their representatives, met, and after organizational elected their Grand Officers, who were then installed.
This district, containing originally one hundred square miles, was set apart by Act of Congress, approved July 16, 1790, for the capital of the United States: being partly in the State of Maryland, on the north and east side of the Potomac River, and on the south and west side of that river, in the State of Virginia.
Prior to that date a lodge had been organized by the Grand
Lodge of Maryland, in the town of Georgetown, situated on the west bank of Rock
Creek, April 12, 1789, by the name of Potomac Lodge, No. 9. For some reasons, now unknown, this lodge
ceased to work. October 23, 1795, the Grand Lodge of Maryland granted a Warrant
to another body of Masons (probably many of them had been members of No. 9),
which was named
Federal Lodge, No. 15, was chartered by the Grand Lodge of
Maryland, September 12, 1793. By Act of Congress, the
EPISODE.
Brooke Lodge, No. 47, being located in
Alexandria Lodge, No. 29, also located in the city of Alexandria, was originally chartered by the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania, February 23, 1783, but soon after the institution of the Grand Lodge of Virginia, October 13, 1778, this lodge withdrew from her allegiance to the Mother Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania, by her consent, and received a Warrant from the Grand Lodge of Virginia, under the name of Alexandria Lodge, No. 22, dated April 28, 1788, with George Washington, Esquire, late Commander-in-Chief of the forces of the United States of America, as Worshipful Master.
Columbia Lodge, No. 35, in
December 11, 1810, a convention was held by the five
lodges above mentioned, viz.: Federal, No. 15; Brooke, No. 47;
The First Lodges and the Grand Lodges (Continued).
THE introduction of Masonry into
The Grand Lodge of Ohio was organized January 7, 1808.
The lodges represented were American Union, No. 1, at
January 4, 1808, a preliminary convention of the delegates
from all the lodges then in
A few rules, couched as resolutions, were adopted for the
formation of a Grand Lodge, and appointed the first Monday in January, 1809, as
the time, and
In consequence of the absence of the representatives of American Union Lodge, No. 1, there being but four lodges represented, it was thought that a Grand Lodge could not be legally organized. The Grand Lodge adjourned from day to day, and, finally, on January 5th, it adopted pro tempore the Constitution of the Grand Lodge of Kentucky, having decided that under their peculiar circumstances it would be right and proper to organize a Grand Lodge with only four lodges represented.
Brother Rufus Putnam, who had been chosen Grand Master at the convention held in 1808, wrote a letter to the Grand Lodge declining the office, on account of his great age, which was accepted, and Bro. Samuel Huntington was duly elected Grand Master.
Previous to the reception of this letter all the other Grand Officers elected the last year had been installed, and upon the election of the Grand Master he also was immediately installed, and all the other Grand Officers who had just been elected at the same time with the Grand Master.
The Grand Lodge closed its sessions on January 7, 1709, having completed all things necessary to its proper work in Masonry.
The introduction of Freemasonry in the Territory of
Louisiana is principally due to the political condition of that Territory and
the circumstances connected with the affairs in San Domingo, both counties at
that period being somewhat, if not exclusively, settled by the Latin race and
their negro slaves. Masonry had been introduced upon the
When the Grand Orient resumed labor in 1803, a Charter was issued to Polar Star Lodge, No. 4263, in 1804, and Ch. Tessier was deputed to deliver the Charter and heal their work, which was done, and officers were installed, November 11, 1804, by A. Pinard and A.Marmillion.
The early records of “Perfect Union” and “Polar Star” can
not be found, but the above information has been obtained by Brother James H.
Scot, the historian of the Grand Lodge of Louisiana, from the “Manuel
Maconnique,” a very rare work, published in
It is thought that the Brethren who formed these two
lodges were from the
Some of the former members of “Candor Lodge, No. 12,” in
Charleston, S.C., which was extinct, having settled in New Orleans, applied to
the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania and obtained a Charter, dated May 18, 1801, as
Candor Lodge, No. 90. It is possible that this lodge did not survive very long,
if it ever was duly constituted, as on March 1, 1802, the Grand Lodge of
Pennsylvania granted a Charter to Charity Lodge, No. 93, having the name of N. Definieto, W. M., who was the W.M. of Candor,
No. 90. This Charter was not received until 1804, and on May 13th of
that year the lodge was duly constituted and the officers were installed in the
York Rite. On October 1, 1800, by treaty,
A change also in the
A duplicate Charter from the Grand Orient of France was
received, July 20, 1807, bearing date of February 17, 1806, by the Lodge “La
Union Desiree,” No. 3013, which had been under the auspices of the Grand Orient
of France, at Port au Prince, April 16, 1783. During the revolution Of 1791 the Charter, archives, etc., had been destroyed.
The members who had fled to
Polar Star Lodge, No. 4263, applied to the Grand Orient of France and obtained a Charter to hold a Chapter of Rose Croix, which was constituted and officers installed, May 24, 1807, as “ La Vertu Recompensee, No. 5001.”
On September 15, 1808, a York Rite Charter was issued to some of the members of Lodge La Reunion Desiree, No. 3829, by the same name but numbered 112, by the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania. This lodge dissolved March 23, 1812.
This much of the early history in
It appears from the records that twelve lodges had
received charters in
Name of Date of
Lodge No. By Whom Chartered Charter
Perfect
Polar Star 4263 Pro. Lodge Sincerite,
Reconstructed by Grand
Oriental of
Candor 90 Grand Lodge of
Charity 93 Grand Lodge of
3829 Grand Orient of
117 Grand Lodge of
Perseverance 118 Grand Lodge of
Harmony 122 Grand Lodge of
Polar Star 129 Grand Lodge of
Bienfaisance 1 Grand Consistory of
Of these lodges, Candor, No. 90, York Rite, was perhaps never organized; Reunion Desiree, No. 3829, French Rite, ceased to work, November 27, 1808; Polar Star, No. 4293, French Rite, adjourned sine die, October 13, 1811; Reunion Desiree, No. 112, York Rite, dissolved, March 23, 1812; and Bienfaisance, No. 1, Scottish Rite, affiliated with Concord, No. 117, May 27, 1812, leaving seven lodges in full activity and all working the York Rite, viz.:
Numbers 1, 4, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12, in the above table.
Perfect Union Lodge, No. 29, had the honor of taking
initiatory steps toward the organization of a Grand Lodge, which resulted in a
meeting, April 18, 1812, of the delegates of Perfect Union Lodge, No. 29;
Charity Lodge, No. 93; Louisiana Lodge, No. 1; Concord Lodge, No. 117;
Perseverance Lodge, No. 118; Harmony Lodge, No. 122; and Polar Star Lodge,
No. 129. These delegates organized themselves into a “General Committee
of the State of
On May 16th following a second meeting was held, Charity Lodge, No. 93, not being represented; and a communication was received from Louisiana Lodge, No. 1, saying that in their opinion “it would be inexpedient at present” to join in the proposed formation of a Grand Lodge; whereupon a resolution was passed requesting the W. Master of the Senior of the regular lodges in the State, Perfect Union, No. 29, to issue his summons (1) to the Masters, Past Masters, and Officers of the several Ancient and regularly constituted lodges in the State to meet in convention to take into consideration the interests of the true Craft, and to deliberate on the necessity of establishing a Grand Lodge in the State, which was accordingly done, and the convention met June 13, 1812, and the following representatives were present, viz.: Perfect Union, No. 29; Charity, No. 93; Concord, No. 117; Perseverance, No. 118; Polar Star, No. 129. As soon as the convention was organized the President, Brother Dubourg, stated that he had received a communication from Harmony Lodge, No. 122, which had withdrawn from the convention. The convention adjourned to meet June 20th next.
June 20, 1812, the Grand Convention then met and elected the Grand Officers; P.F. Dubourg being elected Grand Master, who was duly installed after the election of the Grand Officers, and by a resolution adopted, the Grand Master installed all the other Grand Officers on July 11th following.
At a communication held August 15, 1812, the committee appointed for that purpose reported a draft of a Constitution which was adopted.
At a quarterly communication held March 27, 1813, the
Grand Master announced that a Grand Royal Arch Chapter had been organized and
attached to the Grand Lodge of Louisiana. The Grand Chapter had been organized,
March 8, 1813, by
To follow the history of the Grand Lodge of Louisiana would require more space than can be permitted; here we must close with the date of March, 1813.
Warrants to organize lodges had been issued from the Grand
Lodge of North Carolina as early as 1796 and one from
These lodges held a convention at
“Resolved, That in the opinion of this Convention the number of Ancient York Masons in this State as well as the state of society, require the formation of a Grand Lodge within the same for the better regulation and extension of the Craft.
“Resolved, That a Committee be appointed for the purpose of drawing up an address to the Grand Lodge of North Carolina, soliciting their assent to the establishment of a Grand Lodge in the State of Tennessee.”
The Grand Lodge of North Carolina granted this request; and the convention again met October 14, 1813, and the Grand Lodge was constitutionally established and the Grand Officers were elected and installed.
The first lodge in
The Grand Master of Pennsylvania, Israel Israel, issued a
dispensation for six months to Western Star Lodge, No. 107, to be located at
Kaskaskia, situated near the mouth of the Okaw (now Kaskaskia) River, where it
empties into the
The Grand Lodge of Kentucky issued a Charter, August 28,
1815, to Lawrence Lodge, to be located at Shawneetown; the Grand Lodge of
Tennessee issued a Charter, October 6, 1819, to Libanus Lodge, at Edwardsville;
June 20, 1820, the Grand Master of Tennessee issued a dispensation to
From the Grand Lodge of Missouri at various dates in 1822
the following warrants were granted: October 3, 1822, Olive Branch, No. 5, at
The Grand Master of Indiana issued a dispensation, March
12, 1822, to Albion Lodge, at
All the above lodges except
In 1827 the Grand Lodge of Illinois went out of existence, and after June 24, 1827, “every Lodge in the State was so effectually blotted out that no trace of any of them has been found.”
It is supposed that as the anti-Masonic excitement had, about that time, begun to work its way to the West, the Masons were more or less lukewarm in the cause, and politics being somewhat mixed up in the affair, the Brethren let the matter drop for a while.
The Grand Lodge of Kentucky issued a dispensation to
Bodley Lodge, No. 97, at
The Grand Lodge of Missouri warranted:
Franklin Lodge, at
Harmony Lodge, at
Temperance Lodge, at Vandalia, in 1839
Far West Lodge, at
Mount Moriah Lodge, at
A dispensation to Columbus Lodge, No.
20, at
Delegates from several of the subordinate lodges on
January 30, 1840, held a convention in
At the meeting held April 28th, the Grand Master, Abraham Jonas, was installed by proxy. (1) Warrants were issued to the lodges represented and numbered according to their dates of constitution
(1) The “Reprint of the Proceedings for 1840 to 1860,”
published 1874, shows : April 6, 1840, at
In consequence of the business relations existing between
many of the towns in Illinois and the city of St. Louis in Missouri, some of
the lodges in those towns much preferred to hold their warrants from Missouri
Grand Lodge, as the representatives could attend the Grand Lodge of Missouri in
St. Louis, and at the same time transact their commercial business in that
city. The writer was an officer of the Grand Lodge of Missouri in 1841-42-43
and well remembers that those Brethren from
Finally, however, those lodges did withdraw and unite with the Grand Lodge of Illinois, as also did several of the lodges in Iowa, about that time, which had been chartered by the Grand Lodge of Missouri, and they formed the Grand Lodge of Iowa.
On February 10 1850, a fire occurred in
Of the lodges aiding in the organization of the second
Grand Lodge, four are now alive, viz: Bodley, No. 1; Equality, No. 2; Harmony,
No. 3; and
In 1889, October 1st and 2d, the fiftieth anniversary was celebrated.
The Grand Lodge of Illinois, in her growth since its organization
in 1839, has kept even pace with the increase of population, and now stands in
membership among the first in the
The first settlers of Upper Louisiana, as the now State of Missouri was originally called, were French, who came by the way of Canada, and were companions of Cartier, La Salle, and Father Hennepin, who traversed the vast wilderness that extended between the boundaries of Canada and the settlements of the French on the Lower Mississippi.
In November, 1763, Pierre Liguiste Laclede arrived at St. Genevieve, and finding no place suitable for
the storage of his good, he proceeded up the Mississippi River; and on February
15, 1764, he and his party landed where the city of St. Louis now stands, which
he named in honor of Louis XV. of
In that early day the merchants who were
in
As the Masons in the Territory increased in numbers, they
resolved to organize a lodge, and in 1807-8 having applied for, they received a
Warrant of Constitution from the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania for a lodge in the
town of
This was the first lodge established in
In 1811-12 Gen. H. Dodge presided over this lodge as W.
Master, but owing to the unsettled condition of the Territory in consequence of
the late war with
In 1809-10 the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania granted a
Warrant to a lodge in
October 18, 1816 the Grand Lodge of Tennessee granted a
Charter to a lodge in
That Grand Lodge also granted charters to the following
lodges, viz. : October 6, 1819, to Joachim Lodge, No.
25, at
February 23, 1821, by an invitation sent by Missouri Lodge, No. 12, to the several lodges in the State, the following lodges, by their representatives, met in St. Louis, and a committee having been appointed to draft a constitution and code of bylaws they adjourned until April 23d following, to meet at the same place to organize a Grand Lodge.
Prior to this date (April 23, 1821), a convention of Masons met,pursuant to previous notice given by the convention of delegates,at the lodge-room of Missouri Lodge, No. 12, April 23d, Anno Lucis, Year of Light, 5821, for the purpose of organizing the Grand Lodge of the State of Missouri.
Opened in the third degree in due form, with Wor. Edward Bates, (1) Master, and others. After reading the proceedings of the convention held February 22d last, adjourned until 24th inst.
April 24, A.L. 5821. Present as before. An election for the officers for the ensuing year was held and resulted as follows
Brother Thos. F. Riddick, M.W.G.M.
“ James Kennerly, S.G.W.
“ William Bates, J.G.W.
“ Archibald Gamble, G. Treasurer.
“ William Renshaw, G. Secretary.
Adjourned to May 4th next.
May 4th A.L. 5821, Semi-Annual Convocation was
held, a procession was formed and proceeded to the
The first annual communication was held October 1, 1821.
At this communication Brother Frederick Bates was elected Grand Master, who, not being present, was notified by a committee, but declined accepting the office. Grand Lodge adjourned until October 10, 1821, at which time the Grand Lodge resumed labor and elected Brother N.B. Tucker M.W. Grand Master, and Edward Bates G.S.W.
The Grand Lodge then adjourned until 7 P.M., when at the request of Bro. Thos. F.Riddick, Brother Douglass took the Chair and installed
Brother Nathaniel B. Tucker Most Worshipful Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Missouri in ample form, and the Past Master’s Lodge was closed, and the other Grand Officers were duly installed into their respective offices.
Thus the Grand Lodge of Missouri was constituted and has
continued to the present day, and the writer, who the commencement of his own
Masonic career, January 18, 1840, could personally testify to the character and
standing, in the community of the State of Missouri, to nearly every member of
that distinguished body of men and Masons, upon whose shoulders the interests
of our noble institution, at that time, were placed by the Grand Lodge. In the
year 1841 the writer was appointed the Senior Grand Deacon of the Grand Lodge
by Hon. Priestly H. McBride, Grand Master, and was reappointed in 1842 and
1843. A very large proportion of those who organized the first Grand Lodge
continued as members and officers of the Grand Lodge up to the year 1844, when
by accessions of lodges which had been chartered from 1821 to 1840, the number
had increased from four to twenty-five, which was Naphtali, and in which we
received the three degrees. In 1841-42 several lodges had been chartered in
As early as 1795 members of the Fraternity who had been
connected with lodges in the army on the northwest frontier, introduced Free
Masonry into the Territory. The first lodge, however, was organized by a dispensation
from the Grand Lodge of Kentucky, August 31, 1808, at
The following lodges were also granted warrants by the Grand Lodge of Kentucky: At Madison, Union Lodge, No. 29, August 31, 1815; at Charlestown, Blazing Star, No. 36, August 25, 1816; at Salem, Melchizedeck, No. 43; Lawrenceburg, Lawrenceburg, No. 44; and at Corydon, Pisgah, No. 45, all August 25, 1817.
The Grand Master of Kentucky, after the annual meeting of
the Grand Lodge, issued a dispensation for the Lodge at
A dispensation for lodge Brookville Harmony, No. 41, at Brookville, was issued by the Grand Master of Ohio in 1816 or 1817.
A general convention of the representatives of the
following lodges of Ancient York Masons of the State of
Name of Lodge. No. Location. Representative.
Lawrenceburg 44 Lawrenceburg James Dill
Rising Sun U.D.of Ky Rising Sun A.C. Pepper.
Madison Union 29 Madison H.P. Thornton.
Blazing Star 36
John Miller.
Brookville Harmony.
41 U.D.Ohio. Brookville Stephen C. Stevens.
Pisgah 45 Corydon Davis Floyd.
Brother Alexander Buckner was unanimously chosen President, and Davis Floyd unanimously elected Secretary.
The convention then adopted the following:
“Resolved, That it is expected
and advisable that a Grand Lodge should be at this time formed in the State of
All the above representatives voted in the affirmative except those of Harmony and Pisgah.
The convention then adopted the following:
“Resolved, That a committee of four members be appointed to inform the M.W. Grand Masters of Kentucky and Ohio that a constitutional number of chartered lodges have determined in general convention to form a Grand Lodge in this State, and consequently will secede from their Mother Lodge so soon as a Grand Lodge is organized.”
The convention also
“Resolved, That the several subordinate lodges here represented do appoint one or more delegates to meet at Madison on the second Monday in January next, for the purpose of opening a Grand Lodge for the State of Indiana; and that a Communication be forwarded to the rest of the lodges in this State unrepresented in this convention, of the above determination.”
This resolution was adopted :
Harmony, No. 41; Lawrenceburg, No. 44; Switzerland, U.D.;
Rising Sun, U.D.; and Madison, No. 29, voted in the affirmative, five. Vincennes No. 15;
A Grand Communication of the subordinate lodges of the
State of
The following resolution was adopted: “Resolved,
That the chartered lodges here represented do now separate for a time
from the lodges under dispensation, and proceed immediately to organize a Grand
Lodge for the State of
Brother Alexander A. Meek, being the oldest Past Master present, was called to the Chair. Melchizedeck Lodge surrendered her Charter but declined having a new one.
January 13th the Grand Officers were duly elected, M.W. Alexander Buckner, Grand Master.
The representatives from lodges Nos. 15, 29, 36, 43, 44, 45, holding charters from the Grand Lodge of Kentucky, surrendered the same, and asked to have charters granted to their respective lodges by the Grand Lodge of Indiana, which was accordingly done on the 14th, viz. :
Blazing Star Lodge, No. 3, Charlestown; Lawrenceburg Lodge, No. 4, Lawrenceburg; Melchizedeck Lodge, No. 5; Pisgah Lodge, No. 6, Corydon; which lodges received their charters at this communication.
The Grand Constitution was adopted January 15th. The illustrations of Masonry of Thomas Smith Webb were adopted for the government of the Grand Lodge, and were recommended to be adopted by all the subordinate lodges of the State for the government of the same.
The Junior Grand Warden being a member of Melchizedeck Lodge, which declined a Charter, the office became vacant and an election was held to fill the same, and Brother Benjamin V. Becks was duly elected.
The Grand Lodge met in various towns and cities until
1828, when it removed to
The first lodge in
December 6, 1836, a quorum was not present; and after waiting for three days, those who were present declared the Grand Lodge extinct.
The representatives of the lodges present reorganized a Grand Lodge, a new constitution was adopted, new Grand Officers were elected, and the old warrants were re-granted.
November 29, 1819, a dispensation for Arkansas Lodge,
located at the
A dispensation to organize Washington Lodge at
Fayetteville was issued by the Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Tennessee,
December 24, 1835; and it mas renewed, November 12, 1836. October 3, 1837, a
Charter was granted, and the lodge received as a present a set of jewels. A
dispensation was granted from the same Grand Lodge for a lodge at
January 6, 1837, the Grand Lodge of Louisiana issued
warrants to two lodges in
A dispensation was issued by the Grand Master of Alabama
in 1838 to Mount Horeb Lodge in
November 21, 1838, a convention was held and
representatives from
The history of Freemasonry in the territory now embraced
in the State of
The only known record of the first lodge in what is now Wisconsin is founded in an address delivered at Green Bay, December 17, 1854, by P.G.M. Henry S. Baird. He says:
The first action had with a view to organize a lodge of Masons at Green Bay is found in proceedings of a meeting of the members of the Fraternity, held on the evening of the 27th day of December, A.D. 1823.
A committee was appointed to draft a petition to the Grand
Lodge of the State of
On September 2, 1824, the first regular Lodge of Free and
Accepted Masons was opened and organized at
The officers named in the dispensation were:
Robert Irwin, Sr.,W. Master.
Benjamin Watson, S. Warden.
W. V. Wheaton, J. Warden.
On December 3, 1824, a regular Charter was granted by the M.W.
Grand Lodge of
Mineral Point Lodge, No. 1, was organized July 27, 1841, from the Grand Lodge of Missouri, under dispensation dated October 8, 1840, named “Melody” (for Bro. George H.C. Melody, P. Dep. Grand Master of Missouri) Lodge, No. 65 (now No. 2).
A dispensation was issued by Brother Joab (1) T. Bernard, Dep. Grand Master, January 10, 1843.
A Charter was granted by the Grand Lodge of Missouri, October 13, 1843. (2)
A preliminary meeting, having in contemplation the
formation of a Masonic lodge, was held at the house of John Beavans, in the town
of
The first meeting of this lodge was held July 5, A.L. 5843, A.D. 1843.
Bro. Normand Hawley, representing the Grand Master of Illinois, presented the dispensation which he had been deputed to bring to them.
The exact date of the Charter of this lodge does not appear from the minutes. In the proceedings of the Grand Lodge of Illinois, October 2, 1843, the committee on Returns and Work recommended granting a Charter to Milwaukee Lodge, No. 22, “when dues are paid;
“and on the first day of November, 1843, the election of officers was held under the Charter, 1843.
ACTION RELATIVE TO THE FORMATION OF A GRAND LODGE, NOVEMBER 22, 1843.
The worshipful Master, Bro. Abram D. Smith, presented a communication from Melody Lodge, at Platteville, upon the subject of establishing a Grand Lodge in the Territory of Wisconsin, which was read, and the Master and Wardens were appointed a committee to correspond with Platteville and Mineral Point lodges upon the subject.
The Charter of Milwaukee Lodge, No. 3, is dated January 17, 1844.
MASONIC CONVENTION HELD AT
A.D. 1843.
The following lodges were represented:
Mineral Lodge, at Mineral Point.
Melody Lodge, at Platteville.
Bro. Moses Meeker was called to the Chair, and Bro. Geo. W. Lakin was appointed Secretary.
On motion of Bro. Ben. C. Eastman, it was Ordered, That a committee consisting of two be appointed to receive and examine the credentials of the members of the convention.
The committee appointed to receive and examine the credentials of the members of the convention, being the legal representatives of the regularly constituted lodges of the Territory of Wisconsin, to take into consideration and determine upon the expediency of forming a Grand Lodge within the said Territory, have attended to the duty assigned them, and submit the following:
Your committee find that there are seven members of said convention representatives of the lodges aforesaid, to wit:
From
On motion of Bro. Ben. C.
Eastman, it was Ordered, That a committee of
three be appointed to take into consideration the expediency of forming a Grand
Lodge in the
The Chair appointed Bros. Ben. C. Eastman, Dwight F. Lawton, and Geo. H. Walker said committee.
Bro. Ben. C. Eastman, from said committee, submitted the following
REPORT.
The committee appointed to take into consideration the expediency of forming a Grand Lodge in the Territory, have attended to their duty, and ask leave to report the following preamble and resolutions:
Whereas, There are now, within the Territory of Wisconsin,
three chartered lodges, all of which are in a prosperous and happy condition;
and Whereas, It is competent for that number of lodges to emerge from a state
of dependency, become legally organized, and be hereafter established and known
as a separate, distinct, and independent body, having its own jurisdiction and
Whereas, In the rapidly increasing population of our Territory, it is believed
many more lodges will immediately spring into existence whereby the great
principles of Masonry will be promulgated, if the facilities for obtaining
dispensations and charters are increased as they will be by the organization of
a Grand Lodge in Wisconsin; and Whereas, The Great Lights of Masonry should not
be hidden under a bushel, but should shine in the fullness of their strength,
that none may want a guide for their faith and practice, and that their acts be
squared by the precepts of the Great Architect of the Universe, and their
desire be circumscribed by the principles of morality and their passions
restrained in due bounds. Therefore, be it Resolved, That
it is expedient to form a Grand Lodge in the
On motion of Bro. John H. Rountree, the report of the committee was accepted, the preamble and resolutions adopted, and the committee discharged.
On motion of Bro. Dwight F. Lawton, it was Ordered, That a committee of three be appointed to draft a constitution for a Grand Lodge, and that said committee be instructed to report at as early an hour as possible.
The Chair appointed Bros. Lawton, Meeker, and Lakin said committee.
The convention adjourned till 6 P.M.
Evening at 6 P.M. convention met.
Bro. Lawton, from the committee appointed to draft a constitution for a Grand Lodge, reported the draft of a constitution, which report was accepted and committee discharged.
On motion, the convention adjourned sine die.
The M.W. Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons met in
annual communication in the city of
The Grand Lodge was opened in the third degree, in due and ancient form.
On motion of Bro. Meeker, the constitution reported in the convention was taken up, read, and adopted.
Bro. Merrill, from said committee, made the following
REPORT.
The committee appointed to nominate officers for the Grand Lodge have attended to the duty assigned them, and report that they have nominated the following:
Benjamin T. Kavanaugh, G. Master.
Abram D. Sniith, D. G. Master.
Moses Meeker, S. G. Warden.
David Merrilly, J. G. Warden.
Thomas P. Burnett, Grand Treasurer.
Ben. C. Eastman, Grand Secretary.
Dwight F. Lawton, Grand Lecturer.
Which report was accepted, and the committee discharged.
On motion of Bro. Rountree, it was
Resolved, That the Grand Lodge do now proceed to the election of officers, and all the above-named Brethren were elected and installed.
During the very first effort to establish a lodge in Texas, that country was a dependency of Mexico, and the Roman Catholic priesthood controlled the most of the population and were the open enemies of Freemasonry, and the American settlers were objects of suspicion.
In the winter of 1834-35 five Master Masons having made
themselves known to each other as such, after many conferences and much deliberation,
concluded to establish a lodge in
Here in a day of March, 1835, 10 A.M., “was held the first
formalmeeting of Masons in
with the other six, it was
forwarded to
In consequence of the difficulties with
In October, 1837, the lodge was reopened in the city of
Two other lodges, viz. : Milam,
No. 40, at
These lodges, as also Holland Lodge, No. 36, sent
delegates to a convention which met in
The three lodges surrendered their charters to the Grand Lodge of Louisiana, and received new charters from their own Grand Lodge.
The first dispensation for the organization of a lodge in
the
These lodges all derived their warrants from the Grand Lodge of Missouri, and the present writer, as an officer in that Grand Lodge, voted for all but the first one, but was a visitor in the Grand Lodge when the first one was chartered. He made the personal acquaintance of Brother Theodore S. Parvin and the other representatives of those lodges at that time, and Brother Parvin and the writer are the only surviving members of that Grand Lodge since October, 1897.
These four lodges, by agreement, at a preliminary
convention of their delegates, held at the communication of the Grand Lodge of
Missouri, at
Delegates were present from the following other lodges in
Rising Sun, No. 12, at Montrose, Keokuk Lodge, at Keokuk,
and Clinton Lodge, at
January 3, 1844, the Grand Officers were elected. Brother Oliver Cock was unanimously elected on the second ballot the Grand Master, and Brother Theodore Sutton Parvin unanimously elected Grand Secretary, which office he has filled, except when he was chosen Grand Master, ever since, now fifty-five years. No Mason has a more extended reputation for abilities, so essential in the management of Masonic affairs, than has our illustrious Brother, who is so favorably known throughout the world of Masonry.
After the organization of Multnomab Lodge at
Grand Lodge of California, on November 27, 1850, granted a
Charter to Willamette Lodge, No. 11, at
Multonomah,
The Grand Lodge of California was organized in the city of
Delegates were present from New Jersey Lodge, under
dispensation from the Deputy Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of New jersey,
dated March 1, 1849. This lodge was opened in
Credentials were presented by B.D. Hyam, from Benicia
Lodge, at
A constitution was adopted April 19th, and the Grand Officers were elected and duly installed.
The first lodge organized in Minnesota was St. Paul’s, No. 1, constituted by the Grand Lodge of Ohio, August 4, 1849; the second lodge was St. John’s, No. 1, warranted October 12, 1850, by the Grand Lodge of Wisconsin; and the third was Cataract Lodge, No 168, founded by the Grand Lodge of Illinois, 1852.
These three lodges, by delegates, met in convention at the
city of
The Grand Lodge of Missouri issued warrants to the
following lodges in
These lodges met in convention, August 6, 1877, at
The next day a constitution and by-laws were adopted, the Grand
Officers were elected and installed, Brother Wm. W. Griffin being M.W. Grand Master, and David J. Miller R. W. Grand Secretary.
The first steps of initiatory efforts toward Masonic
organization and the formation of a Masonic lodge on the
A petition was prepared and addressed to the Grand Lodge of Missouri praying that a Charter be granted to the petitioners, under the name of Multnomah Lodge.
The record of the Grand Lodge of Missouri reads as
follows: “A charter was granted to Multnomah Lodge, No. 84, on the 19th
day of October, 1846, locating the Lodge at
In his annual address to the Grand Lodge of Oregon, held
June 13, 1853, M.W. Bro. Berryman
“On the 25th day of November (1852) last, I
granted a dispensation to sundry brethren residing at Olympia, Puget Sound, to
open a Lodge under the name of Olympia Lodge, returnable at this Grand
Communication, which return has been promptly made, through their Worshipful
Master, Brother T.F. McElroy.”
On Saturday evening, December 11, 1852, Olympia Lodge, U.D., held its first communication by virtue of Grand Lodge authority, and was thereunder duly organized, the following officers, members and Brethren being present, viz. : Bros. Thornton F. McElroy, W.M., James W. Wiley, S.W., and Michael T. Simmons, S.W.; also Bros. Smith Hays and Nicholas Delin of the original petitioners (Bros.
Ira Ward and A.K. Skidmore of said petitioners being absent); Bros.
Fred A. Clark and Calvin H. Hale, visitors, were also present.
The Charter was granted to Olympia Lodge of Oregon, June
13th, and bears date June 15, 1853, and was designated as Olympia
Lodge of Oregon, No. 5, of that grand jurisdiction. The first meeting under the
Charter was held on Saturday evening, July 24, 1853, at which time we may infer
the lodge was regularly constituted, although the record is silent in this
particular. An election, however, was held that evening for new officers under
the Charter, with the following result: Bros. T.F. McElroy, W.M.; B.F. Yantis,
S. W.; M.T. Simmons, J.W.; B. Close, Sec.; Ira
Ward, Treas., and Smith Hays,
This was the first lodge established and constituted north
of the Columbia River and west of the
The records of Multnomah Lodge from its institution until 1868 were destroyed by fire, and the oldest record is the ledger dating from the year 1854.
Steilacoom Lodge, the second lodge established within the
present jurisdictional limits of
The records of the Grand Lodge of Oregon, session of June,
1854, show that R.W. Dep. Grand Master J.C. Ainsworth, acting Grand Master, “granted
a Dispensation to Brother W. H. Wallace and others to open a Lodge at
The dispensation must have been granted during the latter part of January or some time in February, 1855.
During the summer or fall Of
1857, probably about September 1st, M.W.Bro. Ben. J. Stark, G.M. of
Masons of Oregon, issued a dispensation for a new lodge at Grand Mound,
This lodge was chartered by the Grand Lodge of Oregon, July 12, or 15, 1858, under the name of Grand Mound Lodge, No. 21. On August 21, 1858, at its hall on Grand Mound Prairie, the lodge was duly constituted and its officers installed.
On September 19, 1868, after eleven years of hard struggling, in earnest and zealous efforts to build up and sustain the lodge, the Brethren reluctantly felt it a duty to themselves and the Fraternity to surrender the Charter to the Grand Lodge.
In the annual address of M. W. Grand Master Benjamin J.
Stark to the Grand Lodge of Oregon, July 13, 1858, among the seven
dispensations he reported having granted during the year for the formation of
new lodges is one “for
On July 13, 1858, a Charter was granted by the Grand Lodge of Oregon to Washington Lodge, No. 22. The Charter bears date the same as that of Grand Mound Lodge, namely, July 15, 1858.
In the foregoing references to the organization,
severally, of
On Monday, December 6, 1858, a little band of Freemasons,
about one dozen in number, met at the Masonic hall, in the city of
This little band of Brethren in convention assembled
resolved to proceed to the formation and organization of a Grand Lodge of Free
and Accepted Masons for the
The convention was composed of delegates representing the four existing lodges in the Territory, viz. : Olympia Lodge, No. 5;
Steilacoom Lodge, No. 8; Grand Mound Lodge, No. 21, and Washington Lodge, No. 22, together with all Past Masters by service, who were members of these lodges, and present during the sessions of the convention.
On the evening of Dcccmber 8, 1858, a constitution, having been prepared by a committee appointed for that purpose, was submitted, duly considered and adopted, after which the Grand Officers were elected.
The convention, having completed its labors, was adjourned, sine die, on the morning of December 9th, whereupon the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of the Territory of Washington was opened in ample form, and was thus launched upon the sea of its sovereign existence.
The business transacted at this first session, though comparatively brief, was most important to the future interest and zeal of the Grand Lodge. It related chiefly to formulating plans and adopting methods for placing the “machinery of Grand Lodge in Order,” in furtherance of the important work before it.
We are indebted to the history of the Grand Lodge of Washington, by Bro. Grand Secretary Thomas M. Read, for the above sketch.
By reference to the proceedings of the Grand Lodge of
Missouri the record will be found of the organization of the first three lodges
in
Dispensations for the formation of new lodges were issued:
August 4, 1854, to John W. Chivington
and others, to open a lodge at the house of Mathew R. Walker, in
October 6, 1854, to John W. Smith and others, to open a
lodge at the town of
December 30, 1854, to Richard R. Rees and others, to open
a lodge at the town of Leavenworth, Kansas Territory, by order of R.W.D.P.
At a meeting of delegates from several Masonic lodges in the
A.D. 1855, A.L. 5855. Present : Bro. William P. Richardson of Smithton Lodge, No. 140, as proxy for W.M. Richard R. Rees, W.M. of Leavenworth Lodge, No. 150, and Bro. A. Payney, S.W. of Leavenworth Lodge, No. 150.
On motion of Bro. Rees, Bro. William P,
Bro. Rees moved, that as Wyandotte Lodge was not represented in this convention, that the convention adjourn until December 27th next, with a request that all the chartered lodges be represented; which motion was carried, and the convention adjourned.
The convention met in the office of A. and R.R. Rees, in
the city of
Present: Bro. John W. Smith, W. M. of Smithton Lodge, No. 140; Bro.
R.R. Rees, W.M. of
Bro. J.W. Smith was called to the Chair, Bro. Rees acting as Secretary.
Bro. Rees offered the following resolution, which was unanimously adopted:
Resolved, That we do proceed to organize a Grand Lodge for the Territory of Kansas, and that a copy of the proceedings of this convention be forwarded to Wyandotte Lodge with a request that they cooperate with us, and approve the proceedings of this convention; and that so soon as Wyandotte shall inform the Grand Master elect of their approval, and cooperation in the proceedings of this convention, that then, the Grand Master elect shall be installed as Grand Master and immediately issue a proclamation declaring this Grand Lodge fully organized.
On motion of Bro. Rees, the Chair appointed a committee of three to report a constitution and by-laws for the government of this Grand Lodge, which committee consisted of Bros. Rees, Eastin, and Harrison.
The committee appointed to report a constitution and code of bylaws made their report, which was adopted.
On motion of Bro. Rees, the convention adjourned, to meet at Masonic hall at early candle-light.
On motion of Bro. Rees, the constitution and by-laws adopted in convention are unanimously adopted as the constitution and by-laws of this Grand Lodge.
The Grand Lodge thereupon proceeded to the election of Grand
Officers, which resulted in the election of Bro. Richard R. Rees as M.W.G.M.
On motion of Bro. Vanderslice, a committee consisting of Bros. Vanderslice, Walker, and Smith was appointed to report a constitution and code of bylaws for the government of this Grand Lodge.
The Grand Lodge was called from labor to refreshments until 7.30 P.M.
A committee appointed by the Grand Lodge of Kansas, at
their convention held at
The Grand Lodge then proceeded to the election of Grand Officers for the ensuing year, which resulted in the election of Bro. Richard R. Rees, Grand Master, who was then installed and who then installed all the other officers.
The first lodge in the State of
The second lodge was Giddings Lodge, No. 156, at
These three lodges, by their delegates, held a convention
at
The Grand Officers were elected, Bro. Robert C. Jordan being chosen Grand Master, who held that station until 1860. We regret to record here that this “father of Nebraska Masonry” died January 9, 1899, aged seventy-four years.
Before closing this history of
These remarks are due, because of the writer’s personal
knowledge of, and intimate association with, both of these Brethren, not only
in the above grand bodies, but also in the Supreme Council of the A.’.A.’.A.’.S.’.
Rite, of which Bro.’.Jordan was the Active Member for
The first lodge organized in the
Three other lodges were in existence when the Grand Lodge
was constituted, viz. :
Other lodges subsequently had been chartered by the New
Grand Lodge two in the Cherokee,
two in the Choctaw, and two in the Chickasaw nations.
August 2, 1861, the above-mentioned lodges met, by their
delegates, in convention at
Carson Lodge, at Carson City, was chartered May 15, 1862; Washoe Lodge, at Washoe City, and Virginia City Lodge, at Virginia City; both chartered May 14, 1863; Silver City Lodge, changed afterward to Amity, at Silver City, chartered May 15 1863; Silver Star Lodge, at Gold Hill, Esmeralda Lodge, at Aurora, and Escurial Lodge, at Virginia, all three chartered October 13, 1864; and Lander Lodge, at Austin, chartered October 14, 1864. All of these eight lodges recoved their charters from the Grand Lodge of California.
A convention was called to meet January 16, 1865, which was accordingly done and six lodges were represented the first day; the next day another lodge was represented. Lander Lodge, of the above list, was the only lodge which did not appear in the convention.
A constitution was adopted. The Grand Officers were elected and installed January 17, 1865. The old charters were endorsed for present use. Lander Lodge, although unrepresented in the convention and organization, presumed herself to be a part of the Grand Lodge, and under its jurisdiction made the returns to the Grand Lodge with the other lodges.
The first annual grand communication was held October 10, 1865.
The first lodge organized in Dakota was
Incense Lodge, at Vermillion, received a dispensation,
January 14, 1869, and a Charter, June 2, 1869; Elk Point Lodge, at Elk Point, received
a dispensation, March 23, 1870, and a Charter, June 8, 1871; Minnehaha Lodge,
at Sioux Falls, received a dispensation, July 13, 1873, and a Charter, June 3,
1874; Silver Star Lodge, at Canton, received a dispensation, February 6, 1875,
and a Charter, June 2, 1875; and Mount Zion Lodge, at Springfield, received a
dispensation, February 16, 1875, and a Charter, June 2, 1875. All of the above
warrants were granted by authority of the Grand Lodge of Iowa. A dispensation
was issued by the Grand Master of Minnesota, November 22, 1872, for Shiloh
Lodge, at
June 21, 1875, a convention was held of the representatives of St.
John’s, Incense, Elk Point, Minnehaha, and Silver Star lodges. Those of Mt. Zion Lodge, U.D., were present but did not participate in the proceedings, the lodge not having a Charter. A constitution was adopted and they elected their Grand Officers.
July 21, 1875, convention met again and the Grand Officers were
installed in public, by Illustrious Brother Theodore S. Parvin,
P.G. Master and Grand Secretary of the
Grand Lodge of
So soon as it was determined by the Grand Lodge of Dakota, at its session, held June 11-13, 1889, that there should be a division of the Grand Lodge of Dakota to correspond with the political division of the Territory into North and South Dakota, a convention was held, June 12, 1889, at the city of Mitchell, where the Grand Lodge was in session, and the following lodges of North Dakota were represented, viz. :
Shiloh, No. 8; Pembina, No. 10; Casselton, No. 12; Acacia, No. 15;
Bismarck, No. 16; Jamestown, No. 19; Valley City, No. 21; Mandan, No. 23; Cereal, No. 29; Hillsboro, No. 32; Crescent, No. 36;
Wahpeton, No. 58; North Star, No. 59; Minto, No. 60;
Mackey, No. 63; Goase River, No. 64;
Hiram, No. 74; Minnewaukan, No. 75; Tongue River, NO. 78; Bathgate, No. 80;
The convention resolved that it was expedient to organize
a Grand Lodge for
June 13th, the first session of the Grand Lodge
was held in the city of
The Grand Lodge of North Dakota has continued to keep pace with the other Western Grand Lodges.
In 1863 a meeting of Masons was held in
and on June 21, 1864, a charter was
granted to Idaho Lodge, No. 35. The next
lodge was in
The above four chartered lodges held a
Convention in
December 17, 1867, a full corps of Grand Officers was elected and installed. Constitution of Grand Lodge of Oregon was adopted temporarily.
December 17th, Grand Lodge was opened in ample form and so has continued to present time.
At the burial of a Mason in the
The lodge
A convention of the representatives of the above lodges was held January 24, 1866. After proper investigation as to the membership of the convention, it was decided to form a Grand Lodge and the convention closed.
The officers of the three lodges then opened a Grand Lodge in due form. A constitution was adopted and the Grand Officers were elected. January 26, 1866, the Grand Officers were regularly installed and at the same time charters were issued to the lodges and returns were made of one hundred and five members.
In consequence of the Civil War, from 1861 to 1865 the
affairs of Masonry, in common with all civil matters in Virginia and West
Virginia, which latter had been separated from the parent State, were in utter
confusion. Many of the lodges, in
A new convention was called to meet April 12, 1865. The
lodges represented were those at the prior convention, and were as follows,
viz.: Wellsburg, No. 108;
The old charters were ordered to be endorsed, which is an error. under the seal of the Grand Lodge, and to be retained until new ones could be prepared and issued.
“Through much tribulation ye shall enter into” - Masonry.
A dispensation was issued, February 4, 1866, by the Grand Master of Nevada for
the organization of Mt. Moriah Lodge at
The Grand Lodge approved of the edict of the Grand Master, and, declining to grant a Charter, renewed the dispensation. The lodge, although “worse than sorrow-stricken,” still continued to work for another year. The lodge then petitioned for a Charter, with the condition that if they could not have a Charter unrestricted by the edict, they declined having a Charter. The surrender of the
dispensation was promptly accepted by the Grand Lodge. The members then presented their petition to the Grand Lodge of Montana, October 8, 1887, with a statement of the circumstances of their relation with the Grand Lodge of Nevada. The Grand Lodge of Montana declared, that the assumption of the petitions that the Grand Lodge of Nevada did not possess the power to decide who are not proper persons to be admitted into its subordinate lodges, was “subversive of the principles of Masonry.” The petition for a Charter was rejected, and they were referred to the Grand Lodge of Nevada for a redress of their alleged grievances. The lodge applied then to the Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Kansas, who issued a dispensation, November 25, 1867, and on October 21, 1868, a Charter was granted by the Grand Lodge.
A convention was held at
Wasatch Lodge, chartered by the Grand Lodge of Montana, October 7, 1867; Mount Moriah Lodge, chartered by the Grand Lodge of Kansas, October 21, 1868; Argenta Lodge, chartered by the Grand Lodge of Colorado, September 26, 1871.
It was decided, by unanimous vote, to organize a Grand
Lodge for
In consequence of the Mormon Church being in their midst, difficulties at once arose in one of the lodges. A member joined the Mormons, and upon trial by regular process he was expelled, and the Grand Lodge affirmed the expulsion. This matter drew the attention of other Grand Lodges, who took formal action upon it; and the course of the Grand Lodge of Utah was nearly, if not unanimously, sustained.
Aztlan Lodge, at
The representatives of Arizona Lodge,
No. 257, Tucson Lodge, No. 263,
and White Mountain Lodge, No. 5, held a convention, March 23, 1882, at
Cheyenne Lodge, No. 16, at
Laramie Lodge, No. 18, at
Evanston Lodge, No. 24, at
The representatives of these four lodges met in convention
December 15, 1874, at
The first annual communication was held October 12, 1875, and the Grand Lodge has continued to hold its annual communications, and from the tabular statement at the conclusion of this chapter will be found the number of members.
At the eighteenth annual communication of the Grand Lodge of Indian Territory, under which Grand Lodge all the then existing lodges in Oklahoma Territory held their lodge warrants, a paper was presented to the Grand Lodge from the “members and representatives of the various Lodges of Masons in the Territory of Oklahoma organized and bring within the jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of Indian Territory, respectfully ask your consent and the consent of said Grand Lodge to the formation and organization by the said Oklahoma Lodges of a separate and independent Grand Lodge within and for said Oklahoma Territory to be known as the ‘Grand Lodge of Oklahoma’ and to have and possess hereafter exclusive Masonic jurisdiction and authority as the Grand Lodge within and for the said Territory of Oklahoma.
“Dated at Tahlequah, I.T., August 16, 1892.”
This was signed by the representatives of the following lodges:
Guthrie Lodge, No. 35; North Canadian
Lodge, No. 36;
This was referred to a committee, and upon a favorable report, the petition was granted and suitable arrangements were made for holding a convention of all the lodges in the new Territory, at which the Grand Master of the Grand Lodge was to preside and install the newly elected Grand Officers and formally proclaim by authority of that Grand Lodge “that the Grand Lodge of Oklahoma is legally organized,” etc.
On motion of Rev. Bro. R.W. Hill the Grand Lodge unanimously voted a set of Grand Lodge jewels to the new Grand Lodge. We have not been able to get a copy of the proceedings of the convention which was held November 10, 1892, but have before us the proceedings of
the first annual communication held
at
lodges, viz. :
Anadarko, No. 1, at
We have received the information that the Grand Master of Washington
Territory issued a dispensation for a lodge to be organized in
TABLE SHOWING THE NUMBER OF GRAND LODGES IN THE UNITED
STATES;
No. Names of Grand Lodges Date of Formation. Membership.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30 New jersey December 18, 1786 26,595
31 New Mexico32 New York33 North Carolina34
35
36 Oklahoma37
38 Pennsylvania39 Rhode Island40 South Carolina41
42 Tennessee43
44
45
46
47
48
49 Wisconsin50
August 7, 1877 1,590
September 5, 1781 152,928
December 9, 1787 16,835
June 13, 1889 5,945
January 5, 1809 68,679
October, 1892 7,978
August 16, 1851 8,085
September 26, 1786 75,273
June 21, 1791 6,719
February 5, 1787 10,403
June 21, 1875 6,675
December 27, 1813 20,986
December 20, 1837 41,736
January 1, 1872 1,343
October 15, 1794 12,078
October 13, 1777 17,644
December 8, 1858 10,903
May 11, 1865 1,778
December 18, 1843 22,974
December 5, 1874..... 2,102
ON Chapter XLIX., Dr. A. G. Mackey, having, in a very elaborate and satisfactory manner, given the history of the introduction of Royal Arch Masonry into America; and in Chapter L., the organization of the General Grand Chapter in the United States, it is quite unnecessary for the present writer to make any preface to the details of the organization of the particular Chapters and the Grand Chapters in the several Grand jurisdictions. We shall, therefore, proceed at once to that work, and in an alphabetical arrangement, for a better reference to any special jurisdiction when required.
Prior to May, 1823, there were four chapters in
“Resolved, That the formation of a Grand Chapter for the State of Alabama, in May, 1823,” prior to the expiration of one year from the establishment of the junior chapter in such State, “was prohibited by the 11th section of the 2d Article of the General Grand Constitution, and that therefore this General Grand Chapter cannot ratify or approve of the proceedings of the convention held
at
A recommendation was, however, made to the four chapters to proceed to form a Grand Chapter. On June 2, 1827, the Grand Chapter was reorganized, and met in December following, and annually until 1830, when it ceased to meet.
December, 1837, the delegates from the several chapters met and reorganized the Grand Chapter, and it has continued as a constituent of the General Grand Chapter.
Pursuant to an invitation from Companion
Past High-Priest George J. Roskruge
of Tucson Chapter, No. 3, a convention of Royal Arch Masons met in the hall of
Tucson Lodge, No. 4, F. & A. M., in
The convention was called to order by Companion Past High-Priest Martin W. Kales of Arizona Chapter, No. 1. Companion George J. Roskruge of Tucson Chapter 3 was chosen Chairman of the convention and Companion Frank Baxter was elected Secretary.
A committee on credentials was appointed and reported the following chapters as being represented, viz.
Date of Charter
August 24, 1880. Arizona Chapter, No. 1, located at
August 15, 1883. Prescott Chapter, No. 2, located at
Tucson Chapter, No. 3, located at
Cochise Chapter, NO. 4, located at
Nov. 22, 1889. Flagstaff Chapter, No. 5, located at
A committee was appointed on Constitution and By-Laws, and the convention took a recess; and on resuming labor the committee reported a Constitution and By-Laws, which were adopted. The convention then elected their officers; Martin W. Kales was chosen Grand High-Priest, and Gcorge J. Roskruge Grand Secretary.
The convention then adjourned subject to a call from the Grand Secretary.
November 12, 1890, the convention met and Companion George J. Roskruge presided. The same chapters, as before, were represented, and there were also present a number of Past High-Priests and Past Grand High-Priests, and Companion Titus of California, all of whom were invited to seats (without votes).
The President stated the object of the convention and read
his Warrant as Deputy of the General Grand High-Priest of the General Grand
Chapter of the
The convention then adjourned, that the Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons of Arizona might be opened in ample form.
The first annual convocation was then opened (November 12, 1890) at 8 P.M., George J. Roskruge, Grand High-Priest, presiding, and Morris Goldwater, Grand Secretary. The convention then proceeded to elect the Grand Officers, and Martin W. Kales was elected Grand High-Priest, and George James Roskruge was elected Grand Secretary.
Companion Roskruge acting as Deputy
General Grand High. Priest of the
On the following day (November 13, 1890) a convention of Anointed High-Priests was organized and officers were elected. Eight Past High-Priests were anointed.
Charters were granted by the General Grand Chapter of the
The Grand Chapter was organized at a convention held April
28, 1851, and Companion Elbert H. English was the first Grand High-Priest. When
the General Grand Chapter of the
In the years I853 and I854, Companion Albert Pike was the Grand High-Priest.
The first dispensation to organize a chapter of Royal Arch
Masons in
Central City Chapter, No. 1, in Central City, was the
first chapter to which a dispensation, dated March 23, 1863, was issued in
A convention was held at
Six members of Saint John’s Lodge, No. 2, located in the town of Middletown, Conn., having received and been “duly initiated into the most sublime degree of an Excellent, Superexcellent, and Royal Arch Mason in regular constituted Royal Arch Chapters,” and proving each other, they “duly opened and held the first regular Grand Royal Arch Chapter.” (1) They elected their officers. Their first meeting was held September 12, 1783.
The “Mother-Chapter,” or
At that day
the word “Grand “ was taken from the A. A. A. R.,
where all the bodies were termed Grand.-EDITOR. A convention Nyas held by the delegates of
these six chapters, in
When the convention to form a Grand Chapter met in Hartford, Conn., January 24, A.L. 5798, “ agreeable to the recommendation of a Convention of Committees assembled at Boston, in the State of Massachusetts, in October, 1797,” there were present: from Connecticut, representatives of Solomon Chapter of Derby, instituted 5794; Franklin Chapter, No. 4, Norwich, and Franklin Chapter, No. 5, New Haven. Ephraim Kirby, of Litchfield, was chosen the first General Grand High-Priest. In examining the records of the first chapters prior to the organization of the General Grand Chapter of 1797, we notice the designation of the officers as being somewhat different from the same officers at a more recent date. In Hiram Chapter of Connecticut the officers were “High-Priest, King, Scribe, Zerubbabel a Royal Arch Captain, three Grand Masters, a Treasurer, a Secretary, an Architect, a Clothier, and a Tyler.” It was required that the “High-Priest should preside, direct the business, and occasionally to give a lecture.” Now it is “to read and expound the law.” The Scribe’s duty was to “cause the Secretary to enter, in a fair and regular manner, the proceedings of the chapter,” and “to summons the members for attendance at every regular and special meeting. . . . and also to administer the obligation.” It was the duty of Zerubbabel “to superintend the arrangements of the Chapter”; of the Royal Arch Captain, “to keep watch at the Sanctuary”; of the three Grand Masters, “to watch the Veils”; of the Clothier, “to provide and take care of the Clothing”; of the Architect, “to provide and take care of the furniture.”
In the English Royal Arch, Zerubbabel is the first
Principal and in the present American Royal Arch, Zerubbabel is the Second
Principal, and designated King, which designation, in our judgment, is a
misnomer, as he never was a King, but was called “Tirshatha,” which was an
office of Governor under the King of Persia, and was, in reality, in the
construction of the second Temple, subordinate to the High-Priest, who had
entire management of that work. Zerubbabel soon retired and returned to
In 1883 eight chapters had, at different times, been
chartered by the General Grand Chapter of the
Yankton, No. 1, at Yankton; dispensation, April 15, 1876 chartered, August 24, 1880.
Dakota, No. 3, at Deadwood; chartered, August 27, 1880.
Siroc, No. 4, at
Pembina, No. 5, at Pembina.
Casselton, No. 7, at Casselton.
Corinthian, No. 8, at
A convention was held at
A convention met February 25, 1885, pursuant to a call
made January 8, 1885 at Sioux FaHs. Companion William Blatt was chosen Chairman,
and the following chapters were reported as being duly represented, viz.: Nos.
1, 2, 3, 4, and 7 of the above list, and Cheyenne, No. 9, U, D., at Valley
City; Huron, No. 10, U.D., at Huron; Keystone, No. 11, U.D., at Fargo;
Watertown, No. 12, U.D., at Watertown; Jamestown, No. 13, U.D., at Jamestown,
Aberdeen, No. 14,
U.D., at
The first annual convocation was held June 8, 1885.
Charters were granted to Corinthian, No. 8; Huron, No. 10;
The Grand Chapter of Dakota continued to prosper until the
division of the State, by Act of Congress, February 22, 1889, into North and
When, on January 6, 1890, a convention was held in
Yankton, S. D., and the representatives of the chapters located in
The early history of the innoduction of Royal Arch Masonry
into the State of
By what authority we can not ascertain; the “compendium” is
silent upon
“Among the first to demand my attention was to examine
into thecondition of the Grand Chapter of Delaware, and if found to be a legal
Grand Chapter, to have the same enrolled under the jurisdiction of the General
Grand Chapter, as requested by the companions in Delaware. Having been
solicited to visit Wilmington, for the purpose of instituting St. John’s
Chapter, which had been chartered by this Body at its last convocation (1868),
I did so on the 19th of October, 1868, and having instituted said
chapter, embraced that opportunity to fully investigate the condition of Royal
Arch Masonry in the State, and for that purpose I held interviews with some of
the most prominent Royal Arch Masons in the jurisdiction. From those
companions, and from the records, I ascertained that there had existed in
“No other convocation of the (so-called) Grand Chapter was held until January, 1868, a period of nine years. During this time, Companion Chaytor claimed to be the Grand High-Priest, but he refused persistently to assemble the Craft in Grand Convocation. Some three or four years subsequent to the meeting of 1859, a difficulty having aisen between Companion Chaytor and the other members of Washington and Lafayette Chapter, No. 1, of which he was then High-Priest, he, in his capacity of Grand High-Priest, declared the said chapter suspended, thereby placing himself in the anomalous position of a self-suspended Royal Arch Mason; that is, provided he possessed any powers as Grand High-Priest.
“With these facts before me, there was but one conclusion to
which I could legitimately arrive. Accordingly, on the 20th of
October 1868, I issued an edict, declaring that any legal existence heretofore attaching to a Grand Royal Arch Chapter of the
State of Delaware had ceased; that said State Grand Chapter no longer existed;
and that the several chapters heretofore holding under it had become dormant for non-use and
for other reasons. And that, by the fact of the cessation of the Grand Chapter
of the State of
“On the 9th day of January, 1869, upon
application duly made, and under the power and authority vested in me by the
Constitution of the General Grand Chapter, I issued an edict granting
permission for the formation of a Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons of the State
of
January 20, 1869, the legal representatives of four
chapters in
The very first intimation we have of the Royal Arch degree in the District of Columbia, we find in the old record-book of the “Excellent, Superexcellent, Royal Arch Encampment,” under the Charter of Federal Lodge, No. 15, F.A.A.M., under the jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of Maryland, which is referred to in Chapter LIL, page 1369.
We make the following extracts from that first “Encampment”:
“At a meeting of the Royal Arch Encampment, held in the Lodge, No. 15 (Federal Lodge), on Monday, December ‘4th, A. L. 5795. Present:
Rev. George Ralph,
John Bradford,
Robert Brown,
C. Worthy Stephenson
Dennis Dulancy,
Thomas Wilson,
David Cummings,
James Sweeney.
Whereas, It appears to be the desire of several Brethren of this
Lodge that a Royal Arch Encampment should be established in this
city, therefore,
“Resolved, That a committee be appointed of the following Brethren, viz.: Brothers Ralph, Wilson, and Dulancy, to procure every necessary apparatus, and to adjust the necessary fees and expenses of admission to this Degree.
“Resolved, That the Brethren who wish to join this Encampment be requested to subscribe to a paper instrument, handed to them by
Bro. Sweeney previous to the foregoing
Committee proceeding in the calculation in the expenses of our Robes, Veils,
(1) Furniture, &c. The
Committee to meet on Wednesday evening, at
December 16, 1795. Present as at last meeting except Bro. Stephenson. The Committee appoiited at the last meeting made their report: which was that twenty-three pounds and one shilling is indispensably necessary to provide the materials to prepare them and to arrange the Lodge room previous to the formation of a Royal Arch Encampment) &c., &c., which was agreed to.
At a meeting held June 17, 5797, it was announced by a
letter from Comp. Sweeney that a Royal Arch Grand Lodge is about to be formed
for the State of Maryland to meet at Baltimore June 24th. A circular
letter was received from George L. Gray,
This chapter or encampment held its meetings until February, 5799, when it “resolved that the Royal Arch Encampment be broke up!” and a committee was appointed to settle up its affairs and everyone to receive his dividend.
To show who were the officers and their titles we give the following list:
M.W. James Hoban, High-Pricst.
R.W. John Carter, Captain-General.
R.W. Robert Brown, 1st Grand Master.
R.W. Redmond Purcell, 2d Grand Master.
R.W. Peter Lenox, 3d Grand Master.
John Hanley, Treasurer.
Patrick Hearly, Secretary.
John Lenox,
The second record-book begins as follows
At a meeting of the Royal Arch Chapter at their Lodge room on Saturday evening, December 1, 1804, the following Companions present :
Phil P. Eckel, High-Priest, p. t.
Charles Jones, Captain-General.
C. M. Laughlan, 2d Grand Master.
John Davis, Grand Scribe. (1)
Visitors, John Scott, John Carter.
The degree of Excellent, Superexcellent, Royal Arch was conferred upon several Brethren, ten dollars being the fee.
On Sunday, December 14, 1806, a meeting is recorded, and they adopted the following :
“Resolved, That this Chapter concur with the resolution passed by Concordia R. A. Chapter as far as respects a Grand Royal Arch Chapter and that a Committee be appointed to meet in Grand Convention at the City of Washington on the third Wednesday in January next (1807) any Committees which may be appointed for the purpose aforesaid.
“February 14, 1807. Ordered that this
Chapter be represented at the next Royal Arch Chapter to be held at
“Resolved, That that part of the Constitution which states that the High-Priest and King are the proper representatives be altered so as to add, ‘unless ordered by the Chapter.’
“Resolved, That the Treasurer do pay into the hands of the Treasurer of the Grand R.A. Chapter $10, for the purpose of obtaining our Warrant (2) and also other Contingent expenses relative thereto.”
Februar 7, 18O7, was adopted the following:
“Resolved, That in future the following sums shall be paid by Candidates for the following degrees, namely, for Past Master $2, for Mark Master $3, and for the degree of Excellent, Superexcellent, Royal Arch $10.”
At this time it was
“Resolved, That this Chapter shall hereafter be entitled and known by the name of the Royal Arch Union Chapter.”
This record-book terminates August 20, 5808, giving no intimation of any cause whatever why the chapter should not have continued
A dispensation had been Isued by the General Grand
High-Priest to the several chapters in the
This Grand Chapter continued in existence from February 10, 1824, to January 8th, 1833, being composed of the following chapters, viz.: Federal Chapter, No. 3; Union Chapter, No. 4; Potomac Chapter, No. 8.
Several conventions were held from time to time, however, between May 11, 1822, and February 10, 1824, at which latter date the delegates of the several chapters of Royal Arch Masons of the District of Columbia met in General Convention and the following chapters were properly represented: Federal Chapter, No. 3; Union Chapter, No. 4; Brooke Chapter, No. 6, of Alexandria, Va., and Potomac Chapter, No. 8, of Georgetown.
The convention was duly organized, and the Grand Officers
were elected and a constitution which had been regularly formulated and adopted
at a former convention was adopted. In the evening of the same day (Tuesday,
February 10, 1824) the Grand Royal Arch Chapter for the
The Grand Officers were duly installed by Comp’n John B. Hammett, a Past Grand High-Priest.
At a meeting of the Grand Chapter held March 9, 1824, the following communication was received and read and laid on the table:
“
“Resolved Unanimously, That we
deem it inexpedient to separate from the Grand Chapter of the State of
EDW. DEEBLE, Scribe.”
(1) Pro. Gen. Gr. Ch., 1826, P. 77.
Previous to the closing of the convention the numbers of
the chapters were arranged as follows: Federal, No. 1 ;
Brooke, No. 3;
At the semi-annual meeting we find No. 1 to be designated as Washington Royal Arch Chapter, No. 1.” This change was made by that chapter at a meeting held February 23, 1824.
The Grand Chapter continued to exist until its annual communication, held January 8, 1833, which is the last record in the book.
Potomac Chapter, No. 4, never united with this Grand Chapter, but held under her old Charter.
At the annual meeting of the Grand Chapter, held January
9, 1827, a petition was received from Comp. P. Mauro, on behalf of himself and
thirteen other Companions requesting a dispensation or Charter be granted to
them for a chapter under the title of
At an adjourned convocation, held March 14, 1827, after
installation of the Grand Officers, the officers elect of
This Grand Chapter closed its existence after the annual convocation January 8, 1833, as no meeting was recorded in the old book after that date, if any were held at all. We must now refer to the proceedings of the General Grand Chapter and at the eleventh meeting, held September 14, 1841, we find that a resolution was adopted authorizing the Deputy General Grand High-Priest to take the necessary steps to place all chapters of Royal Arch Masons in that part of the District of Columbia, formerly belonging to the State of Maryland, under the jurisdiction of the Grand Chapter of Maryland. (1) At the next meeting, held September 10, 1844, that officer reported that the resolution above referred to had been duly enforced and confirmed by the Grand Chapter of the State of Maryland; and that Grand Chapter has assumed and now holds jurisdiction over that portion of the District of Columbia lying within the limits of the State, that at present Maryland has two chapters at work therein. (2) These two chapters were, Columbia No. 15, and Washington No. 16.
The chapters in the
(1) 1841, p. 165.
(2) 1844, p. 181.
1844, was changed to Maryland and District of Columbia, until the year 1867, when steps were taken by the four chapters in the District of Columbia to reorganize a Grand Chapter. These were:
The Companions in
We have kindly omitted all personalities in this veritable
history, because nearly every prominent Companion in this contest has gone to
his reward, and we say, as all interested should, Pax Vobiscum. The General Grand Chapter permitted Potomac
Chapter, No. 8, to retain her place under the Grand Chapter of Maryland, but
decided that the whole territory of the District was in the jurisdiction of the
Grand Chapter of the
The Grand Chapter of the
In the “Compendium “ giving the proceedings of the General Grand Chapter for the sixth meeting of that body, September 14, 1826, the General Grand High-Priest, DeWitt Clinton, reported that he had granted dispensations for a Mark Lodge in St. Augustine and also one in St. Francisville in Florida.
The Grand Chapter of Virginia had chartered two chapters
in
We find in the “Compendium” in the proceedings for the thirteenth meeting of the General Grand Chapter, held September 14, 1847, the following in the report of the General Grand Secretary:
“On the 11th day of January last (1847), three chapters of Royal Arch Masons in the State of Florida, by their delegates, met in Convention and resolved to form a Grand Chapter for that State. They therefore proceeded to frame a Constitution and enact bylaws;
and on the 21 st of the same month they elected officers and organized a Grand Chapter; and among their proceedings it will be found that they desire to place their Grand Chapter under your
jurisdiction. On receipt of the copy of their Constitution and letter accompanying it, I immediately acknowledged the same, and requested their Grand Secretary to inform me from what Grand
Chapter the several Chapters in the State received their respective charters, and the time when each was issued. To this letter, as yet, I have received no answer.”
The next notice of
“That it appears from documents referred to your committee, a Convention of delegates from the Royal Arch Chapters in the State of Florida, assembled in Tallahassee, in the month of January, 1847, at which time the following preamble and resolutions were adopted” (which we omit). The committee say:
“In the published proceedings of said Grand Chapter we find the adopted Constitution, and the following resolutions :
“Resolved, That the Grand Chapter of Florida, duly appreciating the advantages of a Masonic head and paramount authority, are disposed to come under the jurisdiction of the General Grand Chapter of the United States.
“Resolved, That the Grand Secretary communicate the same to the General Grand Secretary of the General Grand Chapter.”
Among the comments of the committee they say : “It is to be regretted that the Grand Secretary did not furnish that precise information of the origin of the several chapters which composed the convention as would have enabled your committee to report in such a manner as to recommend to this General Grand Chapter the incorporation of that Grand Chapter under your jurisdiction at the present time,” etc. Some objections were also made to several sections of their constitution; they recommended certain resolutions aiming to overcome the objections, and thereby to admit the Grand Chapter to her proper place as a constituent of this General Grand Chapter. The Grand Chapter of Florida did not understand the motive of the action of the General Grand Chapter and did not comply with the request for explanations. At the sixteenth meeting of the General Grand Chapter held in 1856 the General Grand High-Priest was authorized to recognize the Grand Chapter of Florida and place it in the same position as the other Grand Chapters, at its request.
The war period of 1861 to 1865 prevented the accomplishment of this arrangement until January 13, 1869, when the Grand Chapter of Florida accepted the invitation by passing the following:
The office of the Grand Secretary of the Grand Chapter of Georgia can not furnish any information as to when Royal Arch Masonry was introduced into that jurisdiction.
The first notice of
The next notice of
At the thirteenth meeting of the General Grand Chapter, held September 14, 1847, the General Grand Secretary reports as follows :
“Within the last few days, however, on examination of the old files of papers, I found a printed paper, to which the name of one of the General Grand Secretaries is affixed, giving a list of the Grand Chapters under the jurisdiction of the General Grand Chapter, and therein appears the name of the Grand Chapter of Georgia.
“It would seem that this is a good evidence of that Grand Chapter having been recognized, and that if so, it should be, in some way, made to appear upon the record.”
The report of the committee on the last item as found at the same meeting, was that they did find documentary evidence in the hands of the General Grand Secretary sufficient to prove that the Grand Chapter of Georgia was a constituent of the General Grand Chapter, although said Grand Chapter had not been represented, or made returns to that body since 1822.
The above statement of facts is not very flattering to the officers of the General Grand Chapter, whose duty it evidently was to know from the records and registers who were the constituents of that Grand Body. Such remissness and want of knowledge in regard to the very vital affairs show gross neglect of duty and want of care in the management of so important a body of Masons as the General Grand Chapter.
The Grand Chapter of Oregon granted a Charter to Idaho
Chapter, in
constituted August 18, 1867. At the
twentieth session of the General Grand Chapter, held September 18, 1868, the
General Grand Chapter adopted a report, which included “good faith” of the
petitioners, healing 61 those who had been exalted in the chapter, and granting
a Charter to Idaho Chapter, No. 1,
In the proceedings of the General Grand Chapter for August
25, 1880, on petition of Comp. C.P. Coburn and others of
At the twenty-sixth triennial, held October 1, 1886,
Alturas Chapter, No. 5, at Harley, Dak., was granted a
Charter.
The Deputy General Grand High-Priest, Joseph K. Stapleton,
gave a dispensation to Springfield Chapter, in
At the twelfth triennial session, September 10, 1844, the
Deputy General Grand High-Priest reported having issued a dispensation for
Lafayette Chapter, in
At the thirteenth triennial session, September 14, 1847, he reported having issued dipensations to Jacksonville Chapter, No. 3, at Jacksonville and Shawneetown Chapter, No. 6, at Shawneetown, since the session of 1844, and a Charter to Lafayette Chapter, in Chicago.
The General Grand Scribe Ezra S. Barnum reported having
issued dispensations on March 10, 1846, to open Horeb Chapter, No. 4, at
At the fourteenth triennial session, September 10, 1850,
several of the chapters working under dispensations having applied for charters
were refused because they had failed to send up the records of their
proceedings, and therefore the committee was unable to say whether their doings
had been regular or not. Among these
were the chapters Reynolds, Stapleton,
At the same session (fourteenth) the Deputy General Grand
High-Priest reported having issued dispensations for the formation of Howard
Chapter, on July 28, 1848, and Stapleton Chapter, June 28, 1849. The General
Grand King reported that since the last triennial he had granted a dispensation
to a chapter to be held in
At the thirteenth triennial meeting the General Grand King
reported that he had granted authority to seven chapters in
April 10, 1850, a convention of the representatives of six
of these chapters was held, and having the authority of the General Grand King,
a Grand Chapter for the State of
A convention of three chartered chapters, Indian, No. 1;
The first record evidence of the establishment of Royal Arch Masonry in the State of Indiana is found in the proceedings of the General Grand Chapter at the sixth meeting, held September 14, 1826, where under the report of a committee on the papers and proceedings of the General Grand Officers they say : “That a Charter had been granted to Vincennes Chapter, at Vincennes, State of Indiana, on 13th May, 1820; to Jennings Mark Lodge, at Vevay, Indiana, on 4th May, 1821, by the General Grand King, John Snow.”
September 14, 1838, the committee on the doings of General
Grand Officers reported a dispensation having been granted by M.E. Companion Stapleton for a chapter at
This chapter
was named King Solomon. At the eleventh meeting, held September 14, 1841, the
Committee on Warrants recommended a Charter to be issued to Logan Chapter,
At the twelfth meeting, held September 10, 1844, the following statements were made by the General Grand Secretary: (1) “By the records of the proceedings of the General Grand Chapter in 1819, it appears that the Committee to whom was referred the subject matter of dispensations granted by the General Grand Officers during the previous recess had heard that the then late Deputy General Grand High-Priest had granted dispensations for charters at Madison, and at Brookville, in Indiana; but there being no further evidence of their existence before the General Grand Chapter, no ratification of these acts was passed, nor were their charters ordered; although several charters were at that time ordered for other chapters holding dispensations under authority of other General Grand Officers. Consequently, Madison and Brookville Chapters ceased to exist as legally constituted Masonic Bodies at that time. It appears, however, from the herewith accompanying papers, that Madison Chapter continued its labors for many years; and there having been another chapter established at Vincennes, in that State, in 1823, it is said a Grand Chapter was organized with the approbation of M.E. Comp. John Snow, General Grand King. No documentary evidence of that authority, however, or even records of the proceedings of that Grand Chapter are known to exist. Nor does it appear of record that the General Grand Chapter was ever advised of the existence of such an institution.....”
On the true position of these things being made known to the Companions at Madison, in the proper spirit of Masonry they immediately suspended all work, closed their chapter, and determined to lay their case before the General Grand Chapter, which was done by their High-Priest, M.E. Joseph G. Norwood, in a very frank, perspicuous, and able manner, presented amongst the documents, accompanied by their dispensation, their return for 1842 to the present time (September 10, 1844), and the payment of such dues as have accrued within that time. No return had been made from 1819 to 1842. Their irregularities were evidently the result of mistakes as to the extent of power given by their dispensation, and they asked that their acts may be made lawful by the General Grand Chapter and that all dues up to 1842 be remitted, and asked for a Charter.(1) This was duly granted, September 12, 1844, and all dues remitted up to 1842. The past work was pronounced illegal, and authority was given to heal all who had received degrees in it. At the twelfth meeting above mentioned (1844), the Deputy General Grand High-Priest reported having issued a dispensation to Lafayette Chapter, No. 3, at Lafayette, August 17, 1843 ; (3) a Charter was granted to this chapter, September 11, 1844; at this meeting permission was granted by the General Grand Chapter for a convention to assemble, dated November 18, 1845, and the Grand Chapter of Indiana was duly constituted December 25, 1845.
At the thirteenth ineedng of the General Grand Chapter,
held September 14, 1847, the Deputy General Grand High-Priest reported that
since the triennial session, in 1844, he had authoized the consecration, by
proxy, of Iowa Chapter, at
Dispensation to Iowa Chapter, No. 1, was dated August 24, 1843.
Charter to the same was dated September 11, 1844.
Dispensation to Iowa City Chapter, No. 2, was dated March 19, 1844. (6) Charter to the same was dated September 17, 1847.
At the fifteenth meeting of the General Grand Chapter,
held September 17, 1853, Washington Chapter, No. 4, at
A dispensation had been issued to McCord Chapter, No.
5, at
A convention of the above-narmed chapters, by their
delegates, was held at
The history of Capitular Masonry in Iowa would not be completed were we to omit one of those peculiar episodes which, with cyclonic force, carries away before it all the valuable works of the good and great Masonic Architects, who have labored so hard, and industriously, in the erection of Masonic temples, and which we quote from Companion A.F. Chapman’s history of Capitular Masonry in the History of Masonry and Concordant Orders:
“Within about two years after being organized, the usefulness of the General Grand Chapter came under discussion. The Grand High Priests early gave emphasis to this negative feeling. In 1857
the delegates to the next session
of the General Grand Chapter were instructed to vote for its dissolution. This
was re-enforced in 1858. The Grand Chapter asserted its sovereignty and
independent right to organize chapters in
States, and this Grand Chapter is forever absolved from all connection therewith,’ was passed by a vote of twenty-eight ayes to fifteen nays.
“This condition continued for nine years, when, at the triennial convocation, September, 1871, the General Grand High Priest reported that, under date of October 26, 1869, he had ‘received official notice that the Grand Chapter of Iowa had rescinded the act of secession passed in 1860, and had directed that the O.’.B.’. of allegiance should be administered to all the members of chapters in that jurisdiction, and that hereafter it would be administered to candidates receiving the Royal Arch degree.’
“This Grand Chapter has been represented in the General Grand Chapter since 1871.
“Robert Farmer Bower of Iowa Grand Chapter was chosen General Grand High Priest in 1880, and died before his term was out.”
The first dispensation was issued to Leavenworth Chapter,
No. 1, at
By permission of the Deputy General Grand High-Priest a convention of the delegates of the several chapters was held January, 1866, and on February 23, 1866, a Grand Royal Arch Chapter was duly organized and constituted.
In the proceedings of the General Grand Chapter at the fifth regular meeting, September 9, 1819, the proceedings of the Grand Chapter of Kentucky were presented and read, and a resolution was
passed, viz. : “Whereas, It has
been communicated to the General Grand Chapter that several Warrants of
Constitution were granted since the last communication authorizing the opening
and holding of Royal Arch Chapters in
constitutionally in operation for the space of more than one year, did form themselves into a Grand Chapter for said State under the jurisdiction of this body, and have been regularly organized as such, by M.E. Companions De Witt Clinton, General Grand High Priest, and Thomas Smith Webb, late Deputy General Grand High Priest.
“Resolved, Therefore, that this
General Grand Chapter approves and recognizes the formation of said Grand
Chapter for said State of
The dispensations for the above-mentioned three chapters had been issued by Companion Thomas Smith Webb, Deputy General Grand High-Priest, October 16, 1816.
In the proceedings of the Grand Chapter of Kentucky will be found the correspondence in reference to the formation and constituting of the Grand Chapter, and also the recognition by the Deputy General Grand High-Priest, dated December 12, 1817, at Worthington, O., and by DeWitt Clinton, M. Ex. General Grand High-Priest, December 30, 1817.
At the annual convocation of the Grand Chapter, held in
Very properly, the Grand Chapter of Kentucky appeared to be contented with this decision.
The report of the General Grand Secretary at the triennial session, September, 1859, shows that the Grand Chapter of Kentucky had adopted resolutions of withdrawal from the General Grand Body.
At the twenty-second triennial convocation, held November 24, 1871 the General Grand High-Priest, in his address, stated “That the Grand Chapter of Kentucky has rescinded her resolutions of withdrawal and has renewed her allegiance. Her representatives are here with us,” etc. She has remained in true allegiance ever since.
The first reference we find in the proceedings of the
General Grand Chapter to Royal Arch Masonry in
The Grand Chapter formed in the manner above stated was attached to, and made dependent on, the Grand Lodge of Louisiana, and the M.W. Grand Master of that body was ex officio and by “inherent right” Grand High-Priest of the new Grand Chapter.
The question as to the legality of these proceedings had been foreclosed in 1829, by the admission of a representative from the Grand Chapter of Louisiana, in the person of Companion McConnell,
on whose return to New Orleans the Grand High-Priest, Companion John Holland, convened the officers and members of the
Grand Chapter, who, by an official act, in regular assembly, enrolled themselves under the jurisdiction of the General Grand Chapter, in the manner prescribed by the 13th Section of the 4th Article of the General Grand Constitution; of which act it notified all the subordinate chapters under its jurisdiction, and directed similar action on their part, and enjoined a strict observance of the provisions of the General Constitution.From 1829 tO 1831 the Grand Chapter of Louisiana conducted
all of her proceedings in good faith and true allegiance to the General Grand
Chapter. From 1831 to April, 1839, there was no meeting. The subordinate chapters had ceased to exist,
except
Shortly after this, Compn. Henry
was officially notified by the Grand Secretary of the Grand Chapter of
Louisiana of the organization of the Grand Chapter, and requiring of Holland
Chapter her dues and returns from 1832 to 1838 inclusive. Holland Chapter protested against this demand
and asked for evidence of the legality of the organization of the Grand Body,
which was refused, and Holland Chapter declined to recognize its authority. The
body, assuming to be the Grand Chapter, proceeded to revoke the Charter, and to
expel the High-Priest and Secretary of
From the above statement it would appear that the Grand Royal Arch Chapter, organized in 1813, voluntarily surrendered its independent jurisdiction and enrolled itself under the General Grand Chapter, which body continued until 1831, and having ceased her operations by not meeting and electing officers, as required by the General Grand Constitution, it ceased to exist. All the existing subordinate chapters came immediately under the jurisdiction of the General Grand Chapter, which alone had legal authority over the jurisdiction thus vacated, as by Article 2, Section 2, of the General Grand Constitution. The deceased Grand Chapter could only be revived by Article 2, Section 9.
The committee recommended and which was unanimously adopted:
That Holland Chapter, No. 9, be directed to resume its labors under the direction of its former officers and members, with power to fill existing vacancies, and that it be required to make its annual returns, and settle its dues with the General Grand Secretary.
In the proceedings of the General Grand Chapter for 1847 we find in a report on Holland Chapter, No. 9, “that the Charter of said Chapter has been either lost or stolen; and that the dispensation under which it has been working for the past year expires by the terms of its own limitation with the present session of this General Grand Chapter. They therefore respectfully recommend that the General Grand Secretary be authorized to execute a new Charter, to take the place of that which has been lost, etc., which was accepted.”
The General Grand Chapter at this session “Resolved, That there is not at this time any constitutional and
legally authorized Grand Royal Arch Chapter in the State of
“Resolved, That the Association holding its meetings in the City of New Orleans, and assuming to exercise the functions and authority of a Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons is an irregular and unauthorized Masonic body; and it is hereby disowned and repudiated as spurious, clandestine, and illegal.”
Masonic intercourse, public and private, was interdicted, and due notice of these resolutions was to be forwarded to the acting Secretary of said body by the General Grand Secretary.
The Deputy General Grand High-Priest reported at this
session, September 14, 1847, that since the session of 1844 he had issued
dispensations to the following bodies in
At the fourteenth meeting of the General Grand Chapter, September 10, 1850, a committee reported that “ on the personal knowledge of one of their own members who represents that State (Louisiana) in this Body, that those difficulties are now adjusted, and that the different Grand Bodies of that State, in all degrees of Masonry, are now united as one in that harmony without which our Order can not exist.”
At this session (1850) the General Grand King reported “that
he had authoized Holland Chapter, No 1; New Era Chapter, No. 2; Red River
Chapter, No. 3, and
May, 1848.”
As the territory, occupied by
These three chapters, with Mt. Vernon Chapter, of
The first reference to Royal Masonry in
This Grand Chapter had the honor of having two of her
Members selected as General Grand Officers in the General Grand Chapter of the
A circular letter from Concordia Chapter in Baltimore was issued to all the chapters in Baltimore and the “Encampment of Excellent, Superexcellent, Royal Arch” (In the District of Columbia), inviting them to send representatives to a convention to be held in the city of Washington, January 21, 1807, to take into consideration the propriety of forming a Grand Chapter for the State of Maryland and the District of Columbia.
Those chapters in
We find from Compn. Edward T. Schultz’s History of Capitular Masonry in Maryland that “Undoubtedly [Washington Chapter] was the Royal Arch Chapter of Jerusalem, instituted in 1787 by virtue of the dispensation or warrant of Lodge No. 7, Royal Arch Chapter of Jerusalem, at Chestertown, and was attached to Lodge No. 15, now Washington Lodge, No. 3.” This chapter finally was merged with Concordia in 1822.
Companion Schultz informs us: “It is
probable that Royal Arch Chapters were attached to most of the active Lodges in
the State. Hiram Lodge, No. 27, at Port
Tobacco, as we have seen, resolved to open a ‘Royal Arch Chapter.’ There is
evidence to show that more than one dispensation was granted in the year 1797.
Brother David Kerr was at the time Grand Master, and by virtue of the power and
control of the Royal Arch Degree, believed to be inherent in Grand Masters,
issued his dispensations for the formation of these several Chapters which
then, in connection with the Chapter attached to Washington Lodge, formed, June
24, 1897, the first Independent Grand Chapter in the United States. The Grand Chapter claimed to have been
organized in 1796 in
In the above statement of Companion Schultz we heartily
concur. The Grand Chapter of 1797 in
A Grand Royal Arch Convention was held by the H. Royal
Arch Chapters in the State of
The degrees recognized by this Grand Chapter were Mark Master, Past Master, Most Excellent Master, and Royal Arch.
We make the following extract from Companion Schultz’s Freemasonry
in
“Since the finding of these books (old Records), documents
have been brought to light, which in
connection with them throw much light upon the early history of the
Grand R.A. Chapter of
“Some months since we learned that the Masonic papers of
Philip P. Eckel, which were supposed to
have been lost or entirely destroyed, were in the possession of his
granddaughter, Mrs. David
J. Bishop, living in this city (
No further records or documents of any description have
been discovered in reference to the Grand Chapter organized in 1807, and the
reorganization which occurred in the year 1814. On May 9th of that
year delegates from Chapters Nos. 1, 2, and 3 met in the city of
This Grand Chapter continued with above title until the
withdrawal of the chapters located in the
After this the Grand Chapter of the District of Columbia
ceased to exist, the chapters in Washington City and Alexandria had no Grand
Head until 1841, when steps were taken to place the chapters in the
That this was regularly and lawfully accomplished, we refer to the proceedings of the General Grand Chapter for 1865. The following was referred to a committee:
“Resolved, That the Royal Arch Chapters in the
The Royal Arch Chapter of St. Andrew’s was one of the three original chapters which met in convention in Boston, October 24, 1797, and issued the “Circular,” which invited the assembling of a convention in Hartford, Ct., January 24, 1798, “to form and open a Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons, and to establish a Constitution for the government and regulation of all the chapters that now are or may be hereafter erected within the said States.”
The first notice of conferring the Royal Arch degree which we find was August 28, 1769, in St Andrew’s Chapter, called “Royal Arch Lodge,” under the sanction of St. Andrew’s Lodge Charter, No. 82, under the Registry of Scotland.
From August 12, 1769, until 1788, the title “Royal Arch Master” was employed.
At the fifth regular meeting, of the General Grand
Chapter, held September 9, 1819, the committee reported that the General Grand
High-Priest had granted a dispensation to Monroe Chapter, No. 1, at
At the twelfth meeting of the General Grand Chapter a
dispensation was reported as having been granted, by the Dep. General Grand High-Priest, May 16, 1844, to St
Joseph’s Valley Chapter, No. 2, at Niles. Also the same officer reported,
at the thirteenth meeting, held September 14, 1847, that a dispensation had
been granted (without date) to Jackson Chapter, No. 3, in
A Charter was granted to Monroe Chapter, No. 1, September 11,
1819; and at the sesion of September 14, 1847, a Charter
was granted to
The first notice of Royal Arch Masonry, in the proceedings of the General Grand Chapter, we find at the fifteenth meeting, held September 17, 1853, when the committee reported that “a number of companions at St. Paul, Minn., have petitioned the General Grand King for a dispensation,” and recommended a dispensation to be issued by the present Deputy General Grand High-Priest.
At the triennial session, September 11, 1856, a Charter was
granted. Dispensations were issued by the General Grand High-Priest to
the following chapters: Vermillion, No. 2, in
A convention was held, by authority of Compn. Albert G.
Mackey, General Grand High-Priest, dated December 1, 1859, in
At the sixth meeting of the General Grand Chapter, held September 14, 1826, the General Grand High-Priest reported having issued a dispensation to a chapter at Port Gibson, Miss. On the 15th at the same meeting, a Charter was granted.
September 14, 1841, it was reported that a dispensation was
issued to Vicksburg Chapter, June 17, 1840; and a Charter was granted September
17, 1841. At the twelfth session, September 10, 1844, the Deputy
General Grand High-Priest reported having issued dispensations to chapters in
Mississippi as follows, viz. : to Columbus Chapter, February 7, 1842; and to
Jackson, August 28, 1843. The General Grand High-Priest reported having issued
a dispensation to a chapter at
In compliance with a petition from the chapters in
At the regular meeting of the General Grand Chapter
(September 11, 1819) it was reported that the Grand High-Priest had granted a
dispensation to form a chapter in
At the tenth meeting, September 14, 1838, the General Grand Scribe reported that a dispensation had been issued for a Charter to Palmyra Chapter, No. 2 (no date given). The committee recommended a Charter to be issued whenever the provisions of the constitution should have been complied with. A Charter, however, was not given by the General Grand Chapter, but after the formation of the Grand Chapter of Missouri, it was given October 16, 1847.
At the twelfth meeting of the General Grand Chapter, held September 10, 1844, the Deputy General Grand High-Priest reported having issued dispensations to Liberty Chapter, No. 3, at Liberty, February 7, 1842; one to Weston Chapter, No. 4, at Weston, January 17, 1843; and one to Booneville Chapter, No. 6, at Booneville, March 3, 1843; one to La Fayette Chapter, No. 5, September 11, 1844. Charters were ordered to all chapters reported by the committee, viz.: Nos. 3, 4, 5, and 6.
At the thirteenth meeting, held September 14, 1847, it was
reported by the Deputy General Grand High-Priest that since the session of 1844
he had issued a dispensation to consecrate Booneville Chapter, No. 6, and he
had issued dispensations to organize St. Louis Chapter, No. 8, at St. Louis,
and Hannibal Chapter, No. 7, at Hannibal, No. On September 17, 1847, charters
were ordered to be issued to
The convention to organize a Grand Chapter for the State
of
In the report of the General Grand Secretary of the General Grand Chapter, at the thirteenth meeting, held September 14, 1847, he states :
“In the month of November, 1846, I received notice of the
formation of a Grand Chapter for the State of
We find the following minute in the proceedings of that day “To the General Grand Chapter:
“The Committee to whom was referred
the action of the Grand Chapter of
with the Comp. General Grand Secretary. Your Committee, however, believe that this organization was not strictly in conformity with the Constitution of this General Grand Chapter; therefore,
“Resolved, That all irregularities be removed, and that said Grand Chapter of Missouri be fully recognized, and that its representatives be invited to seats in this General Grand Chapter.”
Compn. J.W.S. Mitchell, of the Grand Chapter of Missouri, offered the following:
“Resolved, That the Chapters working by dispensation under this jurisdiction in Missouri be, and they are, required to pay dues to this General Grand Chapter up to the period when a Grand Chapter was organized in the said State of Missouri, viz. :
October, 1846,” which was adopted.
The organization of the Grand Chapter of Montana, at
The chapters constituting the Grand Chapter were:
Virginia City, No. 1, at
December 18, 1868
December 18, 1868
Deer Lodge, No. 3, at
25, 1874
Valley, No. 4, at
27, 1880
Yellow Stone, No. 5, at
1, 1886
1, 1886
Livingston, No. 7, at
1, 1886
Dillon, No. 8, at Dillon, January 15, 1887
November 22, 1889
November 22, 1889
At the triennial communication of the General Grand Chapter, held September 8, 1865, the General Grand King reported:
“On the 21st day of November, 1859, I granted
to sundry Companions at the City of
By permission of the Deputy General Grand High-Priest a convention was held, March 19, 1867, and the Grand Chapter of Nebraska was regularly organized.
At the triennial of the General Grand Chapter, held
September 8, 1865, the General Grand High-Priest reported having issued a
dispensation, in May, 1863, to “Lewis Chapter,” at Carson City, Nevada, which
name was a compliment to himself (John L. Lewis).
This chapter received the Charter, dated September 8, 1865. A dispensation
was issued to Virginia Chapter, at
A convenion of these four chapters was held by authority of the General Grand High-Priest, November 18, 1873.
From the proceedings of the General Grand Chapter for
November 21, 1874, we see in the report of the General Grand Secretary that a
dispensation had been issued to
In the session of the General Grand Chapter of the United States, held June 6, 1816, we find that the General Grand King reported that he had granted warrants or charters for St. Andrew’s Chapter at Hanover, January 27, 1817; Trinity Chapel, at Hopkinton, February 16, 1807; Washington Chapter, in Portsmouth, November, 1815; Cheshire Chapter, at Keene, May 4, 1816; and at this session the warrants were confirmed June 7, 1816.
The Grand Chapter of New Hampshire was organized on June 10,
1819, and the General Grand Chapter was duly notified by John Harris, of
The first official notice we find of the introduction of capitular
Masonry in
State, by the Most Excellent General Grand High-Priest.
At the triennial session, September 10, 1819, a communication from a Companion from the State of New jersey on the subject of forming a Grand Chapter being referred to a committee, they repored, that it appears that there are two chapters in the State of New Jersey under the jurisdiction of the General Grand Chapter, and one under the authority of the State of Pennsylvania, which does not acknowledge the jurisdiction of the General Grand Chapter. The committee were of the opinion that a Grand Chapter could not be formed until there were three chapters acknowledging the jurisdiction of the General Grand Chapter, which was accepted by that body.
A dispensation was granted, September 23, 1854, to
Enterprise Chapter, No. 2, at
It was reported by the committee:
“Union Chapter, No. 1,
We find nothing said subsequently of the Grand Chapter of New Jersey. A resolution was adopted in the General Grand Chapter at its session, September 17, 1841, that Hiram Chapter at Trenton be advised to place itself under the jurisdiction of the Grand Chapter of the State of New York, and that said Grand Chapter be advised to legalize the proceedings of Hiram Chapter subsequent to the dissolution of the Grand Chapter of New Jersey.
The Deputy General Grand High-Priest issued a dispensation
to Union Chapter, No. 1, for
The General Grand Secretary reported at the session held September 13, 1853, viz- : “On the 23d of december I received from the Deputy General Grand High-Priest a letter from the High-Priest of Newark Chapter, stating the loss of the Charter of said Chapter; which letter was endorsed by Comp. Stapleton, advising the issuing of a dispensation enabling the Chapter to continue its work; which dispensation was issued by the General Grand High-Priest.”
It appears, however, that subsequently, September 17,
1853,
The peculiar condition of Royal Arch Masonyy in
Hiram Chapter, which, as above shown, was transferred to the jurisdiction of New York Grand Chapter, by the resolution of the General Grand Chapter, September 17, 1841, again desired to be under the jurisdiction of the General Grand Chapter; and in July, 1853, requested of the Grand Chapter of New York to be transferred thereto. At the triennial of the General Grand Chapter, the report of the General Grand Secretary shows: “Upon examining the papers which came into my possession at our last triennial meeting, after the adjournment, I found among them a petition from the officers and members of Hiram Chapter, No. 4, Eatontown, New Jersey, directed to the General Grand Chapter, dated February 3, 1852, setting forth that, that Chapter was, many years before, chartered by the Grand Chapter of New Jersey, and continued to work under said Charter, so long as that Grand Chapter was in existence. That it was then ‘taken under the fostering care of the Grand Chapter of New York, to which it had ever since been subservient,’ and praying to be acknowledged and registered as one of the subordinates of this General Grand Chapter. To the petition was appended full power from the Grand Chapter of New York to the petitioner to transfer their allegiance from the Grand Chapter of New York to this General Grand Chapter. That petition seems, from the endorsement upon it, in the hand writing of Compn. Swigert, who acted as my assistant, to have been referred to the Committee on Chapters and Dispensations. It is not mentioned in the proceedings.” (1) A correspondence ensued between the High-Priest of Hiram Chapter and the General Grand High-Priest Hon. R.P. Dunlap, who finally directed the General Grand Secretary to register Hiram Chapter on the roll of chapters subordinate to the General Grand Chapter, which was done November 14, 1854, and the High-Priest George Finch was duly notified thereof, and thereafter the returns were regularly made as a subordinate chapter to the General Grand Body. (2) A Charter was ordered for Hiram Chapter, September 11, 1856. (3)
The following chapters applied to the General Grand
High-Priest for his consent to organize a Grand Chapter, viz.
: Newark Chapter, No. 2; Hiram Chapter, No. 4, and Boudinot Chapter, No. 5. This approval was dated January 24, 1857, and the Grand
Chapter was regularly organized February 13, 1857.
It is very well settled that the Royal Arch degree was
conferred in that jurisdiction under lodge charters, as it was elsewhere in the
colonies, and prior to the formation of the Grand Chapter for the
A Warrant was issued by the Duke of Athol, September 5,
1781, making Rev. William Walter the Provincial Grand Master, authorizing him
to form a Provincial Grand Lodge in the city of
supposed by some writers, and
probably it was correct, that Washington Chapter, of
early records of Washington Chapter
were destroyed by fire in
The following chapters assembled in convention in
From the first, warrants were issued to organize Mark lodges and chapters, and prosperity attended the Royal Craft. Thirty-three chapters and three Mark lodges were represented in the Grand Chapter in 1820. The chapters increased to fifty-three in 1829, and sixty-one were represented in 1853; while in 1839 and 1840, following the Morgan affair, about thirteen only were reported.
As
The General Grand Chapter met in the city of
At the meeting of the Grand Chapter of the
Northern States, held January 10, 1799, Section 1 of Article 1. of the Constitution was changed, and that body assumed the
title of General Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons for the six Northern States
of
Article II, Section I, required to drop the prefix Deputy,” and were designated as “Grand Chapters.”
(1) Proceedings of General Grand Chapter, 1797 to 1856, p.
19, and at p. 10 at session, January 26, 1798. The six are enumerated in the
preamble and
At the thirteenth meeting of the General Grand Chapter of
the
“In the State of
“Note. - Since the foregoing was
written I have received a printed copy of the Minutes of a Convention of
delegates from the several chapters, by which it appears a Grand Chapter has
been reorganized for the State of
We have carefully referred to the proceedings of the
General Grand Chapter, from the thirteenth meeting in 1847 back to the
commencement of 1797, and find that the first notice of a chapter in North
Carolina was at the fourth meeting, June 6, 1816, being a special in
consequence of a lapse in 1813, reported when a Charter was to have been issued
to Concord Chapter, at Wilmington, May 4, 1815, by the General Grand King. He had
also issued a Charter to Phoenix Chapter, at
We found also that at the sixth meeting, held September
14, 1826, the Deputy General Grand
High-Priest, Compn. Fowle, had granted a Warrant to
Wadesborough Chapter, at Wadesborough, in 1822 (no date given). At this meeting
there was no delegate present from
at its sixth meeting, September 14,
1826, asking for a dissolution of the latter body, it was referred to a
committee, and at the same meeting the committee reported the answers of all
the Grand Chapters, and
“That they have had the same under consideration and find their proceedings to be regular. They assembled as appears by their printed proceedings, on the 28th of June, 1847; three chapters were represented; they proceeded to elect Officers and adopt a Constitution; in which, however, your committee would remark there appear to be several unconstitutional articles or sections, and we would respectfully recommend that the Grand Chapter of North Carolina be recognized as a legal Grand Chapter on their altering and amending their constitution to conform to that of this General Grand Chapter in the following particulars noted by your committee (omitted). Which recommendation was adopted.” So that the Grand Chapter of North Carolina was legally authorized September 16, 1847.
At the fourteenth triennial session, September 15, 1850, Companion L.L. Stephenson was present as proxy, for the Grand High-Priest.
After the chapters located in South Dakota, by consent of the Grand Chapter of Dakota, on January 6, 1890, had organized their Grand Chapter, on January 9th following, the representatives of Missouri, No. 6, at Bismarck; Casselton, No. 7, at Casselton;
The first annual convocation was held on
The very first notice of Royal Arch Masonry in Ohio is found in the proceedings of the fourth meeting of the General Grand Chapter, held June 6, 1816, where it is reported that the General Grand Scribe had granted a Warrant or dispensation to Washington Chapter at Chillicothe, O., September 20, 1815, (1) which was confirmed on June 7, 1816. The Committee on Examination of Credentials reported :
“On examination it appears that American Union Chapter, of Marietta, originated in the year 1792; that Cincinnati Chapter existed prior to the 27th of January, 1798; that Horeb Chapter
had authority from the Deputy Grand
High-Priest of the State of
Cincinnati Chapter started the effort to form a Grand
Chapter by sending an invitation to the other chapters to meet at
Horeb, No. 3; Washington, No. 4.
At the fifth meeting of the General Grand Chapter, held
September 9, 1819, it was “ Voted, That the Grand
Chapter of Ohio be now received into the
The above quotation is taken from the history of the “Capitular degrees,” by Comp. Alfred F. Chapman, who stated: “On the second day of the Meeting a Committee was appointed to examine the Credentials and reported as follows : “ viz., the above quotation.
Grand H.R.A. Chapter. - The first
chapter of R.A. Masons formed in
“’Whereas, The supreme Masonic jurisdiction over all Lodges of Ancient York Masons, held in Pennsylvania, has uniformly been and is duly and legally vested in the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania;
“’And whereas, The number of
Royal Arch Masons is greatly increased, insomuch that other Chapters are
established in this city and in other parts of
“’And whereas. It was always contemplated that such Chapters, regularly held, should be under the protection of this Grand Lodge;
“’And whereas. It is the prevailing wish of the Royal Arch Masons within this jurisdiction that a Royal Arch Grand Chapter should be opened under the authority of this Grand Lodge. Be it therefore, and it is hereby resolved, that a Grand Royal Arch Chapter be opened under the immediate sanction of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania.”’
At a meeting ot tne Grand Lodge,
held March 5, 1798, “Rules and Regulations for the government of the Grand Holy
Royal Arch Chapter, held under the protection of, and supported by the Grand
Lodge of Pennsylvania, unanimously agreed to and established a Grand Chapter,
held in
In the declaration, preceding these rules and regulations, was the following:
“Ancient Masonry consists of four degrees, the three first of which are that of the Apprentice, the Fellow Craft, and the sublime degree of Master; and a brother being well versed in these degrees, and having discharged the offices of his lodge, particularly that of Master, and fulfilled the duties thereof with the approbation of the brethren of his lodge, is eligible, on due trial and examination by the Chiefs of the Chapter to whom he shall have applied, and by them found worthy of being admitted to the fourth degree, The Holy Royal Arch.”
The first of the rules declared:
“That no Chapter of Holy Royal Arch shall be held or convened within the commonwealth of Pennsylvania or Masonic jurisdiction thereunto belonging, but under the authority and sanction of a regular subsisting warrant granted by the Grand Lodge according to the old institutions, and by the consent of said lodge first signified to the Grand Chapter.”
Subsequently the degrees of Mark Master and Most Excellent Master were permitted to be conferred (so as to enable Companions of Pennsylvania to enter chapters in other States), but the conferring of them was not to be considered as a recognition of them as degrees of Ancient York Masonry.
This state of affairs continued until May 17, 1824, when the dependent Grand Chapter to the Grand Lodge was closed sine die. and on the same day, “At a meeting of the Companions of the Holy Royal Arch, convened at the Masonic Hall,” it was “Resolved, That the Companions now present do organize themselves into a Grand Holy Royal Arch Chapter,” and on the 24th of the same month officers were elected, Companion Michael Nisbet being the first Grand High-Priest of the Independent Grand Chapter, and which now controls all the degrees of its sister Grand Chapters with the exception of that of Past Master, which the Grand Lodge still controls.
The Grand Chapter of Pennsylvania is not a constituent of
the General Grand Chapter of the
Washington Chapter, “Mother,” of
Providence Royal Arch Chapter, September 3, 1793, and was with the other chapters in the organization of the Grand Chapter of Rhode Island, March 12, 1798. This Grand Chapter took part in the organization of the General Grand Chapter and continued therewith until the war period (1861-65), and as the General Grand Chapter’s sessions were thereby interrupted, this Grand Chapter, as well as some others, held that in consequence of the non-attendance at the regular sessions, the General Grand Chapter had been dissolved, and the Grand Body remained out of the Union until the session held October 12, 1897, when she again sent her representatives and rejoined the Union.
This action was resolved upon at the ninety-ninth annual convocation of the Grand Chapter of Rhode Island, held March 9, 1897.
A Warrant was granted by the Grand Chapter of New York,
February 1, 1803, to Carolina Chapter, in
In consequence of the war with
The Grand Chapter for the State of
During the years 1861 to 1865 that Grand Chapter refused to withdraw its allegiance: “And, by a resolution adopted in 1861, the oaths of office and of initiation have included allegiance to the General Grand Chapter,” was stated with pride, in the sessions of 1862-65 by Albert Mackey, General Grand High-Priest and Past Grand High-Priest of the Grand Chapter of South Carolina.
When it was decided by the chapters of Dakota Grand
Chapter to organize two Grand Chapters, viz., for North and
There were present the representatives of the following
chapters, viz.: Yankton, No. 1, at Yankton;
March 2, 1818, the General Grand High-Priest issued a
dispensation to Cumberland Chapter, in
At the meeting held September 15, 1826, it was reported that dispensations had been issued to the following chapters, viz. :
Franklin Chapter, at
At the meeting of the General Grand Chapter, held December
1835, an application was made by Comps. Samuel M. Williams, James H. C. Miller, and others
associated with them, for a Charter to constitute a chapter of Royal Arch
Masons in
At the meeting held in 1850, Austin Chapter, No. 6, petitioned to have the name changed to Lone Star, No. 6.
At the meeting of General Grand Chapter, September 14, 1850, the following chapters received charters, the General Grand King having reported that dispensations had been issued to them by him, viz. :
Jerusalem Chapter, No. 3...March 10, 1849...Dispensation contd
Trinity Chapter, No. 4... .March 14, 1848...Dispensation contd
Brenham Chapter, No. 5.... April 14, 1849...September 12, 1850
changed to Chapter, No. 6. April 14, 1849...September 12, 1850
Lone Star
changed to Chapter, No. 8 No date, 1850....September 13, 1850
Rising Star Chapter, No. 9 February, 1850...September 14, 1850
Those chapters in the above table having their dispensations
continued were recommended and authorized to surrender them, and receive charters from the Grand Chapter of that State, if one be organized previous to the next meeting of the General Grand Chapter.
“The First Grand Chapter of the Republic of Texas was
formed by a convention of Royal Arch Masons, delegates from San Filipe de
Austin Chapter, of Galveston; Cyrus Chapter, of Matagorda; Lone Star Chapter,
of Austin, and Rising Star Chapter, of San Augustine. The Convention met in the
city of
The Grand Chapter was organized and the constitution adopted. San Filipe de Austin Chapter declined to sign the constitution and withdrew from the convention. The constitution was adopted and ratified on December 21, 1841. It was signed by B. Gillespie, Grand High-Priest, and attested by H.W. Raglin, Grand Secretary. Compn. George Lopas, the Grand Secretary of the Grand Chapter of Texas, in 1895, was instructed to prepare a reprint of the proceedings of the Grand Chapter, which be accomplished, and the valuable results of his labors appear in two beautiful volumes, from which we are enabled to gain all the information as to the condition of capitular Masonry in the State of Texas.
It is probable that no convocation was held in 1842. The proceedings of 1844 to 1849 included, as also the original constitution, were printed and given verbatim in the reprint. The Grand Chapter met in 1848, but the proceedings were not printed.
When, “for the sake of peace and harmony among the Craft,” this Grand Chapter was dissolved, there were nine chapters, viz. : Cyrus, No. 1, at Matagorda; Lone Star, No. 3, at Austin; Rising Star, No. 4, at San Augustine: Washington, No. 5, at Washington;
De Witt Clinton, No. 6, at Clarksville; Jerusalem, No. 7, at Alta Mira (Fanthorp’s) ; Houston, No. 8, at Houston; Brenham, No. 12, at Brenham, and Trinity, No. 13, at Crockett. The compiler, Compn. Lopas, was unable to account for the missing Nos. 2, 9, 10, 11 and was unable to learn of their names or locations.
The chapter San Filipe de Austin, No. 1, to be located at
San Filipe de Austin, in consequence of unforeseen events was never opened at
that place, but was opened at
A certain Scotchman, Dugald McFarlane, organized a chapter
in Matagorda, in 1837, and named it Cyrus Chapter, having neither
Warrant or Charter. Doubts having arisen as to its legality, in 1841,
they petitioned the Grand Lodge of the
After the organization of the Grand Chapter they addressed a memorial to the Grand Lodge of Texas, and after setting forth certain reasons therefor, respectfully asked the Grand Lodge “to relinquish and surrender all jurisdiction and control over the Royal Arch Chapters and Royal Arch Masons in the Republic of Texas upon the surrender of the dispensations heretofore granted by your worshipful body.”
This was granted by the Grand Lodge of Texas.
All the irregularities of these chapters in
The General Grand Chapter, however, did not recognize the Grand Chapter of Texas as having been regularly constituted, as they had not asked permission to organize from that body, and the General Grand Chapter decided to suppress it by mild means. In 1847 they passed a resolution forbidding Royal Arch Masons under that jurisdiction from holding Masonic intercourse with the Grand Chapter of Texas, its subordinates, and those acknowledging its authority.
“At the formation of the Grand Chapter of Texas in the city
of
“Of the Chapters organized by authority of the General Grand Chapter, all but San Filipe de Austin, No. 1, surrendered their authority from the General Grand Chapter to the Grand Chapter of Texas, and received their charters, dated June 25, 1851, and signed by the Grand Officers elected at the second annual convocation in the town of Huntsville, June 24, 1851.”
“San Filipe de Austin, No. 1, never received a charter from the Grand Chapter of Texas until June 22, 1860.”
“Many of the Companions who belonged to Chapters under the First Grand Chapter of the Republic of Texas, believing the action of the General Grand Chapter in regard to Royal Arch Masonry in Texas unwarranted and unjust, refused to be ‘healed’ under the new organization, and were thereby debarred from enjoying the privileges for which they had worked so earnestly and long. Others accepted the situation until such time as they should be able to sever an alliance that was unsought and always distasteful.”
“The time came in 1861, when, on the 17th of June, the Grand Chapter adopted the following resolution :
“Resolved, That all connection between this Grand Chapter and the General Grand Chapter of the United States is dissolved and forever annihilated by the separation of our State from that government.”
The Grand Chapter of Texas has steadily refused all overtures from the General Grand Chapter to return to the fold from which she withdrew in 1861. Tempus aliit omnia” (Time cures all things), and we feel assured that, with the passing away of the present generation, with its prejudices, so will pass away that feeling in the Grand Chapter of Texas which now keeps her out of the fold, especially as some of her best members never left the General Grand Body.
December 13, 1872, Utah Chapter, No. 1,
A dispensation was issued for Ogden Chapter, No. 2, at
The first notice of Royal Arch Masonry we have is in the proceedings of the General Grand Chapter, at its third regular meeting, held January 9, 1806, where it is stated that a communication from Rutland in the State of Vermont, signed by Nicholas Goddard, Grand Secretary, was presented, informing the General Grand Chapter of the formation of the Grand Royal Arch Chapter in the State of Vermont, etc. At this first day of the meeting the General Grand Chapter, by resolution, admitted the said Grand Chapter of Vermont into union with that body.
From the records of the Grand Chapter of New York we learn
that a Warrant for a Mark Master Mason’s Lodge was granted at
A Grand Chapter was organized in
A protest was made against the effort to form the Grand Chapter; nevertheless we find that the General Grand Chapter did recognize the organization of that Grand Chapter, as above stated.
The last annual convocation was held in 1832, six years after the great anti-Masonic excitement commenced, Compn. Nathan B. Haswell (Blessed be his memory) being then Grand High-Priest, who also was present at the triennial convocation of the General Grand Chapter in 1832. At the session of 1844 Compn. Haswell said:
“At the last triennial meeting of your body in
“In no State of our
“Mortifying and unpleasant as it is to be compelled by the continued force of circumstances to suspend our Masonic labors, prudence dictates a course so important to the well-being and future welfare of the whole fraternity.
“We look forward, however, to a period when we can peacefully resume them and when public opinion shall do us justice, and sanction a course thus adopted; then shall our obscure but not lost Pleiad again break forth, diffusing new light and heat, in the Masonic Constitution [Constellation perhaps]. (1)
“We now ask your fraternal advice in our difficult
movements. And in behalf of the
Companions and brethren in
“NATHAN B. HASWELI,
High-Priest and Grand Master.”
In February, 1848, Jerusalem Chapter, No. 2, was reopened by a dispensation from the General Grand Scribe. The Grand Lodge of Vermont was revived in 1847; and soon following this event the Companions of the Grand Chapter made a movement toward the revival of the Grand Chapter, and under the direction of Companion Haswell, who was the last Grand High-Priest, and sanctioned by the Deputy-General Grand High-Priest, the Grand Chapter was reorganized July 18, 1849.
There were three chapters which took part in the reorganization:
In October, 1849, the Grand
High-Priest granted a renewal of the Charter to Champlain Chapter, at
June 11 1850, an attested copy of the original Charter of this chapter was shown in the Grand Chapter with proof of original Charter having been dearoyed by fire. Champlain Chapter paid $25, under the ruling, and was revived and represented at that grand convocation.
Since that period the Grand Chapter has continued to be represented in the General Grand Chapter.
The introduction of Royal Arch Masonry into Virginia in 1753 was no doubt similar to its introduction into Pennsylvania and other States north of it, by means of Royal Arch lodges, so-called, because the Royal Arch degree was permitted to be conferred under the lodge Charter, and we have recently seen the discovery by Bro. S.J. Quinn, of Fredericksburg, of the fact that in that ancient town there was such a lodge, in which the Royal Arch degree was conferred, earlier than in any other place in the colonies; and very soon after that degree had been introduced into the work of the lodges in England.
It has been said, by others, that the introduction of the Royal Arch degree into Virginia was by Bro. Joseph Myers, who was the successor of Da Costa, who had opened, under the authority of Bro. Michael Moses Hayes, a Sublime Grand Lodge of Perfection in 1783, at Charleston, S.C. Bro. Myers subsequently settled in Richmond, Va., and then and there introduced the Holy Royal Arch of the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite, which was taught in Virginia until 1820, when the ritual of the English degree was adopted, whose officers consisted of High-Priest, King, and Scribe, while the former were High-Priest, Captain of the Host, and Captain General.
Bro. John Dove, in his history of the Grand Chapter of Virginia, uses the following language :
“Royal Arch Masonry was taught and practiced in this State during the latter part of the last century, under the authority of a Master’s Warrant, until the want of some specific legislation seemed evidently indicated for the internal government of the Royal Arch Chapters, which were then growing in number and increasing in members.”
This was in the early part of 1806, and from his acknowledged intellectual ability, in connection with the record of his constant attendance at every meeting of the Grand Chapter of Virginia from December 17, 1818, to December 17, 1868, he was well qualified to decide with authority. In discussing the matter of substitutes he said: “We have been in the constant use of them since 1792, and have as yet seen no evil result therefrom.”
From the date above mentioned by Comp. Dove, viz., 1792,
when the Royal Arch was conferred, we may be safe in our statement that as
early as 1792 Royal Arch Masonry was practiced in
At a convocation of the Grand Chapter of Virginia, held
January 7, 1820, it was “Resolved, That our
enlightened Companion, James Cushman, H.-P. of
Franklin Chapter, No. 4,
On January 18, 1820, the degree of Mark Master, Past Master,
Most Excellent Master, and Royal Arch Mason were exemplified by him and after “most
solemn deliberation” were adopted, “that harmony and unity should prevail
throughout the Masonic world, and more especially the
From 1820 until December 17, 1841, the council degrees of Royal and Select Masters were controlled by a Grand Council. At the latter date, by mutual agreement, these degrees were placed under the control of the Grand Chapter, and the following resolutions give the order of succession :
“Resolved, That hereafter the degrees in subordinate chapters be given in the following order, to wit : Mark Master, Past Master, Most Excellent Master, Royal Master, Select Master, and Royal Arch.” May 1, 1808, the Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons of Virginia was established, in compliance with a proposition from a convention held in “Norfolk Borough,” when it appeared that the “Grand United Chapter of Excellent and Superexcellent Masons of Norfolk had proposed to the Royal Arch Chapters of Richmond, Staunton, and Dumfries to establish a Supreme Grand Royal Arch Chapter for the State of Virginia.”
This movement was entirely independent of the General
Grand Royal Arch Chapter of the
The Supreme Grand Chapter established Magnolia Chapter,
No. 16, at Appalachicola, and Florida Chapter, No. 32, at
November 1, 1869, a dispensation was granted to Seattle
Chapter, No. 1, in
From difficulties encountered within the first chapter it did not succeed, and its Charter was suspended by the General Grand High-Priest, May 25, 1873, and reported by him at the meeting held November 2, 1874. The report of the committee to whom this action had been referred, as also a memorial from members of that chapter, recommended that the action of the General Grand High-Priest be approved; and that the memorial be referred to that officer with power to restore or arrest the Charter of said chapter, as in his judgment he may deem best for the interest of Royal Arch Masonry.
On August 27, 1880, the Charter was declared forfeited and that number (1) of said chapter be assigned to Walla Walla Chapter.
A dispensation was granted to Spokane Chapter, No. 2, at
A convention having been called to meet at Spokane Falls,
June 6, 1884, the General Grand High-Priest decided that a letter of a
should first have been obtained
before holding a convention, and gave his authority to hold a convention at
This convention was held at that date by the three chapters above mentioned.
After the State of West Virginia was erected and the Grand
Lodge of the new State had been regularly organized, May 11, 1865, the
Companions of the various chapters, numbering nine, who were under the
Constitution of the Grand Chapter of Virginia, deemed it proper to follow the
example of the lodges, and organize a Grand Chapter for the new territory. This
movement started in Wheeling Union Chapter, No. 19,
A convention was held November 16, 1871, in
Little, Grand High-Priest of the Grand Chapter of Virginia, who took occasion to warn the Companions against a union with the General Grand Chapter. This warning, like that which oftentimes only excites the curiosity of the Warnee, has had the effect of bringing the Grand Chapter of West Virginia into the fold, which we trust will be followed by the Mother of the Old Dominion.
The Deputy-General Grand High-Priest, at the triennial
meeting of the General Grand Chapter held September 10, 1844, reported having
granted a dispensation to two chapters in
By authority of the Deputy-General Grand High-Priest under
date of January 10, 1850, a convention was held in
The Deputy-General Grand High-Priest having received officially the printed proceedings and grand constitution under date of July 5, 1850, he authorized Argulus W. Stark to install the Grand Officers, which was done August 7, 1850.
At the triennial meeting of the General Grand Chapter held September 19, 1871, the General Grand High-Priest reported that he had issued a dispensation to a constitutional number of Companions to form a chapter at Cheyenne, Wyoming Territory, under the name of Wyoming Chapter, No. 1, which was chartered, September 20, 1871.
Evanston Chapter, No. 2, at
Garfield Chapter, No. 4, at Rawlins, had a dispensation issued March 25, 1884; and a Charter granted October 1, 1886. These chapters are under the immediate jurisdiction of the General Grand Chapter, never having organized a Grand Chapter.
CHRONOLOGICAL MEMORANDA OF IMPORTANT TRANSACTIONS OF THE GENERAL GRAND CHAPTER!
October 24, 1797. -Preliminary meeting of three chapters
in
January 24, 1798. - Organization of the “Grand Royal Arch
Chapter of the Northern States of
September, 1798. - First meeting after organization for the choice of Officers.
January 9, 1799. - Adjourned meeting; change of name to that
of General Grand Royal Arch Chapter of the Northern States of
January 9, 1806. - Change of name to that of General Grand
Chapter of Royal Arch Masons for the
September, 1819. - Held agreeably to adjournment. February, 1823. -Adjournment was to
September, 1826. - Met according to previous notice. Meetings made triennial.
November, 1832. - Held in this month on account of cholera
in
September, 1862. - Appointed to meet at
November, 1874. - Constitution amended, making the first
four Past General Grand Officers permanent members. October 13, 1897. -Centennial Celebration at