History of Masonic Grand Lodges in North America

This is a chronology of the formation of "regular" or "mainstream" Masonic Grand Lodges in North America, descending from the Premier Grand Lodge of England or its rival, the Antient Grand Lodge of England. A Grand Lodge (or "Grand Orient" as it is called in some jurisdictions elsewhere in the world) is the governing body that supervises "Craft" Freemasonry (also known as "Blue Lodge" Freemasonry) in a particular jurisdiction or geographical area.

Masonic Hall, Grand Lodge F.A.M., Macon, Georgia 1876

Freemasonry Prior to 1717

Freemasonry (or Speculative Masonry) developed out of the guilds and associations of operative stonemasons, during the late sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries. By 1700, numerous Masonic lodges were in existence throughout England, Scotland and Ireland. Each lodge was considered independent unto itself, and there was no supervisory body that governed all of Freemasonry. This led to some confusion, as ritual variations developed and disputes as to the legitimacy of various lodges arose. In 1717 members of four lodges in London elected to form what they called a "Grand Lodge" to supervise the fraternity and grant charters to new lodges. Not all lodges, however, accepted the self-proclaimed authority of this Grand Lodge, and soon formed rival Grand Lodges of their own.

"Original" Grand Lodges formed by "Time Immemorial" Lodges

The following Grand Lodges were formed by pre-existing "Time Immemorial" lodges (lodges that predated the concept of having Grand Lodges to supervise and coordinate the craft, and thus were retained as having existed from "time immemorial").

Grand Lodges founded during the Colonial Era

Freemasonry spread from the British Isles during the Colonial Era. All of the "original" Grand Lodges began to issue charters to individual lodges in North America, but the two English Grand Lodges (the "Ancients" and the "Moderns") were the most prolific. Starting in 1730 The Grand Lodge of England (Moderns) began to issue Warrants for Provincial Grand Lodges in the colonies. Initially, these Warrants were issued to individuals, to act as deputies for the Grand Master in a given area for fixed periods of time, and some confusion resulted due to overlapping jurisdictions. To confuse matters further, with the formation of the Antient Grand Lodge, rival Provincial Grand Lodges were chartered under their jurisdiction.

  • United Kingdom "Coxe" Provincial Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, & New York (Moderns) - Est. 1730 - by warrant issued to Daniel Coxe by GLE for two years, allowing for a successor to be elected. Granted jurisdiction over Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York. Successors claimed jurisdiction only over Pennsylvania. The Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania dates itself from the formation of this Provincial Grand Lodge.[4] [5]
  • United Kingdom Provincial Grand Lodge of New England (Moderns) - Est. 1733 by warrant given to Henry Price. The Grand Lodge of Massachusetts dates itself from the formation of this Provincial Grand Lodge.
  • United Kingdom Provincial Grand Lodge of South Carolina - Est. 1736[6]
  • United Kingdom Provincial Grand Lodge of North Carolina - Est. 1771[7]
  • United Kingdom Provincial Grand Lodge of New York (Moderns) - 1738-1780s - Warrants issued by GLE (Moderns) to Francis Goelet (1738–1753), to George Harrison (1753–1771), to Sir John Johnson (from 1771). As Johnson was a Loyalist during the American Revolution, he is believed to have taken his warrant with him when he fled to Canada, thus leaving the Moderns Lodges without a Provincial Grand Master.[8]
  • United Kingdom Provincial Grand Lodge for North America (Scotland) - Est. 1757 - By warrant issued to Colonel John Young.[9]
  • United Kingdom Provincial Grand Lodge of Canada - Est. 1759 (Became PGL of Lower Canada, i.e. Quebec, in 1792)[10]
  • United Kingdom Provincial Grand Lodge for Pennsylvania (Ancients) - Est. 1761 - By Warrant issued to William Ball.[11]
  • United Kingdom Provincial Grand Lodge of New York ("Athol Charter" - Ancients) - 1781-1784 - Although this PGL was Warranted by the "Ancients", the final Provincial Grand Master, Chancellor Robert R. Livingston (PGM: 1784-87), was actually the Master of a Lodge under the Jurisdiction of the Moderns, thus uniting the two branches of English Freemasonry in New York State. Livingston continued in office as the first Grand Master of the independent GL of NY.[8]
  • United Kingdom Provincial Grand Lodge of Upper Canada - Est. 1792[12]

Independent Grand Lodges

After the American Revolution and, again, after the incorporation of Canada, the various Provincial Grand Lodges in North America were closed, and the Lodges in each State or Province formed independent Grand Lodges. These in turn, chartered lodges in the territories in the West and North. As each new State or Province came into being, the lodges that had been chartered within its borders gathered together and formed new Grand Lodges.

History of Freemasonry in the United States

See also

References

  1. The United Grand Lodge of England – Home Page
  2. Home Page Archived 2005-12-31 at the Wayback Machine
  3. The Grand Lodge of Scotland
  4. Borneman, Henry S. Early Freemasonry in Pennsylvania. Philadelphia: The Grand Lodge of Free & Accepted Masons of Pennsylvania, 1931. Facsimile of letter in Appendix D.
  5. Barrat, Norris S. & Julius F. Sachse. Freemasonry in Pennsylvania, 1727-1907, As Shown by the Records of Lodge No. 2, F. & A.M. of Philadelphia. Philadelphia: New Era Printing Company, 1908. p. 3-4.
  6. Grand Lodge of South Carolina Website
  7. Grand Lodge of North Carolina Website
  8. Bicentennial Commemorative Volume of Holland Lodge No. 8, published by the Lodge, New York, 1988. pp 9-12
  9. Coil, Henry Wilson; "Massachusetts", pg. 412; Coil's Masonic Encyclopedia; publ. 1961, 1996, Richmond Va.
  10. Grande Loge du Québec - Grand Lodge of Québec
  11. Coil, Henry Wilson; "America, Freemasonry into", pg. 33; Coil's Masonic Encyclopedia"; publ. 1961, 1996, Richmond Va.
  12. Grand Lodge of Canada in the Province of Ontario, Freemasonry, Masonic, Masons
  13. Grand Lodge of Virginia AF&AM
  14. Welcome! | Grand Lodge F. & A. M. State of New York
  15. The Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of Pennsylvania
  16. "The Grand Lodge of Georgia F.& A.M". Archived from the original on 2018-03-17. Retrieved 2018-03-16.
  17. Grand Lodge of New Jersey > Official Page
  18. Mackey, Albert Gallatin, The History of Freemasonry, Vol. 6 1485 - Masonic History Co., NY, 1898 online vol 6, membership by state p 1485
  19. "Grand Lodge of Maryland". Archived from the original on 2007-06-09. Retrieved 2007-06-28.
  20. Grand Lodge of A.F.& A. M. of North Carolina
  21. Timeline Archived 2008-05-11 at the Wayback Machine from Grand Lodge of South Carolina website
  22. The Grand Lodge of Connecticut A.F. & A.M. - Home
  23. "History".
  24. Home
  25. Grand Lodge of Vermont F&AM
  26. Grand Lodge of Kentucky Free & Accepted Masons
  27. The Grand Lodge of Masons in Delaware
  28. Grand Lodge Free & Accepted Masons of Ohio
  29. Freemasons of the Grand Lodge of D.C.: Home
  30. "Grand Lodge". Archived from the original on 2007-07-02. Retrieved 2007-06-28.
  31. Grand Lodge of TN – Masonic Lodges of Tennessee
  32. "Indiana Freemasons Online". Archived from the original on 2007-02-23. Retrieved 2008-07-22.
  33. The Official Web Page of THE Grand Lodge of Mississippi F. & A. M
  34. Grand Lodge of Maine Web Sites
  35. Grand Lodge of Missouri
  36. "Grand Lodge F & A M of Alabama". Archived from the original on 2017-06-26. Retrieved 2007-06-28.
  37. Jackson,Joseph Abram (Grand Historian of the Grand Lodge of Alabama from 1965-1970) Masonry in Alabama (published by the Grand Lodge)
  38. "Michigan Masons". Archived from the original on 2013-09-29. Retrieved 2007-06-28.
  39. "Grand Lodge of Florida". Archived from the original on 1997-10-07. Retrieved 2007-06-28.
  40. Carter, James D.; Masonry in Texas, pg. 312-313; publ. 1955, Comm. on Masonic Educ. & Service, Grand Lodge of Texas, AF & AM, Waco Tx
  41. Grand Lodge of Illinois, A.F. and A.M
  42. Grand Lodge Free & Accepted Masons of Wisconsin
  43. "Home". Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2008-02-19.
  44. Masons of California
  45. Masonic Grand Lodge of Oregon
  46. Grand Lodge of Minnesota
  47. Grand Lodge Of Kansas
  48. Grand Lodge Of Nebraska
  49. Reno, Russel G. (2007). The Sesquicentennial History of the Grand Lodge of Nebraska 1857 to 2007. Richmond, Virginia: Macoy Publishing & Masonic Supply. ISBN 978-0-88053-199-3.
  50. Most Worshipful Masonic Grand Lodge of Washington
  51. Nevada Grand Lodge Website
  52. West Virginia Grang Lodge
  53. List of Lodges—Masonic. Pantagraph Printing and Stationery Company. 2018. p. 72.
  54. Grand Lodge of Nova Scotia A.F. & A.M. - Welcome
  55. Grand Lodge of Idaho - Ancient Free & Accepted Masons
  56. Organization of Grand Lodge
  57. The Grand Lodge of New Brunswick – Home
  58. Freemasons of Utah
  59. Grand Lodge A.F. & A.M. of Wyoming
  60. "Grand Lodge of Manitoba › Home". Archived from the original on 2007-06-25. Retrieved 2007-06-28.
  61. PEI Masonic Family-Freemasonry on PEI
  62. Page Title
  63. Grand Lodge of Arizona Free and Accepted Masons
  64. "Wayfarers Lodge #50 - History". Archived from the original on 2008-05-15. Retrieved 2008-03-14.
  65. North Dakota Freemasonry
  66. Grand Lodge of Alberta AF & AM
  67. "masons.sk.ca". Archived from the original on 2007-07-02. Retrieved 2007-06-28.
  68. Welcome To Alaska Mason.Org
  69. The official website of the Grand Lodge of Free & Accepted Masons of the State of Hawaii
  70. Grand Lodge of Newfoundland and Labrador

Further reading

  • Bullock, Steven C. Revolutionary brotherhood: Freemasonry and the transformation of the American social order, 1730-1840 (UNC Press Books, 2011).
  • Formisano, Ronald P., and Kathleen Smith Kutolowski. "Antimasonry and Masonry: The Genesis of Protest, 1826-1827." American Quarterly 29.2 (1977): 139-165. online
  • Hackett, David G. That Religion in Which All Men Agree : Freemasonry in American Culture (U of California Press, 2015) excerpt
  • Hinks, Peter P. et al. All Men Free and Brethren: Essays on the History of African American Freemasonry (Cornell UP, 2013).
  • Kantrowitz, Stephen. " 'Intended for the Better Government of Man': The Political History of African American Freemasonry in the Era of Emancipation." Journal of American History 96#4, (2010), pp. 1001–26. online.
  • Mackey, Albert Gallatin. The History of Freemasonry, Vol. 6 (Masonic History Co., NY, 1898) pages 1485-1486 online membership by state 1898
  • Weisberger, R. William et al. Freemasonry on Both Sides of the Atlantic: Essays concerning the Craft in the British Isles, Europe, the United States, and Mexico (2002), 969pp
  • York, Neil L. “Freemasons and the American Revolution.” Historian 55#2 (1993), pp. 315–30. online
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.