MassachusettsYear1877

1877

PERCIVAL LOWELL EVERETT, Grand Master
A portrait of Grand Master Everett appears before the beginning of the text, as well as above.

Charles A. Welch, Deputy Grand Master
Daniel W. Lawrence, Senior Grand Warden
Charles J. Danforth, Junior Grand Warden
Edward Avery, Junior Grand Warden

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QUARTERLY COMMUNICATIONS

(Held at Masonic Temple, Boston)

• 1877-149: 03/14;
• 1877-177: 06/13;
• 1877-201: 09/12;
• 1877-247: 12/12 (Annual Communication).

03/14 Agenda

• 1877-156: Papers relating to the Grand Lodge of Colon of Cuba; requesting recognition.
  • 06/13: 1877-189: Report by committee; as there are two contending bodies, the Grand Lodge is advised to take no action.
• 1877-157: Letter of thanks from the Grand Lodge of Virginia regarding the memorial for Rt. Wor. John Dove.
• 1877-158: Presentation of old ballot boxes by Dr. J. Collins Warren; "found in an old chest, formerly the property of General Joseph Warren."
• 1877-159: Presentation of a portrait of Past Grand Master Timothy Bigelow.
• 1877-163: Presentation of The History of the Bunker Hill Monument Association by G. Washington Warren.
• 1877-164: Presentation of the apron belonging to Rt. Wor. Thomas Dennis, former Grand Treasurer (1797).
• 1877-164: Report of the committee on charity.

06/13 Agenda

• 1877-186: Rt. Wor. Edward Avery elected Junior Grand Warden, to fill the vacancy created by the death of Charles J. Danforth.
• 1877-187: Presentation by Rt. Wor. Lucius Paige of the "extensive and comprehensive history of the City of Cambridge, of which he is the author."
• 1877-196: Presentation of Past Grand Master Bigelow's Past Master's Diploma; remarks on the Bigelow portrait and some remarks on the life of Brother Bigelow.
• 1877-197: Presentation of a portrait of Thomas Smith Webb.
• 1877-198: Note of the four signatories of the Declaration of 1831 - Marshall Wilder, William Sutton, George G. Smith, Timothy Phelps.

09/12 Agenda

• 1877-205: The Grand Master reported that "the Charter of Hiram Lodge, of Copiapo, Chili [sic], which had ceased to exist, had been forwarded by Rev. Dr. Trumbull, District Deputy for Chili, and had placed upon the archives of the Grand Lodge."
• 1877-221: Grand Master appointed a committee to "consider and report as to the expediency of preparing a Digest of Masonic Law, and the Regulations of this Grand Lodge relating to subordinate Lodges, for the use of the Craft."
  • 12/12: 1877-278; committee recommended in favor of preparation of a Digest; committee appointed.
• 1877-222: Past Grand Master Nickerson reported that the headstone of Henry Price "was badly broken, and crumbling to dust; and . . . moved that a sum not exceeding five hundred dollars be placed in the hands of the Board of Directors" to be used to build a "suitable monument." Unanimously adopted.
• 1877-222: Past Grand Master Nickerson presented three old autograph letters: one from Benjamin Russell to Timothy Bigelow (09/23/1804); one from Senator Josiah Quincy to Bigelow (02/04/1809); and the third from Gov. and Bro. Christopher Gore to Bigelow, dated 01/24/1810.

12/12 Agenda

Portrait of Wendell P. Davis appears before the December Quarterly. (Died 1876)

• 1877-256: Address of Grand Master Everett.
  • Constitution of Huelen, Santiago Chile, by Rt. Wor. David Trumbull (08/01).
• 1877-267: Auditing Committee Report.
• 1877-269: Sinking Fund Report.
• 1877-270: Election of Charles A. Welch as Grand Master, and other Grand Lodge officers. Remarks by GM-elect Welch.
• 1877-286: Report of committee on Grand Lodge of New Mexico; recognition recommended.

Grand Constitutions Amendment Proposals

• 06/13: 1877-188: Petition to change Part 4, Article 3, Section 2, regarding the procedure on clandestine Masons who are not at fault for irregularities; referred.
  • 12/12: 1877-276; adopted: add at the close of this article:

"Provided, however, that whenever it shall appear, to the satisfaction of the M.W. Grand Master, that any person deemed a clandestine Mason under the provisions of this Article shall have received the degrees solely by the fault or mistake of the Lodge conferring the same, or of any officer or member of such Lodge, the Grand Master may, in his discretion, cause such person to be healed without a petition to the Grand Lodge therefor."

• 06/13: 1877-196: Petition to change Part 4, Article 3, Section 1, inserting information on previous application by candidates; referred.
  • 12/12: 1877-276; adopted: Amend form of application as follows:

"I have never before applied for initiation” / “I have before applied for initiation to ---- Lodge, located at -----, in the year 18--." The form not used to be crossed out by the applicant.

Grand Master's Address

• 06/13: 1877-187; Report of the committee on the Annual Address of the Grand Master in 1876.

• 12/12: 1877-256; Annual Address of the Grand Master. Initial remarks. Grand Treasurer's report; Dispensations and warrants; Trial Commissioners; committee on ritual; new Trestle-Board; celebration of the Centennial of Bunker Hill; death of Winslow Lewis in 1875. Referred to committee.

Lodge By-Law Changes

• 03/14: 1877-151;
  • Full codes: Boylston U.D., Dalhousie, Huelen U.D., Joseph Webb U.D.; referred.
  • Amendments: Adams, Hammatt, Hampden, Ionic (Easthampton), Mariners', Pentucket, Republican, William North, William Parkman, Winslow Lewis; referred.
  • 1877-164: Approved, "with changes made by the committee."

• 06/13: 1877-179;
  • Full codes: none.
  • Amendments: Ancient York, Beth-Horon, Jordan, Mount Moriah, Mount Vernon, Pacific, Roswell Lee, St. John's (Boston), St. John's (Newburyport); referred.
  • 1877-194; approved, with some changes. Committee suggested the amendment of a standing regulation indicating that once a ballot is begun it must be concluded, "without the intervention of any other business whatever." So voted.

• 09/12: 1877-202;
  • Full codes: Marine, Olive Branch; referred.
  • Amendments: Joseph Warren, The Massachusetts, St. Martin's, Tuscan, William Sutton.
  • 1877-221; approved with changes.

• 12/12: 1877-255;
  • Full codes: none.
  • Amendments: Artisan, DeWitt Clinton, Eliot, Konohassett, Mystic, Pequossette, Roswell Lee, Zetland; referred.
  • 1877-286; approved with changes.

Necrologies and Memorials

Charles J. Danforth

• 06/13: 1877-183; Death of Rt. Wor. Charles J. Danforth, Junior Grand Warden; Memorial presented by committee. A portrait of Danforth appears before the December Quarterly.

• 06/13: 1877-186: Death of Rt. Wor. George Frank Gouley, "who lost his life in the terrible calamity attending the destruction of the Southern Hotel, in St. Louis, on the 11th of April last."

• 09/12: 1877-205: Death of Rt. Wor. John A. Harris, Grand Secretary of the Grand Lodge of New Hampshire. "Minute" spread on the pages of the Proceedings.

• 09/12: 1877-210: Death of Rt. Wor. Samuel K. Hutchinson, Past Junior Grand Warden. Memoria presented by committee.

• 12/12: 1877-257: Death of Rt. Wor. William J. Sawin, Past Senior Grand Warden. Mentioned in Grand Master's Address.
  • 12/12: 1877-279; Memorial presented by John A. Hall for the Committee.

Petitions for Charters

• 03/14: 1877-152; Huelen U.D., Santiago, Chile; referred.
  • 1877-165; Granted.

• 03/14: 1877-153: Joseph Webb U.D. (Boston; referred.
  • 1877-166; Granted.

• 03/14: 1877-154: Boylston U.D., West Boylston; referred.
  • 1877-166; Granted.

• 03/14: 1877-155: Petition by Pilgrim Lodge, South Harwich, to strike the word South and assign it jurisdiction to the entire town of Harwich; referred.
  • 09/12: 1877-209: recommended that the petition not be adopted, primarily due to the objections of Mount Horeb Lodge.

Petitions for Dispensation for Lodges

• Dispensations, mentioned in Grand Master's Address beginning on Page 1877-256:
  • Mumford River, East Douglas (01/25)
  • St. George, Campello (Brockton) (02/14)

SPECIAL COMMUNICATIONS

(No record of certain of these meetings in the 1877 Proceedings, where no page numbers are given.)

• 01/04: Stoneham. Constitution of King Cyrus Lodge.

• 01/12: Fall River. Constitution of Narragansett Lodge.

• 03/08: 1877-1: Centennial Feast of the organization of Massachusetts Grand Lodge as sovereign and independent.
  • 1877-3: Instroduction of distinguished guests, including four presiding and three Past Grand Masters.
  • 1877-4: Address of Grand Master Everett.
  • 1877-10ff: Oration of Charles Levi Woodbury, detailing the origin of the independent Grand Lodge in Massachusetts.
  • 1877-69: Centennial Feast Remarks:
    • 1877-69: Prayer by Grand Chaplain Joshua Young.
    • 1877-71: Past Grand Master Nickerson, as Toastmaster.
    • 1877-72: Past Grand Master Gardner.
    • 1877-75: Past Grand Master Heard; will of Joseph Webb.
    • 1877-83: Past Deputy Grand Master Marshall P. Wilder.
    • 1877-87: Responses of Grand Masters by letters: Alabama, California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia.
    • 1877-102: Rt. Wor. Thomas A. Doyle, Past Grand Master of Rhode Island.
    • 1877-106: Grand Master John J. Bell of New Hampshire.
    • 1877-108: Grand Master Nicholas Van Slyck of Rhode Island.
    • 1877-111: Grand Master Edward B. Rowe of Connecticut.
    • 1877-113: Grand Master Henry H. Smith of Vermont.
    • 1877-116: Past Grand Master Josiah H. Drummond of Maine.
    • 1877-128: Deputy Grand Master Charles A. Welch.
    • 1877-133: Rt. Wor. Tracy P. Cheever.
    • 1877-138: Grand Chaplain Young.
    • 1877-141: Wor. Hamilton Willis of the Lodge of St. Andrew.
    • 1877-145: Past Grand Master William T. Coolidge.
    • 1877-147: Past Deputy Grand Master G. Washington Warren.

• 03/23: 1877-168; Boston; Constitution and Installation of officers at Joseph Webb Lodge.
  • 1877-169: Ceremonies.
  • 1877-170: Address by Charles Levi Woodbury.

• 04/05: West Boylston; Constitution of Boylston Lodge.

• 05/21: Funeral of Junior Grand Warden Charles J. Danforth.

• 09/17: Boston; 1877-224: Dedication of Army and Navy (Soldiers and Sailors') Monument on Boston Common.
  • 1877-224; Correspondence.
  • 1877-225; Order of exercises and organization of the Grand Lodge.
  • 1877-227; Procession to Boston Common.
  • 1877-229; Remarks by Chairman Francis Thompson of the Board of Aldermen, and reply by Grand Master Everett.
  • 1877-232; Dedication ceremony.
  • 1877-234; Address by Grand Master Everett.
  • 1877-244; Memoranda and further correspondence.

FEAST OF ST. JOHN THE EVANGELIST

(held at Masonic Temple, Boston, 12/27/1877)

• 1877-289: Opening and roll call.
• 1877-291: Installation of Grand Master Charles A. Welch and other Grand Lodge officers. Details of installation given.
• 1877-301: Recording Grand Secretary‚Äôs report. List of diplomas granted (916 in 1877) and list of lodges not represented at Grand Lodge in 1875 and for the last 2-3 years; also communications from various Grand Lodges.
• 1877-305: Past Grand Master Nickerson presented Past Grand Master Everett with a PGM jewel on behalf of Winslow Lewis Lodge.
• 1877-306: Resolution commemorating the centenary of independence of the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts, presented by Past Grand Master Gardner.
• 1877-325: Banquet.
  • 1877-329: Remarks by Grand Master Welch.

LIST OF LODGES IN MASSACHUSETTS BY DISTRICT: 1877

There were 18 districts in Massachusetts in 1877, as well as districts for Chile and China.

DISTRICT 1: Boston

Henry G. Fay, District Deputy Grand Master; 13 Lodges
Report: 1877-337; Tabular: 1877-369

• St. John's (Boston, 1733)
• Lodge of St. Andrew, (Boston, 1752)
• The Massachusetts (Boston, 1770)
• Columbian (Boston, 1796)
• Mount Lebanon (Boston, 1801)
• Germania (Boston, 1854)
• Winslow Lewis (Boston, 1855)
• Revere (Boston, 1856)
• Joseph Warren (Boston, 1856)
• Aberdour (Boston, 1860)
• The Lodge of Eleusis (Boston, 1865)
• Zetland (Boston, 1867)
• Joseph Webb (Boston, 1876)

DISTRICT 2: Charlestown

Francis Childs, District Deputy Grand Master; 10 Lodges
Report: 1877-339; Tabular: 1877-370

• King Solomon's (Charlestown, 1783)
• Amicable (Cambridge, 1805)
• Star of Bethlehem (Chelsea, 1844)
• John Abbot (Somerville, 1857)
• Henry Price (Charlestown, 1858)
• Mount Olivet (Cambridge, 1863)
• William Sutton (Saugus, 1866)
• Robert Lash (Chelsea, 1867)
• Faith (Charlestown, 1868)
• Palestine (Everett, 1868)

DISTRICT 3: Boston Highlands

Seth C. Ames, District Deputy Grand Master; 12 Lodges
Report: 1877-341; Tabular: 1877-371

• Washington (Roxbury, 1796)
• Union (Dorchester, 1796)
• Mount Tabor (East Boston, 1846)
• St. Paul's (South Boston, 1846)
• Baalbec (East Boston, 1852)
• Gate of the Temple (South Boston, 1855)
• Hammatt (East Boston, 1859)
• Lafayette (Roxbury, 1865)
• Adelphi (South Boston, 1865)
• Eliot (Jamaica Plain, 1866)
• Rabboni (South Boston, 1869)
• Temple (East Boston, 1870)

DISTRICT 4: Cambridge

Edward C. Damon, District Deputy Grand Master; 12 Lodges
Report: 1877-343; Tabular: 1877-372

• Corinthian (Concord, 1797)
• Meridian (Watertown, 1797)
• Bethesda (Brighton, 1819)
• Monitor (Waltham, 1820)
• Pequossette (Watertown, 1856)
• Dalhousie (Newtonville, 1860)
• Belmont (Belmont, 1864)
• Isaac Parker (Waltham, 1867)
• Mizpah (Cambridge, 1867)
• Beth-Horon(Brookline, 1870)
• Charles A. Welch (Maynard, 1872)
• Fraternity (Newtonville, 1875)

DISTRICT 5: Salem

William C. Maxwell, District Deputy Grand Master; 13 Lodges
Report: 1877-344; Tabular: 1877-373

• The Tyrian (Gloucester, 1770)
• Essex (Salem, 1791)
• Mount Carmel (Lynn, 1805)
• Jordan (Peabody, 1808)
• Liberty (Beverly, 1824)
• Ashler (Rockport, 1851)
• Amity (Danvers, 1863)
• Starr King (Salem, 1864)
• John T. Heard (Ipswich, 1864)
• Golden Fleece (Lynn, 1864)
• Acacia (Gloucester, 1865)
• Mosaic (Danvers, 1870)

DISTRICT 6: Newburyport

Warren Currier, District Deputy Grand Master; 13 Lodges
Report: 1877-345; Tabular: 1877-374

• St. John's (Newburyport, 1766)
• Merrimack (Haverhill, 1802)
• St. Mark's (Newburyport, 1803)
• Warren (Amesbury, 1822)
• St. Matthew's (Andover, 1822)
• Grecian (Lawrence, 1825)
• John Hancock (Methuen, 1860)
• Tuscan (Lawrence, 1863)
• Saggahew (Haverhill, 1864)
• Charles C. Dame (Georgetown, 1867)
• Bethany (Merrimac, 1868)
• Phoenician (Lawrence, 1870)
• Cochichewick (North Andover, 1874)

DISTRICT 7: Lowell

Solon W. Stevens, District Deputy Grand Master; 10 Lodges
Report: 1877-347; Tabular: 1877-375

• St. Paul's (Ayer, 1797)
• Aurora (Leominster, 1801)
• Pentucket (Lowell, 1807)
• Ancient York (Lowell, 1852)
• Trinity (Clinton, 1858)
• Wilder (Leominster, 1859)
• Caleb Butler (Ayer, 1859)
• Charles W. Moore (Fitchburg, 1865)
• Kilwinning (Lowell, 1866)
• William North (Lowell, 1867)

DISTRICT 8: Greenfield

Henry H. Humphrey, District Deputy Grand Master; 11 Lodges
Report: 1877-347; Tabular: 1877-376

• Republican (Greenfield, 1795)
• Harmony (Northfield, 1796)
• Pacific (Amherst, 1860)
• Mountain (Shelburne Falls, 1806)
• Orange (Orange, 1859)
• Hope (Gardner, 1864)
• Star (Athol, 1864)
• Artisan (Winchendon, 1865)
• Morning Sun (Conway, 1869)
• Bay State (Montague, 1872)
• Athol (Athol, 1872)

DISTRICT 9: Pittsfield

Hezekiah S. Russell, District Deputy Grand Master; 12 Lodges
Report: 1877-349; Tabular: 1877-377

• Cincinnatus (Great Barrington, 1795)
• Evening Star (Lenox, 1795)
• Wisdom (West Stockbridge, 1803)
• Mystic (Pittsfield, 1810)
• Lafayette (North Adams, 1847)
• Berkshire (South Adams, 1857)
• Globe (Hinsdale, 1869)
• Upton (Cheshire, 1869)
• Occidental (Stockbridge, 1870)
• Williams (Williamstown, 1871)
• Greylock (North Adams, 1871)
• Crescent (Pittsfield, 1873)

DISTRICT 10: Springfield

John A. Hall, District Deputy Grand Master; 11 Lodges
Report: 1877-351; Tabular: 1877-378

• Jerusalem (South Hadley, 1797)
• Hampden (Springfield, 1817)
• Chicopee (Chicopee, 1848)
• Mount Tom (Holyoke, 1850)
• Mount Moriah (Westfield, 1856)
• Roswell Lee (Springfield, 1864)
• Huntington (Huntington, 1866)
• Ionic (Easthampton, 1867)
• Mount Holyoke (South Hadley, 1869)
• Belcher (Chicopee, 1870)
• Hampshire (Haydenville, 1871)

DISTRICT 11: Worcester

Charles W. Moody, District Deputy Grand Master; 12 Lodges
Report: 1877-353; Tabular: 1877-379

• Morning Star (Worcester, 1793)
• Mount Zion (Barre, 1800)
• Montacute (Worcester, 1858)
• Webster (Webster, 1858)
• Oxford (Oxford, 1859)
• United Brethren (Marlborough, 1859)
• Doric (Hudson, 1864)
• Athelstan (Worcester, 1865)
• St. Bernard (Southborough, 1867)
• Quinsigamond(Worcester, 1870)
• Spencer (Spencer, 1871)
• Boylston (West Boylston, 1876)

DISTRICT 12: Milford

Irving B. Sayles, District Deputy Grand Master; 13 Lodges + 1 U.D.
Report: 1877-354; Tabular: 1877-380

• Middlesex (Framingham, 1795)
• Montgomery (Milford, 1797)
• Olive Branch (Millbury, 1797)
• Solomon's Temple (Uxbridge, 1818)
• Franklin (Grafton, 1851)
• Blackstone River (Blackstone, 1855)
• John Warren (Hopkinton, 1860)
• Mount Hollis (Holliston, 1864)
• North Star (Ashland, 1864)
• Excelsior (Franklin, 1866)
• Siloam (Westborough, 1866)
• Charles River (Medway, 1871)
• Alpha (Framingham, 1875)
• Mumford River (Douglas, U.D.)

DISTRICT 13: Taunton

Frederick D. Ely, District Deputy Grand Master; 14 Lodges
Report: 1877-355; Tabular: 1877-381

• Bristol (Attleboro, 1797)
• King David (Taunton, 1798)
• Rising Star (Stoughton, 1799)
• St. Alban's (Wrentham, 1818)
• Orient (Norwood, 1861)
• Blue Hill (Canton, 1863)
• St. James (Mansfield, 1864)
• Alfred Baylies (Taunton, 1866)
• Hyde Park (Hyde Park, 1866)
• Ionic (Taunton, 1867)
• Paul Dean (North Easton, 1867)
• Ezekiel Bates (Attleboro, 1870)
• Constellation (Dedham, 1871)
• Charles H. Titus (Taunton, 1872)
• Norfolk (Needham, 1874)

DISTRICT 14: New Bedford

Abraham G. Hart, District Deputy Grand Master; 13 Lodges
Report: 1877-358; Tabular: 1877-382

• Union (Nantucket, 1771)
• Marine (Falmouth, 1798)
• Star in the East (New Bedford, 1823)
• Mount Hope (Fall River, 1824)
• Eureka (New Bedford, 1857)
• Martha's Vineyard (Tisbury, 1859)
• Pythagorean (Marion, 1861)
• Pioneer (Somerset, 1863)
• May Flower (Middleboro, 1864)
• King Philip (Fall River, 1866)
• Oriental (Edgartown, 1866)
• Concordia (Fairhaven, 1872)
• Narragansett (Fall River, 1876)

DISTRICT 15: Barnstable

Russell Matthews, District Deputy Grand Master; 11 Lodges
Report: 1877-360; Tabular: 1877-383

• King Hiram's (Provincetown, 1795)
• Fraternal (Barnstable, 1801)
• Social Harmony (Middleboro, 1823)
• Mount Horeb (Harwich, 1854)
• DeWitt Clinton (Sandwich, 1855)
• Pilgrim (Harwich, 1859)
• James Otis (Barnstable, 1865)
• Adams (Wellfleet, 1865)
• Howard (Yarmouth, 1869)
• Mariners' (Cotuit, 1871)
• St. Martin's (Chatham, 1872)

DISTRICT 16: Plymouth

Hosea Kingman, District Deputy Grand Master; 14 Lodges + 1 U.D.
Report: 1877-361; Tabular: 1877-384

• Old Colony (Hingham, 1792)
• Fellowship (Bridgewater, 1797)
• Rural (Quincy, 1801)
• Corner Stone (Duxbury, 1801)
• Norfolk Union (Randolph, 1819)
• Orphan's Hope (Weymouth, 1825)
• Plymouth (Plymouth, 1825)
• Paul Revere (Brockton, 1856)
• John Cutler (Abington, 1859)
• Konohassett (Cohasset, 1864)
• Delta (Weymouth, 1868)
• Puritan (Abington, 1869)
• Phoenix (Hanover, 1873)
• Satuit (Scituate, 1875)
• St. George (Brockton, U.D.)

DISTRICT 17: Woburn

Theodore N. Foque, District Deputy Grand Master; 11 Lodges
Report: 1877-363; Tabular: 1877-385

• Hiram (Arlington, 1797)
• Putnam (Cambridge, 1854)
• Mount Hermon (Medford, 1854)
• Mount Horeb (Woburn, 1855)
• Wyoming (Melrose, 1856)
• Mount Vernon (Malden, 1857)
• William Parkman (Winchester, 1864)
• Charity (Cambridge, 1869)
• Good Samaritan (Reading, 1870)
• Simon W. Robinson(Lexington, 1870)
• King Cyrus (Stoneham, 1875)

DISTRICT 18: Palmer

Pliny T. Litchfield, District Deputy Grand Master; 10 Lodges
Report: 1877-364; Tabular: 1877-386

• Thomas (Palmer, 1796)
• Bethel (Enfield, 1825)
• Quaboag (Warren, 1858)
• Quinebaug (Southbridge, 1859)
• Day Spring (Monson, 1862)
• Hayden (Brookfield, 1863)
• Eden (Ware, 1863)
• Vernon (Belchertown, 1869)
• Newton (Wilbraham, 1870)
• Anchor (Wales, 1873)

CHILE DISTRICT

David Trumbull, District Deputy Grand Master; 3 Lodges
Report: None; Tabular: 1877-387

• Bethesda (Valparaiso, Chile, 1854)
• Aconcagua (Valparaiso, Chile, 1870)
• Huelen (Santiago, Chile, 1876)

CHINA DISTRICT

Ithamar B. Eames, District Deputy Grand Master; 1 Lodge
Report: None; Tabular: 1877388

• Ancient Landmark (Shanghai, China, 1863)

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