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FIRST LODGE / SAINT JOHN'S LODGE (Boston)

Location: Boston

Chartered By: Henry Price

Charter Date: 07/30/1733 I-2

Precedence Date: 07/30/1733

Current Status: Active

NOTES

The oldest lodge in the jurisdiction of Massachusetts, St. John's Lodge Boston was granted the first charter by Grand Master Henry Price in St. John's Grand Lodge in 1733. Its history is inextricably linked with that Grand Lodge's history, and its records are commingled in Volume I of the Proceedings.

According to a note in the 1953 Proceedings (Page 1953-199), this Lodge was formally called "First Lodge" until 1783, when "Second Lodge" was merged into it. (This would be the first recorded merger in the history of the Craft in Massachusetts.)

Fourth Estate Lodge merged here, 05/23/1985.

NOTES ON ORIGINAL RECORDS

From New England Freemason, Vol. I, No. 2, February 1874, p. 82:

The Grand Lodge of Massachusetts lias recently regained possession of several volumes of Records which have long been missing, and which were supposed to have been irrecoverably lost. Among the most important and valuable of these are the Records of the Massachusetts Grand Lodge from 1769 to 1792 — being from the organization until the union with St. John's Grand Lodg ; the Records of the First Lodge in Boston, from 1738 to 1754; those of the Second Lodge in Boston, from 1761 to 1775, and those of the Master's Lodge, from 1738 to 1761.

Among the most interesting of these volumes is that containing the Proceedings of the First Lodge. The title page is as follows:

THIS
BOOK.OF REGISTERS
BELONGING TO THK ANTIENT AND HON:BLE SOCIETY OF
FREE AND ACCEPTED MASONS
IN
BOSTON NEW ENGLAND
WAS PRESENTED BY
Bro. Thomas Walker, Senior Warden.
Anno Domini 1738.
And of Masonry 5738.

The penmanship throughout the volume, with the exception of the first year, is beautiful, aud would be highly creditable to the most accomplished professor of the art in the present day. As a sample, we present a facsimile of the most elaborate page. The book opens with a copy of the deputation of Henry Price, granted by Montague, Grand Master, and dated "at London the thirtieth day of April, 1733, & of Masonry 5733." Next follow the By-Laws, which are so quaint and curious that we give them in full.

The following Regulations or By-Laws were unanimously Voted and ugreed upon by the Brethren of the first Constituted Lodge in Boston New England at their Meeting October 24, 1733—5733 and are as follows . . . Viz.:

  • First. NO PERSON shall be made a Mason unless all the Brethren members Present are Unanimous, and if but one member be against him he shall be rejected.
  • Secondly. NO BROTHER shall be admitted a Member of this Lodge unless all the Members Present are unanimous as aforesaid, and upon his or their admission shall pay twenty shillings, as also their Quarteridge, agreeable to a former vote, (so many Lodge nights as is past of that Quarter to be first discounted) and shall consent to the By-Laws and Regulations of this Lodge by subscribing their names to the same.
  • Thirdly. NO BROTHER OR BROTHERS shall eat any victuals in the Lodge Room while the Lodge is open, without the leave of the Master or Wardens, nor call for Liquor or Tobacco without Leave as aforesaid.
  • Fourthly. ANY PERSON OR PERSONS being balloted in may be made on a private night by dispensation from the Master and Wardens—Provided the Expence of that Lodge be not taken out of the money that is paid for such making, but every Brother present at such private making shall pay his Clubb or share of that Expence.
  • Fifthly. NO BROTHER that lives within or about this Town (that is not a member of this Lodge) shall l>e admitted as a Visitor, before he has Signi¬ fied his desire of being a member and paying his Quarteridge, or else make it appear that he is actually a member of a Regular Lodge; Unless by a Dis¬ pensation of the Master and Wardens.
  • Sixthly. EVERY VISITOR shall pay three shillings towards the Reckoning each night.
  • Seventhly. NO BROTHER shall propose any Person in the Lodge to be made without first asking leave of the Master and Wardens.
  • Eighthly. EVERY MEMBER of this Lodge shall pay eighteen shillings per Quarter for the Expence of the Lodge, and every member that does not pay his Quarteridge on the first l»dge night of the Quarter, or on the second at farthest (if Present), shall be Excluded from being a member, and all Privilidge of the Lodge.
  • Ninthly. EVERY' MEMBER shall pay at least two shillings more per Quarter to be applied as Charity towards the Relief of poor Brethren.
  • Tenthly. ANY MEMBER that proposes a Candidate, if voted or Balloted in, the member that proposed his friend, shall imediately deposit fourty shillings, in the hands of the Cashier, which shall be Allow'd as part of the Making, provided the candidate attends at the time he is proposed to be made, but if the candidate does not attend as aforesaid, being duly warned, the said Fourty shillings shall be forfeited and spent, and not allowed as part of that making.
  • Eleventhly. THE TREASURER or Cashier of this Lodge, upon his quit¬ ting his office, or when another is chosen in his room, shall render a just and true Account to tha, Master and Wardens of the Lodge for the time being of all the money Received, Expended and Remaining in his hands, with the Lodge book and Accompts, which he is to deliver up to the Master and War¬ dens in order and fairly stated.
  • Twelfthly. THE MASTER AND WARDENS of this Lodge shall take care that the Expence of a Lodge night (when there is no making) shall not Exceed three shillings per Member present for the Reckoning, which sum of three shillings per Member or Brother present, the Cashier has liberty to pay and no more.
  • Thirteenthly. THE MASTER of this Lodge, or in absence (sic) the Grand Master, Deputy Grand Master, or Wardens, when there is a private Lodge ordered to be held for a Making, shall be obliged to give all the Mem¬ bers timely notice of the time and place in writing where such Lodge is held that they may give their attendance, and every member being duly warned as aforesaid, and neglecting to attend on such Private making, shall not be clothed. (THE above article voted November 14, 1733—5733).
  • Fourteenthly. NO MEMBER that is absent from the Lodge of a Lodge night when there is a making shall have the Benefit of being cloathed for that time.

In many respects this seems to be an admirable code of By-Laws. They are brief and to the point, not, as is often the case in more modern days, overloaded with provisions drawn from the ancient constitutions and landmarks which every Mason is bound to have graven on his heart and to make the rule of his daily life. They are so brief that they might be read at every meeting without wearying the members, and they are so explicit that there is no room for doubt or uncertainty: "every member that does not pay his Quarteridge on the first Lodge night of the Quarter, or on the Second at farthest (if Present) shall be excluded from being a member and all Privilidge of the Lodge." They require a unanimous ballot for membership, a principle from which some Lodges have departed, as we think unwisely. They deny Masonic privileges to those drones in our hives who are too lazy, too indifferent, or too stingy to perform any Masonic duties, and therefore remain unaffiliated. Many of the Grand Lodges in this country are seriously considering the propriety of going back to the old rule in this matter, and some have already adopted it. The Grand Lodge of New York, by its revised Constitutions, denies to unaffiliated Masons the right of visiting, joining in Masonic processions, or receiving Masonic aid or burial.

Another good article in these By-Laws is the requiring of the consent of the Master and Wardens before proposing a candidate. In these degenerate days it would prove an additional safeguard against the admission of unworthy men, and in such cases would save the ill-feeling now so often engendered by rejection.

The regulation in regard to eating, drinking and smoking while the Lodge was open was important in old times, because the meetings were always held in taverns. This practice was due partly to the fact that such houses afforded the only rooms for large assemblies, and partly to the fact that the Brethren partook of some refreshment together on every Lodge night, which could be more readily furnished at a public house than elsewhere.

The thirteenth and fourteenth Articles undoubtedly refer to the use of aprons and gloves. Brother Lyon, in his History of the Lodge of Edinburgh, relates that "early in the seventeenth century it was a rule of the Lodge of Kilwinning that intrants should present so many pairs of gloves on their admission; but as the membership increased there was such an inconvenient accumulation of this article of dress that 'glove money' came to be accepted in its stead." He further informs us that "white gloves are known to have been worn in the Lodge of Kilwinning as the livery of the Craft, at the middle of the seventeenth century. About eighty years intervene before the Kilwinning records afford any trace of aprons or jewels (compass, square, plummet and level) being recognised as Masonic regalia. The minutes of the Lodge of Dunblane, January 8, 1724, contain a record of the presentation of aprons and gloves to three non-operative intrants. Liveries are not again mentioned in the Dunblane records till December 1, 1730, when "the members, taking into their consideration that it were very decent the Lodge were suitably cloathed every Saint John's-day, and did frankly wear the badges of a free and accepted Mason, conform to the order observed in many rightly constituted Lodges in Scotland and England, do therefore enact and ordain that each member of the Lodge shall on every Saint John's-day following put on and wear a white apron and a pair of white gloves as the � badge . . which gloves and aprons are to be kept by the Treasurer in a chest to be made for the purpose, to be given out to each member in due time each St. John's-day, or any other time which shall be thought necessary to put on the same." The sash, as part of the office-bearers' livery, was adopted in 1744; and jewels began to be worn in 1760, the year in which the Dunblane Fraternity joined the Grand Lodge, and in which also the custom of providing the young brethren with gloves and aprons was abolished. The item of gloves frequently appears among the payments recorded by the Secretary of the First Lodge, for example, in the second entry, under date of January 10,1738, "Gloves, &c, £10.16s.1d." In the same record appears "Memorandum 8 new aprons 40s." Immediately following the By-Laws, we find entered the Deputation granted to R. W. Robert Tomlinson as Grand Master by the Earl of Loudoun, under date of December 7, 1736.

The first record is as follows: "VI. Wednesday, the 27th December, being Lodge Night and the Feast of St. John the Evangelist; Our Brother Luke Vardy (at whose house the Lodge is usually held) being incapable of entertaining the society, from the afflictive circumstance of having this day buried his wife; the Lodge was held at Brother Andrew Halliburton's. The following Brethren met." Then follow the names of twenty-three Brethren, with that of R. W. Brother Benjamin Hallowell, as Master, at their head, followed by that of Brother Henry Price. Against the name of each Brother, except the Treasurer, is written "pd. 10s.," and the whole is summed up as follows:

Reconing, .... £15.13s.6d.
Tyler, ..... 3s
(total) £15.16s.6d.
The above Brethren pd. £11
Deficient, .....£4.16s.6d.

This is the entire record and is the counterpart of a large portion of those contained in the volume, many of them consisting solely of the names of the Brethren present, with the sum paid by each, and the amount of the Reckoning and the Tyler's fee.

Wednesday, the eighth of August, 1739, the Lodge being opened, Brother Murry presented a letter from the Grand Lodge holden at Antigua, which is as follows:

Right Worshipfull, Worshipfull, Thrice Worthy and Ever Dear Brethren:

We with the utmost Pleasure received your hearty congratulation Upon the Establishment of Masonry in this our Island, and return thanks to Our Brethren of Boston, for the good Opinion they entertain of the virtues of Our Countrymen, which we hope will be continualy encreasing as the Royal Craft comes every day to flourish and gain ground among us, not only by the accession of numbers of New Brethren, but especially under the happy Influence Of our thrice Worthy Right Worshipfull Grand Master his Excellency William Mathew, whom we boast of as a true good Mason and a sincere lover and encourager of our inestimable Craft.

We take kindly our Dear Brethren's offer of a friendly correspondence, and should before this time have signified the pleasure we hope to reap from it by an answer to yours of the fourth of April last, but that we waited for an Opertunity of sending our sincere and hearty good wishes to our Brethren and Fellows by the hands of one who might in our name greet you in a Brotherlike manner.

We are now so happy as to enjoy this wish'd for opertunity by Our well beloved Brother Major John Murrys intending for Boston in a Very few Days, whom we commend to you as a worthy upright Master Mason, who has for some time past executed the office of a S. W. of one of our Lodges to the intire satisfaction of all his Brethren and Fellows.

All the Brethren here salute you well beloved with the greeting of St. John, wishing that all Prosperity may attend you and that no Malicious Cowan may ever with profane ears and eyes approach even the lowest step of your Worshipfull Lodge, in order to listen to the Wisdom or pry into the Beauty or Disturb the order and harmony thereof.

We are, Dear Brethren,
Your sincer Effectionate Brethren and Humble Servants.
From the Grand Lodge held at the Court house in St. Johns the 27th June A. L. 5739.

Sign'd by the Command of the Ri't W'pfull the Grand Master.
William Mercer, G. S.

Wednesday, April 9, 1740.

The Lodge being open'd, the Committee appointed Last Lodge Night, to prepare a Remonstrance to lay before the R. W. Master and Brethren of this Society, were Introduced in due form; and Order'd to Present the same; Bro. T. Moffatt, one of the said Committee, was desired to Read it, in the Audience of the R. W. Master & Brethren; and, after due Attention Voted, Nemeni Con: that the Said Remonstrance be Ingross'd in the Book, and to pass into a Law, that, for the Future, the Premium to be paid by Can¬ didates, at their Initiation, to be Ten Pounds.

Voted, that the Said Committee be Respectfully Thanked for their Care and Trouble in drawing up Said Remonstrance; Which was perform'd by the R. W. Master & Brethren in due form.
Voted, that the Said Committee be continued, and, that our W. Brothers Oxnard and Waghorne be added to them, in order to prepare a Remonstrance (as soon as possible) for the Benefit of the Bank Stock &c. of this Society.
The R. W. Master Bro. Hugh McDaniel, Propos'd, and nominated, Mr. Box, (Rope Maker) a Candidate; and to answer 40s.


To the R. W. Master and W. Wardens, and the reft of the Members of this Lodge.

We whose Names are hereunto annex'd, being a Committee appointed by this Lodge to consider, whether it be Expedient that a greater Pnemium than that now Stipulated by a Quandam Vote of this Society, be required from Candidates before Admission into our Lodge.

We, after due Deliberation upon the present Circumstances of this Lodge, and Treasury thereof, do think that it is now, not only Proper, but absolutely Necessary for preserving the Honour and Dignity of Masonry in General, and advancing the Interest of this Lodge in perticular: That the sum paid by Novices before Initiation be Augmented, and that the said Augmentation when coneurr'd to, & agreed on, may presently have the Sanction of a Law hence-forward.

We, your Said Committee, are persuaded, that most of the Reasons which prevailed for then establishing the Inaugurating Fee at the present Rate, do not now Subsist; and consequently cannot be employ'd as Arguments against our Judgment, and Opinion, to abrogate, or alter that Decree. As that was a Resolution of this Lodge when in its Infant-state, and scarcely a sufficient Number to form One perfectly, much less to maintain it with spirit; We regard it only as a Result of Necessity, and good Policy, whereby the Society might be Encreased to a proper Number.

We, your Committee, are convinced that if the sum paid by Candidates was fixed at Ten Pounds, it would not prevent.any man of merit from making Application; on the Contrary—would Invite, and induce Them, inasmuch as it would discourage those of mean Spirits, and narrow, or Incumbered Fortunes from Solliciting to Enter with Us; both which are Inconveniences which We cannot carefully enough avoid, or provide against; because We apprehend the First to be a Disparagement to, and prostitution of Our Honour; And the Latter are often a heavy Charge, and Burthen, in a General and Particular Respect.

We, Your Committee, observe that at some Admissions, there has little or no part of the Money (after defraying incumbent Expences) been applyed towards the encreasing of Our Publick Bank-Stock—nay! that at Times, there has been Occasion Voluntarily to Contribute for discharging the Defficiency, or else Vote the same out of the Treasury; by both which pernicious Practices, that Fund, which should be encouraged, & encreas'd by all honest methods, & means—is Lessen'd, & the Noble Ends, & Purposes, for which it was destin'd, & appropriated—are frustrated, and rendered abortive.

Wherefore, We. Your Committee, move for Concurrence with us in Opinion. whereby tilt! General & Pellicular Interest, & Honour of Our Society may lie advanced: and by which Men of Eminence may be encouraged, and those of base Spirits, & embarrass'd Fortunes may be discouraged to associate with Us— And by which our Fund, which ought to be inviolably sacred towards the Relief of Indigent & Distress'd Masons, their Wives, & Children, may be presen-'d and encreas'd.

We, Your Committee, think there are Further Menus, whereby all these ndvantngcs might be further enlarged, and secured, which We heartily wish.

Thos. Moffatt,
Thos. Walker,
Peter Pelham.

April the 7th, 5740.

Wednesday, May the 27th, 1741.

The house being all taken up and engaged on some publick affairs, there was no Lodge held.
Wednesday, June the 24th, 1741.

The Lodge being Open'd, the Brethren proceeded to the Choise of Officers for the six months ensuing; Accordingly, our Right Worshipful M. James Forbes was continued Master of this Lodge; Bro. C. Phillips elected S. W.; Bro Row, J. W.; Bro. H. McDaniel, Treasurer; Bro. Pelham, Secretary, and Bro. C. Talis, Tylar.

Voted, that the Treasurer give Bond jus a security to this Society in the Names and to the Master & Wardens of the Lodge for the time being, or to the order of the Society, &c.
Voted, that the Wardens, with Bros. Johonnot, Tuthil, and Pelham, be a Committee to Inspect and Audit the Accounts of our Late Treasurer, Bro. Hallowell, & report the same to the Lodge.
This night being the Festival of St. John the Baptist, the same was observ'd in very perticular and eligant manner by all the Brethren present as nlxive Named; when Our R. W. Brother Thomas Oxnard held a Grand l«odge, and was pleas'd to Nominate and Appoint Bro. Steven Deblois S. G. W.; Bro. Robert Jenkins, J. G. W.; Bro. P. Pelham, G. S., and Bro. Stevenson, G. Tylar for the Year Ensuing.

I. Wednesday, July 8th, 1741. Lodge Night.

But the house being fill'd by the members of the General Court, and no possibility of a proper room to hold a Lodge; Order'd by our Right Worshipfull M. that the Brethren be summon'd to meet him to-morrow at seven o'clock in the Evening, being Thursday. Tylar, 5s.

VI. Wednesday, September 23, 1741.

The Lodge being open'd, Our Right Worshipfull Master recommended to the Brethren that it was his opinion, some perticular order should be observed in toasting the health of our R. W. Brother, the Honorable Mr. Belcher; and tbat a Committee might be appointed as soon as possablc to wait upon him, with acknowledgements from the Lodge, of his past favors, and to return our thanks, &c.
Voted, that next after the G. M. the Late Governor of this Province is to be toasted in the following manner, viz.: To our R. W. Brother, the Honorable Mr. Belcher, Late Governour of N. E. with 3-3-3=9.
Voted, that Our R. W. Bros., T. Oxnard, D. G. M., Bros. Phillips, Row, Price, Hallowell, Forbes, McDaniel and Pelham, be a Committee to form a speech, and wait upon the Hon. Mr. Belcher in behalf of this Society, and to make report of their proceeding the next Lodge.
Voted, that the Twenty-four Masons Glasses lately deliver'd to the Society, by our R. W. Bro. Forbes, be paid for out of the Treasury of this Society.

It is curious and interesting to trace in these Records the same practices and the same forms of expression as are reported by Brother Lyon as prevailing about that period among the Brethren in Scotland. In both cases, we find the Fraternity, and generally the Lodge, described as "the Society." The Mason Glasses were in use in both countries. They were made very heavy and strong, and after drinking a toast which met especial approval, the Brethren were wont to pound the table with their glasses by way of applause. The Boston Records frequently contain an item for broken glasses in addition to the "Reckoning" which is reported for each meeting. Upon this subject, Brother Lyon gives us the following curious information : —

"A predilection for 'Miison Glasses' was characteristic of the Craft in the latter half of the eighteenth century. The peculiarity of these glasses lay in having soles of extraordinary thickness—an essential requisite to the then form of Masonic toast-drinking—and not unfrequently they bore emblems of the Craft, along with the name of the Lodge owning them. Long-stalked ones, capable of holding an English quart, and called 'constables' were wont to be used by the Master and Wardens on high festive occasions. It was a custom of Kirk-Sessions in the last century to lend their Communion Cups to neighboring parishes not in possession of such articles, on payment of a stipulated sum for tile use of the poor. The lending of Mason glasses to meet the exigencies of anniversary communications, was a common practice among the Fraternity; and the charges that were made in respect of broken glasses was one of the curiosities of Lodge disbursements a century ago, as it was also in those of Mason Incorporations at and long prior to that period. The following, selected at random, is one of many similar entries in the books of the Mary Chapel Incorporation; Item, paid for sack, bread, and two glasses which came to the Chappell and were breken, at the election of the Deacons at Michalemas, 1685, seven pounds, six shillings. Articles of a more enduring texture than crystal were exposed to the risk of deterioration from the hilarity of the Brethren. October, 1756: The Lodge recommended to the Treasurer to get Br. Hutton's fiddle mended, which was broken by accident in the Lodge, and to take credit in his accompts for what he should pay in getting it rectified. Apropos of fiddles, the following curious entry appears in the minutes of the Lodge of Peebles: 5th May, 1727: This day the Honbl. Company of Masons conveened considering the sev'rl petitions given in by Marion Blackie, relict of John Wood, a Brother of this Lodge, that she had ane fiddle to raffle, and craved that the honbl. company would give in what they thought proper thereto—doe hereby ordain their box-master to give in five shillings ster. to the sd. raffle, and ordains the Deacon to raffle himself, or any other he pleases appoint for five throwes, and what is won to come into the box. In a more disinterested spirit, the Lodge, in 1747, instructed its Master to attend the raffle of two pistols belonging to a member, and to give in a crown out of the box, providing it be laid out for meall to the wife and children.

I. Wednesday, October the 14th, 1741.

Voted, that a Committee be appointed to wait on his Exellency, Governour Shirly, to Congratulate him on his advancement to the Government of this Province, &c., when it was propos'd and agre'd that the following persons should form said Committee, to act in behalf of this Society, viz.: Our R. W. Bros. Thomas Oxnard, Forbes, Overing, Price, Hallowell, Jenkins, McDaniel, Phillips, Johonnot, and Pelham, and to make report of their Proceedings next Lodge night.

On Fryday, September 25, 1741, the Committee appointed by this Lodge waited upon the Honorable Mr. Belcher, &c, and made the following Speech:
Thrice Worthy Brother: — We, being a Committee by the Mother Lodge of N. England held in Boston to wait on You, take this opportunity to Acknowledge the many favours You have always shewed (when in Power) to Masonry in General, but in a More Especial manner to the Brethren of this Lodge, of which we shall ever retain a most grateful Remembrance.

As we have had Your Protection when in the most Exalted Station here, so we think it's Incumbent on us to make the Acknowledgment, having no other means to testify our Gratitude but this; and to wish for Your future Health and Prosperity, which is the Sincere desire of Us, and those in whose behalf We appear, and permit us to assure You we shall ever remain, Honored Sir,
Your most Affectionate Brethren & Humble Servants,
Peter Pelham, Secretary, in behalf of the Committee.
To which, we rec'd the following Answer:

Worthy Brothers: I take very kindly this mark of your Respect. It is now Thirty-Seven years since I was admitted into the Ancient and Honorable Society of Free and Accepted Masons, to whom I have been a faithful Brother & a well-wisher to the Art of Masonry,

I shall ever maintain a strict friendship for the whole Fraternity, & always be glad when it may fall in my power to do them any Services.

J. Belcher.

"The Honorable Mr. Belcher," thus highly complimented, was born in Boston in 1681, graduated at Harvard in 1699, visited Europe, and had all the advantages of education and travel which the opulence of a fond father could give. It was at this time that he was presented to the Princess Sophia and her son, afterwards George II., and made a Mason, as he says, about the year 1704—thirteen years before the reorganization of the Institution in England in 1717. He returned to Boston, and engaged in business as a merchant. He was chosen a member of the Council, and in 1729 again visited England, this time as the agent of the Colony. While he was thus engaged, Go ernor Burnet died, and Mr. Belcher succeeded in obtaining the appointment of Governor of Massachusetts and New Hampshire, which he held from 1730 to 1741. His administration was an almost constant struggle with the General Court to enforce the grantiug of a fixed and annual salary as required by the King, and for the settlement of vexed financial questions. The animosities excited by these latter subjects led to his removal, and the appointment of Governor Shirley. Another visit to England enabled him to vindicate his integrity, and to secure the appointment of Governor of New Jersey. There he passed the remainder of his life in comparative repose, and died August 31, 1757, aged 76. The historian informs us that " added to his excellent endowments of mind were a peculiar beauty and gracefulness of person, in which he was equalled by no man in his day; and there was a dignity in his mien and deportment which com¬ manded respect."

Henry Price appointed as his first Deputy Grand Master the Governor's son Andrew, who was then Register of Probate for Suffolk Connty, and in the same year (1733) the Governor gave Price a Cornet's commission in his own troop, or body-guard. The relations between them must therefore have been very friendly and intimate.

At first thought, the Brethren of the olden time may be considered to have been extravagant in the indulgence of their convivial inclinations, judging from their "Reckonings," which frequently ranged as high as £15. During the time covered by these Records, the currency was continually depreciating, on account of frequent issues of paper money. About the year 1740, we think the proportion between this currency and sterling was as 12 to 1, thus reducing the expense of a meeting to six or seven dollars.

The Roman numerals at the head of each Record indicate the number of each meeting in the quarter.

From a somewhat hasty examination, we are inclined to the opinion that the volume under consideration consists of copies made from another book, or from memoranda, by Charles Pelham, a son of Peter Pelham. The latter was Secretary from 1739 to 1744. He died in 1751. We learn from Brother N. B. Shurtleff that Peter came over from England about the year 1726, having probably been previously made a Mason. He brought with him his son Charles, bom in 1722. At the age of 17 he probably commenced copying his father's records into this book, and continued the work until he came of age, when he was made a Mason (in 1744), and at the very next meeting his name appears as Secretary, and so continues until the end of the book. If our supposition in this regard be correct, it does not, in our judg¬ ment, in the slightest degree invalidate the authenticity or credibility of these Records. In a future number we hope to be able to give further extracts from and comments on these very curious and interesting minutes.

PAST MASTERS

  • Henry Hope, 1733
  • James Gordon, 1734, 1735
  • Frederick Hamilton 1734, 1735
  • Robert McLean, 1736
  • Robert Tomlinson, 1736
  • Thomas Oxnard, 1737
  • Benjamin Hallowell, 1738, 1739
  • Hugh McDaniel, 1739, 1740
  • James Forbes, 1741, 1742
  • Nathaniel Bethune, 1742, 1743
  • Robert Jenkins, 1743, 1744
  • Thomas Kilby, 1745
  • John Box, 1746
  • Thomas Aston, 1747
  • Jonathan Pue, 1748
  • John Rowe, 1749
  • William Coffin, 1750
  • Charles Brockwell, 1751
  • Belthazar Bayard, 1752
  • Henry Leddell, 1753
  • Jeremy Gridley, 1754
  • John Ewing, 1755
  • Robert Williams, 1756
  • Richard Gridley, 1757
  • John Leverett, 1758
  • Harry Charters, 1759
  • Adino Paddock, 1759
  • Abraham Savage, 1760, 1762-1768
  • Joseph Gardner, 1761
  • John Joy, 1769-1771
  • Thomas Knight, 1772, 1773
  • Nathaniel Patten, 1774-1782
  • Samuel Dunn, 1783-1794
  • Thomas Dennie, 1795, 1800; Mem
  • William Shaw, 1796-1798
  • Lewis Hayt, 1799
  • Samuel W. Hunt, 1801
  • Shubael Bell, 1802-1805, 1809
  • Francis J. Oliver, 1806-1808
  • John Baker, 1810
  • John B. Hammatt, 1811
  • James A. Dickson, 1812, 1818, 1829
  • John Dixwell, 1813-1816
  • Charles C. Nichols, 1817
  • William A. Leverett, 1819
  • Ferdinand E. White, 1820-1822, 1827, 1831, 1846, 1847
  • Joseph Eveleth, 1823-1826; SN
  • Augustus W. Roberts, 1828
  • Lynde M. Walter, 1830
  • Samuel Eveleth, 1832, 1833; SN
  • Abel Phelps, 1834, 1835
  • John Hews, 1836
  • Daniel Harwood, 1837, 1840, 1848-1850
  • John Flint, 1839, 1840
  • Luther Hamilton, 1841
  • George L. Oakes, 1842, 1843
  • C. Gayton Pickman, 1844, 1845
  • Charles Robbins, 1851
  • William C. Martin, 1852-1854
  • Clement A. Walker, 1855; SN
  • Solon Thornton, 1856, 1857, 1861
  • Wyzeman Marshall, 1858-1860
  • Luther L. Tarbell, 1862
  • James A. Fox, 1863, 1864; SN
  • Theodore H. Emmons, 1865
  • William H. Kent, 1866
  • James B. Pickett, 1867, 1868
  • Lyman B. Meston, 1869
  • James Mills, 1870, 1871
  • William F. Pierce, 1872-1874
  • William H. Thomes, 1875, 1876
  • Frederick T. Comee, 1877, 1878
  • Martin A. Munroe, 1879, 1880
  • Harvey N. Shepard, 1881, 1882
  • Samuel W. Clifford, Jr., 1883, 1884
  • H. Alric Davis, 1885
  • J. Arthur Jacobs, 1886
  • John N. North, 1887
  • Godfrey Morse, 1888
  • George A. King, 1889
  • Benjamin L. M. Tower, 1890; SN
  • Frederic W. Bliss, 1892, 1893
  • James T. Wetherald, 1894, 1895
  • William A. Carrie, 1896, 1897
  • Edmund H. Talbot, 1898, 1899
  • Albert B. Root, 1900, 1901; Memorial
  • Frank W. Thayer, 1902, 1903
  • William S. Heath, 1904, 1905
  • David T. Montague, 1906, 1907; Memorial
  • Leonard G. Roberts, 1908, 1909
  • Frederick J. Bryant, 1910
  • John C. Hull, 1911, 1912
  • Frederick S. Fogg, 1913, 1914
  • Walter F. W. Taber, 1915, 1916
  • Chester C. Whitney, 1917, 1918
  • Guy C. Willis, 1919, 1920
  • Dwight W. Sleeper, 1921, 1922
  • William I. Corthell, 1923; Mem
  • Edward H. Palmer, 1924, 1925
  • David M. Claghorn, 1926, 1927
  • George S. Hebb, 1928, 1929
  • George E. Hills, 1930
  • Starr A. Burdick, 1931, 1932; Mem
  • Robert G. Jennings, 1933, 1934
  • Winthrop E. Nightingale, 1935, 1936; N
  • Rouel W. Beach, 1937
  • Charles D. Tuckerman, 1938
  • Allen W. Lufkin, 1939, 1940
  • Walter S. Hall, 1941
  • J. Chester Reed, 1942
  • Alexander S. Wright, 1943, 1944
  • Karl W. P. Reece, 1945, 1946
  • Harold G. Smith, 1947, 1948
  • Arthur Fox, 1949, 1950
  • Albert H. Curtis, II, 1951, 1952
  • David A. Pfromm, 1953
  • Donald P. Malcolm, 1953, 1954; N
  • Stanwood K. Bolton, 1955, 1956
  • Albert C. Eckman, 1957, 1958
  • Bernard J. Pond, 1959
  • Frank E. Brown, 1960, 1961
  • William P. Farrar, 1962, 1963
  • Raymond L. Renner, 1964, 1965
  • Charles W. Nightingale, 1966, 1967; PDDGM
  • Marchant W. Eldridge, 1968, 1969
  • George A. Galgay, 1970, 1971
  • Ernest A. Herzog, 1972, 1973
  • Graham B. Wright, 1974-1976
  • Malcolm A. Smith, 1977
  • Harry P. Edwards, 1978, 1979
  • David L. Esancy, 1980; N
  • Richard W. Esancy, 1981, 1982
  • Salvatore P. Russo, 1983, 1984; PDDGM
  • Robert J. Saar, 1985
  • Eugene A. Capobianco, 1986; PDDGM
  • James L. McBride, 1987, 1988
  • Howard Kwong, 1989, 1990
  • Robert W. Canfield, 1991, 1992
  • John F. Tomera, 1993, 1994
  • David H. Beebe, 1995, 1996
  • John F. McNeil, 1997, 1998
  • Lawrence J. Smith, Jr., 1999, 2000; PDDGM
  • Ludwig Alban, 2001, 2002; DDGM
  • Basilios Tsingos, 2003-2005
  • Randall S. Wright, 2006, 2007
  • Alan R. Melanson, 2008, 2009, 2012
  • Arthur C. Stefanopoulos, 2010, 2011

YEARS

1733 -> 1791

1793 1805 1826 1848 1855 1857 1860 1863 1867 1869 1870 1872 1873 1874 1876 1877 1878 1880 1882 1883 1884 1885 1886 1888 1891 1892 1895 1896 1898 1899 1900 1903 1905 1906 1907 1908 1909 1911 1912 1913 1914 1916 1917 1918 1919 1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1931 1933 1936 1940 1941 1942 1946 1947 1953 1954 1955 1958 1960 1962 1965 1966 1968 1970 1972 1977 1979 1982 1983 1984 1985 1990 1991 1992 1998 2003 2004 2005 2007 2008 2011

MEMORIALS

CHARLES WILLIAMS 1790-1854

From Moore's Freemason's Monthly, Vol. XIII, No. 9, July 1854, Page 287:

Died in this city, on the morning of the 13th ult., Brother Charles Williams, aged 64 years. The deceased was formerly of the firm of R. P. & C. Williams, long and well known in this city, as booksellers. He was an old and faithful Mason, and will be long remembered by his Brethren, as one whose ambition it was to do good, according to the talents wherewith God had blessed him. He was a member of the Episcopal church, and was buried on the afternoon of the 14th from the church of the Rev. Mr. Clinch, at South Boston,—many of his Masonic Brethren being in attendance.

EVENTS

RESTORATION OF RELICS, SEPTEMBER 1859

From Moore's Freemason's Monthly, Vol. XVIII, No. 11, September 1859, Page 296:

Masonic Relics.— Wyzeman Marshall, W. M. of St. John's Lodge, was the recipient last week of a gift, or rather of a restoration of former gifts, which will be highly prized. The late Dr. John Dixwell was formerly Master of St. John's Lodge, and within a few weeks, members of his family found in a private drawer in an old cabinet, which has been seldom used, four heavy silver ladles, three of which bear inscriptions showing by whom they were presented to the Lodge. Dr. Dixwell was probably entrusted with their care, and having put them away for safe keeping in a secret drawer, they escaped notice at the time of his death. —Ev. Gaz.

GRAND LODGE OFFICERS

Due to the high proportion of lodge members involved in the early years of St. John's Grand Lodge, the grand officers for the period before 1792 are in their own section.

OFFICERS 1733-1792

  • James Gordon, Deputy Grand Master 1736, 1738
  • Robert Tomlinson, Deputy Grand Master 1737, Grand Master 1737-1740
  • Thomas Oxnard, Deputy Grand Master 1740-1743, Grand Master 1743-1754
  • Benjamin Hallowell, Deputy Grand Master 1753-1756; Senior Grand Warden
  • Hugh McDaniel, Deputy Grand Master 1737, 1743-1752
  • James Forbes, Deputy Grand Master 1756, Senior Grand Warden, Junior Grand Warden, Grand Treasurer
  • Nathaniel Bethune, Senior Grand Warden
  • Robert Jenkins, Deputy Grand Master 1757-1763, Senior Grand Warden, Junior Grand Warden
  • Thomas Kilby, Senior Grand Warden
  • John Box, Senior Grand Warden
  • John Rowe, Deputy Grand Master 1763-1768, Grand Master 1768-1787, Senior Grand Warden, Junior Grand Warden, Grand Treasurer
  • William Coffin, Senior Grand Warden, Junior Grand Warden, Grand Treasurer
  • Charles Brockwell, Senior Grand Warden
  • Belthazar Bayard, Grand Secretary
  • Jeremy Gridley, Grand Master 1755-1767
  • Robert Williams, Senior Grand Warden, Junior Grand Warden
  • Richard Gridley, Deputy Grand Master 1768-1792
  • John Leverett, Grand Secretary
  • Abraham Savage, Senior Grand Warden, Junior Grand Warden, Grand Secretary
  • Joseph Gardner, Senior Grand Warden, Junior Grand Warden, Grand Treasurer
  • John Joy, Junior Grand Warden
  • Thomas Dennie, Grand Treasurer, Junior Grand Warden 1792; Memorial

OFFICERS AFTER THE UNION OF 1792

DISTRICTS

1803: District 1 (Boston)

1821: District 1

1835: District 1

1849: District 1

1858: District 12

1865: District 1

1867: District 1 (Boston)

1883: District 1 (Boston)

1911: District 1 (Boston)

1927: District 1 (Boston)

2003: District 1

LINKS

Lodge web site

Massachusetts Lodges

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