MassachusettsYear1876

1876

PERCIVAL LOWELL EVERETT, Grand Master

Charles A. Welch, Deputy Grand Master
Abraham H. Howland, Jr., Senior Grand Warden
Daniel Upton, Junior Grand Warden

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QUARTERLY COMMUNICATIONS

(Held at Masonic Temple, Boston)

• 1876-1: 03/08;
• 1876-25: 06/14;
• 1876-41: 09/13;
• 1876-106: 12/13 (Annual Communication).

03/08 Agenda

• 1876-3: Grand Lodge was presented with a "finely executed Square and Compasses of solid silver" by Rt. Wor. William Sutton, through the Grand Secretary. The Grand Marshal "adjusted them in their proper place upon the Great Light."
• 1876-5: The Recording Grand Secretary reported the donation of "an ancient pitcher, covered with Masonic emblems" by Wor. Dana Z. Smith of Salem.
• 1876-7: Vote of thanks received by Grand Lodge from the Washington National Monument Society.
• 1876-22: Appointment of the first Board of Commissioners of Trials:
  • Rt. Wor. Tracy P. Cheever, President
  • Rt. Wor. Sereno D. Nickerson
  • Rt. Wor. Benjamin Dean
  • Rt. Wor. Edward Avery
  • Rt. Wor. Frederick D. Ely

06/14 Agenda

• 1876-27: Rt. Wor. Frederick D. Ely appointed Grand Standard Bearer; installed by the Deputy Grand Master.
• 1876-29: Petition by Orient Lodge, Norwood, "relating to the location of the Lodge by the Charter, and asking for a change in the wording of the same," was received and referred.
  • 09/13: 1876-52; Orient Lodge's charter originally bore the name South Dedham; "it now appears that there is no such town, and never was." Due to the granting of a charter to Constellation Lodge in Dedham, jurisdictional issues have come into play, and the lodge would now like to amend its location to Norwood (a town created in 1872); approved.
• 1876-29: Presentation of a portrait of Past Grand Master Sereno D. Nickerson by Winslow Lewis Lodge. Thanks voted and correspondence with the lodge.
• 1876-31: Report of charity committee.
• 1876-37: Presentation of committee on ritual; the new Trestle-Board was submitted and approved by unanimous vote. A committee was appointed "to superintend the publication and sale of the Grand Lodge Trestle-Board."

09/13 Agenda

• 1876-47: Presentation of "certain papers relating to the so-called Grand Lodge of Ontario" by the Recording Grand Secretary; referred to committee.
• 1876-48: Remarks and resolution presented by Past Grand Master Heard on the 50th anniversary of Rt. Wor. and Rev. Lucius R. Paige, Grand Chaplain, as Master of a Lodge. Resolution of congratulations, and reply by Rev. Bro. Paige.
• 1876-57: Report of charity committee.
• 1876-59: Address by Rt. Wor. Charles Levi Woodbury concerning the application of a lodge at Palermo, Italy, to become subordinate to the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts. According to precedent, the Grand Lodge of Italy should have jurisdiction, and the petition should be denied. More importantly an address covers the provenance of the "African Lodge of Ohio" and contains an extensive history of the perceived Masonic regularity of the Prince Hall Grand Lodge.

12/08 Agenda

• 1876-108: Address of Grand Master Everett.
• 1876-116: Auditing Committee Report.
• 1876-117: Sinking Fund Report.
• 1876-118: Re-election of Grand Master Everett, and other Grand Lodge officers.
• 1876-130: Report of Committee on the Grand Lodge of Ontario; resolved that it "is a spurious body, with whom it would be improper and unmasonic to enter upon fraternal relationship."
• 1876-134: Charity Committee report.
• 1876-137: Presentation of the Joseph Warren statue by Wor. Otis E. Weld.
• 1876-138: Presentation of a donation by Bro. Charles T. Frink of Republican Lodge of "a little gavel, made from the Washington Oak, so called, at Mount Vernon."
• 1876-138: Voted that the Grand Lodge of Maine be permitted to use extracts from the Trestle-Board "as may be required in the preparation of a Masonic Digest."
• 1876-138: Committee appointed to consider amendments to Grand Constitutions to address clandestine Masons applying for healing, who were not at fault for irregularities in their proceedings.

Grand Constitutions Amendment Proposals

• 03/08: 1876-10; Proposed amendment to Part 3, Article 4, regarding trials of members in lodges; new Article 5; approved, as well as completely revised Part 3, Article 4 regarding the establishment of the Board of Commissioners of Trials; approved.

Grand Master's Address

• 03/08: 1876-7; Report of the committee on the Annual Address of the Grand Master in 1875.

• 12/13: 1876-105; Annual Address of the Grand Master. Initial remarks. Grand Treasurer's report; Dispensations and warrants; new Trestle-Board; recommendation that lodges account for public holidays when setting annual meeting dates; new statue of Joseph Warren; surrender of the charter of Philanthropic Lodge due to "a lack of interest and harmony among its members." Remarks on "colored lodges." Referred to committee.

Lodge By-Law Changes

• 03/08: 1876-4;
  • Full codes: Chicopee, Hampden, Mizpah, Mount Hope, Mumford River, Mystic; referred.
  • Amendments: Ancient York, Charity, Huntington, Mount Holyoke, Pioneer, St. Martin's, Temple, Wilder; referred.
  • 1876-21: Approved, "with changes made by the committee."

• 06/14: 1876-27;

• • Full codes: Eliot, Washington; referred.
  • Amendments: Adelphi, Fellowship, Huntington, Jerusalem, John Warren, Mosaic, Mount Zion, Norfolk Union, Orient, Saggahew, Solomon's Temple, Star, Tuscan; referred.
  • 1876-38; approved, with some changes; further time requested on Eliot.

• 09/13: 1876-43;

• • Full codes: Meridian, Palestine; referred.
  • Amendments: Excelsior, Greylock, Mount Vernon, Pentucket; referred.
  • 1876-58; approved with changes; Eliot amendments approved with alterations.

• 12/13: 1876-101;
  • Full codes: Charles River, Mount Tabor; referred.
  • Amendments: Delta, Good Samaritan, John Cutler, Meridian, Olive Branch, Phoenix, St. John's (Boston), Warren; referred.
  • 1876-137; approved with changes.

• 12/27: 1876-142; Huntington (amendment); approved.

Necrologies and Memorials

• 12/13: 1876-105; Death of Rt. Wor. John Dove, Grand Secretary of Virginia "and the oldest Grand Secretary in the United States."
  • 1876-151: Memorial presented by committee.

• 12/13: 1876-112; Death of Rt. Wor. Wendell T. Davis, Past Senior Grand Warden; mentioned in Grand Master's Address.
  • 1876-157: Memorial presented by committee.

Petitions for Charters

• 03/08: 1876-5; Aconcagua, Valparaiso, Chile; to replace a charter destroyed by fire; approved with the new charter to retain its precedence.

• 06/14: 1876-28; Satuit U.D., Scituate; referred.
  • 1876-31; Granted.

• 09/13: 1876-44; Alpha U.D., South Framingham; referred.
  • 1876-59; Granted.

• 09/13: 1876-45; Fraternity U.D., Newtonville; referred.
  • 1876-59; Granted.

• 12/13: 1876-102; King Cyrus U.D., Stoneham; referred.
  • 1876-136; Granted.

• 12/13: 1876-104; Narragansett U.D., Fall River; referred.
  • 1876-136; Granted.

Petitions for Dispensation for Lodges

• Mentioned in Grand Master's Address, beginning on Page 1876-105:
  • Narragansett U.D., Fall River (12/30/1875)
  • Huelen, Santiago, Chile (02/08)
  • Boylston, West Boylston (03/08)
  • Joseph Webb (Boston) (03/08)
  • Note: the dispensation for a lodge in Pepperell was revoked; "the Brethren there deciding, after more fully deliberating, that it would be best to defer the organization of the Lodge to a more favorable time."

SPECIAL COMMUNICATIONS

(No record of certain of these meetings in the 1876 Proceedings, where no page numbers are given.)

• 02/09: Dedication of the apartments of Bristol Lodge, North Attleboro.

• 03/09: Dedication of the apartments of Hampshire Lodge, Haydenville, by a Deputy Grand Lodge (Rt. Wor. John E. Shipman as Deputy Grand Master).

• 06/21: Constitution of Satuit Lodge, Scituate.

• 07/27: Corner-stone laying of the new Town Hall in Merrimack, by Rt. Wor. Wyzeman Marshall as Deputy Grand Master, assisted by Bethany Lodge of Amesbury.

• 11/14: Constitution of Fraternity Lodge, Newtonville.

• 11/23: Dedication of the apartments of Rural Lodge, Quincy.

FEAST OF ST. JOHN THE EVANGELIST

(held at Masonic Temple, Boston, 12/27/1876)

• 1876-140: Opening and roll call.
• 1876-143: Installation of Grand Master Everett and other Grand Lodge officers.
• 1876-148: Recording Grand Secretary's report. List of diplomas granted (1,182 in 1876) and list of lodges not represented at Grand Lodge in 1875 and for the last 2-6 years; also communications from various Grand Lodges.
• 1876-161: Resolution commemorating the centenary of independence of the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts, presented by Past Grand Master Gardner.
• 1876-163: Banquet. Remarks:
  • 1876-164: Grand Master Everett.
  • 1876-164: Past Grand Master Heard.
  • 1876-165: Past Grand Master Coolidge.
  • 1876-166: Past Grand Master Parkman.
  • 1876-169: Past Grand Master Dame.
  • 1876-171: Past Grand Master Gardner.
  • 1876-174: Past Grand Master Nickerson.
  • 1876-178: Past Senior Grand Warden Abraham H. Howland, Jr.
  • 1876-180: Deputy Grand Master Charles A. Welch.
  • 1876-184: Past Deputy Grand Master George G. Smith.
  • 1876-187: Rt. Wor. Tracy P. Cheever.
  • 1876-191: Grand Chaplain Joshua Young.
  • 1876-195: Recording Grand Secretary Charles H. Titus.
  • 1876-196: Corresponding Grand Secretary George P. Sanger.
  • 1876-198: Past Deputy Grand Master G. Washington Warren.
  • 1876-200: Rt. Wor. Frederick D. Ely, DDGM, 13th District.
  • 1876-203: Wor. John Rodocanachi.
  • 1876-306: Rt. Wor. Abraham G. Hart, DDGM, 14th District.

LIST OF LODGES IN MASSACHUSETTS BY DISTRICT: 1876

There were 18 districts in Massachusetts in 1876, as well as districts for Chile and China.

DISTRICT 1: Boston

Henry G. Fay, District Deputy Grand Master; 12 Lodges + 1 U.D.
Report: 1876-211; Tabular: 1876-247

• St. John's (Boston, 1733)
• Lodge of St. Andrew, (Boston, 1756)
• 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, U.D.)

DISTRICT 2: Charlestown

Francis Childs, District Deputy Grand Master; 10 Lodges
Report: 1876-213; Tabular: 1876-248

• 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: 1876-215; Tabular: 1876-249

• 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: 1876-216; Tabular: 1876-250

• Corinthian (Concord, 1797)
• Meridian (Natick, 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: 1876-219; Tabular: 1876-251

• Philanthropic (Marblehead, 1760) surrendered charter
• 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: 1876-220; Tabular: 1876-252

• 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: 1876-222; Tabular: 1876-253

• St. Paul's (Ayer, 1797)
• Aurora (Fitchburg, 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

Jonas K. Patch, District Deputy Grand Master; 11 Lodges
Report: 1876-223; Tabular: 1876-254

• 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: 1876-225; Tabular: 1876-255

• Cincinnatus (Great Barrington, 1795)
• Evening Star (Lee, 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 E. Shipman, District Deputy Grand Master; 11 Lodges
Report: 1876-227; Tabular: 1876-256

• Jerusalem (Northampton, 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; 11 Lodges + 1 U.D.
Report: 1876-229; Tabular: 1876-257

• 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, U.D.)

DISTRICT 12: Milford

Irving B. Sayles, District Deputy Grand Master; 14 Lodges
Report: 1876-230; Tabular: 1876-258

• 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)
• Norfolk (Needham, 1874)
• Alpha, (Framingham, 1875)

DISTRICT 13: Taunton

George L. Rhoads, District Deputy Grand Master; 14 Lodges
Report: 1876-232; Tabular: 1876-259

• Bristol (Attleboro, 1797)
• King David (Taunton, 1798)
• Rising Star (Stoughton, 1799)
• St. Alban's (Foxborough, 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)

DISTRICT 14: New Bedford

Abraham G. Hart, District Deputy Grand Master; 12 Lodges + 1 U.D.
Report: 1876-234; Tabular: 1876-260

• 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, U.D.)

DISTRICT 15: Barnstable

John W. Atwood, District Deputy Grand Master; 11 Lodges
Report: 1876-236; Tabular: 1876-261

• King Hiram's (Provincetown, 1795)
• Fraternal (Barnstable, 1801)
• Social Harmony (Wareham, 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
Report: 1876-238; Tabular: 1876-262

• 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)

DISTRICT 17: Woburn

Theodore N. Foque, District Deputy Grand Master; 11 Lodges
Report: 1876-239; Tabular: 1876-263

• 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

John Wetherbee, District Deputy Grand Master; 10 Lodges
Report: 1876-240; Tabular: 1876-264

• 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

H. Plunket Bourchier, District Deputy Grand Master; 3 Lodges + 1 U.D.
Report: 1876-243; Tabular: 1876-265

• Bethesda (Valparaiso, Chile, 1854)
• Hiram (Caldera, Chile, 1858)
• Aconcagua (Valparaiso, Chile, 1870)
• Huelen (Santiago, Chile, U.D.)

CHINA DISTRICT

Ithamar B. Eames, District Deputy Grand Master; 1 Lodge
Report: 1876-243; Tabular: 1876-266

• Ancient Landmark (Shanghai, China, 1863)

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