‘Happy anniversary (sort of) to Grand Lodge!’

    

National Portrait Gallery

John Murray, 4th Duke of Atholl

On this date 245 years ago, Freemasonry in New York began its transformation from factious lodges, tied to the opposing sides in the American Revolution, to the post-colonial cohesive fraternity—the Grand Lodge of New York we have today.

There are a number of books to read about this complicated story, but I turn to the massive History of the Ancient and Honorable Fraternity of Free and Accepted Masons and Concordant Orders published in 1893. Spanning more than 900 pages, it devotes appropriate space to recounting what happened. The following excerpt comes mid thought on the matter of a requested lodge warrant (Lodge No. 215):

...the Duke of Athol, Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of England, “Ancients,” granted, on September 5, 1781, a warrant to open a Provincial Grand Lodge in New York City. During the interval between the granting of the warrant and the first meeting of the Grand Lodge, December 5, 1782, the Grand Lodge of England was opened on American soil for the first, and possibly the only, time. The extract, which we give in full, has been duly authenticated by Colonel Shadwell H. Clerke, Grand Secretary of England, as follows:

Extract from the Minutes of the Grand Lodge of ‘Free and Accepted Masons, according to the Old Institutions,’ at present in the Archives of the United Grand Lodge of England, Freemasons’ Hall, London:

Grand Lodge opened at 4 o’clock in the City of New York, North America, on the 21st February, An. Do. 1782, An. Lap. 5782.

The R.. W... & Rev’d Br. William Walter P.G.M. Elect as D.G.M.;

the R.. W.. Br. John St. Browning, Esq., P.S.G.W. Elect as S.G.W.;

the R.. W... & Rev’d Br. John Barkley, P.J.G.W. Elect as J.G.W.;

the R.. W.. Br. Isaac Callins, P.M. of 169 as Gd. Secy.;

Present: Br. Cunningham, Mr. of No. 169; Warden, S.W. of No. 169; Lounds, J.W. of No. 169; Barclay, P.M. of 169; McEwen, P.M. of No. 169; Collins, Mr. of No. 210; Watson, S.W. of No. 210; Grigg, J.W. of No. 210; Br. Cock, Mr. of No. 212; Courtney, S.W. of No. 212; Harrison, J.W. of No. 212; Hodson, P.M. of No. 212; Crowell, P.M. of No. 212; Drew, Mr. of No. 213; Fife, S.W. of No. 213; Geddes, J.W. of No. 213; Stokes, P.M. of No. 213.

Installed according to Ancient usage:

Maximilian de Strait, Master.

The Rev’d John Phillip Erb, S.W.

Vice David Schoeph, absent.

George Dorg, J.W.

Vice Ferd’d Foester, dead.

All matters relative to this Constitution being complaited, the Gd. Officers aforesaid, in the name of the Most Noble Prince John, Duke of Athol, G.M., proclaimed the New Lodge duly constituted, No. 215, registered in Grand Lodge Book, volume 8, letter H., to be held in the Second Reg’t of Anspack Berauth.

Closed before 7 o’clock, adjourned to the Grand Lodge in London.

N.B. The Rev’d Will’m Walter was empowered to act as D.G.Mr. (for three hours only) by an authority from Wm. Dickey, Esqr., D.G.M.

   [Seal.]

   Certified as a true extract,

   SHADWELL H. CLERKÉ, G.S.

N.B. The name Browning above given is a mistake. It should be Brownrigg.

S.H.C.

The Lodges, Nos. 169, 210, “Ancient”; 212, “Ancient”; No. 52, in her Majesty’s 37th Regiment of Foot; “Moriah,” No. 133, in her Majesty’s 22d Regiment of Foot; No. 213, “Ancient,” in 44th Battalion of Royal Artillery; No. 215, “Ancient,” in 2d Regiment of Anspack Berauth; No. 441, “Irish,” held in her Majesty’s 38th Regiment; “Sion’s,” held by dispensation in her Majesty’s 57th Regiment, were present and assisted at the formation of the Provincial Grand Lodge of New York, December 5, 1782, of which Reverend William Walter, A.M., was Grand Master.

The principal business of the Grand Lodge in the early days was the healing of “Modern” Master Masons (in one case St. John’s Lodge, “Moderns,” made application, and the Master and Wardens were admitted in the Grand Lodge and initiated in the “Ancient” mysteries).

The purchase and acceptance of presents of lottery tickets also received favorable attention.

March 13, 1783, the Grand Lodge granted its first warrant, in New York City, to Concordia, No. 6.

The Grand Lodge was at this time controlled by the Army lodges. In the lodge, during the turmoil of war, the Royalists and the Federalists were wont to meet upon the square, both sides meeting upon the level. When the time came for the evacuation of New York by the British troops, the Grand Lodge, September 19, 1783, —

“Resolved, That the Grand Warrant shall be left, and remain in the use of such brethren as may hereafter be appointed to succeed the present Grand Officers, the most of whom being under the necessity of leaving New York upon the removal of his Majesty’s troops,” etc.

Grand Master Walter resigned, and Brother William Cock was elected and installed Grand Master.

February 4, 1784, the three oldest Masters of different lodges were appointed a committee on charity.

Grand Master William Cock resigned, and Robert R. Livingston was elected Grand Master and installed by proxy.

March 3, 1784, Livingston was personally installed and inducted into the Chair as Grand Master. It is said he was a “Modern” Mason, and his being elected Grand Master of an “Ancient” Grand Lodge caused many of the “Modern” lodges to come forward and seek admission into the Grand Lodge, and to apply for new warrants, which were accordingly granted.

December 23, 1786, it was ordered that all the lodges in the State hand in their respective warrants, so that the rank and precedency of the whole might be determined.

On March 7, 1786, a committee was appointed, “To consider the propriety of holding the Grand Lodge under the present warrant, and that proper measures be taken to effect a change, if it should be thought constitutional and expedient.”  The committee subsequently reported that no change was necessary, except in the draft of the style of warrant to be hereafter granted by the Grand Lodge. As soon as the precedency of the lodges was established, then all the lodges were to take out new warrants, and deliver up the old ones. On June 3, 1789, the question of precedency was settled.

Who was John Murray, 4th Duke of Atholl? Most of what we find on the web chronicles his peerage, many titles, place in the family tree, etc. Born 1755. Died 1830. It seems the narrative of his biography concerns Freemasonry, and he is remembered in England for serving as the final Grand Master of the Ancients leading into the formation of the United Grand Lodge of England in 1813. He resigned his position on November 8 of that year, setting in motion the process that would culminate in the Duke of Sussex, Grand Master of the Moderns, becoming an Ancient Mason on December 1, and subsequently the first Grand Master of the UGLE on December 27.

But that’s a whole other blog post.