Washington's Masonic Correspondence

21

Original among Washington relics in Alexandria-Washington Lodge, No. 22, Alexandria, Virginia. Fac-simile in Washington collection of Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania.

22

Elisha C. Dick's petition was presented in Lodge No. 2, September 14, 1779, approved and entered by virtue of a dispensation from the Grand Master, September 15; passed and raised, September 23. "Freemasonry in Pennsylvania," Vol. I, pp. 352, 353.

23

Cf. "The Lodge of Washington," by F. L. Brocket, Alexandria, Va., 1876.

24

"Washington and his Masonic Compeers," by Sidney Hayden, New York, 1866, p. 104.

25

John Wise's tavern, in which the above Masonic Banquet was held, is a large three-story brick building still standing on high ground at the northeast corner of Cameron and Fairfax Streets, Alexandria. At that time it had an unobstructed view of the Potomac.

26

Vide "Abstract of Proceedings of the Proceedings Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania, During the Year 1910," pp. 110-117.

27

A copy of the Extracts from the Records of King David's Lodge, No. 1, as made by Ara Hildreth, Esq., is in the Archives of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania, Mss. Volume Q, R.I. 7.

Cf. also a verified copy of the Minute in "Proceedings of the Anti-Masonic Republican Convention of Massachusetts, Boston, 1832," p. 22.

28

Vide "The Jews and Masonry in the United States," by Samuel Oppenheim, New York, 1810, p. 22 et seq.

29

Cf. "Catalogue of the Washington Collection in the Boston Athenæum," Boston, 1897, p. 331.

30

Letterbook II, p. 29.

31

Cf. "Washington after the Revolution," W. S. Baker, Philadelphia, 1898, p. 192.

32

Cf. Pennsylvania Packet, August 30-31 1790.

33

Copy of Address in Letter Book II, pp. 27-28, Photostat of same in Archives of Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania.

34

In the latter part of the eighteenth century, St. John's Lodge, No. 2, at Newbern, was very active, at which time it built a two-story theatre and Masonic Hall, and took part in a number of local matters.

35

Extract from Minutes by Brother J. F. Rhem, M.D., Newbern, N. C.

36

Letter Book 2, pp. 47-48 in Library of Congress, Washington, D. C.; photostat in Archives of Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania.

37

Ibid., p. 49; photostat in Archives of Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania.

38

Extract from Minutes by Brother J. F. Rhem, M.D., Newbern, N. C.

39

Brother J. F. Rhem, Newbern, N. C., in letter to Brother A. B. Andrews, Jr., December 14, 1914.

40

Washington's Diary.

41

Cf. "Old Masonic Lodges in Pennsylvania," Philadelphia, 1913, Vol. 2, p. 53 et seq.

42

Brother William Drayton, Past Grand Master; Brother Mordecai Gist, Grand Master; Brother Thomas B. Bowen, Deputy Grand Master; Brother George Miller, Senior Grand Warden; Brother John Mitchell, Junior Grand Warden; Brother Thomas Gates, Grand Chaplain; Brother Robert Knox, Grand Treasurer; Brother Alexandrer Alexander, Grand Secretary; Brother Israel Meyers, Grand Tiler.

43

City Gazette, Friday, May 6, 1791, p. 2, column 4.

44

For full account of Lodge 27 and Brother Gist, vide "Old Masonic Lodges of Pennsylvania," before quoted, Vol. II, pp. 53-63.

45

Cf. Hayden, "Washington and his Masonic Compeers," p. 135.

46

William C. Mazyck, Right Worshipful Grand Secretary, G. L. of South Carolina.

47

Washington Letter Book, II, folio 77. Photostat in Archives of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania.

48

Address and Reply, Letter Book II, folio 77-78.

49

Reprint of Minutes of Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania, Vol. I, p. 178.

50

Ibid., p. 180.

51

Mss. Volume A, folio 17, 19, 21.

52

Letter Book II, pp. 104-105.

53

Cf. "Old Masonic Lodges of Pennsylvania," Vol. I, p. 201.

54

Cf. Reprint of Minutes of Grand Lodge, Vol. I, p. 96 et seq.

55

Ibid., Vol. II, p. 68.

56

Volume II, Chapter XXVI, pp. 1-36. Cf. also "Freemasonry in Pennsylvania," Vol. I and II, for various references to Col. Procter.

57

Cf. "Old Lodges," Vol. II, pp. 256 et seq.

58

Cf. The Religious and Social Conditions of Philadelphia, under the Federal Constitution, 1790-1800. Julius F. Sachse, Philadelphia, 1900.

59

Cf. "Freemasonry in Pennsylvania," before quoted, Vol. II, pp. 190-197; original copy in archives of Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania.

60

Abert's Tavern, formerly "John Wise's." Vide p. 35 supra.

61

Cf. "Washington after the Revolution," W. S. Baker, p. 347.

62

Cf. "Freemasonry in Maryland," by Edw. J. Schultz, Baltimore, 1884, Vol. I, pp. 265-266.

63

Ibid., p. 266.

64

"Memorial Volume, Washington Sesqui-centennial Anniversary," Philadelphia, 1902, p. 165.

65

"PROOFS | of a| CONSPIRACY | against all the | RELIGIONS and GOVERNMENTS | of | EUROPE | carried on | in the secret meetings | of | FREE MASONS, ILLUMINATI, | and | READING SOCIETIES, | " collected from Good Authorities | by | JOHN ROBISON, A. M. |—EDINBURGH, | 1797. |

66

The original letter of August 22, 1798, is among the Washington papers in the Library of Congress; a photostat of same is in the Archives of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania.

67

Cf. Historical sketch of the Evangelical Reformed Church of Frederick, Maryland, 1904, pp. 22-25.

68

Cf. "Washington, The Man and Mason," p. 288.

69

Vide "Sesqui-Centennial Anniversary of the Initiation of Brother George Washington before quoted," p. 149.

70

Cf. Chapters II and III supra.

71

Cf. "Washington, The Man and Mason," p. 286.

72

Ibid., December 20, 1789. His excellency, General Washington, unanimously elected Master; Robert McCrea, Senior Warden; William Hunter, Jr., Junior Warden; William Hodgson, Treasurer; Joseph Greenway, Secretary; Dr. Frederick Spambergen, Senior Deacon; George Richards, Junior Deacon. Extract from Minutes, p. 288.

73

Vide "Freemasonry in Pennsylvania, 1727-1907," Vol. I, Chapter X, pp. 295 et seq.

74

Ibid., Vol. I, Chapter XII, pp. 399 et seq.

Vide "Washington and his Masonic Compeers," Chapter VIII, pp. 149 et seq.

75

Ibid., pp. 86-87. Also records of King Solomon's Lodge, No. 1, Poughkeepsie, New York.

76

Ibid., pp. 150 et seq.

77

Ibid., pp. 139 et seq.

78

Washington, so far as known, attended the following public Masonic functions:

1. Procession in Philadelphia, Festival of St. John the Evangelist, December 28, 1778.

2. Festival of St. John the Baptist, June 24, 1779, with the American Union Lodge, at the Robinson House on the Hudson, New York.

3. Festival of St. John the Evangelist, December 27, 1779, with American Union Lodge, at the Morris Hotel, Morristown, New Jersey.

4. Festival of St. John the Evangelist, December 27, 1782, with King Solomon's Lodge, at Poughkeepsie, New York.

5. Festival of St. John the Baptist, June 24, 1784, with Lodge No. 39, at Alexandria, Virginia.

6. The Masonic funeral of Brother William Ramsay, February 12, 1785, at Alexandria.

7. Laying of the cornerstone of the capitol at the Federal City (Washington, D. C.), September 18, 1793, upon which occasion Washington walked in the procession.

79

Cf. Historical sketch before quoted, p. 24.

80

Anti-Masonic Republican Convention before quoted, p. 26.

81

Grand Master of Virginia, 1793-1795.

82

Vindication of General Washington before quoted, p. 15.

83

Cf. "Reprint of Minutes of Grand Lodge," Vol. I, p. 19.

84

"Freemasonry in Pennsylvania, 1727-1781," Vol. I, p. 39.

85

Address in full, ibid., pp. 399-402.

86

All of the original correspondence is in the Archives of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania, Mss., Vol. A.

87

"Washington Sesqui-Centennial Celebration, Nov. 5, 1902, Memorial Volume," pp. 135-6.

88

Cf. "Old Masonic Lodges of Pennsylvania," Vol. II, Chapter LIII, pp. 242-250.

89

Specimen in Museum of Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania.