History of Masonic Grand Lodges in North America explained

This is a chronology of the formation of "regular" or "mainstream" Masonic Grand Lodges in North America, descending from the Premier Grand Lodge of England or its rival, the Antient Grand Lodge of England. A Grand Lodge (or "Grand Orient" as it is called in some jurisdictions elsewhere in the world) is the governing body that supervises "Craft" Freemasonry (also known as "Blue Lodge" Freemasonry) in a particular jurisdiction or geographical area.

"Original" Grand Lodges formed by "Time Immemorial" Lodges

The following Grand Lodges were formed by pre-existing "Time Immemorial" lodges (lodges that predated the concept of having Grand Lodges to supervise and coordinate the craft, and thus were retained as having existed from "time immemorial").

• Premier Grand Lodge of England - est. June 24, 1717 - (Merged with Ancient Grand Lodge of England, or "The Ancients", to form the United Grand Lodge of England in 1813)^[1]
• Grand Lodge of Ireland - est. June 24, 1725^[2]
• Grand Lodge of Scotland - est. 1736^[3]
• Ancient Grand Lodge of England - est. 1751 - (Merged with Premier Grand Lodge of England, or "The Moderns", to form the United Grand Lodge of England in 1813)

Grand Lodges founded during the Colonial Era

Freemasonry spread from the British Isles during the Colonial Era. All of the "original" Grand Lodges began to issue charters to individual lodges in North America, but the two English Grand Lodges (the "Ancients" and the "Moderns") were the most prolific. Starting in 1730 The Grand Lodge of England (Moderns) began to issue Warrants for Provincial Grand Lodges in the colonies. Initially, these Warrants were issued to individuals, to act as deputies for the Grand Master in a given area for fixed periods of time, and some confusion resulted due to overlapping jurisdictions. To confuse matters further, with the formation of the Antient Grand Lodge, rival Provincial Grand Lodges were chartered under their jurisdiction.

• "Coxe" Provincial Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, & New York (Moderns) - Est. 1730 - by warrant issued to Daniel Coxe by GLE for two years, allowing for a successor to be elected. Granted jurisdiction over Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York. Successors claimed jurisdiction only over Pennsylvania. The Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania dates itself from the formation of this Provincial Grand Lodge.^{[4] [5]}
• Provincial Grand Lodge of New England (Moderns) - Est. 1733 by warrant given to Henry Price. The Grand Lodge of Massachusetts dates itself from the formation of this Provincial Grand Lodge.
• Provincial Grand Lodge of South Carolina - Est. 1736 ^[6]
• Provincial Grand Lodge of North Carolina - (Moderns) Est. 1771 - Warrant issued by GLE to Col. Joseph Montfort (1771-1776) and then his Deputy, Cornelius Harnett (1776-1781) ^[7]
• Provincial Grand Lodge of New York (Moderns) - 1738-1780s - Warrants issued by GLE (Moderns) to Francis Goelet (1738–1753), to George Harrison (1753–1771), to Sir John Johnson (from 1771). As Johnson was a Loyalist during the American Revolution, he is believed to have taken his warrant with him when he fled to Canada, thus leaving the Moderns Lodges without a Provincial Grand Master.^[8]
• Provincial Grand Lodge for North America (Scotland) - Est. 1757 - By warrant issued to Colonel John Young.^[9]
• Provincial Grand Lodge of Canada - Est. 1759 (Became PGL of Lower Canada, i.e. Quebec, in 1792)^[10]
• Provincial Grand Lodge for Pennsylvania (Ancients) - Est. 1761 - By Warrant issued to William Ball.^[11]
• Provincial Grand Lodge of New York ("Athol Charter" - Ancients) - 1781-1784 - Although this PGL was Warranted by the "Ancients", the final Provincial Grand Master, Chancellor Robert R. Livingston (PGM: 1784-87), was actually the Master of a Lodge under the Jurisdiction of the Moderns, thus uniting the two branches of English Freemasonry in New York State. Livingston continued in office as the first Grand Master of the independent GL of NY.
• Provincial Grand Lodge of Upper Canada - Est. 1792^[12]

Independent Grand Lodges

After the American Revolution and, again, after the incorporation of Canada, the various Provincial Grand Lodges in North America were closed, and the Lodges in each State or Province formed independent Grand Lodges. These in turn, chartered lodges in the territories in the West and North. As each new State or Province came into being, the lodges that had been chartered within its borders gathered together and formed new Grand Lodges.

• Grand Lodge of Virginia - Est. 1778^[13]
• Grand Lodge of New York - Est. 1782 (declared itself Independent Grand Lodge on June 6, 1787)^[14]
• Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania - Est. 1786^[15] (Continuation of "Coxe" Prov. G.L. & Prov. G.L. of Penna. See above.)
• Grand Lodge of Georgia - Est. December 16, 1786^[16]
• Grand Lodge of New Jersey - Est. December 18, 1786^{[17] [18]}
• Grand Lodge of Maryland - Est. December 9, 1787^{[18] [19]}
• Grand Lodge of North Carolina - Est. December 9, 1787^{[18] [20]}
• Grand Lodge of South Carolina - Est. 1788 ^[21]
• Grand Lodge of Connecticut - Est. 1789^[22]
• Grand Lodge of New Hampshire - Est. 1789^[23]
• Grand Lodge of Rhode Island - Est. 1791 ^{[18] [24]}
• Grand Lodge of Massachusetts - Est. 1792 (continuation of PGL of New England (see above).
• Grand Lodge of Vermont - Est. 1794^[25]
• Grand Lodge of Kentucky - Est. 1800^[26]
• Grand Lodge of Delaware - Est. 1806^[27]
• Grand Lodge of Ohio - Est. 1808^[28]
• Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia - Est. 1811^[29]
• Grand Lodge of Louisiana - Est. 1812 ^[30]
• Grand Lodge of Tennessee - Est. 1813 ^[31]
• Grand Lodge of Indiana - Est. January 13, 1818^[32]
• Grand Lodge of Mississippi - Est. July 27, 1818^[33]
• Grand Lodge of Maine - Est. 1820^[34]
• Grand Lodge of Missouri - Est. April 21, 1821^[35]
• Grand Lodge of Alabama - Est. June 11, 1821 ^{[36] [37]}
• Grand Lodge of Michigan - Est. 1826 ^[38]
• Grand Lodge of Florida - Est. 1830 ^{[18] [39]}
• Grand Lodge of Texas - Est. 1838^[40]
• Grand Lodge Of Illinois- Est. 1840 - previous Grand Lodge in existence: 1822-1827^[41]
• Grand Lodge of Wisconsin - Est. 1843^[42]
• Grand Lodge of Iowa - Est. 1844 ^[43]
• Grand Lodge of California - Est. 1850^[44]
• Grand Lodge of Oregon - Est. 1851^{[18] [45]}
• Grand Lodge of Minnesota - Est. 1853^[46]
• Grand Lodge of Canada in the Province of Ontario - Est. 1855
• Grand Lodge of Kansas - Est. 1856^[47]
• Grand Lodge of Nebraska - Est. 1857^{[48] [49]}
• Grand Lodge of Washington State - Est. 1858^{[18] [50]}
• Grand Lodge of Colorado - Est. 1861^[18]
• Grand Lodge of Nevada - Est. January 17, 1865^[51]
• Grand Lodge of West Virginia - Est. April 12, 1865^{[18] [52]}
• Grand Lodge of Montana - Est. January 24, 1866^[53]
• Grand Lodge of Nova Scotia - Est. February 20, 1866^[54]
• Grand Lodge of Idaho - Est. December 17, 1867^{[18] [55]}
• Grand Lodge of British Columbia and Yukon - Est. December 24, 1867^[56]
• Grand Lodge of New Brunswick - Est. 1868 ^[57]
• Grand Lodge of Quebec - Est. 1869
• Grand Lodge of Utah - Est. 1872^[58]
• Grand Lodge of the Indian Territory - Est. Oct. 6, 1874 (Reestablished in 1892 as Grand Lodge of Oklahoma)^[18]
• Grand Lodge of Wyoming - Est. December 15, 1874 ^{[59] [60]}
• Grand Lodge of Manitoba - Est. May 12, 1875^[61]
• Grand Lodge of Prince Edward Island - Est. June 23, 1875^[62]
• Grand Lodge of New Mexico - Est. 1877^[63]
• Grand Lodge of Arizona - Est. 1882^{[64] [65]}
• Grand Lodge of North Dakota - Est. 1889^[66]
• Grand Lodge of Oklahoma - Est. 1892 (Replaced the Grand Lodge of Indian Territory)^[18]
• Grand Lodge of Alberta - Est. 1905^[67]
• Grand Lodge of Saskatchewan - Est. August 9, 1906^[68]
• Grand Lodge of Alaska Est. 1981^[69]
• Grand Lodge of Hawaii Est. 1989^[70]
• Grand Lodge of Newfoundland and Labrador - Est. 1997^[71]

History of Freemasonry by Country

See main article: Freemasonry in the United States and Anti-Masonic Party.

See main article: Freemasonry in Canada.

See main article: Freemasonry in Mexico.

See also

• List of Masonic Grand Lodges North America
• General list of masonic Grand Lodges
• History of Freemasonry

Further reading

• Bullock, Steven C. Revolutionary brotherhood: Freemasonry and the transformation of the American social order, 1730-1840 (UNC Press Books, 2011).
• Formisano, Ronald P., and Kathleen Smith Kutolowski. "Antimasonry and Masonry: The Genesis of Protest, 1826-1827." American Quarterly 29.2 (1977): 139-165. online
• Hackett, David G. That Religion in Which All Men Agree : Freemasonry in American Culture (U of California Press, 2015) excerpt
• Hinks, Peter P. et al. All Men Free and Brethren: Essays on the History of African American Freemasonry (Cornell UP, 2013).
• Kantrowitz, Stephen. " 'Intended for the Better Government of Man': The Political History of African American Freemasonry in the Era of Emancipation." Journal of American History 96#4, (2010), pp. 1001–26. online.
• Mackey, Albert Gallatin. The History of Freemasonry, Vol. 6 (Masonic History Co., NY, 1898) pages 1485-1486 online membership by state 1898
• Weisberger, R. William et al. Freemasonry on Both Sides of the Atlantic: Essays concerning the Craft in the British Isles, Europe, the United States, and Mexico (2002), 969pp
• York, Neil L. “Freemasons and the American Revolution.” Historian 55#2 (1993), pp. 315–30. online

Notes and References

1. http://www.grandlodge-england.org/ The United Grand Lodge of England – Home Page
2. http://www.irish-freemasons.org/ Home Page
3. http://www.grandlodgescotland.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=57 The Grand Lodge of Scotland
4. Borneman, Henry S. Early Freemasonry in Pennsylvania. Philadelphia: The Grand Lodge of Free & Accepted Masons of Pennsylvania, 1931. Facsimile of letter in Appendix D.
5. Barrat, Norris S. & Julius F. Sachse. Freemasonry in Pennsylvania, 1727-1907, As Shown by the Records of Lodge No. 2, F. & A.M. of Philadelphia. Philadelphia: New Era Printing Company, 1908. p. 3-4.
6. http://www.scgrandlodgeafm.org Grand Lodge of South Carolina
7. http://www.glnc.us Grand Lodge of North Carolina
8. Bicentennial Commemorative Volume of Holland Lodge No. 8, published by the Lodge, New York, 1988. pp 9-12
9. Coil, Henry Wilson; "Massachusetts", pg. 412; Coil's Masonic Encyclopedia; publ. 1961, 1996, Richmond Va.
10. http://www.glquebec.org/ Grande Loge du Québec - Grand Lodge of Québec
11. Coil, Henry Wilson; "America, Freemasonry into", pg. 33; Coil's Masonic Encyclopedia"; publ. 1961, 1996, Richmond Va.
12. http://www.grandlodge.on.ca/ Grand Lodge of Canada in the Province of Ontario, Freemasonry, Masonic, Masons
13. http://www.grandlodgeofvirginia.org/ Grand Lodge of Virginia AF&AM<!-- Bot generated title -->
14. http://www.nymasons.org/ Welcome! | Grand Lodge F. & A. M. State of New York
15. http://www.grandlodge.org/ The Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of Pennsylvania
16. Web site: The Grand Lodge of Georgia F.& A.M . 2018-03-16 . 2018-03-17 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180317035818/https://www.glofga.org/glofga/ . dead .
17. http://www.newjerseygrandlodge.org/ Grand Lodge of New Jersey > Official Page
18. Mackey, Albert Gallatin, The History of Freemasonry, Vol. 6 1485 - Masonic History Co., NY, 1898 online vol 6, membership by state p 1485
19. Web site: Grand Lodge of Maryland . 2007-06-28 . https://web.archive.org/web/20070609073022/http://www.mdmasons.org/gl/default.asp . 2007-06-09 . dead .
20. http://www.grandlodge-nc.org/ Grand Lodge of A.F.& A. M. of North Carolina
21. http://www.scgrandlodgeafm.org/History/CharlestonTimeLine.htm Timeline
22. http://www.ctfreemasons.net/ The Grand Lodge of Connecticut A.F. & A.M. - Home
23. Web site: History.
24. http://www.rimasons.org/ Home
25. http://www.vtfreemasons.org/ Grand Lodge of Vermont F&AM<!-- Bot generated title -->
26. http://grandlodgeofkentucky.org/ Grand Lodge of Kentucky Free & Accepted Masons
27. http://www.masonsindelaware.org/ The Grand Lodge of Masons in Delaware
28. http://www.freemason.com/ Grand Lodge Free & Accepted Masons of Ohio
29. http://www.dcgrandlodge.org/ Freemasons of the Grand Lodge of D.C.: Home
30. Web site: Grand Lodge . 2007-06-28 . https://web.archive.org/web/20070702045222/http://www.la-mason.com/gl.htm . 2007-07-02 . dead .
31. http://www.grandlodge-tn.org/ Grand Lodge of TN – Masonic Lodges of Tennessee
32. Web site: Indiana Freemasons Online . 2008-07-22 . https://web.archive.org/web/20070223121749/http://www.indianafreemasons.com/SchofieldHouse.html . 2007-02-23 . dead .
33. http://www.msgrandlodge.org/ The Official Web Page of THE Grand Lodge of Mississippi F. & A. M
34. http://www.mainemason.org/ Grand Lodge of Maine Web Sites
35. http://www.momason.org/ Grand Lodge of Missouri
36. Web site: Grand Lodge F & A M of Alabama . 2007-06-28 . 2017-06-26 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170626013453/http://www.alafreemasonry.org/ . dead .
37. Jackson,Joseph Abram (Grand Historian of the Grand Lodge of Alabama from 1965-1970) Masonry in Alabama (published by the Grand Lodge)
38. Web site: Michigan Masons . 2007-06-28 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130929033033/http://www.gl-mi.org/ . 2013-09-29 . dead .
39. Web site: Grand Lodge of Florida . 2007-06-28 . https://web.archive.org/web/19971007085720/http://www.glflamason.org/ . 1997-10-07 . dead .
40. Carter, James D.; Masonry in Texas, pg. 312-313; publ. 1955, Comm. on Masonic Educ. & Service, Grand Lodge of Texas, AF & AM, Waco Tx
41. http://www.ilmason.org/ Grand Lodge of Illinois, A.F. and A.M
42. http://www.wisc-freemasonry.org/ Grand Lodge Free & Accepted Masons of Wisconsin
43. Web site: Home . 2008-02-19 . 2016-03-04 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160304000133/http://showcase.netins.net/web/iowamasons/PGMS.html . dead .
44. http://www.freemason.org/ Masons of California
45. http://www.masonic-oregon.com/ Masonic Grand Lodge of Oregon
46. http://www.mn-masons.org/ Grand Lodge of Minnesota
47. http://www.gl-ks.org/ Grand Lodge Of Kansas
48. http://www.glne.org/ Grand Lodge Of Nebraska
49. Book: Reno, Russel G. . The Sesquicentennial History of the Grand Lodge of Nebraska 1857 to 2007 . 2007 . Macoy Publishing & Masonic Supply . Richmond, Virginia . 978-0-88053-199-3.
50. http://www.freemason-wa.org/ Most Worshipful Masonic Grand Lodge of Washington
51. http://www.nvmasons.org/ Nevada Grand Lodge Website
52. http://www.wvmasons.org/ West Virginia Grang Lodge
53. Book: List of Lodges—Masonic. Pantagraph Printing and Stationery Company. 2018. 72.
54. http://www.grandlodgens.org/ Grand Lodge of Nova Scotia A.F. & A.M. - Welcome
55. http://www.idahoaf.am/ Grand Lodge of Idaho - Ancient Free & Accepted Masons
56. http://freemasonry.bcy.ca/textfiles/bcgrand.html Organization of Grand Lodge
57. http://www.glnb.ca/ The Grand Lodge of New Brunswick – Home
58. http://www.utahgrandlodge.org/ Freemasons of Utah
59. http://www.wyomingmasons.com/ Grand Lodge A.F. & A.M. of Wyoming
60. http://www.mslodgeofresearch.org/archives/public/holdings/the_history_of_freemasonry.pdf
61. Web site: Grand Lodge of Manitoba › Home . 2007-06-28 . https://web.archive.org/web/20070625163004/http://www.grandlodge.mb.ca/ . 2007-06-25 . dead .
62. http://www.freemasonry.pe.ca/ PEI Masonic Family-Freemasonry on PEI
63. http://nmmasons.org/ Page Title
64. http://www.azmasons.org/ Grand Lodge of Arizona Free and Accepted Masons
65. Web site: Wayfarers Lodge #50 - History . 2008-03-14 . https://web.archive.org/web/20080515063044/http://www.wayfarers50.com/history.php . 2008-05-15 . dead .
66. http://www.glnd.org/ North Dakota Freemasonry
67. http://www.freemasons.ab.ca/ Grand Lodge of Alberta AF & AM
68. Web site: masons.sk.ca . 2007-06-28 . https://web.archive.org/web/20070702100334/http://www.masons.sk.ca/ . 2007-07-02 . dead .
69. http://www.alaska-mason.org/ Welcome To Alaska Mason.Org
70. http://hawaiifreemason.org/ The official website of the Grand Lodge of Free & Accepted Masons of the State of Hawaii
71. http://www.glnl.ca/ Grand Lodge of Newfoundland and Labrador