History of Masonic Grand Lodges in North America

This is a chronology of the formation of "regular" or "mainstream" Masonic Grand Lodges in North America, descending from the original Grand Lodge of England (GLE) 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.

Freemasonry Prior to 1717

Freemasonry (or Speculative Masonry) developed out of the guilds and associations of operative stonemasons, during the late sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries. By 1700, numerous Masonic lodges were in existence throughout England, Scotland and Ireland. Each lodge was considered independent unto itself, and there was no supervisory body that governed all of Freemasonry. This led to some confusion, as ritual variations developed and disputes as to the legitimacy of various lodges arose. In 1717 members of four lodges in London elected to form what they called a "Grand Lodge" to supervise the fraternity and grant charters to new lodges. Not all lodges, however, accepted the self-proclaimed authority of this Grand Lodge, and soon formed rival Grand Lodges of their own.

"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").

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.

Independent Grand Lodges

After the American Revolution and, again, after the incorporation of the Dominion 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.

See also

References

  1. 1 2 The United Grand Lodge of England - Home Page
  2. Home Page
  3. Grand Masonic Lodge of Scotland
  4. 1 2 3 Bicentennial Commemorative Volume of Holland Lodge No. 8, published by the Lodge, New York, 1988. pp 9-12
  5. Grand Lodge of South Carolina Website
  6. Coil, Henry Wilson; "Massachusetts", pg. 412; Coil's Masonic Encyclopedia; publ. 1961, 1996, Richmond Va.
  7. 1 2 Grande Loge du Québec - Grand Lodge of Québec
  8. Coil, Henry Wilson; "America, Freemasonry into", pg. 33; Coil's Masonic Encyclopedia"; publ. 1961, 1996, Richmond Va.
  9. 1 2 Grand Lodge of Canada in the Province of Ontario, Freemasonry, Masonic, Masons
  10. Grand Lodge of Virginia AF&AM
  11. Welcome! | Grand Lodge F. & A. M. State of New York
  12. The Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of Pennsylvania
  13. The Grand Lodge of Georgia F.& A.M
  14. Grand Lodge of New Jersey > Official Page
  15. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Mackey, Albert Gallatin,The History of Freemasonry, Vol. 6, p. 1485 - Masonic History Co., NY, 1898
  16. Grand Lodge of Maryland
  17. Grand Lodge of A.F.& A. M. of North Carolina
  18. Timeline from Grand Lodge of South Carolina website
  19. The Grand Lodge of Connecticut A.F. & A.M. - Home
  20. Home
  21. Grand Lodge of Vermont F&AM
  22. Grand Lodge of Kentucky Free & Accepted Masons
  23. The Grand Lodge of Masons in Delaware
  24. Grand Lodge Free & Accepted Masons of Ohio
  25. Freemasons of the Grand Lodge of D.C.: Home
  26. http://www.la-mason.com/gl.htm
  27. Grand Lodge of TN - Masonic Lodges of Tennessee
  28. Indiana Freemasons Online
  29. The Official Web Page of THE Grand Lodge of Mississippi F. & A. M
  30. Grand Lodge of Maine Web Sites
  31. Grand Lodge of Missouri
  32. Grand Lodge F & A M of Alabama
  33. Jackson,Joseph Abram (Grand Historian of the Grand Lodge of Alabama from 1965-1970) Masonry in Alabama (published by the Grand Lodge)
  34. Michigan Masons
  35. Grand Lodge of Florida
  36. Carter, James D.; Masonry in Texas, pg. 312-313; publ. 1955, Comm. on Masonic Educ. & Service, Grand Lodge of Texas, AF & AM, Waco Tx
  37. Grand Lodge of Illinois, A.F. and A.M
  38. Grand Lodge Free & Accepted Masons of Wisconsin
  39. Home
  40. Masons of California
  41. Masonic Grand Lodge of Oregon
  42. Grand Lodge of Minnesota
  43. Grand Lodge Of Kansas
  44. Grand Lodge Of Nebraska
  45. Reno, Russel G. (2007). The Sesquicentennial History of the Grand Lodge of Nebraska 1857 to 2007. Richmond, Virginia: Macoy Publishing & Masonic Supply. ISBN 978-0-88053-199-3.
  46. Most Worshipful Masonic Grand Lodge of Washington
  47. Nevada Grand Lodge Website
  48. West Virginia Grang Lodge
  49. Grand Lodge of Montana
  50. Grand Lodge of Nova Scotia A.F. & A.M. - Welcome
  51. Grand Lodge of Idaho - Ancient Free & Accepted Masons
  52. Organization of Grand Lodge
  53. The Grand Lodge of New Brunswick - Home
  54. Freemasons of Utah
  55. Grand Lodge A.F. & A.M. of Wyoming
  56. Grand Lodge of Manitoba › Home
  57. PEI Masonic Family-Freemasonry on PEI
  58. Page Title
  59. Grand Lodge of Arizona Free and Accepted Masons
  60. Wayfarers Lodge #50 - History
  61. North Dakota Freemasonry
  62. Grand Lodge of Alberta AF & AM
  63. masons.sk.ca
  64. Welcome To Alaska Mason.Org
  65. The official website of the Grand Lodge of Free & Accepted Masons of the State of Hawaii
  66. Grand Lodge of Newfoundland and Labrador
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