Africans and other world travelers during the 17th and 18th centuries brought with them or were introduced to Freemasonry within the Western Hemisphere (North and south America) and came to share these secrets and symbols with inhabitants of the Caribbean and adjacent areas.
There is general agreement that Freemasonry already was well established as the British and Spanish explorers invaded these communities during the mid-1600. It is very likely that much in advance of ‘slavery’ in the Americas. Men of color (although often at great risk) were at work as craftsmen. Laboring in and enjoying the fruits of the vineyards of Freemasonry. The History of Freemasonry by Robert Gould. among others, reveals that Freemasonry had- been introduced among the islands of the West Indies during the 18th century not long after the establishment of the historic Grand Lodge in 1717. However this so-celled Union of the Moderns and Ancients promoted the fraternity. at this time, as a powerful, predominantly white. upper-middle class organization.
Fifteen ‘free black men’; Prince Hall (Cyrus Johnson. Bueston slinger. Prince Rees. John Canton. Peter Freeman. Benjamin Tiler. Duff Ruform, Thomas, Santerson. Prince Rayden. Cato Speain. Boston Smith. Peter Best. Forten Howard and Richard Titley) were initiated into Lodge #441, attached to the 38th Regiment of Foot.
British Army garrisoned the Castle William Island. Boston Harbor on March 6. 1775 (History of African Lodge #459 – MW Prince Hall Grand Lodge Massachusetts) with authority (1776) ‘to meet as African Lodge #1. to go in procession on St. John’s Day. and as a Lodge to bury their dead; but they could not confer degrees nor perform any other Masonic ‘work”,
For eight years these Brethren. , together with others who had received their degrees elsewhere. (thirty-three Masons by 1779) assembled and enjoyed their limited privileges as Masons. Prince Hall petitioned (March 2. 1784) the Grand Lodge of England for a warrant or charter. The Warrant to African Lodge #459 of Boston was granted on September 29. 1784 (delivered in Boston April 29. 1787) and was officially organizes on May 6, 1787. and became the ‘Mother lodge’ of Prince Hall Freemasonry.
The African Grand Lodge was organized in 1808 in New York City at the meeting of African Lodge #459 of Boston. African Lodge #459 of Philadelphia and Hiram Lodge #3 of Providence. Rhode Island. and later its name was changed to PRINCE HALL GRAND LODGE.
Four Masonic Grand Bodies trace their origin directly to the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Massachusetts: number two. Pennsylvania in 1815; number three. New York in 1845; number eleven. Rhode Island in 1858; and number twenty-eight. Georgia in 1870 (Harry A. Williamson. ‘A Chronological History of Prince Hall Masonry of Prince Hall Masonry’ The New York Age. 1934). Connecticut (1873) was one of four Grand Masonic Bodies set up by New York.
The 1875 Proceedings of the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge F&AM of Connecticut, reveal that in June 1873 the representatives or delegates of Widow’s Son Lodge (New Haven). Eureka Lodge (Norwich), and Excelsior Lodge (Hartford) gave notice to the Most Worshipful United Grand Lodge of New York, then in session with MWGM Walter H. Burr presiding in the City of New York, and under whose jurisdiction they were working, of their intention of organizing and establishing a Grand Lodge of Connecticut.
The four Lodges forming the Grand Lodge were Lodges which had been duly constituted and were holding warrants at that time under The Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of the State of New York. These Lodges in the New York Registry were known as Widow’s Son Lodge #10 of New Haven, Connecticut, warranted in 1858: Eureka Lodge #15 of Norwich. Connecticut, warranted in 1859; Excelsior Lodge #16 of Hartford, Connecticut. warranted in 1859; and Doric Lodge #33 of Bridgeport, Connecticut. warranted in 1871.
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On January 7. 1874 MWGM Walter H. Burr (New York) had the honor of installing the first principal officer. Brother William H. Layne as Most Worshipful Grand Master of the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge F&AM, State of Connecticut. The first communication of this newly formed Grand Lodge was held at the Masonic Temple in New Haven, Connecticut on October 4, 1874.
“Be not weary in well doing” R.W. Floyd L. Bass.
Grand Historian
(Reprinted for this publication)
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The Marks We Leave
As time goes on and we reflect on the things we’ve said and done;
The places we’ve been, the people we’ve met and we think of all the fun.
We realize the marks we leave in life aren’t made of stone or steel
But rather of the lives we’ve touched and how we make folks feel.
For people are far more valuable than achievements great and high, than cars or planes or space shuttles or buildings reaching to the sky, You and I can leave our mark in life By doing all we can
To serve and praise and uplift
The lives of children, women and men.
Mark Sanborn (Copyright [2006], Sanborn & Associates, Inc.
