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As soon as two men associated together there was a need for mutual assistance. Shortly thereafter some form of elementary fraternity appeared. 1000 BC - Hiram Abif born about this time. Date unknown. 967 BC - Solomon's Temple begun. 960 BC - Solomon's Temple finished. 715 BC - Numa Pompilius organized Roman workers into various Collegia; he attached one to each legion of the army so that the Roman arms and arts went hand in hand into the outlying parts of the empire. The stone workers or masons were the most numerous and became very powerful. There were some similarities between these groups and a modern lodge. Each Collegia was required to have at least three members; the head was called the Magister or Master; they used their tools as symbols; and they looked after the widows and orphans of the members. 587 BC - King Solomon's Temple destroyed. 582 BC - Pythagoras, character in Master Mason degree born. 1 AD - At the time of Christ there existed in Palestine three religious sects: The Essenes, the Pharisees, and the Sadducees. The Essenes were the strictest group with a high moral code, a secret ceremony. It is sometimes suggested that Jesus Christ was a member because he was not on the scene from childhood until manhood. He spoke against the other two sects but never against the Essenes, he was celibate (as they were), and he lived a pure and spotless life (as they urged). 290 AD - On November 8, the Emperor Diocletian executed Claudius Castorius, Sempronianus, and Nicostratus, Sempronianus, for refusing to carve a statue to the god Aesculapius. Their names were forgotten for a time. Several years later, Severus, Severianus, Carpophorus, and Victorinus, (Christians), were executed for refusing to pay homage to the same pagan god. They were later honored as the Four Crowned Martyrs. 926. In a number of ancient manuscripts is the legend that in this year Prince Edwin, son of King Athelstan, presided over a meeting of Masons at York. 1080. There existed in Germany about this time a group of stone masons known as the Steinmetzen. They were well organized operative workmen with rules, ceremonies, and titles that have caused some to claim that they are the ancestors of our Craft. 1136. Melrose Abbey being built. Traveling Masons placed their marks on some of the stones. 1147. Companies of Norman Masons emigrated to Chartres, France to help build the Cathedral there. 1187. Jerusalem falls to the Saracens. A formal separation came between the Order of Sion and the Knights Templar. This separation was marked by a ceremony at Gisors, France, referred to as the "cutting of the elm." Henceforth the Knights Templar operated autonomously. 1189. Richard the Lionheart was crowned King of England at Westminster Abbey in London on September 3. He spent the vast majority of his ten-year reign abroad, devoting himself to the Crusades. Richard's constant companions were knights from the Order of Knights Templar who participated in his Crusade to recover Jerusalem. The Knights Templar were formally under the control of the Order of Sion created a half century earlier by Godfroi de Bouillon. 1278. Earliest knows use of the word "lodge" is in the records of Vale Royal Abbey. 1307. On October 13, every Templar found in France was arrested and put in chains on King Philip's orders. They were tortured until they confessed heresy. The Knights who managed to escape were men without a country or religion, and forced to develop secret recognition signals and grips which supposedly became the traditional underpinnings of Freemasonry. 1314. Jacques De Molay, Grand Master of the outlawed Knights Templar, was burned at the stake on March 18. He had been imprisoned since 1307 as a result of the treachery of the King of France and Pole Clement V. June 24, in what became known as the "Battle of Bannockburn," Scottish troops, assisted by Knights Templar fugitives from France, under the command of Robert the Bruce, defeated English troops under the command of Edward II. This battle, in which the Scots were outnumbered four to one, was decisive in securing Scotland's independence from England 13 years later. 1350. In England the Statute of Laborers passed. It regulated the wages of workmen. In this law the word "mason" and the word "freestone" appears. 1360. Thirteen sheriffs were ordered by the Crown to send 568 Masons to Windsor. 1370. York Minster masons' Ordinance passed. It was written in English and used the word "Mason," or "Masoun." 1375. The Mason's Company of London was represented at the Court of Common Council. It had no doubt been in existence for many years in order to be entitled to this representation. It was probably a craft guild. First known use of the word "Freemason" in the City of London Letter Book H of August 9. The word was then stricken off and replaced with the word "Masons." 1390. The Regius Poem, sometimes called the Halliwell Manuscript, was written or copied from an older, unknown manuscript. This is the oldest existing copy of any ancient Masonic manuscript. 1400. Inventory of the masons' lodge at York Minster contained two tracing boards. 1425. The Cooke Manuscript was written. This is the second oldest of the extant ancient manuscripts of Masonry. 1429. "Masons of the Lodge" mentioned at Canterbury Cathedral. 1460. Reference made to a tracing house at Westminster Abbey. 1463. The Worshipful Company of Masons of the City of London erected its first hall. 1479. The term "Master Mason" appeared after the name of William Orchard at Magdalen College. 1487. The word "Freemason" appeared for the first time in the Statutes of England. 1491. Municipal law passed at St. Giles, Edinburgh, establishing the condition of employment of Master Masons and co-workers. 1531. Reference made to a tracing house at Westminster Palace. 1581. The Mason's Company was incorporated at Newcastle and given certain powers and duties. 1583. St. Mary's Lodge of Dundee is mentioned in an Indenture bearing this date. 1598-1599. William Schaw, Master of the Works in Scotland, promulgated two sets of rules. The first regulated the Masons of Scotland; the second gave the Lodge of Kilwinning supervisory powers over the lodges of West Scotland. It used the term "fellow of the craft." 1599. The oldest known written records of a Masonic Lodge; January 9, Aitchison's Havenhas Lodge in Musselburgh, Scotland. It ceased to exist in 1856. Oldest known existing lodge, Edinburgh Lodge No. 1, Edinburgh, Scotland, July 3. 1600. First record of the admission of a non-operative mason in a Lodge of Scotland. John Boswell, laird of Auchinlech, became a member of the lodge of Edinburgh. The word "Freemason" appeared in the York Roll. 1619-1620. Account Book of the London Mason's Company used the term "Accepted" as a description of some members. 1621. Records of the Worshipful Company of Freemasons of London indicate that there were "accepted" and "operative" members. 1633. John Stow's Survey of London was published mentioning the "Company of Masons being otherwise termed Free Masons." 1634. Lord Alexander, Sir Anthony Alexander, and Sir Alenander Strachan, members of the nobility, were made Masons at the Lodge of Edinburgh. 1641. Sir Robert Moray initiated by a group of Masons in a Scotch regiment at Newcastle- on-Tyne, May 20. This is the earliest recorded initiation. 1642. Minutes of Mother Kilwinning Lodge # 0 go back to this year. 1646. Elias Ashmole wrote in his diary that he was made a "Free Mason," October 16 proving that there were speculative lodges long before 1717. 1650. The Harleian Manuscript was written about this time. 1655. The Company of Freemasons of the City of London changed its name to "The Company of Masons." 1656. John Aubrey began A Natural History of Wiltshire, in which he stated that the Fraternity of Free Masons "are known to one another by certain signes and Watch words," and other significant words. 1668. Hall of the Worshipful Company of Masons of London rebuilt. It is believed that a speculative lodge met in the building. 1670. The records of the Lodge of Aberdeen began. They showed that some members were operative and others were speculative. 1677. Stanley Manuscript written about this time. 1682. Elias Ashmole wrote in his diary that he had attended a lodge meeting at Masons' Hall, London. John Aubrey, an antiquary, wrote his "National History of Wiltshire" (published in 1847) and spoke of "Fraternity of Free-Masons" and also described them as "adopted masons" and "accepted masons." 1688. A lodge of accepted Masons met at Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland. Randle Holm III, a Chester genealogists and antiquary, described an association with members of the "Society called Free-Masons." The Society of Freemasons is mentioned in a satirical speech at the commencement exercises of the University of Dublin in July. Records of the Lodge of Melrose (between this year and 1695) used the term "fellowcraft." 1696. The Edinburgh Register House Manuscript suggests that Masons had words, a grip, signs and "five points." 1697. Mention on a letter from Scotland of the "mason's word," used for purpose of recognition. 1698. An Anti-Masonic leaflet was published warning people against the "Free Masons." 1702. The Hughfoot Lodge Minute Book starts with December 2. 1704. Jonathan Belcher, a native born American, became a Mason in London. 1716. Meeting held at the Apple Tree Tavern in Charles Street, Covent Gardens, to discuss a revival of the Quarterly Communications and the Annual Assembly. 1717. The first Grand Lodge was formed on June 24, in London, by four lodges of the city. It was not the Grand Lodge of England at that time but of "London and Westminster." 1719. Reverend John T. Desaguliers elected Grand Master of the Mother Grand Lodge of England. 1721. The Grand Lodge of England, on June 24, adopted the regulation requiring all regular lodges to secure a charter. Masonry introduced into Turkey. John, Duke of Montagu, became The Grand Master. Attendant publicity brought the Craft much prestige. 1722. Reads Weekly Journal published the Enter'd ‘Prentice Song, December 1. The Old Constitution belonging to the Ancient and Honorable Society of Free and Accepted Masons was published. 1723. The Flying Post, on April 11-13, printed "A Masons' Examination," the earliest known printed catechism of the Craft. Dr. James Anderson publishes first edition of "The Constitution of the Free-Masons." 1725. Grand Lodge of Ireland formed. A lodge was known to exist in Paris. Masonic activity in India first began in Calcutta. The Pennsylvania Gazette published by Benjamin Franklin, on December 3 and 8, mentioned several lodges meeting in Philadelphia. The Grand Lodge of England, on June 5, issued a deputation to Daniel Coxe to act as "Provincial Grand Master of the Provinces of New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania in America. First Lodge constituted in India. 1732. A lodge in Paris was formed under the English constitution. First traveling Military Lodge formed by Grand Lodge of Ireland. 1733. Freemasonry appeared in Italy and persecution followed in Florence. On April 13, Henry Price received a Deputation as "Provincial Grand master of New England and Dominions and Territories thereunder belonging." On July 30, Henry Price organized the Provincial Grand Lodge of Massachusetts. First Masonic Temple in America erected in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. First lodge in Georgia formed in Savannah by James Oglethorpe. The charter from England was received the following year. Benjamin Franklin reprinted Anderson's Book of Constitutions. This was the first Masonic book published in America. On November 28, Benjamin Franklin wrote a letter as Grand master for the Province of Pennsylvania. 1735. A lodge was formed in North Carolina. Masonry established in Portugal under an English charter. Grand Lodge of England issued a warrant to Solomon's Lodge at Charleston, South Carolina. Hammerton received deputation as Provincial Grand Master of South Carolina, April 15. The South Carolina Gazette of Charles reported a Masonic meeting on that city. The Provincial Grand Lodge of Massachusetts established a lodge at Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Grand Lodge of Scotland formed. Warrant issued by Lord Derwentwater for the formation of a lodge in Sweden. First lodge met in Germany on September 6. The New York Gazette of March 28 indicated that a lodge existed in New York at the time. 1738. Dr. James Anderson published the Second edition of The Constitution of the Freemasons. Edward Oakley, on December 31, delivered a speech in which he commended the giving of lectures in lodges on the subjects of architecture and geometry. Pope Clement XII issued his Papal Bull in Eminent, April 28, the first official edict of the Roman Catholic Church against the Craft. New York Gazette announced a lodge meeting in the city. Committee met in London to discuss Freemasonry. It eventually developed into the Ancient Grand Lodge. 1740. During the Seven Years War and the Napoleonic Wars (1740 to 1814), approximately 200,000 members of the French Army were taken prisoner and held in captivity in England. In the eight land prisons they established five Lodges; in the 50 parole towns, 32 Lodges; and, in the 51 prison hulks, where anything like a normal life was virtually if not completely impossible, there were six Lodges established. Members of a lodge in Madrid were imprisoned. 1741. Masonry introduced in Austria. 1742. June 17, in Boston, Massachusetts, was born Brother William Hooper, a signer of the United States Declaration of Independence. He was a member of Masonboro Lodge in Masonboro, North Carolina, which ceased to exist in 1787. He died in October, 1790. (Source: Chase's; 10,000 Famous Freemasons) 1743. John Coustos questioned and tortured by the Inquisition in Portugal because he was a Mason. Masonry introduced in Denmark. A duly constituted lodge, however, was not started until October 25, 1745, when a warrant was issued by the Grand Lodge of England. 1744. Fifield Dassigny published A serious and Impartial Inquiry into the Caus of the Present Decay of Freemasonry in the Kingdom of Ireland. It contains the oldest printed reference to Royal Arch Masonry. 1746. John Coustos published The Sufferings of John Coustos for Freemasonry. It was a first hand report on the methods of the Inquisition. 1749. First lodge formed in Canada. Thomas Oxnard, Provincial Grand Master, issued charter to St. John's Lodge. Newport, Rhode Island, the first lodge in that State. Benjamin Franklin appointed Provincial Grand Master of Pennsylvania. 1750. Freemasonry introduced in Poland. Thomas Oxnard, Provincial Grand Master, issued charter to the first lodge in Maryland. On January 17, Joseph Torrubia secured permission of the Pope to become a mason. He was a Roman Catholic priest living in Spain and wanted to find out who were the Masons. As a result of his joining the Craft he learned who belonged to the order and he caused their arrest and punishment by the Inquisition. 1751. In March, Torrubia gave the list of ninety-seven lodges to the Grand Inquisitors. On July 2, King Ferdinand VI suppressed the Order in Spain. The Ancient Grand Lodge was formed on July 17. This was formerly called a schism from the 1717 Grand Lodge. Sadler established that it was founded by Irish Masons in protest against the attitude of the 1717 Grand Lodge. Pope Benedict XIV issued the Bull Providas against the Craft on May 18. He had supposedly been made a Mason in his native Bologna before becoming Pope. 1753. George Washington, a 21 year-old Virginia planter, became a Master Mason, August 4, in The Lodge at Fredericksburg," Fredericksburg, Virginia. He was initiated November 4, 1752, and passed March 3, 1753. Second charter issued on May 14 for a lodge in Rhode Island. The one issued in 1749 had been unused. George Harrison appointed Provincial Grand Master of New York on January 9. He served for eighteen years and warranted some seventeen or eighteen lodges. 1754. First known use of the term "the Sublime Degree of a Master Mason," in a certificate drawn by the Grand Lodge of Ireland. James Otis made a Mason in St. John's Lodge of Massachusetts. Famous for the words "Taxation without representation is tyranny." Amos Doolittle born in Cheshire, Connecticut, made many engravings for the True Masonic Chart of Jeremy Cross. These engravings were made into slides that are still being used. Jeremy Gridley become Provincial Grand Master over the remaining parts of North America. 1756. Henry (Light Horse Harry) Lee born. Famous Revolutionary War soldier was the father of Robert E. Lee. He was a Mason. Laurence Dermott published Ahiman Rezon, the Constitution of the Ancients. This book was the source for the ritual of many American Grand Lodges still being used. 1759. A Lodge at Exeter made a reference to the Royal Arch Degree in a manner to indicate that a lodge was conferring that degree. 1761. A number of lodges in Pennsylvania, on July 15, organized a Grand Lodge and soon thereafter received a charter from the Ancient Grand Lodge. It was called the York Grand Lodge. The Provincial Grand Master of New York issued a warrant to St. John's Lodge of Newark, New Jersey, and it was constituted on May 13, the first lodge in New Jersey. The Grand Consistory of Sublime Princes of the Royal Secret, of Paris, granted a Patent to Stephen Morin, on August 27, to carry the Rite of Perfection to America. 1765. Benedict Arnold was made a Mason on Connecticut. 1766. Jeremy Gridley, Provincial Grand master, warranted a lodge at Crown Point, North Carolina. It was called First Lodge. 1767. First lodge established in China by the Grand Lodge of England. On December 30, Henry Price sent a deputation to Thomas Cooper of North Carolina in which he declared himself as "Grand Master of the Ancient and Honorable Society of Free and Accepted Masons of all such places in North America where no other Grand Master is appointed." Earliest known record of the conferring of the Masonic Order of Knights Templar, on August 28, in St. Andrew's Royal Arch Chapter, Boston, Massachusetts. Welling Callcott published Candid Disquisition of the Principles and Practices of Free and Accepted Masons, the first book to explain the symbols of the Craft. The Grand Lodge of Scotland appointed Joseph Warren as Provincial Grand Master. He set up St. Andrew's Grand Lodge with three member lodges; one had an Irish chapter. First Lodge, Portland No.1, established in Maine on May 8. John Paul Jones, famous naval commander, made a Mason in St. Bernard's Lodge, Scotland. The Grand Master of England, on January 14, appointed Col. Joseph Montfort of Halifax, North Carolina, "Provincial Grand master of and for America." (Surprising because Henry Price was still active.) 1772. First lodge formed in South Africa. William Preston published "Illustration of Free Masonry" which went through seventeen editions by 1861. 1773. The minutes of St Andrew's Lodge of Boston, for December, disclose that there were few members present and it was necessary to adjourn. There is also evidence that men dressed as Indians left the building where the lodge was meeting the night of the "Tea Party," but it was a Masonic party as sometimes claimed. Grand Lodge formed in France called the Grand Lodge National. Unity Lodge organized in Savannah, Georgia. 1775. Ferdinand IV, King of the Two Sicilies, issued an edict against Freemasonry. Masonic Hall dedicated on Great Queen Street, London, England. June 7, 1776, Brother Richard Henry Lee of Virginia proposed to the Continental Congress a resolution calling for a Declaration of Independence. His resolution read ( in part ): These United colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent states; that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain is, and ought to be, totally dissolved." This was adopted by the Continental Congress on July 2, 1776. Brother Lee was a member of Hiram Lodge No. 59, Westmoreland County , Virginia June 11, 1776, the Continental Congress formed a committee to draft a Declaration of Independence from Britain. Named to the committee were Virginian Thomas Jefferson, John Adams of Massachusetts; Brother Benjamin Franklin, Pennsylvania Brother Robert Livingston of New York, and Brother Roger Sherman of Massachusetts. Jefferson is credited with the writing. 1777. June 13, the French soldier Brother Marquis de Lafayette (whose given name was Gilbert du Mothier) landed in the United States to aid the former colonies against Great Britain. His military career spanned five decades, during which he was a French Musketeer, a commander of American troops, and an anti-Bourbon revolutionary leader. He was commissioned a Major General in the continental Army on July 31. He became an intimate of General and Brother George Washington. He claimed to have been initiated in the Loge Contrat Social of Paris before he even came to America. He received the chapter degrees in Jerusalem Chapter No. 8 (RAM) September 12, 1824. His son, Brother George Washington Lafayette received them in the same chapter four days earlier. He was knighted in Morton Commandery No. 4, K. T. and received the Scottish rite degrees in the Cerneau Supreme Council of New York and was made a 33rd degree and Honorary Grand Commander of that body. More than 75 Masonic Bodies in the United States have been named after him, including 39 Lodges, 18 Chapters, 4 Councils, 4 Commanderies, and 87 Scottish Rite bodies. He died May 20, 1834. The friends of Joseph Warren organized the Massachusetts Grand Lodge. From that day to 1792, there were two Grand Lodges in the State of Massachusetts. 1778. Voltaire made a Mason in the Lodge of the Nine Muses, Paris, April 7. Benjamin Franklin was present. Grand Lodge of Virginia formed, October 13. Prince Hall and 14 black men in Boston take part in a ceremony conducted by a John Batt, on March 6. 1779. The Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania met outside its borders and organized a lodge in Burlington, New Jersey. On Saint Johns Day, December 27th, in Arnolds Tavern, Morristown, New Jersey, the American Union Lodge No. 1 of Marietta, Ohio met with representatives of all the Lodges then encamped at Jockey Hollow. The Masons had big problems, not only were they fighting for their actual lives, but also their Masonic life. As rebels they had cut the tie with the Grand Lodge of England. They were now irregular! At this meeting was General Washington and most of his staff who were Masons. General Mordecai Gist was in the East and presented a petition calling for the formation of a General Grand Lodge for all the United States. It was agreed and was copied and dispatched to all the other known lodges in the Colonies. However due to transit time, before it could be fully circulated thru the colonies several of them decided to form their own Grand Lodge within their respective states, and the General Grand Lodge died. Of note, Pennsylvania not only formed its own Grand Lodge but elected Brother George Washington as Grand Master, but the matter died. Brother Washington’s thoughts are unknown. 1781. Charter issued by Massachusetts Grand Lodge, November 10, for first lodge in territory which later became Vermont, Paul Revere signed charter as Senior Grand Warden. Grand Lodge of New York formed. Robert Burns became a Mason at St. David's Lodge Tarbolton, Scotland. installed as Poet Laureate of Freemasonry in Lodge Canontgate-Kilwinning, Scotland. 1783. Brother Benjamin Franklin, John Jay, and John Adams were the three American signatories who signed the Treaty (known as the Treaty of Paris) between the United States and Britain, ending the Revolutionary War, September 3. 1784. Second Grand Lodge of New York formed, February 4. Charter issued to African Lodge No. 459 by the Grand Lodge of England (Moderns), September 29. Masonic apron made by Madame Lafayette presented to George Washington. 1785. Jean Antoine Houdon made statue of Washington. He was member of Lodge of the Nine Muses, Paris. Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania formed September, 25. Grand Lodge of New Jersey formed, December 18. 1787. Grand Lodge of North Carolina formed, April 17. Grand Lodge of Georgia formed December, 16. African Lodge No. 459, under the leadership of Prince Hall, met under a charter issued in 1784. 1788. New York dropped the word "Provincial" from its Grand Lodge name. George Washington elected Worshipful Master of Alexandria Lodge (now Alexandria- Washington Lodge No. 22. 1789. Grand Lodge of Connecticut formed July 8. William Cushing appointed the first justice of the United States Supreme Court. He was a member of St. Andrew's Lodge Boston. Oath of office administered to Washington by Robert R. Livingston, Grand Master, using the Holy Bible of St. John's Lodge No. 1, New York. Grand Lodge of New Hampshire formed July 8. Stephen Fuller Austin, born at Austinville, Virginia, helped his father form Texas into a State. He was a member of Louisiana Lodge No. 109, Missouri. Cornerstone of the District of Columbia (the first of forty stones) laid April 15 by Alexandria Lodge No. 22 Alexandria, Virginia. 1794. Paul Revere elected Grand Master of Massachusetts. William J. William painted the famous Masonic picture of George Washington. Grand Lodge of Vermont formed October 4. 1795. James Knox Polk, eleventh President of the United States, born in North Carolina. 1796. Oliver Ellsworth became the third Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court. He was a carter member of St. John's Lodge, Princeton, New Jersey. 1797. George Washington wrote a letter to the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts in which he said: "My attachment to the Society of which we re members will dispose me always, to contribute my best endeavors to contribute the honor and interest of the Craft." Royal Arch masons established the Grand Royal Arch Chapter of the Northern States of America, at Hartford, Connecticut. 1800. Grand Lodge of Kentucky formed October 16. 1801. Sir Walter Scott, famous novelist, made a mason in Lodge St. David, No. 36, Edinburgh, Scotland. Supreme Council of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite was established at Charleston, South Carolina. 1803. Brothers Meriwether Lewis and William Clark began their 4,000-mile exploration of the Louisiana Purchase, known to history as the Lewis and Clark Expedition. Brother Lewis was raised at Door to Virtue Lodge No. 44, Albemarle County, Virginia on January 29, 1799. 1806. Grand Lodge of Delaware formed on June 6 with Gunning Bedford as Grand Master. He had been a good friend of Washington. Masonry introduced in Finland. The Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania issued a charter to Western Star Lodge, the first in Illinois, on June 2. Final stages of organization of General Grand Chapter of Royal Arch masons for the United States of America on January 9 at Middleton, Connecticut. 1807. Earliest authentic evidence of conferring of Royal Master's degree in Columbia Council No. 1 of New York. Brother David Rice Atchison born at Frogtown, Kentucky was a member of Platte Lodge No. 56, Missouri. He was ex-officio president of the United States for one day because President Taylor refused to take the oath of office on a Sunday, but took it the next day, March 5, 1849. Albert Gallatin Mackey born in Charleston, South Carolina. First Masonic Hall purchased in Scotland. Albert Pike born in Boston, Massachusetts. 1810. Masonry introduced in Portugal and persecuted shortly thereafter. 1811. Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia formed January 8. 1812. Grand Lodge of Louisiana formed, January 12. First lodge chartered in Alabama. 1813. Grand Lodge of Tennessee formed December 27. The Moderns and the Ancients became reconciled and formed the United Grand Lodge of Ancient Freemasons, December 27. Northern Masonic Jurisdiction of Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite established. 1814. On September 1, Brother Francis Scott Key, prisoner aboard a British man-of-war shelling Fort McHenry, wrote the words to our National Anthem on the back of an envelope: These words which were to become our National Anthem, also became over the years a part of most lodge communications. The nation's Capitol was burned by British forces during the War of 1812. On Lake Erie, Commodore and Brother O. H. Perry flew a flag that read: "Don't Give Up The Ship," and after the battle reported, "We have met the enemy and they are ours." The Grand Lodges of Ireland, England and Scotland signed the "International Compact" in which they agree on the basic points of Masonry. 1815. New book of Constitutions issued by the United Grand Lodge of England. The Grand Lodge of Maryland laid the cornerstone of the Washington Monument in Baltimore. The Governor of the State acted as Grand Master. 1816. Grand Royal Arch Chapter of Scotland formed. Grand Lodge of South Carolina formed. 1818. Robert Morris, a famous Masonic author, supposedly born near Boston (Aug. 31) , has recently been proven to have been born Robert Williams Peckham in New York City. In 1825, at the death of his father, he was placed in a home in Western NY where he took the name of his Foster Father, John Morris. Grand Lodge of Indiana formed January 12. Grand Lodge of Mississippi formed July 27. The Grand Lodge South Carolina issued a warrant to Cuba, and became the Mother of Masonry in that island. 1819. Grand Lodge of Missouri formed April 24. Grand Lodge of Maine formed June 1. Grand Lodge of Alabama formed June 11. Pope Pius VII issued his Bull Ecclesiam, September 13. James K. Polk, eleventh President of the United States ( A native North Carolinian), made a Mason in Columbus Lodge No. 1, Tennessee. 1822. Andrew Jackson (A North Carolina native) became Grand Master of Tennessee, October 7. He became the seventh President of the United States. First Grand Lodge of Illinois formed December 11. 1824. Ferdinand VII of Spain ordered the death of all Masons without trial, August 1. 1825. Pope Leo XII issued his Bull Quiograviora. March 13, directed against the Craft. 1826. William Morgan of Batavia, New York, signed a contract on March 13 to write a book exposing the secrets of Freemasonry. He disappeared. The book was published. The combination of unfortunate circumstances brought about the formation of the Anti-Masonic political party. On February 23, the Spanish government executed a person accused of being a Mason. 1827. The first evidence of Freemasonry in North America appeared in Nova Scotia. A stone engraved on the top with a square and compasses, was found on the shore of Goat Island in the Annapolis Basin in Nova Scotia. In the center of the flat slab was the date 1606. Dr. Charles T. Jackson of Boston wrote about it in 1829, calling it the "Annapolis Stone." The stone is said to have become a part of a wall for a building; it was covered with cement and never found again. 1828. The Grand Lodge of Maryland laid the first stone of the Baltimore and Ohio railroad. Formal organization if the Anti-Masonic political party in February at New York. Ely S. Parker born in New York. He was a grandson of Red Jacket, who gave a medal to Washington. Both full-blooded Indians were Masons. 1829. Pope Pius VII issued his Bull Traditi, on May 21, directed against the Craft. 1830. Grand Lodge of Florida formed July 6. 1831. William Florence born in Albany, New York. He conceived the idea for the Shrine while on a trip in Northern Africa. Captain and Brother Thomas Driver of the SS Charles Daggett received a delegation of ladies aboard ship who presented him with a new flag which they had just made. Touched by the unexpected gift he immediately ordered the new colors run up the mast and as he saluted declared, "l name thee Old Glory." The name stuck. Brother Driver was to carry "Old Glory'' twice around the world. 1832. Pope Gregory XVI issued his Bull Mirari on August 15, directed against the Craft. John James Joseph Gourgas named the first Sovereign Grand Commander upon the formation of the Northern Masonic jurisdiction of the Scottish Rite. 1834. Brother Frederick Auguste Bartholdi born in France. He was the moving spirit and designer of the Statue of Liberty. 1835. "Mark Twain" (Brother Samuel L. Clemens) born in Missouri. 1836. Brother David (Davy) Crocket in his 1834 autobiography wrote: "I leave this rule for others when I'm dead. Always be sure you're right - then go ahead." During the heroic defense of The Alamo in Texas on March 6, he was killed. General and Brother Sam Houston elected first President of the Republic of Texas, September 5. First Book of Constitutions issued by Scotland. 1837. Grand Lodge Liberty started in England. Grand lodge of Texas formed December 20. 1838. Grand Lodge of Arkansas formed November 21. 1839. James Halliwell discovered the Regius Manuscript in the British Museum. 1840. Second Grand Lodge of Illinois formed April 6. Stephen A. Douglas, famous political leader, made a Mason in Springfield Lodge No. 4, Illinois. 1841. Franz Liszt, famous composer and pianist, made a Mason in Union Lodge, Frankfurt, Germany. Albert Gallatin Mackey made a Mason in St. Andrew's Lodge No. 10, South Carolina. The Grand Master of Illinois issued a dispensation to a lodge in Nauvoo, Illinois, October 15. The Grand Lodge of Maine issued a charter, dated October 20, 1841, for a lodge in Iowa. 1842. First lodge formed in New Zealand. Lodge constituted at Nauvoo, Illinois, March 15. Joseph Smith, Mormon prophet, was made a Mason at sight in Nauvoo Lodge. Their charter was suspended, August 11. Orphan's Friends Lodge #17, Texas established a school which, apparently, was the first fathered by a Masonic lodge. 1843. Grand Lodge of Iowa formed January 8. On May 8th, the Baltimore Convention met with fifteen Grand Lodges in attendance. Charters of the Nauvoo lodges arrested for irregularities in October. Grand Lodge of Wisconsin formed December 18. Grand Lodge of Missouri established a Masonic College. 1844. June 27, Brother Joseph Smith, Jr., and his brother Hyrum, were shot to death by a mob in Carthage, Illinois. At the time, Brother Joseph Smith was a presidential candidate of the National Reform Party. Both Joseph and Hyrum were members of Nauvoo Lodge, Nauvoo, Illinois Grand Lodge of Michigan formed September 17. 1846. Pope Pius IX issued has Bull Qui Fluribus, November 9, directed against the Craft. Robert (Peckham) Morris the second Poet Laureate of Masonry, became a Master Mason in Oxford Miss. on March 5. 1847. President Polk, a Mason, helped lay the cornerstone of the Smithsonian Institution, at Washington, DC, May 1. 1848. Robert Macoy made a Mason in Lebanon Lodge No. 313 (now No. 191), New York. Cornerstone of Washington Monument, Washington, DC laid by Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia, July 4, by Grand Master Benjamin B. French. First charter for lodge West of the Rockies arrived in Oregon, City. 1849. Pope Pius IX issued his Bull Quibus quantisque Malis, April 20, directed against the Craft. Grand Lodge of Virginia laid the cornerstone of the George Washington monument in Richmond, Virginia. 1850. Lodge constituted in Arabia, August 5, by Grand Lodge of Scotland. Degrees of the Eastern Star prepared by Robert Morris, of Kentucky, and first conferred on his wife. Grand Lodge of California formed April 19. 1851. Andrew Jackson became a mason in Greenville Lodge No. 119 (now No. 3), Tennessee. He became President of the United States at Lincoln's death. Second cornerstone beginning House and Senate wings of United States Capitol was laid by the Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia with Grand Master Benjamin B. French. Lew Wallace, famous General and author of Ben Hur, made a Mason in Fountain Lodge No. 60, Covington, Indiana, January 15. Grand Lodge of Oregon formed September 15. Louis Kossuth made a Mason in Cincinnati Lodge No. 133, Ohio. 1853. Congress of American Lodges held at Lexington, Kentucky. Grand Lodge of Minnesota formed February 24. 1854. Kit Carson made a Mason in Montezuma Lodge No. 109 (Missouri Register), Santa Fe, New Mexico Territory. 1856. Grand Lodge of Kansas formed March 17. Admiral Robert Peary born. He was the first to reach the North Pole. He was a member of Kane Lodge, New York. 1857. Brother William Howard Taft, 27th President of the United States was born September 15. Grand Lodge of Nebraska formed September 23. John Cabell Breckenridge became Vice President of the United States. He was raised in Des Moines Lodge No. 41 (now No. 1), Burlington, Iowa, and affiliated with Good Samaritan Lodge No. 174 Lexington, Kentucky. 1858. Theodore Roosevelt born. Grand Lodge of Washington formed December 8. 1859. Retired railroad conductor Brother Edwin L. Drake became the first person to successfully drill oil from the earth, August 27, at Titusville, Pennsylvania. First lodge chartered in British Columbia. 1860. First publication of the ritual of the Eastern Star. Brother William Jennings Bryan born in Salem, Illinois. Brother Robert Morris, of LaGrange, Kentucky, on June 24, wrote to leaders of the Craft proposing a uniform ritual for all Grand Lodges in America. It became the source of much internal strife within the Craft and brought much abuse to one who had labored long and hard in the quarries. 1861. Mark Twain made a Mason in Polar Star Lodge No. 79, St Louis, Missouri. James Abram Garfield made a Mason in Magnolia Lodge No. 20, Columbus, Ohio. He became the twentieth President of the United States. Grand Lodge of Colorado formed August 2. 1862. First Masonic meeting in Wyoming. July 4, on top of Independence Rock. Charles Sherwood Stratton, known as Tom Thumb, the famous midget, made a Mason in St. John's Lodge No. 3 Bridgeport, Connecticut. 1863. Following the first day of battle at Gettysburg, the Blue and the Gray met, July 1, at the local lodge and mingled peacefully. July 26, Confederate Major General and Brother John Hunt Morgan ( Morgan's Raiders) was captured at New Lisbon, Ohio by Union forces. He was imprisoned in the Ohio Penitentiary from which he soon escaped. He then undertook a raid in Greenville, Tennessee wherein he was surrounded and killed on September 4, 1864. He was a member of Davies Lodge No. 22 Lexington, Kentucky. He was buried in Lexington Cemetery with Masonic honors in 1846. First meeting of the Vigilantes in Montana, December 22. Eleven of the twelve were Masons. Stephen Johnson Field appointed justice of the United States Supreme Court. He was Lincoln's last appointment. He was a member of Corinthian Lodge No. 9, Marysville, California. 1864. Garibaldi united all the Masonic groups in Italy, May 21-24. Pope Pius IX issued his Bull Quanta Cura, December 8, directed against the Craft. Idaho's first lodge chartered on August 9. 1865. Ely S. Parker, a Mason, wrote the terms of surrender for the end of the War Between the States, April 9. He was Grant's Secretary. Grand Lodge of West Virginia formed April 12. Pope Pius IX issued his Bull Multiplices Intern, September 25, directed against the Craft. Freemason's Hall opened in Dublin. St. Cecile Lodge (Daylight), New York City, received dispensation. 1866. Second Freemasons' Hall opened in London. Lodge formed in Japan by the Grand Lodge of England. The Grand Lodge of Kentucky erected the Masonic Widows and Orphans home in Louisville, the first of its kind. Grand Lodge of Montana formed July 24. 1867. Josiah Hayden Drummond unanimously selected as Sovereign Grand Commander of the Scottish Rite, Northern Jurisdiction. Grand Lodge of Idaho formed December 17. 1869. Pope Pius IX issued his Bull Apostolicae Sedis, October 12, directed against the Craft. 1871. William F. Cody (Buffalo Bill) was made a Mason in Platte Valley Lodge No. 32, Nebraska. Sir Williams S. Gilbert (Gilbert and Sullivan) made a Mason in Lodge St. Michar No. 54, Scotland. Albert Pike wrote Morals and Dogma. U. S. Grant, at his home in Galena, Illinois, received the Knights Templar and entertained them. (Grant was not a Mason, but his father was.) After his world tour, Grant gave the local lodge a drum he had received from a dignitary in India. 1872. First official meeting of Mecca Temple, September 26, in New York. This was the beginning of the Shrine. The guiding spirits were William J. Florence and Dr. Walter M. Fleming. Grand Lodge of Utah formed January 16. 1873. Pope Pius IX issued his Bull Etsi Multa, November 21, directed against the Craft. Grand Lodge of Indian Territory formed October 6. 1874. Grand Lodge of Wyoming formed December 15. 1875. Oscar Wilde was raised May 25, in Appolo University Lodge No. 357, Oxford, England. Grand Lodge of Dakota Territory formed July 21. 1877. Cecil J. Rhodes made a Mason in University Lodge No. 357, Oxford, England. He established the Rhodes scholarships. Brother John M. Harlan appointed a Justice of the United States Supreme Court. The Grand Orient of France eliminated from its Constitution the reference to God. Most of the world's Grand Lodges withdrew recognition. Grand Lodge of New Mexico formed August 6. 1879. Carl H. Claudy born in Washington, DC Author of many Masonic books, articles and Masonic plays. For many years, was Executive Secretary of The Masonic Service Association. 1880. Joseph Fort Newton born in Decatur, Texas He became active as a Masonic author and noted orator. Gould's History of Freemasonry published. This was a milestone on Masonic historical research. 1881. John Phillip Sousa made a Mason in Hiram Lodge No. 10, Washington, DC. 1882. First Alberta, Canada. lodge chartered. Grand Lodge of Arizona formed March 25. 1883. June 17, The Statue of Liberty arrived in New York City aboard the French ship "Isere" in 350 individual pieces. Sculpted by Brother Frederic Auguste Bartholdi, the statue was a gift to America from the people of France. He named the statue "Liberty Enlightening the world." Brother Edwin T. Booth, famous Shakespearean actor, born in Bel Air, Maryland. Member of New York Lodge No. 330, New York. 1884. Pope Leo XIII issued his Bull Humanum Genus, April 20, directed against the Craft. Robert Morris designated poet laureate of Freemasonry. 1885. Masonic Relief Association of the United States and Canada held first convention and elected officers. 1886. On May 26, at St. Petersburg, Russia, was born Asa Yoelson, the Mason, actor and singer who became internationally known as Al Jolson. June 25, was born at Gladwyne, Pennsylvania the man and Mason who was to become Unite States General and Commander of the Army Air Force in all theaters throughout World War II. As early as 1938, Brother Henry H. "Hap" Arnold was persuading the United States aviation industry to step up its production of airplanes, though no funds were available for the purpose. Under his goading production rose from 6,000 planes to 262,999 a year during 1940-55. He was made a full General in 1944 - and became the United States Air Force's first Five Star general when the Air Force was made a separate military unit equal to the Army and Navy. Brother Arnold was raised in Union Lodge No. l7, Junction City, Kansas, November 3, 1927. He received the 32º AASR on April 11, 1929 at Fort Leavenworth Kansas, and the 33º on October 10, 1950. He died in Sonoma, California January 15, 1951. (Chase's; Livingston Masonic Library) Rudyard Kipling made a Mason in Hope and Perseverance Lodge No. 782, Lahore, India. Quatuor Coronati Lodge No. 2076, the first Masonic research lodge, was established in London. H. L. Haywood born in Mulberry, Ohio. He is the author of many Masonic books. 1887. Sir Arthur S. Sullivan (Gilbert) and Sullivan) served as Grand Organist of the Grand Lodge of England. 1888. June 2, the famous comic ballad "Casey at the Bat" appeared in the San Francisco Examiner. Though attributed to "anonymous" the author was serious poet Ernest L. Thayer who was paid $5 for the effort that led to most of his other works being forgotten. But it triggered a happy career for Brother DeWolff Hopper who recited "Casey at the Bat" for the first time at Wallack's Theater in New York City. And no fewer than 10,000 times after that as part of his comic repertoire. The recitation, which made both the poem and himself famous, took five minutes and 40 seconds, and never failed to "bring down the house." Brother Hopper was raised in Pacific Lodge No. 233, New York city, in 1890, and was 32 deg. AASR (New Jersey), and a member of Mecca Shrine Temple in New York City. He died September 23, 1935. Publication of the first transactions of Quatuor Coronati Lodge No. 2076 of London. They have been published yearly to the present time. John Joseph Pershing made a mason in Lincoln Lodge No. 19, Nebraska. He was Commander-in-Chief of the Army in France in World War I. Irving Berlin, famous song writer, born in Russia. Member of Munn Lodge No. 190, New York. 1889. Grand Lodges of North Dakota and South Dakota formed June 12. George Franklin Fort published his Early History and Antiquities of Freemasonry. 1890. Nathaniel Pitt Langford published Vigilante Days and Ways in which he explained how the Craft organized law and order in Montana. He was Grand Master in 1869. Frank S. Land born in Kansas City, Missouri. He organized the Order of DeMolay. James Cunningham Batchelor succeeded Albert Pike as Sovereign Grand Commander of the Scottish Rite, Southern Jurisdiction. 1892. Brother James P. Upham, publisher of Youths Companion Magazine, advanced the idea of a flag raising ceremony in all schools in celebration of the 400th anniversary of the discovery of America. Patriotic fervor swept the country over the idea for an appropriate prayer filled with reverence, patriotism and love of country, for occasions such as these, the Reverend and Brother Francis J. Bellamy created America's Pledge of Allegiance. Brother Bellamy's pledge was first used on Columbus Day, October 12, 1892 and was officially adopted on June 22, 1942, "under God" was added June 14, 1954. Grand Lodge of Oklahoma Territory formed November 10. 1893. Masonic Congress held in Chicago, Illinois. Lawrence Nichols Greenleaf started the publication of The Square and Compass of Denver and continued to do so until 1917. Clarence M. Boutelle wrote The man of Mount Moriah; famous Masonic novel. Conan Doyle, creator of Sherlock Holmes, became a Mason on Phoenix Lodge No. 257, Portsmouth, England. 1894. Anti-Masonic Bureau established by Pope Leo XIII. Edward Conder Jr., of London, Published Records of the Hole Craft and Fellowship of Masons. 1895. June 24 at Manassas, Colorado was born William Harrison Dempsey who was to become known as "Jack Dempsey, The Manassas Mauler" and who was Heavyweight Champion of the Boxing world from 1919 to 1926. He won the Heavyweight Championship from Jess Willard at Toledo, Ohio on July 4, 1919. And he lost the title to Gene Tunney at Philadelphia on September 23, 1926. Following his boxing career he became a successful restaurateur. Bro. Dempsey was a member of Kenwood Lodge No. 800, Chicago, Illinois. He died May 31, 1983, at New York City. (Chase's; Livingston Masonic Library) 1896. Robert Edwin Peary, discoverer of the North Pole, made a Mason in Kane Lodge No. 454, New York. Anti-Masonic Congress held in Trent. Looked into the matter of Diana Vaughn. The Tract Association of Friends (Quakers) of Philadelphia, issued an anti-Masonic tract called, Secret Societies. 1897. June 2, Brother Mark Twain, 61, was quoted by the New York Journal as saying from London, "The report of my death was an exaggeration." The line was afterwards frequently quoted. Twain, whose real name was Samuel Langhorn Clemens, was a member of Polar Star Lodge No. 79 in St., Louis, Missouri. At one point he was suspended but reinstated on April 24, 1867. However, he demitted October 8, 1868 and never again affiliated with any Lodge. Leo Taxil admitted that Diana Vaughn was a myth. He had to flee for his life. 1898. Sam Henry Goodwin became a Mason in Fraternal Lodge No. 71, New Hampshire. He later moved to Utah. Wrote extensively on the relations of Masonry and Mormonism. He was Grand Master and then Grand Secretary of Utah. John Wanamaker made a Mason at Sight by the Grand Master of Pennsylvania, March 30. 1899. Leader Scott (Mrs. Lucy Baxter) published the Cathedral buildings in which she sought to show the missing link between the Masons of ancient times and the Masons of today. Hamilton Lodge No. 120, New York founded the Mystic Order of Veiled Prophets of the Enchanted Realm, called the Grotto. Henry L. Stillson and the W. J. Hughan, as editors, published The History of the Ancient and Honorable Fraternity of Free and Accepted Masons, and Concordant Orders. Admiral Winfield Scott Schley, "Hero of Santiago," made a Mason at Sight, October 21, at Washington, DC. 1901. Brother Jean Henri Dunant, of Switzerland, for having founded The International Committee of the Red Cross, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, December 10. United States Vice President and Brother Theodore Roosevelt In a speech given, September 2 at St. Paul, Minnesota Theodore Roosevelt voiced his famous phrase "Speak softly and carry a big stick." Brother William McKinley, then President of the United States, was shot at Buffalo, New York by Leon Czolgosz, September 6. He died eight days later. Oliver Day Street, famous lawyer and politician of Alabama, made a Mason in Marshall Lodge No. 209, Guntersville, Alabama. He became a Grand Master of Alabama and authored Symbolism of the Three Degrees. Roscoe Pound made a Mason in Lancaster Lodge No. 54, Nebraska. Theodore Roosevelt made a Mason in Martinecock Lodge No. 806, New York. 1902. Charles McCarthy's The Anti-Masonic Political Party printed in the Proceedings of the American Historical Association. 1904. David A. Smalley received first section of the Third Degree in Chicago. The lodge was not permitted to reassemble because of strict regulation resulting from the fire in the Iroquois Theater. Two weeks later the second section was conferred on him. During the intervening period, he was a two and a half degree Mason. 1906. For helping to mediate an end to the Russo-Japanese War, Brother Theodore Roosevelt becomes the first American to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, December 10. Will Rogers made a Mason in Claremont Lodge No. 53, Oklahoma. Julius F. Sachse wrote Benjamin Franklin as a Freemason in a celebration volume of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania. 1907. Brother Rudyard Kipling received the Nobel prize for literature. On May 26, Marion Michael Morrison was born at Winterset, Iowa, the man and Mason who was to become John (Duke) Wayne, American motion picture actor. He was the archetypal Western hero and starred in more films than any other actor. But he did not receive an Oscar until 1969 for "True Grit." He was also a DeMolay. He died at Los Angeles, California June 11, 1979. June 22, at Englewood, New Jersey was born the talented author and aviator Ann Morrow Lindbergh (Gift from the Sea), who became the wife of Brother Charles A. Lindbergh who made history with his nonstop trans-Atlantic flight from Long Island to Paris on May 20, 1927. Brother Lindbergh was a member of Keystone Lodge No. 243, St. Louis, Missouri. (Chase's) 1908. Grand Lodge of Oklahoma formed February 10. Fay Hempstead crowned Poet Laureate of Freemasonry. 1909. Grand Lodge of Oklahoma formed February 10. William Howard Taft made a Mason at sight. He was President-elect at the time. June 14, born at Hunt, Illinois was American singer and actor Brother Burl Ives who reintroduced Anglo-American folk music in the 40s and 50s. Brother Ives won an Academy Award for his supporting role in The Big Country (1958), and became well-known for his role as Big Daddy in both the film and the Broadway production of Cat On a Hot Tin Roof. He died April 14, 1995, at Anacortes, Washington. (Chase's) Grand Lodge of Turkey formed, July 13. Harry S. Truman made a Mason in Belton Lodge #450, Missouri. He later became the thirty-third President of the United States. Tyrus Raymond Cobb, famous baseball player, made a Mason in Royston Lodge No. 426, Georgia. 1910. Meeting held at Alexandria, Virginia, February 22, resulted in the George Washington Masonic National Memorial Association being formed and the adoption of a resolution to erect a memorial to George Washington. 1911. Roscoe Pound's famous lectures The Philosophy of Freemasonry and Masonic Jurisprudence were published. Franklin D. Roosevelt made a Mason in Holland Lodge No. 8, New York. Cornerstone of new home of Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite, Southern Jurisdiction, was laid in Washington, DC. 1913. The Catholic Encyclopedia was published. It has an article on Freemasonry by the Abbe Gruber, a Jesuit who made anti-masonry his life work. 1914. Organization of the National Masonic Research Society. It issued the first copy of The Builder, January 1915. Reverend Joseph Newton wrote The Builders for the Grand Lodge of Iowa which was given to each new Mason. The book has been popular ever since. 1915. June 8, Brother William Jennings Bryan resigned as United States Secretary of State over United States handling of the German sinking of the Lusitania. He ran three times for the United States Presidency. The first two times he was defeated by Brother William McKinley, and the third time by Brother William H. Taft. Brother Bryan was raised in Lincoln Lodge No. 19, Lincoln, Nebraska, and later affiliated with Temple Lodge No. 247, Miami, Florida. He died in Miami, July 26, 1925. (Newsday; Livingston Masonic Library) Julius F. Sachse published Washington's Masonic Correspondence. During the dedication of the House of the Temple (home of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite, Southern Jurisdiction), a dove flew into the building, circled the atrium and flew out. It was generally regarded as an omen of Masonic peace. 1917. June 19, During World War I, King George V ordered the British Royal family to dispense with German titles and surnames. The family took the name of "Windsor." Although not himself a Mason, he became Grand Patron of three Masonic Charities of the Grand Lodge of England when he ascended the throne. (Newsday: This Day in History; Livingston Masonic Library) June 26, General and Brother John J. "Black Jack" Pershing sent the first troops of the American Expeditionary Force into France during World War I. When the first American troops landed in France Colonel Charles E. Stanton stood at the tomb of the Frenchman who had given so much to America and said: "Lafayette, we are here." On October 20, the First division entered the front lines at Luneville, a town that quickly got renamed "Looneyville" by the new troops, much to the dismay of the locals. (The Learning Kingdom; Chronicle of America) President Woodrow Wilson boosted our flag with these words: "The flag which we honor and under which we serve, symbol of our unity, our purpose as a nation, has no other character than that which we give it from generation to generation. The honor is ours." At home and at war Americans sang Brother George M. Cohan's wartime hit: "You're a Grand Old Flag." 1918. Conference held at Cedar Rapids, Iowa, November 26-28, which resulted in the formation of The Masonic Service Association of the United States. 1919. The Builder reprinted the article on Freemasonry published in the Catholic Encyclopedia. The Grand Master of Rhode Island gave a dispensation for Overseas Lodge, April 24, with petitions only of men in the armed services accepted while it operated in Europe. 1920. The Shrine adopted a resolution to establish hospitals for crippled children. Bainbridge Colby, member of Kane Lodge No. 454, New York, appointed Secretary of State in Woodrow Wilson's cabinet. 1921. Born July 19, Brother John Glenn, United States Senator (D-Ohio), first American astronaut to orbit earth, in Cambridge, Ohio. Brother John Glenn is an ardent Scottish Rite Mason, too. He received the 33° with Brothers Joel Berg, Arnold Palmer and Carl J. Smith, Grand Master of Masons in New York, in 1998. (Source: American Mason Research) John Henry Cowles became Grand Commander of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite, Southern Jurisdiction. He served until 1952. Warren G. Harding became President of the Untied States. He was a Mason. 1922. May 29, Chief Justice and Brother William Howard Taft dedicated the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC Brother Taft went on to become the 27th President of the United States. He was made a Mason "at sight" on June 18, 1909, by Grand Master Charles S. Hoskinson. He became affiliated with Kilwinning Lodge No. 356 on April 14, at Cincinnati, Ohio, then made Honorary member of Crescent Lodge No. 25, Cedar Rapids, Idaho. Eddie Rickenbacker made a Mason in Kilwinning Lodge #297, Detroit, Michigan. June 14, Brother Warren G. Harding became the first United States President to broadcast a message over radio. The event was the dedication of the Francis Scott Key Memorial in Baltimore, Maryland. The first official government message was broadcast December 6, 1923. (Chase's) Matthew McBlain Thomson and his associates found guilty of using the mails to defraud. They had conducted a clandestine Masonic organization. 1923. Grand Fascist Council issued first resolution against Freemasonry, February 13. June 12, the magician and Mason Brother Harry Houdini amazed a large and disbelieving audience as he freed himself from a straitjacket while suspended upside-down 40 feet (12 m) above the ground in New York City. The Hungarian entertainer was famous worldwide for staging the most dazzling and difficult escapes. Brother Houdini was raised August 21, 1923 in St. Cecile Lodge No. 568 in New York City. He later became a member of Mecca Shrine Temple. He died October 31, 1926. (The Learning Kingdom; Livingston Masonic Library) Born, July 23 Brother and Sir Knight Robert J. Dole, United States Senator (R-Arkansas) at Russell, Kansas. World War II broke out during Brother Dole's second year at college. He left to enlist in the United States Army becoming member of the 10th Mountain Division where he saw extensive duty in Italy. While leading an attack on the a German machine gun unit in the Po Valley on April 14, 1945, he was hit by part of an exploding shell. His right shoulder was virtually gone, some neck and spinal vertebrae were fractured and several slithers of metal penetrated his body. Three years of hospitalization and three operations followed. Slowly the wounded soldier recovered the ability to stand, walk and use his left arm and hand. In 1975 he married Elizabeth Hanford of Raleigh, North Carolina. In 1950 a 27-year-old Dole became a candida |
