Districts1867-82
Grand Master Charles C. Dame established 16 Masonic Districts in Massachusetts; beginning with the 1870 Proceedings, returns from each lodge in each district were published annually, providing information on the district organization. In addition, Chile, China and Peru (from 1867-1869) had their own extraterritorial districts. Based on dispensations and charters, the district alignments and lodge lists begin on the pages from 1867 onward.
Contents
1870-71 REORGANIZATION
In 1870, seven lodges were relocated to other districts. Due to the large number of dispensations issued in 1870 and 1871 (18 in total), Grand Master Nickerson added a Woburn 17th District to help reorganize and balance the existing districts. Four other lodges were also relocated as a result of this new organization.
1873 ADDITION OF DISTRICT 18
In 1873, Grand Master Nickerson added a Palmer 18th District to reduce the number of lodges in central Massachusetts districts.
1878 REORGANIZATION
Grand Master Welch added a 19th district in 1878, composed of lodges from the 13th and 16th Districts, along with relocating a half-dozen other lodges. The 19th District was for Taunton, and the 13th District was relabeled as Dedham.
DISTRICT DEPUTY GRAND MASTERS, 1867 through 1882
- Boston 1
- Charlestown 2
- Boston Highlands 3
- Cambridge 4
- Salem 5
- Newburyport 6
- Lowell 7
- Greenfield 8
- Pittsfield 9
- Springfield 10
- Worcester 11
- Milford 12
- Taunton/Dedham 13
- New Bedford 14
- Barnstable 15
- Plymouth 16
- Woburn 17
- Palmer 18
- Taunton 19
- Chile
- China
- Peru