MassachusettsYear1857
1857
JOHN T. HEARD, Grand Master
William Flint, Deputy Grand Master
Bradford L. Wales, Senior Grand Warden
John H. Sheppard, Junior Grand Warden
Contents
- 1 NOTES
- 2 QUARTERLY COMMUNICATIONS
- 2.1 03/11 Agenda
- 2.2 06/10 Agenda
- 2.3 09/10 Agenda
- 2.4 12/10 Agenda
- 2.5 Grand Constitutions Amendment Proposals
- 2.6 Grand Master's Address
- 2.7 Lodge By-Law Changes
- 2.8 Necrologies and Memorials
- 2.9 Petitions for Charters
- 2.10 Petitions for Dispensation for Lodges
- 2.11 Petitions for Restoration of Charter
- 3 SPECIAL COMMUNICATIONS
- 4 FEAST OF ST. JOHN THE EVANGELIST
- 5 LIST OF LODGES BY DISTRICT: 1857
NOTES
QUARTERLY COMMUNICATIONS
Held at Masonic Temple, Boston
- 03/11: VI-93;
- 06/10: VI-111;
- 09/09: VI-120;
- 12/09: VI-137; (Annual Communication)
03/11 Agenda
- VI-95: Petition from Evening Star Lodge, Lee, asking for assistance and a replacement charter, lost due to fire.
- VI-98: Report of Charity Committee.
- VI-99: Communication from a committee of the Bunker Hill Monument Association; Grand Lodge invited to inaugurate a statue of General Joseph Warren.
- VI-100: Report of committee on the printing of diplomas.
- VI-103: Report of the Trustees of the Grand Charity Fund.
- VI-107: Committee appointed to procure a new banner for the Grand Lodge.
- VI-108: Committee appointed to review By-Laws of subordinate lodges.
- VI-108: Committee appointed to procure regalia for the District Deputy Grand Masters.
- 06/11: VI-113; Grand Lecturers to be furnished with regalia as well.
06/10 Agenda
- VI-112: Report of committee on obtaining better accomodations; current building unsatisfactory, and unsuitable to be modified. Recommended that the Trustees take charge of this.
- VI-114: Report of Charity Committee.
- VI-115: Resolution for the Trustees of the Temple to be directed to sell the Masonic Temple; motion tabled.
- VI-116: Invitation to attend St. John's Day in Nashua, N.H., and in Providence, R.I.
- VI-116: Report of Seal Committee.
- VI-118: Report of Committee on By-Laws.
09/10 Agenda
- VI-123: Petition by Cincinnatus Lodge to remove from Sheffield to Great Barrington; granted.
- VI-124: Correspondence with Bunker Hill Monument committee regarding expenses.
- 09/23: VI-133; Grand Lodge (reluctantly) grants $100 to the committee.
- VI-128 (09/10), VI-135 (09/23): Report of Charity Committee.
- VI-129: Committee to consider an Act of Incorporation.
- 12/09: VI-141; Committee instructed to draw up an Act of Incorporation under the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
- 12/28: VI-154; Report of committee, tabled.
Adjourned to 09/23.
- VI-134: Trustees authorized to sell the Masonic Temple.
12/10 Agenda
- VI-142: Jeremiah Stone readmitted to Masonry, with the concurrence of King Hiram's Lodge.
- VI-143: Report of Trustees of the Grand Charity Fund.
- VI-145: Report of Trustees of the Temple.
- VI-146: Report of Charity Committee.
- VI-147: Report of the Committee of Finance.
- VI-148: Committee appointed to secure land for the building of a new Masonic Temple.
- VI-152: Committee on arrangements appointed.
- VI-150: Petition by Mount Hope Lodge for remission of dues; referred.
- VI-150: Re-election of Grand Master Heard elected (102 ballots) and other Grand Lodge officers elected.
Grand Constitutions Amendment Proposals
- 12/09: VI-151; Amendment to Grand Constitutions for a reduction in Grand Lodge Fees; referred to committee.
- 12/09: VI-152: Amendment regarding the requirements for certain Grand Lodge offices; referred to committee.
Grand Master's Address
- 03/11: VI-100; Review of the Grand Master's address in December 1856.
- 12/28: VI-159; Address by Grand Master Heard, regarding several matters; referred to committee.
Lodge By-Law Changes
- 12/09: VI-142; St. John's (Boston), Corinthian; approved.
- 12/27: VI-154; Merrimack; approved.
Necrologies and Memorials
- 03/11: VI-106; Death of Bro. Elisha Kent Kane; memorial delivered by Rt. Wor. Winslow Lewis.
- 09/09: VI-121; Death of Rt. Wor. Elias Haskell, Past Senior Grand Warden; Grand Lodge recessed to attend funeral.
Petitions for Charters
- 03/11: VI-97; Petition for Paul Revere U.D., N. Bridgewater, granted with some corrections to by-laws.
- 09/09: VI-121; Petition for Joseph Warren, U.D., Boston, granted.
- 12/09: VI-138; Petition for Pequossette, U.D., Watertown, granted. (Dispensation 12/15/1856)
- 12/09: VI-140; Petition by Morning Star Lodge, Worcester, to have their charter dated to the original one; granted.
Petitions for Dispensation for Lodges
- Eureka, New Bedford (05/08; mentioned in Grand Master's Address, Page VI-159.)
- Mount Vernon, Malden (08/27; mentioned in Grand Master's Address, Page VI-160.)
- John Abbot, Somerville (10/21; mentioned in Grand Master's Address, Page VI-160.)
- Berkshire, Adams South Village (11/14; mentioned in Grand Master's Address, Page VI-160.)
- Hiram, Copiapo, Chile (12/15; mentioned in Grand Master's Address, Page VI-160.)
- Star of the South, Concepción, Chile, returned (mentioned in Grand Master's Address, Page VI-160; "some of the petitioners preferring to connect themselves with existing Lodges rather than to establish a new one.")
Petitions for Restoration of Charter
None.
SPECIAL COMMUNICATIONS
None.
FEAST OF ST. JOHN THE EVANGELIST
(held at Masonic Temple, Boston, 12/28/1857)
- VI-154: Lodge of Instruction.
- VI-154: Invitation to dedicate the hall of Mount Zion Lodge in Barre; accepted.
- VI-156: Petition by members of the late Bethel Lodge, referred.
- VI-157: Installation of Grand Master Heard and other Grand Lodge officers.
- VI-158: Grand Master's Address, beginning on Page VI-158.
- Lodges constituted, officers installed:
- Blackstone River, Blackstone (02/02)
- Gate of the Temple, South Boston (03/12); consecrated 03/31.
- Pequossette, Watertown (12/09)
- Hall Dedications:
- Worcester (01/21) for Morning Star Lodge.
- South Danvers (11/09), installation of officers of Jordan Lodge.
- Lodges constituted, officers installed:
- VI-161: Correspondence with the Grand Master of England, the Earl of Zetland.
LIST OF LODGES BY DISTRICT: 1857
There were 11 Districts in 1857, plus special areas for Nantucket, Provincetown and Valparaiso, Chile.
This district layout is based on the O.P. edition of the Proceedings. However, this publication is riddled with errors and omits several lodges known to have existed in 1857; accordingly they have been conjecturally assigned to districts.
Note that District Grand Lecturers were appointed, as per the vote in Grand Lodge; the District Deputy Grand Masters were appointed, except for District 1 (Wor. William C. Martin).
DISTRICT 1
William T. Coolidge, Newton, District Deputy Grand Master; 12 Lodges + 2 U.D.
- St. John's (Boston, 1733)
- Lodge of St. Andrew, (Boston, 1756)
- The Massachusetts (Boston, 1770)
- Washington (Roxbury, 1796)
- Columbian (Boston, 1796)
- Mount Lebanon (Boston, 1801)
- Mount Tabor (East Boston, 1846)
- St. Paul's (South Boston, 1846)
- Baalbec (East Boston, 1852)
- Germania (Boston, 1854)
- Gate of the Temple (South Boston, 1855)
- Winslow Lewis (Boston, 1855)
- Revere (Boston, U.D.)
- Joseph Warren (Boston, U.D.)
DISTRICT 2
Isaac P. Seavey, Newburyport, District Deputy Grand Master; 11 Lodges
- Philanthropic (Marblehead, 1760)
- St. John's (Newburyport, 1766)
- The Tyrian (Gloucester, 1770)
- Essex (Salem, 1791)
- Merrimack (Haverhill, 1802)
- St. Mark's (Newburyport, 1803)
- Mount Carmel (Lynn, 1805)
- Jordan (Danvers, 1808)
- Warren (Amesbury, 1822)
- Liberty (Beverly, 1824)
- Ashler (Rockport, 1851)
DISTRICT 3
William North, Lowell, District Deputy Grand Master; 7 Lodges
- St. Paul's (Groton, 1797)
- Aurora (Fitchburg, 1801)
- Pentucket (Lowell, 1807)
- Good Samaritan (Reading, 1816)
- St. Matthew's (Andover, 1822)
- Grecian (Lawrence, 1825)
- Ancient York (Lowell, 1852)
DISTRICT 4
Levi Rawson, Farnumsville, District Deputy Grand Master; 7 Lodges
- Middlesex (Framingham, 1795)
- Meridian (Natick, 1797)
- Montgomery (Milford, 1797)
- Solomon's Temple (Uxbridge, 1818)
- Bethesda (Brighton, 1819)
- Franklin (Grafton, 1851)
- Blackstone River (Blackstone, 1855)
DISTRICT 5
Lucien B. Keith, Hingham, District Deputy Grand Master; 8 Lodges
- Old Colony (Hingham, 1792)
- Union (Dorchester, 1796)
- Rising Star (Stoughton, 1799)
- Corner Stone (Duxbury, 1801)
- Rural (Quincy, 1801)
- Orphan's Hope (Weymouth, 1825)
- Norfolk Union (Randolph, 1819)
- Paul Revere (N. Bridgewater, 1856)
DISTRICT 6
Henry Earle, Worcester, District Deputy Grand Master; 7 Lodges
- Morning Star (Worcester, 1793)
- Olive Branch (Sutton, 1797)
- Meridian Sun (Brookfield, 1797)
- Mount Zion (Hardwick, 1800)
- Harris (Gerry, 1802)
- Eden (Ware, 1824)
- Bethel (Enfield, 1825)
- Doric (Southbridge, 1826)
DISTRICT 7
George H. Taber, Fairhaven, District Deputy Grand Master; 6 Lodges + 1 U.D.
- Fellowship (Bridgewater, 1797)
- Bristol (Attleboro, 1797)
- King David (Taunton, 1798)
- St. Alban's (Foxborough, 1818)
- Star in the East (New Bedford, 1823)
- Mount Hope (Fall River, 1824)
- Eureka (New Bedford, U.D.)
DISTRICT 8
Sylvanus Baxter, Provincetown, District Deputy Grand Master; 7 Lodges
- Marine (Falmouth, 1798) charter restored
- Fraternal (Barnstable, 1801)
- Social Harmony (Wareham, 1823)
- Plymouth (Plymouth, 1825)
- Mount Horeb (West Harwich, 1854)
- Benjamin Franklin (Dennis, 1855)
- DeWitt Clinton (Sandwich, 1855)
DISTRICT 9
Daniel Reynolds, Springfield, District Deputy Grand Master; 8 Lodges + 1 U.D.
- Cincinnatus (Sheffield, 1795)
- Evening Star (Lee, 1795)
- Lafayette (North Adams, 1847)
- Thomas (Palmer, 1796)
- Wisdom (West Stockbridge, 1803)
- Mystic (Pittsfield, 1810)
- Hampden (Springfield, 1817)
- Mount Moriah (Westfield, 1856)
- Berkshire (Adams, U.D.)
DISTRICT 10
W.B.C. Pearsons, Holyoke, District Deputy Grand Master; 12 Lodges + 2 U.D.
- Republican (Greenfield, 1795)
- Harmony (Northfield, 1796)
- Jerusalem (Northampton, 1797)
- Mountain (Shelburne Falls, 1806)
- Chicopee (Chicopee, 1848)
- Mount Tom (Holyoke, 1850)
DISTRICT 11
Charles B. Rogers, Charlestown, District Deputy Grand Master; 11 Lodges + 2 U.D.
- King Solomon's (Charlestown, 1783)
- Hiram (West Cambridge, 1797)
- Corinthian (Concord, 1797)
- Amicable (Cambridge, 1805)
- Monitor (Waltham, 1820)
- Star of Bethlehem (Chelsea, 1844)
- Putnam (East Cambridge, 1854)
- Mount Hermon (Woburn, 1854)
- Mount Horeb (Medford, 1855)
- Pequossette (Watertown, 1856)
- Wyoming (Melrose, 1856)
- Mount Vernon (Malden, U.D.)
- John Abbot(Somerville, U.D.)
NANTUCKET
Benjamin Brown, Nantucket, Special Deputy for Nantucket; 1 Lodge
PROVINCETOWN
J.P. Johnson, Provincetown, Special Deputy for Provincetown; 1 Lodge
- King Hiram's (Provincetown, 1795)
VALPARAISO
C.T. Ward, Special Deputy for Valparaiso; 12 Lodges + 1 U.D.