CharterSummary
From MasonicGenealogy
CHARTER SUMMARY
The following tables list charters granted in Massachusetts. They do not include charters granted by either Massachusetts Grand Lodge in other colonies or states that have since come under the authority of other Grand Lodges (such as Connecticut or Maine).
KEY
Status | Meaning |
Charters active under the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts, in the possession of the Lodge* | |
Charters no longer active, lost, destroyed or location unknown | |
Charters surrendered or revoked, in possession of the Grand Lodge Library. |
* The original charters for many active old lodges are kept in archival storage in Lexington.
Lodge Name | Status | Grand Master | Charter Date | Notes |
St. John's (Boston) | Price | 1733 | First lodge chartered in Massachusetts. Original charter lost, replaced after 1864 fire. Second merged here 1783. Rising Sun merged here 1791. | |
Master's | Price | 1738 | Chartered for the conferral of the Master Mason Degree. Charter surrendered in 1796. | |
Second | Oxnard | 1749 | Merged into First Lodge in 1783. | |
Third | Oxnard | 1749 | Ceased work around 1753. | |
Lodge of St. Andrew | GM Scotland | 1756 | Chartered by the Grand Master of Scotland and not recognized by St. John's Grand Lodge. Founding Lodge of Massachusetts Provincial Grand Lodge. Endorsed 1809 by Grand Master Thomas to come under the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts. | |
Philanthropic (Marblehead) | Gridley | 1760 | Possibly not using the original 1760 charter but instead a reissued document from the 1780s; suspended, reinstated 1821. | |
St. John's, Newburyport | Gridley | 1766 | Active. In possession of original charter; endorsed by Thomas in 1803. | |
The Tyrian | Joseph Warren | 1770 | ]Merged with Acacia Lodge to form Tyrian-Acacia, 2003; merged with Ashler Lodge to form Tyrian-Ashler-Acacia, 2007 | |
The Massachusetts | Joseph Warren | 1770 | Active. | |
Union (Nantucket) | Rowe | 1771 | Active. | |
St. Peter's | Joseph Warren | 1772 | Inactive, but status of charter unknown. | |
Rising Sun | Rowe | 1771 | Merged into St. John's (Boston), 1791. Status of charter unknown. | |
American Union | Rowe | 1776 | Renewed 1803; became a part of the Grand Lodge of Ohio in 1817; charter presumably still in use there. | |
Berkshire (Williamstown) | Webb | 1783 | Charter recalled 1784; status unknown. | |
Trinity | Webb | 1778 | New charter issued in 1859; original charter and precedence restored in 2017. Original charter in Grand Lodge vault; certified copy of original in use by the lodge. | |
United States | Webb | 1778 | "Erased" 1788; status unknown. | |
Essex | Webb | 1779 | Active; an additional (or replacement) charter was granted in 1791, and endorsed in 1792. | |
Unity (Ipswich) | Webb | 1779 | Inactive; location unknown. | |
Washington Army | Webb | 1779 | Inactive; lapsed. Charter disposition unknown. | |
King Solomon's | John Warren | 1783 | Active. | |
Rising States | John Warren | 1783 | Separated from Lodge of St. Andrew to remain under Massachusetts Independent Grand Lodge; took St. Andrew's precedence; charter resigned in 1810. | |
Hampshire | John Warren | 1784 | Inactive; charter lapsed or revoked sometime between 1796 and 1804. | |
Friendship (Williamstown) | Webb | 1785 | Inactive; charter surrendered 1828. | |
Harmonic | Hays | 1790 | Charter vacated 1797; charter location unknown. | |
Old Colony | Cutler | 1792 | Active. | |
Federal (Blandford) | Cutler | 1792 | Inactive; dropped from Grand Lodge rolls in 1835. | |
Morning Star | Cutler | 1793 | Active. | |
Franklin (Cheshire) | Cutler | 1794 | Inactive; surrendered around 1826. | |
Republican | Cutler | 1794 | Active. The library has the 1851 temporary charter. | |
Evening Star | Revere | 1795 | Active. Charter endorsed 1813 to resume work. | |
Cincinnatus | Revere | 1795 | Active. | |
King Hiram's | Revere | 1795 | Active. | |
Fayette | Revere | 1796 | Inactive; ceased work around 1830. Charter location unknown. | |
Washington | Revere | 1796 | Active. | |
Columbian | Revere | 1796 | Active. | |
Harmony | Revere | 1796 | Active. | |
Union (Dorchester)' | Revere | 1796 | Active. | |
Thomas | Revere | 1796 | Active. | |
St. Paul | Revere | 1797 | Active. | |
Adams | Revere | 1797 | Inactive, surrendered in 1821. A new charter was issued in 1867 for a new lodge. | |
Jerusalem | Revere | 1797 | Active. | |
Bristol | Revere | 1797 | Active. | |
Fellowship | Revere | 1797 | Active. | |
Corinthian | Revere | 1797 | Active. | |
Montgomery | Revere | 1797 | Active. | |
Olive Branch | Revere | 1797 | Active. | |
Meridian Sun | Revere | 1797 | Inactive, unknown; last meeting under this charter in 1834. | |
Hiram | Revere | 1797 | Active. (now Mystic Valley) | |
Meridian | Revere | 1797 | Active. | |
King Solomon in Perfection | Revere | 1797 | Inactive; unknown. Surrendered 1822. | |
Marine | Bartlett | 1798 | Active. | |
Mount Moriah (Reading) | Bartlett | 1798 | Inactive; ceased work 1829. | |
Social | Bartlett | 1798 | Inactive; ceased work 1827. | |
Eastern Star | Bartlett | 1798 | Inactive; surrendered charter 1822 | |
King David | Bartlett | 1798 | Active. | |
Mount Zion | Dunn | 1800 | Active. | |
Mount Lebanon | Dunn | 1801 | Active. | |
Fore Fathers' Rock | Dunn | 1801 | Inactive; charter surrendered 1821. | |
Fraternal | Dunn | 1801 | Active. | |
Pacific | Dunn | 1801 | Inactive; unknown, removed from Grand Lodge lists around 1834. | |
Aurora | Dunn | 1801 | Active. | |
St. John's (Demarara) | Dunn | 1801 | Inactive; unknown, removed from Grand Lodge lists around 1834. | |
Rural | Dunn | 1801 | Active. | |
Sincerity | Dunn | 1801 | Inactive; charter surrendered 1824. | |
Sumner | Dunn | 1801 | Inactive; ceased work around 1829 | |
Corner Stone | Dunn | 1801 | Inactive; charter surrendered 1834 and restored in 1844 | |
Constellation | Dunn | 1801 | Inactive; charter vacated 1842. A new charter was granted in 1872. | |
Harris | Dunn | 1802 | Inactive; charter surrendered around 1834. | |
Merrimack | Dunn | 1802 | Active. | |
Charity | Thomas | 1803 | Inactive; ceased work sometime after 1830, charter never returned to Grand Lodge, status unknown. | |
Wisdom | Thomas | 1803 | Active; charter surrendered around 1834, re-granted 1855. | |
Washington Remembered | Thomas | 1803 | Inactive; dropped from Grand Lodge list in 1821. | |
St. Mark's | Thomas | 1803 | Active. | |
Sheffield | Thomas | 1803 | Inactive; last meeting 1826; status unknown. | |
Amicable | Thomas | 1805 | Active; charter surrendered 1838, re-granted 1845. | |
Mount Carmel | Thomas | 1805 | Active. Charter surrendered 1836, re-granted 1845. Mount Sinai Lodge merged here 1989; Damascus Lodge merged here, 2001; Bethlehem Lodge merged here, 2006. | |
Mountain | Bigelow | 1806 | Active. Originally granted in Rowe; re-granted in Colerain in 1818; inactive 1832-1855. | |
Mount Vernon | Bigelow | 1807 | Inactive; ceased work 1828; status of charter unknown. | |
Pentucket | Bigelow | 1807 | Active. | |
Sylvan | Bigelow | 1807 | Inactive. Name changed to Sylvan 1810; ceased work 1828; status of charter unknown. | |
Mount Pleasant | Bigelow | 1808 | Inactive; no record after 1828; status of charter unknown. | |
Rising Sun | Bigelow | 1808 | Inactive; ceased work 1828; status of charter unknown. | |
Jordan | Bigelow | 1808 | Active. Starr King Lodge merged here, 2016. | |
Fredonia | Bartlett | 1810 | Inactive; surrendered charter 1834 | |
Mystic | Bartlett | 1810 | Active; New Moon Lodge since 2015. | |
Humanity | Bigelow | 1811 | Inactive; ceased work some time after 1828; status of charter unknown. | |
Thompson | Bigelow | 1812 | Inactive; ceased work some time after 1826; status of charter unknown. | |
Orion | Russell | 1815 | Inactive; ceased work around 1835; status of charter unknown. | |
Golden Rule, | Russell | 1815 | Inactive; ceased work some time after 1829; status of charter unknown. | |
Good Samaritan | Russell | 1816 | Inactive; ceased work some time after 1840; charter voted to be restored in 1855, but the lodge never worked under it. | |
Hampden | Oliver | 1817 | Active; now Brigham Lodge; merged with Indian Orchard Masonic in 2013, formed by merger between Hampden and Roswell Lee-Indian Orchard in 2003. | |
Mount Hermon | Oliver | 1817 | Inactive; changed name to Brooks Lodge; no record after 1828, charter status unknown. | |
St. Alban's | Oliver | 1818 | Active; dark from 1833 to 1855. | |
Solomon's Temple | Oliver | 1818 | Active. | |
Bethesda | Oliver | 1819 | Active. | |
Norfolk Union | Oliver | 1819; inactive 1838-1854. | Active | |
Seven Stars | Fay | 1820 | Inactive; charter surrendered 1824; status of charter unknown. | |
Monitor | Fay | 1820 | Active; oldest component of Waltham Triad Lodge since 1988. | |
L'Hereux Reveil | Dixwell | 1821 | Inactive; lodge in Puerto Rico, inactive prior to 1833; no information on charter. | |
Urbanity | Dixwell | 1822 | Inactive; ceased work sometime around 1830. | |
St. Matthew's | Dixwell | 1822 | Active. | |
Warren | Dixwell | 1822 | Inactive; merged into Charles C. Dame Lodge, 2016. | |
Social Harmony | Dixwell | 1823 | Active; dark 1834-1855. | |
Cassia | Dixwell | 1823 | Inactive; ceased work sometime after 1832. Status of charter unknown. | |
Star in the East | Dixwell | 1823 | Active. Paskamansett Lodge merged here in 1992; now Star in the East Lodge (includes Wamsutta Lodge since 2004.) | |
Leicester | Dixwell | 1823 | Inactive; ceased work sometime after 1830. Status of charter unknown. | |
Liberty | J. Abbot | 1824 | Active. | |
United Brethren | J. Abbot | 1824 | Inactive; ceased work sometime after 1831. Status of charter unknown. | |
Freedom | J. Abbot | 1824 | Inactive; returned to Grand Lodge in 1848; likely destroyed in the 1864 fire. | |
Eden | J. Abbot | 1824 | Inactive; ceased work sometime after 1827, but removed from record in 1848. Status of charter unknown, likely destroyed in 1864 fire. | |
Carmel | J. Abbot | 1824 | Inactive; ceased work sometime after 1829. Status of charter unknown. | |
Mount Hope | J. Abbot | 1824 | Active. | |
Orphan's Hope | J. Abbot | 1825 | Active; now Weymouth United Masonic Lodge. | |
Orange | J. Abbot | 1825 | Inactive; ceased work sometime after 1831. Status of charter unknown. | |
Morning Sun | J. Abbot | 1825 | Inactive; charter revoked around 1835. Status of charter unknown. | |
Plymouth | J. Abbot | 1825 | Active; dark 1834-1855. | |
Bethel | J. Abbot | 1825 | Inactive; merged into Eden Lodge in 1939 as a result of the Quabbin Reservoir construction. | |
Oxford | J. Abbot | 1825 | Inactive; ceased work 1831, charter revoked around 1854. Status of charter unknown. | |
Grecian | J. Abbot | 1825 | Active; now the oldest part of Lawrence United Lodge. | |
Mount Ararat | J. Abbot | 1826 | Inactive; ceased work before 1834. Status of charter unknown. | |
Doric | J. Abbot | 1826 | Inactive; ceased work around 1830; status of charter unknown. | |
Clinton | J. Abbot | 1826 | Inactive; ceased work sometime after 1828; status of charter unknown. | |
Phoenix | J. Abbot | 1826 | Inactive; ceased work after 1829, charter revoked around 1854. Status of charter unknown. | |
Farmers | J. Abbot | 1826 | Inactive; ceased work after 1832; status of charter unknown. | |
Central | Soley | 1827 | Inactive; ceased work before 1834; status of charter unknown. | |
Star of Bethlehem | Peabody | 1845 | Active. | |
Mount Tabor | Robinson | 1846 | Active. | |
St. Paul's | Robinson | 1847 | Inactive; Merged with Algonquin Lodge in 1988; merged into Delta Lodge in 2014. | |
Lafayette (North Adams) | Robinson | 1848 | Active. Greylock Lodge merged here in 1988 to form Lafayette-Greylock Lodge. | |
Chicopee | Raymond | 1849 | Active. Now the active charter for Mount Holyoke Lodge. | |
Mount Tom | Raymond | 1850 | Active. | |
Ashler | Randall | 1852 | Inactive; merged into The Tyrian-Ashler-Acacia Lodge, 2007. | |
Franklin | Randall | 1852 | Active. | |
Baalbec | Randall | 1853 | Inactive; merged into Wyoming Lodge, 2001. | |
Ancient York | Randall | 1853 | Active. | |
Germania | Randall | 1854 | Active. Now the oldest part of The Consolidated Lodge. | |
Bethesda (Valparaiso) | Randall | 1854 | Active. | |
Mount Hermon | Lewis | 1855 | Inactive; merged into Golden Rule Lodge, 2014. | |
Mount Horeb | Lewis | 1855 | Active. | |
Benjamin Franklin | Lewis | 1856 | Inactive; merged into Mount Horeb (West Harwich) in 1859. | |
Gate of the Temple | Lewis | 1856 | Inactive; merged into Rising Star Lodge in 2012. | |
DeWitt Clinton | Lewis | 1856 | Active. | |
Mount Horeb (Woburn) | Lewis | 1856 | Active. | |
Winslow Lewis | Lewis | 1856 | Active. | |
Mount Moriah (Westfield) | Lewis | 1856 | Active. | |
Revere | Heard | 1857 | Inactive; merged into Germania-Revere Lodge, 1999. Now part of The Consolidated Lodge. | |
Paul Revere | Heard | 1857 | Active. | |
Joseph Warren | Heard | 1857 | Active. Current charter for Joseph Warren-Soley Lodge. | Wyoming | Heard | 1857 | Active. |
Pequossette | Heard | 1857 | Active. | |
Eureka | Heard | 1858 | Active. Now a part of Quittacus Lodge. | |
Berkshire | Heard | 1858 | Active. | |
Mount Vernon | Heard | 1858 | Active. Now a part of Mount Vernon-Galilean Lodge since 1997 merger. | |
John Abbot | Heard | 1858 | Merged to form John Abbot-Samuel Crocker Lawrence Lodge in 2001; became a part of Mystic Valley Lodge in 2004. | |
Quaboag | Heard | 1859 | Active. | |
Montacute | Heard | 1859 | Active: merged to form Guiding Lights Lodge, 2003; now a part of Boylston Lodge since 2017. | |
Henry Price | Heard | 1859 | Merged to form Price-Benton Lodge, 2002; now a part of The Consolidated Lodge. | |
Webster | Heard | 1859 | Active. | |
Trinity | Heard | 1859 | Lodge now active under 1778 charter; this charter was used until 2017 and then surrendered. | |
Hiram (Chile) | Heard | 1859 | Ceased work sometime before 1869; charter placed in Grand Lodge archives around 1877 {?} | |
Southern Cross (Chile) | Heard | 1859 | Charter issued but lodge never worked under it. | |
Caleb Butler | Lewis | 1860 | Active. | |
Pilgrim | Lewis | 1860 | Active. | |
Wilder | Lewis | 1860 | Active. | |
John Cutler | Lewis | 1860 | Active; Wampatuck Lodge after 2016 merger. | |
Orange | Lewis | 1860 | Active; North Quabbin Lodge after 2007 merger. | |
United Brethren | Lewis | 1860 | Active. | |
Martha's Vineyard | Lewis | 1860 | Active; Oriental-Martha's Vineyard Lodge after 1994 merger/. | |
Oxford | Lewis | 1860 | Active. | |
Hammatt | Lewis | 1860 | Inactive; part of Mount Tabor Lodge since 2007/ | |
Quinebaug | Lewis | 1860 | Active. |