Albuquerque daily citizen. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1895-1903, 1902-10-21
From the New Mexican.

fTOm the view MtAlCdH.
Organized Masonry took a foothold
in New Mexico at the time of the Am
erican occupation. a military travel
ing lodge was organized at Santa Fee
as early as 1S47 in an Illinois regiment
under a dispensation by the grand
master of the grand lodge of Missouri.
This travelling lodge was known as
Hardin Military Travelling lodge. Col.
John Rails, the grand master of Mis-
souri,. was at that time at Santa Fe
with a regiment of Missouri volun-
teers. According to the records still
in existence and which are the prop
erty of MonteZuma lodge, No. /, this
travelling lodge worked for two years
in Santa Fe until the close OF the war
with Mexico. the withdrawal Of the
United States volunteers and the es-
Enlistment of Fort Marcy as a regular
army post.
The grand lodge of Missouri, in re-
Spouse to a prayer of several OF the
members of Hardin Military Travelling
lodge which had surrendered its char
ter, and a number of citizens of Santa
Fe, on May IL, 1850. granted a charter
to Montezuma lodge. No. 109, which
afterwards became Montezuma lodge.
No. l, under the jurisdiction Of the
grand lodge of New Mexico.
II was ten years afterwards, in 1860,
that Bent lodge. No. 204. was chartered
at Taos by the grand lodge of Mis-
souri,. Five years later it surrendered
its charter. Chapman lodge at Las
Vegas received it's charter in 1866
after several years of effort, which On
account OF irregularities in the work
of the lodge ordered stricken from the
records of the grand lodge. Aztec lodge
at Las Cruces. Kit Carson lodge at
Elizabethtown. CimarTon lodge at CT
marion, Silver City lodge at Silver
City, and Union lodge at Fort Union
were the other New Mexico lodges
granted charters under the jurisdiction
of the grand lodge of Missouri.
On August 6, 1877, pursuant to call,
a convention of delegates from several
lodges of the territory met at the hall
of Montezuma lodge in Santa Fe to or
ganize a grand lodge of the territory
of New Mexico, the following lodges
being represented: Aztec. No. 10S;
Chapman, No. 95; Montezuma. No.
1903; and Union, No. $50. On August
z, 1877, the convention elected officers
of the grand lodge, William w. Griffin,
of Montezuma, No. l, being chosen
grand master. He was installed and
the grand lodge of New Mexico was
opened in ample form and declared
duly organized,
During the session a constitution
and by laws were prepared and adopt
ed and on the night of August 10, tho
first communication of the grand Lodge
of New Mexico adjourned.
The first annual communication o
the grand lodge OF Ancient, Free anC
Accepted Masons of New Mexico con
vened at Masonic hall, in Santa Fe, OF
Monday, January G, 1879, Grand Mas
ter William w. Griffin presiding.
Since that date charters have bee
granted to twenty-four lodges, thr
of which have surrendered their char
tiers, ore on account of taking part i
the organization of the grand lodge o
Arizona, another, owing to consolida
ton with another lodge, and the thirI
on account of the abandonment of
mining camp in which il was located
This leaves twenty-one working lodge
in the jurisdiction of the grand lodg
of New Mexico, with a membership G
LOO.
The following is a list of the gran
masters of the grand lodge from its Of
g~anization in August. 1877. to 1902
1877 to 1879, William W. Griffin; 1888