Evening star., 1945-05-20
BY John Clagett Proctor

BY John Clagett Proctor
The Masonic fraternity feels rather
elated these days, as we'll it might be,
because another member of the craft
is now the Chief Executive and occupy
ing the White House. This is, Of course,
President Harry S. Truman.
OF the long list of Is members, George
Washington, most naturally, was pre-
eminently Master Mason, and indeed
the only man who could have been the
supreme head of this body in the United
States had he cared to be. He was raised
in the Fredericksburg Lodge. No. L. of
Fredericksburg, Va, August 4. 1750, and
became worshipful master of Alexan-
dria-Wa Washington Lodge, No. %, of Alex
andria, Va.
Throughout the many years which
have passed since this great patriot
led his forces to victory in the Amer
ican Revolution the people of this great
country have justly extolled him as SOL
dier, statesman and as first President
Of the Republic, while the Masons of
America and throughout the civilized
world not only revere his memory for
his remarkable qualities and achieve
ments, but also because of his being the
greatest exponent of Masonry in mod
ern times.
He laid the cornerstone of the United
States Capitol in 1893, and when he died
he was tenderly conveyed to his last
resting place on December 18, 1899, by
the brethren of the lodge, who had hon.
ored him with the highest Office at
their command, and who had met him
in the lodge room, and who had enjoyed
and appreciated his wisdom and his
counsel, and to whose memory the
memorial on Shooters Hill is but slight
tribute. He was the first President and
the first Master Mason to hold that
Office. However, he ceased to be Presi-
dent before the White House was COM
pleted.
Colonial Masons
Little is known of Thomas Jeffersons
Masonry, except that he is said to
have been made a Mason in Colonial
times, and with Thomas Paine attended
the Lodge of Nine Sisters in Paris,
France. during the French Revolution.
President Monroe is recorded as hav-
ing been made a Mason in st. Johns
was suffering from a wound. He was
an officer in the Virginia troops Ac-
cording to a history of Williamsburg
Lodge, No. g. published in William and
Mary Quarterly, Volume l, No. l, 1892,
the name of James Monroe appears in
the list of names, and assurance is given
by good authority that this is the same
James Monroe who was afterward Pres
ident of the United States. At public
ceremony, held in his honor in Rich
mond shortly after Mr.. Monroe's death,
Richmond Randolph Lodge, No. 10, A.
F. & A. M, met and attended his
funeral.
John Quincy Adams. the sixth Pres
ident, is said to have been raised in st.
Johns Lodge, Boston, Mass, in 1926.
If so he was President of the United
States at the time.
Andrew Jackson, who succeeded the
second Adams, was an enthusiastic
Mason. He was member of Philan-
thropic Lodge, Glover Blossom, Tenn,
and served as grand master of Masons
Of Tennessee, 1922 and 1923. When
Greenville Lodge of Tennessee was
opened on dispensation, in 1900, the
senior warden was absent, and Gen.
Jackson acted in his place, indicating
that he was charter member of this
lodge, coming on dimit from some other
lodge.
In Columbia Lodge
President James K. Polk was initiated
in Columbia Lodge, No. 81, at Columbia.
Tenn, on June S, 1920; he was passed
August and raised September a. 1920.
He served as junior warden of his lodge
in 1921. When the cornerstone of the
Smithsonian Institution was laid, on
May l, 1847, by the Grand Lodge, F. A.
A. M, of Washington, D. c., President
Polk, Vice President George NJ Dallas
and others were present. At this time
the apron worn by the grand master
was the historic one made by Nine.
Lafayette and originally presented to
Gen. Washington by the Grand Lodge
of France through Gen. Lafayette, and
worn by the former on the occasion of
the laying of the cornerstone of the
Capitol. For years this relic had been
in the possession of and zealously guard
ed by Mount Nebo Lodge, No. 81, of
Shepherdstown, Md, and specially
loaned for this occasion. The famous
gavel. owned by Potomac Lodge, No. s.
of Georgetown, D. c., was also present
at this time.
James Buchanan, who preceded Abra-
ham Lincoln in the White House, be-
longed to Lodge No. 43 of Lancaster.
Pa, in which he was initiated Deem
ber II, 1916, passed and raised January
"a, 1917. He first became an officer in
the lodge December IL. 1920, when he
became junior warden, and became
worshipful master on December %, 1922,
when he was serving his State as
member of the United States Congress.
At the expiration of his term of Office
he became the first deputy grand mas
A. T. l.