GRAND HISTORIAN’S CORNER
Grand Lodge of Missouri
Let there be light: The Grand Lodge of Missouri’s First Hundred Years By MWB John Hess Grand Historian At the turn of the 19th century, America was expanding at a terrific rate. President Jefferson had just negotiated with the French to purchase a significant part of the North American continent west of the Mississippi River. Freemasons Lewis and Clark led the Voyage of Discovery to explore this vast new land. Part of that land became the State of Missouri, with the Grand Lodge of Missouri being founded on April 21, 1821 and the State of Missouri founded August 10, 1821. Early highlights of the first hundred years of the Grand Lodge of Missouri include actions that set the stage for a two hundred year history. Over the first hundred years, 954 Lodges were organized by the Grand Lodge of Missouri with nearly one-third or 303 Lodges having disappeared during the time period. At the time of the founding of the Grand Lodge, the Deputy Grand Master was appointed, and it took until the second decade of the Grand Lodge for that office to become an elected office. In the first half of the century, promotion in line was unknown. Rarely if ever, before the 1860’s, was the Grand Senior Deacon elected to the station of Grand Junior Warden. Even Grand Wardens had no warranty deed on the Grand Mastership. On April 25, 1825, General Lafayette together with his son, George Washington Lafayette, visited Missouri. The Grand Lodge was called up in a special communication to honor this distinguished Mason. While there was some question that General Lafayette was a regular Freemason, the Grand Lodge Page 8
of Pennsylvania appointed a committee to investigate and report on Lafayette’s Masonic regularity. The Committee reported favorably, forever settling the matter. Both General Lafayette and his son were made honorary members of the Grand Lodge of Missouri. The period from 1836-1840 was the time of the Morgan Affair. A strong anti-Masonic feeling swept over the country. The anti-Masonic movement caused several Grand and Subordinate Lodges to cease to work. In Vermont, not a single Lodge continued to work. The Grand Lodge of Missouri felt its effects severely. At the end of the Civil War in 1865, Grand Lodge membership was 9,358 with 225 lodges and by 1873 membership was 25,120 with 470 lodges. In six years membership has increased 162%. In May of 1884, the Grand Commandery of Missouri created a Triennial Committee in preparation of hosting the 1886 Grand Encampment session. On September 21, 1886, on Charity Day, the Grand Encampment raised $35,114.00 to be placed at the disposal of the Grand Lodge to aid in the establishing of a Masonic Home. At the closing of the 1886 Grand Lodge session, Grand Master Boyd expressed the hope that “May the time soon come when her widows and orphans find a Home for their torn and bleeding hearts and a sweet resting place for their tired and weary feet.” Over the first hundred years, seventy-six Grand Masters were elected, installed and presided as Grand Master. One Grand Master was not present for his election and was never installed. Due to the Morgan affair, no Grand Lodge communication occurred in 1835. From its beginning, the Grand Lodge of Missouri has faced hardship and prosperity and will continue to do so as it begins its third century of involvement in the lives of Missourians. » The Freemason
