TIP #197 - FREEMASONRY IN KENTUCKY This is the oldest and largest fraternity in the world, going back to the stonemasons of Europe. Members, called Masons, do not solicit members, and members must express a belief in God and a future state. They are thoroughly examined before being allowed to join; once a member, any talk of religion and politics is prohibited. Freemasonary was constituted in 1717 with the Grand Lodge of England. Lodges were developed in Virginia after the Revolutionary War in 1778. In Kentucky, on 17 November 1778, this former organization granted a charter to Richard Clough Anderson (master). Another to John Fowler, Green Clay and others in the Lexington Kentucky Lodge No. 25. Shortley thereafter there were lodges established in Paris, Frankfort, Shelbyville and Georgetown. The Grand Lodge of Kentucky was organized with William Murry as grandmaster 16 October 1800. >From the very beginning, there was strong anti-Masonic feeling. Because of the actions of those against Freemasonry, Kentucky membership was noted to have dropped from 18,00 in 55 lodges to approximately 1,300 in thirty-seven from 1820 to 1830. By 1961 there was a membership of 100,675 in 470 lodges in Kentucky. It is also noted that the Masons took no sides in the Civil War as this was a political matter. They tried to continue throughout the Civil War although bands of guerillas often disturbed them. Soldiers from both sides included the following Masons: Robert Anderson, Thomas E. Bramlette, John C. Breckinridge, Simon B. Buckner, Cassius M. Clay, the Crittenden men, James Guthrie, George W. Johnson, Albert Sydney Johnston, John Hunt Morgan, George D. Prentice, Beriah Magoffin, James F. Robinson, Frank Wolford. (KY Encyclopedia, p. 358., published 1992). A Masonic and Widow's Home was established in 1867 at St. Matthews and the Old Masons' Home at Shelbyville. I will not enter into an explanation of the Masons and their lodges here, but want to list the names shown in Collins' History of Kentucky involved in the earlier years. Grand masters of the Grand Lodge of Kentucky from its formation, Oct. 16, 1800, until August 1, 1873: 1800: William Murray 1801-1802: James Morrison 1803: John Jordan, Jr. 1804:-1807 Geo. M. Bibb 1808-1810: John Allen 1811: Joseph Hamilton Daviess 1812-1813: Anthony Butler 1814: James Moore 1815: Daniel Bradford 1816-1817: Wm. H. Richardson 1818: Thomas Bodley 1819: Samuel H. Woodson 1820: Henry Clay 1821: John McKinney, Jr 1822: David G. Cowan 1823: Asa K. Lewis 1824: John Speed Smith 1825: Thomas H. Bradford 1826: Samuel Daviess 1827: Daniel Breck 1828: Robert Johnston 1829: Robert Johnston 1830: John M. McCalla 1841: Levi Tyler 1832: John Payne 1833: Abraham Jones 1834: Richard Apperson 1835: Willis Stewart 1836: William Brown, Jr. 1837: James Rice, Jr. 1838: Derrick Warner 1839: Geo. Breckinridge 1840: Abner Cunningham 1841: Thomas C. Orear 1842: Henry Wingate 1843: Leander M. Cox 1844: Bryan R. Young 1845: Wm. Holloway 1846: Wm. B. Allen 1847: James H. Daviess 1848: Chas. Tilden 1849: John D. McClure 1850: John M S McCorkle 1851: Chas G. Wintersmith 1852: Thomas Ware 1853: Thomas Todd 1854: Marcus M. Tyler 1855: David J. Montsarrat 1856: Theodore N. Wise 1857: Philip Swigert 1858: Robert Morris 1859: Harvey T. Wilson 1860: Lewis Landram 1861: Hiram Bassett 1862: John B. Huston 1863: Thomas Sadler 1864: J D Landrum 1865: M J Williams 1866: Isaac T. Martin 1867-1868: Elissha S. Fitch 1869-1870: Charles Eginton 1871: E B Jones 1872: Edward W. Turner 1873: Thomas J. Pickett Grand High Priests from the formation of the Grand Chapter in 1817 to 1 August 1873: 1817-1819: James Moore 1820-Dec 1821: David G. Cowan 1822: Wm Gibbes Hunt 1823: Jn. McKinney, Jr. 1824: Tho. McClanahan 1825: James M. Pike 1826: Robert Johnston 1827: Tho. H. Bradford 1828: Henry Wingate 1829: Levi Tyler 1830: Audr. M. January 1831: Warham P Loomis 1832: John Payne 1833: Jas M Bullock 1834: Churchill J. Blackburn 1835: Nathaniel Hardy. 1826-1838: No meetings 1839: Caleb W. Cloud 1840: William Brown, JR 1841: Derrick Warner 1842: Abner Cunningham 1843: John M. McCalla 1844: Richard Apperson 1845: Herman Bowmar, Jr. 1846: Dempsey Carrell 1847: Willis Stewart 1848: Humphrey Jones, Jr 1849: James H. Daviess 1850: Chas G. Wintersmith 1851: Thomas Ware 1852: Isaac Cunningham 1853: John M S McCorkle 1854: John D McClure 1855: Harvey T. Wilson 1856: Marcus M. Tyler 1857: William H. Forsythe 1858: William M Samuel 1859: Thomas Todd 1860: Theodore N. Wise 1861: Theodore Kohlhass 1862: Thomas Sadler 1863: Sam'l D. McCullough 1864: William E. Robinson 1865: Harry Hudson 1866: J H Branham 1867: Isaac T Martin 1868: R G Hawkins 1869: E B Jones 1870: Henry Bostwick 1871: J P Rascoe 1872: William Ryan 1873: David P. Robb © Copyright 5 November 1998, Sandra K. Gorin, All Rights Reserved, sgorin@glasgow-ky.com Sandi Gorin - A Kentucky Colonel 205 Clements Ave., Glasgow, KY 42141 (502) 651-9114 PUBLISHING: http://www.members.tripod.com/~GorinS/index.html BARREN CO OBITS, WILLS, DEEDS & BIBLE RECORDS: http://cgi.rootsweb.com/~genbbs/genbbs.cgi/USA/Ky/BarrenObits KYRESEARCHING TIPS: http://cgi.rootsweb.com/~genbbs/genbbs.cgi/USA/Ky/Tips KYBIOGRAPHIES: http://cgi.rootsweb.com/~genbbs/genbbs.cgi/USA/Ky/Bios