NEW YORK AGE July 7, 1934, Masonic Notes – by Bertram L. Baker,
A CHRONOLGICAL HISTORY OF PRINCE HALL MASONRY 1784 – 1932
by
Harry A. Williamson.
CALIFORNIA:
The ninth regular Grand Lodge of Prince Hall Masons in date of original establishment.
The correct title of this grand jurisdiction is “Sovereign Grand Lodge, F. & A.M., of California and it was originally established on June 19, 1855, at San Francisco. Its annual sessions are movable.
The first lodge established in the state was Hannibal No. 1, followed by Philomathean No. 2, at Sacramento, and Victoria Lodge No. 3. Lodges No. 1 and 3 were situated at San Francisco. In seeking date from a previous grand secretary this writer was informed it was impossible to furnish the dates of the formation of those lodges and the jurisdiction from which they came because all of the important records of the early history of Grand Lodge had been destroyed at the time of the great earthquake in San Francisco which occurred April 18, 1906. The only information obtainable was that Hannibal No. 1, was originally under the ju4risdiction of the National Grand Lodge adjunct in that state (26). All three of the lodges mentioned are still in existence and hold their original places upon the California register. The first sovereign jurisdiction in the state was known as the “Grand Lodge, Free and Accepted Ancient York Masons of the State of California.”
Other lodges in the state were Olive Branch No. 5, at San Francisco, warranted by the United Grand Lodge of New York, in June, 1855, also, Wethington No. 8, in the same city and warranted December 6, 1865, by the same grant jurisdiction. This lodge was in all probability was named after a Bro. Joseph Wethington. Still another Lodge was Mosaic No. 38, also at San Francisco and warranted by Pennsylvania on April 6, 1868. The records of the United Grand Lodge of New York for December 2, 1868, make mention of some difficulty between Pennsylvania and New York because of some “work” done by the former in California. Evidently the New York Jurisdiction having been the first to set up a Lodge out there, deemed the territory as under its jurisdiction.
These three lodges held a convention in the city of San Francisco on August 1, 1871, and organized the “Conventional Independent Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of the State of California.”
The officers selected to govern the new body at that time were (27): Peter Anderson, grand Master; William A. Smith, deputy grand master; Henry H. Tolbert, senior grand warden; John G. Pallier, junior grand warden; Dawson Thomas; grand treasurer; Nelson Cooks, grand secretary.
According to its proceedings for 1872, Bro. Thomas R. Streets of Portland, Ore., was the District deputy grand master for “Oregon, Idaho, Utah Territories, Vancouver Island in British Columbia, “ etc, while the grand secretary held a similar position at Virginia City, Nevada. The numbering of the Lodges on the register were: Olive Branch No. 1, Wethington No. 2, and Mosaic No. 3. The new Grand Lodge was organized in King Hiram Hall, 541 Broadway, and after the conclusion of the installation of the officers which was held on December 27, 1871, the Craft in full regalia, matched to Pacific Hall on Bush Street, where the Hon. John B. Felton, a past grand orator of the Caucasian Grand Lodge of the state, delivered an oration. None of the above named Lodges now remain. Some years later, both Olive Branch and Wethington Lodges merged with what is now Victoria No. 3.
The proceedings of California for its 79th annual session held at San Diego in 1933, present the following information pertaining to the First Grand Lodge erected in the state. The “Original Proclamation,” reads as follows:
By and with the authority of the Masonic State Convention, held at San Francisco City, State of California, on the 19th day of June, 1855, A.L. 5855, at Masonic Hall, Broadway Street, of all Past Master Masons in Good standing. By said authority, the Grand Lodge for the state of California, convened at Sacramento City, on the 22nd day of January, A.L. 5856, and adopted a Constitution and By-laws for the government of said Grand Lodge. Past Master Mason present at said convention: George M. Wysham, Thomas Forrister, Philip Buchanan, Jackson Hawkins, Henry Brown, Anthony Boyd, James C. Carter, John C. Jenkins, Henry Cornish, James M. Wilkerson.
LODGES:
Hannibal No. 1.
Master, Anthony Osborne, Senior Warden, William Isaacs; Junior Warden, William H. Harper.
Philomatheon No. 2:
Master, Nathaniel Christopher, Senior Warden, John D. Brown, Junior Warden, Cha. W. Parker,
Victoria No. 3:
Master Louis L. Mortimer, Senior Warden John T. Smith; Junior Warden, Charles H. Wood.
The officers selected at the time are listed as: Philip Buchanan, Grand Master; James C. Carter, deputy grand master; John J. Smith, senior grand warden, Nathaniel Christopher, junior grand warden; William H. Harper, grand treasurer; John C. Jenkins, grand secretary; John D. Brown, corresponding grand secretary; Rev. John J. Moore, grand chaplain; J. L. Thjompson, grand marshal; Thomas Forrister, grand sword bearer; John Cromwell, Jr. grand deacon; Charles H. Woods, junior grand deacon; Jas M. Wilkerson, senior grand steward; Henry Brown, junior grand steward; Louis L. Mortimer, grand Pursuivant.
Both of the foregoing Grand Lodges consolidated into one organization under the present title on June 24, 1874, with the following officers (28) Robert J. Fletcher, grand master; John G. Paller, deputy grand master; Joseph W. Price, senior grand warden; Henry H. Tolbert, junior grand warden; George C. Denall, grand treasurer; William H. Hillery, grand secretary.
Some time during the year 1931, this grand jurisdiction purchased about 32 acres of land in the city of Pasadena, upon which it is proposed in time to erect a Masonic Home. The property is located near one of the state highways and is valued at about $5.000, free of any encumbrances. The jurisdiction has upon its register a lodge situated at Portland, Ore., bearing the title of Excelsior No. 23.
Items in this author’s collection having reference to California Freemasonry are:
(a) De Leon, A.W.A. – “An Appeal to the Free Masons working under the jurisdiction of the “National Grand Lodge”, San Francisco, May 1, 1874, 12 pp.
(b) “California Colored Masons and Clanestinism.” The Trestle Board, November, 1923 (Caucasian) San Francisco.
REFERENCE:
(26) Proceedings of the National Grand Lodge , p. 27 (1856).
(27) Proceedings of the Conventional Independent Grand Lodge F. & A.M. of the State of California.
(28) Proceedings of the Grand Lodge of Missouri, p. 69 (1874).