George Washington

[MASON]

George Washington’s Masonic Life

A Chronology
 Many legends circulate about the masonic activities of George Washington.  Below is a list of documentable masonic occurrences within the lifetime of George Washington.  Indeed, some lore about the various lodges that he may have visited are surely true, but without written contemporary proof, do not appear in this list.  In addition to these masonic lodges, ceremonies and celebrations, at least fourteen letters survive written by Washington to various masonic lodges and grand lodges expressing his esteem for the fraternity.  He owned at least two masonic aprons, three masonic constitutions and a masonic jewel, as seen in his estate papers at the time of his death in 1799.
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1752
 November 4
 Fredericksburg Lodge No. 4, Initiated as Entered Apprentice
 
1753
 March 3
 Fredericksburg Lodge No. 4, Passed to Fellow Craft
 
 
 August 4
 Fredericksburg Lodge No. 4, Raised to Master Mason
 
1778
 December 28
 St. John the Evangelist celebration, marched in masonic procession
 
1779
 June 24
 St. John the Baptist celebration, marked with American Union Military Lodge at West Point, NY.
 
 
 December 20
 Proposed by the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania as General Grand Master of the United States, however never enacted.
 
 
 December 27
 St. John the Evangelist celebration, celebrated with American Union Military Lodge at Morristown, NJ
 
1781
 October
 Reportedly visited Lodge No. 9 at Yorktown, VA with General Lafayette after defeat of British General Cornwallis
 
1782
 
 Brothers Watson and Cassoul of Nantes, France, present Washington with exquisite silk masonic apron, acknowledged by letter August 10
 
 
 June 24
 St. John the Baptist celebration, marked with American Union Military Lodge at West Point, NY.
 
 
 December 27
 St. John the Evangelist celebration, marked with Solomon’s Lodge No. 1, Poughkeepsie, NY
 
1784
 June 24
 St. John the Baptist celebration, marked with Alexandria Lodge, Alexandria, VA
 
 
 June 24
 Made and honorary member of Alexandria Lodge No. 39 (Now Alexandria-Washington Lodge, No. 22) Alexandria, VA
 
 
 August
 Presented a masonic apron made by Madame de Lafayette by General and Bro. de Lafayette
 
1785
 February 12
 Walked in masonic funeral procession for Bro. William Ramsay at Alexandria, VA
 
1788
 April 28
 Named charter Worshipful Master of Alexandria Lodge No. 22 when a new charter from the Grand Lodge of Virginia was issued.  Unanimously reelected Master December 20, 1788 for one year.
 
1789
 
 Elected honorary member of Holland Lodge No. 8, New York, NY
 
 
 April 30
 Inaugurated President of the United States using Bible from St. John’s Lodge No. 1, New York, NY
 
1791
 April 15
 Welcomed by members of St. John’s Lodge No. 2, New Bern, NC
 
 
 May
 Received the greetings of the Grand Lodge of South Carolina by General Mordecai Gist, Grand Master, Charleston, SC
 
1793
 September 18
 Acting Grand Master, laid the cornerstone for the United States Capitol, Washington, DC
 
1794
 
 Sat for William Williams, portraitist, in Masonic regalia at the request of Alexandria Lodge
 
1797
 March 28
 Received a masonic delegation from Alexandria Lodge
 
1798
 April 1
 Attended Alexandria Lodge No. 22, and proposed a toast at the banquet that followed.
 
1799
 December 18
 Buried at Mt. Vernon with masonic rites as well as those of the church, conducted by Alexandria Lodge No. 22
 

[MASON]

 George Washington

On April 30, 1789, George Washington, standing on the balcony of Federal Hall on Wall Street in New York, took his oath of office as the first President of the United States. "As the first of every thing, in our situation will serve to establish a Precedent," he wrote James Madison, "it is devoutly wished on my part, that these precedents may be fixed on true principles."

Born in 1732 into a Virginia planter family, he learned the morals, manners, and body of knowledge requisite for an 18th century Virginia gentleman.

He pursued two intertwined interests: military arts and western expansion. At 16 he helped survey Shenandoah lands for Thomas, Lord Fairfax. Commissioned a lieutenant colonel in 1754, he fought the first skirmishes of what grew into the French and Indian War. The next year, as an aide to Gen. Edward Braddock, he escaped injury although four bullets ripped his coat and two horses were shot from under him.
 
From 1759 to the outbreak of the American Revolution, Washington managed his lands around Mount Vernon and served in the Virginia House of Burgesses. Married to a widow, Martha Dandridge Custis, he devoted himself to a busy and happy life. But like his fellow planters, Washington felt himself exploited by British merchants and hampered by British regulations. As the quarrel with the mother country grew acute, he moderately but firmly voiced his resistance to the restrictions.

When the Second Continental Congress assembled in Philadelphia in May 1775, Washington, one of the Virginia delegates, was elected Commander in Chief of the Continental Army. On July 3, 1775, at Cambridge, Massachusetts, he took command of his ill-trained troops and embarked upon a war that was to last six grueling years.

He realized early that the best strategy was to harass the British. He reported to Congress, "we should on all Occasions avoid a general Action, or put anything to the Risque, unless compelled by a necessity, into which we ought never to be drawn." Ensuing battles saw him fall back slowly, then strike unexpectedly. Finally in 1781 with the aid of French allies--he forced the surrender of Cornwallis at Yorktown.

Washington longed to retire to his fields at Mount Vernon. But he soon realized that the Nation under its Articles of Confederation was not functioning well, so he became a prime mover in the steps leading to the Constitutional Convention at Philadelphia in 1787. When the new Constitution was ratified, the Electoral College unanimously elected Washington President

He did not infringe upon the policy making powers that he felt the Constitution gave Congress. But the determination of foreign policy became preponderantly a Presidential concern. When the French Revolution led to a major war between France and England, Washington refused to accept entirely the recommendations of either his Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson, who was pro-French, or his Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton, who was pro-British. Rather, he insisted upon a neutral course until the United States could grow stronger.

To his disappointment, two parties were developing by the end of his first term. Wearied of politics, feeling old, he retired at the end of his second. In his Farewell Address, he urged his countrymen to forswear excessive party spirit and geographical distinctions. In foreign affairs, he warned against long-term alliances.

Washington enjoyed less than three years of retirement at Mount Vernon, for he died of a throat infection December 14, 1799. For months the Nation mourned him.

[Traveler]

I find it amuzing to hear some non-masons try to down play George Washingtons role in Freemasonry.
This is a family portrait of the Washingtons in which George Washington posed. He later bought 4 copper engravings of this portrait. You might notice a little masonic symbolism in it if you look closely.

[MASON]

A detail has  smartly added in the picture, and its not hard to catch the eyes. A nice picture. I had never seen this pic before. I would expect more Masonic symbols from George Washington though.

[MASON]

A nice slide show about George Washington.
http://www.npr.org/programs/wesat/features/2007/may/masons/masons_slideshow/index.html