Early History Of Freemasonry In America.

Lodges claimed to have originated from the Boston G . L .: — 1734 Philadelphia , 1735 New Hampshire . „ South Carolina . 1738 Antigua and

„ Annapolis , Nova Scotia . 1746 Newfoundland . 1749 Rhode Island . 1750 Halifax , Nova Scotia . „ Annapolis , Maryland . Avith three other Lodges in Connecticut . Bro . Moore , in a Table of Lodges

appended to the Massachusetts Constitution of 1857 , gives the following dates : — June 24 , 1734 ... Pennysylvania . „ 1734 ... Portsmouth , New Hampshire .

Dec . 27 , 1735 ... Charleston , South Carolina . „ 1738 ... Antigua . „ 1740 ... Halifax , Nova Scotia . Dec . 24 , 1746 ... NeAvfoundland . „ 1750 ... "Eoyal" Annapolis , Nova Scotia . Aug . 12 , 1750 ... Annapolis , Maryland .

There is no doubt that the New England Lodges derived their authority from Boston . The Portsmouth Lodge , however , is incorrectly dated in both lists . The Boston record of June 24 , 1735 , says , "About this time" ( it

always begins with about this time ) ¦ " the Portsmouth Masons petitioned for a Lodge , and Mr . appointed their Master . " But the record date is also incorrect , as the petition of the Portsmouth brethren , a fac simile of which

is appended to Bro . Gardner ' s address on Henry Price , is dated Feb . 5 , 1736 , new style . The Lodge however remained unchartered until 1738 , AAdien Tomlinson granted the charter . This fact may be found in Lyman Spaulding ' s

early history of Masonry in NBAV Hampshire ; and it was further confirmed , both verbally and in writing , by Bro . Christie , P . G . M . of New Hampshire , aud a resident of Portsmouth , the record of that Lodge began in 1738 and

men-, tions the presence of G . M . Tomlinson at that meeting . The way this Portsmouth Lodge is alluded to in -the record with , " and

Mr . appointed their Master , " and assigning the date of its origin nearly eight months before the date of the petition , would by itself prove the record bogus . But why Price himself did not grant the charter I cannot tell .

" Eoyal , " the name appended by Bro . Moore to the Annapolis Nova Scoria Lodge , was one of Bro . Moore ' s inventions . But as I have given a full history of the origin of Masonry in Nova Scotia in the October Number , I must here merely call attention to the difference of the dates in the above

lists , together with the date in the record of the Nova Scotia Lodges . About South Carolina . Under date , Dec . 27 , 1735 , the Boston record says : " About this time , sundry brethren

going to S . C , met with some Masons in Charleston , who thereupon went to work , from which spring Masonry in these parts . " This , if true , shows that there were then Masons in Charleston , and certainly does not intimate that

they obtained a charter from Price . About four years ago Bro . Brans , who succeeded Bro . Mackey as G . S . of South Carolina , and who has since then been G . M . of that State , assured me in Boston , that no old records exist in his archives , and added , if any such records existed , Bro . Mackey must have carried them off when he was defeated in

the election of G . S . There is , therefore , not a shadow of proof that South Carolina is indebted to Price for its origin of Masonry . AVith regard to Antigua , the record of Dec . 271738 says : "This year our

, , E . AV . G . M . Mr . Tomlinson , went to England via Antigua , where finding some old Boston Masons [ how old ?] , went to work and made the Governor and sundry gentlemen , of distinction Masons ; whereby from our Lodge

sprung Masonry iu the AVest Indies . " Now , as Tomlinson ' s deputation confined its jurisdiction to New England , he had no right to make Masons in the West Indies , and he certainly cordd not charter a Lodge there , and the