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  • July 1, 1874
  • Page 15
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The Masonic Magazine, July 1, 1874: Page 15

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    Article EARLY HISTORY OF FREEMASONRY IN AMERICA. ← Page 8 of 10
    Article EARLY HISTORY OF FREEMASONRY IN AMERICA. Page 8 of 10 →
Page 15

Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.

Early History Of Freemasonry In America.

used it . Bro . Mackey , in his Encyclopredia of Freemasonry , just issued , says , Avith reference to Daniel Cox : "I have not been able to obtain any evidence that he exercised his prerogatiA' -e by the establishment of lodges in that

province ( New Jersey ) , but presume that he did . " To the writer ' s mind the evidence above produced is conclusive that Freemasonry Avas laAvfully established in the proA'ince of Pennsylvania at an earlier date than in any of her sister

provinces , and that to Philadelphia must be aA \* arded the honourable title of " the Mother of Masonry in America . " We regret to take the laurel croAvn from Boston , but magna est Veritas et prevalebit . The exalted character and social

status ot the men who presided over the Provincial Grand LodgB of Pennsylvania in 1732 , and the years innnecliately folloAving , are eminently worthy of remark , in this connection , and in themselves corroborati \ -e of the truth

of the statement in Franklin ' s Gazette iu 1732 , since neither Franklin , nor any one else , could have made such a statement concerning them , if untrue , Avithout provoking a reply and denial . "The Worshipful W . AllenEsq . "

, , the first Provincial G . M . of Pennsylvania , Avas one of the most learned , influential , and Avealthy man of his time , and Chief Justice of the proA'ince

of Pennsylvania . 1 have been at considerable pains to trace , from various authentic sources , his whole career , and have met Avith abundant success . It is a matter of sincere congratulation that tho G . M . of Psnnsylvania , in 1732 ,

Avas so distinguished & citizen , and that the indisputable record of his greatness remains until this clay . Grand Master William Allen was the son of an eminent merchant , and Avas honoured bhis felloAV citizensand

y , tlie Proprietary of Pennsylvania , with many of the highest and most honourable offices in their gift . In the year 1728 he Avas a member of the Common Council of Philadelphia ;* from 1731

Early History Of Freemasonry In America.

to 1 ^ 34 ( covering the year Avas Grand Master ) he was an Alderman of the City ;* in 1735 he Avas Mayor of the City ; f from 1741 to 1750 he Avas Recorder of the City , and Avithin this period , in 1749 , he was appointed

Provincial Grand Master of Pennsylvania a second time , by Lord Byron , G . M . of England ; in 1750 he was appointed Chief Justice of the province of Pennsylvania , and filled this lofty station for many yearsj He was distinguished

, for his love of literature and the arts ; was the friend and patron of Benjamin West , the great painter , and co-operated with Franklin in establishing a college at Philadelphia , since famous as the University of Pennsylvania . No

person in Pennsylvania , probably , Avas richer than Judge Allen , or possessed greater influence . He Avas a member

of Congress , and of the . Committee of Safety , but became a Loyalist in the American War for Independence . A Avag of the time said he joined the royal side "because the Continental Congress presumed to declare the

American States free and independent without first asking the consent , and obtaining the approbation , of himself and wise family . " In 1761 he Avas one of the three persons in Philadelphia AA'I IO kept a coach . His own was clraAvn

by four horses ; and his coachman , AVIIO Avas imported from England , A \* as " a great whip . " In the latter part of 1776 he placed himself under the protection of General HoAve , at Trenton , and two years afterwards he made an

unsuccessful attempt to raise a regiment for the British cause . He died in England in 1780 . § Such Avas the first G . M . of Masons in Pennsylvania . Thomas Boude , Grand Warden of

the Provincial G . L . of Pennsylvania in 1732 , was afterwards Coroner of the county of Philadelphia . IT

“The Masonic Magazine: 1874-07-01, Page 15” Masonic Periodicals Online, Library and Museum of Freemasonry, 24 May 2025, django:8000/periodicals/mmg/issues/mmg_01071874/page/15/.
  • List
  • Grid
Title Category Page
Untitled Article 1
PREFACE. Article 2
INDEX. Article 4
Monthly Masonic Summary. Article 6
MYSTIC SYMBOLS. Article 7
THE MASON'S GRAVE. Article 7
EARLY HISTORY OF FREEMASONRY IN AMERICA. Article 8
THE OLD MASONIC POEM. Article 18
MONSIEUR LE BARON. Article 20
THE NEW MORALITY. Article 23
THE BROKEN EMBLEM. Article 24
THE MYSTERY. Article 31
DISPERSION OF LANGUAGE. Article 32
THE BRICKLAYER. Article 33
Review. Article 34
AN ELEPHANT HUNT IN SIAM. Article 34
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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.

Early History Of Freemasonry In America.

used it . Bro . Mackey , in his Encyclopredia of Freemasonry , just issued , says , Avith reference to Daniel Cox : "I have not been able to obtain any evidence that he exercised his prerogatiA' -e by the establishment of lodges in that

province ( New Jersey ) , but presume that he did . " To the writer ' s mind the evidence above produced is conclusive that Freemasonry Avas laAvfully established in the proA'ince of Pennsylvania at an earlier date than in any of her sister

provinces , and that to Philadelphia must be aA \* arded the honourable title of " the Mother of Masonry in America . " We regret to take the laurel croAvn from Boston , but magna est Veritas et prevalebit . The exalted character and social

status ot the men who presided over the Provincial Grand LodgB of Pennsylvania in 1732 , and the years innnecliately folloAving , are eminently worthy of remark , in this connection , and in themselves corroborati \ -e of the truth

of the statement in Franklin ' s Gazette iu 1732 , since neither Franklin , nor any one else , could have made such a statement concerning them , if untrue , Avithout provoking a reply and denial . "The Worshipful W . AllenEsq . "

, , the first Provincial G . M . of Pennsylvania , Avas one of the most learned , influential , and Avealthy man of his time , and Chief Justice of the proA'ince

of Pennsylvania . 1 have been at considerable pains to trace , from various authentic sources , his whole career , and have met Avith abundant success . It is a matter of sincere congratulation that tho G . M . of Psnnsylvania , in 1732 ,

Avas so distinguished & citizen , and that the indisputable record of his greatness remains until this clay . Grand Master William Allen was the son of an eminent merchant , and Avas honoured bhis felloAV citizensand

y , tlie Proprietary of Pennsylvania , with many of the highest and most honourable offices in their gift . In the year 1728 he Avas a member of the Common Council of Philadelphia ;* from 1731

Early History Of Freemasonry In America.

to 1 ^ 34 ( covering the year Avas Grand Master ) he was an Alderman of the City ;* in 1735 he Avas Mayor of the City ; f from 1741 to 1750 he Avas Recorder of the City , and Avithin this period , in 1749 , he was appointed

Provincial Grand Master of Pennsylvania a second time , by Lord Byron , G . M . of England ; in 1750 he was appointed Chief Justice of the province of Pennsylvania , and filled this lofty station for many yearsj He was distinguished

, for his love of literature and the arts ; was the friend and patron of Benjamin West , the great painter , and co-operated with Franklin in establishing a college at Philadelphia , since famous as the University of Pennsylvania . No

person in Pennsylvania , probably , Avas richer than Judge Allen , or possessed greater influence . He Avas a member

of Congress , and of the . Committee of Safety , but became a Loyalist in the American War for Independence . A Avag of the time said he joined the royal side "because the Continental Congress presumed to declare the

American States free and independent without first asking the consent , and obtaining the approbation , of himself and wise family . " In 1761 he Avas one of the three persons in Philadelphia AA'I IO kept a coach . His own was clraAvn

by four horses ; and his coachman , AVIIO Avas imported from England , A \* as " a great whip . " In the latter part of 1776 he placed himself under the protection of General HoAve , at Trenton , and two years afterwards he made an

unsuccessful attempt to raise a regiment for the British cause . He died in England in 1780 . § Such Avas the first G . M . of Masons in Pennsylvania . Thomas Boude , Grand Warden of

the Provincial G . L . of Pennsylvania in 1732 , was afterwards Coroner of the county of Philadelphia . IT

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