The Founding and Early History of
The Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of F. & A.M of Alabama

Firstly, a short account of the Lodges that had been in existence previous to its organization within its jurisdiction.

The Grand Lodge of Kentucky had authorized one, Louisiana two, North Carolina two, Tennessee seven, Georgia two, and South Carolina one. Of these Lodges four had become extinct before the organization of this Grand Lodge. One declined uniting in the organization. One probably never organized and nine establishing the Grand Lodge of Alabama.

Grand Lodge, of Kentucky—

Aug. 29, 1811. A Dispensation issued to sundry brethren to open a Lodge at Huntsville, Madison County, Territory of Mississippi, and that Marmaduke Williams be the Master, John C. Hamilton S. W., and William Harrison J. W.

This was sent up to the Grand Lodge at its annual communication, August, 1812, together with their return and petition for a Charter. The return shows a membership of 18 and that during the year 14 had been initiated, 13 passed and 8 raised. The first degrees conferred appear to have been the initiations of Thomas Fearn and Clement C. Clay.

A charter was granted August 28, 1812, with Lewis Winston as First Master, Thomas Fearn, S. W , and John J. Winston, J. W. This was surrendered to the Grand Lodge of Alabama

This is the earliest known record of Freemasonry within the present jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of Alabama.

Grand Lodge of Louisiana—

September 6,1813. It was voted that definite ”constitutions be delivered” to the petitioners, namely Jas. Lyon, S. H. Garrow, C. Strong Stewart, Dominique Salles, Ed. J. Hazlewood, A. S. Sands, Nathaniel Charles and Samuel Acre to open a Lodge at Mobile, under the name of Friendship Lodge No. 6, with Jas. Lyon, Master, S. H. Garrow S. W. and Charles S. Stewart, J. W. This Lodge was declared forfeited July 20, 1820, for being delinquent in dues, returns, and representative.

March 27, 1819. A charter was granted to Eureka Lodge No. 16, at Blakely, Ala., with Wm Coolidge as Master. This Lodge was organized June 5, 1819, with Wm. Coolidge as Master, Sylvester Bell as S. W. and E. G. Sheffield as J. W. Little has been ascertained of this Lodge, but it ceased to work before June, 1821.

Grand Lodge of North Carolina—

Some time previous to June, 1815, this Grand Lodge granted a charter to Friendship Lodge No. 65, at St. Stephens, Ala. No information has been obtained of this Lodge except that the charter was forfeited in 1816.

April 12, 1821. A dispensation was given to Silas Dinsmore, Samuel St. John, R. Chamberlain and H. A. Shaw to open a Lodge at St. Stephens, to be named St. Stephens Lodge, with Silas Dinsmore as Master, Israel Pickens as S.W. and Samuel St. John as J. W. This was surrendered to the Grand Lodge of Alabama the following June.

Grand Lodge of Tennessee—

April 6, 1818. Dispensation issued to William Atwood and others to open a Lodge at Huntsville, Ala., to be named Alabama Lodge No. 21, and on October 14, 1818, a charter was granted, with Wm. Atwood as Master, John P. Hickman as S.W. and Edwin Hickman as J. W. This was surrendered to the Grand Lodge of Alabama.

A dispensation to Daniel S. Leonard, Samuel Noble and Sutton F. Allen to hold a Lodge at Hazel Green, Ala., to be named Washington Lodge No. 23, constituting the brethren, named, Master and Wardens of said Lodge. This Lodge continued to work under the jurisdiction of Tennessee until 1829, when it surrendered its charter.

August 2, 1819. Dispensation issued to sundry brethren to open a Lodge at Tuscaloosa, Ala., to be named Rising Virtue Lodge No. 30. Charter was granted October 5, 1819, with Joseph S. Biggs as Master, Charles L. Owen as S.W. and Constantine Perkins as J. W. This was surrendered to the Grand Lodge of Alabama.

May 2, 1820. Dispensation issued to George A. Glover and others to open a Lodge at Moulton, Ala., by the name of Moulton Lodge No. 34, and on October 5th, 1820, a charter was granted, appointing George A. Glover as Master, R. H. Carroll as S. W. and Charles Pearson as J.W. This was surrendered to the Grand Lodge of Alabama.

October 3, 1820. Dispensation issued to Richard Ellis and others to open a Lodge at Russelville, Ala. to be called Franklin Lodge No. 36. This was surrendered to the Grand Lodge of Alabama in 1822 and charter declined.

March 3, 1821. Dispensation issued to Samuel Mitchell and others to open a Lodge at Courtland, Ala., to be named Tuscumbia Lodge No. 40. A
charter was granted, but date unknown.

March 5, 1821. Dispensation issued to Thomas W. Farrar, John Wilson, Andrew Green, Ira E. Paschall, R. G. Matthews, John H. Morris and John Martin, to open a Lodge at Elyton, Ala., to be named Farrar Lodge No. 41, appointing Thomas W. Farrar as Master, John Wilson as S. W. and Andrew Green as J. W. This was surrendered to the Grand Lodge of Alabama
June, 1821.

Grand Lodge of Georgia—

February 21, 1820. A dispensation issued to John Taylor and others to open a Lodge at Cahawba, Ala., to be named Halo Lodge No. 21, appointing John Taylor as Master, Thomas Wood as S.W. and James Brown as J. W., and on January 24,1821, a charter was granted. This was surrendered to the Grand Lodge of Alabama June, 1821.

May 28, 1821. A dispensation issued to H. L. Revire, Samuel T. Barnes and Samuel Key, to open a Lodge at Suggsville, to be named Marion Lodge.
This Lodge was probably never organized.

Grand Lodge of South Carolina—

June 25, 1819. A charter was granted to Alabama Lodge No. 51, located at Claiborne, Ala, with John Murphy as Master. This was surrendered to the Grand Lodge of Alabama.

PROCEEDINGS
OF A
Convention and Formation
OF THE
GRAND LODGE OF ALABAMA

CAHAWBA, ALA.,
HALO LODGE ROOM, June 11th, 5821.

At a meeting of delegates from Lodges of this State appointed to take into consideration the expediency of establishing and constituting a Grand Lodge for
the State of Alabama, the following brethren appeared claiming to be delegates from their respective Lodges, namely: Thomas W. Farrar, John Brown, Israel Pickens, Constantine Perkins, William B. Allen, Dugald McFarland, Thomas Owen, Gabriel Moore, George W. Owen, Frederick Weedon, John M. Leake, and James H. Draughon.

Lodges with Delegates represented: Halo Lodge No. 21, Madison Lodge No. 21, St Stephens Lodge No. , Rising Virtue Lodge No. 30, Alabama Lodge No. 51, and Farrar Lodge No. 41.

The convention then dismissed for some time the subject of the meeting, and in order to give time to absent members generally to attend, the convention was, on motion, adjourned until half after seven o’clock A. M. on tomorrow.

7:30 A.M., JUNE 12th, 5821.

The great and important objects of this convention, namely the care and protection of the Lodges of this State, the extension of Masonry and the good of mankind, was then taken up, and after some deliberation the following resolution, on motion was unanimously adopted: Resolved, That it is expedient that this convention establish a Grand Lodge of Master Masons for the State of Alabama.

And a committee was appointed to draft a Constitution and report the same with as little delay as possible.

The convention was then adjourned to 5 o’clock P. M. of this day.

5:00 P.M., JUNE 12th, 5821.

The committee to whom this duty was assigned at the last meeting, examined the credentials of delegates from Alabama Lodge No. 21 and Moulton Lodge No. 34, and the committee reported the Lodges as delegates duly constituted.

On motion it was—Resolved That in the election of officers of the Grand Lodge, that each Lodge represented in this convention be entitled to one vote, and that the convention now proceed to the election of the following officers. The election was then gone into and resulted in the choice of—
Bro. Thomas W. Farrar. Most Worshipful Grand Master.
Bro. John Murphy, Senior Grand Warden.
Bro. Thomas Owen, Junior Grand Warden.
Bro. Thomas A. Rogers, Grand Secretary.
Bro. David McCord, Grand Treasurer.
It was then determined by a vote of the convention that the Most Worshipful Grand Master, by consent of the Grand Wardens, in conformity with Ancient Masonic Usage, appoint the remaining officers of the Grand Lodge.

– The convention was then adjourned to half-past seven o’clock tomorrow.

7:30 A.M., JUNE 13th, 5821.

The committee appointed for the purpose, reported the form of a Constitution for the government of the Grand Lodge in the State of Alabama, when the convention proceeded to the consideration thereof, and after some time spent therein adjourned until 5 o’clock P. M. today.

5:00 P.M., JUNE 13th, 5821.

On motion the convention resumed the consideration of the form of Constitution for the government of the Grand Lodge of Alabama, and, making progress therein, adjourned until seven o’clock tomorrow morning.

7:00 A.M., JUNE 14th, 5821.

The convention resumed the consideration of the form of Constitution, which, after sundry amendments were gone through.

On motion a committee was appointed to superintend the enrollment of the Constitution.

Convention adjourned until 5 o’clock p. M. of today.

GRAND LODGE.
HALO LODGE ROOM,
5:00 P.M., June 14th, 5821.

The Most Worshipful Grand Master elect and other officers being present, were installed in Ample and Solemn Form, when the Most Worshipful Grand Master
nominated and by and with the advice and consent of the Grand Wardens appointed: —

Bro. Horatio G. Perry, 1st Deputy Grand Master
Bro. Frederick Weedon, 2nd Deputy Grand Master
Bro. John Elliott, 3rd Deputy Grand Master
Bro. Rev. Mr. Warren, Grand Chaplain
Bro. David Moore, Grand Orator
Bro. Dugald McFarland, Grand Lecturer and Inspector
Bro. William B. Allen, Grand S. Deacon
Bro. Constantine Perkins, Grand J. Deacon
Bro. Bartholomew Labuzan, Grand Master of Ceremonies
Bro. Seth W. Ligon, Grand Pursuivant
Bro. John H. Thorington, Grand Marshal
Bro. Luther Blake, Grand Sword Bearer
Bro. John Cox, Grand Steward
Bro. George Kreps, Grand Steward
Bro. Robert B. Watson, Grand Tyler

Who were severally invested and entered on the duties of their appointments.

A Constitution containing five Articles, proposed by the convention of delegates from sundry Lodges in Alabama, was presented and recommended by said convention to the Grand Lodge for adoption.

The Lodge then adjourned until tomorrow seven o’clock.

7:00 P.M., JUNE 15th, A.L. 5821.

On motion the following resolution was adopted:
Resolved, That the Lodges here represented having, by their representatives, surrendered to this Grand Lodge their respective charters and dispensations, therefore it is ordered that charters be granted to them on equal terms under this Jurisdiction and numbered as follows :
Madison Lodge, Huntsville      …     No. 1.
Alabama Lodge, Huntsville      …     No. 2.
Alabama Lodge, Claiborne      …      No. 3.
Rising Virtue Lodge, Tuscaloosa … No. 4.
Halo Lodge. Cahawba          …          No. 5.
Moulton Lodge, Moulton       …       No. 6.
Russelville Lodge, Russelville    …   No. 7.
Farrar Lodge, Elyton           …           No. 8.
St. Stephens Lodge, St. Stephens … No. 9.

As recorded in the 1821 Grand Lodge Proceedings.