Washington's Masonic Correspondence

II

Correspondence with Alexandria Lodge, No. 39, Virginia, December, 1783

THE next Masonic Letter of Brother Washington of which we have any knowledge is the one written in answer to a letter sent him, upon his return to civil life by the Brethren of Lodge No. 39, on the register of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania, which met at Alexandria, Virginia.

December 23, 1783, General Washington presented himself to "The United States in Congress Assembled," at Annapolis, Maryland, and resigned his Commission that he had received on June 17, 1775, as Commander-in-Chief of the Armies of the United States.

Upon Christmas Eve he returned to Mount Vernon, whereupon the Brethren at Alexandria, who, it must be remembered, were working under a Pennsylvania Warrant, at once sent the following Address signed by the Officers of Lodge No. 39, to Brother Washington at Mount Vernon,20 viz.:

"Sir: Whilst all denominations of people bless the happy occasion of your excellency's return to enjoy private and domestic felicity, permit us, sir, the members of Lodge No. 39, lately established in Alexandria, to assure your excellency, that we, as a mystical body, rejoice in having a brother so near us, whose preeminent benevolence has secured the happiness of millions; and that we shall esteem ourselves highly honored at all times your excellency shall be pleased to join us in the needful business."

"We have the honor to be, in the name and behalf of No. 39, your excellency's

"Devoted friends and brothers,

"Robert Adam, M.

"E. C. Dick, S. W.

"J. Allison, J. W.

"Wm. Ramsay, Treas."

"His Excellency General Washington."

Two days later Brother Washington sent following reply,21 viz.:

"Gentlemen:

"With pleasing sensibility

"I received your favor of the 26th, and

"beg leave to offer you my sincere thanks

"for the favorable sentiments with

"which it abounds.—

"I shall always feel pleasure

"when it may be in my power to ren-

"der service to Lodge N° 39, and in

"every act of brotherly kindness to the

"Members of it; being with great truth.

"Your affecte Brother

"and Obedt Servant

"Robt Adam Esqr Master,

"& the Wardens & Treasr

"of Lodge N° 39."

No copy of either address nor reply of this correspondence has thus far been found among the Washington papers in the Library of Congress, by the present writer.

Brother Robert Adam, the Master of Alexandria Lodge, No. 39, was a Son of the Rev. John Adam, D.D., and Janet Campbell, of Kelbride, Scotland, was born May 4, 1731; he emigrated to America in 1753, and, after a short residence at Annapolis, Md., established himself at a pleasant country residence in Fairfax County, Virginia, about four miles from Alexandria. He was a gentleman of refined taste, cultivation and wealth, and interested himself in everything that could promote the prosperity of his adopted home.

Washington's Reply to Alexandria Lodge, No. 39. Original in Alexandria-Washington Lodge, No. 22, Alexandria, Virginia.

It appears that during his residence at Annapolis, he was made a Mason in a clandestine or irregular Lodge, and in the year 1783 applied for a dispensation from the Grand Master of Pennsylvania, to apply to Lodge No. 2, for initiation and membership.

Brother Dr. Elisha Cullen Dick, Senior Warden of Lodge No. 39, was a native of Pennsylvania, born near Marcus Hook, in Delaware County, about 1753, and died at Alexandria, Va., September 22, 1825. He was a son of Archibald Dick, a member of Lodge No. 2 at Philadelphia, and joined the same Lodge, September 15, 1779.22 Brother Elisha C. Dick was a graduate of the old Pequea Academy, and of the College of Pennsylvania. He began the study of medicine under Drs. William Shippen and Benjamin Rush. After graduating he settled in Alexandria, Va., and at once became active in Masonic circles in that city, and was instrumental in having the petition presented to the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania for a warrant, which was granted under the name and number "Alexandria Lodge No. 39."

Upon the records of the Lodge, Brother Dick appears as both predecessor and successor of Brother Washington as Master. Brother Dick was the first consulting physician in Washington's last illness, and also conducted the Masonic services at Washington's funeral on December 18, 1799. A biography of Dr. Dick is in the Library of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania.

Brother John Allison, the Junior Warden of Lodge No. 39, had served as Major in the 1st Virginia State Regiment, and later as Lieutenant Colonel.

Brother William Ramsay, Treasurer of Lodge No. 39, was an old personal friend of Washington.

For a history of Alexandria Lodge, No. 39, warranted by the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania, February 3, 1783, which was constituted on the second floor of a large three-story frame building, known as the "Lamb Tavern," on the twenty-fifth of February, 1783, the Masonic student is referred to "Old Masonic Lodges of Pennsylvania," Philadelphia, 1913, Chapter XLVI, pp. 153-168.

This tavern was situated on the west side of Union Street, between Prince and Duke Streets, Alexandria, the site of which is now known as No. 55 South Union Street.23

III

Correspondence with Alexandria Lodge, No. 39, Virginia, June, 1784

THE next Washington letter of Masonic import in chronological order is his reply to an invitation to join the brethren of Alexandria Lodge, No. 39, in the celebration of St. John the Baptist's Day, June 24, 1784, to which Washington sent the following reply, accepting the fraternal invitation.

"Dear Sir: With pleasure, I received the invitation of the master and members of Lodge No. 39, to dine with them on the approaching anniversary of St. John the Baptist. If nothing unforeseen at present interferes, I will have the honor of doing it. For the polite and flattering terms in which you have expressed their wishes, you will please accept my thanks."

"With esteem and respect,

"I am, dear sir,

"Your most Ob't serv't

"Wm. Herbert, Esquire."

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1

Letter to Julius F. Sachse from Manuscript Division, December 19, 1914—in Library of Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania.

2

The letters referred to by the Anti-Masons were the one to King David's Lodge at Newport, two to the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts, and one to Charleston, S. C., and to the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania. The above five Masonic Letters were all that were known to the Anti-Masons at that time.

3

"Vindication | of | General Washington | from the stigma | of adherence to | Secret Societies | by | Joseph Ritner | Governor of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, | communicated | by | request of the House of Representatives, to that body,| on the 8th of March, 1837."

This address during the Anti-Masonic period was regarded as an important state paper.

4

Letter press copies of the Snyder letters were retained by Washington. Photostat copies of same are in the Archives of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania.

5

"Proceedings of the Third State Anti-masonic Convention, of Massachusetts, Worcester, 1832," p. 27.

6

Vindication of Washington before quoted, p. 13.

7

The Ancient Minute Book and Ledger of Fredericksburg Lodge, No. 4, in Virginia, of which we have a photostat, is still in possession of the Lodge, showing that "George Washington was entered November 4, 1752, and on November 6, paid for his entrance £2. 3. 0, March 3, 1753, George Washington was passed to Fellow-Craft; August 4, 1753, George Washington was raised Master Mason."

8

Catalogue of Washington Collection in Boston Athenæum, Boston, 1897, p. 185.

9

Cf. "Works of William Smith, D.D.," Philadelphia, 1803, Vol. II, pp. 27-88, also "Life and Correspondence of Rev. William Smith, D.D.," Philadelphia, 1880, Vol. II, p. 9. Et seq.

10

For an exhaustive sketch of Brother Moses Michael Hays, see The American Freemason, Vol. V, p. 576.

11

"Newport, ss. Newport, August 18th, A.D. 1832. I certify that the extracts taken from the records of King David's Lodge, Newport, contained in the above and three foregoing pages, have been by me compared with the minutes contained in two books purporting and appearing to be the original records of said Lodge, and found to be true and accurate copies of the same.

"Quid attestor,  "Geo. C. Mason.

"Jus. Peace and Pub. Not'y."

Cf. "Anti-masonic Republican Convention of Massachusetts held at Worcester, September 5-6, 1832," p. 23.

12

For a full account of this episode, see "Freemasonry in Pennsylvania," Barratt and Sachse, Philadelphia, 1908, Vol. 1, Chapter XII; "Washington as General Grand Master," p. 393 et seq.

13

"Men and Times of the Revolution, or Memoirs of Elkanah Watson," New York, 1856, pp. 135, 136.

14

Cf. "Proceedings Grand Lodge of New York," 1867, p. 28.

15

"Memoirs of Elkanah Watson," p. 135.

16

Cf. "Itinerary of General Washington from June 15, 1775, to December 23, 1783," by William S. Baker, Philadelphia, 1892, p. 271.

17

It will be noted that on both the draft and letter, Washington spells the name Cassoul—"Cosson."

18

Catalogue of Antiquities and Curios, Grand Lodge F. & A. M., New York, Class J, No. 1, New York, 1905.

19

Cf. "Calendar of the Papers of Benjamin Franklin in the Library of the American Philosophical Society," edited by I. Minis Hays, Volume V, p. 312.

20

Cf. "Old Masonic Lodges of Pennsylvania—Moderns and Ancients," Julius F. Sachse, Philadelphia, 1913, Vol. II, p. 157. Also Vide "Washington the Man and the Mason," by Charles H. Callahan, published under the auspices of the "Memorial Temple Committee of the George Washington Masonic National Memorial Association," Washington, D. C., 1913.

21

Original among Washington relics in Alexandria-Washington Lodge, No. 22, Alexandria, Virginia. Fac-simile in Washington collection of Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania.

22

Elisha C. Dick's petition was presented in Lodge No. 2, September 14, 1779, approved and entered by virtue of a dispensation from the Grand Master, September 15; passed and raised, September 23. "Freemasonry in Pennsylvania," Vol. I, pp. 352, 353.

23

Cf. "The Lodge of Washington," by F. L. Brocket, Alexandria, Va., 1876.

24

"Washington and his Masonic Compeers," by Sidney Hayden, New York, 1866, p. 104.