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Lodge 459 English Warrant, Last One Left?

Benjamin Griffiths

Registered User

I have read many articles stating that lodge 459 has the last English Warrant left in the USA. This isn’t true, Lodge 403 still has their warrant, they currently work as Lodge #2 under the Grand Lodge of North Carolina AFAM.

Similar founding History with Lodge 459.

This lodge states that it received the right to assemble as masons from “C. Harnet Grand Master of masons in Wilmington NC” Nov 1st 1764. There wasn’t a PGM in Wilmington at that time, C. Harnet was just a Worshipful Master, he later became a PGM of Virginia.

This right to assemble was only recorded in the records of Lodge 403 and not in Wilmington’s archives or that of England. Once they receive their warrant from English then you start seeing correspondence between England and 403. Infact the Worshipful Master of 403 became the Pro Grand Master of All America in 1771, his PGM-ship is recorded in the English Records, his name was J. Montfort. He issued at least 8 provincial warrants in NC and VA. He labeled his daughter lodges as “No. 2 - 8” and didn’t have them request English Warrants.

Did he over step his bounds by issuing a Warrant?

I don’t think so, The Grand lodge of England before the Union with the Ancients, accepted many independent lodges as long as they conformed to the landmarks of masonry and most importantly paid their dues. Once a warrant was issued, it states that the master promises to make masons in a regular form, submit returns / bylaws, and to state what is to be purpose of obtaining a warrant.
 

Benjamin Griffiths

Registered User
Did John Rowe issue Permits?

In the letter that Prince Hall wrote to Moody, he states that he received a permit to meet as a lodge, (this letter is in the archives of Grand Lodge, the copy in Prince Hall’s letter book left out Rowes name) Rowe while acting as Deputy Grand master to Henry Price, did if fact issue a deputation to Thomas Cooper of North Carolina to be a Deputy Grand Master. In this Patent it states that Thomas Cooper was previously deputized as a Master of a lodge by the late grand master Jeremy Gridley, but due to great distances between lodges, they needed a Deputy Grand Master there to warrant new lodges. (This patent is in the grand lodge of Massachusetts archives, not in Grand Lodge of England Archives.

Was Prince Hall a P. G. M. ?

The grand lodge of England states they don’t have a record deputizing Prince Hall as P. G. M. but they didn’t record all the P. G. M. Deputations.

1) Henry Price’s patent (1733) isn’t recorded in the English records, but it does exist in the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts and it was issued by Anthony Lord Viscount Montague

2) Joseph Montfort’s patent (1771) isn’t recorded in the English records, but it does exist in the Grand Lodge of North Carolina and it was issued by Henry Somerset, Duke of Beaufort


Prince Hall could have been a P. G. M. in 1791 and his patent was probably burnt in 1869, we just don’t know.
 

Bloke

Premium Member

I have read many articles stating that lodge 459 has the last English Warrant left in the USA. This isn’t true, Lodge 403 still has their warrant, they currently work as Lodge #2 under the Grand Lodge of North Carolina AFAM.....
If that is the case, then it is not an English Warrant working under UGLE but a Grand Lodge of North Carolina , that's why their Warrant today is No 2 and not No 403.
 

Bloke

Premium Member
I had to check, but the only two English Lodges I am aware of in the USA are Harmonic 356 & St Thomas 9679 in the US Virgin Islands.. but @Glen Cook might now of others..
 

Benjamin Griffiths

Registered User
If that is the case, then it is not an English Warrant working under UGLE but a Grand Lodge of North Carolina , that's why their Warrant today is No 2 and not No 403.

Bloke, I did not mean currently working under a warrant from UGLE.

Many people state that African Lodge 459 is the only warrant (the physical paper) that has survived and not been destroyed. I believe that to be false as the paper that 403 is written upon is still intact.
 

Glen Cook

G A Cook
Site Benefactor
@Bloke I did not know about two active lodges that stated. But did know that Quatuor Coranati #2076 has a branch in the USA and Latin America both with Worshipful masters.
QC has the Correspondence Circle for those who are not members of the Lodge. It does not make one a lodge member.

UGLE has lodges (and side orders have units) in South America.
 

Benjamin Griffiths

Registered User
@Glen Cook back to my original post.

A 1946 committee stated “It is believed to be the only original Charter issued from the Grand Lodge of England which is now in the possession of any lodge in the United States.”

Why do most researchers continue to state that African lodge 459 has the only original English warrant (before the union) still in their archives?

I’m not stating active warrants, just warrants that were not lost or burnt during the years post 1813.

Did they not research other English warranted lodges in the USA?
 

Glen Cook

G A Cook
Site Benefactor
@Glen Cook back to my original post.

A 1946 committee stated “It is believed to be the only original Charter issued from the Grand Lodge of England which is now in the possession of any lodge in the United States.”

Why do most researchers continue to state that African lodge 459 has the only original English warrant (before the union) still in their archives?

I’m not stating active warrants, just warrants that were not lost or burnt during the years post 1813.

Did they not research other English warranted lodges in the USA?
I wasn’t addressing that point. You would need to ask whoever it was that said it.
 

Bloke

Premium Member
@Glen Cook back to my original post.

A 1946 committee stated “It is believed to be the only original Charter issued from the Grand Lodge of England which is now in the possession of any lodge in the United States.”

Why do most researchers continue to state that African lodge 459 has the only original English warrant (before the union) still in their archives?

I’m not stating active warrants, just warrants that were not lost or burnt during the years post 1813.

Did they not research other English warranted lodges in the USA?
Hello Benjamin, I know that was directed at Glen, but we're interested in history....
Which 1926 committee ?

"Why do most researchers continue to state that African lodge 459 has the only original English warrant (before the union) still in their archives?"
Because it is either established fact, or they are regurgitating something someone claimed earlier without fact checking..

"I’m not stating active warrants, just warrants that were not lost or burnt during the years post 1813."
I find it hard to believe that only 1 English Warrant would survive in land as big as America.

Are you a Freemason ? Are you in the USA ?

You might do some hunting on https://www.dhi.ac.uk/lane/howtoread.php which might be local to you and follow up.
 
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