FIRST GRAND MASTER IN AMERICA
The Masonic Review - 1857
HENRY PRICE, of Boston, Massachusetts, was the first
Grand Master of Masons on the American Continent. In 1733, Lord
Montague, Grand Master of Masons in England, having received a
petition from a number of brethren "residing in New England,"
issued his commission to Bro. Henry Price, of
Boston, constituting him Provincial Grand Master of New
England. On receipt of the commission the brethren met in Boston
July 30th, 1733, and organized a Provincial Grand Lodge, under
the title and designation of "St. John's Grand Lodge," when
the following officers were chosen and duly installed: Andrew
Belcher, D.G.M.; Thomas Kennelly, S.G.W.; John Quano, J.G.W. A
subordinate Lodge was immediately organized in Boston, by the
name of "St. John's Lodge." Thus was Masonry, in an organized
form, introduced into America, and which has since spread all
over the United States, and throughout Canada. At
different periods it has also been introduced into the Central
and South American States, but the prevalence of Roman
Catholicism has prevent edit from taking firm root there, as
Romanism has long been the determined and uncompromising enemy
of Freemasonry. Bro. Price resigned his office of
Grand Master in 1736. How long he lived or when he died, we
have no means of ascertaining. He was buried in the grave-yard in
Townsend, in Massachusetts, and the place of his burial
is still designated by "a tablet bearing an inscription which
records important facts of his life." The Grand Master of
Massachusetts, in a late communication to that Grand
Lodge, suggests the propriety of removing his remains to the
beautiful Cemetery of Mt. Auburn, near Boston, and erecting to
his memory there "a substantial and
appropriate memorial." In the mind of every Freemason in
the land, there can be no doubt about the propriety, nor
should there be as to the duty, of the Grand Lodge to proceed at
once to perform this task. Such a memento would be
alike honorable to the memory of the first Grand Master in
America, and to the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts. It should be
done at once, and built of granite, plain but substantial,
and the tablet above referred to placed within it. Then a
delegation from ever Grand Lodge in North America should, by
invitation, be present at its dedication, and take part in the
ceremonies. Let the whole Craft be represented there, that the
united brotherhood may do homage to the first Grand Master of
Masons in America. back to top
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