NEW YORK. The first recorded knowledge we have of the establish ment of, or the attempt to establish, Freemasonry in the colonies of North America is the deputation granted by the Grand Lodge of England, in 1730, Duke of Norfolk, Grand Master, to Samuel Core, for the Provinces of New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania. But the fact that Brother Core used his authority or performed any 'Masonic) act remains hidden beneath the unexcavated arches of our imperfect history. But the faithful and dili gent craftsmen are at work, and we are confident that some valuable memento of the past will yet be the reward of their labors. The first charter for the organization a Provincial Grand Lodge in New York was granted by the Grand Lodge of England in 1737, during the Grand Mastership of the Earl of Darnley, to Richard Rigg t, as Provincial Grand Master. The pre cise date of this charter and the records of the Grand Lodge were, probably, destroyed during the war 'f the Revolution. Neither is it known that this Provincial Grand Lodge established any subordinates. In 1747, under the Grand Master ship of Lord Byron, provincial patents were issued for New York. During this period, and up to 1751, Francis Goalet exercised the prero gatives of Provincial Grand Master. For the space of two years we have no knowledge of who exercised the duties of Grand Master. June 9, 1753, a commission was granted by Lord Carysfort, Grand Master of England, empowering George Har rison to superintend the affairs of the Craft as Provincial Grand Master in the Province of New York. He was regularly installed in due and ancient form Dec. 27, 1753. Masonry flourished under his auspices, and several lodges were established in the Province. Sir John Johnson was appointed Pro vincial Grand Master in 1760 by Lord Aberdour, Grand Master of England, which office he held until the commencement of the war of the Revolution, when he espoused the cause of the British, and it is but fair to presume that he suspended the meetings of the Grand Lodge, took possession of the records, etc., and that they were
finally destroyed during the war; as most of the lodges suspended business during the war, and the work of the Craft was transferred to the army or traveling lodges. Sept. 5, 1781, a warrant was granted by the " Ancient Grand Lodge of England," the Duke of Athol, Grand Master, to open a Provincial Grand Lodge in the city of New York, appointing Rev. William Walter Provincial Grand Master. The first meeting of this Grand Lodge was held Dec. 5, 1782, at which nine lodes, then in the city, and six lodges, connected with the British army, were present. At the close of the war, and the evacuation of the city of New York, by the British army, the military lodges, and many of the Grand Ofheers, It.ft the country. Sept. 19, 1783, a meeting of the Provincial Grand Lodge was held, when Bro. Walter resigned and William Cock was unanimously elected Grand Master. At the meeting of Feb. 4, 1784, Bro. Cock resigned, and the Hon. Robert R. Livingston was elected Grand Master. The precise date when the Grand Lodge changed its form from Provincial to an Independent is not positively known. But it is gene rally conceded that when the arti cles of peace were ratified by the two countries, the Provincial title ceased, as a natural and legal result. The history of Masonry in New York has been an eventful one. Yet, notwithstanding these alter nating experiences of tranquil calms and raging tempests, the Order of Freemasonry in New York is, to-day, immutable in its principles, un shattered by past convulsions, unin jured by insidious decay, unawed by threatened tumult or turbulent dis sension, as securely poised upon a stable base as the everlasting hills.
The GRAND CHAPTER was organ ized Mar. 14, 1798. DeWitt Clinton was elected the first Grand High Priest.
The GRAND COUNCIL of Royal and Select Masters was organized 1807. The GRAND COMHANDsRY,Knights Templar, was organized June 18, 1314. DeWitt Clinton was elected the first Grand Commander.