About Freemasonry

Who Are The Masons?

Masons (also known as Freemasons) belong to the oldest and largest fraternal organization in the world. Today, there are more than two million Freemasons in North America alone. Masons represent virtually every occupation and profession, yet within the Fraternity, all meet as equals. Masons come from diverse political ideologies, yet meet as friends. Masons come from varied religious beliefs and creeds, yet all believe in one God.

Many of America's early patriots were Freemasons. Thirteen signers of the Constitution and fourteen Presidents of the United States, including George Washington and Franklin Roosevelt.

One of the most fascinating aspects of Freemasonry is how so many men, from so many different walks of life, can meet together in peace, always conducting their affairs in harmony and friendship and calling each other "Brother."

What is Freemasonry?

Freemasonry (or Masonry) is dedicated to the Brotherhood of Man under the Fatherhood of God. It uses the tools and implements of ancient architectural craftsmen symbolically in a system of instruction designed to build character and moral values in its members. Its singular purpose is to make good men better. Its bonds of friendship, compassion, and brotherly love have survived even the most divisive political, military, and religious conflicts through the centuries. Freemasonry is a fraternity which encourages its members to practice the faith of their personal acceptance. Masonry teaches that each person, through self-improvement and helping others, has an obligation to make a difference for good in the world.

Where Did Freemasonry Begin?

No one knows just how old Freemasonry is because the actual origins have been lost in time. Some scholars believe Masonry arose from the guilds of stonemasons who built the majestic castles and cathedrals of the middle ages. While others speculate its heritage is derived from the "Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and the Temple of Solomon in Jerusalem", otherwise known as the Knights Templar. In 1717, Masonry created a formal organization when four Lodges in London joined in forming England's first Grand Lodge. By 1731, when Benjamin Franklin joined the Fraternity, there were already several Lodges in the Colonies.

Today, Masonic Lodges are found in almost every community throughout North America, and in large cities there are usually several Lodges. A Mason can travel to almost any country in the world and find a Masonic Lodge where he will be welcomed as a "Brother."

What Do Freemasons Do?

The Masonic experience encourages members to become better men, better husbands, better fathers, and better citizens. The fraternal bonds formed in the Lodge help build lifelong friendships among men with similar goals and values.

Beyond its focus on individual development and growth, Masonry is deeply involved in helping people. The Freemasons of North America contribute over two million dollars a day to charitable causes. This philanthropy represents an unparalleled example of the humanitarian commitment of this great and honorable Fraternity. Much of that assistance goes to people who are not Masons. Some of these charities are vast projects. The Shrine Masons (Shriners) operate the largest network of hospitals for burned and orthopedically impaired children in the country, and there is never a fee for treatment. The Scottish Rite Masons maintain a nationwide network of over 150 Childhood Language Disorder Clinics, Centers, and Programs.

Many other Masonic organizations sponsor a variety of philanthropies, including scholarship programs for children, and perform public service activities in their communities. Masons also enjoy the fellowship of each other and their families in social and recreational activities.

Several Masonic Principles Are:

Faith must be the center of our lives
All men and women are the children of God
No one has the right to tell another person what he or she must think or believe
Each person has a responsibility to be a good citizen, obeying the law
It is important to work to make the world a better place for all
Honor and integrity are keys to a meaningful life

What Is The Masonic Lodge?

The word "Lodge" means both a group of Masons meeting together as well as the room or building in which they meet. Masonic buildings are sometimes called "temples" because the original meaning of the term was a "place of knowledge" and Masonry encourages the advancement of knowledge.

Masonic Lodges usually meet once or twice a month to conduct regular business, vote upon petitions for membership, and bring new Masons into the Fraternity through three ceremonies called degrees. In the Lodge room Masons share in a variety of programs. Here the bonds of friendship and fellowship are formed and strengthened.

Men of Character and Integrity Join The Masons

Most are men who go about their jobs and professions with no hint they are Freemasons except for the way they lead their lives. Many are readily recognizable by name, face, or accomplishment. George Washington and thirteen other Presidents, eight Vice Presidents and forty-two Justices of the Supreme Court have been Masons.

So Who Are The Masons?

Masons are men of good character who strive to improve themselves and make the world a better place. They belong to the oldest and most honorable fraternity known to man. If you think you may be interested in becoming a member, you can begin by contacting a Lodge in your area or speaking to a Mason.

Who Can Qualify To Join?

Applicants must be men of good character who believe in a Supreme Being. To become a Mason one must petition a particular Lodge. The Master of the Lodge appoints a committee to visit the applicant prior to the Lodge balloting upon his petition.

History of Freemasonry

No one knows with certainty how or when the Masonic Fraternity was formed. A widely accepted theory among Masonic scholars is that it arose from the stonemasons’ guilds during the Middle Ages. The language and symbols used in the fraternity’s rituals come from this era. The oldest document that makes reference to Masons is the Regius Poem, printed about 1390, which was a copy of an earlier work. In 1717, four lodges in London formed the first Grand Lodge of England, and records from that point on are more complete.

Within thirty years, the fraternity had spread throughout Europe and the American Colonies. Freemasonry became very popular in colonial America. George Washington was a Mason, Benjamin Franklin served as the head of the fraternity in Pennsylvania, as did Paul Revere and Joseph Warren in Massachusetts. Other well-known Masons involved with the founding of America included John Hancock, John Sullivan, Lafayette, Baron Fredrick von Stuben, Nathanael Greene, and John Paul Jones. Another Mason, Chief Justice John Marshall, shaped the Supreme Court into its present form.

Over the centuries, Freemasonry has developed into a worldwide fraternity emphasizing personal study, self-improvement, and social betterment via individual involvement and philanthropy. During the late 1700s it was one of the organizations most responsible for spreading the ideals of the Enlightenment: the dignity of man and the liberty of the individual, the right of all persons to worship as they choose, the formation of democratic governments, and the importance of public education. Masons supported the first public schools in both Europe and America.

During the 1800s and early 1900s, Freemasonry grew dramatically. At that time, the government had provided no social "safety net". The Masonic tradition of founding orphanages, homes for widows, and homes for the aged provided the only security many people knew.

Today in North America, the Masonic Fraternity continues this tradition by giving almost $1.5 million each day to causes that range from operating children’s hospitals, providing treatment for childhood language disorders, treating eye diseases, funding medical research, contributing to local community service, and providing care to Masons and their families at Masonic Homes.

The four million Masons worldwide continue to help men and women face the problems of the 21st century by building bridges of brotherhood and instilling in the hearts of men ideals for a better tomorrow.

Freemasonry is open to all men of good character who believe in God
Freemasonry does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, or social class
The Masonic family of organizations is open to all

Freemasonry admits only men, but many Masonic-related organizations, such as the Eastern Star, Amaranth, Job's Daughters, Rainbow for Girls and DeMolay for Boys, offer ample opportunities for women and youth.

Freemasonry does not require improper oaths

The solemn promises taken in Freemasonry are no different than the oaths taken in court or on entering the armed services. The much-discussed "penalties," judicial remnants from an earlier age, are symbolic, not literal. They refer only to the pain any honest man should feel at the thought of violating his word.

Freemasonry teaches individual improvement through study.

Freemasonry encourages study, including literature by the great writers of ancient times. Freemasonry does not sanction the views of these authors but offers them for each individual's reflection and evaluation.

Freemasonry is a fraternity, not a religion

As a fraternal association dedicated to making good men better, Freemasonry respects the religious beliefs of all its members. Freemasonry has no theology and does not teach any method of salvation. In particular it does not claim that good works gain or guarantee salvation.

Freemasons are united in their desire to be of service to mankind

While Freemasonry supports homes for members and their spouses, most Masonic services, including Shrine medical and burn centers, are available to all citizens. In 1995, major North American Masonic philanthropies totaled more than $750 millon or over $2 million per day of which 70% went to the general public.

Freemasonry is an open, not secretive, society

Masonic meetings are announced publicly, Masonic buildings are marked clearly and are listed in phone directories, and Masons proudly wear jewelry identifying their membership. Freemasonry inherited a tradition of trade secrets from the cathedral-building guilds of medieval Europe. The only "secrets" still belonging to modern Masonry are traditional passwords, signs of recognition, and dramatic presentations of moral lessons.

Freemasonry teaches in steps

Masons learn through a series of lessons. These "degrees" of insight move from basic to more complex concepts. This no more hides the nature of Freemasonry from novice members than does having a student understand fractions before calculus.

Masonry is practiced worldwide

There are over 2 million Masons in North America and nearly 5 million throughout the world.

Freemasonry has no single spokesman

Freemasonry is made up of many individuals in numerous organizations, all subordinate to the Grand Lodge within their jurisdiction (i.e. state). None of these members or organizations can speak for Freemasonry; that is the responsibility of each Grand Lodge within its jurisdiction. No Masonic body nor author, however respected, can usurp the authority of a Grand Lodge.

Freemasonry is made up of many organizations

Masonry has many groups, each with a special social, educational, or philanthropic focus. A man becomes a Mason in his local Lodge. Then he joins any of the following "Appendant Bodies": the Scottish Rite, York Rite (which includes the Royal Arch and Knights Templar), Shriners, Grottoes, Tall Cedars, etc.

They say you can tell a lot about a man by the company he keeps ...

Business Leaders

Astor, John Jacob - financier - Holland Lodge No.8 (1798)
Balfour, Lloyd - jewelry
Bell, Lawrence - Bell Aircraft Corp.
Chrysler, Walter P. - Chrysler Corporation
Dow, William H. - Dow Chemical Co.
Evans, Bob - Bob Evans Restaurants - Morning Dawn Lodge No. 7, Gallipolis
Ford, Henry - Pioneer Automobile Manufacturer - Palestine Lodge No. 357, Detroit MI
Gannett, Frank E. - Hobosco Lodge No. 716, Ithaca, NY - media empire
Gillett, King C. - Gillett Razor Co.
Hilton, Charles C. - Hilton Hotels - William B. Warren Lodge No. 309, Chicago, IL
Lipton, Sir Thomas - Lipton Tea Company - Scotia Lodge No. 178, Glasgow, Scotland
Maytag, Fredrick - Maytag
Molson, John - founder of Molson Breweries; St. Paul's Lodge, No. 374 UGLE, Montreal. Past Provincial Grand Master.
Olds, Ransom E. - American automobile pioneer - Capitol Lodge No. 66, Lansing, MI
Penny, James C. - J.C. Pennys - Wasatch Lodge No. 1, Salt Lake City, UT
Thomas, Dave - Wendys Restaurants - Sol. D. Bayless Lodge No 359, Ft. Wayne, IN
Teets, John W. - Chairman and President of Dial Corporation
Wanamaker, John - Philadelphia retailer

Entertainment Field

Abbott, William "Bud" - actor/comedian; Daylight Lodge No. 525, MI
Armstrong, Louis - jazz musician; Lodge of Montgomery No. 18, PHA, New York, NY
Arnold, Eddy - singer
Autry, Gene - actor; Catoosa Lodge No. 185, Oklahoma, OK
Bassie, William "Count" - orchestra leader/composer; Wisdom Lodge No. 102, Chicago IL
Beery, Wallace - actor; Blaney Lodge No. 271, IL
Beethoven, Ludwig van - composer
Berlin, Irving - composer/entertainer; Munn Lodge No. 190, New York City
Blake, James Herbert "Eubie" - composer/pianist
Blanc, Mel - comedian; Mid Day Lodge No. 188, OR
Borgnine, Ernest - actor; Abingdon Lodge No. 48, Abingdon, VA
Cain, Michael - actor
Cantor, Eddie - singer; Munn Lodge No. 190, New York
Clark, Roy - country western star; Jenks Lodge No. 497, Oklahoma, OK
Cody, "Buffalo Bill" William F. - Indian fighter, Wild West Show - Platte Valley Lodge No. 32 (15?), North Platte, NE
Cohan, George M. - Broadway star; Pacific Lodge No. 223, New York, NY
Cole, Nat 'King' - singer; Thomas Waller Lodge No. 49 PHA, Los Angeles, CA
Costello, Lou - comedian
Crosby, Norm - comedian
deMille, Cecil B. - movie director; Prince of Orange Lodge No. 16, NY
Ellington, Duke - composer, arranger and stylist; Social Lodge No. 1 PHA, Washington, DC
Fairbanks, Douglas - actor; Beverly Hills Lodge No. 528, CA
Fields, W.C. - actor; E. Coppee Mitchell Lodge No. 605, Philadelphia, PA
Ford, Glenn - actor; Riviera Lodge No. 780, Pacific Palisades, CA
Gable, Clark - actor; Beverly Hills Lodge No. 528, CA
Gibson, Hoot - cowboy actor; Truth Lodge No. 628, Los Angeles, CA
Gilbert & Sullivan - composers
Gilbert, Sir William S. - Was the librettis for "Pirates of Penzance"; St. Machar Lodge No. 54, Aberdeen, Scotland
Godfrey, Arthur - actor; Acacia Lodge No. 18, Washington, DC
Hampton, Lionel - Boyer Lodge No. 1 New York PHA
Hardy, Oliver - actor; Solomon Lodge No. 20, Jacksonville, FL
Harvey, Paul - radio personality
Houdini, Harry - magician; St. Cecile Lodge No. 568, New York, NY
Ives, Burl - singer and actor; Magnolia Lodge (now Magnolia-La Cumbre Lodge) No. 242, Santa Barbara, CA
Jolson, Al - entertainer; St. Cecile Lodge No. 568, New York
Keaton, Buster - actor
Kelly, Emmett, Sr. - famous circus clown (Weary Willie) - Sarasota Lodge No. 147
Kern, Jerome David - American composer, "Show Boat" - Gramatan Lodge No. 927, Bronxville, NY
Kristofferson, Kris - actor, songwriter
Lincoln, Elmo - First actor to play Tarzan of the Apes (1918)
Listz, Franz Von - Hungarian composer; Lodge Zur Einigkeit, Frankfurt, Germany
Lloyd, Harold C. - actor; Alexander Hamilton Lodge No. 535, Hollywood, CA
Mayer, Louis B. - film producer who merged to form Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM); St. Cecile Lodge No. 568, New York, NY
Miller, Glenn - musician
Mix, Tom - U.S. Marshal turned western actor; Utopia Lodge No. 537, Los Angeles, CA
Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus - composer; Lodge Zur Wohltatigkeit, Vienna
North, Jay ("Dennis the Menace") - Lake Butler Lodge No. 52 F.& A.M., Florida
Richards, Michael - comedian (Kramer of "Seinfeld" fame) - Plural member: Riviera Lodge No. 780 & Culver City-Foshay No. 467 (CA)
Ringling Brothers - all 7 brothers and their father; Baraboo Lodge No. 34, Baraboo, WI
Rogers, Roy - actor; Hollywood Lodge No. 255 (355?), California
Rogers, Will - actor; Claremore Lodge No. 53, Oklahoma
Sellers, Peter - actor; Chelsea Lodge No. 3098, London, UK
Skelton, Red - comedian; Vincennes Lodge No. 1, Vincennes, IN
Sousa, John Philip - composer - Hiran Lodge No. 10, Washington, DC
Switzer, Carl "Alfalfa" - of "Little Rascals" fame
Thomas, Danny - actor
Thomas, Lowell - radio announcer/newsman
Tillis, Mel - musician; Branson Lodge No. 587, Branson, MO
Wallenda, Enrico - circus legend
Wallenda, Karl - circus legend
Warner, Jack - Warner Brothers fame; Mount Olive Lodge No. 506, Los Angeles, CA
Wayne, John - Academy Award winning actor; Marion McDaniel Lodge No. 56, Tucson, AZ
Wyler, William - file director
Zanuck, Darryl F. - Co-founder of 20th Century Productions; Mount Olive Lodge No. 506, Los Angeles, CA
Ziegfeld, Florenz - Ziegfeld's Follies; Accordia Lodge No. 277, Chicago, IL

Inventors, etc.

Bartholdi, Frederic A. - designed the Statue of Liberty - Alsacre-Lorraine Lodge, France
Baylor, Robert E. B. - founder Baylor University
Beard, Daniel Carter - founder Boy Scouts; Mariners Lodge No. 67, New York, NY
Borglum, Gutzon - carved Mt. Rushmore; Howard Lodge No. 35, New York City, serving as W. Master 1910-1911
Borglum, Lincoln - son of Gutzon, finished the above memorial; Battle River Lodge No. 92, South Dakota
Colt, Samuel - firearms inventor
Darwin, Erasmus - physician and botonist. Initiated at St. David's Lodge No. 36, Edinburgh in 1754.
Dunant, Jean Henri - founder of the Red Cross
Fitch, John - inventor of the steamboat; Bristol Lodge No. 25, Bristol, PA
Fleming, Sir Alexander - invented Penicillin; Held Grand Office in the UGLE.
Ford, Henry - founder Ford Motor Company - Palestine Lodge No. 357, Detroit, MI
Gatling, Richard J. - built the "Gatling Gun"; Center Lodge No. 23, Indianapolis, IN
Gompers, Samuel - founder of the AFL - Dawson Lodge No. 16, Washington, DC
Hedges, Cornelius - "Father" of Yellowstone National Park
Hoban, James - architect for the U.S. Captial; Federal Lodge No. 1, Washington, DC
Hoe, Richard M. - invented the rotary press, revolutionizing newspaper printing
Jenner, Edward - invented vaccination for Small Pox; Faith and Friendship Lodge No. 270, Berkeley, UK
Jones, Melvin - One of the founders of the Lions International; Garden City Lodge No. 141, Chicago, IL
Lake, Simon - built first submarine successful in open sea.
Lipton, Sir Thomas - Tea; Scotia Lodge No. 178, Glasgow, Scotland
Mayo, Dr. William and Charles - founded the Mayo Clinic - Rochester Lodge No. 21, Rochester, MN
Peale, Norman Vincent - founder of "Guidepost"; Milwood Lodge No. 1062, Brooklyn, NY
Pike, Zebulon - Pike's Peak named after him
Pullman, George - built first sleeping car on train; Renovation Lodge No. 97, Albion, NY
Sanders, Harland "Colonel" - founded Kentucky Fried Chicken
Sarnoff, David - father of television
Sax, Antoine Joseph - invented the saxophone; Lodge Les Vrais Amis de L'Union, Belgium
Smith, Joseph, Jr. - founded the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Mormons)
Stanford, Leland - drove the gold spike linking the intercontinetal railroad and founded Stanford University
Still, Andrew T. - American physician who devised the treatment of Osteopathy
Thomas, Dave - founder of Wendy's Restaurants
Washington, Booker T - educator, inventor, author; Grand Master, Massachusetts, PHA
Wozniak, Steve - co-founder of Apple Computers; Charity Lodge No. 362, Campbell, CA

Kings of England

Edward VII - Grand Master of the UGLE 1875-1901. Also Provincial Grand Master for Lower Canada.
Edward VIII - Household Brigade Lodge No. 2614. Grand Master of the United Grand Lodge of England in 1936.
George IV - Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of England (Moderns) 1790-1813 while still Prince of Wales.
George VI - Grand Master of Scotland and honorary Past Grand Master of the UGLE. Initiated in Naval Lodge No. 2612. Royal Arch First Principal, 33 degree AASR, Past Grand Master Mark Master Lodge.
William IV - made a Mason at Plymouth, England, March 9, 1786

Military

Allen, Ethan - General, Revolutionary War; Windsor, Vermont
Arnold, General Henry "Hap" - Commander of the Army Air Force - Union Lodge No. 7, Junction City, MO
Barry, John - the Father of the American Navy - Old Lodge No. 2, Philadelphia
Bonaparte - Jerome, Joseph, Louis, Lucien. All brothers of Napoleon, but not the great Emperor himself.
Bradley, Omar N. - General, U.S. Army; West Point Lodge No. 877, Highland Falls, NY
Doolittle, General James - General, famous Air Force Pilot
Farragut, David G. - Admiral in U.S. Civil War - Naval Lodge No. 87, Mare Island
Garibaldi, Giuseppe - the "George Washington" of Italy - Tompkinsville Lodge No. 471, Staten Island, NY; Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Palermo
Herkimer, Nicholas - Brigadier General, American Revolution - St. Patricks Lodge No. 8, Johnstown, NY
Jackson, Thomas Jonathan - "Stonewall" - General in Confederate Army
Jones, John Paul - Founder and first admiral of the U.S. Navy - St. Bernard Lodge No. 122 (now St. Cuthbert No. 41), Kirkudbright, Scotland
Kitchener, Lord Horatio Herbert, PM - British Union Lodge No. 114, Ipswich, England, and La Concordia Lodge, Cairo, UGLE
Knox, Henry - first U.S. Secretary of War - St. Johns Regimental Lodge, Morristown, NJ
MacArthur, General Douglas - Commander of Armed Forces in Philillines - Manila Lodge No. 1, Manila, Philippines; Made a Mason "at sight" in the Philippines and became 32 degree in Manilla and life member of the Nile Shrine Temple, Seattle, WA
Marshall, George C. - 5 star American General. Made a Mason "at sight" by the Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia.
McClellan, George B. - General, Union Army
Murphy, Audie - most decorated American Soldier of WWII; North Hollywood Lodge No. 542, and dual member of Heritage Lodge No. 764, CA
Perry, Matthew Calbraith - Commodore; responsible for opening relations with Japan; Holland Lodge No. 8, New York City
Pershing, John Joseph "Blackjack" - General - Lincoln Lodge No. 19, Lincoln, NE
Pickett, George E. - Maj. Gen. (CSA), led "Pickett's Charge" at Gettysburg - Blandford Lodge, Petersburg, VA
Rickenbacker, Eddie - great American Air Force Ace; Kilwinning Lodge No. 297, Detroit, MI
Scott, Winfield - Dinwiddlie Lodge No. 23, Virginia
Stark, John - Major General in U.S. Revolution War, "Green Mountain Boys" - Masters Lodge No. 2, Albany, NY
Steuben, Baron von - Prussian-American general of the American revolutionary army
Wainwright, Jonathan M. - American General of the Bataan Peninsula - Union Lodge No. 7, Junction City, KS
Wayne, Anthony - "Mad Anthony"

Pioneers and Explorers

Aldrin, Edwin E. - Astronaut; second man on the moon; Montclair Lodge No. 144, NJ
Byrd, Admiral Richard E. - flew over North Pole - Federal Lodge No. 1, Washington, DC; established Antarctica Lodge No. 777 under the GL of New Zealand
Carson, Christopher "Kit" - Frontiersman, scout and explorer; Montezuma Lodge No. 109, Santa Fe, NM
Casanova, Giovanni - Italian adventurer, writer and entertainer
Clark, William - Explorer (Lewis & Clark); St. Louis Lodge No. 111, St. Louis, MO
Cooper, Gordon - Astronaut; Carbondale Lodge No. 82, Colorado.
Crockett, David - Frontiersman and Alamo fame
Glenn, John H. - Astronaut, and U.S. Senator; Concord Lodge No. 688, Concord, OH
Grissom, Virgil "Gus" - Astronaut; Mitchell Lodge No. 228, Indiana
Irwin, Jim - Astronaut; Lodge Tejon No. 104, Colorado Springs, CO
Lewis, Meriwether - Explorer (Lewis & Clark) - was one of the founders of St. Louis Lodge No. 111 with a charter from GL of Pennsylvania.
Lindbergh, Charles - Aviator - Keystone Lodge No. 243, St. Louis, MO
Peary, Robert E. - First man to reach the North Pole (1909) - Kane Lodge No. 451 (454?), NY
Scott, Capt. Robert Falcon - English explorer; Drury Lane Lodge No. 2127, London, UK.
Shackleton, Sir Ernest - English explorer
Shirra, Wally - astronaut
Stafford, Thomas Patten - astronaut

Political Leaders

Austin, Stephen F. - Father of Texas - Louisiana Lodge No. 109, St. Genevieve, MO
Bolivar, Simon - Liberator of South America & the 1st President of the Andean Region; founded Lodge Order and Liberty No. 2, Peru: 1824
Brant, Joseph - Chief of the Mohawks (1742-1807); Hiram's Cliftonian Lodge No. 417 E.R. (M) London, UK
Bratton, William J. - LAPD Police Chief (former NYPD Commissioner) - Rabboni Lodge, Westwood, MA
Bryant, William Jennings - former Secretary of State - Temple Lodge No. 247, Miami, FL
Calvo, Father Francisco - Catholic Priest who started Freemasonry in Costa Rica 1865
Clay, Henry - U.S. Senator - Grand Master in Kentucky
Clinton, DeWitt - Governor of New York and instigator of the Erie Canal - Grand Master of New York; Holland Lodge No. 16 (now No. 8)
Churchill, Winston S. - former Prime Minister, United Kingdom; Rosemary Lodge 2851 and Studholme Lodge No. 1591
Coleman, Norman B., Jr. - U.S. Senator from Minnesota - Ancient Landmark Lodge No. 5 A.F.& A.M., St. Paul
de San Martin, Jose - Liberator of Argentina & Uruguay
de Sucre, Jose - Marshall of Bolivar & 1st President of Bolivia & Ecuador
Dole, Bob - former U.S. Senator/Majority Leader, Kansas; Russell Lodge No. 177, Kansas
Douglas, Jim - current Governor of Vermont; Union Lodge No. 2, Middlebury; served as Master of Lodge in 1977-1978
Fish, Hamilton, Jr. - U.S. Congressman; Triune Lodge No. 782, Poughkeepsie, NY
Garibaldi, Giuseppe - Italian freedom fighter; Tompkinsville Lodge No. 471, Staten Island, NY; 33 deg. Grand Master of the Grand Orient of Palerma.
Goldwater, Barry - former U.S. Senator, Arizona; Arizona Lodge No. 2, Phoenix, AZ
Hoover, J. Edgar - Director of FBI; Federal Lodge No. 1, Washington, DC
Houston, Sam - 2nd & 4th President of the Republic of Texas; U.S. Senator - Holland Lodge No. 1, Houston, TX
Humphrey, Hubert H. - former U.S. VP & Senator, Minnesota
Hussein, King of Jordan - Past Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Jordan
Kalakaua, King of Hawaii
Kemp, Jack - former U.S. Senator/Secretary of HUD, New York; Fraternal Lodge No. 625 in Hamburg, NY
La Guardia, Fiorella H. - La Guardia Airport, Mayor of New York 1930's & 40's - Garibaldi Lodge No. 542, New York City
Marti y Perez, Jose Julian - Cuban freedom fighter (for independence from Spain) - Lodge Armonia No. 52? (Spain)
Nunn, Sam - former U.S. Senator
Pedro I, Dom Antonio Pedro de Alcantara Bourbon - declared Brazil independent from Portugal and was crowned emperor. Returned to Portugal and was crowned King Pedro IV. Grand Master of the Grand Orient of Brazil.
Prince Paul of Romania - Hillsborough Lodge No. 25 F.& A.M., Tampa, FL
Rayburn, Sam - Speaker of the House - Constantine Lodge No. 13, Bonham, TX
Stevenson, Adlai E. Stevenson - U.S. Vice President - Metamora Lodge No. 82, Metamora, IL

Sports

Brundage, Avery - U.S. Olympics - North Shore Lodge No. 937, Chicago, IL
Cobb, Ty - baseball; Royston Lodge No. 426, Detroit, MI
Dempsey, Jack - boxing; Kenwood Lodge No. 800, Chicago, IL
Hornsby, Rogers - baseball; Beacon Lodge No. 3, St. Louis, MO
Hubbel, Carl - baseball; Meeker Lodge No. 479, Oklahoma
Johnson, John A. "Jack" - American world heavyweight champion boxer 1908-1915; Lodge Forfar and Kincardine No. 225, Dundee, Scotland.
Naismith, James - inventor of Basketball - Roswell Lee Lodge, Springfield, MA
Palmer, Arnold - golf; Loyalhanna Lodge No. 275, Latrobe, PA
Rickey, Branch - baseball legend; Tuscan Lodge No. 360, St. Louis, MO
Robinson, Sugar Ray - boxing; Joppa Lodge No. 55 PHA, New York, NY
Speaker, Tris - baseball
Starr, Bart - football, Green Bay Packers
Webb, Matthew - first man to swim the English Channel (1875); Neptune Lodge No. 22
Young, Cy - baseball

Writers

Burns, Robert - National Poet of Scotland; St. David's Lodge No. 174, Tarbolton, Scotland.
Clemens, Samuel L. - Mark Twain - Polar Star Lodge No. 79, St. Louis, MO
Collodi, Carlo - "Pinocchio"
Doyle, Sir Author Conan - Sherlock Holmes - Phoenix Lodge 257, Southsea Hampshire, UK
Gibbon, Edward - "Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire" - Lodge of Friendship No. 3, London, UK
Guest, Edgar A. - Poet; "The Lambskin Apron" - a 33 Degree Mason.
Kipling, Rudyard - Hope and Perseverance Lodge No. 782. E.C., Lahore, India
Pushkin, Alexander - Russian poet; Lodge Ovid, Kischinev
Schiller, (Johann Christoph) Friedrich von - German poet, dramatist, philosopher, and historian.
Scott, Sir Walter - Lodge Saint David, No. 36, Edinburough, Scotland
Shakespeare, William
Swift, Johathan - "Gulliver's Travels" - Goat-at-the-Foot-of-the-Haymarket No. 16, Dublin, Ireland
Tolstoi, Leo - author
Voltaire - French writer and philosopher - Lodge of the Nine Sisters, Paris, France, Lodge Les Neuf Soeurs (accompanied by Ben Franklin)
Wallace, Lewis - "Ben Hur"
Wilde, Oscar - Apollo University Lodge No. 357, Oxford, UK

U.S. Patriots

Bellamy, Rev. Francis - authored U.S. Pledge of Allegiance
Bowie, James - Alamo; Humble Cottage Lodge No. 19, Opelousas, LA
Clark, George Rogers - frontiersman - Abraham Lodge No. 8, Louisville, KY
Franklin, Benjamin - signer of the U.S. Constitution; St. John's Lodge of Philadelphia; Past Provincial Grand Master of Pennsylvania
Hale, Nathan - "I regret that I have but one life to give to my country" - St. John's Lodge No. 1, Rhode Island
Hancock, John - signer of the Declaration of Independance; Massachusetts Lodge No. 277, Quebec, Canada. Later affiliated with St. Andrews Lodge, Boston, MA
Key, Francis Scott - wrote the "Star Spangled Banner" (U.S. National Anthem)
Lafayette, Marquis de - French supporter of Amerian Freedom; already a Feemason in France, he was given honorary membership by many lodges and Grand Lodges across the USA.
McHenry, James - signer of the U.S. Constitution - Spiritual Lodge No. 23, Maryland
Otis, James - "Taxation without Representation is Tyranny"
Revere, Paul - "Midnight Ride" - St. Andrews Lodge & Grand Master of Massachusetts
Travis, Colonel William B. - Alamo; Alabama Lodge No. 3, Claiborne, AL

U.S. Presidents

Buchanon, James - Lodge No. 43, Lancaster, PA
Ford, Gerald R. - Malta Lodge No. 465, Grand Rapids, MI
Garfield, James A. - Magnolia Lodge No. 20, Columbus, OH
Harding, Warren G. - Marion Lodge No. 70, Marion, OH
Jackson, Andrew - Harmony Lodge No. 1, Nashville, TN
Jefferson, Thomas - Charlottesville Lodge No. 90, Charlottesville, VA
Johnson, Andrew - Greenville Lodge No. 119, Greenville, TN
Madison, James - Hiram Lodge, Westmoreland County, VA
McKinley, William - Hiran Lodge No. 21, Winchester, NY
Monroe, James - Williamsburg Lodge No. 6, Williamsburg, VA
Polk, James K. - Lodge No. 31, Columbia, TN
Roosevelt, Franklin D. - Holland Lodge No. 8, New York, NY
Roosevelt, Theodore - Matinecock Lodge No. 806, Oyster Bay, NY
Taft, William Howard - initiated Occasional Lodge, Cincinnati, OH; affiliated Kilwinning Lodge No. 356, Cincinnati, OH
Truman, Harry S. - Belton Lodge No. 450, MO
Washington, George - Fredericksburg Lodge No. 4, Fredericksburg, VA; Past Master, Alexandria Lodge No. 22, Virginia

U.S. Supreme Court Justices

Baldwin, Henry
Black, Hugo L. - Birmingham Temple Lodge No. 836, Birmingham, AL
Blair, Jr., John
Blatchford, Samuel
Burton, Harold H.
Byrnes, James F.
Catton, John
Clark, Thomas C.
Clarke, John H.
Cushing, William - St. Andrews Lodge, Boston
Davis, David
Devanter, Willis Van
Douglas, William O.
Ellsworth, Oliver - Chief Justice
Field, Stephen J.
Harlan, John M.
Jackson, Robert H.
Jay, John - Chief Justice (1789-1795)
Lamar, Joseph E.
Marshall, John - Chief Justice (1801-1835) - Grand Master of Virginia (1793 & 1794)
Marshall, Thurgood
Mathews, Stanley
McLean, John
Minton, Sherman
Moody, William H.
Nelson, Samuel
Paterson, William
Pitney, Mahlon
Reed, Stanley F.
Rutledge, John - Chief Justice
Stewart, Potter
Story, Joseph
Swayne, Noah H.
Taft, William H. - Chief Justice
Todd, Thomas
Trimble, Robert
Van Devanter, Willis
Vinson, Frederick M.
Warren, Earl - Chief Justice
Woodbury, Levi
Woods, William B.