History of Lincoln Lodge No. 11 F & A Prince Hall Masons
The Masonic organization of which Lincoln Lodge No. 11 is a part of was founded under the leadership of Prince Hall; hence we are Prince Hall Masons. In 1865, Lincoln Lodge No. 11 was founded. A warrant was secured from the Independent Grand Lodge of Maryland, which styled its members Free and Accepted Ancient York Masons. At the quarterly session held June 23, 1868, Brother Hannibas S. King represented Lincoln Lodge for the first time. In 1874, Lincoln Lodge relinquished its membership with the Independent Grand Lodge of Maryland.
In 1875, Lincoln Lodge No. 11 received its charter from The MWPHGL of Virginia. It was issued under the Honorable Grand Master James E. Fullen. The officers of Lincoln Lodge #11 were WM Robert Darnell, SW Senior Tancil and JW Thomas Tancil. Lincoln Lodge #11 has had several District Deputy Grand Masters and one Grand Master The Honorable John B. Montgomery. One of our DDGM’S, George Penic laid the cornerstone of the old Parker–Gray School that later became Charles Houston School. PM Douglas Bass, Jr. served on the Committee on work for the MWPHGL and as ADDGM of the 31st Masonic District from 1963-1966 and as DDGM from 1967-1968. He also served on various other committees of the Grand Lodge. It should be noted that PDDGM Bass served as the WM of Lincoln Lodge for two (2) terms, 1959 and 1960 consecutively. In June, 2004 once again he was elected to the position of WM. In addition at our Lodge Meeting on Tuesday August 3, 2004, DDGM Ronald E. Blakely presented PDDGM Douglas Bass, Jr. with a 50-year pin from the Grand Lodge in recognition of his fifty years as a Prince Hall Mason. In 1953 The MWPHGL of Virginia held its annual session in the city of Alexandria, at which time PM Lee Roy Steele was presented a Certificate of Proficiency from the Grand Lodge. Since then, a number of the members of Lincoln Lodge have been awarded similar certificates. PM Alfred S. Hamilton served this Lodge for over 35 years as secretary and as WM in 1954 and 1955. He was serving as secretary at the time of his death in 1975. In 1970 he was awarded a 50-year pin by the Grand Lodge for his many years of service. He bequeathed to Lincoln Lodge a large portion of his earthly possessions, for which Lincoln Lodge shall always be grateful and never forget. Our current Lodge Building at 1356 Madison Street is named in his honor. In 1973, Lincoln Lodge was again honored, when Grand Master J. Louvelle Taylor acknowledged the skill and proficiency in ritualistic work and his ability to perform, appointed PM Robert L. Steele to the Committee on Work. Since then PM Steele has served as the ADDGM and DDGM of the 31ST Masonic District. He also served as the WJGS for the MWPHGL of Virginia during the administration of Grand Master Willie E. Massenburg. PM Dr. Henry M. Ladrey consistently attended the annual Grand Lodge Sessions and served on various committees. He also served as Lincoln Lodge’s Historian for a number of years. For his outstanding contributions to the Lodge and to the community in general where he practiced as a Physician, in 1974, Lincoln Lodge gave a Testimonial Banquet honoring him as one of our most deserving Past Masters. At a regular meeting on October 8, 1985 Lincoln Lodge went on record as establishing the Alfred S. Hamilton Memorial Award and the Doctor Henry M. Ladrey Memorial Award as both men had made outstanding contributions to the Lodge and community during their lifetime. These awards have been presented for years to deserving Past Masters. In October 1985, with support from other Lodges in the 31st Masonic District, J. Wilson Jeffress Youth Council #7, Order Of The Knight Of Pythagoras was reactivated with Lincoln Lodge being the sponsor of record. Again Lincoln Lodge was honored when Grand Master Billie L. Thompson, Sr. appointed PM James L. Sims to the Committee on Work and later to DDGM for the 31st Masonic. PM Sims was reappointed by Grand Master Lionell Spruill, Sr. He was also reappointed by Grand Master William F. Milton, Jr. to serve in the first term of his administration, during this time PM Sims was recognized as DDGM of the year for two (2) years consecutively 1996-1997 PM James Cottom, Sr. was appointed to the Youth Committee, first as assistant State Director for The Order of The Knights Of Pythagoras by Grand Master Charles C. Crawford and later by Grand Master Armistead G. Williams to the position of State Director. He was subsequently reappointed and served consecutively through the term of Grand Masters Willie E. Massenburg, Billie L. Thompson, Sr., Lionell Spruill, Sr., and during the first term of William F. Milton, Jr. PM Reverend James A. Gibson, Jr. and PM Richard L. Williams also served the Grand Lodge during the administration of Grand Master William F. Milton, Jr. PM Gibson as Worshipful Assistant Grand Chaplain and PM Williams as Worshipful Grand Pursuviant. Grand Master Gilbert “Gil” Tyler appointed PM Williams Assistant CCFC. He was reappointed during the administrations of Grand Masters George S. Clemons, Franklin D. R. Lyons, Sr., and Kenneth Hill and is currently serving in the administration of Grand Master Curtis S. Vaughn, Jr. One of Lincoln Lodges Honorary members is PM Richard C. Williams, a member of Universal Lodge #1. PM Williams served as District Deputy Grand Master for The 31st Masonic District and he was a member of The Committee on Work for a number of years. Over the years Lincoln Lodge No. 11 has been truly blessed and in 1998 was blessed again. One of our senior members, PM Lee Roy Steele celebrated his 50th year as a member of Lincoln Lodge. At a regular meeting on Tuesday November 3 1998, a program was held at the Lodge in recognition of PM Steele’s many years of faithful service to the lodge. A portrait PM Steele was unveiled and is now on display on the wall of the Lodge for future generations to see. On that night PM Steele received his 50-year pin from The Grand Lodge, which was presented to him by Worshipful Master Fred D. Rainey As time marched on, landmarks changed. Urban Renewal forced Lincoln Lodge to close her doors at Odds Fellows Hall, 400 South Columbus Street, a location that served as a home for Lincoln Lodge for Decades. In June 1975 The Lodge moved to a modern building located at 1321 Cameron Street. After meeting there for ten years the building was sold and the members of Lincoln Lodge met at the Nannie J. Lee Community Center until we were able to purchase and move to our current home at 1356 Madison Street on June 3, 1989. The end of another year is fast approaching; and as it is with Masonry, Lincoln Lodge No. 11 advocates the FATHERHOOD OF GOD and the BROTHERHOOD OF MAN. Let us continue to serve our fellow man. It is to that end that we shall have accomplished the will of THE GRAND ARCHITECT OF THE UNIVERSE Past Master James Cottom, Sr. Lincoln Lodge No. 11 Historian 1976-2006
History of Prince Hall
The Father of Black Masonry in the United States
Prince Hall is recognized as the Father of Black Masonry in the United States. He made it possible for us to also be recognized and enjoy all priviliges of Free and Accepted Masonry.
Many rumors of the birth of Prince Hall have arisen. Few records and papers have been found of him either in Barbados where it was rumored that he was born, but no record of birth, by church or state, has been found there, and none in Boston. All 11 countries of the day were searched and churches with baptismal records were examined without a find of the name of Prince Hall.
One widely circulated rumor states that “Prince Hall was free born in British West Indies. His father, Thomas Prince Hall, was an Englisman and his mother a free colored woman of French extraction. In 1765 he worked his passage on a ship to Boston, where he worked as a leather worker, a trade learned from his father. Eight years later he had acquired real estate and was qualified to vote. Religiously inclined, he later became a minister in the African Methodist Episcopal Church with a charge in Cambridge.” This account, paraphased from the generally discredited Grimshaw book of 1903, is suspect in many areas. Black Freemasonry began when Prince Hall and fourteen other free black men were initiated into Lodge No. 441, Irish Constitution, attached to the 38th Regiment of Foot, British Army Garrisoned at Castle William (now Fort Independence) Boston Harbor on March 6, 1775. The Master of the Lodge was Sergeant John Batt. Along with Prince Hall, the other newly made masons were Cyrus Johnson, Bueston Slinger, Prince Rees, John Canton, Peter Freeman, Benjamin Tiler, Duff Ruform, Thomas Santerson, Prince Rayden, Cato Speain, Boston Smith, Peter Best, Forten Howard and Richard Titley. When the British Army left Boston in 1776, this Lodge, No 441, granted Prince Hall and his brethren authority to meet as African Lodge #1 (Under Dispensation), to go in procession on St. John’s Day, and as a Lodge to bury their dead; but they could not confer degrees nor perform any other Masonic “work”. For nine years these brethren, together with others who had received their degrees elsewhere, assembled and enjoyed their limited privileges as Masons. Thirty-three masons were listed on the rolls of African Lodge #1 on January 14th, 1779. Finally on March 2, 1784, Prince Hall petitioned the Grand Lodge of England, through a Worshipful Master of a subordinate Lodge in London (William Moody of Brotherly Love Lodge No. 55) for a warrant or charter. The Warrant to African Lodge No. 459 of Boston is the most significant and highly prized document known to the Prince Hall Mason Fraternity. Through it our legitimacy is traced, and on it more than any other factor, our case rests. It was granted on September 29, 1784, delivered in Boston on April 29, 1787 by Captain James Scott, brother-in-law of John Hancock and master of the Neptune, under its authority African Lodge No. 459 was organized one week later, May 6, 1787. Prince Hall was appointed a Provincial Grand Master in 1791 by H.R.H., the Prince of Wales. The question of extending Masonry arose when Absalom Jones of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania appeared in Boston. He was an ordained Episcopal priest and a mason who was interested in establishing a masonic lodge in Philadelphia. Under the authority of the charter of African Lodge #459, Prince Hall established African Lodge #459 of Philadelphia on March 22, 1797 and Hiram Lodge #3 in Providence, Rhode Island on June 25, 1797. African Lodge of Boston became the “Mother Lodge” of the Prince Hall Family. It was typical for new lodges to be established in this manner in those days. The African Grand Lodge was not organized until 1808 when representatives of African Lodge #459 of Boston, African Lodge #459 of Philidelphia and Hiram Lodge #3 of Providence met in New York City. Upon Prince Hall’s death on December 4, 1807, Nero Prince became Master. When Nero Prince sailed to Russia in 1808, George Middleton succeeded him. After Middleton, Petrert Lew, Samuel H. Moody and then, John T. Hilton became Grand Master. In 1827, Hilton recommended a Declaration of Independence from the English Grand Lodge. In 1869 a fire destroyed Massachusetts’ Grand Lodge headquarters and a number of its priceless records. The charter in its metal tube was in the Grand Lodge chest. The tube saved the charter from the flames, but the intense heat charred the paper. It was at this time that Grand Master S.T. Kendall crawled into the burning building and in peril of his life, saved the charter from complete destruction. Thus a Grand Master’s devotion and heroism further consecrated this parchment to us, and added a further detail to its already interesting history. The original Charter No. 459 has long since been made secure between heavy plate glass and is kept in a fire-proof vault in a downtown Boston bank. Today, the Prince Hall fraternity is the largest predominantly African-American Masonic body in North America. It has over 4,500 lodges worldwide, forming 45 independent jurisdictions with a membership of over 300,000 masons.