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Author: 
 
 Sachse, Julius Friedrich 
 
 Title: 
 
 Franklin's account with 
 
 the 
 
 Place 
 
 (( 
 
 Lodge of masons 
 
 5J 
 
 [Philadelphia] 
 
 Date 
 
 [1899] 
 
MASTER NEGATIVE « 
 
 COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES 
 PRESERVATION DIVISION 
 
 BIBLIOGRAPHIC MICROFORM TARGET 
 
 ORIGINAL MATERIAL AS FILMED - EXISTING BIBLIOGRAPHIC RECORD 
 
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 T^ ^ Sachse, Julius Priedrich, 1842- 
 
 Franklin's account with the ''Lodge of masons" 1731-- 
 1737, as found upon the pages of his daily journal ; read 
 before the right worshipful Grand lodge F. and A. M: of 
 Pennsylvania at the annual grand communication held 
 at Philadelphia, December 27, 1898, by Brother Julius 
 Friedrich Sachse ... [Philadelphia, Lippincott press, 
 18991] 
 
 21 p. fii^l^^^M^ facsims. 30i°». 
 
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 THNOUGH COUHTtSY O' 1H« HISTOHICAl. SOCIITT Of PCWMrLV/WIA, COFTWOMT int. 
 
 4CC0t!:<T WITH THE 
 
 "LOD' - OF MASONS" 
 
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 i 
 
 FRANKLIN'S 
 
 ACCOUNT WITH THE 
 
 "LODGE OF MASONS" 
 
 1731— 1737 
 
 AS FOUND UPON THE PAGES OF HIS 
 
 DAILY JOURNAL 
 
 READ BEFORE THE 
 
 Right Worshipful Grand Lodge 
 
 F. AND A. M. 
 
 OF PENNSYLVANIA 
 
 AT THE ANNUAL GRAND COMMUNICATION 
 
 HELD AT PHILADELPHIA, 
 
 DECEMBER 27, 1898 
 
 ■T 
 
 Brother Julius Friedrich Sachse 
 
 Columbia Lodge, No. 91 
 
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 "7 
 
 
 
 LIPriMCOTT FKSSS, PH I L A D B I.PM I A. 
 
 FRANKLIN'S 
 
 ACCOVMT WITH THK 
 
 "LODGE OF MASONS" 
 
 1731—1737- 
 
 Ml 
 
 Eight Worshipful Geand Masteb and Bbethben : 
 It will be recalled that one of the last important acts 
 performed by the late Brother Clifford P. MacjCalla 
 during his incumbency as Right Worshipfiil Grand 
 Master of Pennsylvania was the publication of several 
 papers and documents, showing that Philadelphia was 
 the "Mother city" of Freemasonry in America, and 
 that the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania was the oldest 
 upon the Western Continent. 
 
 The chief evidence used by Brother MacCalla to 
 establish these claims for Pennsylvania was based 
 upon various notices and advertisements printed by 
 Benjamin Franklin in his Pennsylvania Gazette, claims 
 which were strengthened by the finding of the indi- 
 vidual Ledger of St. John's Lodge, of Philadelphia, 
 dating from June 24, 1731, to June 24, 1738, a book 
 which, from the inscription upon the cover, is known as 
 " Liber B." 
 
 
 i 
 
Then the subsequent discovery by the writer of the 
 "Journal of the Lodge held at the Tun Tavern in 
 Water Street" (Philadelphia), from June 28, 1749, to 
 June 24, 1755, gave us an insight into the life of the 
 third Subordinate Lodge in Pennsylvania. A copy of 
 this interesting volume is in the library of the Grand 
 Lodge. 
 
 Notwithstanding the convincing evidence presented 
 by Brother MacCalla, the claims made by him in the 
 interest of Pennsylvania Masonry were hotly disputed 
 by our sister Grand Lodge of Massachusetts. 
 
 It is now my privilege to communicate to this Right 
 Worshipful Body some additional evidence confirmatory 
 of the position so ably taken by Brother MacCalla. 
 This new proof comes in the shape of original entries 
 in the handwriting of Benjamin Feanklin, and is 
 nothing less than his personal account with the Grand 
 Lodge of Pennsylvania from August, 1734, to August, 
 1737. It also shows that there was at leaat one Lodge 
 within the Province outside of Philadelphia ; this was 
 at Lancaster. The account further offers a strong in- 
 ference that our own Grand Lodge was not only the 
 oldest and most important Masonic body in America, 
 but that at that early day, as a matter of fact, the 
 Lodges of both Massachusetts and Carolina were sub- 
 ordinate to the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania. 
 
 This new evidence was found in Franklin's daily 
 commercial account-book and first ledger. This book, 
 an ordinary blank-book bound in sheep, fifteen by six 
 
 inches in size, of the style in vogue during the early 
 part of the last century, bears upon the fly-leaf the 
 legend, "Benj" Franklin' Journal, began [*ic] July 4, 
 1730." 
 
 / 
 
 INSCBIPTION ON FLT-LEAP OF FBANKLDl'S JOUBNAL. 
 
 In the fore part of the book we have the daily 
 entries, just as the young printer and shopkeeper made 
 them from day to day. In the latter half of the book, 
 which he paged and indexed and called " Ledger A," 
 we have the individual accounts posted. The charges 
 against the " Masons' Lodge" appear in both of these 
 
 divisions. 
 
 This valuable tome, without attracting the special 
 attention of any one, has reposed among a lot of 
 Franklin papers and material for over a century in 
 the archives of the American Philosophical Society at 
 Philadelphia, of which Franklin was the first presi- 
 dent. Thus it remained until a few months ago, 
 when the writer, while searching among the unclassi- 
 
! 
 
 lit 
 
 fied manuscript material of the Society, came across 
 the old account-book. Recognizing at a glance its 
 importance and value, he made a careful examina- 
 tion of its contents, with the result of finding, among 
 other historical data, several entries of the greatest 
 value to this Right Worshipful Grand Lodge in par- 
 ticular, and to Masonic students wherever found. 
 
 Here we have documentary evidence in the hand- 
 writing of Benjamin Frankldt which sheds much 
 new light upon the days of our Masonic infancy in the 
 Western Hemisphere. 
 
 The fii-st entry to which I will call your attention is 
 the earliest definite evidence, confirmatory of " Liber 
 B," of the existence of an active Masonic body in Penn- 
 sylvania. It will be recollected that Franklin, in 
 his Pennsylvania Gazette^ No. 108, of December 3 to 
 8, 1730 (whereof more hereafter), states that several 
 Lodges of Freemasons have been erected within the 
 Province, — a rather indefinite notice. In his list, how- 
 ever, of printing done as recorded under date of Sep- 
 tember 9, 1731, we find the following entry : 
 
 '< Blanks for Masons 100 
 
 5 0' 
 
 Now, there can be no possible doubt that these " Blanks" 
 were petitions for initiation and membership. 
 
 Eight months later, Pennsylvania Gazette, No. 187, 
 June 19 to 26, 1732, Benjamin Franklin records the 
 meeting of the Grand Lodge at Hubbard's Sun Tavern 
 in Water Street. It is this latter date which our friends 
 
 who differ with us usually fall back upon when the 
 seniority of their organization is called into question. 
 
 The notice just read from the old account-book, how- 
 ever, positively fixes our date of active life prior to 
 September, 1731. 
 
 Most important to us as Pennsylvania Freemasons 
 are the entries found in both journal and "Ledger 
 A " which give Franklin's account of his dealings 
 with the "Lodge of Masons at B[rother] Hubards," 
 the latter meaning the Sun Tavern* on Water Street 
 a well-known hostelrie kept by Brother John Hub- 
 bard. I will also state that the official name of this 
 " Lodge of Masons" was " The Grand Lodge of the 
 Ancient and Honorable Society of Free and Ac- 
 cepted Masons." 
 
 Second only in interest are the entries throwing light 
 upon Franklin's dealings with the Brethren, and the 
 distribution of the " Book of Constitutions," reprinted 
 by Franklin by special order for the use of the 
 Brethren in North America. Franklin himself calls 
 it the "Mason Book," which has the distinction of 
 being the first Masonic publication issued in the West- 
 ern world. 
 
 * There were two Masonic taverns on Water Street at that 
 early day,— the Sun Tavern, kept by Brother John Hubbard, 
 where the Grand Lodge and St. John's Lodge held their stated 
 meetings, and the Tun Tavern, kept by Brother Thomas Mullen, 
 where a Subordinate Lodge met until the Masons' Hall was 
 dedicated in Lodge Alley in 1755.— J. F. S. 
 
li^ 
 
 8 
 
 A heKographic fac-simile of this ledger account is 
 here presented (page 9). 
 
 A careful analysis of the various entries and a com- 
 parison with the previously presented evidence throw 
 considerable additional light upon much of our eariy 
 Masonic history, which heretofore was more or less 
 obscure; therefore this new contribution to our early 
 history can hardly be over-estimated. 
 
 The first important entry in the ledger account 
 under date of September, 1734, is a charge for one 
 thousand tickets. This charge appears in both journal 
 and ledger. These tickets were engraved notices, to be 
 sent out for the Quarterly Communications. The price 
 was four pounds three shillings and fourpence per thou- 
 sand, or a trifle over two cents apiece. As this lot of 
 tickets appears to have lasted until October, 1736, a 
 fact shown by a subsequent charge, we have the infer- 
 ence that the " Grand Lodge of Masons" at that time 
 was composed of about one hundred and twenty-five 
 members. That there was an increase during the 
 period is shown from the fact that the next order 
 called for eleven hundred tickets, at a cost of four 
 pounds eleven shillings and eightpence. A specimen 
 of these old summonses is or should be in the collec- 
 tion of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, where 
 it was seen and examined by the writer some years 
 ago; a diligent search, however, failed to locate it for 
 the present purpose. 
 
 Keferring to my estimate of the aggregate member- 
 
 9 
 
 ^V^-^V,^^\V^^Vf 
 
 S; w f ^1 [ ^n <M 
 
^c»' 
 
 I 
 
 I 
 
 
 10 
 
 sliip, I do not wish to be understood as assuming that 
 there were one hundred and twenty-five regular mem- 
 bers of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania at that time, 
 as now constituted. Evidently the invitations to attend 
 were sent out to all Masons who were actual members 
 of the Lodges under the Jurisdiction of Pennsylvania, 
 whether the Subordinate Lodges were in Pennsylvania, 
 New Jersey, Massachusetts, or the Carolinas. 
 
 Then, again, all Masons were not members. There 
 was a distinction, which is explained by a reference to 
 the journal of the Lodge which met at the Tun Tav- 
 ern, wherein it will be seen that only a percentage of 
 Brethren made Masons within the Lodge became ac- 
 tual members of the Lodge in which they were made. 
 This was another matter, which required a separate 
 ballot at some time subsequent to the raising of the 
 candidate. 
 
 Feanklin's " Mason Book" was set up and printed 
 during the summer of 1734. It was a reprint of 
 Anderson's Constitutions, originally published in Lon- 
 don in the year 1723. A fac-simile of the title page 
 appears on page 11. 
 
 This "Mason Book" was ready for distribution, 
 according to Franklin's journal, in August, 1734. 
 The earliest entry referring to it to be found in our 
 account-book charges the Grand Lodge with a " finely 
 gilded Constitutions, to the Proprietor." This presen- 
 tation copy must have been for either John or Rich- 
 ABD Penn, as Thomas Penn, it appears from Frank- 
 
 11 
 
 THE 
 
 CONSTITUTIONS 
 
 OV THE 
 
 FREE-MASONS. 
 
 COKTAI^I'NG TRE 
 
 HiBory, Charges, Regulation^ &a 
 of thatmofl Ancient andR^c 
 Worfhipful fraternity: 
 
 For the Ufe of the LODGES. 
 
 " ' " ' ' ' ■ * 
 
 LONDON Priiited ; J$m» SJ'^l* 
 
 ^of the Brcttoo ia NOXr&^jMBR ICjU 
 la the YMMtMnAoff 57^4, JmLmM 1734» 
 
 'nTL»-PAGB OF FIBST MASONIC BOOK PBINTKD IN AMERICA. 
 
12 
 
 UN's journal, bought and paid for his own copy. John 
 Penn is known to have been a Mason, and he was prob- 
 aWy the recipient of this finely gilded copy. 
 
 Immediately below this charge is a similar one for 
 the Lodge. Then, under date of August 31, 1734, fol- 
 lows a charge for three copies sent to Lancaster County 
 by John Cathebwood. Below this comes a single 
 copy for MoKGAN Sexton, whose identity I have 
 thus far failed to discover. The next entry is dated 
 August 15, which Franklin had evidently omitted in 
 posting, and he so notes in the margin. We have, — 
 
 " For 8 by Reynells to Lancaster 
 For postage of Commission Ac. li, & | 14 
 
 For Constitutions sent to Boston 70, Carolina 25 £11 17 6" 
 
 There appears to have been a fatality connected 
 with the charge of August 15, 1734. First, Fbankldt 
 omitted to post the account, and, as will be seen in the 
 facHsimile, when he did finally post it, being cramped 
 for space, he neglected to carry out the price of the 
 eight copies sent to Lancaster by Brother Reynelm, 
 and that part of the account is presumably still open. 
 
 The two persons named in connection with the 
 Mason Books sent to Lancaster were both well-known 
 residents of Lancaster County. John Cathebwood 
 was a bachelor, and lived in Donegal township, where 
 he died July 10, 1742. His property was bequeathed 
 to John and William Davenpoet, sons of Jonah 
 Davenport. 
 
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 V V V 
 
 
 
 Fac-Slmile of folio 66-67, Franklin's Ledgrer "A" In possession of the American 
 Philosophical Society, showing his account with the "Lodge of Masons" 
 
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 Pac*Slmile of folio 66-67, Franklin's Ledger "A" In possession of the American 
 Philosophical Society, showing his account with the "Lodge of Masons" 
 
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IINTENTIONAL SECOND EXPOSURE 
 
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 Fac-Simile of folio 66-67, Franklin's Ledger "'A" In possession of the American 
 Philosophical Society, showing his account with the "Lodge of Masons" 
 
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 i'»t 
 
 V 
 
 f 
 
 .4,-i 
 
 Fac-Simlle of folio 66-67, Franklin's Ledger "A" In possession of the American 
 Philosophical Society, showing his account with the "Lodge of Masons" 
 
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 ' 
 
 • » 
 
 4 * 
 
 At 
 
 13 
 
 Brother Reynells (John Reynolds) was appointed 
 as a Justice for the " other side of the Susquehanna" 
 by Governor Thomas, August 9, 1739. Many of his 
 descendants, I am informed, are living at the present 
 time. 
 
 The finding of the above trace of Masonry in Lan- 
 caster, so soon after the organization of the separate 
 county, is of double interest, as it shows that the light 
 of Freemasonry was disseminated in Pennsylvania, 
 even to the outlying settlements, in the early days of 
 our history. 
 
 Then, again, this reference tends to give additional 
 color to the statement in the celebrated Cadwalader 
 letter, wherein Dr. Henky Bell, of Lancaster, claims 
 to have been one of the originators of the first Masons' 
 Lodge set up in Philadelphia in 1730. 
 
 Returning once again to our ledger account, it will 
 be noted that, as all the above books were charged 
 to, and paid for by, the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania, 
 we are naturally led to the inference that the Constitu- 
 tions were sent by that body to the Lodges outside of 
 Philadelphia which had been set up in Massachusetts, 
 Carolina, and Pennsylvania, and were either within its 
 Jurisdiction or at least subordinate to that Right Wor- 
 shipful Body. 
 
 How the Boston and Carolina Lodges distributed the 
 copies sent them by the Pennsylvania Lodge, we at this 
 time have no means of knowing. Whether they were 
 sold or furnished to the individual Brethren is an open 
 
) 
 
 14 
 
 question. In the journal part of the old account-book 
 we find two separate entries where Brother Feanklin 
 sends, upon his own account, a consignment of Mason 
 Books to both of the above colonies. A fac-simile of 
 both entries is appended. (See pages 15 and 16.) 
 
 First, we have one to Louis Timothee, at Charles- 
 ton, South Carolina. Timothee was formerly of Phila- 
 delphia, and, together with Frai^klin, June 11, 1732, 
 published the Philadelphische Zeitung, the first Ger- 
 man newspaper in America. He afterwards went to 
 Charleston, to take charge of the printing-office which 
 was established there in 1731, by Brother Thomas 
 Whitemaksh, of St. John's Lodge, who had been 
 equipped with a printer's outfit and sent out by Feank- 
 UN. It is to Brother Whitemabsh that we may 
 directly trace the introduction of Freemasonry into 
 South Carolina. 
 
 The next entry is for a consignment to his brother 
 James Feanklin, at Boston. Feanklin notes that 
 they were sent by his brother Petee. 
 
 These entries may possibly help to explain the post- 
 script in the Franklin letter to Brother Heney Peice, 
 of Boston, dated November 28, 1734, mention of which 
 has already been made by Brother MacCalla, wherein 
 the Philadelphia Mason-printer states, 
 
 "If more of the Constitutions are wanted among 
 you, please hint it to me." 
 
 In other words, Feanklin was selling to both the 
 Grand Lodge and to individual members. 
 
 15 
 
 8 
 
 
ii 
 
 16 
 
 17 
 
 That the Constitutions charged by Fbanklin to the 
 " Lodge of Masons," as appears in his " Ledger A," 
 were not for gratuitous distribution among the indi- 
 vidual members in Pennsylvania, is proved by various 
 entries scattered through the old journal, showing how 
 copies were charged to individual accounts. I will give 
 a few as an illustration. 
 
 My first illustration appears upon the ledger page 
 directly above the Masonic account, where Brother 
 Isaac Bbown is charged — 
 
 * ♦ For a gilt Mason book & one unb* 
 
 Upon other pages we find, — 
 
 « October 8, 1734 Philip Syng Dr. for binding a 
 
 mason book 
 November, 1734 Mr. Thomas Penn Proprietor 
 
 For a book of Constitutions 
 James Bingham for Binding a mason book 
 Mr. Newingham for binding a Mason book gilt 
 Edward Evans for a Mason book 
 March 20, 1735 John Hubbard for Mason Book 
 
 7 6' 
 
 1 6 
 
 6 
 1 
 4 
 2 
 2 
 
 6 
 
 6 
 6" 
 
 All of the above, with the exception of Thomas Penn 
 and Edward Evans, were members of St. John's 
 Lodge in Philadelphia. 
 
 Then, again, an examination of the ledger of St. 
 John's Lodge, "Liber B," shows that there was no 
 mention whatever of any of these accounts or items in 
 the records of this Lodge. In addition, other items or 
 charges appear in ** Liber B" for books bought of 
 
 1 
 
 I 
 
 I 
 
18 
 
 Fbanklin, who was a member of that Lodge, but they 
 do not appear in the above journal or ledger account. 
 This conclusively proves the fact that St. John's Lodge 
 of Philadelphia was a Subordinate Lodge, and not the 
 "Grand" Lodge, as has been wrongly claimed. They 
 were two distinct and separate organizations. This is 
 an important piece of evidence, as it shows absolutely 
 the existence during the early period of 1731-1734 of 
 not only more than one Lodge in the city of Phila- 
 delphia, but of another Lodge in Lancaster, whereof 
 we heretofore had no knowledge whatever. To this 
 Lodge the Constitutions were sent, and were charged 
 by Fkanklin to the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania, 
 evidently in the same manner and purpose as the 
 others that were sent to Massachusetts and South Caro- 
 lina. 
 
 Assuming the above argument to be correct, it 
 folly bears out the before-mentioned notice published 
 by Feanklin in his Pennsylvania Gazette, under date 
 of December 3 to 8, 1730, wherein he mentions 
 that, — 
 
 mm Jt mr JRsadert. 
 
 I call your special attention to Franklin's state- 
 ment that several Lodges had been erected within this 
 Province. Franklin, who was an exceedingly careful 
 journalist, would hardly have exaggerated the number 
 
 19 
 
 of Lodges within this Province if they had not existed. 
 This issue of the Gazette has another feature of interest 
 to the Masonic student and historian, as it contains the 
 first alleged disclosure of the Mysteries of Freemasonry 
 made in America. 
 
 I have placed a copy of this paper with the Library 
 Committee. After a notice referring to the several 
 Lodges within the Province, there is printed an intro- 
 duction purporting to have been received from London. 
 It sets forth : 
 
 Bribe Death <tf « Gentkfnan wliowvooeaftbe 
 )B,fllhc.^«)d of FREE-MASONS, ih« 
 ta Utely happea'd a Diicovoy of abaodaoce 4t 
 SSuticcret Signs and Wooden. withtI»«:Hte- 
 ffous MauieT of tlieir Admtffion uito tfa«t Iwt 
 «inuiy. The foHoing b a ttuc Copy of a l^ufaipl 
 triiidi the Deecaied had written for the Ben<^t of -htf own 
 ivivate Rcmeinbrancc, and which was found caicc^d t- 
 nm Ks choi«eft Papcrt in the nioft hidden fan of hu Ca- 
 £3; The World has long admir'd, that in foch a numc- 
 MBK-Gonmany, many of them not lemarkable for Taciturr. 
 tUf. them Ji bteino one found, that in his Cu w, o^ in 
 my other QuCttnfiaoce, Vrould difcover thar Mytlctia : 
 
 * 
 
 * 
 
 * 
 
 * 
 
 * 
 
 * 
 
 ti 
 
 # 4^ # :): 
 
 We (hall not u(e many Woids 
 toporfuadethePubllck that the following Pieee is genuine; 
 ll nmcs all toe Marks of Truth in itfelf; We would only 
 fcfef tlve R^cr to the Gondu^l of the Brotherhood upon 
 Ihia OeokfiOQ ; ^ they rubcule it, or look vtrygraHe upon it, 
 orif fihoyaro ^ 4i^nd endeavour to diaj it, hemaj 
 be TOsfied It is the ma^nth. 
 
 Certain ear-marks prove this to have been written by 
 the same hand that penned " Poor Richard's Almanac." 
 
20 
 
 Numb. 1 08. 
 
 Gazette 
 
 dvania 
 
 PennfA 
 
 o 
 
 1f 
 
 H 
 
 
 
 o 
 
 00 
 
 s 
 
 f3 
 
 «n 
 
 Q 
 
 3 
 O 
 
 
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 '■'lif 
 
 21 
 
 Then follows what Franklin calls the " Mystery of 
 Free-Masonry." It must be borne in mind that at the 
 time of this publication Benjamin Franklin was not 
 yet a Mason. It was not until February of the follow- 
 ing year (1731) that he was admitted withm the tyled 
 portals of a regularly constituted Lodge, as appears 
 from the celebrated " Liber B." 
 
 Benjamin Franklin, after he was made a Mason, 
 evidently felt some pangs of conscience respecting the 
 publication of his ridiculous "Mystery," and, as a 
 partial reparation, he printed in Gazette No. 130, May 
 6 to May 13, from Chambers's great Universal Diction- 
 ary of all Arts and Sciences, an extract concerning the 
 Free and Accepted Masons. 
 
 In conclusion, I will but say that it has been to me a 
 great pleasure and satisfaction to have discovered the 
 additional original testimony regarding the antiquity of 
 the first Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania. But greatest 
 of all is the feeling that, in presenting the Communi- 
 cation to this Eight Worshipful Body, the new facts 
 set forth go far to confirm, as it were, the plea so ably 
 made by our late Brother Clifford P. MacCalla for 
 Philadelphia as the " Mother City of Freemasonry 
 in America." 
 
 -ft 
 
 ■ii 
 
Mu£ciA^ 'j^ce.aU^'c^ ^^a^^i. 
 
 M. M. COLUMBIA LODGE, No. 81. 
 
I 'i 
 
 
 COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES 
 
 0044259263 
 
 MS// OlOZH 
 
 NEH 
 
 MAR 2 81994 
 
 i 
 
 AUG 1 4 1929 
 

 
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