Union Lodge records, 1796-1970

Collection

Identifier: A2008-016

Scope and Contents

This collection contains: correspondence, committee reports, minute books, applications for membership, notices for meetings, manuscript by-laws, membership lists, photograph albums, financial ledgers, demits, ephemera, and miscellaneous material. These records document the events and activities of Union Lodge from 1796-1950.

Dates

Creation: 1796 - 1970

Creator

Freemasons. Union Lodge (Dorchester, Boston, Mass.) (Organization)

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is open for research except for damaged ledgers.

Conditions Governing Use

Materials in this collection may be governed by copyright. It is the responsibility of the researcher to identify and satisfy the holders of all copyrights. Please contact the Archivist regarding permission to publish material.

Biographical / Historical

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Masons in Dorchester had the idea of forming a lodge on April 18, 1796. Later in April they chose officers and signed a petition to submit to the Grand Lodge of Masons in Massachusetts. This petition was presented to the Grand Lodge in June of 1796 and their charter was granted. Union Lodge began its work at this time. The members set up committees to procure the working tools for the lodge and proposed several applicants for initiation. James Noyes was the first secretary of the lodge and kept the minutes of the meetings.

The Union Lodge charter was signed on June 16, 1796 by Paul Revere (Grand Master), William Scollay (Deputy Grand master), and Isaiah Thomas (Senior Grand Warden). Only thirteen lodges predate Union Lodge in Massachusetts.

The early material, from 1796-1826, concerns the organization of Union Lodge by Master Masons: Ebenezer Withington, John Swift, Edmund Baker, Ebenezer Williams, Amos Holbrook, John Lillie, James Davenport, George Manning, James Noyes, and several others. This first period in the lodge history was marked by prosperity.

During 1826-1846, the minutes reflect a decline in prosperity at Union Lodge because of the Anti-Masonic movement. Though the membership dwindled during this period, a group of Masons kept meeting and the lodge never surrendered its charter.

1846-1876 marked another period of prosperity at Union Lodge. There was much more activity in the lodge, more men initiated, and more money received.

During 1881, Union Lodge established a Permanent Fund, which assisted in paying for the expenses of the lodge. In 1892, the Charity Fund was established and there is evidence of service and assistance to lodge members in need, and advice and assistance to deceased members' families.

Membership at Union Lodge reached its peak just before the Great Depression, in the 1930s. 1946 marked the 150th anniversary of Union Lodge and there was a gala banquet held at the Statler Hotel Ballroom with women, special guests, and Grand Master of Masons in Massachusetts. During the 1940s to the 1970s the lodge has supported projects of the Grand Lodge including the Masonic Home at Charlton, Juniper Hall at Shrewsbury, and the George Washington National Memorial in Alexandria, Virginia.

Extent

3.33 Cubic Feet (4 boxes, 8 bound volumes.)

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Gift of Union Lodge, Dorchester, MA, meeting at Norwood, MA

Processing Information

Original finding aid was created by Archivist, Catherine Swanson in Fall 2009. The collection number was MA 054 and was originally arranged in 14 series and totals approximately 11 ½ cubic feet of material. The collection was reprocessed, including reboxing, by Archivist John Coehlo and given a new collection number of MA 300.018. In June 2025, two oversized folders from the original finding aid were added to the end of the current collection arrangement.