Lodge History
On July 12, 1821, ten Montgomery Masons, namely: Andrew C. Mays, Francis R. Brummitt, Charles Shaw, George Wilkinson, John Diamond, J. Battelle, William Peacock, P. C. Tooley, Henry Allen, and John Falconer petitioned the MW Grand Master, Thomas W. Farrar of the Grand Lodge A.F. & A.M. of Alabama for Dispensation to institute a lodge in Montgomery, Alabama. On August 31, 1821, the Dispensation was duly issued, the lodge to be known as Montgomery Lodge No. 11. On December 15, 1821, the above-named brethren petitioned the Grand Lodge for a Charter and the same was duly granted on December 17, 1821 and dated January 1, 1822 and “Consecrated” on May 20, 1822 with a membership of 22.
The following officers were installed:
George Wilkinson………………………………………………..Worshipful Master
Alvin A. McWhorter……………………………………….………...Senior Warden
William Peacock……………………………………………………...Junior Warden
John Falconer………….…………………………………………………...Treasurer
Wm. A. Campbell……………….…………………………………………Secretary
Micajah A. Balkeley………….………………………………………Senior Deacon
Edward W. Thompson………………………………………………..Junior Deacon
Thomas Dulaney………………………………………………………………..Tiler
The lodge continued to meet regularly until the “anti-masonic” excitement in 1829, when the charter was surrendered.
The succession of Worshipful Masters was as follows:
Charles Shaw…………………………………………………………………...1821
George Wilkinson……………………………………………..………….1822-1823
Nimrod E. Benson……………………………………………………….……...1824
Henry Goldthwaite………….……………………………….………………….1825
Edward W. Thompson………………….……………………….1826, 27, 28, 29, 30
Masonry remained inactive for ten years when a dispensation was applied for and obtained from Deputy Grand Master B. A. Dawson on May 18, 1840. The following officers were appointed:
Thomas McDougal………………………………………………Worshipful Master
Jonathan G. Shaw…………………………………………………….Senior Warden
William Bellangee……………………………………………………Junior Warden
A Charter was granted by M.W. Grand Master Edward Herndon on December 10, 1840. The first communication under the new Charter was held December 19, 1840 and on December 26, 1840 the following officers were elected:
Nimrod Benson…………………………………………………..Worshipful Master
Charles A. Stewart……………………………………………………Senior Warden
John L. Mumford……………………………………………………..Junior Warden
Mason Hartwell……………………………………………………………Treasurer
Hardy Herbert……………………………………………………………...Secretary
J. D. Cunningham…………………………………………………Senior Deacon
Theodore Andrews……………………………………………………Junior Deacon
David Hagadon…………………………………………………………………Tiler
Meetings were held on the first and third Saturdays until January 16, 1858, at which time the by-laws were amended and changed the meetings to the first and third Mondays of each month and has thus continued through the years.
It is not the passage of years of Montgomery Lodge No. 11 we try to commemorate, nor to rejoice because we are old, however, to the present generation it is indeed a favored heritage and a proud possession. Its value to society and mankind are in the achievements it has accomplished and the beneficent influence it has exerted upon the lives and character of its members during the years of its existence. Its past gives us abundant faith it its future.
We have the minutes of most of the lodge meetings of the early years and all of the minutes since the re-organization of December 1840.
The history of Montgomery Lodge No. 11 and the history of Montgomery, Alabama are closely interwoven. The names of men in the lodge’s early history and items from the “History of Montgomery, Alabama” published in 1878 make very interesting reading when taken together. To mention a few, we find that:
Andrew Dexter, the founder of the city of Montgomery, was a Charter member in 1822. At a public land sale at Milledgeville, Georgia on August 13, 1817, he bought all of Section 7, township 16, range 18, except the northwest quarter.
Confident that the seat of the state government would eventually be located here, he reserved the present location of the State Capitol for that purpose. (State Capitol moved here in 1846.)
John Falconer, a Charter member in 1821, was the first Postmaster after incorporation on December 3, 1819 and served in that role until July 1834.
The first “intendant” (mayor) 1821 to 1823 and mayor in 1847, was Nimrod E. Benson. He received the degrees in 1822, was Worshipful Master several times and Grand Master 1826 to 1828.
Jonathan Battelle, a Charter member in 1821, brought the first printing press to Montgomery and established the first newspaper, the “Montgomery Republican”. The first issue was January 6, 1821. In the fall of 1824, the name was changed to the “Alabama Journal”.
January 1830, a new newspaper was established. The publisher was Edward W. Thompson who had published the “Montgomery Republican”, the first newspaper in the city. This newspaper was the “Planters Gazette”. Three years later it was changed to the “Montgomery Advertiser” and has continued ever since. Edward W. Thompson was a Charter member in 1821; the first Junior Deacon of 1821 and Worshipful Master from 1826 to 1830.
The first military unit, “Montgomery Light Infantry” was organized in 1824 by Capt. John Goldthwaite (soldier in War of 1812) who received degrees in 1823. Other officers were: Lt. George Whitman and Ensign Edward W. Thompson.
Jerimiah Loftin was the first Justice of the Peace, received degrees in 1824.
C. C. Billinslea, a member of the lodge, was one of the first practicing physicians in the city in 1819, received degrees in 1822.
Some of the first lawyers who were members were: Andrew Dexter, Nimrod E. Benson, John Edmondson, Henry Goldthwaite, Alvin A. McWhorter and E.D. Washburn. McWhorter was the lodge’s representative at the formation of the Grand Lodge of Alabama.
Some of the first merchants (Fall of 1817) who were members include: John Falconer, Lewis W. Pond and George Wilkinson.
James W. Johnson, who received degrees in 1827, established the first stage line in April 1823, from Montgomery eastward. He also started another stage line from Montgomery to Fort Mitchell on the Chattahoochee River.
John Goldthwaite, who received degrees in 1822, built the first river wharf and started operation in July 1823.
George Wilkinson, Charter member in 1821, completed the first Masonic Hall in February 1823, a two-story framed building on Commerce Street, next to the Exchange Hotel.
On November 24, 1828, E. D. Washburn and Hardie Herbert (original 1821 members), “Open the Milton Academy on Commerce Street in the old Masonic Hall. This was the first high school in Montgomery. E. D. Washburn was the principal and Hardie Herbert was assistant principal. A lottery had been authorized by the Alabama Legislature to raise funds for the Academy.”
Benjamin Fitzpatrick, who received degrees in 1822, served as Alabama Governor from 1841-1845 and U.S. Senator from 1853-1861.
December 21, 1824: Sponsored Jackson Lodge No. 23, Tallahassee, Florida, chartered by the Grand Lodge of Alabama. The Grand Lodge of Florida was organized in 1830. The lodge became Jackson Lodge No. 1.
August 19, 1828: Sponsored Autauga Lodge No. 31 at Washington, Autauga County; chartered on December 7, 1829. Lodge remained at Washington in Autauga County, but later moved to Autaugaville, Autauga County. Went defunct on November 21, 1945.
