(Taken from the 1976 By-Laws)
Federal Lodge No. 1, of the District of Columbia was chartered September 12,
1793, by the Grand Lodge of Maryland, as Federal Lodge #15. The brethren
who secured the charter were employed in the construction of the Capitol
Building and desired to be present Masonically with their own Lodge at
the ceremonies incident to the laying of the cornerstone on September
18, 1793. Brother Clot Worthy Stephenson, as representative of the nine
brethren, journeyed to the Grand Lodge of Maryland which met at Easton,
Maryland, on September 12, 1793, with a petition to form a Lodge in the
nations capital. A charter was issued designating James M. Hoban, Worshipful
Master; Clot Worthy Stephenson, Senior Warden; and Andrew Eastave, Junior
Warden. The first meeting was held on Sunday, September 15, 1793, in a
dwelling of one of the members south of the Capitol grounds on the site
of the present U.S. House of Representatives Offices Buildings.
The first Master, Captain James M. Hoban, a native of Ireland and a devout
Romanist, came to the District of Columbia in June of 1792 from Charleston,
South Carolina, at the request of President George Washington, to design and
construct the Executive mansion. The construction of the Capitol was soon afterwards
transferred to his charge. On October 13, 1792 James Hoban, architect and Collen
Williamson, Master Mason, with members of Lodge No.9 of George town, were present
at the laying of the cornerstone of the White House and their names appear
on a brass plaid laid under the stone.
The first public appearance of Federal Lodge was Wednesday, September 18,
1793, at the laying of the cornerstone of the United States Capitol. On that
historic date Brother Joseph T. Clark of Annapolis, MD; Right Worshipful Grand
Master, pro tem of MD; Worshipful Master James M. Hoban and members of Federal
Lodge #15, received President Washington, Officers and Members of Lodge #9
of Georgetown, and other members of the pary on the Commons which was near
the site of present day Lafyette Park, and retired to a temporary Lodge room
prepared by Worshipful Master Hoban, where Right Worshipful Brother Clark,
Grand Master pro tem, opened the Grand Lodge of Maryland, and from thence,
proceeded in parade formation to the site of the Capitol Building and laid
the original cornerstone. Brother Clot Worthy Stephenson, first Senior Warden
of Federal Lodge, was the Grand Marshal of that parade.
Of the five names inscribed on the silver plate placed on the original cornerstone,
two were members of Federal Lodge, James M. Hoban, architect and superintendent,
and Collen Williamson, master stone mason. History records the fact that Brother
Williamson actually set the cornerstone of the Capitol on September 17th, so
as to have everything in readiness for the ceremonies incident to applying
the silver plate on the stone on September 18th.
In December, 1794, the Lodge had 14 members who names are entered on the Grand
Lodge records for perpetuation. The Lodge moved from Capitol Hill to "the
little hotel" on the north side of F St. NW above 14th street in 1796.
The original charter of Federal Lodge empowered it to confer the degrees of
Capitular Masonry and a Royal Arch Chapter of Encampment was formed. The first
meeting was held on Monday, December 14, 1795, to make arrangements for the
new Chapter. Two other meetings were held, one on December 16, 1795, and another
on June 17, 1797 before the Chapter was finally constituted. Brother Clot Worthy
Stephenson, first Senior Warden of the Lodge, was elected the Excellent High
Priest. James Hoban served as High Priest of this Chapter in 1799.
In December 1798, Alexander McCormick subsequently one of the great lights
of local Freemasonry, became Master of the Lodge and by strict laws and surer
revenue sought to arrest its decay. In 1799 the Lodge had 16 members but Hoban
and all other charter members were gone from the rolls.
Upon invitation of Alexandria Lodge, Federal Lodge attended the funeral of
Brother George Washington on Wednesday, December 18, 1799. Brother Alexander
McCormick, then Worshipful Master of Federal Lodge, was one of the bearers
of the "lesser lights" and the unconsumed portion of the sperm candle
he carried was inscribed and preserved by him and is now in the possession
of the Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia. The Great Light used by the
Lodge at this funeral is still in possession of Federal Lodge. Its historic
value was greatly enhanced when it was used at the formation of the Grand Lodge
of the District of Columbia.
In 1804 Federal Lodge No. 15 and Columbia Lodge No. 35 erected the "Union
Lodge Room" on the west side of 11th street, just below Pennsylvania Avenue.
In 1806 the charter of the Lodge was suspended by the Grand Lodge of Maryland
because of certain alleged irregularities complained of by the new Naval Lodge
in the South East part of the city. Meetings were held regularly and the suspension
was removed at the next meeting of the Grand Lodge. An appropriation of $55.00
was voted to Federal Lodge as reimbursement for money spent in disproving the
charges.
Under the leadership of Past Master McCormick and Brother Charles Glover,
Secretary of Federal Lodge, the Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia was
formed. These brethren arranged for a convention to be held on December 11,
1810, of the six Lodges in what was then District of Columbia, Federal, Columbia,
and Naval of Washington, Potomac Lodge of Georgetown and Brooke-Lodge and Alexandria-Washington
Lodge of Alexandria. Brother McCormick was chosen chairman and Brother Glover,
Secretary of that convention. All of the lodges were represented except Alexandria-Washington
Lodge in which a majority had voted to adhere to the Grand Lodge of Virginia.
The minutes of Federal Lodge contain a letter from Alexandria-Washington Lodge
setting forth the reasons they did not wish to participate in the formation
of the new Grand Lodge. The organization of the Grand Lodge was completed on
February 19, 1811, but Federal Lodge continued to work under its Maryland charter
until the monthly meeting in May when Worshipful Master Nicholas L. Queen,
declared Federal Lodge No. 15 of Maryland "closed without day" and
ceremoniously instituted Federal Lodge as "number one" of the new
Grand Lodge jurisdiction.
In 1812, the Lodge was badly torn by internal dissensions which quieted only
by the withdrawal of nearly half the membership to form Lebanon Lodge. On Sunday
of Christmas week, the Lodge attended Masonic religious services in the House
of Representatives arranged by Henry Clay, the Speaker, then a zealous Freemason,
as were most of the men in public life.
The large proportion of the Freemasons among the British army and Navy officers
of all grades, engaged in the capture of Washington in 1814 enabled the Grand
lodge and Lodge officers to enter into fraternal relations with them during
the brief occupation of the city, whereby private property and interests were
respected to a degree unknown in the history of warfare.
On September 19, 1826, the Lodge joined in "the finest Masonic procession
yet seen," from St. John's church to the southwest corner of John Marshall
Place and D St for the laying of the cornerstone of Central Masonic Hall.
On January 4, 1830, Brother Andrew Jackson, President of the United States,
Brother John H. Eaton, Secretary of War, and Brother William T. Barry, Postmaster
General, were elected honorary members. n 1831, the lodge moved from the union
lodge room to the Central, Masonic Hall.
In October, 1834, as a result of the political agitation against Freemasonry
because of the Morgan abduction incident, the Lodge voted to surrender its
charter and dissolve; but the Master, Clement T. Coote, who was also the Grand
Master, delayed compliance with the instruction. Two years later, the seven
brethren and Coote were all that were left of the lodge and they voted unanimously
to surrender the charter. Clement T. Coote returned the charter to the Grand
Lodge with a letter of remarkable dignity and pathos, wherein he unconsciously
treated the surrender as temporary and thereby preserved the continuity of
the Lodge and its original institution. On November 17, 1837 the charter was
restored with much ceremony and feasting, to thirteen brethren, including Worshipful
Master Coote, who have agreed to keep the Lodge in operation.
In 1843 the title and Possession of the Central Masonic Hall were lost to
the Fraternity thus depriving the Lodge of its entire investment and its lodge
room. the Lodge moved to temporary quarters at the Northward corner of Pennsylvania
Avenue and 12th St, NW. On June 3, 1845, the Lodge again voted to return its
charter and dissolve, but there was no actual surrender of the charter.
The lodge was again active on July 14, 1846, and met in the Medical College
Building at the Northeast corner of 10th and E St. , NW which had become Masonic
Headquarters. In 1847 the Lodge paraded at the cornerstone laying of the Smithsonian
Institution.
In 1848, the noted Cherokee Chief, William P. Ross, received the degrees in
the Lodge and at a subsequent lodge meeting a feud among headmen of the Cherokee
Nation was healed in the lodge room. On July 4, 1848, nearly 50 members of
the Lodge paraded at the laying of the cornerstone of the Washington Monument.
On November 9, 1848, the Lodge obtained a charter from the Grand Lodge for
some members who were migrating to the new El Dorado in California. The new
lodge, chartered as California Lodge No. 13, still survives at San Francisco
as California Lodge No. 1.
In 1849 the Lodge for the first time called off meetings during the hot weather
and in 1850 regular meetings were increased from one to two a month.
Federal Lodge sponsored the petition of Washington Centennial Lodge No. 14
in 1852 and the petition of Benjamin B. French No. 15 in 1853.
In 1854 the Lodge moved to the new Masonic Headquarters at the southwest corner
of 9th and D St NW.
The fortunes of the Lodge declined as a result of the Civil War in 1861 but
by 1863 the strength of the Lodge was restored by accessions from the Union
Army and by brethren and applicants from the North. After the end of the Civil
War the lodge moved to the new Masonic Temple at 9th and F St. NW and joined
in the fitting and furnishings of the larger of the two lodge rooms. The Lodge
paraded at the dedication of the Washington Monument in 1885.
On September 11, 1893, at a cost of over $1,000.00 to its members, the Lodge
carried on a two-day celebration of its one hundredth birthday, which yet remains
one of the great events in the local history of Freemasonry.
In 1898 the lodge won an elegant set of jewels for securing the greatest amount
of funds for the new Temple at 13th and New York Avenue. Upon the adoption
of a resolution proposed by Past Grand Master Donaldson the priceless original
Lodge jewels were presented to King David Lodge No. 28 of Brookland.
Upon invitations by the Grand Lodge of Virginia, on December 14, 1899 the
Lodge attended the solemn commemoration at Mount Vernon of the One-Hundredth
anniversary of the Masonic burial of George Washington.
In 1899 Federal Lodge came into possession of $20,000 under terms of the will
of Past Master Anthony Buchly who had died in 1884. Past Master Buchly who
was a palin, shrewd and kindly man also bequeathed $15,500 to the St. John's
Mite Association. The Buchly Charity fund of the Lodge now amounts to over
$100,000 in principal. The income from this fund is available for charitable
purposes.
On Tuesday, November 12, 1901, President Theodore Roosevelt appeared in Federal
Lodge to accept honorary membership in the Lodge.
After cooperating for many years in collection of funds for a new Masonic
Temple, Federal Lodge had its Grand Visitation in the new Masonic Temple at
13th and New York Avenue on October 13, 1908.
On September 17, 1932, historic Old Federal participated in the colorful Masonic
parade and re-enacting of the laying of the cornerstone of the US Capitol.
The members of the lodge were all clothed in colonial costumes.
The one-hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the Lodge was commemorated with
an elaborate banquet and much ceremony on September 11th, 1947, during the
year of Worshipful Master W.J. Chisolm, the Lodge honored the five Lodges which
it had sponsored (California Lodge #1, Columbia No. 3, Lebanon No. 7, Washington
Centennial No. 14, and Benjamin B. French No. 15) by a special meeting held
at the Scottish Rite Temple. the degree team of Kilwinning Lodge No. 825 of
Brooklyn, NY clad in full Scottish regalia, with bagpipe band, conferred the
Master Masons Degree before a filled auditorium.
In addition to the prominent persons named before who have taken an active
part in the affairs of the lodge, Daniel C. Roper, who served as Secretary
of Commerce under President Franklin D. Roosevelt, affiliated with Federal
Lodge in 1896. Admiral Richard Evelyn Byrd, the polar explorer, and J. Edgar
Hoover, of the FBI, received their Masonic Degrees in Federal Lodge, Former
Senator Capehart of Indiana, Former Senator Truman of Missouri, and Former
Representative Sol Bloom of New York.
Today, the Lodge is thriving with over 300 members. The Grand Master and Deputy
Grand Master of Masons in the District of Columbia are honorary members of
Federal. Even today, the tradition and history of Federal has survived wars
and internal conflicts. It has seen glory, honor and peace. Old Federal going
into the 21st Century still retains its past while entering the future.