Research Catalog

Details

Description

1. 7 lin. ft. (2 record cartons, 7 print boxes)

Summary

1. The Boyer Lodge No. 1 Records consist primarily of a number of ledger books including four membership ledgers, 1863-1957, listing member's name, age, birthplace, residence, occupation, name of person who proposed membership, date joined or elected, date of initiation, dates passed and raised, and dues paid. The oldest membership ledger in the collection, the "Registry of United Grand Lodges of Various Lodges," (1863-1875) adds the name of the lodge in which the member was initiated. The lodges included in this registry are: Boyer Lodge No. 1, Celestial Lodge No. 2, Rising Sun Lodge No. 3, Hiram Lodge No. 4, Adelphic Union Lodge No. 7, Stone Square Lodge No. 6, and Olive Branch Lodge No. 5. For Boyer Lodge No. 1, there are also several minutes books, 1889-1959; member's ledgers, 1866-1960, a financial treasurer's book listing monthly balances and expenditures, 1849-1855, and additional financial records dated to 1956. Meridian Lodge No. 3 is represented by minute books and membership records, 1849-1887; Meridian Lodge No. 5 records consist of minutes, 1849 and 1883.
2. Correspondence files, 1908-1980, discuss those who were accepted for membership or dropped from the rosters, invitations to events sponsored by Boyer Lodge, reelection of officers, financial donations made to needy members, and notices of meetings, 1908-1980. Other materials include a manuscript, entitled "History of Boyer Lodge No. 1" by Harold A. Wilson (ca. 1962), official proceedings (1947, 1953-1954 and 1958), and printers' blocks.

Subject

1. Freemasons. Boyer Lodge No. 1 (New York, N.Y.)
2. Freemasonry -- New York (State) -- New York
3. African American freemasons -- New York (State) -- New York
4. African Americans -- New York (State) -- New York -- Social life and customs
5. African Americans -- New York (State) -- New York -- History
6. African Americans -- Societies, etc
7. African American fraternal organizations

Call number

1. Sc MG 734

Note

1. Photographs transferred to Photographs and Prints Division.
2. Audiotapes transferred to Moving Image and Recorded Sound Division.
3. Books and magazines transferred to General Research and Reference Division.

Source (note)

1. Boyer Lodge No. 1

Biography (note)

1. The Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Massachusetts chartered the Boyer Lodge in New York City for free black men, in 1812; this was also the first Prince Hall Masonic lodge in New York State. By 1826 the Prince Hall Grand Lodge had chartered three other lodges in Manhattan and Brooklyn, and in 1845 it organized the Boyer Grand Lodge F. & A. M. (Free and Accepted Masons) of New York. In the early 1860's, Boyer Lodge No. 1 absorbed Meridian Lodge and in 1931 it merged with Mount Hope Lodge No. 32. Boyer Lodge is recognized as the "Mother Lodge" and is currently still in existence.
2. Other lodges associated with Boyer include Mount Hope Lodge No. 52, Benevolent Sons of Roberson Lodge, Covenant Lodge No. 7, Mount Olive Lodge No. 2, Celestial Lodge No. 2, Rising Sun Lodge No. 3, Hiram Lodge No. 4, Adelphic Union Lodge No 7, Stone Square Lodge No. 6, and Olive Branch Lodge No. 5.

Indexes/finding aids (note)

1. Preliminary finding aid available.

Author

1. Freemasons. Boyer Lodge No. 1 (New York, N.Y.)

Title

1. Boyer Lodge No. 1 records, 1849-1980.

Biography

1. The Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Massachusetts chartered the Boyer Lodge in New York City for free black men, in 1812; this was also the first Prince Hall Masonic lodge in New York State. By 1826 the Prince Hall Grand Lodge had chartered three other lodges in Manhattan and Brooklyn, and in 1845 it organized the Boyer Grand Lodge F. & A. M. (Free and Accepted Masons) of New York. In the early 1860's, Boyer Lodge No. 1 absorbed Meridian Lodge and in 1931 it merged with Mount Hope Lodge No. 32. Boyer Lodge is recognized as the "Mother Lodge" and is currently still in existence.
2. Other lodges associated with Boyer include Mount Hope Lodge No. 52, Benevolent Sons of Roberson Lodge, Covenant Lodge No. 7, Mount Olive Lodge No. 2, Celestial Lodge No. 2, Rising Sun Lodge No. 3, Hiram Lodge No. 4, Adelphic Union Lodge No 7, Stone Square Lodge No. 6, and Olive Branch Lodge No. 5.

Indexes

1. Preliminary finding aid available.

Connect to:

1. Finding aid

Local subject

1. Black author.

Research call number

1. Sc MG 734