Database News

NEHGS is pleased to announce the addition of 66,759 new records to the Grand Lodge of Masons in Massachusetts Membership 1733 – 1990 database. This important collection contains information on masons from original membership cards of the Grand Lodge of Ancient Free and Accepted Masons of Massachusetts. Membership card data includes date of birth, place of birth, occupation, and residency information.

The Grand Lodge is the main governing body of Freemasonry within Massachusetts and once maintained Lodges in other jurisdictions overseas, namely Panama, Chile, the People's Republic of China (meeting in Tokyo, Japan), and Guantanamo Bay Naval Base, Cuba. The database includes information from all former jurisdictions of the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts, 1733-1990.

Founded in 1733, the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts is the oldest Masonic lodge in the United States and the third oldest Masonic Grand Lodge in the world (the United Grand Lodge of England, 1717; the Grand Lodge of Ireland, 1725). 

As of February 7, 2011, data is available for Masons with surnames "A" through "H". Additional surnames will be added on a regular basis. Upon completion, the database will contain 348,678 membership cards for those masons who died, dropped, or demitted before 1990.

Substantial support for the creation of this database was generously provided through the work of the dedicated NEHGS volunteer corps.

Search: Grand Lodge of Masons in Massachusetts Membership Cards, 1733 ­–1990