St. John’s Lodge No. 11: One Hundred Seventy-Five Years of Leadership, Service and Fellowship in the District of Columbia

ST. JOHN’S LODGE NO. 11

ONE HUNDRED SEVENTY-FIVE YEARS OF LEADERSHIP, SERVICE AND FELLOWSHIP IN THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

David J.C. de Hosson Historian, St. John’s Lodge No. 11

On October 2, 2021, St. John’s Lodge No. 11 celebrated its 175th Anniversary on board a Potomac River cruise.

“It is through fraternal gatherings, such as this celebration, that we are reminded of the benefits of Masonry to each and every one of us. Through the family of Masonry, we can offer relief to those in need. Through the fraternity of Masonry, our efforts are magnified and we can project our individual great lights, and in turn be a beacon of light to our community… Accordingly, we are gathered here to celebrate the support we have all given and received, and to honor those members of this august body who had the foresight to form this Lodge.” - Worshipful Master Jason Lee The story of our Lodge begins on St. John’s Day, December 27, 1845, when George C. Thomas, Joseph F. Brown, John W. Williams and seven others submitted a signed petition for a charter from the Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia. This was during a time when anti-Masonic fervor was still strong nationally following the disappearance of Freemason critic William Morgan in New York, and D.C. Lodges were generally dealing with financial difficulties. Yet, men of good will still joined the fraternity in sizable numbers.

The petition was accepted by the Grand Lodge by unanimous consent and St. John’s Lodge No. 11, the first newly constituted D.C. Lodge in nearly 20 years, met at Odeon Hall on February 23, 1846. Grand Master of Masons, MWB William B. Magruder, delivered the charter and installed George C. Thomas

RWB Annas F. Kamara, Senior Grand Warden in 2021 discusses the auspiciousness of the milestone achieved by the lodge.

as the first Master, Joseph F. Brown as the first Senior Warden, and John W. Williams as the first Junior Warden. In a year’s time, membership would double to 21 Brothers, and after another three years, Lodge rolls would list 53 members.

Just before the outbreak of the Civil War, 132 men were identified as being members of St. John’s. During the war, the Brothers of St. John’s were quick to provide financial assistance, clothing, and transport to aid with the influx of sick and wounded brought into the district, both Union and Confederate, Freemason and not. Some, such as RWB George Thomas, by then a former Deputy Grand Master, contributed to the defense of the capital, as a Major General commanding D.C. troops. In subsequent decades, St. John’s membership continued to expand and within the district, the Lodge had developed a strong reputation for charitable work. As noted Grand Lodge Historian, WB Kenton Harper, noted, St. John’s Lodge No. 11 was “preeminently a public-spirited and progressive factor in the local Masonic family.” WB Harper also notes that by 1911, Lodge membership had swelled to 475 Brethren.

Over the course of the 20th century, the history of St. John’s was closely tied to world events and the fortunes of wider Freemasonry across the District and the country. All D.C. Lodges saw their members enter military service during the First World War, and Lodges collectively contributed to fundraising efforts such as Liberty Loan drives, at the urging of the Grand Lodge. Similarly, District Masons answered the call to service at the onset of the Second World War and contributed to causes through the Masonic Service Association, in partnership with federal agencies. As with other Lodges, St. John’s also helped contribute to the Grand Lodge’s blood donation program.

D.C. Lodges witnessed a downward trend in membership in the second half of the 20th century, but still attracted men seeking out the Light of Freemasonry. Just as General George Marshall and Commerce Secretary Jesse Jones were made Masons at Sight at a D.C. Occasional Lodge in 1941, on December 13, 1975, Grand Master William E. Eccleston convened an Occasional Lodge to make Admiral John S. McCain, Jr. a

Members of St. John’s No. 11 who served as Grand Masters of the Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia. From left to right, top row: Charles F. Stansbury (1862, 1871- 1874), Jesse W. Lee, Jr. (1888), Harry Standiford (1901); Middle row: Joseph H. Milans (1919); Needham C. Turnage (1940); Bottom row: Convass B Dean (1962), Charles V. Brewer (1977). First Worshipful Master of St. John’s Lodge No. 11, George C. Thomas, seen here in uniform while serving as Major General in command of Volunteers and Militia of the District of Columbia, during the Civil War.

Mason at Sight. The famed father of late Senator John S. McCain III, Brother McCain had originally petitioned St. John’s Lodge No. 11 specifically to receive the three degrees.

Since it was constituted, St. John’s Lodge has maintained deep and abiding connections with the Grand Lodge, with seven St. John’s Brothers serving as Grand Master, starting with MWB Charles F. Stansbury, who presided over the Grand Lodge for five years (1862, 1871-1874), and most recently, MWB Charles V. Brewer (1977). A dozen other Brethren have served in other Grand Lodge Officer capacities through the current period (some even before St. John’s was constituted), including Senior Grand Warden, Junior Grand Warden, Grand Secretary, Grand Treasurer and Assistant Grand Lecturer. Notably, St. John’s Bro. Christopher Cammack served as Grand Treasurer for 18 terms (18551872). Also of note, Bro. Max Weyl, a renowned local artist, painted the first portraits of D.C.’s Grand Masters first for recently passed MWB Benjamin B. French in 1871, and then for Past Grand Master George C. Whiting in 1872.

During the course of the first quarter of the 21st century, St. John’s Lodge No. 11 has witnessed a reinvigorated and burgeoning membership, in some part due to societal trends: men of all ages, creeds, and professions are again seeking fellowship and greater purpose, and this fraternity provides for both. But the lion’s share of the credit for St. John’s revival is reserved for the enormous effort exerted by Brethren who brought strong leadership to the fore and righted the ultimate course of the Lodge. While other D.C. Lodges have been compelled to merge due to a variety of concerns, St. John’s remains on strong footing for many years to come, thanks to the foresight of these Lodge Officers, and the generosity of its Brethren. As is often noted, St. John’s Lodge No. 11 remains the oldest, un-merged, and continuously operating Lodge within the jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia. And while mindful of its past, the future of St. John’s Lodge No. 11 promises to be ever brighter.