II. E. GENERAL GRAND HIGH PRIEST OF THE GENERAL GRANT) CHAPTER OF

THE UNITED STATES, ETC.,
IS FRATEKNALLY DEDICATED,
AS A SLIGHT TESTIMONIAL OF RESPECT FOR AN EMINENT MASON AND
DISTINGUISHED FELLOW-LABORER IN THE QUARRIES OF
AMERICAN MASONIC HISTORY,
BINCEBE FRIEND AND MASONIC IIROTHER,
THE AUTHOR.

PREFACE.
Biographies of Washington', and the most eminent of our countrymen who were contemporary with him, have been often written so far as relates to their public acts, and in many of them we have also a portraiture of their personal and domestic history. Such delineations, interwoven with their memoirs, give us a truer estimate of the character of the individual, and enable us to weigh with more ex- actness the impulses and influences that have impelled or retarded him in his public career.
Ancestry and kindred, domestic and social scenes in youth, mental, moral, and religious training, are the germs of character ; and after stepping from the threshold of youth upon the platform of manhood, each foot-print in the onward path of life bears some impress of past and passing associations. These are therefore a part of every individual's true history, and his biograpliy is imperfect without them. History is but a compound of these influences and actions, and each is a lamp to enlighten its pages. Extinguish it, and a shadow falls on some line of truth.
6 PREFACE.
Our historians and biographers seldom mention a Fra- ternity which has existed in this country from its early colonial existence, and embraced in its membership a large number of our countrymen whose names are inscribed on our literary, civil, and military rolls of honor. Has this arisen from a prejudice against the institution of Masonry, or from a belief that its influences are unimportant ?
The virtues which ennoble human character, are taught and cultivated in the lodge-room ; and the mystic labors of the Master and his Craftsmen when convened, are such as fit men for the domestic relations of life and the highest duties of citizenship. Washington, with a full knowledge of the subject, wrote : " Being persuaded that a Jiist appli- cation of the principles on which the 3fasonic Fraternity is founded, must be promotive of virtue and public prosperity, I shall always be hajyjyy to advance the interest of the Society, and be considered by them a deserving brother."
As this part of Washington's history has been entirely omitted by his biographers, and studiously misrepresented by pamphleteers, the author of these sketches has made a diligent research in veritable records and documents of the last century for information on the subject. He has grate- fully to acknowledge the assistance of many eminent Ma- sous in this labor. Every Grand Master who was applied to, gave a cheering commendation and assent for a full examination of all records in his jurisdiction ; and officers and members of lodges were ever ready to render all the aid in their power.
PREFACE. 7
The brevity of many early Masonic records, and the entire loss of others, have left some parts of our work ap- parently unfinished in leading facts ; and time has silenced every tongue that a half century ago might have given interesting details of incidents, to which existing records sometimes barely allude. The unrecorded incidents in the Masonic life of Washington, which his compeers used to relate with so much satisfaction, are now, in the eye of history, among the uncertain traditions of the past, and we have given few of them a place in our sketch of his Ma- sonic life. We have preferred the broken fragments of veritable records, to traditions, however pleasing, and apparently reliable.
Washington's Masonic history might have been given by his contemporaries, in all its proportions, with fulness of detail. Xow, it is like a beautiful column in ruins, — its parts broken, scattered, and moss-grown. We have labored industriously to collect these Parian fragments, and only wish some hand more skilful than our own, might have given each its due place and polish in the most beautiful pillar of the temple of American Masonry. We have faith- fully used the gavel, the square, and the trowel in our work, and confidently submit to the Overseers all which pertains to their use. With the mallet and engraver's chisel we are less skilled, and the Masonic connoisseur will perhaps find in this part of our work little to admire. We have not presumed to engrave any lines of beauty of our own, but hope the eye will not look in vain for them in the
8 PREFACE.
memorial stones we present, which were wrought by the hands of Washington and his Masonic Compeers.
Of the Compeers, we have not written labored sketches. We have only given such Masonic facts as came under our observation in our researches in the Masonic history of Washington ; but in each case, they are from veritable records. While tliey establish the Masonic brotherhood of the individual, we hope they may throw some light on his character, and make his memory more dear to our Ameri- can brethren.
THE AUTHOR.
Athicns,
Pennsykania, April 10, 1866.
CONTENTS.