| History of Prince Hall |
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Prince Hall was born at Bridgetown, Barbados, British
West Indies, about September 12, 1748. He was free born.
His father Thomas Prince Hall, was an Englishman and his
mother a free colored woman of French Extraction.
In 1765, at the age of 17, he worked passage on a ship to
Boston, where he worked as a leather worker, the trade
learned from his father. Eight years later he acquired real
estate and was qualified to vote. He was religiously
inclined and later became a preacher in the Methodist
Church with a charge of Cambridge.
West Indies, about September 12, 1748. He was free born.
His father Thomas Prince Hall, was an Englishman and his
mother a free colored woman of French Extraction.
In 1765, at the age of 17, he worked passage on a ship to
Boston, where he worked as a leather worker, the trade
learned from his father. Eight years later he acquired real
estate and was qualified to vote. He was religiously
inclined and later became a preacher in the Methodist
Church with a charge of Cambridge.
On March 6, 1775, Prince Hall and fourteen other free Negroes (Peter Best, Cuff Bufform,
Buesten Singer, Boston Singer, Boston Smith, Cato Spean, Prince Taylar, Benjamin Tiber
and Richard Tilley) of Boston were made Master Masons in an Army Lodge attached to
one of General Gage's regiments, then stationed near Boston.
This Lodge granted Prince Hall and his brethren authority to meet as a Lodge, to go in
procession on St. Johns' Day, and as a Lodge to bury their dead; however, they could not
confer degrees nor perform any other Masonic "work".
For nineteen years these brethren, together with others who had received their degrees
elsewhere, assembled and enjoy their limited privileges as Masons. Finally, in March 1784,
Prince Hall Petitioned to the Grand Lodge of England, through a Worshipful Master of a
subordinate Lodge in London for a Warrant or Charter. On September 29, 1784, the
Warrant was issued. However, it was not delivered until three years later, owing to the
fact that the brother to whom the matter was entrusted failed to call for it. I was,
however, delivered on April 29, 1787 by Captain James Scott, a sea-faring man and
incidentally, a brother-in-law of John Hancock, one of the signers of the Declaration of
Independence.
On May 6, 1787, by the virtue of the authority of this Charter, African Lodge No. 459 was
established and began work as regular Masonic body.
In accordance with Masonic usage at that time, a General Assembly of the Colored Masons
met in Mason's Hall, Water Street, Boston Massachusetts, on June 24, 1791 and formed
African Grand Lodge with Prince Hall as its first Grand Master; which office he held
until his death in December, 1807.
Buesten Singer, Boston Singer, Boston Smith, Cato Spean, Prince Taylar, Benjamin Tiber
and Richard Tilley) of Boston were made Master Masons in an Army Lodge attached to
one of General Gage's regiments, then stationed near Boston.
This Lodge granted Prince Hall and his brethren authority to meet as a Lodge, to go in
procession on St. Johns' Day, and as a Lodge to bury their dead; however, they could not
confer degrees nor perform any other Masonic "work".
For nineteen years these brethren, together with others who had received their degrees
elsewhere, assembled and enjoy their limited privileges as Masons. Finally, in March 1784,
Prince Hall Petitioned to the Grand Lodge of England, through a Worshipful Master of a
subordinate Lodge in London for a Warrant or Charter. On September 29, 1784, the
Warrant was issued. However, it was not delivered until three years later, owing to the
fact that the brother to whom the matter was entrusted failed to call for it. I was,
however, delivered on April 29, 1787 by Captain James Scott, a sea-faring man and
incidentally, a brother-in-law of John Hancock, one of the signers of the Declaration of
Independence.
On May 6, 1787, by the virtue of the authority of this Charter, African Lodge No. 459 was
established and began work as regular Masonic body.
In accordance with Masonic usage at that time, a General Assembly of the Colored Masons
met in Mason's Hall, Water Street, Boston Massachusetts, on June 24, 1791 and formed
African Grand Lodge with Prince Hall as its first Grand Master; which office he held
until his death in December, 1807.