Fraternal Organizations Thomas Jeffersons connections to fraternal organizations have often been misunderstood. He is frequently, yet falsely, linked to the Freemasons. Comments that he made in his correspondence suggest that he had a generally negative opinion of fraternal organizations. Even though standard histories of the Freemasons fail to include Jefferson in their rosters of early members, a persistent popular tradition claims Jefferson for Freemasonry. The tradition may have had its genesis at a ceremony marking the laying of the cornerstone at the University of Virginia. On the morning of October 6, 1817, a large crowd gathered at the site of the first pavilion. According to Philip A. Bruce, “the doors of all the stores were locked, private houses shut up, and the entire population of the little town darkened the road to the College.” In addition to the citizenry of Charlottesville, James Madison, James Monroe, and Jefferson were also present. The cornerstone, Bruce says, was laid with the customary state by Lodges; Reverend William King was the chaplain, John M. Perry, the architect, and Alexander Garrett, the worthy grand-master. President Monroe applied the square and plumb, the chaplain asked a blessing on the stone, the crowd buzzed, and the band played ‘Hail Columbia.’”[1] Evidently it was customary for Masons to direct many public ceremonies, such as laying cornerstones, opening bridges, and dedicating halls.[2] Thus surrounded by Masonic pomp and circumstance, Jefferson must have seemed a part of the organization simply through association. It should be added that Local Lodges 60 and 90 have never claimed Jefferson as a member, either in a regular or honorary capacity. Another Jeffersonian link to Freemasonry predates the laying of the cornerstone. In 1801, the “Jefferson Lodge” was organized in Surry, Virginia. The name probably reflected republican exuberance after the election of 1800 and should not be taken as evidence for Jefferson’s membership. It is curious, however, to find a lodge named for a non-Mason; the usual practice is to name the lodge after a fellow Mason of local or national stature. The Alexandria Lodge, for example, became Alexandria Washington Lodge after the death of its famous master. Indeed, to name a lodge after an individual is uncommon; most lodges simply assume the name of the town or county where they are located. Finally, Jeffersons longstanding interest in architecture and mathematics, both prominent in Masonic lore, could have made a Masonic connection likely in the public mind. However, the fact remains that no references to Masonic membership have been found in Jefferson’s papers, and given his clear aversion to secret societies (Cincinnati, for example), his membership remains unlikely. Masonic scholars have also reached the same conclusion; an especially thorough review of the evidence (or lack thereof) of Jeffersons ties to the Freemasons appears in William Denslows 10,000 Famous Freemasons.[3] An even more thorough account of failed attempts to confirm Jeffersons rumored Masonic activities in Paris appears in The Encyclopedia of Freemasonry.[4] It is perhaps worth noting, however, that both Thomas Jeffersons son-in-law, Thomas Mann Randolph, and his eldest grandson, Thomas Jefferson Randolph, were Freemasons.[5] Although Jefferson did not belong to the Freemasons, he did claim membership in another secret society – the F.H.C (also known as the Flat Hat Club). The letters F.H.C. are known to stand for Latin words – though the exact words are not known. So instead, the organization has been dubbed the Flat Hat Club. The Flat Hat Club was established in the 1750s at the College of William and Mary and was the first college fraternity in America. It reached a height of activity in the 1770s and lapsed during the Revolutionary War Years. The organization was never revived and no additional branches were established at other colleges, so little information about its activities remains. Thomas Jefferson was a member of the F.H.C. while attending William and Mary in the 1760s. [6] Jefferson confirmed his membership in the club in a letter to Thomas McAuley dated June 14, 1819, although he also stated that he believed the institution to have “no useful object.[7] Jefferson’s general feelings towards fraternal organizations are fairly clear in comments he made to George Washington in a letter dated April 16, 1784 in reference to the Society of the Cincinnati. The Society of the Cincinnati was formed on May 13, 1783 by a gathering of officers from the Continental Army. They called their constitution the “Institution,” and this document dictated that membership would pass to the eldest male descendents of founders and allowed for the admission of honorary members. Branches of the organization were established in all thirteen original colonies and France. The stated intention of the society was “perpetuating wartime friendships, aiding the unfortunate and preserving ‘union and national honor’ among the states. Public criticism was strong immediately following the foundation of the society. Many citizens were concerned about the hereditary and honorary membership aspects. They believed that the society was established to lift its members to the position of nobility in a supposedly democratic society and to ensure the financial obligations of Congress towards veterans of the Revolutionary War. George Washington wrote to Thomas Jefferson requesting his opinion of the Society of Cincinnati, because they had recently chosen him for President pro tem. [8] Jefferson responded to Washington’s letter, listing the concerns of many citizens about the society. He also expressed his own concern that one of the stated purposes of the society – which was to maintain the sense of brotherhood between old comrades in war – would not be fulfilled, because providing a forum for debate between the old comrades would only foster arguments and ruin friendships. Jefferson advised that Washington propose some serious alterations to the society’s constitution (which he admitted would bring the society close to annihilation).These changes included parting “with it’s inheritability, it’s organization and it’s assemblies.[9] Washington obviously took Jefferson’s advice into consideration, as he did submit several suggested changes to the Society’s constitution. These changes included abolishing the hereditary function of the society, striking out any clause with a political tendency, rejecting donations from foreign sources, and restricting the business of the meetings to the election of officers and the disposal of charitable funds. These proposed changes were published in several newspapers. This turned out to be enough to allay the public’s fears about the society, but in reality the changes were not ratified by all of the branches. Whether or not it was earned, public opinion shifted more positively towards the Society in the late 1780s and 1790s and after 1800, the Society became much less active. In fact, most branches had ceased to function by the first quarter of the century. [10]
Posted on: Sun, 13 Jul 2014 17:35:00 +0000
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