List of Presidents of the United States who were Freemasons

Of the 43 people who have been President of the United States, roughly one-third (14, or by some counts 15*) were Freemasons. Along with the presidents listed below, Lyndon Johnson had been initiated into the 1st Degree of Freemasonry (an "Entered Apprentice") but did not advance any further and did not become a full member of his lodge,[1] Ronald Reagan was made an honorary Freemason, and Bill Clinton as a youth was a member of the Order of DeMolay.[2][3]

* - Because of LBJ's initiation into the fraternal organization, many lists of Freemason Presidents include him, with a total of 15.

Portrait Name Lifetime Presidency Information
1 George Washington February 22, 1732 – December 14, 1799 April 30, 1789 – March 4, 1797 Initiated on November 4, 1752 in Fredericksburgh Lodge No. 4, Fredericksburg, Virginia. Elected Worshipful Master on December 20, 1788.
5 James Monroe April 28, 1758 – July 4, 1831 March 4, 1817 – March 4, 1825 Initiated on November 9, 1775 in Williamsburg Lodge No. 6, Williamsburg, Virginia at the age of 17 while he studied at the College of William & Mary.
7 Andrew Jackson March 15, 1767 – June 8, 1845 March 4, 1829 – March 4, 1837 Member of St. Tammany (later Harmony) Lodge No. 1, Nashville, Tennessee. Elected Grand Master of Tennessee on October 7, 1822 and served until October 4, 1824.
11 James K. Polk November 2, 1795 – June 15, 1849 March 4, 1845 – March 4, 1849 Initiated on June 5, 1820 in Columbia Lodge No. 31, Columbia, Tennessee.
15 James Buchanan April 23, 1791 – June 1, 1868 March 4, 1857 – March 4, 1861 Initiated on December 1l, 1816 in Lodge No. 43, Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Appointed District Deputy Grand Master for the Counties of Lancaster, Lebanon and York in 1824.
17 Andrew Johnson December 29, 1808 – July 31, 1875 April 15, 1865 – March 4, 1869 Initiated on May 5, 1851 in Greenville Lodge No. 119, Greenville, Tennessee.
20 James A. Garfield November 19, 1831 – September 19, 1881 March 4, 1881 – September 19, 1881 Initiated on November 19, 1861 in Magnolia Lodge No. 20, Columbus, Ohio and raised on November 22, 1864 in Columbus Lodge No. 30. Joined Garrettsville Lodge No. 246, Garrettsville, Ohio in 1866 and was its Chaplain for the years 1868-69. Charter Member of Pentalpha Lodge No. 23, Washington, D.C.
25 William McKinley January 29, 1843 – September 14, 1901 March 4, 1897 – September 14, 1901 Initiated on May 1, 1865 in Hiram Lodge No. 21, Winchester, Virginia. Joined Canton Lodge No. 60, Canton, Ohio in 1867. Charter member of Eagle (later William McKinley) Lodge No. 431, also in Canton.
26 Theodore Roosevelt October 27, 1858 – January 6, 1919 September 14, 1901 – March 4, 1909 Initiated on January 2, 1901 in Matinecock Lodge No. 806, Oyster Bay, New York.
27 William Howard Taft September 15, 1857 – March 8, 1930 March 4, 1909 – March 4, 1913 Made a Mason at Sight on February 18, 1909 in Kilwinning Lodge No. 356, Cincinnati, Ohio
29 Warren G. Harding November 2, 1865 – August 2, 1923 March 4, 1921 – August 2, 1923 Initiated on June 28, 1901 in Marion Lodge No. 70, Marion, Ohio. Raised on August 27, 1920 in that Lodge.
32 Franklin D. Roosevelt January 30, 1882 – April 12, 1945 March 4, 1933 – April 12, 1945 Initiated on October 11, 1911 in Holland Lodge No. 8, New York City. Made Honorary Grand Master of the Order of DeMolay on April 13, 1934.
33 Harry S. Truman May 8, 1884 – December 26, 1972 April 12, 1945 – January 20, 1953 Initiated on February 9, 1909 in Belton Lodge No. 450, Belton, Missouri. First Worshipful Master of Grandview Lodge No. 618, Grandview, Missouri in 1911. Elected Grand Master of Missouri on September 25, 1940 and served until October 1, 1941. Received the 33rd Degree on October 19, 1945. Made Honorary Grand Master of the Order of DeMolay on May 18, 1959.
38 Gerald Ford July 14, 1913 – December 26, 2006 August 9, 1974 – January 20, 1977 Initiated on September 30, 1949 in Malta Lodge No. 465, Grand Rapids, Michigan. Passed on April 20, 1951 and raised on May 18 of that year in Columbia Lodge No. 3, Washington, D.C. Received the 33rd Degree on September 26, 1962. Made Honorary Grand Master of the Order of DeMolay in April 1975.

(It can also be noted that some historians state that David Rice Atchison, member of Platte Lodge No. 56, Mo, served as "Ex-officio president" for one day: March 4, 1849.)

See also

References

  1. Freemason Presidents of the United States of America
    Quote: "Lyndon B. Johnson was initiated on October 30, 1937 in Johnson City Lodge No. 561, at Johnson City, Texas. As having never completed his degrees, Johnson is not considered in this list as one of the Masonic Presidents."
  2. The Complete Idiot's Guide to Freemasonry, Second Edition, by S. Brent Morris (pg65)
  3. DeMolay - Hall Of Fame » William Clinton, quote: "Clinton was initiated into Hot Springs Chapter in Hot Springs, Arkansas, in 1961, where he served as Master Councilor. He received the Chevalier in 1964, and the Legion of Honor in 1979. Clinton was inducted into the DeMolay Hall of Fame on May 1, 1988."

Sources

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