Until October 27, 1790
Born in Berwick, Maine, February 17, 1740. Died Durham, January 23, 1795. Master of St. John’s Lodge, No. 1. In December, 1774, assisted in seizing a fort in Portsmouth harbor – first overt act of the War of the Revolution. Brigadier General, 1775. At the siege of Boston. In Canada in 1776. Taken prisoner in the Battle of Long Island. At Trenton, Princeton, Brandywine, Georgetown. Attacked Staten Island 1777. In Rhode Island in 1778, gaining the victory of Butt’s Hill. In command against the Indians in 1779, ravaging their country. Member of the Continental Congress in 1774. Delegate to Congress in 1780. President of New Hampshire, 1786-89.
1791, 1792, 1793, 1794, 1795, 1796, 1797
Born Portsmouth, November 11, 1739. Died Portsmouth, in office, September 28, 1797. Master of St. John’s Lodge, No. 1. Physician and surgeon. Establish hospitals. Summoned to Bunker Hill to attend the wounded. Received the thanks of the Provisional Congress of New Hampshire. Made Chief Surgeon of the New Hampshire troops with the rank of Colonel. Chairman of the convention organizing our Grand Lodge. First Grand Master to sign a charter for a Lodge.
1798, 1799, 1800, 1811, 1812
Born Portsmouth, 1756. Died Exeter, August 5, 1829. Master of St. John’s Lodge No. 1. Dartmouth. M. A. From Harvard. Land surveyor. Civil engineer. Clerk of Superior Court for forty-two years. Did much in the way of literacy and historical pursuits. Published “Annals of Portsmouth,” in 1825. Wrote and published the first volume of Law Reports, in 1819. One of the founders of the New Hampshire Historical Society.
1801, 1802, 1803, 1804, 1805, 1806, 1807
Born in England in 1739. Came to America in 1767. Died in Portsmouth, February 22, 1809. Masters St. John’s Lodge, No. 1. Sea Captain and ship builder. Captain of the Ship Raleigh, in 1776. Colonel of artillery in 1785, under a commission signed by Governor Langdon.
1808, 1809, 1810
Born Kennebunk, Maine, September 20, 1760. Died Portsmouth, November 21, 1830. Masters St. John’s Lodge, No. 1. Located in Portsmouth in 1781. Physician. Merchant. General in command of the First Brigade of the state militia. Speaker of the house. President of the Senate. Member of Congress. U. S. Senator. President Monroe was his guest in Portsmouth.
Edward J. Long
1813 1814, 1815
Born Newburyport, Mass., July 24, 1771. Died Portsmouth, February 27, 1824. Master of St. John’s Lodge No. 1. Merchant. Secretary Fire and Marine Insurance Company. In command Portsmouth Artillery. Inspector First Brigade of militia, in 1808, by appointment of General Clement Storer. In 1814 appointed an aide to Governor Gilman. Major of Artillery, stationed at Fort Washington, Pierce Island, Portsmouth Harbor. Major, Lieutenant-Colonel, Colonel, First select Regiment, state militia. In 1820 made Brigadier-General of the First Brigade, state militia, holding that office when he died. His death was caused by a fall on the ice.
William H. Woodward
Born Hanover, September 19, 1774. Died Hanover, August 9, 1818. Master of Franklin Lodge, No. 6. Lawyer. Famous, professionally, through his connection with the Dartmouth College causes, in which he was counsel for the University, in opposition to Daniel Webster, who was of counsel for the College. A financier, agriculturist, judge, writer.
1817, 1818, 1819
Born Harvard, Mass., October 13, 1769. Died Hopkinton, April 23, 1845. Master of Blazing Star Lodge, No. 11. Harvard. Lawyer. Probate judge. County Solicitor. Justice Supreme Court.
1820, 1821, 1822
Born Henniker, June 13, 1775. Died Henniker, May 16, 1842. Senior Warden, Blazing Star Lodge, No. 11, in 1814-1815. Dartmouth. Read law. Merchant. Farmer. President of State Senate. Judge Circuit Court. Judge Court of Sessions. Member of Aurora Lodge, No. 43, at the time of his decease. The Lodge of which he was a member, when Grand Master, has not been located. If Master of a Lodge that, too, has not been located.