FREE MASONS
The oldest secret fraternity in the State known as the "Ancient Order of Free and Accepted Masons" the first Lodge being instituted at Kaskaskia, June 3 1806 with Gen. John Edgar Worshipful Master, Michael Jones, Senior Warden James Galbraith, Junior Warden, William Arundel, Secretary, Robert Robinson, Senior Deacon.
These are names of persons who were without exception prominent in the early history of Illinois. A Grand Lodge was organized at Vandalia in 1822, with Gov. Shadrach Bond as first Grand Master, but the organization of the Grand Lodge, as it now exists, took place at Jacksonville in 1840.
The number of Lodges constituting the Grand Lodge of Illinois in 1840 was six with 157 members the number of Lodges within the same jurisdiction in 1895 was 713 with a membership of 50,727 of which 47,335 resided in Illinois. The dues for 1895 were $37,834.50 the contributions to members their widows and orphans, $25,038.41 to nonmembers $6,306.38 and to the Illinois Masonic Orphans Home, $1,315.80.
Apollo commandery No. 1 of Knights Templar the pioneer organizationof its kind in this or any neighboring State was organized in Chicago May 20, 1845, and the Grand Commandery of the order in Illinois in 1857, with James V. Z. Blaney, Grand Commander.
In 1895 it was made up of sixty-five subordinate commanderies, with a total membership of 9,355 and dues amounting to $7,754.75. The principal officers in 1895-96 were Henry Hunter Montgomery, Grand Commander, John Henry Witbeck, Grand Treasurer, and Gilbert W. Barnard, Grand Recorder. The Springfield Chapter of Royal Arch-Masons was organized in Springfield, Sept. 17 1841 and the Royal Arch Chapter of the State at Jacksonville, April 9, 1850 the nine existing Chapters being formally chartered Oct. 14 of the same year.
The number of subordinate Chapters in 1895 was 186 with a total membership of 16,414. The Grand Council of Royal and Select Masters in 1894 embraced 32 subordinate Councils with a membership of 2,318.