How to Research Masonic Genealogy

Researching your family history for a masonic connection can be fun and inspiring for anyone interested in genealogy.

Although it is not required for a petitioner to have any familial connection to a Mason, it can be interesting to do the research to find out if any of your ancestors were Masons. Many people are surprised to find they have a masonic connection. However, when you consider that in the early 1900’s, over 40% of men were a member of a civic organization like the Freemasons, the Oddfellows or even a local Rotary Club, your chances of catching a glimpse into the past grow significantly.

Here’s the steps you’ll need to take:

• Know the name and date of death of your family member
• Research where they lived, more especially between the ages of 20 – 45 as those are the most common ages that men would join freemasonry.  Knowing the state they lived in will narrow down your search later on.
• Go to the George Washington Masonic National Memorial website.  The Masonic Digital Archives section will allow you to narrow down your search to a state.
• Each state is a jurisdiction. Perhaps your great grandfather was raised to the degree of Master Mason in, say, Wisconsin?  If so, click on the Grand Lodge of Wisconsin.
• Locate the Annual Proceedings for the date of your ancestors death.  The Annual Proceedings are effectively like the minutes from the big annual meeting but there’s much more information in there.  You may need to look at the year after their death as well if you can’t find it.
• Page through the Annual Proceedings to find the Necrology Report.  This contains the names of Masons who have passed away in the year preceding the publication of the Annual proceedings.  Not all Grand Lodges (which in the United States are typically organized by state) have this, but it’s worth a try.  You’ll need to page through the Annual Proceedings to find the Necrology Report.
• If you find your ancestor in the Necrology Report, it may even tell you which lodge they were a part of.

If you don’t find your ancestor, you may want to look at an adjacent year or the year