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Index Loge #54 AF&AM Garden City


The first Masonic Lodge established in what is now Missouri was constituted November 14, 1807, under warrant issued by The Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania And Masonic Jurisdiction Thereunto Belonging July 17, 1807, to Aaron Elliott, Master, Andrew Henry, Senior Warden, and George Bullitt, Junior Warden, for The Louisiana Lodge No. 109, to be held in St. Genevieve, Territory of Louisiana.

On September 15, 1808, the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania granted a warrant to Meriwether Lewis (leader of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, and the first governor of the Territory of Louisiana), Master, Thomas Fiveash Riddick (our first Grand Master), Senior Warden, and Rufus Easton, Junior Warden, for Saint Louis Lodge No. 111. This Lodge was constituted November 8, 1808, by Otho Shrader under dispensation dated September 16, 1808.

Later, the Grand Lodge of Tennessee granted charters to three Lodges in Missouri Territory: Missouri Lodge No. 12, in St. Louis, October 8, 1816, Joachim Lodge No. 25, at Herculaneum, October 5, 1819, and St. Charles Lodge No. 28, at St. Charles, October 5, 1819.

In 1820 Unity Lodge was established at Jackson under dispensation from the Grand Lodge of Indiana. It was in existence when the Grand Lodge of Missouri was organized, and was rechartered by it as Unity Lodge No. 6.

On February 22, 1821, representatives from Missouri Lodge No. 12, Joachim Lodge No. 25, and St. Charles Lodge No. 28, assembled in the hall of Missouri Lodge and resolved to organize a grand Lodge for the State of Missouri. The Grand Lodge was organized April 21, 1821, and a constitution and by-laws were adopted.

The "Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Ancient Masons of the State of Missouri" was incorporated by act of the General Assembly of Missouri February 17, 1843. An amendment to this act, repealing its requirement of operation of a college, was approved February 11, 1861. By act of the General Assembly approved February 13, 1864, certain named members of the "Grand Lodge of the State of Missouri of Free and Accepted Ancient Masons" were incorporated as "The Grand Lodge of the State of Missouri of Free and Accepted Ancient Masons." By act of the General Assembly approved March 22, 1870, the "Grand Lodge of Ancient, Free and Accepted Masons of the State of Missouri" was, among other things, "authorized to own property of any value not exceeding $300,000.00." By decree of the Circuit Court of the City of Saint Louis entered November 18, 1933, the corporate names used in these legislative acts were replaced by "The Grand Lodge of Ancient, Free and Accepted Masons of the State of Missouri," which is now the correct corporate name of the Grand Lodge, and the powers of the corporation, especially with reference to the Masonic Home and to the holding of property, were greatly amplified.

The present Constitution was adopted May 28, 1866, with a Code of By-Laws, which has been amended through the years. The By-Laws are subject to change by the action of the Grand Lodge members at the annual communication (meeting) of the Grand Lodge.