By Brother Barry Ellsworth,

2006 Tiler, El Camino Research Lodge

Was George Washington Our First President? No! He was our first president of the United States under the Constitution of the United States. However, there were others that served as president before him under the Articles of Confederation, and the Continental Congress.

There were 6 presidential terms under the Continental Congress, and 10 such terms under the Articles of Confederation for a total of 16 terms. These terms of presidency were filled by fourteen different men: 2 of them serving 2 separate terms each.

Of the 14 men to hold the office of President prior to George Washington, 6 of them were Freemasons, which is approximately 43%, and they held the office for 8 different terms, or 50% of the time.

Earlier Presidents of the United States were as follows:

~ Peyton Randolph:           Sept. 5, to Oct. 21, 1774 under the Continental Congress

~ Henry Middleton:          Oct. 22, 1774 to May 10, 1775 under the Continental Congress

~ Peyton Randolph:          May 10, to May 23, 1775 under the Continental Congress

~ John Hancock:               May 24, 1775 to Oct. 30, 1777 under the Continental Congress

~ Henry Laurens:             Nov. 1, 1777 to Dec. 9, 1778 under the Continental Congress

~ John Jay:                       Dec. 10, 1778 to Sept. 27, 1779 under the Continental Congress

~ Samuel Hunntington:    Sept. 28, 1779 to Jul. 9, 1781 under the Articles of Confederation

~ Thomas McKean:        Jul. 10, 1781 to Nov. 4, 1782 under the Articles of Confederation

~ John Hanson:               Nov. 5, 1781 to Nov. 3, 1782 under the Articles of Confederation

~ Elias Boudinot:             Nov. 4, 1782 to Nov. 2, 1783 under the Articles of Confederation

~ Thomas Miffin:            Nov. 3, 1783 to Nov. 29, 1784 under the Articles of Confederation

~ Richard Henry Lee:    Nov. 30, 1784 to Nov. 22, 1785 under the Articles of Confederation

~ John Hancock:            Nov. 23, 1785 to Jun. 5, 1786 under the Articles of Confederation

~ Nathaniel Gorham:     Jun. 6, 1786 to Feb. 1, 1787 under the Articles of Confederation

~ Arthur St. Clair:          Feb. 2, 1787 to Jan. 21, 1788 under the Articles of Confederation

~ Cyrus Griffin:             Jan. 22, 1788 to Apr. 30, 1789 under the Articles of Confederation

Those men who held the office of President before George Washington, and were also Freemasons were:

~ Peyton Randolph:       

Served twice, and was the Provincial Grand Master of Masons in Virginia.He died on the floor of the 2n Continental Congress in 1775.~ John Hancock: Served twice, and was famous for his giant strokes when signing the Declaration of Independence. The Red Coats very much wanted to capture him and Samuel Adams, at the battles of Lexington and Concord. He was raised at Merchants Lodge in Quebec in 1762 and affiliated the same year with Saint Andrew's Lodge in Boston. He was president when the Declaration of Independence was signed.

~ Henry Laurens:          

As mentioned above he served as president Under the Continental Congress. He also organized the South Carolina patriot forces and was the only American President to be held as a prisoner of war. The British held him in the Tower of London. He was raised at Solomons Lodge #1 in Charleston, South Carolina.

~ Elias Boudinot:          

He was a delegate from New Jersey; signed the Treaty of Paris; and served in the House of Representatives. He was a trustee of Princeton University and an opponent of slavery. He was a mason but I could not confirm his affiliation.

~ Richard Henry Lee:  

He was educated in England and was elected to the Virginia House of Burgesses. He was a member of the Committee of Correspondence; and a signer of the Declaration of Independence. Through his efforts the 10th Amendment of The Bill of Rights, reserving rights to the States was voted in. He was a member of Virginia's Hiram Lodge #59.

~ Arthur St. Clair:

He was born and educated in Scotland, and served in the British Navy. He founded Cincinnati, and was a strident Anti-Federalist. He warned that the Constitution would bring arbitrary bureaucrats and excessive taxation. He was raised in a British Military Lodge.