Brother John Hammerton

“Provincial Grand Master of South Carolina”

By: Brother McDonald “Don” Burbidge, 33º

 

 Brother John Hammerton arrived in Charles-Town somewhere around 1732[1] and his occupation was that of a Receiver General of His Majesty’s quitrents and a member of his Majesty’s Honorable Council. 

 Sometime during the year 1735, Solomon’s Lodge No. 1 was constituted in Charles-Town. The place where these early meeting took place was at Shepheard’s Tavern which was located at the corner of Broad and Church Street. 

 Found in Anderson’s Constitutions, Edition 1738, it is states, “Earl Loudon granted a deputation to Brother John Hammerton, Esq., to be Provincial Grand Master of South Carolina, in America. At this time Brother Hammerton was a member of Solomon’s Lodge No.1, which met at Shepheard’s Tavern that was located at the corner of Broad and Church Street.  

 Printed in Anderson’s Constitutions of 1738, it is states, “Earl Loudon granted a deputation to John Hammerton, Esq., to be Provincial Grand Master of South Carolina, in America.”  

 We then find printed in the, “South Carolina Gazette, 23^rd July, 1737. Last Thursday, (21^st July,) John Hammerton, Esq., Receiver General of His Majesty’s quit rents, Secretary, and one of his Majesty’s Honorable Council, who has been the first Master of the Lodge of the Ancient and Honorable Society of Freemasons in this place, and intending to embark on board the ship Molly Galley, John Caruthers, Master, for Loundon, at a Lodge held that evening, resigned his office, for the true and faithful discharge of which he received the thanks of the whole Society, who were thirty in number. James Graeme, Esq., was then unanimously chosen Master in his room, and having been duly installed into that office, with the usual ceremonies, was pleased to choose and appoint James Wright, Esq., who was Junior Warden, to be Senior Warden, and Maurice Lewis, Esq., Junior Warden.” 

 We also find printed in the, South Carolina Gazette, 23^rd July 1737.

“Last Thursday, (21^st July,) John Hammerton, Esq., Receiver General of His Majesty’s quit rents, Secretary, and one of his Majesty’s Honorable Council, who has been the first Master of the Lodge of the Ancient and Honorable Society of Freemasons in this place, and intending to embark on board the ship Molly Galley, John Caruthers, Master, for Loundon, at a Lodge held that evening, resigned his office, for the true and faithful discharge of which he received the thanks of the whole Society, who were thirty in number. James Graeme, Esq., was then unanimously chosen Master in his room, and having been duly installed into that office, with the usual ceremonies, was pleased to choose and appoint James Wright, Esq., who was Junior Warden, to be Senior Warden, and Maurice Lewis, Esq., Junior Warden.” 

In a note found in Preston’s Illustrations we find printed, “at this time the authority granted by Patent to a Provincial Grand Master, was limited to one year from his first public appearance in that character within his Province. And if, at the expiration of that period, a new election by the Lodges under his jurisdiction did not take place, subject to the approbation of the Grand Master, the Patent was no longer valid.”  

Again on August 20, 1737 printed in the South Carolina Gazette another announcement was published:

“On Thursday night last (18^th August) at the Solomon’s Lodge in Charles Town, a deputation from the Right Worshipful and Right Honorable John, Earl of Loundon, constituting and appointing a Provincial Grand Master of South Carolina, was read, when James Graeme, Esq., the present Grand Master of the said Province, proposed James Wright, Esq., to be Master of Solomon’s Lodge, which was unanimously agreed to by the Lodge.” 

On December 28, 1738 the following article on the Festival of St. John the Evangelist celebration by the Masons of Charles-Town. 

“The day was ushered in with firing of guns at sunrise from several ships in the Harbour, with all their colors flying. At 9 o'clock all the members of Solomon’s Lodge, belonging to the Ancient and Honorable Order of Free and Accepted Masons, met at the house of Honorable James Crokatt, Esq., Master of the said Lodge. At 10, proceeded from thence, properly clothed with the Ensigns of their Order, and Music before them, to the house of the Provincial Grand Master, James Graeme, Esq., where a Grand Lodge was held. James Wright, Esq., elected Provincial Grand Master for the ensuing year, then the following officers were chosen, viz.: Maurice Lewis, Esq., Deputy Provincial Grand Master; Mr. George Seaman, Senior Grand Warden; James Graeme, Esq., Junior Grand Warden; James Michie, Esq., Grand Treasurer, and Mr. James Gordon, Grand Sectary.

At 11 o’clock, both Lodges went in procession to Church to attend Divine Service, and in the same order returned to the house of Mr. Charles Shepheard, where, in the Court-Room, to a numerous assembly of ladies and gentlemen, the newly elected Provincial Grand Master made a very eloquent speech of the usefulness of Societies, and the benefit arising there from to mankind. The assembly having been dismissed, Solomon’s Lodge proceeded to the election of their officers for the ensuing year, when Mr. John Houghton, was chosen Master; Dr. John Lining, Senior Warden; Mr. David McClellan, Junior Warden; Mr. Arthur Strahan, Secretary, and Mr. Alexander Murrary, Treasurer. After an elegant dinner all brethren were invited by Capt. Thomas White on board the Hope; there several loyal health’s were drank, and at their coming on board and return to shore, they were saluted by the discharge of 39 guns, being the same number observed in each of the different salutes of this day, so that in all there were about 250 guns fired. The evening was concluded with a ball and entertainment for the ladies, and the whole was performed with much grandeur and decorum.”  

In 1762 Brother John Hammerton left Charles-Town as it was then named to sail to England due to the out break of the Revolutionary War. This was the last time that he spent any time in the town and country that he was elected as the first Provincial Grand Master.  

On November 15, 1766 Brother John Hammerton[2] passed away while living in England.