Pierre Charles L'Enfant was a Freemason

[Guest Feigan]

During the period when L'Enfant was in New York City, supervising renovations to Federal Hall, where the inauguration of George Washington was to take place, he was initiated into Freemasonry.

 

His initiation took place on April 17, 1789 at Holland Lodge No. 8 F&AM which was chartered in 1787 by the Grand Lodge of New York F&AM. L’Enfant took only the first of three degrees offered by the lodge and did not progress further in Freemasonry.

 

Source:

 

Holland Lodge No. 8 F&AM membership records

 

http://www.hollandlodgeno8.org/

 

The Scottish Rite Journal, March / April 2011 Edition page 10-12, published by the The Supreme Council of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite, Southern Masonic Jurisdiction

 

http://scottishrite.org/journal/march-april-2011/lenfant-masonic-career/

[Guest Hardaker]

Is this considered proof? Freemasons I have talked to are quite adamant that he was not a Mason because he was a Catholic.

And if he WAS a Freemason, then how come the planning commission removed his name from the 1792 revised (official) version of his 1791 draft.

Plus, he seems to have divorced himself from the commission's revision. This is what he wrote Pres. Washington upon viewing the revision:

 

"[The plan is] now in a state in which it is most unmercifully spoiled and altered from the original plan to a degree indeed evidently tending to disgrace me and ridicule the very undertaking."

[Guest Luke]

I think this to be considered an honorable story released by the Supreme Council of the Ancient & Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, Southern Jurisdiction

 

Pierre F. de Ravel d’Esclapon, 32°, Valley of Rockville Center, N.Y. states the following:

 

In the course of doing research on the early history of Holland Lodge No. 8 in New York City, I reviewed the list of members published as an appendix to the Sesquicentennial Commemorative Volume of Holland Lodge, No. 8 (1938). There, I found a tantalizing reference to a “Enfant, T. L.” listed as having become a member of Holland Lodge in 1789. Knowing from past research how French names were often misspelled when the manuscript version was copied for printing, I went back to the manuscript minutes of Holland Lodge for 1789. That year Bro. Reinier vanden Broek was the Master and John Stagg, Jr. the Senior Warden. Here is what the minutes report:

 

3rd April 5789: Major Francis L’Enfant [was proposed] for initiation by the Senior Warden [John Stagg Jr.] seconded by John Pintard.

 

Major Pierre Charles L’Enfant was in New York City in 1788 to complete renovations on Federal Hall where Bro. George Washington took his oath of office as the first President of the United States in April 1789. Records indicate there were no other soldiers in the Continental Army with the last name of “L’Enfant,” and certainly none with the rank of Major.

 

http://scottishrite.org/journal/march-april-2011/lenfant-masonic-career/

 

 

17th April 5789: Messrs Julian McEvers, Francis [sic] L’Enfant, Francis Christopher Mantel, candidates for initiation, were severally balloted for and accepted.

 

We can surmise that the Secretary in his hurry to capture all the names was confused by the first name of the candidate following L’Enfant, Mr. Francis Mantel, and inadvertently gave his first name to L’Enfant. Among the notable visitors that day was Bro. Jacob Morton who was then the Grand Secretary

 

5th June 5789: Messrs Upton and L’Enfant were severally entered as apprentices.

 

Major L’Enfant’s initiation was witnessed by Bro. P. Smith, Past Deputy Grand Master of New York. On the same day, the minutes tell us.

 

Ordered . . . That Brs. Wyckoff, L’Enfant & S. Fraunces be a Committee to take the necessary measures to ventilate the Lodge rooms.

 

The Lodge rooms were then at 66 Crown (now Liberty ) Street. Appointing a celebrated architect, albeit a newly minted brother, to that committee was, of course, logical, and provides strong circumstantial evidence that Holland Lodge’s Major L’Enfant was the famous city designer.

 

http://scottishrite.org/journal/march-april-2011/lenfant-masonic-career/

[Guest Hardaker]

My source was (is?) eminently involved with the DC Temple, and he was pretty emphatic against L'Enfant being a mason. This was Mar-April 1989 when I talked to him. There was also, I think in Berg's book, the idea that L'Enfant preferred to be called Peter here in the States.

 

What I'd really like to know is why did he despise the revision? And, if he was a brother, why the heck did the commission remove his name? Also, do you think he added the square and compass containing the Capitol? (Lincoln Park is the top of the compass).

[Guest Hardaker]

Your sources are dead links.

[Guest Guest]

cf. http://www.dcmessage...-washington-dc/

 

This is my book on the matter.

Washington DeCoded: A New View Over the Capitol

http://washingtondecoded.net/

I would like to know your opinion of it. Can send along a copy if you wish.

[Luke_Wilbur]

Hi Christopher,

 

We would love to receive a copy for review. I attended Northern Arizona University and majored in Anthropology.

 

Please send a signed copy with your contact information to:

 

Washington DC Pages

9813 Belhaven Road

Bethesda, Maryland 20817

[Guest Hardaker]

Hey Luke,

Flag is a wonderful place. Great school, too. Guess you know Downum. Can send along an ebook. Decided to go paperless. It is about 8mb.

[Luke_Wilbur]

Yes. He was my Professor. I nick named him Professor Datum. He was one of the best teachers I have ever had. So what is your opinion of the real purpose of the hexagram. I know that the pentagram deals with the microcosm and hexagram deals with the macrocosm. I understand male/female fire/water aspects of it.

[Guest Hardaker]

Dear Fellow Anthro-American,

Nice to here about Dr. Datum. Good question on the pentagram-hexagram. Joseph Campbell was my guide in this matter.

 

see p.34 -- good stuff.

http://books.google....epage&q&f=false

 

The pentagram-hexagram shapes, I codger, can relate to the 5 and the 6, the transition from the lower to the higher, passing the midpoint in the 1-10 line, maybe a stage or level of spiritual evolution. 5 belongs to the lower, 6 the higher. In one of the notes to my book, which are available at the end of the free chapters, there is a quote about heraldry, and that protocols stated that only stars with points no fewer than six can be used; five pointed stars were not allowed -- at least until the 19th century when everything turned into five ptd stars. I tried to stay away from meanings, focusing only on the integrity of the geometry of the features.

 

All the hub-bub about the so called pentagram north of the White House actually might be mute. Reason: it is not a true (regular, perfect) pentagram. It has perpendicular crossing arms near its base. Instead, it turns up in the octagon. And it is possibly accompanied by three other stars. Also, as you possibly know, when you make an upright pentagram, it automatically makes a reverse, down-pointing pentagram in its center. That seems to be playing out in the streets. The famous pentagram might actually be the center of a larger upright star. Hope these pics turn out. Can send the ebook by email if there is a contact address. Seems I am having problems with the pics.