Does anyone have access to Masonic rolls from the 1870s in in Alabama?

Question

John S. Goodwin's 1879 letter to a friend in Alabama asking for him to get a receipt from Pleasant Hill Lodge (probably in Franklin Co., AL) is one of very few clues about this great, great grandfather.  His family's appearance on the 1870 census is the only official record of his existence that I have been able to find.  He had moved to Hill Co., TX, when he wrote the letter.

Answer 1

Hi Joy,

I started the Freemasonry project here:

http://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Space:Freemasonry

Unless there is someone here on Wikitree from Alabama, who is an active Mason, and from that area, it is unlikely that they will have access to historic membership rolls.

Your best bet will be to contact the Grand Lodge of Alabama, specifically the Grand Secretary, explain what you're trying to accomplish, and see how they can help you.

Here is the Grand Lodge of Alabama's website:

http://www.alafreemasonry.org/index.php

And their officer's page:

http://www.alafreemasonry.org/officers.php

Scroll down to find the Grand Secretary, and further down for a link to the contact page.

Sometimes a phone call is the easiest way.

Hope this helps.

Comments

Thank you very much.  That's information that I can actually follow up on.

---

Let me know how it goes with following up on this information. :-) I'd like to know if the Grand Lodge of Alabama is responsive to your request.

Answer 2

Hi Joy (again),

Here's the record for the 1870 Census match that you mentioned:

"United States Census, 1870," database with images, FamilySearch(https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MHK7-NCK : accessed 24 May 2016), John S Goodwin, Alabama, United States; citing p. 2, family 12, NARA microfilm publication M593 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 545,515.