History of the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Georgia

Get to know our organization from its roots.

Brief History

At the close of the Civil War in 1865, Prince Hall Masonic lodges began to emerge across the Southern states.
Rev. James M. Simms, a Baptist minister and free man from Savannah, Georgia, had previously moved to Boston, Massachusetts, where he became a Mason.
As soon as the war ended, Rev. Simms—vested with Masonic authority as a District Deputy Grand Master—returned to Savannah and established
Eureka Lodge No. 1, F. & A.M. on February 4, 1866.
Later that year, in December, Hilton Lodge No. 13, F. & A.M. was formed—both lodges receiving warrants from the Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Massachusetts.
Shortly thereafter, on December 3, 1866, Banneker Lodge No. 38, F. & A.M. was established in Augusta, Georgia, under the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania.Recognizing the need for unity, Rev. Simms convened these lodges in Savannah where, on June 24, 1870, he organized the
Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Georgia, Free and Accepted Masons. Rev. Simms was elected the first Grand Master of the newly formed Grand Lodge.

First Sixteen Lodges Chartered Under the Georgia Grand Lodge

Note: Early lodges first operated under dispensations/charters from Massachusetts and Pennsylvania with different numbers;
upon formation of the Georgia Grand Lodge, they were renumbered as shown below.

Eureka Lodge #1 – Savannah
Hilton Lodge #2 – Savannah
Banneker Lodge #3 – Augusta
Bradwell Lodge #4 – Columbus
St. James Lodge #5 – Atlanta
James M. Simms Lodge #6 – Darien
St. John’s Lodge #7 – Americus
St. Matthews Lodge #8 – Eufaula, Alabama
Louis B. Toomer Lodge #9 – Brunswick
Sumner Lodge #10 – Blackshear
Zion Lodge #11 – St. Mary’s
Mount Moriah Lodge #12 – Key West, Florida
Phoenix Lodge #13 – Macon
Pythagoras Lodge #14 – Savannah
King Solomon Lodge #15 – Albany
Mount Moriah Lodge #16 – Savannah

Over time, the Grand Lodge chartered more than 500 lodges, and membership surpassed 20,000.
Although the Great Depression led to consolidations and membership declines, the jurisdiction has recovered and continues to grow in a spirit of peace and harmony.

Incorporation & Name

July 11, 1890: Incorporated as the Most Worshipful Union Grand Lodge of the Most Ancient and Honorable Fraternity of Ancient Free and Accepted Masons for the State of Georgia.
July 19, 1950: Charter amended; name changed to the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons, Jurisdiction of Georgia.

Grand Masters of the Jurisdiction

Grand Master	City	Years of Service
James M. Simms	Savannah	1870–1872
Louis B. Toomer	Savannah	1872–1874
John H. Deveaux	Savannah	1874–1883
Alexander Harris	Savannah	1883–1886
Anthony K. Desverney	Savannah	1886–1888
William E. Terry	Columbus	1888–1889
John D. Campbell	Savannah	1889–1894
William E. Terry	Columbus	1894–1901
Henry R. Butler, M.D.	Atlanta	1901–1932
John W. Dobbs	Atlanta	1932–1962
Xenophon L. Neal, Ph.D.	Atlanta	1962–1990
Neal McQueen	Augusta	1990–1995
Benjamin P. Barksdale	Atlanta	1995–2000
Willie L. Williams	Fort Valley	2000–2005
Ramsey Davis, Jr.	Atlanta	2005–2010
Douglas M. Jones	Statesboro	2010–2014
Bruce A. James	Thomasville	2014–2019
Corey D. Shackleford, Sr.	Atlanta	2019–2022
Primus T. James	Atlanta	2022–Present

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Provenance note: Early lodge numbers reflect dispensations from the Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Massachusetts and the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania (e.g., Eureka No. 11, Hilton No. 13, Banneker No. 38). Upon formation of the Georgia Grand Lodge (June 24, 1870), lodges were renumbered sequentially within the Georgia jurisdiction (Nos. 1–16 shown above).