Grand Masters of Scotland - Onondaga and Oswego Masonic ...

Margaret Charteris (1800–1825)
Lady Katherine Charteris Wemyss (1801–1844)
A little confusion here: Above it says ‘afterwards 8th Earl of Wemyss’ [per Wikipedia, which also calls him ‘Francis Douglas’ ?? ]
There is indeed a Francis Wemyss Charteris who was the 8th Earl of Wemyss, b. 1772, d. 1853.
There was also the father of the 8th Earl, above, also a Francis Wemyss Charteris, b. 1749, d. 1808, as follows:
http://www.robertburns.org/encyclopedia/CharteristheyoungerofArmisfieldFrancis17491511808.207.shtml
Charteris, the younger, of Armisfield, Francis, (31 Jan 1749 — 20 Jan 1808)
36th Grand Mastermason of Scotland from 1786 to 1787. He was a member of the Lodge Harrington St John, and an affiliated
member of Canongate Kilwinning. His father succeeded to the Earldom of Wemyss in 1787, when Charteris became Lord Elcho. He
himself never succeeded to the title, as he predeceased his father by 10 months. He subscribed for four copies of the [Robert Burns]
Edinburgh Edition.
In a letter to John Ballantine, dated 14th January 1787, [the Poet
Robert] Burns referred to a masonic meeting, where the 'Most
Worshipful Grand Master Charters [sic], and all the Grand Lodge of
Scotland visited. The meeting was most numerous and elegant; all
the different Lodges about town were present, in all their pomp. The
Grand Master who presided with great solemnity, and honor to
himself as a Gentleman and Mason, among other general toasts
gave, 'Caledonia, and Caledonia's Bard, brother Burns', which rung
through the whole Assembly with multiplied honors and repeated
acclamations.' The poet had no idea that this was to happen, and
'downright thunderstruck, and trembling in every nerve, made the
best return in my power. Just as I finished, some of the Grand
Officers said so loud as I could hear, with a most comforting accent,
'Very well indeed!' which set me something to rights again.'
Robert Burn installed as Poet Laureate [above]
For discussion of this see: http://freemasonry.bcy.ca/rabbie_burns/burns_installation.html
http://thepeerage.com/p1088.htm#i10877
Francis Weymss Charteris, 31 Jan 1749 - 20 Jan 1808
Married, 18 Jul 1771, Susan Tracy-Keck b. before 1756, d. 25 February 1835
Children 1. Susan Charteris d. c 1816
2. Lady Augusta Charteris d. 28 Jul 18402
3. Francis Charteris, 8th Earl of Wemyss+ b. 15 Apr 1772, d. 28 Jun 1853
4. Henrietta Charlotte Elizabeth Charteris+ b. 3 Feb 1773, d. 30 Jan 1838
5. Katherine Charteris+ b. b 1790, d. 8 Oct 1863
Note: http://www.robertburns.org/encyclopedia/FreemasonryBurnsand.368.shtml
Robert Burns and Freemasonry
During the last quarter of the 18 th Century, Freemasonry was at the height of its popularity. To the Age of Enlightenment, its tenets
seemed to promise brotherhood and intellectual equality. Scholars, philosophers, gentlemen, farmers and tradesmen were Masons
in Scotland.
Burns was a Mason from 1781 until his death. He was initiated on 4 th July 1781, in St David's Lodge, No, 174, Tarbolton. He was
passed and raised in the same Lodge on 1 st October 1781. Less than a year later, the old members of St James's Kilwinning Lodge
— which had amalgamated with St David's — broke away, seized the effects of the St James's Lodge, and reopened it. Burns was
among those concerned in the disruption who went over to St James's. He was elected Depute Master of St James's on 27 th July
1784, a position he held for 4 years.
It was partly because of his Masonic connections that Burns was so widely received when he arrived in Edinburgh in 1786. For
among his fellow masons in Ayrshire were Sir John Whitefoord, James Dalrymple of Orangefield, Sheriff Wallaceof Ayr, Gavin
Hamilton, the Provost of Ayr, John Ballantine, Professor Dugald Stewart, Dr John Mackenzie of Mauchline, William Parker of
Kilmarnock and many others; among the less exalted brothers were the tailor, Alexander Wood, James Humphrey the 'noisy
polemic' and John Wilson, the schoolmaster.
When he reached the capital, Burns was made a member of Canongate Kilwinning Lodge No 2 Edinburgh. An apparently quite
baseless tradition alleges that members also made him their Poet Laureate. Among the members of this Lodge were Lord Elcho,
Lord Torphichen, the Earl of Eglinton, the Earl of Glencairn, Patrick Miller of Dalswinton, Lord Pitsligo, Alexander Cunningham, the
lawyer, William Nicol the schoolmaster, William Creech the publisher, Henry Mackenzie the lawyer and author, and Alexander
Nasmyth the painter.
Burns received honorary membership from Loudoun Kilwinning, at Newmilns, on 27 th March 1786, and from St John's Kilwinning,
Kilmarnock, on 26 th October 1786. In company with Ainslie, Burns received the Royal Arch degree from St Abb's Lodge No 70, on
19 th May 1787, at Eyemouth. On 27 th December 1791, when he had moved to Dumfries, Burns became a member of St Andrew's
Lodge No 179. He was elected Senior Warden in 1792. He last visited this lodge three months before his death.
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