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Originally inhabited by two major Native American tribes (the Algonquian-speaking Abenaki and the Iroquois),
much of the territory that is now Vermont was claimed by France during its early colonial period. France ceded
the territory to the Kingdom of Great Britain after being defeated in 1763 in the Seven Years’ War (in the
United States locally referred to as the French and Indian War). For many years, the nearby colonies, especially
New Hampshire and New York, disputed control of the area (then called the New Hampshire Grants). Settlers
who held land titles granted by these colonies were opposed by the Green Mountain Boys militia, which
eventually prevailed in creating an independent state, the Vermont Republic. Founded in 1777 during the
Revolutionary War, the republic lasted for fourteen years. Aside from the Thirteen Colonies, Vermont is one of
only four U.S. states (along with Texas,Hawaii, and California) to have been a sovereign state in its past. In
1791, Vermont joined the United States as the 14 th state, the first in addition to the original 13 Colonies. It
abolished slavery while still independent, and upon joining the Union became the first state to have done so.
Vermont is the leading producer of maple syrup in the United States. [7] The state capital is Montpelier, which
has a population of 7,855 and is the least populous state capital in the country. [8] Vermont’s most populous city
is Burlington, with a 2010 population of 42,417, [9] which makes it the least populous city in the United States to
be the largest city within a state. Burlington’smetropolitan area has a population of 211,261.
Wikipedia
Link Address
Grand Lodge of Vermont
OF FREE AND ACCEPTED MASONS FOR THE STATE OF VERMONT
Grand Lodge of Vermont 14 th October 1794
Grand Lodge of Vermont, F&AM
49 East Road,
Barre, Vermont, 05641-5390
(802) 223-1883 (802) 223-1883
www.vtfreemasons.org
Grand Lodge of Vermont; www.vtfreemasons.org/
The Grand Lodge of Vermont F. & A.M.
Masonic History in the United States and Vermont
It was inevitable that Freemasonry should follow the colonists to America and play a most important role in the
establishment of the thirteen colonies. Freemasonry was formally recognized for the first time in America with
the appointment by the Grand Lodge of England of a Provincial Grand Master in New York, New Jersey and
Pennsylvania in 1730. American Masons worked under foreign jurisdiction until 1731, when the first American
Grand Lodge was established in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Some of the earliest Grand Lodges in
America received their charters from the Premier Grand Lodge of England with warrants authorizing them to
issue Charters for other states.
One of the most romantic portions of all Masonic history lies in the story of the part played by Freemasons in
the formation of our country. Without exaggeration, Freemasonry and Masonic thinking contributed most
significantly to founding of this great republic. Many of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, as well
as the drafters of the Constitution, were members of the Fraternity. George Washington was a staunch
Freemason. He was the first of fourteen Masonic Presidents, and the only one to serve as Worshipful Master of a
Lodge and President at one and the
same time. The other Masonic Presidents were Monroe, Jackson, Polk, Buchanan, Johnson, Garfield, McKinley,
Theodore Roosevelt, Taft, Harding, Franklin Roosevelt, Truman and Ford, of whom Truman and Jackson served
also as Grand Masters.