Welcome to Savannah’s First Masonic District Rooted in Legacy, Inspired by Service

History of the Savannah First Masonic District

The Savannah First Masonic District is a cornerstone of Prince Hall Freemasonry in Georgia, with a legacy that dates back to the post–Civil War era. Established in 1866, Savannah became the birthplace of Prince Hall Masonry in the state, laying the foundation for a tradition of leadership, community service, and fraternal excellence that continues to thrive today.

Founding and Early Development

On February 4, 1866, Eureka Lodge No. 11 (now Eureka Lodge No. 1) and Hilton Lodge No. 13 (now Hilton Lodge No. 2) were established in Savannah under the auspices of the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Massachusetts. These lodges were organized by Reverend James Merilus Simms, a prominent minister and civic leader. Their formation marked the inception of African American Freemasonry in Georgia.

On June 24, 1870, Eureka and Hilton Lodges, along with Banneker Lodge No. 3 of Augusta, united to form the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Georgia (Colored), with Reverend Simms serving as the first Grand Master.

Notable Leaders and Contributions

The Savannah First Masonic District has been led by influential figures who have significantly impacted both the Masonic community and the broader society.

JAMES M. SIMMS

The chronicles of Prince Hall Freemasonry in Georgia would be incomplete without acknowledging the First Prince Mason, Rev. James M. Simms. Rev. Simms was a Baptist minister, a carpenter by trade, a newspaper publisher, an author, a civil rights activist, and an elected representative in the Georgia Assembly during the Reconstruction Era.

He was born enslaved on December 27, 1823, in Savannah. As a youth, Simms’s master employed a French tutor to teach the white children and allowed his enslaved son to be taught as well. By 1857, with the help of his mother, Simms purchased his freedom. Soon afterward, he began teaching other Black children to read and write, even though it was illegal at the time. The punishment for such acts included fines and public flogging in the town square. Simms was repeatedly fined and publicly whipped, with the penalties increasing each time.

During the Civil War, the climate in Savannah led Simms to relocate to Boston, Massachusetts. While there, he was initiated as a Prince Hall Mason. He returned to Savannah near the end of the war, and it is said that he informed the Black community that President Abraham Lincoln had signed the Emancipation Proclamation.

He was also empowered to organize Masonic lodges in the state, and in 1866, he established two Prince Hall Masonic lodges in Savannah, Georgia. Thereby, Simms became the first Prince Hall Mason in the state, and Savannah became recognized as the first Masonic District, often referred to as “The Cradle of Prince Hall Masonry in Georgia.”

Simms instilled in Black men the importance of joining the Order. Among those influenced were current and future leaders of the community, including Louis B. Toomer, John H. Deveaux, Anthony K. Desverney, Lewis Pleasant, Alexander Harris, Ulysses L. Houston, Tunis G. Campbell, and many others.

In 1868, he and several other Black men were elected as representatives to the Georgia Assembly. He was a determined advocate for the rights of his people. In 1871, Simms became the first African American judge in Georgia when he was appointed to the First Senatorial District Court.

In 1870, he published The History of the First Colored Baptist Church in North America, after establishing numerous Masonic lodges throughout the state. He organized the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge and was elected its first Grand Master.

He passed away on July 9, 1912, at the age of 88, having outlived virtually all of his contemporaries.

LOUIS B. TOOMER

Louis B. Toomer, like James Simms, was an early civil rights activist in post–Civil War Savannah. He was born in Charleston, South Carolina. He became a driving force for reform within Savannah’s Black community. He entered politics in 1870 and, despite holding only one office, remained politically active throughout his life.

In addition to his political involvement, Mr. Toomer worked for the Postal Service, taught at local schools, and co-founded and edited newspapers. Along with John H. Deveaux and Lewis Pleasant, he founded The Colored Tribune, which later became The Savannah Tribune. He was a devoted husband, father, and Christian. His son, Louis Burke Toomer II, became a local bank founder and realtor.

JOHN H. DEVEAUX

John H. Deveaux was born in Savannah in 1844 and was a third-generation member of his family to become active in civic affairs. His grandparents, John Benjamin and Catherine Deveaux, were leaders within Savannah’s Black community. John Benjamin served as pastor of First Bryan Baptist Church, and Catherine operated a school for enslaved children at a time when such actions were illegal and punishable by fine and flogging.

In 1819, the Deveaux couple became parents of Jane Deveaux. To ensure she received a proper education, she was sent north, where it was safer. Jane returned to Savannah in 1830 and, like her mother, established a school for enslaved children. She later gave birth to John H. Deveaux.

John H. Deveaux was a Civil War veteran who attained the rank of Colonel. He later became Clerk of Customs for the Port of Savannah. He was one of the leading figures in the Black community during Reconstruction and beyond. He co-founded The Colored Tribune and used the newspaper to oppose racial suppression.

He assisted Rev. James Simms in organizing the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Georgia and later served as its third Grand Master from 1874 to 1883. During his tenure, he personally laid the cornerstone at First Bryan Baptist Church during its 100th anniversary celebration and rebuilding. On that occasion, white clergy and white Masons were invited to attend. Those present witnessed the proficiency with which the Masonic team performed their duties.

He passed away in 1909 as a highly respected member of the community. His funeral was held at his home located at 514 East Taylor Street. A two-story cottage at 513 York Street was the former residence of his grandmother, Catherine Deveaux.

ALEXANDER HARRIS

Alexander Harris was an African American minister, deacon, trustee, Freemason, and one of the most influential religious and civic leaders in Savannah, Georgia, during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. As a young man, Harris lived in Augusta and worked as a blacksmith.

Harris enlisted in the Confederate Army during the Civil War, where he served as a drummer with the Republican Blues Drum and Bugle Corps. Harris, along with James Simms, John Deveaux, Emanuel K. Love, Anthony Desverney, and other African American leaders, aided Richard Wright in organizing the Georgia State Industrial College, known today as Savannah State University.

Harris was a Prince Hall Mason and served the Georgia Jurisdiction as its fourth Grand Master from 1883 to 1888. He passed away in 1909.

ANTHONY K. DESVERNEY

Anthony K. Desverney was born in Charleston, South Carolina, and moved to Savannah as a young man. He became the Chief Cotton Examiner for the Port of Savannah under Colonel John H. Deveaux. He became a Freemason and rose to serve as the fifth Grand Master from 1884 to 1886.

He passed away in 1892 at the age of 60, only months after the death of his wife. Some said he died of a broken heart.

SOL C. JOHNSON

At the beginning of the 20th century, the First Masonic District experienced steady and meaningful growth. The City of Savannah expanded to ten lodges, and while Rev. Simms, Col. Deveaux, and other leaders were growing older, newer members were strengthening the Order.

Chief among those rising to leadership was Solomon Charles Johnson, commonly known as “Sol C. Johnson.” He was born in Laurel Hill, South Carolina, in 1868 and moved to Savannah as a young boy. As a teenager, he began learning the art of printing and ultimately became employed at The Savannah Tribune.

In 1889, he became editor when Colonel John Deveaux, the owner, moved to Brunswick, Georgia, due to his duties as Clerk of Customs. Johnson served as editor for ten years and purchased the paper after the death of Col. Deveaux in 1909, a position he held until his death in 1954.

As owner and editor, Johnson used his platform to speak out against segregation and, in 1905, launched an unsuccessful boycott against the streetcar company. He was vocal about the need for fair and equitable education for Black children. Moreover, he was a dedicated and devout Prince Hall Mason.

The dawn of the 20th century saw Johnson emerge as a strong leader in the Masonic Order. He became Secretary of the Grand Lodge, a position he held for nearly 50 years. He helped organize the Most Worshipful Grand Chapter, Order of the Eastern Star, serving as its first Grand Patron and continuing in that role for over 50 years. He held both positions until the final years of his life.

In 1952, Edgar Charles Blackshear was appointed Assistant Grand Secretary to prevent disruption to Grand Lodge operations. Johnson’s knowledge was so valuable that when John Wesley Dobbs became Grand Master in 1932, during the Great Depression, when many fraternal organizations faced collapse, Johnson’s wise counsel helped Dobbs navigate the Masonic Order.

Sol C. Johnson passed away in March 1954.

C. BLACKSHEAR

Edgar Charles Blackshear was born in Savannah, Georgia, in 1891. He was made a Mason as a young man and, in 1952, was appointed Assistant Grand Secretary to Sol C. Johnson by Grand Master Dobbs when Johnson’s health began to decline.

In June 1954, he was elected Grand Secretary, a position he held for 36 years. Blackshear served as Tenant Manager for the Housing Authority of Savannah for many years. Upon his retirement from the Housing Authority in 1957, he was succeeded by Leroy Bolden.

Both men were members of Hilton Lodge, and as fate would have it, just as Grand Master Dobbs appointed Blackshear to assist Sol C. Johnson, he later appointed Bolden to serve as Assistant Grand Secretary to Blackshear.

C. Blackshear and L. R. Bolden worked tirelessly to obtain decent and affordable housing, leading to the opening of Fellwood Homes. He strongly encouraged tenants to understand the importance of maintaining the new complex. He was affectionately known as “The Father of Fellwood Homes.”

He passed away as a Past Master and Gold Card Member of Hilton Lodge in February 1985.

LEROY R. BOLDEN

Leroy R. Bolden was born in Savannah, Georgia, in 1917. He graduated from Cuyler-Beach High School and Georgia State College and furthered his studies at New York University, earning a Master of Arts degree in Speech.

After completing his studies in New York, he returned to Savannah and began teaching English at his alma mater, A. E. Beach High School. After growing weary of classroom instruction, he accepted the invitation of E. C. Blackshear and joined him at the Housing Authority of Savannah.

He once stated that his father influenced his desire to join the Order by precept and example. “He always kept his apron and gloves clean for me.” On the night he was initiated, he admitted that he was initially disillusioned until he began reading the ritual and discovered its beauty and how it was being mishandled by brethren who were not sufficiently trained to “lift it off the pages and bring it to life.”

Once this realization occurred, he assembled a team of members to demonstrate the proper way to confer the three principal degrees. Thus was born “The Masonic Degree Team of the First District.” The team was comprised of brethren from a cross-section of five lodges.

In 1947, they were invited to Atlanta to perform for Grand Master Dobbs and the Grand Lodge. Afterward, the Grand Master and Grand Lodge officers critiqued them and demonstrated the proper method of initiation. The young Masons were so proficient that Grand Master Dobbs stated, “There was nothing that could be added or taken away.”

Leroy Bolden served the Order in the following capacities:

Masonic Degree Team Member
Worshipful Master
Commander-in-Chief
Assistant Grand Secretary
Grand Treasurer
District Deputy Grand Master
Deputy of the Orient for Scottish Rite Masonry
Grand Almoner for the United Supreme Council (Southern Jurisdiction)
Imperial Secretary, A.E.A.O.N.M.S. (Shriners)

Bolden was an eloquent and highly sought-after speaker.

He passed away in 1984 at the age of 67.

ROBERT W. GADSDEN

Robert Washington Gadsden was a Prince Hall Mason who adhered to his commitment to educate, advocate, and serve the Black community. He was a respected school principal who made significant contributions to education in Savannah during the Jim Crow era.

He was a driving force behind the establishment of the West Broad Street YMCA, created to serve African American soldiers returning home from World War II. Gadsden Elementary School bears his name.

Within the Grand Lodge, Brother Gadsden served for many years as Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Correspondence. He passed away in 1975 at the age of 105.

CURTIS V. COOPER

Curtis Victor Cooper was born in 1932 in Savannah, Georgia. He graduated from Woodville Thompkins High School. As a teenager, he became involved in the NAACP Youth Council. He continued his education at Savannah State College and later received his doctoral degree in Health Care Administration from the University of Michigan.

He served as Executive Director of the Westside Urban Health Clinic. In 1976, Curtis was elected President of the Savannah Chapter of the NAACP, a position he held until his death.

Curtis Victor Cooper was appointed by the Grand Lodge to assist Brother Gadsden in his duties as Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Correspondence and ultimately succeeded him.

Curtis Cooper passed away in 2000.

Current Lodges and Chapters

The Savannah First Masonic District comprises several active lodges and chapters, each committed to upholding the principles of Freemasonry and community service.

Lodges

-Eureka Lodge No. 1 – Savannah
-Hilton Lodge No. 2 – Savannah
-Pythagoras Lodge No. 11 – Savannah
-Mt. Moriah Lodge No. 15 – Savannah
-Prince Hall Lodge No. 28 – Savannah
-Eastern Star Lodge No. 58 – Pembroke
-U.L. Houston Lodge No. 75 – Richmond Hill
-McKinley Lodge No. 211 – Guyton
-Clyo Lodge No. 262 – Clyo
-Limerick Lodge No. 437 – Midway

Chapters (Order of the Eastern Star)

-Electa Chapter No. 1 – Savannah
-Mt. Moriah Chapter No. 37 – Savannah
–Solomon Temple Chapter No. 95 – Savannah
-Easter Lily Chapter No. 117 – Savannah
-Savannah Chapter No. 159 – Savannah
-Prince Hall Chapter No. 258 – Savannah
-Pride of Guyton Chapter No. 292 – Guyton
-Clyo Chapter No. 297 – Clyo
-Limerick Chapter No. 336 – Freeman
-Affectionate Chapter No. 489 – Pembroke

Community Engagement and Legacy

The Savannah First Masonic District has a longstanding tradition of community involvement. From educational initiatives and youth mentorship programs to charitable events and civic engagement, the District continues to embody the Masonic principles of Brotherly Love, Relief, and Truth.

Notably, the District has organized youth chapters and recognized young leaders, including the crowning of the First Masonic District of Savannah Youth Chapter Queen in 2016.

Continued Growth and Leadership

The Savannah First Masonic District remains a vibrant and integral part of the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Georgia. Through steadfast leadership and a commitment to service, the District continues to foster personal growth among its members and contribute positively to the broader community.

Historical information and references used in the development of this page were graciously provided by District Deputy Emeritus Brother Joseph F. Hymes, Sr. and 15th Grand Worthy Matron Sister Lynnette S. Hymes.