Knights Templar and North America, myth or fact?

[Lucky13]

Just throwing the famous spanner in the works....

 

[fubar57]

When I became a memb....I mean..ah..er..nope, no Knights Templars in North America.

Geo

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Whats the myth of the Nights Templar and North America?

 

[Lucky13]

That they sailed there after the French king......'disbanded' them..

 

[FLYBOYJ]

Home

 

[Capt. Vick]

MYTH...next!

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

I love Masonic myths...

 

[GrauGeist]

North America wasn't known to Europeans or the Templars when they were screwed over in the 1300's.

The Masons were familiar with North America, however, as many of the Founding Fathers were Masons.

 

[Njaco]

Now, the Vikings are another matter.......

 

[stona]

The Masons were familiar with North America, however, as many of the Founding Fathers were Masons.

Good job for all those deist principles enshrined in the constitution

Early 14th century Europeans, Templar or otherwise, in North America...myth.

Steve

 

[Lucky13]

Well, Vikings were.....are Europeans or Northern Europeans!

Shame that they didn't settle for longer, would have been a nice welcome committee for Colom...Colum....whatshisname!

 

[stona]

Well, Vikings were.....are Europeans or Northern Europeans!

True, but the age of the Vikings is generally taken to end in 1066, at least in English history, so a bit before the 14th century. The Normans were of Viking ancestry as, rather more obviously, was the leader of the other less successful invasion that year, Harald Hardrada.
The Viking age was definitely over in any European history by the early 12th century
Cheers
Steve

 

[Shortround6]

Nah, they would have had to settle in the Caribbean Islands to meet "Colum....whatshisname" and the fair skinned vikings burnt to a crisp, no SPF 50 sun block

 

[stona]

A German friend of mine refers to getting drunk, lying in the sun and getting burnt as 'Swedish sunbathing'

According to him getting drunk and getting sunburnt are two things that come easily to our Scandinavian brethren!

Steve

 

[Lucky13]

Getting rat arsed is more fun then sunbathing!

 

[vikingBerserker]

I remember watching some special about some supposed stone carving of a knight found in the 1800's in Massachusetts or some other state up north and the Newport Tower in Rhode Island both being tied to the Knights. It was interesting but I would need more evidence.

 

[gumbyk]

North America wasn't known to Europeans or the Templars when they were screwed over in the 1300's.

The Masons were familiar with North America, however, as many of the Founding Fathers were Masons.

There is evidence that Freemasonry and Templars worked closely (who do you think built all their temples?), and one theory is that a lot of Templars were 'absorbed' into the Freemason society.
The only Freemason hall that I've been into has a number of items of regalia with Freemason symbology on it (headwear, cloaks, etc), so I believe that there is some truth to this.

As for whether the ever made it to North America, probably not.

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

This might get interesting after all...

 

[GrauGeist]

There was a large Masonic presence with the founding of the United States.

Signers of the Declaration of Independence:
William Ellery of Rhode Island; First Lodge of Boston
Benjamin Franklin of Pennsylvania; Grand Master of Pennsylvania
John Hancock of Massachusetts; Merchants Lodge No.277 (Quebec), Saint Andrew's Lodge (Boston)
Joseph Hewes (Howes) of North Carolina; Unanimity Lodge No.7
William Hooper of North Carolina; Hanover Lodge, Masonborough, NC
Thomas McKean of Delaware; Perseverance Lodge, Harrisburg, PA
Robert Treat Paine of Massachusetts; Massachusetts Grand Lodge
George Walton of Georgia; Solomon's Lodge No.1 Savannah, GA
William Whipple of New Hampshire; St. John's Lodge, Portsmouth, NH

And 6 more possible. It has been speculated that Thomas Jefferson was a Mason, however there is no evidence to back this claim.

Signers of the Constitution:
Gunning Bedford, Jr. of Delaware; 1st Grand Master of Delaware
John Blair of Virginia; 1st Grand Master of Virginia
David Brearley of New Jersey; 1st Grand Master of New Jersey
Jacob Broom of Delaware
Daniel Carroll of Maryland
Jonathan Dayton of New Jersey; Temple Lodge No.1 Elizabethtown, NJ
John Dickinson of Delaware
Benjamin Franklin of Pennsylvania; Grand Master of Pennsylvania
Nicholas Gilman of New Hampshire; St. John's Lodge No.1 Portsmouth, NH
Rufus King of Massachusetts; St. John's Lodge, Newburyport, MA
James McHenry of Maryland; Spiritual Lodge No.23 MD
William Paterson of New Jersey; Trenton Lodge No.5
George Washington of Virginia; Lodge of Fredericksburg, Charter Master of Alexandria Lodge No.22

There is a possibility that several others may have been members.

Continental Army:
James Clinton, Brigadier General; Warren Lodge No.17
Elias Dayton, Brigadier General; Military Lodge No.19 Pennsylvania
Joseph Frye, Brigadier General; Grand Lodge of Massachusetts
Mordecai Gist, Brigadier General; Lodge No.16 Baltimore, Grand Master of South Carolina
John Glover, Brigadier General; Philanthropic Lodge
John Greaton, Brigadier General; Masters Lodge of Albany
Nathanael Greene, Major General
Edward Hand, Major General; Military Lodge No.19 Pennsylvania
James Hogun; Brigadier General; Royal Arch Lodge No.3
Henry Knox, Major General
Marquis de LaFayette, (Maréchal de camp; France) Major General
Benjamin Lincoln, Major General; Lodge of St. Andrew, Boston
William Maxwell, Brigadier General; Military Lodge No.19 Pennsylvania
Hugh Mercer, Brigadier General; Lodge of Fredericksburg
Richard Montgomery, Major General; Lodge of Unity No.18 (under Irish Registry; 17th Regiment of Foot)
Peter Muhlenberg, Brigadier General; Royal Arch Lodge No.3
John Nixon, Brigadier General
Samuel H. Parsons, Major General; American Union Lodge, St. john's Lodge No.2 Middletown, CT
John Paterson, Brigadier General; Berkshire No. 5 Lodge, Stockbridge
Israel Putnam, Major General; Crown Point Military Lodge
Rufus Putnam, Brigadier General; American Union Lodge
Arthur St. Clair, Major General; Nova Caesarea Lodge No.10, Cincinnati
John Stark, Brigadier General; Masters Lodge, Albany
Frederick W.A. von Steuben (Inspector General; Prussia) Major General; German Mason, Trinity Lodge No.10 NY, Holland Lodge No.8
John Sullivan, Major General; St. John's Lodge, Portsmouth NH, Grand Master of New Hampshire
Jethro Sumner, Brigadier General; Blandford Butte Lodge, NC
William Thompson, Brigadier General; Royal Arch Lodge No. 3, Philadelphia
James M. Varnum, Brigadier General
George Washington; General and Commander in Chief; Lodge of Fredericksburgh, Charter Master of Alexandria Lodge No.22
George Weedon, Brigadier General; Port Royal Kilwinning Cross Lodge No.2, Lodge of Fredericksburg
Otho H. Williams, Brigadier General; American Union Lodge, Roxbury MA, Maryland Lodge No.27
David Wooster, Brigadier General; Military Lodge of Louisbourg, Hiram Lodge No.1 New Haven, CT

Several more may have been Masons, but no records survive of membership or activity.

 

[Njaco]

I was a member of DeMolay in my early years (pre-Free Mason) and I can tell you that alot of the myths about Masonry is just not true and born out of ignorance for the fraternity. Thats what it is: a Fraternity of men (women are Eastern Star) with ideas and mores for living a full life based on christian values. Thats all. Many, many famous people throughout history have been Masons. I've just never understood the dislike.......