Hancock Lodge No. 311 History - Hancock Lodge History

Hancock Lodge No. 311
Ancient Free and Accepted Masons

Hancock Lodge No. 311, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas was formed under dispensation from the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge, A. F. & A. M. of Kansas on 15 May 1888. The appointed officers were:

Worshipful Master Carle A. Woodruff

Senior Warden Thomas W. Barry

Junior Warden Charles Page

Treasurer Asher T. Taylor

Secretary Frank E. Collis

Original Charter Members:

Thomas W. Barry John Black Alton H. Budlong William O. Cary

Frank E. Collis Aaron I. Comfort William Dillon Charles Dodge, Jr

Miles Doran Carl C. Evenson Walter L. Finley George S. Hoyt

William N. Hughes James A. Irons Jacob Kline Louis M. Koehler

Carl Koops Frank D. Lauer Daniel Lemay Charles Page

Carl Reichmann James Salmon Asher C. Taylor Howard H. Von Falkenstein

George Wentzel James E. Wilson Carl A. Woodruff

The Lodge was regularly chartered on 20 February 1889. The Lodge was consecrated, dedicated and constituted in due form 5 May 1889 by Most Worshipful Bestor G. Brown, special Deputy Grand Master, pursuant to a commission from Geroge C. Kenyon, The Most Worshipful Grand Master of The Most Worshipful Grand Lodge, A. F. & A. M. of Kansas. The new Lodge was named for MG Winfield Scott Hancock.

Hancock Lodge is a most unique Lodge. It is international in character, because it includes as members many active duty military personnel from many nations assigned to posts throughout the four corners of the globe. The sun never sets on our membership. Hancock Lodge is also unique, because it is the only Masonic Lodge housed in a Masonically owned Temple on a military reservation in the United States. The construction of Boughton Memorial Hall was authorized by an Act of Congress approved on 11 July 1919 for the Fiscal Year ending in 30 June 1920. It is difficult to determine where meetings were held prior to the construction of Boughton Memorial Hall; the minutes simply state " Hall of Hancock Lodge". The minutes of 7 April 1908 state that a "Revocable License" was issued, by the Secretary of War, for the Lodge to occupy the second story of the Quartermasters Building #102. Building #102 which was built in 1859, is currently named Stotsenburg Hall and is occupied by the Post Finance.

Major General Winfield Scott Hancock

Major General Winfield Scott Hancock, is one of the United States Army's most distinguished officers, he was born on 14 February 1824 at Montgomery Square, Norristown, Pennsylvania. He graduated from the United States Military Academy in 1844 and shortly thereafter served in the Mexican War where he was breveted First Lieutenant for gallantry in action. In 1885 he saw service in the Seminole War around Fort Myers, Florida.

In 1857-58 he was stationed in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, during the period of the so-called "Border War" between the pro-slavery and abolitionist factions. He arrived at Fort Leavenworth on 1 August 1857 and departed for Utah and California in the Spring of 1858.

His first assignment in the Civil War was at Williamsburg, where as a Brigadier General of Volunteers, he commanded the Brigade which turned the Confederate flank and carried the field. General McClellan, in his official report, stated that "Hancock was superb". At Antietam, Hancock assumed command of the First Divission of II Corps, and led it in the bloody battles of Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville. At Fredericksburg his Division distinguished itself in the fruitless assault which Burnside ordered on Marye's Heights; and at Chancellorsville, they bore the full weight of Lee's attack down the Plank Road, holding a salient which enabled Hooker to extricate himself from Jackson's wide envelopment.

At Gettysburg, Hancock was ordered by Meade to select the ground for the Union dispositions, and Hancock commanded all Union forces the first day. Thereafter, as Commanding General of II Corps, he commanded the Union left wing, and his Corps repulsed Pickett's famous charge. Hancock continued in command of the II Corps to the end of the war, distinguishing himself repeatedly at the Wilderness, Spottsylvania and Petersburg. He became renowned throughout the Army as "Hancock the Superb".

After Lincoln's assasination, Hancock was immediately ordered to command the District of Washington where he apprehended, tried and executed Booth's accomplices.

On 6 August 1866, Major General Hancock returned to Fort Leavenworth to command the Department of Missouri. There he remained until September of 1867, when he was transferred to New Orleans. In 1880 Hancock was nominated by the Democratic party as their candidate for President of the United States; and in an election where over 9 million votes where cast, he lost to President Garfield by a scant 7,018 votes.

Major General Hancock received all three Masonic Degrees by special dispensation in Charity Lodge No. 190 of Norristown, Pennsylvania on 31 October 1860, while on leave. He was also a member of Norristown Chapter No. 190, Royal Arch Masons and Hutchinson Commandery No. 32, Knights Templar, both of Norristown, Pennsylvania.

Major General Hancock died at Governor's Island, New York on 9 February 1886.

Our address is Boughton Memorial Hall, 311 Kearny Ave., Fort Leavenworth, Kansas 66027. Follow the link for directions to our Lodge [MAP/Directions]

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