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Past Masters

W.:. Worshipful
V.:.W.:. Very Worshipful
R.:.W.:. Right Worshipful
M.:.W.:. Most Worshipful
* Deceased

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1. W\ Christopher Yates * 1774-1776, 1778-1784 Surveyor by occupation. Founder and first Master of St. George’s Lodge.
Lieut. Col. Albany County Militia. Member of the Third Provincial Congress, 1776.
 
2. W\ John Aaron Bradt * 1777 Innkeeper and Indian Trader
 
3. W\ Robert Alexander * 1785-1786, 1789-1790 Merchant, Captain in Col. Wemple’s Regiment of Albany County Militia
 
4. W\ Cornelius Van Dyke * 1787-1788 Physician, Col. First New York Line
 
5. W\ Joseph Christopher Yates * 1791-1796, 1798 First Mayor of the City of Schenectady 1798-1803, Governor of the State of New York 1823-1824
 
6. W\ Jellis A. Fonda * 1797, 1799-1802, 1805 Major and Adjutant of the command of Col. Willett’s Regiment of Levies, First Clerk of Schenectady 1809-1834
 
7. W\ Henry Yates, Jr. * 1803, 1810, 1815-1824 Mayor of Schenectady 1817-1825, State Senator 1810, 1814, 1818-1822
 
8. W\ William J. Teller * 1804, 1806-1807
 
9. W\ Thomas B. Clench * 1808, 1811-1814
 
10. W\ John G. Van Ingen * 1809
 
11. W\ Richard McMichael * 1825
 
12. W\ Giles Fonda Yates * 1826-1827, 1844-1845 Attourney-at-law, Antiquarian, Editor, Sovereign Grand Commander Supreme Council A.A.S.R. Northern Jurisdiction 1851
 
13. W\ Isaac Maus Schermerhorn * 1828-1843 Physician, Surgeon of the 59th regiment of New York Infantry, Brig. General of the 14th Brigade, 14th Division N.Y.S. Militia, Mayor of Schenectady
 
14. M\W\ Stephen H. Johnson * 1846 Attorney, State Senator and a Judge. Grand Master of Masons in the State of New York 1867. For a detailed biography of Grand Master Johnson, go to the Grand Masters page.
 
15. W\ Smith B. Burnham * 1847
 
16. W\ Levi H. Willard * 1848
 
17. W\ Joseph H. Horsfall * 1849
 
18. W\ Edward McCamus * 1850
 
19. W\ Frederick R. Mudge * 1851
 
20. W\ Joseph Y. Brower * 1852
 
21. W\ James E. VanHorne * 1853 Mayor of Schenectady
 
22. W\ Stephen O. Durkee * 1854
 
23. W\ Abram A. Van Vorst * 1855-1856 Mayor of Schenectady 1852-1854, Mayor of Schenectady 1869-1871, Mayor of Schenectady 1881-1883
 
24. R\W\ William J. VanHorne * 1857-1858, 1871 District Deputy Grand Master of the 7th Masonic District 1864-1865
,District Deputy Grand Master of the 9th Masonic District 1865-1866, Mayor of Schenectady 1871-1873
 
25. W\ Charles S. Vedder * 1859
 
26. W\ John N. Banker * 1860-1861, 1865
 
27. W\ Horace Goodrich * 1862-1863
 
28. W\ James Comstock * 1864
 
29. W\ S. L. Roberts Buchanan * 1866-1868 First High Priest of St. George’s Chapter No. 157, R. A. M. 1855-1859, First Commander of St. George’s Commandery No. 37, K. T. 1866-1869
 
30. W\ Edgar M. Jenkins * 1869-1870
 
31. W\ John A DeRemer * 1872-1873 Commissioner of Appeals 1885-1888
 
32. R\W\ John Keyes Paige * 1874-1876 District Deputy Grand Master of the 12th Masonic District 1874-1876
 
33. W\ Cady Staley * 1877
 
34. W\ Scott Hunter * 1878-1879
 
35. W\ I. B. Price * 1880-1881
 
36. R\W\ William H. Peckham * 1882-1883 District Deputy Grand Master of the 12th Masonic District 1891-1892
 
37. W\ T. Low Barhydt * 1884-1885 Mayor of Schenectady 1887-1889
 
38. W\ John H. White * 1886-1887 Mayor of Schenectady 1900-1902, Schenectady Masonic Hall Association Representative from 1908 to 1911
 
39. W\ Peter M. Doty * 1888-1889
 
40. W\ Francis Williamson * 1890
 
41. R\W\ Charles E. Palmer * 1891-1892 Grand Steward 1892-1893
 
42. R\W\ Thomas W. Wright * 1893-1894
 
43. R\W\ William H. Smith * 1895-1896 Mayor of Schenectady 1876-1879, Grand Representative of the Grand Lodge of Maine
 
44. W\ David Engleman * 1897
 
45. W\ Marshall B. McKinley * 1898-1899 Master of the 125th Anniversary
 
46. R\W\ William W. Wemple * 1900 Grand Sword Bearer 1903-1904, New York State Assemblyman 1903-1906 N. Y. State Senate 31st District 1907-1908
 
47. R\W\ Horace S. Van Voast * 1901 Mayor of Schenectady 1902-1904,
Mayor of Schenectady 1908-1910, Grand Representative of the Grand Lodge of Maryland
 
48. W\ George Wood * 1902
 
49. W\ Albert Tenney * 1903
 
50. W\ Arthur Marvin * 1904
 
51. W\ Andrew Kidd, Jr. * 1905
 
52. R\W\ Samuel S. Forster * 1906 Founder and First Master of Charles W. Mead Lodge No. 862, F. & A. M. 1907-1908, District Deputy Grand Master of the 17th Masonic District 1909-1911
 
53. R\W\ Frank Hoppman * 1907 Representative and also a President of the Schenectady Masonic Hall Association for 31 years from 1912 to 1943., Grand Representative of the Grand Lodge of New Brunswick, Canada
 
54. W\ Wooster B. Curtis * 1908
 
55. W\ Frank H. Sargent * 1909 First Elected Illustrious Master of St. George’s Council No. 74, R. & S. M. 1911-1912
 
56. R\W\ Howard R. Ouderkirk * 1910 He has attained the usual honor in the Masonic Order as Master of St. George’s Lodge, and at the date of his installation was the youngest Master at the age of 28 to be elected to that office since the Lodge was chartered in 1774 from 1910 to 1987., District Deputy Grand Master of the
17th Masonic District 1914-1915
 
57. W\ Marcus E. France * 1911
 
58. W\ Frank R. Swart * 1912
 
59. R\W\ Charles W. Collins * 1913 Grand Steward 1917-1918
 
60. W\ William T. Strickland * 1914
 
61. W\ Edward J. Apps * 1915
 
62. W\ Charles H. Schlansker * 1916
 
63. W\ Harry D. Holbrook * 1917
 
65. W\ Samuel E. Davis * 1918
 
66. R\W\ Evan R. Cullings * 1919 Grand Steward 1927-1928
 
67. W\ Henry C. Fagal * 1920 Mayor of Schenectady 1928-1932, Mayor of Schenectady 1934-1936
 
68. R\W\ Walter S. McNab * 1921 N.Y.S. Assemblyman 1st Dist., Director of the Masonic Medical Research Laboratory 1947-1963, Grand Representative of the Grand Lodge of Ohio
 
69. R\W\ Edwin C. Vedder * 1922 District Deputy Grand Master of the Rensselaer-Schenectady Masonic District 1928-1929
 
70. W\ Aaron J. Bradt * 1923
 
71. W\ Percy W. Ward * 1924 Master of the 150th Anniversary
 
72. R\W\ Joseph P. Thompson * 1925 Grand Sword Bearer 1956-1957
 
73. W\ Albert E. Butler * 1926
 
74. W\ George M. Betts * 1927
 
75. W\ Edward A. Cummings * 1928
 
76. W\ Daniel F. Webster * 1929
 
77. W\ Frederick H. Robinson * 1930
 
78. W\ Roy W. Peters * 1931
 
79. M\W\ Richard A. Rowlands * 1932 Grand Master of Masons in the State of New York 1950-1951. For a detailed biography of Grand Master Rowlands, go to the Grand Masters page.
 
80. W\ Horace S. Van Voast * 1933
 
81. W\ William W. Wemple * 1934 N.Y.S. Assemblyman 2nd Dist.
 
82. W\ Arthur R. Winder * 1935 He was summoned by the Grand Architect of the Universe during his term as Master of St. George’s Lodge on July 26, 1935
 
83. R\W\ William A. Rockwell * 1936 Grand Representative of the Grand Lodge of Oklahoma
 
84. W\ Robert L. Aughenpaugh * 1937
 
85. W\ Herbert E. Rolfe * 1938
 
86. R\W\ Robert J. Swackhammer * 1939 District Deputy Grand Master of the Rensselaer-Schenectady Masonic District 1943-1944
 
87. R\W\ William D. Gillespie * 1940 Grand Representative of the Grand Lodge of Vermont, Deputy Grand Marshal 1948-1949, Grand Marshal 1950-1951
 
88. W\ Edgar W. Snell * 1941
 
89. W\ J. F. Heaword Robinson, Jr. * 1942
 
90. R\W\ Earl S. Moncton * 1943 President of the Past Master’s Association of the Old 17th Masonic
District 1953-1954 Grand Representative of the Grand Lodge of Vermont
 
91. W\ Kenneth D. Bartlett * 1944
 
92. W\ Farnum E. Thomas * 1945
 
93. W\ Harold I. Blessing * 1946
 
94. W\ Chester W. Looman * 1947
 
95. W\ Lester E. Davenport * 1948
 
96. W\ Anthony E. Stritter * 1949 Master of the 175th Anniversary
 
97. R\W\ Stuart S. Gillespie * 1950 Grand Representative of the Grand Lodge of Delaware
 
98. W\ Grandville H. Jarvis * 1951
 
99. W\ John H. Guevin, Sr. * 1952
 
100. W\ Lewis B. Mull * 1953
 
101. R\W\ William T. Short * 1954 District Deputy Grand Master of the Rensselaer-Schenectady Masonic District 1959-1960
 
102. W\ Roy B. Quick * 1955
 
103. W\ Eugene W. Baxter * 1956
 
104. R\W\ Robert J. Henry * 1957 District Deputy Grand Master of the Rensselaer-Schenectady Masonic District 1970-1971
 
105. W\ Harvey E. Garrison * 1958 Dedicated Service Award 1979
 
106. R\W\ Stuart G. Henry * 1959 Grand Steward 1965-1966
 
107. W\ Hinsdill P. Stevenson * 1960
 
108. R\W\ Clifford B. Foland * 1961 Grand Representative of the Grand Lodge of Kentucky
 
109. W\ Kenneth J. Tullock * 1962 Dedicated Service Award 1975
 
110. W\ Walter L. Schlenker 1963
 
111. R\W\ Bruce A. Henry * 1964 Grand Steward 1978-1979
 
112. R\W\ Raymond M. Gates * 1965 Grand Sword Bearer 1985-1986
 
113. R\W\ Lee H. Esmann 1966 District Deputy Grand Master of the Rensselaer-Schenectady Masonic District 1982-1983
 
114. W\ Charles H. Smith * 1967
 
115. R\W\ Donald Pfeiffer 1968 Grand Representative of the Grand Lodge of British Columbia, Canada
 
116. V\W\ Ernest K. Contompasis * 1969 President of the Past Master’s Association of the Old 17th Masonic
District 1981-1982, Assistant Grand Lecturer of the Rensselaer-Schenectady Masonic District 1985-1987
 
117. W\ Elmer I. Kidder * 1970
 
118. W\ Harry Spodak 1971
 
119. W\ Albert A. Palmer * 1972 Dedicated Service Award 1998
 
120. W\ Frank E. Parker 1973
 
121. M\W\ Roswell T. Swits 1974 Grand Master of Masons in the State of New York 1988-1990. For a detailed biography of Grand Master Swits, go to the Grand Masters page.
 
122. W\ Leonard G. Hunter II 1975
 
123. W\ Robert H. Pelham Jr. * 1976
 
124. W\ Roger H. Pelham 1977
 
125. R\W\ Nicholas J. Cilberti * 1978, 1990 Grand Representative of the Grand Lodge of Hawaii
 
126. W\ Bobbie B. Hull 1979
 
127. R\W\ William B. Fink Jr. 1980 District Deputy Grand Master of the Rensselaer-Schenectady Masonic District 2004-2006
 
128. W\ William B. Fink Sr. * 1981
 
129. R\W\ Francis I. Karwowski 1982 President of the Past Master’s Association of the Old 17th Masonic
District 1989-1990, Grand Representative of the Grand Lodge of Louisiana
 
130. R\W\ Rodger H. Bricknell * 1983 Director of the Masonic Medical Research Laboratory 1990-1993
 
131. W\ Theodore B. Schwermer * 1984 Dedicated Service Award 1981
 
132. W\ Donald G. Bowers 1985
 
133. R\W\ Michael T. Brockbank 1986 Deputy Grand Standard Bearer 1987-1988, Grand Standard Bearer 1988-1990, Trustee Masonic Hall & Asylum 1990-1996, Director of the Masonic Medical Research Laboratory 2001-2004, Grand Representative of the Grand Lodge of The Netherlands, Hudson-Champlain Regional Deputy
Proctor 2007 to the present
 
134. R\W\ Ralph Pfeiffer 1987 At the time of his installation he became the youngest Master of St. George’s Lodge at the age of 27 going all the way back to when the lodge was chartered in 1774 from 1987 to the present. President of the Past Master’s Association of the Old 17th Masonic District 1998-1999
Grand Sword Bearer 2000-2002
 
135. R\W\ John David Henry 1988 Assistant Grand Lecturer of the Rensselaer-Schenectady Masonic District 1996-1999 and 2001-2007, Grand Representative of the Grand Lodge of Kentucky,
Hudson-Champlain Regional Assistant Grand Lecturer 2007-2009
 
136. W\ David L. Palmquist 1989
 
137. W\ Kent R. DeBie 1991 2nd Vice President of the Past Master’s Association of the Old 17th Masonic District 1995-1996
 
138. W\ Cary L. Peek 1992
 
139. W\ Philip S. Arony 1993 3rd Vice President of the Past Master’s Association of the Old 17th Masonic District 1994-1995
 
140. W\ James D. Vooys 1994
 
141. W\ Henry M. Michelin 1995, 2001-2002
 
142. R\W\ Ralph H. Rosenthal 1996, 2004 Grand Representative of the Grand Lodge of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations
 
143. R\W\ Richard Rasmussen * 1997 President of the Past Master’s Association of the Old 17th Masonic
District 1986-1987, District Deputy Grand Master of the Rensselaer-Schenectady Masonic District 1990-1991
 
144. R\W\ David E. Barnes 1998 President of the Past Master’s Association of the Old 17th Masonic
District 2001-2002, District Deputy Grand Master of the Rensselaer-Schenectady Masonic District 2002-2004
 
145. R\W\ R. Bruce Murphy 1999, 2003 Grand Steward 2004-2006
 
146. W\ Glenn W. Bull * 2000 Dedicated Service Award 2007
 
147. W\ Robert Brilling Jr. 2005
 
148. W\ Robert McCloskey 2006, 2007 President of the Past Master’s Association of the Old 17th Masonic
District 2008-2009
 
149. V\W\ Damon B. Carr 2008 Assistant Grand Lecturer of the Rensselaer-Schenectady Masonic District 2009 to the present
150. W\ Edward Mosso 2009
151. W\ 2010

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