William J. Gottlieb of City Lodge No. 408: The Mason Who Fought for the American Driver
William J. Gottlieb served as Master of City Lodge No. 408 while building a career as one of the American motorist’s most persistent advocates. From taxicabs to toll disputes, gasoline rationing and school safety, his story follows the growth of the Automobile Club of New York—and the battles over who should pay for the road.
Raymond C. Ellis and Service Lodge No. 1009: The Grand Master Flushing Claimed as a Brother
In 1952, Flushing’s Service Lodge No. 1009 welcomed Raymond C. Ellis as an honorary member. The Brooklyn lawyer went on to become Grand Master of New York Masons and helped bring a medical research laboratory into being in Utica. His story connects a neighborhood lodge’s charitable work with a lasting commitment to medical research.
Louis J. Viehmann: Island City Lodge Brother and the Furniture Factory That Became a Talking Heads Loft
Louis J. Viehmann, a furniture manufacturer and brother of Island City Lodge No. 586, helped build the industrial life of Hunters Point. Decades after his death, the Teepe-Whitney factory became a loft for Talking Heads’ Chris Frantz and Tina Weymouth—and a recording space for Fear of Music.
Frank E. Haff of Island City Lodge No. 586: The Railroad Man Who Connected Long Island’s Masons
From a Babylon telegraph key to the leadership of the Long Island Rail Road, Frank E. Haff connected communities—and Masons—across Long Island. As Master of Island City Lodge No. 586 and District Deputy Grand Master, he revitalized his lodge, presided at Theodore Roosevelt’s initiation, and took a principled stand over Masonic debt.
Garret J. Garretson: First Master of Mizpah Lodge No. 738 and the Judge Queens Would Not Let Go
In 1873, Garret J. Garretson opened his Newtown law office to eight fellow Masons and became Mizpah Lodge No. 738’s first Master. His story follows a village lawyer into education, the Greater New York Charter Commission and a judicial career that earned the lasting confidence of Queens voters.
Dudley D. Schoenfeld of Geba Lodge No. 954: Navy Physician and Forensic Psychiatry Pioneer
Navy physician, psychiatrist and founding member of Geba Lodge No. 954, Dudley D. Schoenfeld brought his expertise to the Lindbergh investigation and the landmark La Guardia study. His story connects Queens Freemasonry to military medicine, criminal psychiatry and public-health research.[1]
David Wechsler of Geba Lodge No. 954: The Man Behind the Wechsler Intelligence Scales
Geba Lodge No. 954 recorded David Wechsler as its 27th member in April 1919. Was he the psychologist behind the Wechsler intelligence scales? This article explores his life and work while examining the records needed to confirm the Masonic connection.
Bernard Berkley of Geba Lodge No. 954: The Mason Who Ran Fairyland on Queens Boulevard
Six weeks after becoming Geba Lodge No. 954’s 660th member, Fairyland co-owner Bernard Berkley welcomed about a hundred children for a day of rides and a free lunch. His story connects Masonic charity to the Elmhurst amusement park that once stood where Queens Center Mall is today.
Otto J. Cohen of City Lodge No. 408: The Mason Behind Charles of the Ritz
City Lodge No. 408 remembered R.W. Otto Cohen as a past master and longtime brother. This article explores his possible identification with Otto J. Cohen, the cosmetics executive who helped build Lady Esther and Charles of the Ritz, and the records still needed to confirm that connection.
Joseph H. Nadel of City Lodge No. 408: The New York Mason Who Kept Hollywood Running
Raised in City Lodge No. 408 in 1921, Joseph H. Nadel built a film career from New York’s studios to Hollywood. Behind pictures featuring Mae West, Laurel and Hardy, and Jackie Robinson, he helped keep productions running—and worked alongside his son Arthur on D.O.A. and other films.
Timeline of the Lodges That Formed Advance Service Mizpah Lodge No. 586
Follow the six lodges that formed Advance Service Mizpah Lodge No. 586, from City Lodge’s 1856 charter in Manhattan to the final consolidation in Astoria in 2018. This timeline traces their charters, temples, moves, and five consolidations.
Townsend Scudder of Glen Cove Lodge No. 580: Congressman, Judge, and Grand Master of New York
Townsend Scudder joined Glen Cove Lodge No. 580 in 1889 and rose to become a congressman, judge, and Grand Master of New York. Follow his recurring role in Queens Masonic history, from installing Advance Lodge’s officers to dedicating Island City’s temple, without belonging to any of the six lodges in the lineage.
Service Lodge No. 1009 and the Work of Relief in Flushing
Chartered in Flushing in 1923, Service Lodge No. 1009 built its life around charitable giving, shared ceremonies, and outings that did not always go as planned. Follow its history through lodge bulletins, anniversary journals, and the mergers that carried its name into Advance Service Mizpah Lodge.
City Lodge No. 408: Manhattan Roots in the Lineage of a Queens Lodge
Chartered in Manhattan in 1856, City Lodge No. 408 became the oldest branch in the lineage of Advance Service Mizpah Lodge. Follow its changing meeting rooms, a charity ball for Masons in Cuba, and the consolidations that connected its history to Queens.
How This Series Is Researched: Sources for Queens Lodge History
How do you write lodge history when the records disagree? This guide explains how the One Lodge, Six Charters series weighs Grand Lodge records, newspaper clippings, lodge histories, maps, and photographs to research Queens Masonic history and correct the record.
From Manhattan to Astoria: The Geography of a Lodge Lineage
Follow the six lodges behind Advance Service Mizpah Lodge from Manhattan’s Grand Street through the waterfront communities and neighborhoods of Queens. This geographic history traces their meeting rooms, temples, ferry connections, and eventual convergence at the Advance temple in Astoria.
A Map of the Lodges, Temples, and Meeting Places in the Advance Service Mizpah Lineage
Explore five selected meeting places in the lineage of Advance Service Mizpah Lodge No. 586, from Grand Street in Manhattan to the Advance temple in Astoria. This map guide follows the lodges through Long Island City, Elmhurst, and Flushing, showing how shared buildings brought separate branches together.
The Lodge Family Tree of Advance Service Mizpah Lodge No. 586
Trace the six charters behind Advance Service Mizpah Lodge No. 586 through a family tree of five consolidations. Follow the Manhattan, Flushing, and Elmhurst branch alongside the western Queens branch, and see how their names and numbers came together in Astoria in 2018.
A Short Glossary for Reading Queens Masonic Lodge History
What does it mean when a Mason is “raised,” a meeting is called a “communication,” or two lodges “consolidate”? This plain-English glossary explains the Masonic lodge terms used throughout One Lodge, Six Charters, with examples from Queens lodge history.
Why Advance Lodge Named Itself After the USS Advance
Advance Lodge No. 635 took its name from the Arctic vessel commanded by Elisha Kent Kane. Explore founder Robert McCoskry Graham’s choice, the ship’s two voyages in search of Franklin, and how its image became part of an Astoria lodge’s seal and identity.