Sir Sholto Douglas, 15th Earl of Morton

In 1775 hostilities commenced between Great Britain and America; Boston became a garrison, and was abandoned by many of its former inhabitants. The regular meetings of the grand lodges were terminated, and the brethren of St. John's Grand Lodge held no assembly until after the reestablishment of peace. There was at that time also a grand lodge held at Boston upon the ancient establishment, under the designation of "The Massachusetts Grand Lodge," which originated as follows: In 1755 a number of the order residing in Boston, who were Ancient Masons, in consequence of a petition to the Grand Lodge of Scotland, received a dispensation, dated November 30th, 1752, from Sholto Charles Douglas, Lord Aberdour, then Grand master, constituting them a regular lodge, under the title of "St. Andrew's Lodge, No. 82," to be held at Boston. This establishment was discouraged and opposed by the St. John's Grand Lodge, who thought their privileges were infringed upon by the Grand Lodge of Scotland; they therefore refused to have any intercourse with St. Andrew's Lodge for several years. The prosperous state of St. Andrew's Lodge soon led its members to make great exertions for the establishment of an ancient lodge in America, which was soon effected in Boston by the assistance of travelling lodges belonging to the British army who were stationed there.

Other References

• Hogg, Bruce; Freemasons and the Royal Society ed 2; Library and Museum of Freemasonry; January 2012; page 34
• Wikipedia contributors. "Sholto Douglas, 15th Earl of Morton." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia.