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Was a Freemason President Involved in Lincoln's Assassination?

by Midnight Freemason Contributor

Robert H. Johnson

Wild question right? Well, perhaps not too wild for some. There is a conspiracy theory which holds that Andrew Johnson, Vice President to Abraham Lincoln, was the culprit who arranged the Presidential Assassination. This conspiracy was so entertained in the day, that a special Congressional Assassination Committee was formed just to investigate Johnson!

Here are some facts to consider;

Andrew Johnson was made a Master Mason in 1843 in Greeneville Lodge No. 119, now No. 3 at Greeneville, Tenn.
Andrew was actually Lincoln's third choice behind Hannibal Hamlin and General Benjamin Butler.
Lincoln had little to do with his Vice President after the inauguration due to Johnson's public drunkenness during his speech to Congress. Reports of his slurred speech and inappropriate commentary travelled far and wide.
Mary Todd Lincoln and several members of congress were convinced that Johnson knew of the conspiracy and did nothing to prevent it.
Several hours before Lincoln was shot, John Wilkes Booth stopped by the Kirkwood house to meet with Johnson, but he was not home. Wilkes left a note for Johnson.
It is reported that while Johnson was the military governor of Tennessee, He and Booth kept two sisters as their mistresses, whom they shared and were frequently seen together! (Civil War Echoes 1907 by Hamilton Howard)
While Johnson refused to join the confederacy and did join the Union, he did not believe in the abolition of slavery. When Lincoln delivered the Emancipation Proclamation, it's widely believed that Johnson managed to secure a promise from Lincoln that while the proclamation would apply to all the slaves held by those states in rebellion, Tennessee would be exempt.

The preceding are the bullet points of the conspiracy. There is truth and anecdote alike, but it's all in the history books. The motive? The Presidency, a broken promise about the abolition of slaves in Tennessee and the public shaming for his drunkenness. Johnson was cleared of any involvement by that special committee, but it didn't stop the rest of the United States from viewing him suspiciously for many years. Johnson of course went on to become the 17th President of the United States. While he has the respect of Americans for being a leader of its people, to say he didn't tarnish the name of Freemasons worldwide with his drunken antics is probably understated. As for the involvement in the assassination of Lincoln, well, only God knows.

Sources:

Millard, Joseph "America's Greatest Unsolved Murder" True, February 1953
"An Overview of John Wilkes Boothe's Assassination of President Abraham Lincoln."http://home.att.net/~rjnorton/lincoln75.html
Rhodehamel, John, and Louise Taper, EDS. Right or Wrong, God Judge Me: The Writings of John Wilkes Boothe. Pbk. ED. Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 2001
Hamilton Howard, Civil War Echoes (1907)
Conspiracies & Secret Societies, Brad Steiger, Sherry Steiger

~RHJ

Bro. Robert Johnson, PM is the Managing Editor of the Midnight Freemasons blog. He is a Freemason out of the First North-East District of Illinois. He is the Secretary of Waukegan Lodge No. 78 and Education officer for the 1st N.E. District of Illinois as well as a former member on the Grand Lodge Education Committee. He is also a member of the York Rite bodies, AMD, The Illinois Lodge of Research and a member of the Scottish Rite Valley of Chicago as well as a charter member of the Society of King Solomon, a charity organization run by the Grand Lodge of Illinois. Brother Johnson currently produces and hosts weekly Podcasts (internet radio programs) Whence Came You? & Masonic Radio Theatrewhich focus on topics relating to Freemasonry. In addition, he produces video shorts focusing on driving interest in the Fraternity and writes original Masonic papers from time to time. He is also a co-host of The Masonic Roundtable, a Masonic talk show. He is a husband and father of four. He works full time in the executive medical industry and is also a photographer on the side as well as an avid home brewer. He is currently working on a book of Masonic essays.

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RWB Johnson is an Emeritus managing Editor of the Midnight Freemasons blog. He is a Freemason out of the 2nd N.E. District of Illinois. He currently serves as the Secretary of Spes Novum Lodge No. 1183. He is a Past Master of Waukegan Lodge 78 and a Past District Deputy Grand Master for the 1st N.E. District of Illinois. He is the current V:. Sovereign Grand Inspector for AMD in IL. Brother Johnson currently produces and hosts weekly Podcasts (internet radio programs) Whence Came You? & Masonic Radio Theatre which focuses on topics relating to Freemasonry. He is also a co-host of The Masonic Roundtable, a Masonic talk show. He is a husband and father of four, works full time in the executive medical industry. He is the co-author of "It's Business Time - Adapting a Corporate Path for Freemasonry", “The Master’s Word: A Short Treatise on the Word, the Light, and the Self – Annotated Edition” and author of "How to Charter a Lodge: A No-Nonsense, Unsanctioned Guide. More books are on the way

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Randy and his wife Elyana live near St. Louis, Missouri, USA. Randy earned a Bachelors Degree in Chemistry with an emphasis in Biochemistry, and he works in Telecom IT management. He volunteers as a professional and personal mentor, NRA certified Chief Range Safety Officer and enjoys competitive tactical pistol, rifle, and shotgun. He has 30 plus years teaching Wing Chun Kung Fu, Chi Kung, and healing arts. Randy served as a Logistics Section Chief on two different United States federal Disaster Medical Assistance Teams over a 12 year span. Randy is a 32nd degree KCCH and Knight Templar. His Masonic bio includes past Lodge Education Officer for two symbolic lodges, Founder of the Wentzville Lodge Book Club, member of the Grand Lodge of Missouri Education Committee, Sovereign Master of the E. F. Coonrod AMD Council No. 493, Co-Librarian of the Scottish Rite Valley of St. Louis, Clerk for the Academy of Reflection through the Valley of Guthrie, and a Facilitator for the Masonic Legacy Society. Randy is a founding administrator for Refracted Light, full contributor to Midnight Freemasons, and an international presenter on esoteric topics. Randy hosts an open ongoing weekly Masonic virtual Happy Hour on Friday evenings. Randy is an accomplished home chef, a certified barbecue judge, raises Great Pyrenees dogs, and enjoys travel and philosophy.

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Bro. Ken JP Stuczynski is a member of West Seneca Lodge No.1111 and Master of the Western New York Lodge of Research No.9007. Hew currently serves his district as Assistant Grand Lecturer. As webmaster for NYMasons.Org, he is on the Communications and Technology Committees for the Grand Lodge of the State of New York. He is also a Past High Priest in Royal Arch Masonry, Past Sovereign Prince of the Scottish Rite, and a Cryptic Mason. He and his wife are serving again as Patron and Matron of Pond Chapter No.853 Order of the Eastern Star and considers himself a “Masonic Feminist”. As a masonic speaker throughout New York State, he primarily speaks regarding the use of technology in the Craft. Some of his numerous Empire State Mason articles have been republished in Arizona and New Jersey. To aid in his outreach on these topics, he authored “Webmastering the Craft: Fraternity in a Digital World”, available worldwide in softcover and eBook. He also regularly gives his "Astronomical Tour of the Lodge" at various Lodges. Having lifelong interests in world religions, science, and other fields, his degree is in Philosophy with a concentration in Ethics and a minor In Psychology. He has written articles and essays on the topics of science and religion, culture and politics, business and economics, technology and futurism, as well as various aspects of social psychology. Usually, with interdisciplinary contexts, many of these focus on the ideals of intellectual honesty and tolerance in all forms. Having edited and contributed to Books of Transactions as a member of the Western New York Lodge of Research, he is writing a book on Masonic research bodies. Slowly transitioning to writing and publishing, he continues working on his primary business, Kentropolis Web Development, and Design. He works from home, living in Buffalo, New York with his wife and numerous pets. In addition to various community service projects, he is also an independent interfaith minister with hospital chaplain credentials which aid him in visiting Brethren at health facilities. He also enjoys carpentry, martial arts, and beekeeping.

Patrick Dey

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Erik M. Geehern

Bro. Erik M. Geehern is currently Master of Goshen Masonic Lodge #365 in Goshen, NY under the Grand Lodge of New York. He was raised to the sublime degree of Master Mason in October of 2019 and since then has served in various progressive chairs along the road to the east. He writes and curates a newsletter for his Lodge quarterly which disseminates education, history, and esoterics. He is also a member of the Grand College of Rites, the American Lodge of Research and the Kansas Lodge of Research. He works in restaurant operations; consulting, and when not engaged in his usual vocation, or laboring in the Craft, he loves spending time with his wife and two children.

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Was a Freemason President Involved in Lincoln's Assassination?