Meridian Chapter U.D., Royal Arch Masons of Oregon

Dr. James Anderson

James Anderson (c.1679–1739) was born and educated in Aberdeen, Scotland. He was ordained a minister in the Church of Scotland in 1707 and moved to London, where he ministered to the Glass House Street congregation until 1710, to the Presbyterian church in Swallow Street until 1734, and at Lisle Street Chapel until his death. He is reported to have lost a large sum of money in the South Sea Company crash of 1720. Anderson is best know, however, for his association with Freemasonry. He was the Master of a Masonic lodge, and a Grand Warden of the Grand Lodge of London and Westminster. He was commissioned in September of 1721 by the Grand Lodge to write a history of the Free-Masons, and it was published in 1723 as The Constitutions of the Free-Masons. Anderson's name does not appear on the title page, but his authorship is declared in an appendix.

The Constitutions was edited and reprinted by Benjamin Franklin in Philadelphia in 1734, becoming the first Masonic book printed in America.

This material is quoted from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Anderson_%28Mason%29

William Preston

William Preston was a Scottish author, born in Edinburgh, on the 7 August 1742. He died on April 1, 1818. With the death of his father, Preston left college and found a job as a secretary to Thomas Ruddiman, with whom he carried out extensive research, required by the same in his classical and linguistic studies. With the death of Ruddiman, Preston became a printer for Walter Ruddiman, Thomas's brother, to whom he had been apprenticed.

After working in the printing office for about a year, he set out for London in 1760, intent upon making a name for himself as an author. One of his references was addressed to William Stranhan, the King's Printer, with whom Preston secured a position, which he retained for many years.

The exact date of Preston's initiation into Freemasonry is not known, but is thought to have been between 1762 and 1763, in London. His experiences from this point on made a deep impression upon him, inducing Preston to undertake a major study of Freemasonry, its origin and its teachings, and this effort was intensified when he was elected a Worshipful Master.

He discovered a vast body of traditional and historical lore in the old documents of the Craft, and begun modernizing the format of group meetings in such a way as to make ritual accessible, bringing a rudimentary knowledge of the arts and sciences to members of the Fraternity. Preston embarked upon detailed communication with Masons worldwide, so developing extensive knowledge of the Craft, and collecting the material which was to become his best known book, Illustrations of Masonry published in 1772.

This was an excerpt from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Preston_(Freemason)

Thomas Smith Webb

Thomas Smith Webb is perhaps most famous today for authoring the book entitled "Freemason's Monitor or Illustrations of Masonry" which is the source from whence many of our Lectures are taken in this and other jurisdictions. To come up with this book, Webb primarily studied the works of William Preston and refined and abridged them.

He served as Grand High Priest of the Grand Chapter of Rhode Island from 1804 to 1814, and helped to form the General Grand Royal Arch Chapter of the United States (Now the Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons International.)

For more information about Thomas Smith Webb, please read Founding Father of the York Rite at the web site of the Grand Lodge of British Columbia and Yukon.

Albert G. Mackey

Albert Gallatin Mackey (born March 12, 1807, died June 20, 1881), was an American medical doctor, and is best known for his authorship of many books and articles about freemasonry, particularly Masonic Landmarks. He served as Grand Lecturer and Grand Secretary of The Grand Lodge of South Carolina; Secretary General of the Supreme Council of the Ancient and Accepted Rite for the Southern Jurisdiction of the United States.

This material is quoted from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Mackey

Dr. Rob Morris

Rob Morris (1818-1888) was a prominent poet and Freemason. He also created the first ritual for what was to become the Order of the Eastern Star.

Robert Macoy

Robert Macoy (born October 4, 1815, died January 9, 1895) was born in Armagh, Ulster County, Ireland, but moved to the United States at the age of 4 months. He was a prominent Freemason, and was instrumental in the founding of the Order of the Eastern Star and the Order of the Amaranth. He also founded what may be the largest Masonic publishing and supply house currently active.