Tape Transfer Project – WB Jack Armstrong Papers
WB Jack Armstrong Papers – Tape Transfer Project
Date October 27, 2025
Name of Items Jack Armstrong Papers – Tapes and Recordings
Control Number 2023-TAPES-421
Digital Archives Yes
Description:
In 2023 the Library and Museum received by donation from WB Dan Grey PM Research of Oregon No. 198 several boxes of Masonic papers of WB Jack Armstrong, PM Research Lodge of Oregon No. 198.
Within this collection there were several reel-to-reel tapes, cassette tapes and CDs. All of these were transferred in October 2025.
Blue Lodge and Scottish Rite.
This document is specifically used with the recordings that were transferred to digital.
FOLDER #1
NAME: TAPE #1 – 1ST side recording – 5 1
1ST DIGITAL RECORDING
Date: 6-22-1967
Introduction: A Brief History of Research Lodge of Oregon No. 198. MWB Clarence D. Phillips PGM.
Note: It is assumed that this recording was given at Research Lodge of Oregon No. 198.
NAME: TAPE #1 – 1st side recording – 5
2nd DIGITAL RECORDING
Date: None provided.
Note: Unknown Brother speaking about Research Lodge of Oregon No. 198. Possibly Leslie M. Scott
PM.
Note: It is assumed that this recording was given at Research Lodge of Oregon No. 198.
NAME: TAPE #1 – 1st side recording – 5
3RD DIGITAL RECORDING
Date: None provided.
Note: Unknown Brother speaking about Research Lodge of Oregon No. 198. Possibly Kenneth
Shumaker PM.
Note: Should be transcribed for future research.
Note: It is assumed that this recording was given at Research Lodge of Oregon No. 198.
NAME: TAPE #1 – 1ST side recording – 5
4th DIGITAL RECORDING
Note: Unknown Brother speaking about Research Lodge of Oregon No. 198. Possibly Dr. Leland O Grey
PM.
Note: Should be transcribed for future research.
Note: It is assumed that this recording was given at Research Lodge of Oregon No. 198.
NAME: TAPE #1 – 1ST side recording – 5
5th DIGITAL RECORDING
Note: Unknown Brother speaking about Research Lodge of Oregon No. 198. Possibly J. Robert Nelson
PM.
Note: It is assumed that this recording was given at Research Lodge of Oregon No. 198.
NAME: TAPE #1 – 1ST side recording – 5
6th DIGITAL RECORDING
Note: Unknown Brother speaking about Research Lodge of Oregon No. 198. Possibly B. Neally Nood
PM.
Note: Should be transcribed for future research.
Note: It is assumed that this recording was given at Research Lodge of Oregon No. 198.
NAME: TAPE #1 – 1ST side recording – 5
7th DIGITAL RECORDING
Note: Unknown Brother speaking about Research Lodge of Oregon No. 198. Possibly Robert H.
Robinson WM.
Note: Should be transcribed for future research.
Note: It is assumed that this recording was given at Research Lodge of Oregon No. 198.
NAME: TAPE #1 – 1ST side recording – 5
8th DIGITAL RECORDING
Note: Unknown Brother speaking about Research Lodge of Oregon No. 198. Possibly Leslie M. Scott
PM.
Note: It is assumed that this recording was given at Research Lodge of Oregon No. 198.
NAME: TAPE #1 – 2nd side recording – 5
8th DIGITAL RECORDING
Program: “1000 Years of Masonry”, by Wilford C. Long S.G.W. June 1, 1967.
Note: It is assumed that this recording was given at Research Lodge of Oregon No. 198.
NAME: TAPE #1 – 2nd side recording – 4
1st DIGITAL RECORDING
Note: Note: Unknown Brother speaking about Research Lodge of Oregon No. 198.
Program: “1000 Years of Masonry”, by Wilford C. Long S.G.W.
NAME: TAPE #1 – 2nd side recording – 6
2nd DIGITAL RECORDING
Program: “City of Fraternity”, by John J. Murchison PGM to South Gate Lodge on December 14, 1967.
4th Home Coming.
NAME: TAPE #2
1st DIGITAL RECORDING
Program: “Masonic Museum”. 0.00-24:08
Note: Given by unknown person.
Note: Tour of the Children’s Cottage at the Oregon Masonic and Eastern Star Home campus which is
where the Grand Lodge of Oregon was located until the current building was built in 1999. This was also
the location of the Masonic Library and Museum.
NAME: TAPE #2
2nd DIGITAL RECORDING
Program: German Paper. “Freemasonry of Form of Humanizing”. 1979 +/-. 24:09-End.
Note: Given by unknown person.
NAME: TAPE #2
3rd DIGITAL RECORDING
Program: “Masonic Museum”.
Note: Given by unknown person.
Note: Transfer notes do not detail what side this 3rd recording came from. It is assumed it is from Tape
#2, 2nd side.
Note: Tour of the Children’s Cottage at the Oregon Masonic and Eastern Star Home campus which is
where the Grand Lodge of Oregon was located until the current building was built in 1999. This was also
the location of the Masonic Library and Museum.
Note: Different style of recording but it appears to be the same as NAME: TAPE #2, 1st DIGITAL
RECORDING.
FOLDER #2
NAME: TAPE #1 – 1981 Grand Lodge of Oregon Banquet
Date: 1981
Program: William Carpenter SGW Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania and Grand Chaplain Benediction.
Introduction by Grand Master of Oregon MWB John F. Erwin.
NAME: TAPE #2 – ______ … as a Freemason.
Date: 1985
Program: Unknown speaker.
NAME: TAPE #3 – Similarities of Purpose
Date: 1980
Program: Programs of Masonic & K.O.K. Frat. Bodies by Rev. Chester Wrzaszak – Mr. Dan HayCondition: Very Poor.
NAME: TAPE #4 (Recording #1) – More Masonry Into Men
Date:
Program: More Masonry Into Men by WB A. Deans Peggs, PM Victoria Lodge of Education and
Research.
NAME: TAPE #4 (Recording #2) – Talk on Freemasonry and Americanism / Declaration of
Independence.
Date:
Program: Talk on Freemasonry and Americanism / Declaration of Independence
FOLDER #3
NAME: TAPE #1 – Reunion Dinner
Date: 10-15-1960
Program: Reunion Dinner.
Condition: Very Poor condition.
NAME: TAPE #2 – Fall Reunion Dinner
Date: December 3, 1960
Program: Ill. Scottish Rite of Oregon ___ Grand Chancellor. The Aims of Scottish Rite Freemasonry in
Relation to the Recent Election by Leslie M. Scott.
NAME: TAPE #3 – Blue Lodge Freemasonry in South America
Date: 10-15-1970
Program: Blue Lodge Freemasonry in South America by W.B. Lee Gurney of Jacob Meyer Lodge.
FOLDER #4
NAME: TAPE #1 – 57 Another Door to Freemasonry
Date:
Program: Another Door to Freemasonry by Norm Peterson.
Note: Refer to Research 198 Tape Transfer Project #73A for a better recording.
Condition: Very Poor.
NAME: TAPE #2 (Recording #1) – 38 Separation of Church and State
Date:
Program: Separation of Church and State by C. Stanley Lowell 0.00-1939
Grand Lodge of Oregon A. F. and A. M. – Library and Museum
NAME: TAPE #2 (Recording #2)
Date:
Program: Bert Tonsey 19.39-End.
NAME: TAPE #3– 57 Another Door to Freemasonry
Date: May 13, 1975
Program: Another Door to Freemasonry by Norm Peterson.
Note: Same as Research 198 Tape Transfer Project #73a. Not sure if the same as Tape 1 in Folder 4
because of poor quality of Tape 1 in Folder 4.
FOLDER #5
NAME: TAPE #1 – 48-40L
Date:
Program:
Condition: No Audio
NAME: TAPE #2 – Grand Lodge of Utah vs Mormon Church
Date:
Program: Grand Lodge of Utah vs Mormon Church by A. Gordon Hunter. Relationship of Joseph Smith
Jr. and the Masonic Fraternity 1844.
NAME: TAPE #3 (Recording #1) – 1-3-13L
Date:
Program: History of Institution of English People. Read from out-of-print ____ . Written History “All
the Laws of England. 0.00-28.28.
NAME: TAPE #3 (Recording #2) – 1-3-13L
Date:
Program: Teaching By Symbols. 4 Methods of Communications. 28.28-End.
NAME: TAPE #4 – 1-3-13R
Date: Possibly 1960 +/-
Program: Possible Relationship. Development of Freemasonry and Common Law.
FOLDER #6
NAME: TAPE # 1 – (Recording #1) 16-24-25-26L
Date:
Program: What is a Mason by Robert Parham?
NAME: TAPE # 1 – (Recording #2) 16-24-25-26L
Date:
Program: Esoteric Masonry by Robt. Ramsdell.
NAME: TAPE # 2 16-24-25-26R
Date:
Note: Very poor recording.
NAME: TAPE # 3 – Video Masonic Dinner Scottish Rite Portland Or.
Date: 10-18-1988
Program: Speech at Masonic Dinner. Scottish Rite Portland Oregon by Andrew Tremain.
Note: Music from 0.00-9:16. Introduction of speaker 9.16-10.21. Speaker 10.22-End
Scotland Membership Document 1822
Every once in a while, an item comes into the library and museum as a donation that is just a wonderful gift to our archives and to all of us who are Oregon Freemason’s. The added document to this post is such an item.
A few days ago, a box with a framed document was sitting in my small corner in the Grand Lodge of Oregon Administration building. This document was professionally framed and was created for John Burgess dated 1818. The document was a Masonic Document showing that Brother John Burgess was a Freemason in good standing as of the date of the signed and sealed document.
Prior to dues cards documents such as this were created for Brothers who traveled out of their home jurisdiction often for business or a onetime use such as this document.
On the surface this item looks like a normal document created for such a traveling Brother.
I have been researching this John Burgess for a few days now and I believe I have found the John Burgess in question.
There was a John Burgess with family who arrived in Philadelphia Pennsylvania on July 13, 1818, from Scotland. He had a son by the name of John J. Burgess who was born in 1819.
My current thoughts are that John Burgess had this membership document created for his trip to America with his family. He obviously was instructed as to the importance of Masonic Documentation when traveling. He ended up immigrating through Pennsylvania and finally settling in the state of New York in the 1830’s.
This document was more than just a document showing membership within our Ancient Craft. It was a document ensuring an upright Man and Mason a chance to succeed more than most men and their families when traveling to America.
How did this document get to Oregon and be donated to our archives one might ask?
It appears that John Burgess’s son John J. Burgess born 1819 traveled to Oregon 1900 and died in Clackamas Oregon. There is no evidence that the John Burgess born in 1819 was a Freemason. He isn’t mentioned in the database card archives of the Grand Lodge of Oregon. The connection appears to be with the donor’s grandfather who was an Oregon Freemason.
At some point during this donor’s grandfather’s life, he either met John Burgess born in 1819 or somehow came across this document within his lodge maybe when John J. Burgess born 1819 attempted to petition an Oregon lodge and he showed his father’s certificate, and it was left in the records of the lodge.
The full story is most likely lost to time like most situations like this.
The document is in perfect condition and was originally folded in a flat tin can which was customary during the 18th and early 19th centuries.
There is still Masonic research that needs to be done in Philadelphia and New York to see if a John Burgess in 1819 – 1830’s joined a Masonic Lodge. More to come on this if anything surfaces.
One interesting little tid-bit to this wonderful document. The date of this document is May 7, 1818. The year mentioned after the May 7, 1818 date appears to be A.M. 5822. This might be an attempt to add the Anno Mundi (A.M.) means “In the Year of the World” which would have been 1818+4000 which would have been 5818. If you subtract 1818 from 5822 you get 4004.
I would like anyone to help me understand this Masonic Year mystery. Mathematical error or is this a correct Masonic Year somehow?
This research was an enjoyable journey.
Johnny J. Edwards
Grand Historian
Grand Lodge of Oregon A.F. & A. M.
GLO Painting located at GL Philadelphia
Curator and Archivist from GL of Washington shared this newly found item from a recent trip to Philadelphia. Thank you GL of Pennsylvania.
This is on the wall of the Philadelphia Masonic Temple. They include a picture of every GL that was in existence at the time their temple was built (1873).
