Freemasons in History
Freemasonry has included men from many professions, nations, and periods of history. Masons have served as public officials, military leaders, explorers, artists, entertainers, scientists, business leaders, and athletes. The names below are commonly identified in historical Masonic references and are organized by field for easier reading.
This historical list is not exhaustive. Records and documentation standards vary, particularly for individuals from earlier centuries.
Government and Public Service
- Simon Bolivar
- DeWitt Clinton
- John Diefenbaker
- Gerald R. Ford
- Barry Goldwater
- Benjamin Gilman
- John Hancock
- Sam Houston
- Hubert H. Humphrey
- Andrew Jackson
- Jack Kemp
- Marquis de Lafayette
- Fiorello LaGuardia
- Thurgood Marshall
- William McKinley
- James Monroe
- Theodore Roosevelt
- Franklin D. Roosevelt
- Harry S. Truman
- George Washington
Military Leaders and Explorers
- Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin
- Omar Bradley
- Richard E. Byrd
- Davy Crockett
- Jimmy Doolittle
- John Glenn
- John Paul Jones
- Charles A. Lindbergh
- Douglas MacArthur
- George C. Marshall
- John Pershing
- Eddie Rickenbacker
Arts, Literature, and Entertainment
- Roy Acuff
- Eddy Arnold
- Gene Autry
- Ludwig van Beethoven
- Irving Berlin
- Gutzon Borglum
- Ernest Borgnine
- George M. Cohan
- Norm Crosby
- Cecil B. DeMille
- Duke Ellington
- Clark Gable
- Arthur Godfrey
- Harry Hershfield
- Harry Houdini
- Burl Ives
- Al Jolson
- Rudyard Kipling
- Lauritz Melchior
- Wolfgang A. Mozart
- Will Rogers
- Jean Sibelius
- Red Skelton
- John Philip Sousa
- Danny Thomas
- Lowell Thomas
- John Wayne
Science, Medicine, and Business
- Sir Alexander Fleming
- Henry Ford
- Benjamin Franklin
- Charles W. Mayo
- Dr. Norman Vincent Peale
- J. C. Penney
- David Sarnoff
- Dave Thomas
- Thomas J. Watson
Sports
- Ty Cobb
- Jack Dempsey
- Arnold Palmer
- Branch Rickey
What Their Stories Illustrate
These men followed very different paths, but their varied careers help illustrate Freemasonry’s broad reach across communities and generations. Freemasonry does not require members to share a profession, political viewpoint, religion, or social background. Its lodge experience centers on fellowship, personal growth, moral responsibility, and service.