Which founding fathers were known to be Freemasons?

1. George Washington — the best documented presidential Mason

George Washington’s membership and active correspondence with Masonic lodges are well documented: Washington identified himself as a “deserving brother” and accepted Masonic duties and honors during and after his presidency, and Mount Vernon’s scholarship and the George Washington Masonic National Memorial preserve extensive records supporting his status as a Freemason ^{[1] [6]}.

2. Benjamin Franklin — cosmopolitan Mason and colonial organizer

Benjamin Franklin is repeatedly cited by Masonic organizations and museum collections as a confirmed member who helped spread lodges and Masonic publications in the colonies, and his large social network and printing activities tied him to Masonic communities in Philadelphia and beyond ^{[2] [6] [7]}.

3. Paul Revere, John Hancock and other well-known patriots with Masonic claims

Several celebrated patriots are regularly listed by Masonic lodges and museum sources as members: Paul Revere is described in lodge histories as an active Mason from the 1760s, and John Hancock is named among early Masonic leaders in Maryland and other lodge accounts ^{[7] [8] [2]}. These affiliations are repeated across Masonic-friendly sources, though documentary depth varies by individual.

4. Signers of the Declaration with explicit Masonic records

The Scottish Rite Masonic Museum & Library identifies nine Declaration signers as Freemasons—William Ellery; Benjamin Franklin; John Hancock; Joseph Hewes; William Hooper; Robert Treat Paine; Richard Stockton; George Walton; and William Whipple—while cautioning that lists on the internet can be inaccurate and that membership may not have coincided exactly with 1776 ^[3].

5. A longer list and the problem of varying claims

Beyond the clearly documented names, many lists circulated by lodges and popular sites expand the roster to include figures such as Samuel Adams, James Monroe, John Jay, James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, Ethan Allen, and others; those claims appear in lodge publications and enthusiast websites but are sometimes contested or lack consistent primary-source proof ^{[9] [10] [11]}. Historians such as Steven Bullock advise restraint: Freemasonry’s social reach was broad, but tying ritual membership directly to specific acts of nation-building frequently overreaches the documentary evidence ^{[5] [1]}.

6. How to read the sources — Masonic pride, museum caution, and conspiracy noise

Masonic grand lodges and Masonic museums naturally emphasize and celebrate famous members and therefore compile lists that foreground George Washington, Franklin, Revere, Hancock and others ^{[8] [7] [2]}; the Scottish Rite Museum explicitly notes both who is certain and how many internet lists are inaccurate ^[3]. Conversely, conspiracy-minded outlets often amplify or invent links for rhetorical effect, while scholarly treatments urge careful archival verification before declaring membership or influence ^{[10] [5]}.

7. Bottom line: who can be said to have been Masons among the Founders

At the highest level of certainty, George Washington and Benjamin Franklin are indisputably Masons with extensive documentary support ^{[1] [2]}; Paul Revere and John Hancock are strongly attested in lodge histories ^{[7] [8]}; and the Scottish Rite Museum names nine Declaration signers with Masonic membership on solid grounds ^[3]. Beyond those names, lists diverge and require case-by-case archival checks; readers should treat expanded rosters from lodges and popular sites as starting points for research rather than definitive proof ^{[4] [5]}.