Famous New Jersey Mason
MW Thomas Randall Dougherty PGM
(1923-1998)

PAST GRAND MASTER OF NEW JERSEY

RETIRED DIRECTOR OF HOSPITAL VISITATION,

MASONIC SERVICE ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED STATES

MW Thomas R. Dougherty was raised to the Sublime Degree of Master Mason in Mount Moriah Lodge #28 F&AM in Bordentown, N.J. on June 30, 1948. After spending 11 years in the chairs he served as Worshipful Master in 1961. He was appointed Grand Marshal in 1963 serving under Most Worshipful Horace D. Carl. In 1964 through 1967 he served as District Deputy Grand Master of the Nineteenth District.

In 1968 he was elected Junior Grand Warden of the Grand Lodge of New Jersey, serving as senior Grand Warden. Deputy Grand Master in the succeeding years and being elected and installed as Grand Master in 1971.

In 1971 he was elected Chairman of the Board of the N.J. Masonic Home in Burlington, N.J. He was elected Chairman of the Grand Master's Conference Committee 1972.

In 1973 he was asked to organize a statewide Blood Bank, which has been in operation and successful ever since. He has been active on many Grand Lodge Committees, such as the Budget and Finance; the New Jersey Statewide Blood Bank; Grand Master's Advisory Board which he has served as Chairman for four Grand Masters. He is currently serving as Chairman of the Grand Lodge Committee on Dispensation and Warrants, and Advisor to the state wide Blood Bank.

Tom is a member of the Royal Arch Masons, Council and Commandery and Knight Companion; Red Cross of Constantine St. Stephen's Conclave in Haddonfield, N.J. He is also a member of the George Washington Association of New Jersey; a member of the Tall Cedars of Lebanon, Trenton Forest #4; member of Crescent Temple, A.A.O.N.M.S., Trenton, N.J. He was coroneted a 33rd degree Mason in Chicago, Illinois in September 1979. He is charter member of the District of Columbia HI-12 Club and is a Honorary member of Takoma Lodge #29, F.A.A.M. in the district of Columbia; Bethesda Lodge #204 in Maryland; Oriental Lodge #430, Muskogee, OK.; Alt Heidelberg #821, Heidelberg, Germany: Putnam Lodge #46, South Woodstock, CT. and 35 lodges in New Jersey.

He was recently made an Honorary member in Perpetuity of Old Dominion Chapter #364, National Sojourners, Inc., in Springfield, Virginia; and Walter Reed Chapter #303 Bethesda, Maryland. He is a member of "Light Horse Harry Lee Camp," Heroes of '76. He has been elected to the Royal Order of Barrow Whistlers International, which has a limited membership of 100, by invitation only.

Tom is the Grand Representative of the Grand Lodge of Illinois near the Grand Lodge of New Jersey. He is an Honorary Past Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Alabama, Tennessee, South Dakota, Kentucky, Oklahoma, District of Columbia, Nevada, Montana, Wyoming, Iowa, Minnesota, Oregon, Michigan, Mississippi, Alaska, the Goose and Gridiron Club of Alaska and the American Canadian Grand Lodge in Germany, this is only the second Honorary P.G.M. given by that Grand Lodge.

Among his many honors is: the Daniel Cox Medal from New Jersey; the Pierpont Edwards Medal in Bronze for Distinguished Service, and the only out of state recipient of the Pierpont Edwards Medal in Silver for Distinguished Service from the Grand Lodge of Connecticut; the Josiah Hayden Drummond Medal for Distinguished Service from the Grand Lodge of Maine; the Philip C. Tucker Medal from the Grand Lodge of Vermont; The Henry Price Medal from the Grand Lodge Of Massachusetts; the James Mercer Medal (one of four ever presented), from the Grand Lodge of Virginia; the Valentine Reintzel Medal from the Grand Lodge of the District Of Columbia; the Legion of Honor Award from the Chapel of the Four Chaplains in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania.; also holder of the De Molay Legion of Honor and the Grand Cross of Color for the Grand Assembly of the Rainbow for Girls.

After his retirement as president of Thomas R. Dougherty Real Estate and Insurance Company in 1980, he accepted the position as Director of Hospital Visitation for the Masonic Service Association of the United States. After thirteen years of service he retired as the National Representative of the Masonic Fraternity to the Veterans Affairs Voluntary Service (VAVS) Executive Committee.

Tom is married to the former Norma Ennis. They have two children, a daughter Kerry and a son Thomas, and six Grandchildren. Tom and Norman are members of Pearson Memorial United Methodist Church where he has served on the Administrative Board and as a Trustee, and is active in many Civic projects in the Bordentown Trenton area.

Lodge: Mount Moriah 28
Residence: Trenton

Information submitted by:
R.W. Robert Stutz PSGM