Eastern Star
The Order of the Eastern Star is a Masonic appendant body open to both men and women. It was established in 1850 by lawyer and educator Rob Morris, a noted Freemason, but was only adopted and approved as an appendant body of the Masonic Fraternity in 1873. The order is based on some teachings from the Bible but is open to people of all religious beliefs. It has approximately 10,000 chapters in twenty countries and approximately 500,000 members under its General Grand Chapter.
Members of the Order of the Eastern Star are aged 18 and older; men must be Master Masons and women must have specific relationships with Masons. Originally, a woman would have to be the daughter, widow, wife, sister, or mother of a Master Mason, but the Order now allows other relatives as well as allowing Job's Daughters, Rainbow Girls, Members of the Organization of Triangles (NY only) and members of the Constellation of Junior Stars (NY only) to become members when of age.
The Order was created by Rob Morris in 1850 when he was teaching at the Eureka Masonic College in Richland, Mississippi. While confined by illness, he set down the principles of the order in his Rosary of the Eastern Star. By 1855, he had organized a "Supreme Constellation" in New York, which chartered chapters throughout the United States.
In 1866, Dr. Morris started working with Robert Macoy and handed the Order over to him while Morris was traveling in the Holy Land. Macoy organized the current system of Chapters, and modified Dr. Morris' Rosary into a Ritual.
On December 1, 1874, Queen Esther Chapter No. 1 became the first Prince Hall Affiliate chapter of the Order of the Eastern Star when it was established in Washington, D.C.by Thornton Andrew Jackson.
By virtue of a vote of consent by Oriental Chapter #32 a second Grand Rapids area chapter was granted a charter on October 8, 1890. At that time Peninsular Chapter #65 became part of a worldwide fraternal organization.
When the cornerstone of the new Masonic Temple building was placed in January 1915, our chapter had the notoriety of being the largest chapter of OES in the world. In the 1920’s our membership rose to nearly 1300.
As women’s’ roles have changed through history, our membership has fallen off, but our commitments to caring for the wives, widows, and children of Masons as well as the good of the community at large has remained steadfast.
The local chapter of OES is Peninsular Chapter #65 OES of Grand Rapids and holds its meetings the first Tuesday of the month at 7:30 at the Masonic Center and they try to get together for social activity at least once a month. There are petitions for membership available on the website for our Michigan Grand Chapter: mioes.org or you may contact the local chapter through the Masonic Center office.
Peninsular Chapter, No. 65. Organized in April 1890. Its first officers were as follows: W.M., Mrs. Jennette Spraker; W.P., . C. Hathaway; A.M., Mrs. George F. Owen; Secretary, George F. Owen; Treasurer, Clara T. Boldie. Its officers for 1906 were: W.M., Mrs. H. N. Stone; W.P., Charles S. Reeves; A.M., Mrs. J. H. Horton; Secretary, Miss Florence N. Greene; Treasurer, Mrs. Mary E. Tibbitts.
Oriental Chapter, No. 32. Chartered, October 1883. Charter officers: W,M, Mrs. M. M. Parsons; W.P., N. B. Scribner; A.M., Mrs. T. W. Strahan; Treasurer, T. W. Strahan; Secretary, Miss Lizzie Anderson. The officers for 1906 were: W.M., Mrs. Emma Harper; W.P., Dr. Orvill M. Barton; A.M., Eugenia Swan; Secretary, Miss Lora V. Foote; Treasurer, Mrs. Frank J. Sokup. On September 5, 1985, Oriental accepted York No. 418 in consolidation and became Oriental-York. On June 1,1989, they accepted Grand Rapids No. 381 in consolidation and became Grand Oriental York and on March 5, 2002, they consolidated into Peninsular No. 65.
The Grand Officers that have served in Michigan Grand Order of Eastern Star from These Chapters have been:
Worthy Grand Matrons
1887 – Minerva Parsons – Grand Rapids
1890-1891 – O.L. Davison – Oriental #32
1920 – Gertrude N. Parkhurst – Peninsular #65
1937 – Cassa Leonard Howe – Peninsular #65
1953 – Lorena G. Vanderstel – Peninsular #65
1965 – Shirley Jones – Signet #350
Worthy Grand Patrons
1898 – Fred H. Hosford – Grand Rapids
1907 – Leo A. Caro – Peninsular #65
1911 – John Rowson – Oriental #32
1914 – George E. Ellis – Oriental #32
1943 – Willis B. Perkins, Jr. – York #418
The "General Grand Chapter" was formed in Indianapolis, Indiana on November 6, 1876. Committees formed at that time created the Ritual of the Order of the Eastern Starin more or less its current form.
