History of the Order of the Eastern Star
Dr. Robert Morris
The founder of the Order of the Eastern Star was Dr. Robert Morris. Dr. Morris was a lawyer and educator from Boston, Massachusetts, who was a Master Mason and Past Grand Master of Kentucky. Thanks to his dear wife, Charlotte, who encouraged Dr. Morris that Masonry should be for the entire family.
Unfortunately, the Laws of the Ancient Order stated that women were not eligible for degrees or membership. Dr. Morris could not change these Ancient Landmarks without a fight. He sought other means in which women could share the Masonic Brothers, the same inspiration that prompts man to be noble. Women had to wait until 1805 when Dr. Morris was confined to bed due to an accident, where he developed the Eastern Star Degrees which we have today.
During his recovery, he also developed the symbolism significance of the floorplan, and the officers needed. Where better to start but at his home, so he conferred the degrees upon his wife and daughters – giving them the signs and passes.
These signs were called Mysteries of the Order and were communicated freely to all Master Masons and their relatives. Dr. Morris and other prominent Master Masons gave many lectures and conferred the degrees on many white women throughout the country.
Dr. Morris became associated with Robert Macoy who wrote and published a ritual based on Morris Rosary into our present-day ritual.
The Birth of the Order of the Eastern Star, Prince Hall Affiliated (PHA)
Grand Master Myers in 1874, was placed in an awkward situation whether to grant or deny permission for the establishment of the Adoptive Rite for women of color.
As always there were opposition to grant permission for women of color in Washington, D.C. Finally, permission was grant to Sir Thornton A. Jackson, 33°, and his colleagues to establish the first Chapter of Adoptive Rite Order of the Eastern Star among women of color in the United States.
Sir Thornton Andrew Jackson, 33°, like Robert Morris, felt that women of color should be able to join a sister organization to the brothers. On August 10, 1874, Sir Thornton Andrew Jackson, 33°, received the several degrees of the Rite of Adoption of the Order of the Eastern Star from Brother C.B. Case who was the Deputy and agent of Illustrious Robert Macoy 33°, Supreme Patron of the Rite of Adoption of the World. Also, Sir Thornton A. Jackson received a letter from Brother C. B. Case giving him authority to establish chapters of the Order of the Eastern Star among women of color.
Grand Master William H. Myers, Union Grand Lodge, Jurisdiction of the District of Columbia, and Sir Thornton Andrew Jackson established the first Eastern Star Chapter among women of color in the United States.
Special thanks to Mrs. Georgiana Thomas, who was a lady of color, had a dream of starting an Eastern Star Chapter. When she was approached by Sir Thornton A. Jackson about establishing a Chapter, she leaped for joy that her dream would become a reality to begin Queen Esther Chapter No. 1.
On Wednesday, December 1, 1874, Mrs. Georgiana Thomas’s home became the meeting place for Queen Esther Chapter No.1. It was 90 years after the founding of the first Black Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons that Queen Esther Chapter No. 1, Order of the Eastern Star, Prince Hall Affiliated was officially instituted and began the first chapter of the Adoptive Rite among ladies of color.
The first Worthy Matron was Sister Martha Welch, and the first Worthy Patron was Sir Thornton A. Jackson. Grand Master William H. Myers and Deputy Grand Master William A. Taliaferro, Union Lodge, Jurisdiction of the District of Columbia, were invited to receive the degrees of the Adoptive Rite. They both accepted, thus further help to connect the ties that bind the Masonic family together.
After Grand Master Myers’ initiation into the Adoptive Rite, he made a powerful statement to those sisters of Queen Esther Chapter No. 1. Exclaiming them to greatness. His words are: “May the dove of peace hover over you. May the All-Seeing Eye, whom the Sun, Moon and Stars obey ever watch over you. May you keep and protect you in your every effort to promote interests in the general good of this chapter.”
Charity: The practice of charitable acts and caring for others is how we operate.
