History of Glen Star Chapter # 95
Queensbury, New York
Since its formation in the 14 th century, Freemasonry has been mimicked or copied by many secret organizations. Sometimes, these organizations were themselves Masonic in origin.
Adoptive orders, which were the precursors to what we now refer to as concordant bodies, became popular in Europe in the early 1700s. Some of these orders included women, such as the French Felicitiares. The Felicitiares , like many of the other fledgling secret organizations that seemed to be popping up all over Europe , lasted only 2 years. It was not uncommon for new organizations to borrow from defunct or other operating orders. An example of such was the Order of Woodcutters, which was fashioned after the Italian Order of Coal Burners, known as the Carbonari.
France was ahead of its time, when it came to admitting women into the Masonic fraternity. In the late 1700s, The Grand Orient of France established the Rite of Adoption, which allowed women to join a lodge, and in 1775 the Duchess of Bourbon presided as Master of the Lodge of St. Anthony.
The Rite of Adoption was introduced to American Masonry by General La Fayette and other French generals in 1778 while they were working with American revolutionaries in the war effort for liberty. This concept did not take hold in America , and today, none of the 175 Grand Jurisdictions in the world recognize the Grand Orient of France as legitimate. It would be almost 100 years later before a formal effort was made to establish a Masonic order that included women in the United States .
The first attempt was undertaken by Dr. Robert Morris, LLD. Morris was born in Boston and raised to the sublime degree of Master Mason in Oxford , MS at the Garthright Lodge No. 33. In 1847, he and his wife received what was termed an Androgynous degree known as “the Heroine of Jericho” thereby instilling in him a desire to expand on the possibility of introducing female relatives of Masons to the tenets of the fraternity.
Always ambitious, he used a spell of poor health in 1850 as a time to create the foundations of Order of the Eastern Star. His intention was that the Order be a branch of Masonry. Dr. Morris, however, did not complete his labors in actualizing the Order of the Eastern Star. His early efforts met with resistance. The first organization formed for women was the Constellations. When Constellations were introduced in Kentucky and other places throughout the South, they were decried as “Petticoat Masons” and newspaper reporters wrote ridiculing stories about them. He persisted in his efforts to set-up Constellations throughout the South and the rest of the country.
Following a desire to study and perform research in Palestine , he turned his work over to Bro. Robert Macoy of New York City in 1868. Macoy is the author of A Dictionary of Freemasonry which has been reprinted many times and is still sold today. Bro. Macoy reorganized and fine-tuned the very detailed outline Dr. Morris left him thereby giving birth to the chapter system of the Order we have today.
Also enterprising, he sold charters to practically anyone who would pay for them since he termed himself the “Supreme Grand Chapter of the United States .”
It was an organization that existed on paper only, but the spirit grew and formal meetings gave way to the first chapter of the Order of the Eastern Star in the State of New York being established December 1868 at Lodge No. 584 on Broadway in New York City . Bro. Macoy was the first Worthy Patron and the first Worthy Matron was Sister Frances E. Johnson. The first degrees of the Order were conferred on Mrs. Eliza A. Macoy, the wife of Robert Macoy.
25 years later, on May 3, 1893, then Most Worthy Grand Matron Hannah L. Quinn along with Right Worthy Grand Marshall J. C. Heineman of the Grand Chapter of the Eastern Star of the State of New York traveled from New York City to Glens Falls , to attend a meeting. The purpose of the meeting was to begin organization of a local chapter of the Order.
Work during the meeting proceeded swiftly and a petition with the names and signatures of 32 Master Masons and 39 ladies requesting a dispensation and charter be granted, was duly presented to the esteemed guests for their pleasure. The request was favorably received and all in attendance were obligated and made members by Bro. Heineman.
The next order of business was the unanimous election of the officers:
Worthy Matron Mrs. Maria A. Adams
Worthy Patron Bro. John Q Ashley
Associate Matron Mrs. Mary E. Conkey (Wife of George W. Conkey, Master of Senate 456 1872-73 & 1891)
The remaining officers were appointed by the newly elected Worthy Matron. Glen Star Chapter No. 95 was born and, by year's end, there were one hundred members.
The first years of Glen Star were busy ones and were spent working not only to build membership and engage in the charitable works of the Order, but also assisting in opening new chapters in the surrounding towns. There are also reports of fundraisers, craft fairs and bazaars along with numerous banquets being prepared, served and enjoyed. Throughout the years, however, there is always a thread running through the missives that acknowledges allegiance to the Masons. The ladies of the Order are always mindful of the gratitude they owe to the Masons for their sponsorship and assistance in their works.
On occasion, there will also be reference to the gratitude the Masons have extended to the Sisters of the Order in recognition of their consistency in providing a helping hand to their causes. A mutual admiration society or subtle battle of the sexes…. whatever you may decide to term it, the differences are sometimes the cause for entertainment as often exhibited, good-naturedly in a mainstay of the Order… known as the drill. Not only a time for fun and entertainment, parody is often popular and poking fun at traditional roles of both men and women can happen.
One memorable evening took place in 1920. After the labors of the evening were put to rest, a group of members got busy readying for the secret event…the “wedding” of two Sisters! The hall was adorned with elaborate decorations and ushers garbed in then traditional swallow-tailed coats put up chairs for the “guests”. An orchestra was hastily selected based on their distinct lack of musical ability. The singers chosen were unable to hit a note and harmony was disdained. Otherwise, it might have made the old-fashioned pedal organ that wheezed out tunes look bad.
Then it was time for the ceremony. Sister Groom was a dandy. Dressed in traditional wedding garb, the groom was noticeably meek and unassuming. Sister Bride, on the other hand, came out resplendent, holding herself masterfully, exhibiting the masculine power all young brides of the time should possess. (And who says we're not ahead of our time.) A full wedding banquet was served and the happy Sister Groom handed out chocolate cigars to all the guests. The Chapter historian did make the observation that because of recent events, man had to make adjustments owing to “the full sway of Woman's power.”
Keep in mind that 1920 was the year that the 19 th Amendment to the US Constitution was ratified.
On May 12, 1993, Glen Star #95 celebrated its 100th anniversary. It was a festive occasion marked with a delicious, formal steak barbeque dinner, served up by a chef extraordinaire, speeches and entertainment. The Worthy Matron, Jean Cathcart, presided over the evening's events, filled with nostalgia, memories, historical artifacts, information and fun! Special visitors included the New York State Grand Matron Elizabeth Portman and Grand Patron Robert Devling. And there was even a letter of congratulations from President Bill “I did not have sex with that woman” Clinton !
Today the work of the Order still goes on. These labors benefit veterans, seniors and children, near and far. And they provide aid and comfort to their brethren during times of illness and need. Most importantly, the belief in the brotherhood of man, still unites Freemasons and members of the Order of the Eastern Star as it did at the time of its inception.
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