GENERAL GRAND ROYAL ARCH CHAPTER 0F

        THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

OFFICERS FOR 2002 - 2005

Most Excellent J. Benny Allen

General Grand High Priest

2002 - 2005

Grand York Rite of Nebraska

  NEBRASKA YORK RITE ANNUAL SESSION 2006

Nebraska Grand York Rite Annual Session will be held on April 5th, 6th, 7th, & 8th, 2006, at the New World Inn, Columbus, Nebraska. On Wednesday, April 5th, 2006, All Past Grand High Priests plan on attending the Grand High Priests' Dinner at 6:30 P.M. In the evening, a meeting of Sir Galahad Priory K.Y.C.H. will also be held.

On Thursday, April 6th, 2006, the "Nails" Breakfast will begin at 7:00 A.M. and Grand Council will open at 8:00 A.M. Grand Chapter, Grand Council, And Grand Commandery Officers Elect dinner will commence at 6:30 P.M.

On Friday, April 7th, 2006, Grand Chapter will open at 8:00 A.M. and the Formal Grand York Rite Banquet will begin at 6:30 P.M.

On Saturday, April 8th, 2006, the Red Cross of Constantine Breakfast will begin at 7:00 A.M. The Grand Commandery of Knights Templar of Nebraska will open at 8:00 A.M. and at 6:30 P.M. the Past Commanders' Banquet will commence at 6:30 P.M.

 Contact the New World Inn in Columbus, Nebraska, (402-564-1492) for reservations.

Genesis

The General Grand Chapter of the United States was formed on January 27th, 1798. The first Triennial that affected Nebraska was held in the City of Baltimore  . The order reads as follows: From Comp. James M. Austin, M. Ex. Gen. Grand High Priest: Greeting: Companions, In compliance with the Constitution and the Resolution to that effect, adopted by the General Grand Chapter at its Triennial Convocation held in the City of St. Louis, in the year 1868, The Twenty-first Triennial Convocation of our said General Grand Chapter, will be open and holden at the City of Baltimore, on Tuesday the 19th of September next ensuing (1871), at nine o'clock in the forenoon, and all Companions entitled to be present are hereby summoned to attend at the time and place above set forth, for the transaction of such business as may lawfully and constitutionally come before this body. Done at New York this 21st day of July, Anno Inventionis, Two Thousand Four hundred and 0ne. By the General Grand High Priest. Attest my hand, and the seal of our General Grand Chapter, at Cincinnati, Ohio, July 25th, A.L. 5871. Signed, John D. Caldwell, Gen. Gr. Secretay.

A letter to Right Excellent R.W. Furnas, Grand Secretary of the Grand Chapter of Nebraska,  from Christopher G. Fox, General Grand Secretary of the General Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons of the U.S.A.  was written from Buffalo, N.Y. on September 30th, 1871, explaning that an ammendent was duly proposed at the 1868 Triennial at St. Louis, Mo. and duly considered and adopted at the recent Triennial Convocation held in Baltimore, Md. on September 19th to 22nd, 1871, making all Past Grand High Priests of State Grand Chapters permanent members of the General Grand Chapter. It was so noted that R.E. Furnas was to communicate to the General Grand Chapter the name and Postoffice address of each Past Grand High Priest of your Grand Chapter now in affiliation in order that official intercourse may be established between the General Grand Chaper and its permanent members.

Officers installed in 1871 - 1874 were Josiah H. Drummond, Portland, Me. General Grand High Priest - Elbert H. English, Little Rock, Ark.,  Deputy General Grand High Priest - Charles H. Ohr, Cumberland, Md., General Grand King - Charles Marsh, Nevada, Cal., General Grand Scribe - John McCllan, Boston, Mass., General Grand Treasurer - Christopher G. Fox, Buffalo, N.Y., General Grand Secretary - Joseph Yates, Berlin, Wis., General Grand Capt. of the Host - Dewitt C. Dawkins, Jacksonville, Fla., General Grand Royal Arch Captain.

A letter written on June 20th, 1872 from Christopher Fox to the Grand Chapter of Nebraska warning of an individual namely Edwin Sherman of Port Gamble, Washington Territory of fraudlent conferal of the Royal Arch Degree. The degree can only be conferred legitimately in Chapters subordinate to a State Grand Chapter, or one working under a dispensation or charter from the General Grand Chapter of the U.S.A.

On July, 25th, 1872, a letter was written to Daniel H. Wheeler, then Grand Secretary of the Grand Chapter of Nebraska, from Christopher Fox thanking Wheeler for communicating the list of Past Grand High Priests to him and due to the inability of his predecessor, (R. E. Furnas) to furnish the list, that the names would be incomplete in the Procedings of the General Grand Chapter.

A letter was written to all of the Grand Secretaries from the General Grand High Priest, Josiah H. Drummond on July 8th, 1874, that according to the constitution of the General Grand Chapter, the secretaries had to send a copy of the Grand Chapter Procedings to all the officers of the General Grand Chapter.

On October 26th, 1874 a letter was written to Right Excellent Companion, William R. Bowen, Esq. from Christopher Fox answering a question about return form letters. Christopher Fox said that the Procedings served that function. Also, a resolution was adopted by the General Grand Chapter at the Baltimore Triennial in 1871 requesting that the Grand Chapters pay one cent per annum dues for each Royal Arch Mason in your Grand Chapter, and to please send the amount contributed by the Grand Chapter of Nebraska and it would form a part of the report to the General Grand Chapter. (Christopher Fox writes using very fine english and exceptionally very fine handwriting.)

The next Triennial Convocation of the General Grand Chapter was held in Nashville, Tennessee on the 23rd of November 1874. On May 25th 1877, a letter was written by Christopher Fox to all of the officers of the Grand Chapters announcing the 23rd Triennial Convocation of  the General Grand Chapter to be held at the Masonic Hall in Buffalo, N.Y. on August 21, 1877. William Bowen sent this letter to all the Past Grand High Priests and asked them all to sign it and return this paper to his offfice. It was duly signed by Grand High Priest Warren, & Past Grand High Priests, J. W. Moore, Daniel H. Wheeler, Robert W. Furnas, Robert C. Jordan (Jordan Medal), & H. P. Deuel.   

Contributions  remitted for the Nebraska Grand Chapter to the General Grand Chapter for 1874, 1875, and 1876 were in the amount of $19.07.

A letter written on January 26th 1880 to William Bowen from Christopher Fox concerning General Grand Chapters Proceedings. Christopher Fox was sending Bowen Copies for the years 1859, 1865, 1868, 1871, 1874, and 1877. He also stated that there was no meeting (Convocation) held in 1862 on account of the Civil War.

A letter was sent from Buffalo, N.Y. on June 1, 1880 from Christopher Fox informing all Nebraska Members of the 24th Triennial Convocation to be held at Asylum Hall, of Detroit Commandery #1 in Detroit, Michigan on August 24, 1880. The Next triennial will be held in Denver, Colorado in 1883.The Twenty-sixth Triennial was held in Washington D.C. on September 26th, 1886. Lodging was at the Riggs House across from the Treasury. Room Rent was $2.50 per day. 

Apparently printing was quite a chore for our Companions in those days as a letter written to Bowen by Fox on November 23rd, 1880, discussed printing and I quote: I have mailed to your address a copy of the Proceedings of the General Grand Chapter of the recent Triennial Convocation. I regret that the appendix is not yet printed but hope to have it soon provided I can instill a little life in my printer. The Constitution of the General Grand Chapter is typed but not stereotyped, and will be published with the Proceedings. I have an electrotype autograph, which I will loan you if desired.

On Dec. 31, 1881, a reply to a letter from Bowen concerning a question of Constitutionality to Robert Farmer Bower the General Grand High Priest of the General Grand Chapter of the U.S. responded that the Constitution did not address the subject and therefore could not give an opinion. Then on May 25th, 1882, a proclamation was sent to Bowen from Alfred Chapman, Deputy General Grand High Priest, stating that the M. E. Companion from Keokuk, Iowa, R. F. Bower, had passed away. Alfred Chapman continued to serve the General Chapter as its head for R. F. Bower's term.

As time went on, William Bowen and Christopher Fox became very good friends. Bowen requested that Fox make a trip to Nebraska in 1883 to visit the Grand Chapter of Nebraska at its approaching convocation. In 1883, Christopher Fox made a trip out West and returned incompasitated by illness. He avoided work as much as possible last year, but is feeling much better as of Aug. 14th, 1884. He writes to William Bowen and advises him to go slow, and take better care of himself, as he is sure that he is working to hard. He says to let up a little while he can.    

A letter was written to Bill Bowen from Christopher Fox on February 5th, 1886,  congratulating Bowen on his new Office. Fox had returned from his Grand Chapter annual convocation for 1886 and after a busy but not excedingly important session, and having just arrived home, he was tired, bodily and mentally.

Officers Installed at the Twenty-seventh Triennial Convocation in Atlanta, Georgia on November 20th - 23rd 1889 were: M.E. David F. Day, Buffalo, N.Y. G.G.H.P. - Comp. Joseph P. Horner, New Orleans, La. D.G.G.H.P. - Comp. George L. McCahan, G.G. King - Comp. Benjamin F. Haller, Memphis, Tenn., G.G. Scribe - Comp. Reuban C. Lemmon, Toledo, Ohio, G.G. Treasurer - Comp. Christopher G. Fox, G.G. Secretary - Comp. Sylvester S. Bean, Creston, Iowa, G.G.Capt. of the Host - Comp. James W. Taylor, Luthersville, Ga., G.G. Principal Sojourner - Comp. Henry S. Orme, L.A., Calif., G.G. Royal Arch Captain - Comp. Hiram Bassett, Millersburg, Ky., G.G. Master 3rd Vail - Comp. Arthur G. Pollard, Lowell, Mass., G.G. Master 2nd Vail - Comp. Joseph E. Dyas, Paris, Ill., G.G. Master 1st Vail.

Buffalo, N.Y. April 8th, 1890.  M.E. Companion David F. Day announced the death of Most Excellent Companion Benjamin Franklin Haller, General Grand Scribe of Memphis, Tennessee. A very fitting Eulogy was given. On January last, by the unanimous vote of his brethren, He was made Grand Master of Masons of Tennessee.  

On November 29th, 1890, M.E.Comp. David F. Day announced even another passing of an Officer of his line, Most Excellent Hiram Bassett of Millersburg, Kentucky, General Grand Master of the 3rd Vail. He had held all of the High Offices of Masonry. It may be said of him that he had died full of years and full of honors. Day was looking forward to seeing Comp. Bassett during the coming year in Minneapolis.

An announcement  by Fox on June 24th, 1891, that the Twenty-eighth Triennial will be held at Masonic Hall in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on July 22nd, 1891. Hotel Rates at Nicollet House were $2.50 to $3.50 per day. At this Convocation, a resolution was adopted to invite the Grand Chapters of Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia to become constituent members of the General Grand Chapter thereby uniting and solidifying the Royal Arch Craft of the U.S. of A. into one common band.      

It appears that in the 1890's, that the General Grand Chapter had not settled on the work to be used in the Chapters, that there were not consistant work done in the Chapters. In a letter to Bowen dated Nov. 10th, 1890 from Christopher Fox stated that Sheville's work was not generally used, and the General Grand Chapter was working to that end. A committee on ritual of Comps. Wilber F. Foster, of Nashville, Tenn. Bernard G. Witt of Henderson, Ky. and Allen McDowell of St. Louis, Mo. to submit their findings and report to the next Triennial. It was of the opinion of McDowell in a letter to Bowen, that the work that will be presented to the Triennial is made up of   portions of the work used in many other states. He also said that Nebraska's work was primarly from Ohio's Work and most of the changes that would be made was in the lectures. (Most of our Companions and Sir Knights who started our Early Chapters and Commanderies were from Ohio. See the Chapter and Commandery Pages. )

Christopher Fox also writes to Bowen on July 9th, 1892, that he will be sending him the copies of the Proceedings for 1891 and that was the most bothersome thing he ever undertook. (He was refering to the addition of three Grand Chapters.) He also said that the probability of him going west this summer is so exceedingly remote, that he could freely say that, He shall not be able to call at Bowens ranch, this month or next, as he would be very glad to do were it within the possibilities. The fact is he is chained down to his desk like a galley slave, that is if a galley slave was ever chained down to a desk, from which he sees no chance of escape for some months to come. Thanking you, however, for your kind invitation and rememberance, I am truly yours, Christopher G. Fox.

Over the years of working together, these two friends and companions, enjoyed many a light moment in their writings. On a note written Oct. 10th, 1892, He informed Bowen that the cypher rituals are ready and after requistions are filled out, they can be delivered. He also added (and I quote); that you are always so prompt in the acknowledgement of favors, I fear, from the fact that I have received no acknowlegement of the receipt of the West Virgina circulars, that those addressed to you some time ago must have miscarried. Is it so?

Letter from Christopher Fox to William Bowen and I quote: I stand abashed at my audacity for questioning the fact of your acknowledgement of the receipt of the West Virginia circulars at the proper time. I might have known, if, I had given the matter the least thought, that the acknowledgement must have been in hand. Pardon my presumption, yet I have to plead one of the weeknesses of age, the impairment of memory, as an excuse for bothering you. There is no charge for the circulars. I am a little chagrined at your failure to visit our beautiful city while on your visit East. We should have been most happy to have seen you here, as we hope to do some day and would have endeavored to entertain you in our mild way. With regards, Fraternally, Christopher Fox.

On January 23, 1893, Christopher Fox sent Bowen fifty one copies of the new ritual and received no acknowledgement of their receipt. This I swear. I should feel no suprize, beg pardon, I used the "z" inadvertantly, at not receiving your acknowledgement of the receipt of the books, if I did not know of your promptness in such matters. There was a large envelope within the papers addressed to William R. Bowen Esq. Omaha, Neb. marked Personal dated Mar.22, 1893 from Buffalo, N. Y., and William Bowen received it Mar. 27th, 1893 and wrote Sends a Perfect Copy of the Work.

Then on February 1st, 1893, An Announcement by George L. McCahan, D.G.G.H.P., that Joseph Potts Hornor, General Grand High Priest, Had passed away at his home in New Orleans, La. on the 24th of January, 1893, after a lingering illness. Born in N.Y. City on Mar. 18th, 1837, he became a lawyer in New Orleans and admitted to the bar of the Louisiana Supreme Court in 1858 and to the Supreme Court of the U.S. in 1868. He was initiated into Masonry July 14, 1860 in Marion Lodge #68 and became Grand Master in 1868, He was High Priest at the time of his death, of Orleans Delta Chapter #1 He was Grand High Priest in 1873 & 1874. Served as Master of Orleans Council for several years, and was Grand Master of the Council in 1871. He was Eminent Commander of Orleans Commandery #3 in 1868 and Grand Commander in 1869, 1870 and 1874. He attained his 32nd degree of Scottish Rite in 1864. In 1887, received his 33rd degree and S.G.I.G. and Honorary member of the Supreme Council, Southern Jurisdiction. He was elected G.G.Principal Sojourner in 1880, G.G.Scribe in 1883, G.G.King in 1886, D.G.G.H.P. in 1889 and G.G.H.P. in 1891.

In a note dated Dec. 23, 1893, Christopher Fox writes to William R. Bowen, Esq. Grand Secretary of Nebraska since 1873, (May I be here to see you there in 1973),  Dear Sir and R. E. Companion: Annual Report of Grand Chapter of Nebraska for 1893, received. Thanks for good wishes, heartily reciprocated. With regards, Fraternally yours, Christopher G. Fox, General Grand Secretary. Then a note at the botom of the page: Grand Secretary of the Grand Chapter of New York from 1867, and since the retirement of Comp. Brewster of Texas, the senior in point of service and possibly in years. C.G.F.

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