Neversink Chapter. No. 186.—This chapter is located at Port Jervis. The officers named in the charter, dated February 8th, 1865, were Philip Lee, high priest; Charles W. Douglas, king; Lewis L. Adams, scribe. The chapter was instituted on the 16th of March, 1865. The membership of Neversink Chapter on the 1st of June, 1907, was sixty-six Royal Arch Masons. The officers were S. G. McDonald, high priest; Jacob Miller, king; John Stoll, Jr., scribe; Herbert Senger, secretary.
Midland Chapter, No. 240.—This chapter is located at Middletown. The charter is dated February 3d, 1870, and was issued to Alexander Wilson, high priest; Elisha P. Wheeler, king; Moses D. Stivers, scribe. The first secretary was George H. Decker. The membership of Midland Chapter on the 1st of June, 1907, was 170 Royal Arch Masons. The officers were Charles V. Pedmore, high priest; William L. Mitchell, king; Frank H. Finn, scribe; John A. Wallace, secretary.
The commencement of the Templar Order in New York is involved in great obscurity; yet there were several bodies, having no authority whatever, which were organized at an early date. The grand encampment (commandery) of New York was formed on the 22d of January, 1814, by the sovereign grand consistory, which decreed the establishment of the grand encampment of Sir Knights Templars and appendant orders for the State of New York, and immediately proceeded to elect officers who were all members of said consistory. In 1816 a warrant was granted to Columbia Commandery in New York City; and a warrant on the same day was issued to a new commandery in New Orleans.
The numerous encampments of Knights Templar existing in the State at that time were self-created bodies, governed by their own private laws, acknowledging no superior authority, because, in fact, none heretofore existed.
The grand encampment of New York by its representatives assisted in forming the general grand encampment of the United States of America on the 11th of December, 1820.
There are but three commanderies of Knights Templar in the county of Orange.
Hudson River Commandery, No. 35.—This commandery is located at Newburgh. The charter is dated September 27, 1865, and was issued to Hugh McCutcheon, eminent commander; Lendon S. Straw, generalissimo; Isaac C. Chapman, captain general. The membership on the 1st of June, 1907, was 295 sir knights. The officers were Samuel F. Brown, eminent commander; Harry L. Barnum, generalissimo; Charles J. Stones, captain general; Sylvester W. Holdredge, recorder.
Delaware Commandery. No 44.—This commandery is located at Port Jervis. The charter is dated October 6th, 1869, and was issued to Charles B. Gray, eminent commander; Joseph W. Weed, generalissimo; Abraham Kirkman, captain general. Charles T. Branch was the first recorder. The membership on the 1st of June, 1907, was eighty-one sir knights. The officers were Theodore Mackrell, eminent commander; John Stoll, Jr., generalissimo; Harry J. Pippitt, captain general; Lewis C. Seager, recorder.
Cyprus Commandery, No. 67.—This commandery is located at Middletown. The charter is dated October 5th, 1904, and was issued to Charles Reeve Smith, eminent commander; Ira Lee Case, generalissimo; Frank Olin Tompkins, captain general. Isaac B. A. Taylor was the first recorder. The membership on the 1st of June, 1907, was 114 sir knights. The officers were Charles Chester Bogart, eminent commander; Charles Wesley Rodgers, generalissimo; Ames Everett Mclntyre, captain general; Isaac B. A. Taylor, recorder.
Cryptic Masonry has been recognized as a part of the American system of freemasonry in the State of New York since 1807, when a grand council of Royal and Select Masters was duly organized.