This branch of freemasonry has never been popular with the craft in this State, as the degrees, of which there are three, conferred in a council, have not been made prerequisite to admission to a commandery of Knights Templar, although several attempts have been made to that end.
King Solomon Council, No. 31.—This council is at this date located at Poughkeepsie, N. Y. On the 10th of December, 1867, a council of Royal and Select Masters was opened under dispensation at Poughkeepsie, N. Y., which was known as "Union Council." The first officers were E. H. Parker, T. I. M.; G. Fred Wiltsie, R. I. M.; A. B. Smith, P. C. W. At the annual assembly of the grand council, held on the 4th of February, 1868, a warrant was issued, and the name changed to King Solomon Council, No. 31, and the jurisdiction extended to include the city of Newburgh, N. Y. King Solomon Council held stated assemblies at Newburgh from the 18th of March, 1869, to the 8th of December, 1879, when it was deemed for the interest of the organization that it be removed to Poughkeepsie, where it holds assemblies at the call of the thrice illustrious master.
The Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite was introduced in the State of New York in 1813, by the formation, in the city of New York, of a supreme council for the northern jurisdiction. For some time previous a lodge of perfection of this rite existed at Albany, N. Y.
Adouai Lodge of Perfection, located at Newburgh, N. Y., was granted a charter in September, 1873. The lodge conferred the degrees from the fourth to the fourteenth inclusive. In 1880 the lodge ceased to meet, but the charter was not surrendered, being held in abeyance subject to the action of the members in this locality.
What is known as the American Adoptive Rite, called the "Order of the Eastern Star," was created by Robert Morris, a distinguished Freemason. It sought to provide an organization that would be of benefit to the wives, mothers, sisters and daughters of master masons by introducing signs, grips and pass-word that would be recognized by the craft generally. For a time it was a popular institution, then came a season of depression, until finally the degrees were rewritten and the ritual made less complex. While this order has not been recognized in this State as a masonic body by the grand lodge, still it does receive recognition and support from a large number of the craft who feel that it is a valuable adjunct to freemasonry.
The grand chapter of the Order of the Eastern Star was organized thirty-eight years ago. There are at this date over 350 subordinate chapters in the State, embracing a membership of over 26,000. There are five chapters in Orange County.
Orange Chapter. No. 33, is located at Port Jervis; Queen Esther Chapter, No. 163, is located at Middletown; Hawthorne Chapter, No. 163, is located at Monroe; A. J. Moor Chapter, No. 398, is located at Goshen. At this date (June, 1907), these chapters are in a flourishing condition.
