North Dakota

Order of The Eastern Star

North Dakota's Pioneer Chapter

Lady Washington Chapter No. 1, Order Eastern Star

The Order Eastern Star is the ladies Auxiliary to the Masonic Order. It was founded in New York City in 1868 and has a beautiful and impressive ritualistic work gleaned from Biblical times.

Lady Washington Chapter No. 1 was organized on September 15, 1887, as chapter No. 8 in Dakota Territory and the first in what is now North Dakota.

Mrs. Elizabeth E. Stetson later, Mrs. Henry J. Porter whose first husband's funeral in July, 1884, was the first Masonic funeral conducted in Jamestown, was a very enthusiastic member of the Eastern Star in Chicago and thru her influence Lady Washington Chapter was founded. She was long known in North Dakota as "The Mother of the Order of Eastern Star." She died in Puyallup, Washington, on January 25, 1927, and rests in Highland Home cemetery at Jamestown.

The North Dakota Grand Lodge 0. E. S. was organized at Valley City in June 1894, and Mrs. Elizabeth 0. (Mrs. H. E.) White of Lady Washington Chapter was elected the first Most Worthy Grand Matron. Other members of Lady Washington Chapter No. 1 who have been Grand Lodge officers were Grand Matrons Elizabeth E. Porter in 1887 and Jennie M. (Kelly) Chenery in 1911. Frances J. Ingalls was Grand Patron in 1899 and George L. McGregor in 1903. Wm. Hall is now Grand matron. In his boyhood he followed the Indians and the buffaloes on the praries of southern Stutsman coun­ty and is now too well known to require much space here.

The large live pointed star fish shell standing on the mantle above the fireplace in the ladies parlor of the Masonic Temple was picked up on the Florida coast many years ago by the late Frank A. Lenz of Jamestown (A Roman Catholic) and presented by him to Lady Washington Chapter No. 1. The five pointed star is the emblem of the order.

Lady Washington Chapter No. 1 was organized with Mrs. Elizabeth E. Stetson Worthy Matron, Mrs. C. V. VanDusen Associate Matron; Mrs. Elizabeth 0. White, Secretary; J. W. Cloes, Worthy Patron, and the following chapter members: Sisters, J. W. Cloes, A. A. Alien, Amelia Wcodbury, Elmira C. Miller, Francis Ingalls, J. A. Dole, R. Rose, A. C. McMillan, M. E. Wilbur, Julia C. Larcy and Brothers H. E. White. 0. L. Churchill, C. V. VanDusen, J. A. Dole, R. E. Thorald, I. Windover, R. G. DePuy, A. A. Alien, Henry J. Porter, George H. Woodbury, E. S. Miller, Francis Ingalls, A. C. Mc­Millan, and N. P. Larcey.

Lady Washington Chapter was organized with Dr. J. W. Cloes acting as deputy for the Most Worthy Grand Patron. Mrs. White served as Esther for three meetings, was then elected secretary, and held the office for the remainder of the year.

SECRETARIES

Mrs. Emma L. Wallace       1888.

Mrs.  Margaret D.  Bill    1889-1890.

Robert A. Blil             1891.

Geo.   L.   McGregor       1892-1893.

Miss Fannie McHarg         1894 - 1895.

J.  E.  Anderson           1896 -1897.

Mrs. Jennie M. Chenery     1898 – 1899 -1900.

Mⁱss Mazie Clemens         1901

Mrs. Elmira Miller         1902 – 1903

Mrs. Jennie   M.   Chenery 1904 to 1922 inclusive

Mrs. Anna Belle   Gaustad  1923 to 1927 inclusive

Mrs. Minnie Morris         1928

Mrs. Permelia Tweed   (later   Mrs. Rowe) was elected secretary for 1904, and installed but resigned in a few weeks.

Worthy Matrons and Worthy Patrons of Lady Washington Chapter No. 1:

Mrs. Elizabeth  Stetson, Brother  J. W. Cloes         1887-1888

Mrs. C. E. VanDusen, Bro. Francis Ingalls             1889

Mrs. Ella Cloes, Bro. W. P. Larcy                     1890

Mrs. Elizabeth 0. White, Bro. Geo. L. McGregor        1891

Mrs. Elizabeth 0. White, Bro. Francis Ingalls         1892

Mrs. Elizabeth 0. White, Bro. Robert A. Bill          1893

Mrs. Alice Ingalls,  Bro. E.S. Miller                 1894

Mrs. Elmira Miller, Bro. Herbert E. White                1895

Mrs. Nora Anderson, Bro. D. H. Fowler                    1896

Mrs. Anna  Smith, Bro. Geo. C. Smith                  1897                      

Mrs. Permeliz Nelson, Bro. Oscar St. C. Chenery       1898

Mrs. May L. Montgomery, Bro. Oscar St. C. Chenery     1899

Mrs. Helena K. Wink, Bro. Oscar St. C. Chenery        1900

Mrs. Kate E. Wonnenberg, Bro. David B. McLain         1901

Mrs. Jennie M. Chenery, Bro. David B. McLain          1902

Mrs. Jennie M. Chenery, Bro. R. L. Scott              1903

Mrs. Sarah J. Bradway, Bro. Geo. McLain               1904

Mrs. Sarah J. Bradway, Bro. J. E. Halstead            1905

Mrs. Adella Clemens, Bro. J. J. Nierling              1906

Mrs. Adella Clemens, Bro. Hugh Hall                   1907

Mrs. Marie Carnagan, Bro. Hugh Hall                   1908

Mrs. Marie Carnagan, Bro. Oscar St. C. Chenery        1909

Mrs. Permelia Rowe, Bro. Edson L. Laythe              1910

Mrs. Permelia Rowe, Bio. F. G. Kneeiand                  1911

Mrs. Adella Kelley, Bro. E. L. Laythe                 1912

Mrs. Adella Kelley, Bro. E. L. Laythe                 1913

Mrs. Isabel D. Laythe, Bro. J. E. Halstead            1914

Mrs. Isabel D. Laythe, Bro. Harvey L. Hill            1915

Mrs. Carrie Pettey, Bro. F. I. Bertrand               1916

Mrs. Sadie Bertrand, Bro. F. G. Kneeiand                 1917

Mrs. Sadie Bertrand, Bro. F. G. Kneeiand              1918

Mrs. Frances C. Bceman, Bro. Dana Wright              1919

Mrs. Laura M. Hill, Bro. C. W. Pierce                 1920

Mrs. Abbie Kneeland, Bro. 0. A. Amundson              1921

Mrs. Anna Belle Gaustad, Bro. Emil Dahlstrom          1922

Mrs. Carrie B. Kent, Bro. Emil Dahlstrom              1923

Mrs. Augusta Ruud, Bro. Emil Dahlstrom                1924

Mrs. Minnie B. Morrie, Bro. Wm. Hall                  1925

Mrs. Maude G. Syler, Bro. Wm. Hall                    1926

Mrs. Helen K. Movius, Bro. Wm. Hall                   1927

Mrs. Emily Magill, Bro. Wm. Hall                      1928

Mrs. Carrie Spokesfield Pettey has been the marshal for ten years.

Mrs. Jennie M. Chsnery has long been active in both the local chapter and the North Dakota Grand Lodge and her counsel and advice is much sought and always timely. She came to Jamestown from Ft. Totten with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. A. W. Kelley, and brother, Horatio W. Kelley, in 1872 and has resided here continuously since that time.

Extracted from "Jamestown Masonic Calendar, October 1928"