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Kansas Kansas Lodge, U. D.

By Dispensation granted to John M. Chivington on August 4, 1854, Grove Lodge was opened in Wyandotte Territory at the house of Mathew R. Walker. A Convention was held on November 14, 1855, at Leavenworth, but as Wyandotte Lodge was not represented the meeting was adjourned until December 27. On that date representatives of Wyandotte Lodge were again absent, but it was decided not to delay the organization of a Grand Lodge further. The following were present at this meeting held in the office of A. and R. R. Rees: Brother John W. Smith, W. M. of Smithton Lodge, No. 140; Brother R. R. Rees, W. M. of Leavenworth Lodge, No. 150, and Brothers C. T. Harrison, L. J. Eastin, J. J. Clarkson, G. W. Purkins, I. B. Donaldson, and Simon Kohn, Master Masons. The Grand Lodge was then opened and it was decided to send a report to Wyandotte Lodge asking them to approve the proceedings. A completely representative meeting was held on March 17, 1856, when it was resolved that, as there was some doubt whether the proceedings of the previous Convention were entirely legal, owing to the absence of delegates from one chartered Lodge, the Grand Lodge of Kansas should be organized then and there. When this was done, Brother Richard R. Rees. elected Grand Master, was installed and he then installed the other Grand Officers.

Leavenworth Chapter was granted a Dispensation on January 24, 1857. Not until September 8, 1865, however, was its Charter issued. The first Chapter in Kansas to possess a Charter was Washington, No. 1, Dispensation granted May 18, 1859; Charter, September 14, 1859.

Representatives of these two Chapters and of Fort Scott Chapter met in Convention by permission of the Deputy Grand High Priest on January 27, 1866, and on February 26, the Grand Royal Arch Chapter of Kansas was duly organized and constitute.

The Grand Council of Missouri chartered three Councils of Royal and Select Masters in this State. On December 12, 1867, representatives of the three Councils organized a Grand Council which has since met annually except in 1880. A Commandery, Leavenworth, No. 1, was established by Dispensation issued February 10, 1864. Its Charter was granted September 6, 1865. This Commandery, with the others in the State, namely: Washington, No. 2; Hugh de Pavens, No. 3, and DeMolay, No. 4, met on December 29, 1868, by Warrant from Grand Master William Sewall Gardner issued on December 2, 1868, and established a Grand Commandery.

The following Scottish Rite Bodies were established in Kansas: Salina, No. 9, Lodge of Perfection, September 13, 1876, at Salina; Unity, No. 1, Chapter of Rose Croix, February 17, 1881, at Topeka; William de la More, No. 1, Council of Kadosh, December 12, 1883, at Lawrence; Topeka, No. 1, Consistory, April 23, 1892, at Topeka. Those established at Fort Leavenworth, one in 1890 and three in 1909, in each case as Army, No.1, came at first under the Supreme Council, Southern Jurisdiction. At the session of 1909, the Supreme Council agreed to exercise concurrent jurisdiction, but in 1919 the Army Bodies at Fort Leavenworth were transferred to the authority of Kansas.

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