About the Valley of Scranton
History of the Valley of Scranton
The bodies of the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite of Free Masonry sitting in the Valley of Scranton, Pennsylvania, acknowledge and yield allegiance to the Supreme Council, Thirty-third Degree, for the Northern Masonic Jurisdiction of the United States of America, whose Grand East is Lexington, Massachusetts. The Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite of this Valley comprises the following bodies:
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Keystone Lodge of Perfection, fourth to the fourteenth degrees, was constituted September 19, 1888, and has been presided over by the following thrice potent masters: Henry N, Dunnell, Richard B. Brockway, William Maylin, Andrew Strang, Joseph F. Baumeister, Joseph Steidle, lllyer Davidow, Jacob Helmer, Lester Wittenberg, HenryT. Koehler, Arthur Widdowfield, Karl M. Ebert, Cyrus S. Weiss, Charles H. Tilton, John Partridge Hitchcock, Jerome W.Leverich.
Keystone Council Princes of Jerusalem, fifteenth and sixteenth degrees, was constituted September 18, I890, and has been presided over by the following sovereign princes: John B. Law, Richard ll. Brockway, Henry N. Dunnell. Theodore Von Storch, Fred S. Godfrey, Thomas F Penman, Simon Lauer, Alvin E. Deal, Harry George Merrill, William H. Reichard, Myer Davidow, Jacob Helmer, Edward N. Truesdell, Arthur Widdowfield, Franklin J. Collins, Samuel H. Voorhes, Vincent B. Sheeder, Haydn T. Evans.
Keystone Chapter of Rose Croix, seventeenth to the eighteenth degrees, was constituted September 18, 1890, and has been presided over by the following most wise masters: Richard B. Brockway, Henry K. Dunnell, Fred S. Godfrey, William Maylin, James Moir, Gideon W. Shadle, Jacob Helmer, William B. Hixson, Edward N. Truesdell, Henry T. Koehler, David R. James, .Norman W. Howard, Harrison W. Reichard.
Keystone Consistory, S. P. R. S., nineteenth to the thirty-second degrees, was constituted September 18, 1890, and has been presided over by the following commandersin-chief: Henry N. Dunnell, William Maylin, Richard B. Brockway, Andrew Strang, Joseph F. Baumeister, David J. Davis.
Scottish Rite Masonry has met with many vicissitudes since its organization, and at the present time is in a very flourishing condition. They own a very valuable property in Wyoming avenue, which is clear of debt, and plans are forming for the building of a Scottish Rite Cathedral which will be a credit to the city of Scranton. Its finances are in such shape that this project will soon be under way. The membership at the present lime is about 1,100 members, and a great deal of interest is manifested in this branch of Masonry. Successful reunions have been held for the past several years at which large classes have been initiated.
The consistory today is the wealthiest Masonic body in Scranton, and also has the largest membership of any other Masonic body in this part of the State. It has been honored by the Supreme Council of the Sovereign-Grand Inspectors General of the Thirty-third Degree by the election of the following honorary thirty-third degrees: Henry N. Dunnell, William Maylin, Joseph F. Baumeister, David J. Davis, Edward N. Truesdell, Arthur Widdowfield, Henry F. Koehler, Edwin C. Kewcomb, L. A. Watres, William J. Jeffery.
The present flourishing condition of Keystone Consistory is due largely to the untiring efforts of David J.Davis, thirty-third degree, who is serving as commander in-chief for the third consecutive term. It would be impossible to give him sufficient credit [or the great amount of labor which he has put forth in bringing the Scottish Rite to its present condition. No other one man has given so much time and attention to the rite as has David J. Davis and he is deserving of the full credit for the great interest which is now manifested in Scottish Rite Masonry in Northeastern Pennsylvania.