History of the Indiana Grand Chapter

The first communicating of the Eastern Star degree in Indiana was by Rob Morris at New Albany in 1852. Subsequent to that, Brother Morris claimed that he communicated the degree in Indiana on over two hundred occasions to thousands of women.

Its first organized form was in constellations, working under charters issued in the name of the Supreme Constellation of the American Adoptive Rite of which Rob Morris was Most Enlightened Deputy Grand Luminary and Grand Lecturer.

There were at least six constellations organized in Indiana in 1855: White Rose No. 3 in Crown Point, Jessamine No. 8 in Moore's Hill, Cassiopeia No. 28 in Cambridge, North Salem No. 36 in North Salem, New Albany No. 160 in New Albany and Newman No. 161 in Milton.

The first family of the Order in Indiana, of which we have authentic knowledge, was Plymouth Family No. 41 in Plymouth, organized June 25, 1864. It should be noted that the number did not apply only to Indiana but to the whole country, so that there had been only forty other families organized in the country prior to Plymouth Family.

Although Plymouth Family No. 41 was probably the first in the state, the distinction of being the oldest body of the Order in the State still in existence belongs to Sunbeam Chapter No. 1, of Mt. Vernon. In fact it is believe to be the oldest in the country being chartered as Family No. 83, April 19, 1866, and continuing to work as such until the formation of the Grand Chapter, when it became a constituent member thereof.

Beginning in 1867, the Order began to be organized as "Eastern Star Lodges" in Michigan, based on the rules and rituals of the Family and on January 1869 the Grand Lodge of Adoptive Masonry for Indiana was organized at Elkhart, Indiana.

In 1868, Brother Robert Macoy of New York appointed deputies, supplied with charters, rituals and other supplies, and began to form "Chapters" in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas and Missouri. These were organized in the name of the "Supreme Grand Chapter." Conditions in the Order during these times were chaotic, much of the law being unwritten and many Chapters operating in different ways. Men paid higher dues than women, however they were often not allowed to vote and not recognized as officers. The Supreme Grand Chapter would eventually collapse.

In 1874, the Grand Chapter of Indiana was organized and on April 7, 1875, the first annual meeting of Indiana's Grand Chapter met in Lafayette, Indiana, with Mary A. Taylor as Grand Matron and John Leach as Grand Patron. It was attended by eleven Chapters with twenty-six voting delegates and seven Grand Officers. Several resolutions were adopted and the Grand Patron gave an address, however the Grand Matron did not. In 1878, the Worthy Grand Matron was made the executive head of the organization, having been previously been only a figure head. In 1889, the state was divided into districts for the first time and Deputies for each were appointed by the Worthy Grand Matron. In 1890, Sister Nettie Ransford, Past Grand Matron of Indiana, was elected as Most Worthy Grand Matron of the General Grand Chapter at its session in Indianapolis.