Francis G. Paul/Robert O. Ralston

This collection documents the business of the Office of the Sovereign Grand Commander of the Northern Masonic Jurisdiction from 1866-2000 with the bulk of the material from 1980-1998. It includes a limited amount of records from Leon M. Abbott and Melvin M. Johnson (see their respective separate collections, A2021/074 and A2019/001) with the bulk of the material from George A. Newbury, Stanley F. Maxwell, George E. Bushnell, Francis George Paul, and Robert Odel Ralston.

The bulk of the collection is comprised of correspondence to and from the Sovereign Grand Commanders during his term. Correspondence usually includes both the original letter, as well as a carbon-paper copy of the Commmander's reply. Other records include balustres, allocutions, speeches, publications, pamphlets, reports, newspaper clippings, travel arrangements and itineraries, invoices, budgets, investment and banking documents, meeting agendas and proceedings, event documentation, telegrams, obituaries, and photographs that relate to the business of the Scottish Rite and Freemasonry.

Almost all the correspondents were actively involved in Freemasonry, including members of the Northern Masonic Jurisdiction's Supreme Council, Deputies, Active Members and Committee Members. Other correspondents were affiliated with the Order of DeMolay, the Order of Builders, the Knights Templar, the George Washington Masonic National Memorial Association, and the Masonic Service Association, and many more. There is correspondence from other Sovereign Grand Commanders from the Southern Jurisdiction and from countries around the world including Italy, Mexico, Peru, Spain, Switzerland, Romania, and many more.