Minute book of Unity Ark, No. 1, 1871-1873

Item

Identifier: A1977-020

Scope and Contents

Handwritten minutes of Unity Ark, No. 1, held in the hall of St. John Lodge in Seattle, Washington Territory, including lists of members. The first meeting was held on March 29, 1872. Nineteen pages filled and the rest blank.

Dates

Creation: 1871-1873

Creator

National Grand Templar Order of the Adoptive Rite (Masonic order). Unity Ark. No. 19 (Seattle, Washington Territory) (Organization)

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

Materials in this collection may be governed by copyright. It is the responsibility of the researcher to identify and satisfy the holders of all copyrights. Please contact the Archivist regarding permission to publish material.

Biographical / Historical

The charter for Unity Ark, No. 1 of Seattle of the Washington Territory was granted by A. Hornsby, acting S. G. C. and by authority of the Grand Orient of San Francisco on October 28, 1871. Unity Ark, No. 1, was part of a short-lived Masonic auxiliary order called the National Grand Templar Order of the Adoptive Rite whose ritual for two degrees was written by Edwin Allen Sherman in 1871. Charter members of Unity Ark, No. 1, consisted of 28 men and 20 women who were described as Master Masons and their wives. The leadership positions were Venerable Anchor and Anchoress. The National Grand Templar Order of the Adoptive Rite had a few arks in San Francisco, where Sherman lived, but this is the farthest known ark from California. The organization did not spread, and it is unknown how long the Unity Ark, No. 1, existed.