December 12, 2013

The Commanderies of Oklahoma

 By T.S. Akers

Officers of the Grand Commandery Knights Templar of Oklahoma in Ponca City, 1923
(Courtesy of the Grand Commandery of Oklahoma)

It is the job of the Historian to relate the events of the past by analyzing the primary sources of the day and paint an accurate picture of what actually occurred.  Sometimes this can be as simple as lists with bare facts and while that can be a bore, they are often essential for other Historians and can contain vital information. 

In Oklahoma, a total of fifty-three Commanderies of Knights Templar have received charters.  Unfortunately, a number of Grand Commanders have had to make the hard decision to revoke charters in order to secure the survival of the Order, while other Commanderies chose to consolidate with nearby Commanderies or simply ceased to exist.  Today there are sixteen active Commanderies in Oklahoma, perpetuating the legacy put forth by their predecessors.

The following is a complete listing of all fifty-three Commanderies of Oklahoma and their present status.

Guthrie No. 1                           July 12, 1890(d)           Guthrie
                                                August 11, 1892(c)

Muskogee No. 2                      October 1, 1891(d)      Muskogee
                                                August 11, 1892(c)

Oklahoma No. 3                      March 5, 1892(d)         Oklahoma City
                                                August 11, 1892(c)

Ascension No. 4                       May 8, 1893(d)            El Reno
                                                August 29, 1895(c)
- Consolidated with Oklahoma No. 3 in 1965

Chickasaw No. 5                     May 31, 1894(d)          Purcell
                                                August 29, 1895(c)
- Consolidated with Norman No. 38 in 1934

McAlester No. 6                      July 14, 1894(d)           McAlester
                                                August 29, 1895(c)

DeMolay No. 7                        August 19, 1896           Chickasha
- Consolidated with Lawton No. 18 in 2008

St. Johns No. 8                        February 1, 1897         Stillwater

Ardmore No. 9                        November 2, 1897       Ardmore

Perry No. 10                            April 10, 1900              Perry
- Consolidated with St. Johns No. 8 in 1987

Cyrene No. 11                         April 10, 1901              Kingfisher
- Charter surrendered in 1932

Pawnee No. 12                        April 10, 1901              Pawnee
- Charter surrendered in 1939

Enid No. 13                             February 14, 1902       Enid
- Consolidated with Guthrie No. 1 in 2004

Ben Hur No. 14                       February 12, 1903       Ponca City

Hobart No. 15                         February 16, 1905       Hobart
- Consolidated with Lawton No. 18 in 1990

Ada No. 16                              April 22, 1905              Ada
- Consolidated with Shawnee No. 36 in 1998

Weatherford No. 17                 February 15, 1906       Weatherford
- Charter surrendered in 1934

Lawton No. 18                        February 15, 1906       Lawton

Frederick No. 19                     February 15, 1906       Frederick
- Charter surrendered in 1939

Trinity No. 20                           April 19, 1906              Tulsa

Ivanhoe No. 21                        March 20, 1907           Sayre
- Charter surrendered in 1955

Elk City No. 22                        March 20, 1907           Elk City

Emmanuel No. 23                     March 20, 1907           Blackwell
- Consolidated with Ben Hur No. 14 in 1990

Lincoln No. 24                         March 20, 1907           Chandler
- Charter surrendered in 1940

Gethsemane No. 25                  April 23, 1908              Okmulgee
- Consolidated with Muskogee No. 2 in 2014

Calvary No. 26                        April 23, 1908              Bartlesville

Eldorado No. 27                      February 16, 1909       Eldorado
- Consolidated with Lawton No. 18 in 1939

Okemah No. 28                       April 23, 1909              Okemah
- Consolidated with Gethsemane No. 25 in 1938

St. Aumer No. 29                     March 8, 1910             Taloga
- Now stationed in Woodward

Hugo No. 30                            April 22, 1910              Hugo
- Charter arrested in 1983

Durant No. 31                          April 22, 1910              Durant
- Charter surrendered in 1928

Hugh de Payen No. 32             April 22, 1910              Atoka
- Consolidated with Ada No. 16 in 1939

Sapulpa No. 33                        April 22, 1910              Sapulpa
- Consolidated with Trinity No. 20 in 1968

Foraker No. 34                        February 21, 1911       Foraker
- Charter surrendered in 1920

Palestine No. 35                       February 21, 1911       Pawhuska
- Charter surrendered in 1954

Shawnee No. 36                      April 19, 1912              Shawnee
- Consolidated with Norman No. 38 in 2009

St. Augustine No. 37                April 19, 1912              Alva
- Charter surrendered in 1932

Norman No. 38                        April 24, 1914              Norman

Malta No. 39                           April 21, 1916              Heavener
- Consolidated with Hugo No. 30 in 1954

Poteau No. 40                          April 21, 1916              Poteau
- Consolidated with Malta No. 39 in 1939

Claremore No. 41                    April 21, 1916              Claremore
- Charter revoked 1955

Cushing No. 42                        April 17, 1919              Cushing
- Moved to Drumright in 1978 as Cimarron Valley No. 42
- Consolidated with St. Johns No. 8 in 2017

Holdenville No. 43                   May 17, 1922              Holdenville
- Charter revoked in 1948

Cleveland No. 44                     May 17, 1922              Cleveland
- Charter revoked in 1940

Bethlehem No. 45                    May 17, 1922              Oklahoma City
- Consolidated with Capitol Hill No. 53 in 2006

Duncan No. 46                        May 23, 1923              Duncan
- Consolidated with DeMolay No. 7 in 1967

Drumright No. 47                     May 21, 1924              Drumright
- Consolidated with Cushing No. 42 in 1964

Hominy No. 48                        May 20, 1925              Hominy
- Consolidated with Drumright No. 47 in 1954

Miami No. 49                           May 18, 1927              Miami
- Charter revoked in 1998

Hugh de Payen No. 50             April 26, 1960              Atoka
- Charter revoked in 1979

Guymon No. 51                       April 25, 1961              Guymon
- Consolidated with St. Aumer No 29 in 2005

Tipton No. 52                          May 8, 1989                Tipton
- Consolidated with Lawton No. 18 in 1995

Capitol Hill No. 53                   May 8, 1989                Oklahoma City
- Now stationed in Midwest City
________________________

(d) - date of dispensation 
(c) - date of charter
These charter dates were compiled from the Annual Proceedings of the Grand Commandery Knights Templar of Oklahoma.