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
- 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
- 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
- Consolidated with Oklahoma No. 3 in 2024
________________________
(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.
These charter dates were compiled from the Annual Proceedings of the Grand Commandery Knights Templar of Oklahoma.
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