Conducting Masonic Research in Oklahoma: A Primer

By T.S. Akers

Conducting Masonic research should not be something that only a select few are able to do. There are many Masonic stories to be told in Oklahoma and different aspects of our Fraternity’s history excite different people. Fortunately, in Oklahoma there are numerous resources for conducting research that can be easily accessed, either digitally or in person. The purpose of this post is to serve as a landing page from which to locate various archival sources across Oklahoma.

 

Annual Proceedings

 

A great first stop for research is the annual proceedings of the numerous grand bodies that occupy Oklahoma. These proceedings are the transactions of a grand body in a given year. They contain addresses by presiding officers and others, various reports on the state of the Craft, biographical information, occasional photographs, and sometimes member registers. What is great about these resources in Oklahoma is that in recent years, many of them have been digitized by The George Washington Masonic National Memorial.

To access the various digitized proceedings, please use the links below.

Grand Lodge of Indian Territory

Grand Lodge of Oklahoma Territory

Grand Lodge of the State of Oklahoma

Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons of Oklahoma

Grand Council of Cryptic Masons of Oklahoma

Grand Commandery Knights Templar of Oklahoma

There are some volumes not yet available digitally and those can be found across our state’s Masonic libraries such as the Grand Lodge Library, the Guthrie Scottish Rite Library, and the McAlester Scottish Rite Library. Additionally, some early proceedings are available at the Oklahoma Historical Society in Oklahoma City.

Books of Historical Interest in Oklahoma  

Through the years, there have been some very good volumes published on the history of Freemasonry in Oklahoma. The early volumes tend to be the best, and though they may be out of print, they can certainly be found in libraries or through AbeBooks, a site similar to eBay for used book dealers.

Some recommended volumes are:

Akers, T.S. Knights on the Prairie: A History of Templar in Oklahoma. 2012.

Akers, T.S. The Grand High Priests of Oklahoma Royal Arch Masonry. 2019

Akers, T.S. The Illustrious Grand Masters of Oklahoma Cryptic Masonry. 2020.

Angel, Norman, et al. History of the Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons of Oklahoma. 1964.

Creager, Charles. A History of the Cryptic Rite of Freemasonry in Oklahoma. 1925.

(available as a reprint from the Oklahoma Lodge of Research)

Creager, Charles. History of Free Masonry in Oklahoma. 1935.

(available as a reprint from the Oklahoma Lodge of Research)

Davis, Robert. 100 Years of Scottish Rite Masonry in the Valley of Guthrie. 1999.

Latham, J. Fred. The Story of Oklahoma Masonry. 1978.

The Legend of Oklahoma, O.E.S. 1952. 

The Oklahoma Lodge of Research

Established in 1966, the Oklahoma Lodge of Research was created to collect historical data and materials, for the study of any and all phases of Masonic teachings. The Oklahoma Lodge of Research has published 17 volumes, mostly of interest to Freemasonry in Oklahoma. The lodge has made available a finding aid on their website, which lists the contents of each volume. These various volumes can be found across our state’s Masonic libraries. 

Books Published by the Oklahoma Lodge of Research

Membership Records

Regarding biographical information, the Grand Lodge of the State of Oklahoma and the three Scottish Rite Valleys (Guthrie, McAlester, and Tulsa) maintain excellent records on members. If looking for Blue Lodge degree dates and offices held, contact the Grand Secretary of the Grand Lodge. The Scottish Rite Valleys can provide similar details and their membership files often contain additional biographical information and photographs.

Newsletters

An archival record that has recently proven to be useful is old newsletters such as The Masonic Home News produced by the Grand Lodge of the State of Oklahoma. Additionally, both the McAlester and Guthrie Scottish Rite Valleys have produced newsletters such as the McAlester Consistory News. Check with the libraries of these three institutions to see what is available.

Other Resources

In addition to Masonic resources that are available, there are some non-Masonic resources that can be quite handy in conducting research.

The Oklahoma Historical Society has digitized over 800,000 items including newspapers and The Chronicles of Oklahoma, the society’s scholarly journal, and made them searchable via their Gateway.

The Gateway to Oklahoma History

If looking for odd volumes in libraries, be sure to use WorldCat, a database of library catalogs from around the world.

WorldCat

Progress continues to be made in cataloging the collections of the Oklahoma Grand Lodge Museum and Library. That catalog is now available online through LibraryThing.

Oklahoma Grand Lodge Museum and Library Catalog