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An Historical Account of Prince Hall Grand Council, Royal & Select Masters, Commonwealth of PA and Jurisdiction PHA
The following is a brief history of Prince Hall Grand Council, Royal & Select Masters, Commonwealth of
Pennsylvania and Jurisdiction PHA, which was instituted on June 21, 1980.

At the 49th Annual Grand Convocation of the Grand Chapter HRAM of Ohio on August 16, 1916 a resolution was adopted empowering Past Grand High Priest Charles E. Gordon to establish Councils of Royal & Select Masters in Ohio. Pursuant to this action the following Councils were created: Adoniram Council No. 1, Cleveland, OH; Zabud Council No. 2, Toledo, OH; and Herald Council No. 3, Columbus, OH. On August 13, 1917 at the Knights of Honor Hall, corner of Central Avenue & George Street in Cincinnati, OH, the Grand Council of Royal & Select Masters for the State of Ohio and Jurisdiction was organized as Charles E. Gordon was elected the first Thrice Illustrious Grand Master. The following Illustrious Companions were also elected: Joseph J. Lee, Right Illustrious Deputy Grand Master; Alben A. Payne, Right Illustrious Grand Principal Conductor of the Works; John H. Bowles, Right Illustrious Grand Treasurer; Leroy H. Johnson, Right Illustrious Grand Recorder; Charles L. Poner, Right Illustrious Grand Captain of the Guard; C.C. Campbell, Right Illustrious Conductor of Council; Everett Gatiff, Right Illustrious Grand Steward; James E. Jackson, Right Illustrious Grand Sentinel and Right Illustrious Grand Lecturer John P. Bowles. A committee on Constitution was appointed as follows: John H. Bowles, Joseph J. Lee and John P. Bowles. On August 16, 1920 at the regular Grand Assembly held in Columbus, OH, the Constitution was approved and the officers were authorized to take out articles of incorporation. On December 21, 1920, the Grand Council of Royal & Select Masters for the State of Ohio was duly incorporated under the laws of the State of Ohio and is the Mother Jurisdiction of Prince Hall Cryptic Masonry. Philadelphia Council U.D., Philadelphia, PA. first appeared on the Annual Returns of Prince Hall Grand Council, R&SM of Ohio at their 36th Annual Grand Assembly on May 27, 1956 along with Alpha Council No. 16, New York, NY and Jordan Council U.D., New London, CT. Philadelphia Council was part of the formation of Prince Hall Grand Council, R&SM of New York on April 19, 1958 with Alpha Council No. 1, New York, NY; Jordan Council No. 2, New London, CT, Philadelphia Council No. 3, Philadelphia, PA and Adoniram Council U.D., Newark, NJ as Emmett J. Avery of Alpha Council No. 1 was elected the first Thrice Illustrious Grand Master of New York. The following Illustrious Companions were also elected: Robert F. Jordan #2, Right Illustrious Deputy Master; John R. Gilmore #3, Illustrious Grand Principal Conductor of the Works; W. DeVoe Joiner #1, Illustrious Grand Conductor of Council; Fred Johns #1, Illustrious Grand Treasurer; Illustrious Grand Recorder James W. Kelley #3; and Grand Illustrious Captain of the Guard David F.L. Jones, Adoniram Council U.D. John R. Gilmore, originally a member of Alpha Council No. 16, was the first Thrice Illustrious Master of the Philadelphia Council U.D., when it was under Ohio and Philadelphia Council No. 3, when it was under New York. He was elected the first Illustrious Grand PCW of New York. James W. Kelly of Philadelphia Council No. 3 was elected the first Illustrious Grand Recorder. On February 14, 1959 at the invitation of Thrice Illustrious Master John R. Gilmore of Philadelphia Council No. 3, Thrice Illustrious Grand Master Emmett J. Avery of New York journeyed to Philadelphia to assist in conferring the degrees on 29 candidates of Philadelphia Council, 23 from
Washington, D.C., which subsequently formed King Solomon Council No. 5, Washington, D.C. In addition to John R. Gilmore, Phelmon E. Johnson of Philadelphia Council No. 3 and Jerry Bigger of Philadelphia No. 3 were elected Thrice Illustrious Grand Master of New York 1970-71 and 1976-77 respectively. Prince Hall Grand Council of New York issued warrants to Adoniram Council No. 4, Newark, NJ; King Solomon Council No. 5, Washington, D.C.; Omega Council No. 6, Washington, D.C.; Zabud Council No. 7, New York, NY; Mystic Tie Council No. 8, Brooklyn, NY; Jacksonville Council UD, Jacksonville, FL (1964) Progress Council No. 9 (UD in 1969), Philadelphia, PA; Ish Sodi Council No. 10, Boston, MA; Delco Council No. 11, PA; Phelmon E. Johnson Council No. 14 which subsequently changed its name to Edward D. Ford Council No. 14, Pittsburgh, PA; Owen H. Thompson Council No. 15, Baltimore, MD (May 15, 1975); Hiram Council No. 16, PA and other Councils in New York and other States. Thrice Illustrious Masters Charles Washington of Philadelphia Council No. 3; Howard Lennon of Progress Council No. 9; Herbert C. Scott of Delco Council No. 11; Moses Brown of Edward D. Ford Council No. 14 and James Jenkins of Hiram Council No. 16 had a Planning Meeting in November 1979 to form a Grand Council of Pennsylvania. On June 21, 1980, Prince Hall Grand Council was instituted at the Masonic Temple, 4301 North Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA as Robert H. Cody was elected the first Right Grand Thrice Illustrious Grand Master of Pennsylvania. The following Illustrious Companions were also elected: Howard Lennon, Grand Illustrious Deputy Master; Henry C. Small, Grand Illustrious Principal Conductor of the Works; Glenny Lankford, Grand Illustrious Treasurer; Shelley T. Strickland, Grand Illustrious Recorder; Bobbie R. Stone, Grand Illustrious Assistant Recorder and Phelmon E. Johnson, Grand Illustrious Advisor. Past Thrice Illustrious Grand Master Samuel Jackson (D.C.) of New York installed the elected officers.

At the 166th Annual Grand Lodge Session of the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of PA on October 12, 1981, Prince Hall Grand Council received an Official Certificate of Recognition and Acceptance from Most Worshipful Grand Master Thomas Scipio. On October 24, 1981, at the 161st Annual Grand Convocation of the Most Excellent Chapter, Holy Royal Arch Masons of PA, Prince Hall Council received a letter of Recognition and Permission to recruit from the ranks of Holy Royal Arch Masons of Pennsylvania from Most Excellent Grand High Priest Wesley S. Archer. Subsequently on June 12, 1982, new warrants were issued by Prince Hall Grand Council, R&SM of Pennsylvania to Philadelphia Council No. 1; Progress Council No. 2; Delco Council No. 3; Edward D. Ford Council No. 4, Hiram Council No. 5 and Floyd Shivers Council No. 6 (which was set up as a UD Council on December 12, 1981). Prince Hall Grand Council subsequently issued warrants to Eureka Council No. 7, Philadelphia, PA (which was set up as a U.D. Council on February 20, 1988) on June 10, 1989; Leon H. Johnson Council No. 8, Chester, PA on June 8, 1991 and John G. Grantham Council No. 9, Norristown, PA on June 12, 1993. Also Prince Hall Grand Council of PA issued charters to Councils in North Carolina (1994) and Virginia (1997) which lead to the formation of Prince Hall Grand Council R&SM, Jurisdiction of North Carolina, Inc. in 1995 and Prince Hall Grand Council R&SM, Commonwealth of Virginia, PHA, Inc. on April 26, 1998 respectively. David R. Odom of North Carolina and William F. Milton of Virginia were elected the first Right Grand Thrice Illustrious Masters of their respective Jurisdictions. Past Thrice Illustrious Grand Masters of New York John R. Gilmore, Phelmon E. Johnson and Jerry Biggers are Past Right Grand Thrice Illustrious Masters of Pennsylvania (Honorary). John R. Gilmore Priory No. 2., KYCH, Pennsylvania, organized on October 1, 1994 and established on August 31, 1995 is named in memory of a distinguished York Rite Mason of Pennsylvania John R. Gilmore, Past Thrice Illustrious Grand Master of NY, R&SM; Past Right Grand Thrice Illustrious Master of PA (Honorary), R&SM; Past Right Excellent Grand Secretary of PA, HRAM; Past Most Eminent Grand Commander of PA, MKT and Most Eminent Honorary Past Grand Master of the Grand Encampment of Knights Templar, U.S.A. and Its Jurisdiction, PHA, Inc. Prince Hall Grand Council is a supporting member of the General Conference of Grand Councils of Royal & Select Masters PHA, U.S.A. & the Bahamas, Inc and the following Illustrious Companions are currently serving the General Conference: PRGTIM Hubert L. Braxton, General Conference Deputy Grand Master; PRGTIM Michael C. Stewart, General Conference Jurisdictional Deputy; and Grand Illustrious Historian & Auditor Walter J. Sims, Jr., General Conference Audit Committee Chairman.

As we are in the 21st Century, we can easily picture strides of rapid progress. We, the Royal & Select Masters of
this day, must contribute to that progress. We look to the future while commemorating the past, drawing lessons from the past for the future.

Yours in the Cryptic Rite,
P.T.I.M. Walter J. Sims, Jr., KCT, KGC, KYGCH
Charter Member, Eureka Council No. 7
Grand Illustrious Historian & Auditor
Prince Hall Grand Council R&SM of PA
General Conference Audit Commitee Chairman