A History of Guthrie Chapter #12, Order of the Eastern Star

The chapter originally received its charter from the First Annual Session of the Indian Grand Territory Grand Chapter held at McAlester, Oklahoma, June 18, 1890. Early is known about the very early beginnings of the chapter, however the report of the Second Session of the Indian Grand Chapter at Atoka, June 17, 1891 stated “52 members; don’t do work too well; much help afforded the poor and indigent”.

Guthrie Chapter hosted the Third Session of the Grand Chapter and Carrie M. Perkins served as the Worthy Grand Matron in 1894. She was elected Grand Secretary in 1895 and served in that office until her sudden death in January of 1900 at which time her husband Benjamin F. Perkins served as acting secretary to the end of her term.

As early as 1894, the question of jurisdiction by the Indian Territory Grand Chapter over chapters in Oklahoma Territory was raised. With the formation of the Oklahoma Territory Grand Chapter February 14,1902, in Guthrie, Guthrie Chapter was renumbered to #2. Mrs P.M.L. Ray served as Grand Secretary in 1903 and as Worthy Grand Matron in 1907. It was here in Guthrie that the Indian Territory Grand Chapter came by special train from McAlester in 1909 to join the Oklahoma Territory Grand Chapter and form the Grand Chapter of Oklahoma. At that time, Guthrie Chapter again became Chapter #12. Many members of Guthrie Chapter has served the Grand Chapter as Grand Officers throughout the many years since then.

In 1973, Guthrie Chapter purchased a tract of land in northeast Guthrie purchased with their savings and a generous gift from the estate of Eloise S. Powell. Jewell B. King, a Past Patron of Guthrie Chapter served as architect and contractor for the $100,000 building, without remuneration and was completed March 1, 1980.

The above narrative was extracted from a brief history of Guthrie Chapter by Ruby May Tryon in 1980 who at that time was Secretary and a fifty year member