Harmony Chapter #60
Vienna, Virginia
Order of the Eastern Star
History of Harmony Chapter #60
(as given on 10/22/12, the Chapter's 91st birthday)
1920 to 1930
On September 24, 1921, a small group met to organize an Eastern Star Chapter in Vienna. Brother Emerick Bell, Associate Grand Patron, was in charge and the first order of business was to select a name – Harmony Chapter. And so our journey begins.
The Chapter was instituted Harmony Chapter UD, Vienna, VA, on October 19, 1921. Among those attending the ceremony were Sister Mary Flourney, Worthy Grand Matron, and Brother Ollie Hope, Worthy Grand Patron. Sister Sadie Babcock and Brother William Goldsmith were installed as our first Worthy Matron and Worthy Patron. Mary Washington Chapter #50, Harmony’s Mother Chapter, conferred the degrees on 5 candidates and presented the Chapter with 5 pedestals.
Concord Masonic Temple (Vienna, VA)
Arlington Chapter UD (later to become Arlington Chapter #39) gave Harmony Chapter a sheaf of wheat (and we do mean real wheat, which mices just loved to pieces) for the Star Point Ruth’s station, Harding Chapter gave a baton and sword and, soon followed other love gifts received from many of the Sister Chapters. Officers were selected and a regular meeting was to be held on November 28, 1921. The Chapter met twice a month for many years until changing to once a month.
At Sharon Chapter #63's institution April 1922 in McLean, VA, Sister Sadie Babcock, Worthy Matron of Harmony Chapter, presented the newly formed Sharon Chapter with a sheaf of wheat (yes, it's still real wheat and the Sharon Lodge mice loved it as much as the Concord Lodge mice loved Harmony's!).
Harmony Chapter was presented its Charter on May 22, 1922, by Brother Emerick Bell, Worthy Grand Patron, and the officers of Harmony Chapter #60 were duly installed in June 1922.
During the 1924-1925 term, Sister Sadie Babcock, now Past Matron, presented Sharon Chapter #63 with her husband's Knight's Templar Sword to be used for Adah Star Point. The sword was shortened and was still in use by Sharon Chapter until March 2014 when Sharon Chapter merged with Unity Chapter #201.
In 1929 Harmony Chapter finally got its first Associate Patron when Brother Fred Hagman was installed.
1930 to 1950
In January 1934, Sisters Sadie Babcock and Verlin Miles invited the Friendship Circles of Sharon Chapter and Harmony Chapter to Sister Sadie's house for a joint meeting, but there had been a severe snow storm for several days before and, quoted from the meeting minutes, "13 loyal Sisters braved the slippery roads leading to Sister Babcock's lovely house in Vienna; aside for a few minor incidents, such as being misdirected by Sister Catherine Storm, and Sisters Hedwig Huschke and Esther Rector getting stuck in the snow and mud, and some of us walking in from the main road ...". The "main road" was most likely Route 123.
November 1933, Sister Anna Bierer, Past Grand Matron, was appointed Instructor for Sharon Chapter and asked if the Chapter preferred written instructions or a "physical school", Sharon Chapter joined with Harmony Chapter for a "physical school" which was held at Sharon Masonic Temple, McLean, VA, with the expenses divided between the two Chapters. Acacia Chapter #51 was also invited but declined.
During the 1938-1939 term, Honorary Membership to Sharon Chapter was presented to Sister Isabelle Sherman, Past Matron of Harmony Chapter. Back then, Honorary Memberships were granted only by unanimous vote, not like today when only a majority vote is required.
In 1939, Harmony Chapter suffered a tragic loss when the newly installed Worthy Matron, Sister Rosina Havener, passed away before holding her first meeting.
In her 1944-1945 term, Sister Ruby Buser, Worthy Matron, began the tradition of presenting rituals to all initiates, and in 1989, Sister Judy McIntyre, Past Matron, established presenting small Bibles as well. Both traditions proudly continue to this day.
November 1944 Harmony Chapter participated in a special Masonic Thanksgiving service held at the Vienna Methodist Church sponsored by Concord Lodge #307, Henry Lodge #57, Sharon Lodge #327, Sharon Chapter, Hope Chapter #73, and Bethel #9, International Order of Job's Daughters.
1950 to 1980
A Star Point Society was established in 1958, as suggested by Sister Lorraine Kline, who was Star Point Esther. In 1967, the society expanded to a Star Point and Friendship Society.
In 1958, by joint request of Arlington Chapter, Mary Washington Chapter, Acacia Chapter, Harmony Chapter, Sharon Chapter and Grace D. Per Lee Chapter #120, Grand Chapter acknowledged Concurrent Jurisdiction. In 1962 this was extended, again by request, to include Martha Washington Chapter #42, Occoquan Chapter #59, Hope Chapter, Jessica Callahan Chapter #91, Nellie Custis Chapter #169, Faith Chapter #177, and Mount Vernon Chapter #178. It wasn't until 1967 that all of the Commonwealth of Virginia had Concurrent Jurisdiction. Without Concurrent Jurisdiction members had to petition and be initiated in their "local" Chapter, immediately request a demit, turn around and submit a petition for affiliation, be balloted on again, and finally accepted into the Chapter of their original choice.
Of the 13 chapters originally involved, only 6 (Harmony Chapter, Martha Washington Chapter, Occoquan Chapter, Nellie Custis Chapter, Hope Chapter and Faith Chapter) are still active chapters. Arlington Chapter, Mary Washington Chapter, Acacia Chapter and Grace D. Per Lee Chapter consolidated to form Unity Chapter #201; Mount Vernon Chapter merged with Occoquan Chapter and Sharon Chapter merged with Unity Chapter.
An altar fund was established by Worthy Matrons Mary Haight (1955-1956) and Doris Heviser (1956-1957), funded by birthday bank contributions. The new altar was purchased in 1961. Matching pedestals were purchased as a project undertaken by Sister Elizabeth Freeman, Worthy Matron, and Brother Frank Ferguson, Worthy Patron, 1963-1964.
Sister Myra Hallam (1962-1963) was the first Worthy Matron to wear the traveling jewel presented to the chapter by Sister Myrtle Nordan, Past Grand Matron. Brother Harold Jennings (1978-1979) was the first Worthy Patron to wear the traveling jewel presented by Sister Lavina Stewart in memory of her husband and Brother Gilbert Stewart, Worthy Patron.