In 1812, the Duke of Sussex ascended as Grand Master of the esteemed Order of England. He played a pivotal role in reviving the Knights of St. John’s, Malta, reestablishing them in 1831 after nearly 300 years of dormancy. His dedication continued until his passing in 1843.

This Grand Master authorized the establishment of Lodges of Knights Templar among colored Americans. In 1818, he issued a deputation to Sir Knight Passé Benjamin, a seafaring man and a native of the French West Indies and North America. Sir Knight Benjamin, like Peter Ogden, who established the Order of Odd Fellows among Black men in the United States, was trading between Liverpool and the United States at the time and had previously been made a Mason in St. George’s Lodge No. 32, Liverpool, England.
Many of his seafaring friends from the West Indies had been made Masons prior to settling in Philadelphia, PA, in the same lodge. Sir Knight Passé Benjamin called a meeting of these men to organize a lodge of Knights Templar. This meeting was held on December 27, 1819. Present at this meeting were Rev. Peter Montore, William Harding, James Forton, Thomas Depee, Prim Glover, William Jeffers, Joseph B. Smith, Passé Benjamin, Caesar Tomas, James Moses, and Thomas Henderson. These brothers were all seafaring men who had received all the degrees in Masonry, including that of Knights Templar, in London and Liverpool, England.

At this meeting, the deputation authorizing the establishment of Knighthood in America by His Royal Highness, the Duke of Sussex, was read. On June 12, 1820, St. George Encampment No. 1 Knights Templar was established in Philadelphia, PA, with Sir Knight Joseph Smith serving as Eminent Commander.

On July 3, 1826, Palestine Commandery No. 2 was established with Sir Knight George Clarke as the commander. A warrant was issued by the same authority to establish Richmond Encampment No. 3 on January 1, 1838. However, it was not organized until June 8, 1844. That same year, these three encampments met at a convention at the Masonic Hall, Lombard Street, Philadelphia, PA, and organized North America’s first African Grand Encampment. Sir Knight Thomas Henderson was elected Grand Master, Sir Knight James Richmond as Deputy Grand Master for the Southern States, Sir Knight Enos Hall as Deputy Grand Master for the Northern States, and Sir Knight Jonathan Davis as Grand Recorder, along with other grand officers, with headquarters in Philadelphia, PA.

Commanderies were rapidly organized and constituted in various states. Despite slavery, warrants were issued to free men, and banners were unfurled in many slave states prior to 1863.
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is the Mother of all the Higher Degrees of Freemasonry, from which all the Commanderies of Knights Templar in the States and Territories originated. “Non Nobis Domine” is their motto, and “In Hoc Signo Vinces” is their legend.

By 1873, there were a large number of Knights Templar residing in Virginia, and the Grand Encampment of Philadelphia, PA, issued several warrants for Commanderies in Virginia.

In 1874, what would become the King Baldwin Grand Commandery, Knights Templar of Virginia, was organized with Sir Knight James H. Jones as Grand Eminent Commander, assisted by the Grand Encampment of Philadelphia, PA.

“Oh, men of days agone, who gave us Masonry without a stain. We vow and face the years held in the dawn. Our lives as yours shall not be lived in vain.”

 

 

Most Royal Grand Court of Cyrenes
Jurisdiction of Virginia, Prince Hall Affiliation, 14 September 1987

During a Cyrenes School of Instruction held in Newport News, Virginia, on August 29, 1987, three (3) subordinate Courts of Cyrenes operating in Virginia under the authority of Pennsylvania petitioned King Baldwin Grand Commandery of Knights Templar of Virginia for the formation of a Royal Grand Court of Cyrenes and recognition as a Masonic Body in Virginia. The first Most Royal Grand Commandress is Portia Sawyer, and the first Most Royal Grand Chief Engineer is William Walthall.

During the 113th Grand Conclave of King Baldwin Grand Commandery, Knights Templar of Virginia, held at the Hotel John Marshall, Richmond, Virginia, on September 14, 1987, a Warrant of Coverage for the Most Royal Grand Court of Cyrenes of Virginia and Jurisdiction was issued under the signatures of Right Eminent Grand Commander Saul W. Suber and Most Worshipful Grand Master Charles C. Crawford Jr.., and attested under the Seal of King Baldwin Grand Commandery and signature of the Grand Recorder, William A. Diamond.