Today in Masonic History: Rob Morris is born in 1818

 

Today in Masonic History: Rob Morris is born in 1818.

Rob Morris was an American writer and poet.

Morris was born on August 31st, 1818, near Boston, Massachusetts. There is evidence that he was actually born Robert Williams Peckham in New York State. It was not until after his father passed away in 1825, and his mother had passed away sometime before, that Morris was placed in a foster home and took the name of his foster parents, "Morris." Later in life, when he began writing, he shortened his first name to Rob to avoid confusion with another poet named Robert Morris. It is believed he also attended college in New York state.

Morris taught school for 10 years before moving to Oxford, Mississippi, to begin teaching at the Mount Sylvan Academy, a school established by Freemasons. In Oxford, he met his wife, and they married in 1841.

After becoming a Freemason in 1846, he decided there needed to be a way for female relatives of Masons to take advantage of the fraternity's benefits. While a teacher and principal at Eureka Masonic College ("The Little Red Brick School Building") Morris began writing what later became the ritual of the Order of the Eastern Star. He titled the original ritual as The Rosary of the Eastern Star. Morris formed the Supreme Constellation in New York City and begin issuing charters around the country.

In 1866, Morris became friends with Robert Macoy, a Mason as well, and the founder of Macoy Publishing. Morris was getting ready to travel abroad, and he turned over all of the authority for the Eastern Star to Macoy. Macoy later, using The Rosary of the Eastern Star as a guide, published a ritual for the Eastern Star.

During his travels, Morris spent a year in Jerusalem. There, he established the first Masonic lodge in Jerusalem, named Royal Solomon Number One. He became the lodge's first Master.

In 1884, Morris was named the second, and to this date, the last Poet Laureate of Freemasonry. The first was Robert Burns. The award was granted after Masons around the World petitioned for it, based on his extensive writings on Freemasonry. He wrote more than 400 poems in his life, most of which were about the Eastern Star and Freemasonry. One of his best-known poems is The Level and the Square,

Morris's health began to fail in 1887. By June of 1888, he was completely paralyzed. He passed away on July 31st, 1888.

Morris was raised on March 5th, 1846, in Kentucky. In 1858 and 1859, he served as the Grand Master of Kentucky.

This article was written by Brother Eric C. Steele.
This article was provided by Today in Masonic History at http://www.masonrytoday.com.