Our Story

On November 30, 1864, in the city of New York, Baron Auguste Hugo de Bulow, Sovereign Grand Inspector General, and an active member of the Supreme Council of France, A.A.S.R., organized a Supreme council of the State of New York, which title was subsequently changed to the Supreme Council of Sovereign Grand Inspectors General, of the 33rd and last degree of the A.A.S.R. for the United States of America, its territories and dependencies. The officers were as follows:

Baron August Hugo de Bulow - Sovereign Grand Commander

Patrick Reason - Lieutenant Grand Commander

Dr. Peter W. Ray - Adjoint Lieut. Grand Commander

Ramson Wake - Grand Orator

George Lawrence - Grand Secretary

Alexander Peters - Master of Ceremonies

Baron Auguste Hugo de Bulow served as Sovereign Grand Commander of the Supreme Council from 1864 to 1870; from 1870 to 1879, Patrick Reason; from 1879 to 1892, Dr. Peter W. Ray, he being recorded as the third Sovereign Grand Commander; from 1892 to 1897, A.B. Allen; from 1897 to 1911, D.F. Seville; from 1911 to 1920, H.M. Rennick; from 1920 to 1948, Dr. W.H. Benderson; from 1948 to 1973, Dr. Wm. J. Fitzpatrick; from 1973 to 1989, Illustrious John H. Burns; from 1989 to 1995, Illustrious James M. Boone; from 1995 to present, Illustrious James L. Headd, M.P.S.G.C. Baron Auguste Hugo de Bulow conferred the Scottish Rite Degrees on four other brethren and created them Deputy Inspectors General, 33rd degree, as follows:

Dr. Peter W. Ray for New York

Jonathan Miller for Pennsylvania

Levi Anderson for Delaware

Lemuel G. Griffin for Maryland

On October 17, 1898, during the administration of D.F. Seville as Sovereign Grand Commander, the Supreme Council was incorporated in
Washington, District of Columbia, under the name of National Supreme Council of Sovereign Grand Inspectors General of A.A.S.R. 33rd of North America, bearing Instrument Number 3149, recorded in Volume 8, folio 341, of the incorporated records of the District of Columbia. In concordance with present day, our Most Puissant Sovereign Grand Commander/National Supreme Grand Patron is the Ill. Edward Chapman.