Bro.BruceBenjamin
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The father of the higher degrees of Freemasonry in Georgia was John Henry Walker. He was one of the founders and Past Masters of Central City Lodge #199 in Macon. This Lodge was merged with Phoenix Lodge #12 during the Great Depression and is today known as Central City Lodge #12 in Macon. Past Master J. H. Walker was said to have been a prominent Business man. He would have been the first Deputy of the Orient for the Scottish Rite Branch of Freemasonry in Georgia around the turn of the 20th Century. In his honor the first Scottish Rite Consistory organized in the State bears his name in Macon as J. H. Walker Consistory #14. Today there is a very strong Lodge in Macon that carries on his name as J. H. Walker Loge #55.
The John H. DeVeaux Grand Commandery and the Magnanimous Order of Knights Templar Masons was brought to Georgia along with the Scottish Rite Degrees by Bro. John H. Walker of Macon. The John H. DeVeaux Grand Encampment was organized on June 8, 1912 with the assistance from the Jurisdiction of Washington, D. C. The Grand Eminent Commander Peter Walker of D. C. appointed Sir Knight J. H. Walker as the District Deputy Grand Eminent Commander to enhance the growth of Knights Templar Masonry in Georgia. John H. Walker is considered the father of the Higher Degrees in Georgia including the Shriners.
For this reason many of our first higher bodies such as the Royal Arch Chapter and the Consistory first came out of Macon. We can not show the exact dates of the first meeting of the Shriners or Scottish Rite Masons in Georgia, but it is believed to all have been around 1905. John Henry Walker with his connections and business acumen was the one person responsible for bringing the higher degrees to the State of Georgia. Notice his photo with the Shriner’s jewel and Scottish Rite sash, along with the head covering of a leader in the Knight’s of Templar, the chappeaux. Walker was a great gift to our Order from the great city of Macon, and we are thankful for this great pioneer of Georgia Freemasonry.