Eastern Star was born August 31, 1818 near Boston,
Mass.  He became a Master Mason in Oxford,
Mississippi, March 5, 1846, where he was President
of Mt. Sylvan Academy.  He soon became interested
in an idea that the female relatives of Master Masons
should share the benefits from knowledge of this great
fraternal Order. With this desire, he set forth to evolve
an Order which would benefit both men and women.

He married Miss Charlotte Mendenhall, who was an inspiration and a real
helpmate for nearly fifty years.  They worked on the idea of the Order and
demonstrating to them the theories he had formulated.

During the years he taught as principal in "The Little Red Brick School
Building" in Richland, Mississippi, 1849 - 1850, he worked with zeal writing a
Ritual of the Order of the Eastern Star.  In 1850 he systematized the Degrees
with the idea of giving them form, he decided on the degrees, contemplated
the themes, incorporated from the pages of antiquity the heroines and names
upon which the beautiful work is built, established the signs and passes,
colors and emblems of the Order and promulgated the fundamental principals
which have remained unchanged through the years.  In 1880 the General
Grand Chapter conferred on Dr. Morris the title of "Master Builder of the
Order of the Eastern Star" and August 31st, his birthday, was set apart as the
Festal Day of the Order, to be observed by having special programs.

The first Grand Chapter of the Order of the Eastern Star was organized in
Michigan in 1867.  The Chapters of the Order of the Eastern Star now
encircle the earth.  The membership in the Order numbers over 1,000,000
members in over 8,000 Chapters.

Dr. Rob Morris died on July 31, 1888.  He was buried in the cemetery in
La Grange, Kentucky, where a memorial was erected.  On one side of the
shaft is the Square and Compasses and on the other side is the Five Pointed
Star.

As the stars which bedeck the canopy of heaven are the beauty and glory of
the night and light the pathway of man on his journey through life, so may the
beautiful Star in the East, with all its significance, ever remain the glory of the
Order of the Eastern Star and light the pathway of the members in the
fulfillment of their vows.
Fayetteville Chapter # 334
Order of the Eastern Star