Fort Worth Assembly #15
                         1100 Henderson St.

                              Fort Worth, Texas 76101
           Reverend W. Mark Sexson, Founder
                                       (Yellow Was Reverend Sexsons Favorite Color)

                                             
                                             
Reverend W. Mark Sexson
                                                                       July 8, 18
77-December 20, 1953

William Mark Sexson was born at Arnica Springs, Missouri, July 8, 1877. He was the son of Thomas and Hanna Sexson who came from Illinois as pioneers in the early settlement of southwest Missouri, located upon a farm in the valley of Sac River, Cedar County, Missouri, near the village of Arnica Springs.

At twelve years of age he joined the church, and at fourteen began his ministry. At seventeen he was ordained a minister of the Christian (Disciples) Church by Elder John H. Breeze. He married Miss Edith Edwards of Windsor, Illinois, and as a young married couple they went to Bloomfield, Indiana, where he became pastor of the First Christian Church. After serving for two years as minister of this church, he moved to Indianapolis where he entered Butler College in further preparation of his ministry. He served as Evangelist in the Christian Church conducting revival meetings in Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, and a number of western states. He came to Cleveland, Oklahoma, in 1906 as minister of the Christian Church at that place. He afterwards served the church at Cherokee and Stroud, Oklahoma.

Mr. Sexson was made a Master Mason in Bloomfield, Indiana, during the time that he was minister of the First Christian Church of that city. He immediately became identified with the craft as a lecturer and contributor of fraternal literature. He spent practically all of his life in this field of research work and as a result of such research has been honored by the Fraternity on many occasions.

He was initiated, passed, and raised to the sublime degree of Master Mason Bloomfield Lodge No. 80. at Bloomfield, Indians, in 1902. He was made Master of the Royal Secret 32 degree in Oklahoma Consistory No. 1, at Guthrie, May 30, 1907. In October, 1911, he was crowned Knight Commander of the Court of Honor at Guthrie, Oklahoma.

In 1912 W. Mark Sexson came to McAlester as Secretary of the McAlester Scottish Rite Bodies, serving them as such until January 1, 1922. In 1913 while Secretary of the McAlester Scottish Rite Bodies, W. Mark Sexson was made a thirty-third degree Mason and coroneted as Inspector General Honorary by the Supreme Council at Washington D.C.

W Mark Sexson was also;
A Royal Arch Mason, member of Indian Chapter No. 1, North McAlester, A Knight Templar, member of McAlester Commandery No. 6
A Noble of the mystic Shrine holding active membership in Indian Temple at Oklahoma City, and honorary membership in Bedouin Temple at Muskogee, and Akdar Temple at Tulsa, Oklahoma.
A member of Amrita Grotto of Fort Smith, Arkansas,
A Past Grand Patron, O.E.S., of Oklahoma.
A Past Master of South McAlester Lodge No. 96 (1921)
Served the Grand Lodge as Grand Chaplain in 1920 and 1921
Served as Grand Orator in 1923 and 1924.

At the meeting of Grand Lodge in Tulsa, 1925, he was elected Junior Grand Warden, in 1926 was elected Senior Grand Warden, and in 1927 was elected Deputy Grand Master. On February 15, 1928, he was elected to the highest office and given the highest rank attainable in Freemasonry, that of Most Worshipful Grand Master of a sovereign Masonic Grand Jurisdiction.

Mr. Sexson was initiated in South McAlester Chapter No. 149, Order of the Eastern Star, September 13, 1921; installed Worthy Patron, January 9, 1923; made a life member of South McAlester Chapter No. 149, in 1931; was elected Worthy Grand Patron of the O.E.S. Grand Chapter of Oklahoma in 1925-1926; served on the Ritual Committee of the General Grand Chapter, O.E.S., 1928 to 1931. In April, 1937, he was initiated in the White Shrine of Jerusalem at Muskogee, Oklahoma.

In 1909, he went abroad spending some time in the near European Countries and then journeying to Assyria, Palestine, and Egypt in search of Masonic information and further preparation for his work as a contributor to Masonic literature.

His greatest work was the organization of the Order of the Rainbow for Girls This is a junior organization for girls of the teen age years from Masonic, Eastern Star, Amaranth and White Shrine of Jerusalem homes, and the friends of members of Rainbow.  This was the Emblem displayed at the 75th Anniversary of the founding of the Order Of Rainbow For Girls.
  

   

On December 20, 1953, Mr. Sexson died in a McAlester hospital, following a short illness. The funeral service was held at the First Christian Church where he served as minister for many years and where the Ritual of the Order of the Rainbow for Girls was written. Burial was in the Masonic Section of Oak Hill Cemetery in McAlester, Oklahoma.

                    
Top of Page