Page 11 - Sojourner Newsletter-Summer 2024 Final1

Volume 101, Issue 3 11

HISTORIAN’S CORNER (NSI)

The National Sojourners and Scottish Rite Leadership Connection
By Col Edward W. Nolte, 33°, National Historian
Two articles in the Jan/Feb 2024 Scottish Rite Journal piqued my interest for this article: A Brief History

of the Supreme Council White House Visitations and The Gene Sizemore Scholarship. Scottish Rite has
operated for 223 years in the U.S., and 107 of those years were shared with National Sojourners (1917-
2024), while creating a strong bond between the two Masonic Appendant Bodies. Within the memberships
of both organizations, both past and present, are leaders who have actively participated and led both
organizations. Leadership, for the purpose of this article, is defined as being the brother was coronated a 33°
Inspector General Honorary (I.G.H) in A.A.S.R.-SJ or Sovereign Grand Inspector General Honorary
(S.G.I.G.H.) in the A.A.S.R.-NMJ AND elected to National Office in National Sojourners. I thank Ms.
Larissa Watkins of the A.A.S.R.-S.J. and Ill. Bro. John McNaughton, S.G.I.G. for the A.A.S.R.-NMJ at the
time, for the information on those coronated with the 33° I.G.H. or S.G.I.G.H. as well as internal NSI
sources.
National Presidents and National Commanders (10 of 20 Sojourners who were both NP&NC and
33°): Charles A. Folsom, Albert W. Houghton, Kenneth L. Lowmiller, Jr., Herman Nickerson, Jr., Edward
W. Nolte, Carl L. Sitter (Medal of Honor Recipient), Benjamin T. Sutherlin, William G.L. Turner, Homer N.
Wallin, and Benjamin M. Yudesis.
NPs, 33°, and Grand Cross Recipients (2 of 88 NPs): William M. Brown (GM of VA) and William G.
Sizemore (Grand Executive Director A.A.S.R.-SJ).
NPs &33° (32 of 88): Robert S. Abernethy, Harold B. Aldrich III, James A. Baker, Joseph H. Baker (GM
of LA), C. Wayne Barnes, John D. Billingsley, Melvin W. Byers, Robert E. Coontz (only 4-star ADM and
Chief of Naval Operations), Stuart M. Cowan (GM of HI), Andrew F Drenkhahn, Amos A. Fries (8-year NP
and 32-year NT), VADM Harry G. Hamlet (Commandant of the USCG), George F. Harrington. William H.
Haynes, John S. Henderson, Archibald W. Lyon, Ronald H. Markarian, Andrew J. McVeigh III, Keye E.
Perry, Sr., Robert W. Roth, William J. Ryland, Elliott B. Samuels, Harry E. Sanders, Jr., Donald L. Shaw,
Ronald D.R. Sortino, John A. Spencer, George F. Unmacht (also Founder, NS-T, and NHist), James E.
Vann, George O. Van Orden, Alexander J.M. Wannamaker (GM of SC), Charles. E. Warren, and Floyd L.
Wergeland.
NCs & 33° (17 of 96): John J. Brown, Brian C. Coffey, Earl W. Fielding, Carl W. Gaborik, Andrew F.
Hirst, Jere M. Leaman, Charles E. Losey, James S. Norris, Roy T. Ota, Paul W. Pennybacker, Russell P.
Reeder, Martin D. Schwebel, Eulan I. Snyder, Richard D. Sutton, Daniel L.W. Taylor, Raymond J. Vanden
Berghe (GM of NJ), and Christopher Van Deventer (Founder).
Sovereign Grand Commander (1921-52) and Elected National Officer (1): John H. Cowles (C33 Plank
holder, NT, and GM of KY) was present when President Warren G. Harding was made a Sojourner.
National Line Officers, Governors, Trustees, and Committee of C33 Members, who were also 33°:
Norman J. Blackwood (C33, NT, NPLO), Reynold E. Blight (C33), Herbert Bliss (C33), Peter G. Cauchon
(C33), Reynold T. Hall (C33, NT, NPLO), Winton E. Hewitt (NT), Benson W. Hough (NT), Merritt W.
Ireland (C33, NPLO), E. Thomas Kuhn (NT), Montgomery E. Leary (NHist), George C. Moulton (G),
Steward M.L. Pollard (NS-T), Ronald D. Stites (C33, GM of NE), J. Hugo Tatsch (NHist), Gerald D.
Verbeek (C33), Perry W. Weidner (C33), Herbert A. White (C33), Jesse M. Whited (C33), and Joseph Zito
(C33).