Civil War:
Enlisted February 2, 1864, Mustered February 26, 1864 14th Iowa Infantry Company G. This company was consolidated into Company A. Mustered out August 8, 1865, Davenport, Iowa. Saw action in Tennessee, Missouri and Mississippi. Served in the regimental honor guard behind President Lincoln's bier from the statehouse to the cemetery in Springfield Illinois.
1867 – 1889
On November 7, 1867 Harper married Evaline C. Herrick. They had three children: Charles Arthur, Harper James, and Evalina.
Moved to Kansas and worked as a first brakeman and later yardmaster of the Union Pacific Railroad. Studied law and was elected Justice of the Peace in 1872. Admitted to the Kansas Bar in 1874. elected Probate Judge and moved to Salina, Kansas. Elected County Attorney in 1881. Appointed by President Arthur as Receiver of land office in 1883. He was a first day man of April 22, 1889, coming to Guthrie on the fourth train.
1892 – 1897
Served in Territorial legislature. Authored the
Territorial Library Bill, the Civil Code, and many
other important bills.
1897 – 1900
Served as Attorney General of Oklahoma Territory.
1907 – 1909
Served in First Oklahoma Senate.
Masonic Life:
Raised a Master Mason in Sutton Lodge No. 85 at Waterville, Kansas on March 7, 1871. He was made a Royal Arch Mason in 1873; a Royal and Select Master in 1887 and a Knight Templar that same year in Salina, Kansas.
Received degrees of the Scottish Rite by communication from E.T. Carr, SGIG of Kansas on Novemberr 17, 1887. Elected A KCCH on October 18, 1888, and coroneted an inspector General Honorary on November 21, 1890. He was the presiding officer of the four Scottish Rite Bodies in Salina and was deputized to communicate the degrees of the Rite in Salina, which were chartered in 1889.
He was appointed Deputy of the Supreme Council in Oklahoma Territory by Grand Commander Albert Pike on July 21, 1890.
Cunningham participated in organizing the first Masonic Lodge in the Unassigned Lands, chartered by the Grand Lodge of Indian Territory as Guthrie Lodge #35.
He helped organize the York Rite Bodies in Oklahoma Territory and on February 10, 1896, was elected the first Grand Recorder, serving under Cassius Barnes, the first Grand Commander, who would be elected Governor of Oklahoma Territory the next year. Cunningham was elected Grand Commander himself on April 10, 1890.
On July 21, 1890, Pike appointed Cunningham as Sovereign Grand Inspector General.
On January 19, 1896, Cunningham called the Knights Templar of the Territory together in Guthrie Lodge #35, established the Guthrie Lodge of Perfection and elected its first officers. A Rose Croix Chapter was instituted in 1898, and a Council of Kadosh and Consistory was established on January 19, 1899. It was named the Oklahoma Consistory No. 1.
Cunningham was instrumental in raising the funds for the first Scottish Rite Temple in Guthrie, the Temple in McAlester, the Temple in Santa Fe, New Mexico; and was the inspiration for the purchase of land on 16th St. in Washington DC for the erection of the House of the Temple, the national headquarters for the Southern Jurisdiction. He became known as the "Temple Builder of Freemasonry." Cunningham was elected Grand Herald of the Supreme Council in 1901.
Cunningham transferred to New Mexico in 1909 to establish the Scottish Rite in that Territory. He fell ill while visiting his daughter in Long Beach, California and died on March 11, 1911.
Note: Bio information provided by Robert Davis, Secretary Guthrie Scottish Rite Temple.
Cunningham was buried in the Santa Fe Temple after the Guthrie, OK health officials refused to allow his burial in the Temple in Oklahoma. Find A Grave contributor MillieBelle sends the following article.
Guthrie, Okla., March 13, --(Special)--Dr. E. G. Sharpe, county health officer, Monday night refused to issue a burial permit for the interment of the body of Judge Harper S. Cunningham who died at Long Beach, Cal., two days ago, in a vault within the walls of the Scottish Rite Temple here, a vault prepared especially to receive the body of Cunningham after death. Sharpe says a city ordinance forbids any interment within the city limits and therefore if buried here the body of Cunningham must go to Summit View Cemetery north of Guthrie. Cunningham was to have been buried within the temple because he was the father of Scottish Rite Masonry in Oklahoma and the builder of the temple.
(The Daily Oklahoman, March 14, 1911)
Enlisted February 2, 1864, Mustered February 26, 1864 14th Iowa Infantry Company G. This company was consolidated into Company A. Mustered out August 8, 1865, Davenport, Iowa. Saw action in Tennessee, Missouri and Mississippi. Served in the regimental honor guard behind President Lincoln's bier from the statehouse to the cemetery in Springfield Illinois.
1867 – 1889
On November 7, 1867 Harper married Evaline C. Herrick. They had three children: Charles Arthur, Harper James, and Evalina.
Moved to Kansas and worked as a first brakeman and later yardmaster of the Union Pacific Railroad. Studied law and was elected Justice of the Peace in 1872. Admitted to the Kansas Bar in 1874. elected Probate Judge and moved to Salina, Kansas. Elected County Attorney in 1881. Appointed by President Arthur as Receiver of land office in 1883. He was a first day man of April 22, 1889, coming to Guthrie on the fourth train.
1892 – 1897
Served in Territorial legislature. Authored the
Territorial Library Bill, the Civil Code, and many
other important bills.
1897 – 1900
Served as Attorney General of Oklahoma Territory.
1907 – 1909
Served in First Oklahoma Senate.
Masonic Life:
Raised a Master Mason in Sutton Lodge No. 85 at Waterville, Kansas on March 7, 1871. He was made a Royal Arch Mason in 1873; a Royal and Select Master in 1887 and a Knight Templar that same year in Salina, Kansas.
Received degrees of the Scottish Rite by communication from E.T. Carr, SGIG of Kansas on Novemberr 17, 1887. Elected A KCCH on October 18, 1888, and coroneted an inspector General Honorary on November 21, 1890. He was the presiding officer of the four Scottish Rite Bodies in Salina and was deputized to communicate the degrees of the Rite in Salina, which were chartered in 1889.
He was appointed Deputy of the Supreme Council in Oklahoma Territory by Grand Commander Albert Pike on July 21, 1890.
Cunningham participated in organizing the first Masonic Lodge in the Unassigned Lands, chartered by the Grand Lodge of Indian Territory as Guthrie Lodge #35.
He helped organize the York Rite Bodies in Oklahoma Territory and on February 10, 1896, was elected the first Grand Recorder, serving under Cassius Barnes, the first Grand Commander, who would be elected Governor of Oklahoma Territory the next year. Cunningham was elected Grand Commander himself on April 10, 1890.
On July 21, 1890, Pike appointed Cunningham as Sovereign Grand Inspector General.
On January 19, 1896, Cunningham called the Knights Templar of the Territory together in Guthrie Lodge #35, established the Guthrie Lodge of Perfection and elected its first officers. A Rose Croix Chapter was instituted in 1898, and a Council of Kadosh and Consistory was established on January 19, 1899. It was named the Oklahoma Consistory No. 1.
Cunningham was instrumental in raising the funds for the first Scottish Rite Temple in Guthrie, the Temple in McAlester, the Temple in Santa Fe, New Mexico; and was the inspiration for the purchase of land on 16th St. in Washington DC for the erection of the House of the Temple, the national headquarters for the Southern Jurisdiction. He became known as the "Temple Builder of Freemasonry." Cunningham was elected Grand Herald of the Supreme Council in 1901.
Cunningham transferred to New Mexico in 1909 to establish the Scottish Rite in that Territory. He fell ill while visiting his daughter in Long Beach, California and died on March 11, 1911.
Note: Bio information provided by Robert Davis, Secretary Guthrie Scottish Rite Temple.
Cunningham was buried in the Santa Fe Temple after the Guthrie, OK health officials refused to allow his burial in the Temple in Oklahoma. Find A Grave contributor MillieBelle sends the following article.
Guthrie, Okla., March 13, --(Special)--Dr. E. G. Sharpe, county health officer, Monday night refused to issue a burial permit for the interment of the body of Judge Harper S. Cunningham who died at Long Beach, Cal., two days ago, in a vault within the walls of the Scottish Rite Temple here, a vault prepared especially to receive the body of Cunningham after death. Sharpe says a city ordinance forbids any interment within the city limits and therefore if buried here the body of Cunningham must go to Summit View Cemetery north of Guthrie. Cunningham was to have been buried within the temple because he was the father of Scottish Rite Masonry in Oklahoma and the builder of the temple.
(The Daily Oklahoman, March 14, 1911)
Civil War:
Enlisted February 2, 1864, Mustered February 26, 1864 14th Iowa Infantry Company G. This company was consolidated into Company A. Mustered out August 8, 1865, Davenport, Iowa. Saw action in Tennessee, Missouri and Mississippi. Served in the regimental honor guard behind President Lincoln's bier from the statehouse to the cemetery in Springfield Illinois.
1867 – 1889
On November 7, 1867 Harper married Evaline C. Herrick. They had three children: Charles Arthur, Harper James, and Evalina.
Moved to Kansas and worked as a first brakeman and later yardmaster of the Union Pacific Railroad. Studied law and was elected Justice of the Peace in 1872. Admitted to the Kansas Bar in 1874. elected Probate Judge and moved to Salina, Kansas. Elected County Attorney in 1881. Appointed by President Arthur as Receiver of land office in 1883. He was a first day man of April 22, 1889, coming to Guthrie on the fourth train.
1892 – 1897
Served in Territorial legislature. Authored the
Territorial Library Bill, the Civil Code, and many
other important bills.
1897 – 1900
Served as Attorney General of Oklahoma Territory.
1907 – 1909
Served in First Oklahoma Senate.
Masonic Life:
Raised a Master Mason in Sutton Lodge No. 85 at Waterville, Kansas on March 7, 1871. He was made a Royal Arch Mason in 1873; a Royal and Select Master in 1887 and a Knight Templar that same year in Salina, Kansas.
Received degrees of the Scottish Rite by communication from E.T. Carr, SGIG of Kansas on Novemberr 17, 1887. Elected A KCCH on October 18, 1888, and coroneted an inspector General Honorary on November 21, 1890. He was the presiding officer of the four Scottish Rite Bodies in Salina and was deputized to communicate the degrees of the Rite in Salina, which were chartered in 1889.
He was appointed Deputy of the Supreme Council in Oklahoma Territory by Grand Commander Albert Pike on July 21, 1890.
Cunningham participated in organizing the first Masonic Lodge in the Unassigned Lands, chartered by the Grand Lodge of Indian Territory as Guthrie Lodge #35.
He helped organize the York Rite Bodies in Oklahoma Territory and on February 10, 1896, was elected the first Grand Recorder, serving under Cassius Barnes, the first Grand Commander, who would be elected Governor of Oklahoma Territory the next year. Cunningham was elected Grand Commander himself on April 10, 1890.
On July 21, 1890, Pike appointed Cunningham as Sovereign Grand Inspector General.
On January 19, 1896, Cunningham called the Knights Templar of the Territory together in Guthrie Lodge #35, established the Guthrie Lodge of Perfection and elected its first officers. A Rose Croix Chapter was instituted in 1898, and a Council of Kadosh and Consistory was established on January 19, 1899. It was named the Oklahoma Consistory No. 1.
Cunningham was instrumental in raising the funds for the first Scottish Rite Temple in Guthrie, the Temple in McAlester, the Temple in Santa Fe, New Mexico; and was the inspiration for the purchase of land on 16th St. in Washington DC for the erection of the House of the Temple, the national headquarters for the Southern Jurisdiction. He became known as the "Temple Builder of Freemasonry." Cunningham was elected Grand Herald of the Supreme Council in 1901.
Cunningham transferred to New Mexico in 1909 to establish the Scottish Rite in that Territory. He fell ill while visiting his daughter in Long Beach, California and died on March 11, 1911.
Note: Bio information provided by Robert Davis, Secretary Guthrie Scottish Rite Temple.
Cunningham was buried in the Santa Fe Temple after the Guthrie, OK health officials refused to allow his burial in the Temple in Oklahoma. Find A Grave contributor MillieBelle sends the following article.
Guthrie, Okla., March 13, --(Special)--Dr. E. G. Sharpe, county health officer, Monday night refused to issue a burial permit for the interment of the body of Judge Harper S. Cunningham who died at Long Beach, Cal., two days ago, in a vault within the walls of the Scottish Rite Temple here, a vault prepared especially to receive the body of Cunningham after death. Sharpe says a city ordinance forbids any interment within the city limits and therefore if buried here the body of Cunningham must go to Summit View Cemetery north of Guthrie. Cunningham was to have been buried within the temple because he was the father of Scottish Rite Masonry in Oklahoma and the builder of the temple.
(The Daily Oklahoman, March 14, 1911)
Enlisted February 2, 1864, Mustered February 26, 1864 14th Iowa Infantry Company G. This company was consolidated into Company A. Mustered out August 8, 1865, Davenport, Iowa. Saw action in Tennessee, Missouri and Mississippi. Served in the regimental honor guard behind President Lincoln's bier from the statehouse to the cemetery in Springfield Illinois.
1867 – 1889
On November 7, 1867 Harper married Evaline C. Herrick. They had three children: Charles Arthur, Harper James, and Evalina.
Moved to Kansas and worked as a first brakeman and later yardmaster of the Union Pacific Railroad. Studied law and was elected Justice of the Peace in 1872. Admitted to the Kansas Bar in 1874. elected Probate Judge and moved to Salina, Kansas. Elected County Attorney in 1881. Appointed by President Arthur as Receiver of land office in 1883. He was a first day man of April 22, 1889, coming to Guthrie on the fourth train.
1892 – 1897
Served in Territorial legislature. Authored the
Territorial Library Bill, the Civil Code, and many
other important bills.
1897 – 1900
Served as Attorney General of Oklahoma Territory.
1907 – 1909
Served in First Oklahoma Senate.
Masonic Life:
Raised a Master Mason in Sutton Lodge No. 85 at Waterville, Kansas on March 7, 1871. He was made a Royal Arch Mason in 1873; a Royal and Select Master in 1887 and a Knight Templar that same year in Salina, Kansas.
Received degrees of the Scottish Rite by communication from E.T. Carr, SGIG of Kansas on Novemberr 17, 1887. Elected A KCCH on October 18, 1888, and coroneted an inspector General Honorary on November 21, 1890. He was the presiding officer of the four Scottish Rite Bodies in Salina and was deputized to communicate the degrees of the Rite in Salina, which were chartered in 1889.
He was appointed Deputy of the Supreme Council in Oklahoma Territory by Grand Commander Albert Pike on July 21, 1890.
Cunningham participated in organizing the first Masonic Lodge in the Unassigned Lands, chartered by the Grand Lodge of Indian Territory as Guthrie Lodge #35.
He helped organize the York Rite Bodies in Oklahoma Territory and on February 10, 1896, was elected the first Grand Recorder, serving under Cassius Barnes, the first Grand Commander, who would be elected Governor of Oklahoma Territory the next year. Cunningham was elected Grand Commander himself on April 10, 1890.
On July 21, 1890, Pike appointed Cunningham as Sovereign Grand Inspector General.
On January 19, 1896, Cunningham called the Knights Templar of the Territory together in Guthrie Lodge #35, established the Guthrie Lodge of Perfection and elected its first officers. A Rose Croix Chapter was instituted in 1898, and a Council of Kadosh and Consistory was established on January 19, 1899. It was named the Oklahoma Consistory No. 1.
Cunningham was instrumental in raising the funds for the first Scottish Rite Temple in Guthrie, the Temple in McAlester, the Temple in Santa Fe, New Mexico; and was the inspiration for the purchase of land on 16th St. in Washington DC for the erection of the House of the Temple, the national headquarters for the Southern Jurisdiction. He became known as the "Temple Builder of Freemasonry." Cunningham was elected Grand Herald of the Supreme Council in 1901.
Cunningham transferred to New Mexico in 1909 to establish the Scottish Rite in that Territory. He fell ill while visiting his daughter in Long Beach, California and died on March 11, 1911.
Note: Bio information provided by Robert Davis, Secretary Guthrie Scottish Rite Temple.
Cunningham was buried in the Santa Fe Temple after the Guthrie, OK health officials refused to allow his burial in the Temple in Oklahoma. Find A Grave contributor MillieBelle sends the following article.
Guthrie, Okla., March 13, --(Special)--Dr. E. G. Sharpe, county health officer, Monday night refused to issue a burial permit for the interment of the body of Judge Harper S. Cunningham who died at Long Beach, Cal., two days ago, in a vault within the walls of the Scottish Rite Temple here, a vault prepared especially to receive the body of Cunningham after death. Sharpe says a city ordinance forbids any interment within the city limits and therefore if buried here the body of Cunningham must go to Summit View Cemetery north of Guthrie. Cunningham was to have been buried within the temple because he was the father of Scottish Rite Masonry in Oklahoma and the builder of the temple.
(The Daily Oklahoman, March 14, 1911)
Gravesite Details
In 2014 the Temple was listed for sale. Asking price $6,900,000.
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