A Brief History of Harmony Chapter #331
Order of the Eastern Star
Harmony Chapter is located in the small rural town of Harmony in northern Iredell County. It was Instituted on November 9, 1963 under the guidance of Ella Holthouser, Worthy Grand Matron; Rufus Huntley, Worthy Grand Patron; Bessie Mangum, Grand Secretary; Mary Coley, District Deputy Grand Matron; and Marion Whitner, District Deputy Grand Patron. Hilda Haliburton, Past Grand Matron, pro-temed for Sister Ella that night. The Chapter was Constituted on June 10, 1964.
During our forty years, there has been only one Grand Officer, Sister Dorothy Rash, Grand Organist 1995-1996. Harmony has had five Grand Representatives, Myrtle Burgess, Dorothy Wagoner, Martha Johnson, R. F. (Bud) Gregory and Alice VanHoy.
There have been six District Deputy Grand Matrons, Dorothy Rash, Vera Hix, Dorothy Wagoner, Martha Johnson (2), Marie Snow, Dana Cope, and six District Deputy Grand Patrons, Carl Campbell, Tom Keller, R. F. (Bud) Gregory, Fred Albea, Robert Davis and Joseph Link. Many people have led the Chapter as Worthy Matron and Worthy Patron. At the present time, we still have four Charter Members.
Our Chapter has given several girls in our community an opportunity to enjoy a week of camping at Camp Rainbow. There have been three Grand Chapter Scholarships given to young people in the community. One of these girls is now working with mentally handicapped children in the Iredell-Statesville Schools. Members have helped on various projects for the Chapter, Lodge, Schools and community, such as Teen Challenge, a home in our community for women with life controlling addictions.
Harmony Chapter is a small Chapter, but the members work well together to get a job or project done. We are blessed with several young people that take an active role in Eastern Star. Our challenge is to continue to grow and reach out to others in our community so that they can see the Star shining through us.