PYCH History

The PYCH or “Princesses York Cross of Honour”, known as the Priorate, is held in the same esteem as the Priory. Only those who have been elected and has served and completed the following Presiding Officers Stations, upon receiving an Invitation, are then eligible to become a member of the Princesses York Cross of Honour.

Most Ancient Matron (Heroines of Jericho)

Worthy Matron (Order of the Eastern Star)

Royal Perfect Matron (Ladies of the Circle of Perfection)

Princess Captain / Princess Commandress (Heroines Templar Crusades / Cyrene’s)

Levi L. Rose Priorate #1, was the first PYCH Priorate Court to be established in the United States and abroad. On September 7, 1999, Yvonne G. German submitted a letter of petition to then Eminent Prior Charles M. Jones, Jr., and then Grand Master MW Bro. Willie B. Evans, Sr., requesting to form the Princesses York Cross of Honour. The Grand Master and Knights requested research pertaining to the women of these Houses. Sis. German proceeded to obtain much research, along with the names of eligible ladies, and then presented to the Grand Master and Knights, after which, her request was granted.

On March 9, 2000, Levi L. Rose Priorate #1 was officially formed, and the following Ladies were appointed Offices, obligated, and became the first Princesses York Cross of Honour in the world. They were:

Ethel M. Jones, Eminent Prioress

Yvonne G. German, Deputy Prioress

Dorothy J. Wood, Warder

Emily R. McClendon, Treasurer

Shirleyan Walker, Registrar.

Together with the assistance of Eminent Charles M. Jones, Jr., 33*, Knight Elmer S. Redd, 33*, Deputy Prior, and MW Bro. Willie B. Evans, Sr., they formulated the Constitution, By-Laws, and Ritual for this Order.

On Friday, April 28, 2000, at 7:00 pm, at Prince Hall Grand Lodge, 809 E. 42nd Place, Chicago, Illinois, a formal Ceremony was held, Chartering Levi L. Rose, Priorate #1, Princesses York Cross of Honour, State of Illinois. The following Ladies were also Inducted that evening and given the following appointments:

Sisters: Doretha Tarleton, 1st Grand Lecturer

Norma C. Reid, 2nd Grand Lecturer.

At that time, the Convent General, USA, PHA, was not formed. Levi L. Rose Priorate Court #1, PYCH, was under the umbrella of the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge, F.&A.M., State of Illinois and It’s Jurisdiction, and John W. Thompson, Jr., Priory #3, Illinois Jurisdiction.

The Illinois Jurisdiction Priorate Court was named after the 33rd Grand Master of the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Illinois, The Late Most Worshipful Brother Levi L. Rose, 33*. Brother Rose was a very influential Mason within the Illinois Jurisdiction who thoroughly supported the progress of Masonic ideals across the various Masonic bodies within the state.

The Organization of PYCH became widely known throughout the United States. Illinois was the only state that had a PYCH Court, and Ladies throughout the various Jurisdictions requested membership within Levi L. Rose Priorate #1.

In July 2005, at Prince Hall Masonic Temple, 809 E. 42nd Street, Chicago, IL, in the 2nd floor Dining Hall, twenty-two (22) Ladies from the New York Jurisdiction, were Inducted, and formed Phyllis McKoy Court. In July 2006, Ladies from the Tennessee Jurisdiction were Inducted, July 2008, Ladies from the Jurisdiction of North Carolina were also Inducted, becoming Levi L. Rose Court #1. While members of Levi L. Rose Court #1, Princesses Rubye Meeks of TN, and Kim Peterson of NC, worked hard to develop the membership in their Jurisdictions in order to form a PYCH Court.

In April 2008, at the Convent General, Knights York Cross of Honour, United States of America, PHA, Inc., National Conclave in Syracruse New York, Princesses Yvonne G. German, Dorothy J. Wood, Dianna M. Caston, and Delcine M. Price, accepted the invitation for Visitation, from then Most Eminent Grand Master General Raymond T. Tucker. It was on that visitation that the Knights embraced the Princesses York Cross of Honour.

On April 29, 2010, ten years after PYCH formation, the Convent General presented Charters to the Priorate Courts of:

Levi L. Rose Court No. 1, Illinois

Sir Michael J. Steele Court #2, Tennessee

Tarheel Court #3, North Carolina

In September 2010, Phyllis McKoy Court #4, New York Jurisdiction, was presented a Charter from the Convent General. Princesses from the Jurisdiction of Washington, D.C., joined Phyllis McKoy Court #4. Princesses from the Jurisdiction of Florida and Pennsylvania joined Tarheel Court #3, Jurisdiction of North Carolina.

On Wednesday, September 7, 2011, at 8:10pm, twelve years to the date of the formation of P. Y.C. H., our National Body was formed, and was given the name of:

TUCKER-COFFEE GRAND COURT

PRINCESSES YORK CROSS OF HONOUR

AN ADOPTIVE RITE OF THE CONVENT GENERAL, K.Y.C.H., U.S.A., P.H.A., INC.

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA – PRINCE HALL AFFILIATION – INC.

M.E. Raymond T. Tucker, 33* M.E. Adlai S. Coffee, 33*

P. M. E. G. M. G. P. M. E. G. M. G.

The following Princesses became the first Officers of the Newly Chartered National Body:

Princess Yvonne G. German – Most Regal Grand Prioress

Eminent Knight Leroy R. Gary – Grand Knight Advisor

Princess Rubye Meeks – Right Regal Deputy Grand Prioress

Princess Kim Peterson – Right Regal Grand Warder

Princess Edwina Harris – Grand Princess Prelate

Princess Dorothy J. Wood – Grand Princess Herald

Princess Robbie Pillow – Grand Princess Treasurer

Princess Denise King – Grand Princess Registrar

Princess Dorothy Williams – Grand Princess First Lecturer

Princess Shirleyan Walker – Grand Princess Second Lecturer

Princess LaTashja R. Mosby – Grand Princess Third Lecturer

Princess Sylvia J. Williams – Grand Princess Fourth Lecturer

Princess Wilma Johnson – Grand Assistant Registrar

Princess Clara K. Jackson-Wright – Grand Instructor / Orator

By unanimous decision of Princesses all over the United States, our National Body was named after two great Men of Masonry; from Illinois Jurisdiction, The Late Most Eminent Knight Raymond T. Tucker, Past Most Eminent Grand Master General, and from the Tennessee Jurisdiction, The Late Most Eminent Knight Adlai S. Coffee, Past Most Eminent Grand Master General. Both of these great men worked hard for the Prince Hall Masonic Family, and extra hard for the Princesses York Cross of Honour, paving the way for the formation of new Courts throughout the United States of American, and for the formation of our National Body.

On April 30, 2015, at the National Conclave of K.Y.C.H. and P.Y.C.H., an Official Adoption Ceremony was held in South Carolina, and officiated by M.W. Bro. Corey Hawkins, Grand Master, Alabama Jurisdiction, becoming Tucker-Coffee Grand Court, An Adoptive Rite to the Convent General, K.Y.C.H., U.S.A., P.H.A., Inc. This historical event, placed Princesses York Cross of Honour into the Library of Congress.

As of the year 2021, there are Chartered Courts in IL, TN, NC, NY, PA, D.C., VA, and GA, and Princesses, living in over 25 States, are now members of P.Y.C.H. In the archives of the Jurisdictions, it is reflected that historically, Princess Yvonne G. German holds the title of “Founder and Mother of P.Y.C.H.”, and the Jurisdiction of Illinois is now known as the “Mother State.”

TUCKER-COFFEE GRAND COURT

PRINCESSES YORK CROSS OF HONOUR

AN ADOPTIVE RITE TO THE

CONVENT GENERAL

KNIGHTS YORK CROSS OF HONOUR

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA - INC. - PRINCE HALL AFFILIATION

The PYCH or “Princesses York Cross of Honour”, known as the Priorate, is held in the same esteem as the Priory. Only those who have been elected and served Most Ancient Matron (Heroines of Jericho), as Worthy Matron (Order of the Eastern Star), Royal Perfect Matron (Ladies of the Circle of Perfection) and Princess Captain / Princess Commandress (Heroines Templar Crusades / Cyrene’s) were able to petition and become a member of the Princesses of the York Cross of Honour.

Levi L. Rose Priorate #1 was the first PYCH Priorate Court to be established in the United States and abroad. On September 7, 1999, Sister Yvonne G. German submitted a letter of petition to then Eminent Prior Charles M. Jones, Jr., and then Grand Master MW Bro. Willie B. Evans, Sr., requesting to form the Princesses York Cross of Honour. The Grand Master and Knights requested research pertaining to the women of these Houses. The request was complied with. History of the Heroines of the Bible along with biblical references and computer research, which included that no other Priory had a female counterpart, was submitted to the Eminent Prior and Grand Master of Illinois. Also, the names of Sisters who were elected to the highest position in all York Rite Houses were submitted.

On March 9, 2000, Levi L. Rose Priorate #1 was officially formed, in the home of EK Charles M. Jones, Jr., and the following Sisters were appointed Offices and obligated: Ethel M. Jones, Eminent Prioress, Yvonne G. German, Deputy Prioress, Dorothy J. Wood, Herald, Emily R. McClendon, Treasurer, and Shirleyan Walker, Registrar. These Sisters became the first members of the Princesses York Cross of Honour. Together, with the assistance of Eminent Charles M. Jones, Jr., 33*, Knight Elmer S. Redd, 33*, Deputy Prior, and MW Bro. Willie B. Evans, Sr., these Sisters formulated the Constitution and By-Laws, along with the Ritual for this Order.

On Friday, April 28, 2000, at 7:00 pm, at the Grand Lodge, 809 E. 42nd Place, Chicago, IL, a formal Constitution Ceremony was held, and the beginning of Levi L. Rose, Priorate #1, Princesses York Cross of Honour, State of Illinois, an affiliate of John W. Thompson, Jr., Priory #3, Knights of the York Cross of Honour, State of Illinois, and the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons, State of Illinois and It’s Jurisdiction went from a dream to reality. The following Sisters were also Inducted that evening and given the following appointments: Sisters: Doretha Tarleton, 1st Grand Lecturer, Norma C. Reid, 2nd Grand Lecturer. These seven (7) women became the “STARTING SEVEN”, of Princesses York Cross of Honour. At the time of the PYCH conception, the Convent General, USA, PHA, was not formed. Levi L. Rose Priorate Court #1, PYCH, was under the umbrella of the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge, F.&A.M., State of Illinois and It’s Jurisdiction, and John W. Thompson, Jr., Priory #3, Illinois Jurisdiction.

The Illinois Jurisdiction Priorate Court was named after the 33rd Grand Master of the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Illinois, The Late Most Worshipful Brother Levi L. Rose, 33*. Brother Rose was a very influential Mason within the Illinois Jurisdiction who thoroughly supported the progress of Masonic ideals across the various Masonic bodies within the state.

As PYCH became more known throughout the Jurisdictions, many Sisters became members of Levi L. Rose Priorate #1, so that they could grow and build a foundation to form a Court within their Jurisdiction. In July 2005, Sisters from the New York Jurisdiction became members. In July 2006, Sisters from the Tennessee Jurisdiction became members. In July 2008, Sisters from the Jurisdiction of North Carolina became members of Levi L. Rose Court #1. While members of Levi L. Rose Court #1, Princesses Rubye Meeks of TN, and Kim Peterson of NC, worked hard to develop the membership in their Jurisdictions in order to form PYCH Courts.