Minister, and Founder of the International Order of The Rainbow. William Mark Sexson was born in Arnica Springs, Missouri, the son of Thomas and Hanna Sexson. He began his ministry at the age of 14, and at 17 was an ordained minister. He met and married Miss Edith Edwards of Windsor, Illinois, and they moved to Bloomfield, Indiana in 1902. There he became a Master Mason and pastor of the First Christian Church and after two years, he and his wife moved to Indianapolis. He studied at Butler College, became an Evangelist, and conducted revival meetings in several states. He moved to Cleveland, Oklahoma in 1906 and became minister of the Christian Church there. Some other accomplishments of Mr. Sexson's were being Master of the Royal Secret 32nd degree in Oklahoma Consistory No. 1, and being crowned Knight Commander of the Court of Honor at Guthrie, Oklahoma. He came to McAlester, Oklahoma as Secretary of the McAlester Scottish Rite Bodies. In 1913 he was made 32nd degree Mason and became Inspector General Honorary by the Supreme Council at Washington. He was a Royal Arch Mason, a Knight Templar, a member of McAlester Commandery No. 6, a Noble of the Mystic Shrine, and an honorary member at Bedouin Temple at Muskogee and the Akdar Temple in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He was also a member of the Amrita Grotto of Fort Smith, Arkansas, and was Past Grand Patron, O. E. S., of Oklahoma. Other titles included Past Master of South McAlester Lodge, Grand Chaplain and Grand Orator of the Grand Lodge. At the Grand Lodge in Tulsa in 1925, he was elected Junior Grand Warden. In 1926 he was elected Senior Grand Warden, and in 1927 was elected Deputy Grand Master. In 1928 he was elected and given the highest rank attainable in Freemasonry of Most Worshipful Grand Master of a soverign Masonic Grand Juristiction. He was a contributor to Masonic literature, and traveled abroad in his research. His greatest work was organizing the Order of the Rainbow for Girls and writing the Ritual. In April of 1922, the degree was exemplified for the first time to a class of 171 girls in McAlester, Oklahoma. He wrote the law governing the Supreme Body and the law governing the Subordinate Assemblies. He was given the title Supreme Worthy Advisor Emeritus. Within four years the Order was extended to 31 states. This organization was planned to sow the seeds of love, law, religion, patriotism, and service in the hearts of girls from 13 to 18 years of age. Mr. Sexson died at the McAlester Hospital after a short illness. The funeral was held at the First Christian Church where he served as minister.
Minister, and Founder of the International Order of The Rainbow. William Mark Sexson was born in Arnica Springs, Missouri, the son of Thomas and Hanna Sexson. He began his ministry at the age of 14, and at 17 was an ordained minister. He met and married Miss Edith Edwards of Windsor, Illinois, and they moved to Bloomfield, Indiana in 1902. There he became a Master Mason and pastor of the First Christian Church and after two years, he and his wife moved to Indianapolis. He studied at Butler College, became an Evangelist, and conducted revival meetings in several states. He moved to Cleveland, Oklahoma in 1906 and became minister of the Christian Church there. Some other accomplishments of Mr. Sexson's were being Master of the Royal Secret 32nd degree in Oklahoma Consistory No. 1, and being crowned Knight Commander of the Court of Honor at Guthrie, Oklahoma. He came to McAlester, Oklahoma as Secretary of the McAlester Scottish Rite Bodies. In 1913 he was made 32nd degree Mason and became Inspector General Honorary by the Supreme Council at Washington. He was a Royal Arch Mason, a Knight Templar, a member of McAlester Commandery No. 6, a Noble of the Mystic Shrine, and an honorary member at Bedouin Temple at Muskogee and the Akdar Temple in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He was also a member of the Amrita Grotto of Fort Smith, Arkansas, and was Past Grand Patron, O. E. S., of Oklahoma. Other titles included Past Master of South McAlester Lodge, Grand Chaplain and Grand Orator of the Grand Lodge. At the Grand Lodge in Tulsa in 1925, he was elected Junior Grand Warden. In 1926 he was elected Senior Grand Warden, and in 1927 was elected Deputy Grand Master. In 1928 he was elected and given the highest rank attainable in Freemasonry of Most Worshipful Grand Master of a soverign Masonic Grand Juristiction. He was a contributor to Masonic literature, and traveled abroad in his research. His greatest work was organizing the Order of the Rainbow for Girls and writing the Ritual. In April of 1922, the degree was exemplified for the first time to a class of 171 girls in McAlester, Oklahoma. He wrote the law governing the Supreme Body and the law governing the Subordinate Assemblies. He was given the title Supreme Worthy Advisor Emeritus. Within four years the Order was extended to 31 states. This organization was planned to sow the seeds of love, law, religion, patriotism, and service in the hearts of girls from 13 to 18 years of age. Mr. Sexson died at the McAlester Hospital after a short illness. The funeral was held at the First Christian Church where he served as minister.
Bio by: MillieBelle
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