Our History
The Grand Assembly of Oregon’s History
Martha Washington Assembly No. 1 in Portland, Oregon, began on February 14, 1925, with a class of 40 girls. They were initiated and installed by the girls from Tacoma Assembly No. 2 from Tacoma, Washington. Mrs. Lulu Mills, Past Grand Matron of OES, was the first Mother Advisor. The Assembly jewels were a gift from the Portland Police Department.
Six assemblies were instituted in 1926. Martha Washington Assembly No. 1 chartered a special train — a two-car coach electric train on which only Rainbow Girls, Eastern Stars, and Masons could travel – to initiate and install twenty-three girls into Newberg Assembly No. 2. Oregon continued to grow with eight assemblies instituted in 1927, three in 1928, and two in 1929 but the Great Depression slowed growth with just three assemblies instituted between 1932 and 1939. Growth picked up again in 1940, with 39 active assemblies by the end of World War II. In 1960, when Oregon Rainbow reached its peak membership, there were 88 active assemblies, heavily concentrated in the Willamette Valley, the coast, and northeastern Oregon. Many cities and towns had two or more assemblies as the economy boomed due to a thriving lumber industry and the building of dams on many rivers.
The Bicentennial year, when Oregon Rainbow celebrated its 50th Grand Assembly, saw the last new assembly instituted until 2004. As logging mills closed, communities dwindled, and many assemblies were lost, though two assemblies were re-opened in 2001 and 2004 thanks to the efforts of Majority Members whose love of Rainbow endured even when the assemblies in their hometowns went dark. As of this writing, Oregon Rainbow has ten assemblies, still concentrated in the Willamette Valley and Portland metro area, with one assembly in the northeastern corner of the Beaver State.
Through the years, Oregon Rainbow has been active in our communities, supporting a variety of service projects, including food pantries, book drives, park clean-ups, animal shelters, Special Olympics, and visiting retirement homes. They particularly enjoy hosting holiday parties at our Masonic & Eastern Star Home in Forest Grove. Our members have worked tirelessly to support each Grand Worthy Advisor’s State Service Project with the highlight being a silent auction at her reception. During the last 25 years, Oregon Rainbow has donated, on average, over $10,000 each year to worthwhile organizations such as the Portland Shriner’s Hospital, local reading programs, Scottish Rite Language Clinics, and Make-A-Wish Foundation.
Elizabeth Allyn, the second Worthy Advisor of Martha Washington Assembly No. 1, was the first Grand Worthy Advisor for Oregon’s first Grand Assembly that was held June 17 and 18, 1927, with Rev. W. Mark Sexson in attendance. Since then, hundreds of young women have served Oregon Rainbow as Grand Worthy Advisor, Grand Officers, Grand Representatives, and Grand Executive Committee Members. Two of our Grand Worthy Advisors have been honored to serve as Acting Supreme Worthy Advisor for Supreme Assembly – Amy Wright in 1994 and Melissa Lovelin in 2002.
From 1928 through 1963, Oregon Rainbow elected a progressive Grand Line with young women serving anywhere from one to four years, advancing through the chairs until they attained their Majority, either by age or marriage. With young women having more opportunities, the decision was made to dispense with elections and appoint a Grand Worthy Associate Advisor who would advance to Grand Worthy Advisor. As with every jurisdiction around the world, the COVID-19 pandemic 2020 presented Oregon Rainbow with many challenges. Due to a vacancy in the West, our 2020 Grand Worthy Advisor, Becca Mobley, was appointed to serve for another year and, returning to our roots of the girls electing their leadership, Jesseca Wolter was elected as Grand Worthy Associate Advisor, advancing the following year to the East.
Oregon Rainbow has had eleven dedicated men and women serve as Supreme Deputies, with four elected to the House of Gold and serving as Supreme Inspectors. The first was Mr. N.H. Atchison who served from 1925 to 1927. When business pressures forced him to step aside, Mr. Carl Tipton was appointed and served until 1934. He was succeeded by Mr. Bruce Stuart, who served until 1939 when Mrs. Mildred Olliver, whose daughter had been Grand Worthy Advisor in 1936, was appointed. She was instrumental in the explosive growth of Oregon Rainbow during the war years but stepped aside in 1945.
Her successor, Mrs. Verna Gray, became Oregon’s first member of the House of Gold when she was elected in 1950. Mrs. Gray served as Supreme Inspector until 1956, when Mrs. Ann Metsker became Supreme Deputy, but two years later, in 1958, Mrs. Gray reassumed her position as Supreme Inspector until her death in November 1959. Mrs. Hazel Graham was appointed Supreme Deputy and elected to the House of Gold in 1964. From 1970 until her death in November 1987, Mrs. Graham served in the Supreme Service, though she stepped down as Supreme Inspector in 1978, and Mrs. Marjorie Wilson was appointed Supreme Deputy.
In 1986, Mrs. Wilson was elected to the House of Gold, and in 1990, she was appointed Supreme Fidelity, followed by Supreme Drill Leader and Supreme Parliamentarian in 1992. She was re-appointed as Supreme Drill Leader and Supreme Parliamentarian in 1994, but in October of that year, she was elected Supreme Recorder while continuing as Supreme Parliamentarian. At the Supreme Assembly 1996, much to Oregon Rainbow’s delight, she was elected Supreme Charity.
At the Oregon Grand Assembly 1998, Mrs. Debra Noah, a Majority Member of Martha Washington Assembly No. 1, was appointed Supreme Deputy, and a month later at Supreme Assembly, Mrs. Wilson was elected Supreme Worthy Associate Advisor. In 2000, Oregon Rainbow was honored when Mrs. Wilson was elected Supreme Worthy Advisor. She traveled the globe during her term, visiting the Philippines and every corner of North America, but the highlight was when she instituted the Grand Assembly of Sao Paulo, Brazil, in 2002.
In 2006, Mrs. Noah became our fourth Supreme Inspector when she was elected to the House of Gold. Two years later, in late 2008, Mrs. Wilson came out of a well-earned retirement to serve as Supreme Recorder once again until Supreme Assembly 2010. Mrs. Noah retired as Supreme Inspector in 2014 and was succeeded by Mrs. Teri Rollman, a Majority Member of Chadwick Assembly No. 3 in Salem, Oregon. Due to health reasons, Mrs. Rollman retired in February 2020. Mrs. Melissa Metz, a Past Grand Matron of OES and Majority Member of St. Mary’s Assembly No. 16 in Corvallis, Oregon, was appointed Supreme Deputy.
Oregon Rainbow has a bright future with a diverse membership. All have a deep love for the lessons of Rainbow and are inspired to be leaders in their schools and communities, where they serve as class officers, peer counselors, varsity athletes, artists, performers, and outstanding scholars.