Fraternal,
mystic society, open to men and women, of any
faith except "no faith". Formally organized
1850 by
Dr. Rob Morris,
Poet Laureate of Masonry; it is conjectured that the Order's roots go back as far as
1703, in France. The structure and purpose of the Order closely parallel those of
Masonry - Morris organized the Order specifically to include women in the mystic
fellowship "that prompts man to noble deeds".
International headquarters in
Washington, D.C.
source: easternstar.org