Long before Oziel Grand Chapter, Order of the Eastern Star, Inc., Prince Hall Affiliation, was instituted, many Master Masons were concerned about their Wives, Daughters, Mothers, Sisters, and Widows living in the State of New Jersey without Masonic Protection from The State of New Jersey.

In the City of Camden, New Jersey, on December, 28, 1911, the Most Worshipful Grand Master, Thomas H.  Murray, in his Annual Address, stated that he thought a great feature, worthy of notice, had been the  organization of the Order of Eastern Star in New Jersey. This organization has previously existed through the  courtesy of the State of New York. It found recognition under its wing, but not under its own State of New  Jersey.

“Said Brother Murray that it seemed fitting to him that New Jersey, from a standpoint of duty, should protect  its own fireside and inasmuch as these women felt to tend their efforts to the improvement of home, it is our  duty to recognize their work by formally recognizing them in their fraternal relations to us.”

On the afternoon of December 29, 1911, the status of the Order of the Eastern Star to the Grand Lodge was given by Bro. P .T. Colding. Upon the conclusion of his remarks the following resolution was adopted:

That the Most Worshipful United Grand Lodge of F. & A.M. recognizes that there should be an  organization to which where the Wives, Daughters, Mothers, Sisters, and Widows can become members, in  order to bring a closer social relation between the members of the Symbolic Degrees. There is no better  organization for this purpose.

Therefore, be it resolved that the Most Worshipful United Grand Lodge of F. & A.M. extend to the Grand  Chapter Order of the Eastern Star in this State, the hand of recognition and will be glad to have it known  that the Order of the Eastern Star in this State shall hereafter be considered as an auxiliary body to this  Most Worshipful United Grand Lodge of F. & A.M. of New Jersey.

At this time there were existing in the State of New Jersey two Grand Chapters of the Order of the Eastern  Star, their origin were involved in obscurity, but in North Jersey there was an Electa Grand Chapter, Order of  the Eastern Star with Sister Mary Daniels of Jersey City as Grand Matron and in South Jersey, a Crystal Grand  Chapter, Order of the Eastern Star with Sister Rebecca Bush of Atlantic City as Grand Matron. With this  situation existing something had to be done, to bring them together. Under Most Worshipful Grand Master,  Thomas Riley, a committee was appointed to adjust the difference between the two Grand Chapters of the  Order of the Eastern Star in the State of New Jersey and also to affect a union of these bodies.

On June 24, 1913, in Jersey City, New Jersey, Crystal Grand Chapter and Electa Grand Chapter were invited  to meet with this Committee. After a thorough discussion and interesting talks on the necessity of union, a  motion was made to abolish the two chapters and be made into one Grand Chapter, under a new name, and that  the Grand Officers of the two Grand Chapters should be received and known as Post Grand Officers according  to their stations in the new united Grand Chapter, of the Order of the Eastern Star. The motion carried. The new name for the new Grand Chapter being: Oziel Grand Chapter, Order of the Eastern Star, Incorporated, Prince Hall Affiliation.

The following officers were nominated and elected: L. R. Palmer Berry – Grand Matron; W. J. Douglass – Grand Patron; Gertrude Mills – Grand Associate Matron; Laura Johnson – Grand Conductress; Sarah Smith – Grand Associate Conductress; Alicia M. Holbert- Grand Secretary; Laura Thomas- Grand Treasurer. Those  officers were installed by Past Grand Matron, Sister Alice Campbell of Eureka Grand Chapter of New York  Jurisdiction assisted by Sister B. DeTuscano, Grand Marshal of Eureka Grand Chapter, of New York. Oziel Grand Chapter, Order of the Eastern Star was Instituted with a Charter and Seal from Eureka Grand Chapter of New York.