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It all began in the summer of 2007 with two questions. Why was there no priory in all of New England? How many members of GPUSA live in the six New England states?

Grand Editeur, Chev. Marston Watson, GOTJ of Richmond, California, a member of the Priory of St. Francis and native-born New Englander from Cambridge, Massachusetts, asked these questions of then Grand Prior XV, MG (Ret) Chev. Robert C. G. Disney, GCTJ, GMTJ. Grand Prior Disney saw the need to survey these Templar members in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island, to determine their interest in having its own entity in New England. Watson received permission to explore the possibility of establishing a commandery in New England, by contacting Templar members who were living there.

Chev. Watson made telephone calls to as many of these resident Templar members as possible. He learned that over forty of the Templar members living in the six New England states were members of GPUSA priories located in New York, New Jersey, Missouri, Tennessee, Texas and elsewhere, but had no “home” of their own. The favorable response was overwhelming, with over ninety percent agreeing with the idea of establishing its own commandery.

The Dream Begins

It became apparent that an organizing committee was needed, along with scheduling a time and place for the first meeting. Grand Prior Disney issued an appointment order for Chev. Watson as the provisional commander and asked him to establish a commandery in New England. Commander Watson set the first meeting date at The Union Club of Boston for Saturday, October 23, 2007. He was joined by Chevaliers R. Bruce Donald, KTJ, CAPT David J. Gray, KCTJ, REV Leonard Hindsley, KTJ, Henry N. McCarl, Ph.D., KCTJ, COL Thomas P. Moran, GOTJ, BG Anthony R. Pasqua, KTJ, Clement L. Voyer, Jr., KTJ and prospective postulant, Col. John R. Sherman, Esq. GPUSA Chief-of-Staff, CAPT Chev. Keith Larson, GCTJ flew in from Virginia to represent Grand Prior Disney.

Chev. Larson provided the much-needed expertise to assist the formation team in its goal to form a commandery. He furnished the group with excerpts from Appendix D of the Manual of the Order, an updated CD of the Manual of the Order, a petition for Commandery Elevation and a copy of The Brussels Declaration. It was clear to the formation committee that his invaluable assistance was needed to make the dream come true. A name needed to be selected for the commandery, along with the appointment of provisional officers. The officers appointed were Chevaliers Bruce Donald (Chancellor), Clem Voyer (Secretary), David Gray (Treasurer) and Rev. Leonard Hindsley as Chaplain.

The second gathering of the New England Commandery Formation Team became the first board meeting of the provisional commandery. Commander Marston Watson opened the meeting in the Saltonstall Room of The Harvard Club of Boston on Saturday, February 18, 2008. COL Chev. Wayne McGrath, GCTJ, GMTJ, Grand Chancellor and Chev. William “Liam” Murphy, CMTJ, Priory of St. Patrick Secretary attended the meeting in support of the provisional commandery. The three additional Templar members from New England who were present included Chvse. Susan K. Barnett, DTJ, Chev. David A. Hockensmith, KTJ and Chvse. Stephanie D. Hockensmith, DTJ.

The unanimous choice for a name was the Commandery of St. David of Wales in New England in honor of David of Wales, who was a Welsh bishop in the sixth century. He was regarded later as a saint, as well as the patron saint of Wales. He died on Tuesday, March 1, 589 (now celebrated as Saint David’s Day). Commander Watson informed the board of the generous support of the Priory of St Patrick, especially by Prior Chev. Fergal Foley, GOTJ, and Chev. Thomas Burns, KCTJ, the Priory Chancellor with telephone contacts and email messages. The details of establishing a commandery in New England would be too lengthy for this brief history. Suffice it to say, that numerous contacts were made to Templar members in New England and the Priory of St Patrick, along with the invaluable assistance of Chev. Larson.

The date of the first-ever Convent and Investiture in New England was set for Saturday, April 5, 2008 at Boston’s historic King’s Chapel (founded in 1686), with a reception and banquet at The Union Club of Boston. Grand Prior, MG Chev. Robert C.G. Disney, GCTJ, GMTJ officiated, along with the C&I team from the Priory of St. Patrick, led by its Prior Fergal Foley. Knights and dames of the Commandery of St. David of Wales participated in the investiture of Lewis Stetson Allen, David Allen Lambert, Clark Baldwin Loth, John Thomas Manning, Helen Leone Pratt Newton, Ronald Erwin Newton and COL John Richard Sherman, Esq.

No amount of praise would adequately describe the beautiful and professional investiture by the Priory of St Patrick team for the first seven postulants in the newly-formed Commandery of St David of Wales. It was the hard work of the New Englanders and their successful results that persuaded Grand Prior Disney to make a command decision to elevate the Commandery of St David of Wales to priory status during the ceremony. Chev. Watson, who was promoted to Grand Officier at the C&I, was installed as the first Prior of the Priory of St David of Wales in New England.

The Yankees of New England were not content to sit on their laurels or become complacent. The Priory scheduled its second C&I in Newport, Rhode Island for Saturday, November 15 and was honored to welcome back Grand Chancellor Keith Larson, who officiated at the ceremony. Chev. Bruce Donald’s design for a Priory shield and flag were approved in record time by Grand Herald Russ Copping before the Newport ceremony.

Moving Ahead

The Priory of St. David of Wales continued to move ahead in 2009 with its goal of developing plans for growth and involvement within Region I. Deputy Grand Prior Region I, LTC Chev. Robert J. Bateman, GCTJ, GMTJ, officiated at the Convent and Investiture Ceremony that was held at King’s Chapel in Boston on May 2. The Priory added two more members with the investiture of LCDR David Webster Graham and the Rt REV Dr. Brian Richard Marsh.

The elected and appointed officers of the Priory for 2009-2011 were installed at the ceremony. Chev. Marston Watson, GOTJ continued as Prior and Chev. R. Bruce Donald, KCTJ was reappointed as Chancellor. This was the first full term for the board members in the newly-created Priory of St. David of Wales in New England. Chev. Donald presented a beautiful document for the charter members to sign and receive later.

The Priory held its Convent at the Worcester Club in Worcester, Massachusetts on Saturday, November 14, 2009. Prior Chev. Marston Watson, GOTJ, knights and dames participated in the Convent ceremony and meeting, in which three postulants were introduced and approved as members.

The Priory added seven more members in 2010. Grand Prior COL Chev. Wayne J. McGrath GCTJ, GMTJ, officiated at the Convent and Investiture Ceremony for the Priory of St. David of Wales held at the King’s Chapel in Boston on Saturday May 1. Prior Chev. Marston Watson GOTJ of the Priory of St. David of Wales, knights and dames participated in the investiture of LCDR Florence Frances Graham EdD, Jennifer Mary Griffin, Paul Steven Henry, LTC Dennis Edward Morgan, Peter Hamilton Nee, Charles Thomas Smallwood, Jr. and COL William Sidney Wood.

Visit of Canon Andrew White

In August, 2009 Grand Prior Keith Larson called upon the Priory to “host a charity event for the Rev. Canon Andrew White, following his lecture at Harvard University on October 21?” “Of course we would,” said Prior Marston Watson, provided that the Priory Executive Committee gave its approval, which it did. He called on his priory team and the planning began.

Details of this event were reported in the Winter/Spring 2010 issue of the Beauséant. It is worth repeating, however, that the support from the GPUSA and OSMTH leaders exceeded the Priory’s greatest expectations. The list included HRH Elizabeth Princess zu Schleswig-Holstein, HSH Renate Princess zu Windisch-Graetz (Austria), BG Chev. Patrick Rea, GCTJ, GMTJ (OSMTH Grand Master), Chev. Robert Disney, GCTJ, GMTJ (OSMTH Grand Commander), CAPT Chev. Keith H. Larson GCTJ, GMTJ (GPUSA Grand Prior XVII), REV Dr. Ronald Matthewman (Grand Prior of Canada) and COL Chev. Wayne J. McGrath, GCTJ, GMTJ (GPUSA Grand Prior XVI). All came to honor the Vicar of Baghdad, the Rev. Canon Andrew White, a Templar member and distinguished leader of over 4,000 Christians in Iraq.

The arrival on Thursday at The Union Club of Canon White, along with his assistant Philip Rowden and FFRME (The Foundation for Relief and Reconciliation in the Middle East) Executive Director Peter Marsden, came in time for the afternoon tea with key Boston leaders involved in Middle East affairs. At last, it was time for the evening charity reception and banquet to begin at the Algonquin Club, highlighted by a stirring message from Canon White. Grand Prior Larson presented him with a GPUSA check for $20,000 and Prior Watson informed Canon White that another $10,150 had been donated by Priory members and other priories. The evening festivities concluded with a unanimous consent of the Priory members to welcome Canon White as Associate Member of the Priory.

Change of Command

The year 2011 brought a close to the first three years of a young priory and a change of command. Grand Prior, CAPT Keith Larson, GCTJ, GMTJ officiated at the Convent and Investiture of the Priory of St. David of Wales in New England at the Cathedral Church of St. Paul in Boston on May 14. Prior Chev. Marston Watson, GOTJ, knights and dames participated in the investiture of Emily Elizabeth Cross Farnsworth, Richard Patrick Pelosi and Anthony Peter Polito.

Grand Prior Larson presided over a change of command and installation of REV Chev. David Hockensmith, KCTJ as Prior II and BG Chev. Anthony Robert Pasqua, KCTJ as Chancellor. Other new Priory officers were installed as well. The Omni Parker House in Boston provided a festive occasion for the new Priory officers and distinguished guests, as well as an opportunity to look back on the three years as a Priory, which was organized in 2008 by Chev. Marston Watson, Prior I.

The Priory’s year came to a close with a successful Convent on November 5 at the Hope Club in Providence, Rhode Island. Priory members and prospective postulants enjoyed the camaraderie and conversation at this beautiful, 136-year old facility.

Prior Hockensmith and his executive board decided to bring in the new year with a first-ever celebration of Saint David’s Day by the Priory. This black-tie event took place at The Union Club of Boston on March 1, 2012. The fifth Convent and Investiture returns to King’s Chapel on Saturday, May 5, 2012 which was followed by a Priory reception and banquet.

Priors of the Priory of St. David of Wales in New England

Prior I Chev. Marston Watson, GOTJ (2008-2011)

Prior II Rev. Chev. David Albert Hockensmith, KCTJ (2011-2013)

Prior III Chev. Anthony Robert Pasqua, GCTJ (2013-2015)

Prior IV Chvse. Kathleen Watson, GCTJ, CMTJ (2015-2017)

Prior V Chev. Dennis Morgan, GCTJ, CMTJ (2017-2019)

Prior VI Chev. Paul Henry, GOTJ (2019-2022)

Prior VII Chev. Peter Nee, GOTJ (2022-2024)