Undoubtedly one of greatest events in the Masonic career of Levi L. Stevenson was for his associates to petition the Grand Commandery of Virginia for a dispensation to establish a Commandery in Staunton. The Charter for Stevenson Commandery No. 8 was dated December 16, 1869. The original petitioners were the following outstanding Masons of Staunton: L. L. Stevenson, William A. Burke, Samuel Kennerly, Jr. J. M. Bell, W. L. Lushbaugh, P. H. Trout, Samuel B. Brown, William H. H. Lynn, and G. G. Gooch. Levi Lamb Stevenson had been instrumental in the reorganization of the Grand Encampment of Virginia in 1845, and he was named Grand Junior Warden and Grand Lecturer at that time. Of all the distinguished members of the Craft in the history of Virginia Masonry, Levi L. Stevenson easily ranks among the first dozen men, who rendered the most outstanding service to the fraternity in the Old Dominion.

Stevenson Commandery did considerable work in these early years, thus increasing its membership materially. The Commandery immediately became a sort of “institution” in Staunton just as were the Lodge and Chapter before it. The fact that the memories of the War Between the States were still very much alive made the semi-military character of the Knights Templar appeal to the people of the community. Thus, the Commandery received frequent invitations to appear in full uniform on public occasions, even those which were not strictly Masonic. The Commandery received invitations from Richmond, Baltimore, Charlottesville, and Winchester, but because of the distance, only a small group could attend.

Membership came from Staunton, Waynesboro, Lexington, and Harrisonburg. When the question of establishing a Commandery in Harrisonburg was brought up in 1877, Stevenson Commandery agreed to confer the orders on a number of Harrisonburg candidates and to donate a sum of $10 from the fee of each Knight thus dubbed to the treasury of the new Commandery. On June 4, 1886, William B. McChesney was elected a member of the Stevenson Commandery. He was one of the few men in Virginia Masonic history to serve as head of all the Virginia grand bodies. Other Grand Commanders from Stevenson Commandery are, William H. H. Lynn (1886-87), William B. McChesney (1910-11), Richard H. Bell Jr (1926-27), James H. Price (1931-32), Walter M. McCracken (1970-71), and James A Fields Jr, (2004-05).

Today Stevenson Commandery No. 8 is still highly active in the community. York Rite Masonry is alive and well in Augusta County and our 5th Chivalric District. The Sir Knights are willing to travel through the District, and State to promote the Knights Templar, and assist in putting on the Orders to create new Knights. Throughout our Masonic Districts we are promoting the Chapter and Commandery.

Recent Distinguished Members
SK Robert Rhandle Kennedy, Jr., Grand Master of Masons in Virginia in 1978
SK Baldwin Gerard Locher Jr. (dual membership), Grand Commander in 2000
SK James Arthur Fields, Jr., Grand Commander in 2006 and Grand High Priest in 2013
SK William Talbott Ellison, Jr., Grand Master of Masons in Virginia in 2012
SK Scott Lyons Fielding, Knight Commander of the Temple and Deputy Grand Commander
SK Stephen Lynn Young was recipient of the Knight Templar Cross of Honor in 2020