The Lost Templar
Journals of
Prince Henry Sinclair
Book #1
1353-1395
Translated and edited by Diana Muir
Mar 2018
Forewords by Scott Wolter and Terry Tilton
1
Copyrighted 23 March 2018
United States Copyright Office copyright.gov
Published by Lulu Publishing at lulu.com
All rights reserved. No content may be duplicated either in digital or
hard copy or used in any way without the written permission of the author.
ISBN: 978-0-359-00074-6
2
Other books by Diana Muir at Lulu.com
Ancestors and the First 4 Generations of Descendants of Henry Sinclair
Ancestors of John and Kitty Weems of Greene Co., TN
The Descendants of John Weems and Catherine (Kitty) Dengler of Greene Co., TN
Descendants of George Wright Weems and Nancy Carter of Greene Co., TN
Descendants of Elizabeth Weems and Thomas Bailey of Greene Co., TN
The Weems of Abbeville, SC
The Parish Registers of Anne Arundel Co., Maryland 16th and 17th Century
Other Books Still in Process by Diana Muir
Book 2 – Prince Henry Sinclair –1395-1397
Book 3 – Prince Henry Sinclair 1397-1399
Book 4 – Henry Sinclair b. 1373-1421
Book 5 – William Sinclair b. 1408-1480
Book 6 – William Sinclair b. 1430Book 7 – Henry Sinclair b. 1459
Book 8 – David Wemyss, Grand Master and Earl, b. 1494
Book 9 – John Wemyss b. 1513
Book 10 – David Wemyss b. 1535
Book 11 – James Wemyss, Baron of Nova Scotia b. 1560-1640
Book 12 – John Wemyss b. 1586-1649
Book 13 – David Wemyss b. 1615-1679
Book 14 – James Wemyss b. 1633-1670
Book 15 – David Wemyss b. 1678-1730
Book 16 – John Wemyss b 1705- d. 1771
Book 17 – John Weems b. 1741 – 1812
Book 18 – John Weems (Continued)
Book 19 – John Weems (Continued)
Book 20 – New Research on Prince Henry Sinclair
3
Dedicated to
all those ancestors who went before,
"Our Ancestors were, so that we could become, "
And most especially to my father, Duane F Hobert, whom I
finally met when I was 26. He shared my love of genealogy and
if I had never met him, I never would have found the Weems or Sinclairs.
Thank you Dad!
And also to my sister, Mary Hobert-Berrie
who passed last year. She knew the story and had a passion for our family history.
She is missed…
And to Niven Sinclair, who kept the legend alive
4
The Lost Templar Journals of Prince Henry Sinclair – Vol. 1
Foreword by Scott F. Wolter
The personal journal entries you are about to read are the first of several installments that,
collectively, represent either the greatest story ever told, or the greatest hoax ever sold. Very
strong words indeed, but in this case they are more than appropriate. When first contacted
about the journals of Earl Henry Sinclair and his descendants, I scoffed and deleted the emails.
The third attempt included photos of one of the journal pages, and of the lambskin map - they
got my attention. The email included Diana Muir’s phone number and I gave her a call. We
quickly hit it off and after hearing about what she claimed to have, I invited her to Minnesota so
I could introduce her to several friends; including several Freemasons to try and vet her story.
After the meeting, Diana shared the journal entries with me and after reading them I was
convinced of one thing; if there was even one chance in a hundred they were authentic, they
had to be vetted thoroughly and carefully, for they were potentially far too historically
important not to. Over the course of the next two-plus years, Masonic scholar and past Grand
Master of Masons of Minnesota, Terry Tilton, and I dove into vetting the journals with a
vengeance. It quickly became apparent that if this were a hoax, it was a masterstroke of
deviant genius that had to have involved several individuals with a vast array of knowledge in
various disciplines to pull off.
If authentic, the history these documents contain is explosive and sheds important new light on
many different aspects of history, as well as the individuals named in them over the course of
just over four centuries (1353 to 1770). This first of three personal journal books - reportedly
written by Earl Henry Sinclair - reveals many previously unknown details about his life and
activities from the time he was eight years old until he was fifty-one in 1395. Some of the most
interesting and important aspects of the entries in this volume include the following:
The Scottish Templars led by the Sinclair’s who traveled to the “Western Lands” numerous
times including Earl Henry’s father, William Sinclair II, who made the trip a total of seven times
himself. Impossible to comprehend at first glance, the idea of frequent trips to North America
becomes all the more plausible given the “Cremona Document” tells of Templar voyages
coming to North America as early as 1179.1 It seems a hoaxer would be more conservative in
the number of trips knowing the context of currently accepted beliefs of historians the
Templars no longer existed in the mid to late Fourteenth Century, let alone ever made it to
America. The fallacy here was the idea there was no pre-Columbian European contact has no
1
There are 3 books that tell the Cremona document story. In ascending order by the amount of content, they are:
Akhenaten to the Founding Fathers; Mysteries of the Hooked X by Scott F Wolter, The Templar Mission to Oak
Island and Beyond by Zena Halpern and The Scrolls of Onteora by Donald Ruh.
5
factual supporting evidence and numerous documents, artifacts, and sites found in North
America directly refute this erroneous narrative.
The young Earl Henry made numerous mentions of both old and new religious holidays and
numerous mentions of the ‘Great Goddess” who was central to his clan’s spiritual beliefs. These
entries are also consistent with my own research into the true ideology of the Templars. The
importance of the Goddess to Templars is also supported by numerous mentions within the
Cremona Document. Their veneration of the Goddess lies at the heart of the success of the
Templars secret medieval activities in North America - because they shared a similar ideology as
the indigenous people they constantly interacted with and eventually assimilated with. Only a
deeply knowledgeable person on a team of hoaxers could insert these aspects into the entries
in such convincing fashion. Beyond myself and very few others, we know of no others who
understand the complicated Goddess ideology of the Templar leadership.
Here is where one the most important realizations of this journal begins to emerge. In multiple
entries between 1373 and 1388, Earl Henry refers to what can only be a fugitive faction of
medieval Knights Templar. The “Templari” being sheltered in the Wemyss Caves are clearly
supported by Earl Henry, the “Brethren,” and other important Scottish families most likely for
their similar ideological beliefs and their service to King Robert the Bruce at Bannockburn in
1314. These entries suggest, along with Earl Henry’s mention of Hiram Abiff, the apparent
evolution of the strict asceticism and celibacy of medieval Templarism into an early version of
speculative Freemasonic ideals. The surviving Templars, who had escaped to Scotland after
1307 were protected by the ruling families, were no longer celibate after being outlawed by the
Roman Catholic Church and monarchies in England and France. Earl Henry and the Craft’s
steadfast support of the “Templari” begs the question, “Was this when and where the rites and
rituals of medieval Templarism merged into speculative Freemasonry actively present in
Scotland in the Fourteenth Century? If so, this is a huge revelation and deserves to be
researched in much greater depth for its potential impact on modern day Freemasonry is
profound.
The revelations of Earl Henry’s initiation into Freemasonry are detailed to the point that only
someone who had experienced initiation into Templar rituals themselves could have written
them, if this was a hoax. While not impossible, the likelihood a Freemason was involved in such
a hoax is extremely remote given this type of nefarious activity goes against Masonic teachings.
If authentic, these entries have enormous historical ramifications for Freemasonry that will be
studied for many years to come.
Arguably one of the most important aspects of the later journal entries involves Earl Henry
meeting the Italian navigators Nicolo and Antonio Zeno. One of the most controversial
documents known from this period is called the “Zeno Narrative.” A descendant in the family
reportedly restored letters that were alleged to have been written by Antonio Zeno in the
Fourteenth Century after having been torn up by the family member as a child. The document
reports numerous factual events, most of which are consistent with the information provided
6
by Earl Henry upon meeting them. One important fact in the journals that differs from the
restored Zeno documents (which state that Nicolo and Antonio were brothers) is that according
to Earl Henry, they were actually father and son.
For me personally, the most important entries by far deal with the “thirty men” that we learn
came to the Western Lands to “…establish a settlement” in the spring of 1358. It can only be
referring to the party that carved the Kensington Rune Stone in 1362. The implications of the
Kensington party entries are huge and appear to confirm nearly all the claims about the artifact
I have made over the past eighteen years. While admittedly hopeful that the journals are
authentic, due in no small part to these specific entries, it is also these entries that give me the
most pause. They almost feel like they were written as a trap. On the other hand, would a
hoaxer so blatantly pander to a known proponent like me by suggesting the Kensington
inscription carver’s name? My collective research has proven the artifact authentic which
means somebody connected to the Templars created it and the story that unfolds in these
journals fits perfectly with what we already know.
I have also traveled to Tennessee to vet Diana’s story about where and how she came into
possession of the journals. The archival building where she said she got them does exist and
contains valuable information about the people who lived in that area at the time of, and after,
the Revolutionary War and about the individuals who wrote the last six journals to be published
in the future. So far, everything Terry Tilton, Diana Muir, and I have been able to vet has proven
to be true and correct. However, many of the over 300 individuals mentioned by name in the
journals, whether they were Templar knights, crew members, or Freemasons, have been
impossible to determine. In fact, our inability to find any record of many of the individuals is
exactly what should have happened. Even for Freemasons like Terry and I, who are allowed
access to certain Masonic records non-Masons cannot, we were still not able to find confirming
documents for many of the names listed. This begs the question of how and why a forger would
make up so many names of people known to exist and others we can find no record of. That we
still have many questions about these individuals actually supports authenticity of the
documents. If all the names could be readily found by us, they could also be found by a forger.
Details about our research into the investigation of the journals will be presented in the future.
I invite the reader to decide for themselves if these captivating entries represent what amounts
to the first installment of one of the greatest stories in the history of the world, or the most
complex and secretive work of deception ever assembled. Whatever the eventual outcome,
these works are nothing less than sheer brilliance.
7
8
Foreword by Terry Tilton
As you open the covers of this book and those which follow, you will begin an adventure like no
other that you have ever taken. You will be challenged to re-think “Who were the early
discoverers of our North American continent?” You will be surprised to learn of a Knights
Templar-Masonic Covenant which began over 400 years before the founding of the United
States and which was renewed for fifteen generations to make our land of “religious freedom” a
reality. You will be heartened to see the connections this story makes in answering the why and
how of many historical artifacts and settlements known to archaeologists. And above all, you
will be amazed that all of this has been kept a secret for 665 years until now.
Over two years ago, I was invited on this adventure as one of only five persons privileged to
read the translation of the journals in their entirety. Since that time hundreds of hours of
research and thousands of pages of affidavits have been amassed to try to prove or disprove
the veracity of these documents. Native American elders, linguistics, and Masonic scholars
have been consulted. Masonic archives from Scotland, Nova Scotia, Canada and the United
States have been searched to prove or disprove that the more than 300 persons named in
these journals, many as Knights Templar or Masons, existed at the times and places noted. To
date, we have verified many as being alive and having the connections which are described in
these journals. If you stop to think about it that it is an amazing fact, for if these journals are a
hoax they contain information from five centuries (14th to 18th Centuries) that even today with all
our modern research and technology is hard to amass.
Speaking as a Freemason, there can be no doubt that if this story is true, then it can only be
known as the real Masonic secret. And perhaps, equally exciting for students of Masonic
history are the references to Craft initiation and ritual that are named using titles in the higher
degrees used today (e.g. Scottish Rite 4th Degree Secret Master ref. June 1, 1365, and the
11th Degree Sublime Knight Elect of the Twelve ref. Dec. 1, 1371.) But even more startling is
found the earliest known reference to the legend of Hiram Abiff in the Mason’s Third Degree
(ref. Oct 18, 1365, “This day I am raised to the next degree (level?) by the Craft and have
learned the meaning of the architecture of the chapel. I have also been instructed on the
manner of the Honorable Hiram Abiff’s burial beneath the temple.” The use of Hiram and
Abiff together, which is a uniquely Masonic association, antedates all previously known
references by nearly 300 years. Simply amazing!
For Freemasonry these journals may point to long sought antecedents of our associations with
the Knights Templar and the nascent moral and ethical foundations of our Craft. I can state
categorically, as a Freemason of over 42 years, an American and a student of history, the story
that is told in this book and the expected six volumes that will follow, is unprecedented. If it is
untrue, it is still the most exciting story every told. If it is true, one can only wonder how
Providence, the Knights Templar, and Freemasons with the dedication of so many European
and Native Americans brought it to pass and not once, until now, ever revealed their story to the
world.
9
I want to emphasize to the reader that with all the work that has been done of verifying the
internal evidence of the journals, we simply do not have the originals or even the copies that this
translation comes from (except for only three surviving pages). To date, these pages have not
been subjected to carbon dating to verify their exact age. But ultimately the proof of the
authenticity of these documents will come from the archeological evidence that these
documents will lead us to by giving exacting locations and detail. Anxiously we await the filming
and search for this evidence if indeed it exists. Although we believe there is ample reason for
excitement with the discovery of these documents, we, like you must temper our enthusiasm
with the hard proof which we believe must follow.
Until then please enjoy! And decide for yourself what proof you need to believe this story. Rest
assured we will continue to look for that truth and announce our results to the world.
The Reverend Terry L. Tilton,
FPS
Past Grand Master A. F. & A. M. Masons of Minnesota
10
Acknowledgements
To all those that helped me learn more about the events, people, and places I found in the
journals, my sincerest thanks. You all answered my silly questions and suggested books to read,
as well as offered your professional opinions on those things that you knew best. Without each
of you, this book would never have been written.
Scott Wolter
Janet Wolter
Terry Tilton
Alan Butler
David Brody
William Mann
Jeffrey Irving
Niven Sinclair
Craig Sinclair
Steve St Clair
Robert Sinclair
Nina Crawthorne
Joan Blanch
Charles Weems
Gerald Sinclair
Betty Edwards
Barbara Weems-Hawkins
Lee Weems
Jim Limburg
Anna Agee
Joyce Eblin
I especially owe an enormous amount of gratitude to Scott and Janet Wolter who acted as my
mentors while this was being written. They guided me in the right direction, explained things
that were totally unfamiliar to me, introduced me to the right people to help me in my search,
and kept me motivated when things got rough.
11
12
Table of Contents
Copyrighted 23 March 2018 ......................................................................................................................... 2
Other books by Diana Muir at Lulu.com ....................................................................................................... 3
Dedicated to.................................................................................................................................................. 4
Foreword by Scott F. Wolter ......................................................................................................................... 5
Foreword by Terry Tilton ................................................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
Acknowledgements..................................................................................................................................... 11
Table of Contents ........................................................................................................................................ 13
Table of Figures ........................................................................................................................................... 23
Introduction ................................................................................................................................................ 27
Book #1 – Journal of Prince Henry Sinclair 1353 ........................................................................................ 53
“Nov 5, 1353” .............................................................................................................................................. 53
Commentary: .......................................................................................................................................... 53
“April 18th, 1354” ........................................................................................................................................ 59
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“8 Nov 1387” .................................................................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
Commentary: ............................................................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
“3 February 1388” .......................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Commentary: ............................................................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
“24 August 1388” ........................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Commentary: ............................................................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
“29 Sep 1388” ................................................................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
Commentary: ............................................................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
“3 Jul 1389” .................................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Commentary: ............................................................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
“18 Sep 1389” ................................................................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
Commentary: ............................................................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
“23 Oct 1389”............................................................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
Commentary: ............................................................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
“2 Nov 1389” .................................................................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
Commentary: ............................................................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
“19 Apr 1390” ................................................................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
Commentary: ............................................................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
“15 May 1390 “ .............................................................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
Commentary: ............................................................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
“31 May 1390” ............................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Commentary: ............................................................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
“1 Jun 1390” ................................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
19
Commentary: ............................................................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
“3 Jun 1390” ................................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Commentary: ............................................................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
“15 Aug 1390” ................................................................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
Commentary: ............................................................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
Documented Events in the life of Nicolo Zeno (According to the Venetian Archives) ... Error! Bookmark
not defined.
Translation of “I Navigatori Nicolo e Antonio Zeno” by Andrea Da Mosta ............. Error! Bookmark not
defined.
“4 February 1391” .......................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Commentary: ............................................................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
“10 Mar 1391” ............................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Commentary: ............................................................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
“23 Apr 1391” ................................................................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
Commentary: ............................................................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
“3 Sep 1391” .................................................................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
Commentary: ............................................................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
“25 Mar 1392 “............................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Commentary: ............................................................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
“27 Sep 1392” ................................................................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
Commentary: ............................................................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
“22 Mar 1393” ............................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Commentary: ............................................................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
“24 Oct 1393”................................................................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
Commentary: ............................................................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
“8 Mar 1394” ................................................................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
“3 July 1394” .................................................................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
Commentary: ............................................................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
“31 August 1394” ........................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
“28 February 1395” ........................................................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
“15 April 1395”............................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Commentary: ............................................................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
20
Appendix 1 - Number of Deity: 8 ................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Appendix 2 – Map of Polar and Atlantic Currents ......................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Appendix 3 – A Map of Scotland and Orkney ................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
Appendix 4 – List of Scottish Political Events ................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
Appendix 5 – Ancestry Chart for Diana Muir to Henry Sinclair ..................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Appendix 6 – Family Group Sheet of Henry Sinclair ...................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Appendix 7 – Family Group Sheet of William II Sinclair ................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
Appendix 8 - Ancestors of Katherine Sinclair m. Earl David Wemyss ............ Error! Bookmark not defined.
Appendix 9 – Vita of Dr. John Wade .............................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
INDEX TO PEOPLE AND THINGS ..................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Preview of The Lost Templar Journals of Prince Henry Sinclair, Book #2 1395 ............ Error! Bookmark not
defined.
21
22
Table of Figures
Figure 1 - French and Indian War Renumeration 1763 to John Weems Jr ................................................. 28
Figure 2 - Greeneville, TN south of Baileyton in 1785 ................................................................................ 29
Figure 3 - Grant in Chester Co., PA............................................................................................................. 30
Figure 4 - Family of John Weems and Kitty Dengler ................................................................................... 31
Figure 5 - The Knights of St John had their houses in this area. Go through the Archway which was
created in 1767 and you will find the Masonic Lodge Canongate Kilwinning No 2 and the oldest masonic
chapel in the world. .................................................................................................................................... 32
Figure 6 - St John's Lodge Canongate, Edinburg, Scotland ......................................................................... 32
Figure 7 - Baronage of Scotland showing marriage of David Wemyss and Catherine Baillie ..................... 33
Figure 8 - Page 1 of the list of members of St John's Lodge ....................................................................... 34
Figure 9 - Page 2 of list of members of St John's Lodge ............................................................................. 35
Figure 10 - St John's Lodge in Philadelphia founded 1731 and now the Grand Lodge of PA ..................... 36
Figure 11 - Map of Philadelphia and nearby towns. Abington is directly north of Philadelphia ................ 37
Figure 12 - Abington, PA Friends School ..................................................................................................... 39
Figure 13 The Old Brick Church showing the name of John Weems as a resident of Greene County,
Tennessee ................................................................................................................................................... 41
Figure 14 - Zion Methodist Church Cemetery............................................................................................. 41
Figure 15 - New Zion United Methodist Church in Baileyton, TN............................................................... 42
Figure 16 - Old Bailey Cemetery where John and Kitty Weems were supposedly buried ......................... 42
Figure 17 - Transcript of will of John Weems made by a researcher in the 1970s ..................................... 43
Figure 18 - Showing John Weems as an early Tax Payer in Greene Co., TN .............................................. 44
Figure 19 - Recap of Weems Family in Greene Co., TN .............................................................................. 45
Figure 20 - North Carolina Charter issued Dec. 8, 1801 ............................................................................. 46
Figure 21 - The Saddlebag in which the journals were found. Picture taken by Diana Muir in ................. 47
Figure 22 - Tombstone of Rev. John Granser Weems, minister of Old Brick Church when it burned........ 49
Figure 23 - Tombstone of George A Bailey in the Old Bailey Cemetery, Master Mason and grandson of
John Weems Jr. ........................................................................................................................................... 50
Figure 24 - History of Greeneville College sold to Tusculum College for $700 due to damage during Civil
War.............................................................................................................................................................. 50
Figure 25 - Maltese Cross............................................................................................................................ 53
Figure 26 – A view of Castle Sinclair Girnigoe from Sinclair's Bay, another Sinclair property .................... 54
Figure 27 - Arms of the Feudal Earldom of Orkney .................................................................................... 54
Figure 28 - King Philip of France.................................................................................................................. 56
Figure 29 - Balmerino Abbey in Fifeshire, Scotland established in the 13th Century.................................. 57
Figure 30 - Balmerino Abbey Medeival Chapter House .............................................................................. 57
Figure 31 - Skarra Brae in Orkney ............................................................................................................... 58
Figure 32 - Orkney Island in relationship to Scotland ................................................................................. 59
Figure 33 - Vikings ships portrayed on the Bayeux Tapestry ......................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Figure 34 – Artist’s conception of a Viking Barque built in 'clinker' style ...... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Figure 35 - Artist concept of what a Viking Warrior looked like .................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
23
Figure 36 - Map of Artic Polar Currents ......................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Figure 37 - Atlantic currents around Orkney, Greenland and eastern Canada showing how emigration
could have happened by following the currents and the most likely route that Henry Sinclair and his
father would have taken ................................................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
Figure 38 - Ancient Ruins of Iceland which was settled around 874 AD ....... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Figure 39 - Hunting and whaling have always been important ways to make a living on Greenland. One of
the animals found here is the polar bear, which is on the coat of arms of the Danish royal family in
Greenland - The first humans are thought to have arrived in Greenland around 2500 BC. ............... Error!
Bookmark not defined.
Figure 40 - The Grand Banks off of Nova Scotia where fishing has taken place for centuries by many
cultures including the Portuguese, Egyptians and Phoenicians .................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Figure 41 - Janvrin Island ............................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Figure 42 - A Micmac Indian .......................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Figure 43 - Asherah Iconography ................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Figure 44 - Wayland the Smith....................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Figure 45 - Artemis, Greek Goddess of the Hunt, Forests and Hills, the Moon, Archery ... Error! Bookmark
not defined.
Figure 46 - A Year of Orcadian Tradition ....................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Figure 47 - Map of Artic Polar Currents ......................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Figure 48 - Atlantic currents around Orkney, Greenland and eastern Canada showing how emigration
could have happened by following the currents, and the most likely route that Henry Sinclair and his
father would have taken ................................................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
Figure 49 - Priory of Kells ............................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Figure 50 - Greenland Halsey Nordic Church Ruins ...................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Figure 51 - Girnigoe Castle on Sinclair Bay in Caithness built in the latter 1400s ........ Error! Bookmark not
defined.
Figure 52 - King David II King of Scots ............................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
Figure 53 - Timeline for King David II of Scotland .......................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Figure 54 - Painting of the Thesmorphoric procession by American artist Francis David Millet.......... Error!
Bookmark not defined.
Figure 55 - Translation of word piuthar in Scots-Gaelic ................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
Figure 56 – Frigga (Freya), wife of Odin, Goddess of love and fertility ......... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Figure 57 - A 2500 yr old figure of the Mother Goddess .............................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
Figure 58 – A page of Henry Sinclair's Journal at age 8 dated 1 August 1357 (untested for C-14 at
present) .......................................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Figure 59 – Back of the journal page dated 1 August 1357 (untested for C-14 at the present)........... Error!
Bookmark not defined.
Figure 60 - Wayland the Smith testing the wings he had fashioned ............. Error! Bookmark not defined.
Figure 61 - A Recreation of a Viking Forge at L'Anse Aux Meadows National Historic Site Error! Bookmark
not defined.
Figure 62 - Gotland island off the coast of Sweden ....................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Figure 63 - Sea Stacks at Faro, Gotland, Sweden ........................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
24
Figure 64 - Ruins of Roma Cistercian Abbey, Roma, Gotland, Sweden ......... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Figure 65 - The Roma Abbey Manor House ................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Figure 66 - The remains of the Cistercian Nunnery called Solberga Nunnery outside the city walls ... Error!
Bookmark not defined.
Figure 67 - Medieval portal as an example of Cistercian architecture .......... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Figure 68 - St Nicolaus in Visby, founded by Russian merchants from Novogorod...... Error! Bookmark not
defined.
Figure 69 - The ruins of St Nicholas ............................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Figure 70 - Visby Cathedral ............................................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
Figure 71 - St Lars ........................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Figure 72 - St Olof’s Bascilia Ruins ................................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
Figure 73 - St Karin (Katherine) Ruins in Visby............................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Figure 74 - St Clemens in Visby, Gotland, Sweden ........................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
Figure 75 - Coat of Arms of Sinclair, Wemyss and Haliburton Families ......... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Figure 76 - Map of surrounding towns to Rosslyn ......................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Figure 77 - Princess Margaret of Denmark .................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Figure 78 - Margaret 1, detail of her tomb effigy in the Cathedral of Roskilde, Denmark Courtesy of
National museum, Stockholm ........................................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
Figure 79 - Artemis Goddess of the Hunt Twin of Apollo .............................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
Figure 80 - Picture of Scone Palace, located in Perth, Scotland .................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Figure 81 - Seal of King Haakon ..................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Figure 82 – Artist’s conception of the Wiccan Triple Goddess; The Maid, the Mother, and the Crone
....................................................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Figure 83 – Dundonald Castle where Robert II died ...................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Figure 84 - Artist's conception of Viking Pirate Ships .................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Figure 85 - Temple Church, London ............................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Figure 86 - Remains of the Bishop's Palace in Kirkwall and the adjoining cemetery where Prince Henry
Sinclair is most likely buried........................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Figure 87 - The Earl's Palace .......................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Figure 88- Portrait of Nicole Oresme: Miniature from Oresme's Traité de l'espère, Bibliothèque
Nationale, Paris, France ................................................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
Figure 89 - A page from Oresme's Livre du ciel et du monde, 1377, showing the celestrial spheres .. Error!
Bookmark not defined.
Figure 90 - The Ruins of the Bishops Palace as seen from St. Magnus Cathedral in Kirkwall, Orkney . Error!
Bookmark not defined.
Figure 91 - John Wycliffe portrayed in Bale's Scriptor Majoris Britanniæ 1548 ........... Error! Bookmark not
defined.
Figure 92 - Port of La Rochelle Today ............................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
Figure 93 - Papal Bull dissolving the Templars............................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Figure 94 - A ship similar to those the Templars would have used ............... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Figure 95 - Map showing Firth of Forth, Wemyss is located just below Methil and Rosslyn Is located
directly across the Bay ................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
25
Figure 96 - Map showing that Wemyss (below Kirkcaldy) would have been easily accessed by the
Templar Fleet ................................................................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
Figure 97 - Various Caves along the coast of East Wemyss ........................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Figure 98 - Local Map showing sites of the Caves ......................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Figure 99 - Markings discovered in Wemys Caves summer 2012, thought to be of Templar origin.... Error!
Bookmark not defined.
Figure 100 - Carvings in the entranceway of the Court Cave ........................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
Figure 101 - Doo Cave, one of the largest caves of the Wemyss Caves group, was used to house doves in
medieval times ............................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Figure 102 - One of the largest caves in the Cliffs of Wemyss....................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Figure 103 - The Court Cave ........................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Figure 104 - A look down the beach in both directions ................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
Figure 105 - Fern Cave ................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Figure 106 - Entrance to the Well Cave ......................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Figure 107 - Entrance to an unnamed cave ................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Figure 108 - Inside the unnamed cave ........................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Figure 109 - Guide points out carving of long ship on the cave wall above his head ... Error! Bookmark not
defined.
Figure 110 - A close-up of the long ship......................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Figure 111 - Ogham Script in Jonathan's Cave ............................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Figure 112 - Bench at the rear of the cave..................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Figure 113 - The Sloping Cave ........................................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
Figure 114 – Inside the Sloping Cave the guide points out carvings of interest ........... Error! Bookmark not
defined.
Figure 115 - A view of the rear of the Sloping Cave....................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Figure 116 - Fossils collected from the beach................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
Figure 117 - Images inside the Wemyss Caves .............................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
Figure 118 - Rock carvings inside Jonathan's Cave ........................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
Figure 119 - Carvings inside of Wemyss Caves .............................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
Figure 120 - Inside another Wemyss Cave .................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Figure 121 - Geoffrey Chaucer of Canterbury Tales ...................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Figure 122 - Battle of Otterburn Took place sometime between 5 August 1388 and 19 August 1388 Error!
Bookmark not defined.
Figure 123 - Wounded Douglass in the battle field ....................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Figure 124 - Balta Island, Shetland ................................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
Figure 125 - Nicolo' Zeno, by Antonio Bianchi (1858-1861) .......................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Figure 126 - Face Page of I Navigatori Nicolo e Antonio Zeno by Andrea da Mosta .... Error! Bookmark not
defined.
Figure 127 - Face Page of the Zeno Narrative................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
Figure 128 - A Venetian Galley of the 14th Century similar to the ship Nicolo Zeno would have been
sailing ............................................................................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
Figure 129 - Nordic Passages: Shetlands, Orkney to Iceland ......................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
26
Figure 130 - Ships Route from Iceland to Greenland ..................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Figure 131 - Routes Vikings Used During the Medieval Warm Period .......... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Figure 132 - Map of Atlantic Currents ........................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Figure 133 - Map of Atlantic currents ............................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
Figure 134 - Bressay today ............................................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
Figure 135 - The Island of Mykines as seen from the East............................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
Figure 136 - The remote island of Mykines ................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Figure 137- The Golden Ratio embedded in the five-point star .................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Figure 138 - The Hebrew Alphabet ................................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
Figure 139 - Using Numerology Reduction of Gematria the single digit number of Deity, and of
Jesus/Yeshua, is eight. (Wolter/2016) ........................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Figure 140 - Map of Atlantic Currents ........................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Figure 141 - Map of Scotland ......................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Figure 142 - Map of Orkney Islands .............................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
27
Introduction
The Lost Templar Journals of
Prince Henry Sinclair
and his descendants
Some people ‘believe’ that Prince Henry Sinclair came to the New World in 1398 and brought
the Templar treasure with him from Scotland. Others think it is a fairy tale and refuse to
‘believe’ because there has never been any hard evidence that he came to the Americas not
only in 1398, but in 1395 and once before that when he was a child of 8 years old.
How do I ‘know’? I know because I’ve read his journals and the journals of his descendants for
14 generations after that. Where did I find them and where have they been for 600 years? Let
me share my story.
On Mother Day’s weekend of 2005 I drove to Greene County, TN, from Atlanta, GA where I was
living and working, to visit the graves of my 2nd and 3rd great-grand-parents, John Weems and
Catherine Dengler at the Old Bailey Cemetery2 in Baileyton. It was too far to go home to Iowa,
so I went to Baileyton which was only an 8 hour drive.
You're probably asking, “How does the Weems family fit into this scenario? And what is the
relationship between me and Prince Henry Sinclair?“ Keep reading and I’ll try to explain.
John Weems, who was born in 1741 and died in 18123, lived in Greene County, Tennessee. He
was an educated man and a trained engineer. During the Revolutionary War he had planned,
surveyed, and built roads between Staunton, VA and Hillsboro, NC4. He and his wife Kitty had 9
children whose 1000s of descendants now live as close as Greene County, TN and as far away as
Oregon.5
He was also my 6th great-grandfather and for over 200 years no one has known who his
parents were. Researchers have attempted to connect him to almost every Weems in Anne
2
Find-A-Grave.com
Tennessee Wills and Probate Records
4
French and Indian War Renumeration
5
Ancestry.com
3
28
Arundel County, MD that they could find, but he was either too young, or too old. He was an
enigma to all of us who were genealogy researchers.
Figure 1 - French and Indian War Renumeration 1763 to John Weems Jr
6
What we knew was that John Weems had lived in Hillsboro, North Carolina7 and in 1785 stood
in line with other veterans of the Revolutionary War at the land office in Hillsboro, NC8 - which
was only open for ‘1/2’ day; four hours. In return for his service and patience, he received a
land grant in the newly opened territory of Tennessee, although at the time it was known as
Western or Southern Ohio. Those who lived there called it the State of Franklin9 which had
been organized by John Sevier10 and other pioneers of the area and had been approved by
Congress in 1784.
John Weems, his son-in-law Thomas Bailey, and Thomas’s brother Claudius Bailey also received
land grants. Claudius had already been living there for several years and had convinced them to
join him, along with several other families who belonged to the German Methodist Episcopal
Church community. Together they moved their families (many of whom were already married
with children of their own) through the Cumberland Gap and settled in a rich green valley near
6
https://www.ancestry.com/mediauiviewer/collection/1030/tree/103223526/person/120024257340/media/a94984bf-5ef4-466b-9462041ca1379742?_phsrc=cAK3316&usePUBJs=true
7
Land records of Orange County, NC
8
http://www.historichillsborough.org/
9
Arthur Campbell; Mielnik, Tara Mitchell; article; The Tennessee Encyclopedia of History and Culture;
10
Carl Driver, John Sevier: Pioneer of the Old Southwest (Chapel Hill, N.C.: University of North Carolina Press, 1932)
29
Lick Creek in the small village of Laurel Gap, Tennessee11. At that time, it was a simple
community of 4 or 5 cabins and it eventually became known as Baileyton. Greeneville in 1785
only had about 15 cabins, scattered along the Chuckey River.
12
Figure 2 - Greeneville, TN south of Baileyton in 1785
But where did John Weems come from before that? No one knew – until about 15 years ago.
Anna Agee, another dedicated Weems researcher, received a letter from someone researching
Catherine Magdalena Dengler who had married a John Weems from Greene Co., Tennessee. It
wasn’t until then that we’d had any clues as to who Kitty really was. We’d tried to connect him
to every Elizabeth we could find, but all were wrong.
Once we knew more about Catherine Magdalena Dengler, we knew she had to be the right one.
She was of German descent (John Weems was affiliated with the German Methodist Episcopal
Church in Baileyton), she came from Bucks County, Pennsylvania13 (which is where we finally
located John’s father and family) and she was the right age, went by Kitty, and she and her
family lived in all the same places that John had. Although we’ve never been able to locate their
marriage record, it is assumed that they were married either in Bucks Co., Pennsylvania or
11
Miller, Larry L. (October 2001). Tennessee Place Names. Indiana University Press. p. 11. ISBN 978-0-253-21478-2
Greene County, TN Museum - http://www.greenevillegreenecountyhistorymuseum.com/
13
https://books.google.com/books/about/The_History_of_Bucks_County_Pennsylvania.html?id=bwtNS1C8ljwC
12
30
Chester County, PA14 where John owned property. Records simply don’t exist from that time
period, although we continue to search for the marriage.
Figure 3 - Grant in Chester Co., PA
15
Finally after 200 years of researching, we knew who John’s father was, after doing an
exhaustive one name research and tracking down (forward and back) every Weems, Wemyss,
Wimes, Wemes, Wimms and other variations that appeared in the 1850 census of the United
States16. It was the first census to list all family members, ages, and birth states of individuals
and very slowly we were able to create family groups for the majority of the people. Only a few
people couldn’t be connected to each other and John Wemyss of Abington, PA, born in 1709
was one of them. But he fit perfectly into the family of our John Weems of Greene Co., TN.
Once we knew his wife’s name, Catherine Magdalena (Kitty) Dengler, we knew we had the right
family because they lived within 10 miles of each other. After all, you can’t marry someone if
you don’t meet them.
14
Chester County, Pennsylvania Land Warrants - https://www.chesco.org/1402/Deeds-1688-1865
Ancestry.com
16
Ancestry.com
15
31
17
Figure 4 - Family of John Weems and Kitty Dengler
John’s father was John Wemyss of Abington, Bucks County, Pennsylvania.18 John Sr (we call him
John Sr to differentiate him from John Jr of Greene Co., TN) was the grandson of the Earl of
Wemyss19 20 by a younger son, David who became a merchant in Edinburg, Scotland. Although
John Sr was the eldest son of David, he would never inherit land or title from his grandfather,
and as many others in the same position, he joined the British military. (It should also be noted
at this time, that his grandfather was the Grandmaster of the Scottish Rite Freemasons of all
Scotland, and John Sr. and his father David Wemyss, were both members of the St. John’s
Edinburg Lodge.)
17
https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/person/tree/103223526/person/120024257340/facts
Pennsylvania Land Warrants and Applications 1733-1952
19
Memorials of the Family of Wemyss of Wemyss by Sir William Fraser
20
Scales, Jodie K., “Of Kindred Celtic Origins Volume 1,” published 2009
18
32
Figure 5 - The Knights of St John had their houses in this area. Go through the Archway which was created in 1767 and you will
21
find the Masonic Lodge Canongate Kilwinning No 2 and the oldest masonic chapel in the world.
22
Figure 6 - St John's Lodge Canongate, Edinburg, Scotland
21
https://lothianandborders.com/st-johns-street-canongate-royal-mile-edinburgh/
33
Figure 7 - Baronage of Scotland showing marriage of David Wemyss and Catherine Baillie
23
John Sr. was sent to Jamaica as part of the 46th Regiment of Foot and the British effort to
squelch the First Maroon slave rebellion24 in 1735. He was a Lieutenant. Afterwards, the unit
was sent to New York, which was still a colony of Great Britain. There, they were disbanded and
many of the men; John Wemyss included, accepted land grants in New York, New Jersey,
Pennsylvania and Maryland. John Sr. settled in Abington, Pennsylvania, just north of
Philadelphia and married the daughter of Dr. John Scott, a Quaker from the same area of
Scotland who had served as a Doctor in the same military unit. Still British citizens, they lived to
see the Revolution evolve and take place. They also became loyal Patriots and helped to fight
for the freedom of the new American nation. John Scott and his son Hugh Scott were both
members of the Philadelphia Lodge and appear in the early records of the Freemasons in
Philadelphia in St. John’s Lodge.25 26
22
https://lothianandborders.com/st-johns-street-canongate-royal-mile-edinburgh/
Cracroft’s Peerage, The Peerage of Scotland http://www.cracroftspeerage.co.uk/online/content/Peerage%20of%20Scotland.htm
24
The History of Jamaica, or, General Survey of the Antient and Modern State of that Island; With reflections on its
Situation, Settlements, Inhabitants, Climate, Products, Commerce, Laws, and Government in Three Volumes,
Illustrated with Copper Plates, by Edward Long, published in 1754, Printed for T. Lowndes, in Fleet-Street, London,
England
25
http://www.Freemasons-Freemasonry.com/pennsylvania_Freemasonry.html
26
http://www.stjohnslodge115.org/history/history.htm
23
34
27
Figure 8 - Page 1 of the list of members of St John's Lodge
27
http://www.stjohnslodge115.org/history/history.htm
35
28
Figure 9 - Page 2 of list of members of St John's Lodge
28
http://www.stjohnslodge115.org/history/history.htm
36
29
Figure 10 - St John's Lodge in Philadelphia founded 1731 and now the Grand Lodge of PA
29
http://www.stjohnslodge115.org/history/history.htm
37
Figure 11 - Map of Philadelphia and nearby towns. Abington is directly north of Philadelphia
30
30
http://www.mapsofpa.com/antiquemaps27b.htm
38
31
Figure 2 - List of 46th Regiment of Foot of which John Wemyss (b. 1709) was a member
John Sr and his wife Isabella Scott raised their children in the Quaker faith and educated their
boys at the Abington Friends School32, one of the oldest K-12 schools in the nation. Even today,
some of the original buildings are still standing.
31
FamilySearch.com – freejpages.
Genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~crossroads/regiments/fhl_infantry_1.html#46th
32
http://www.abingtonfriends.net/
39
Figure 12 - Abington, PA Friends School
33
When Bishop Francis Asbury34 began to proselyte for the newly organized Methodist Episcopal
Church, the Wemyss family in both Pennsylvania and Maryland took notice and many of them
left the Church of England (The Episcopal/Anglican Church) and joined the Methodist Episcopal
Church. Just before the Revolution officially began, at least 3 sons; John Jr, Thomas, and
Bartholomew left Pennsylvania for the west to Staunton, VA,35 then south to Abbeville, SC (for
Thomas and Bartholomew) and south-west to Greene County, Tennessee for John Jr. and his
growing family.
A daughter, Margaret, also went west to Hillsboro, NC (and then to Kentucky) after marrying
Richard Gott III who came from Anne Arundel County, Maryland. There may have been other
children, but the absence of records makes it difficult to differentiate between the Wemyss
families of Bucks County, PA, Middleton, PA, and their first cousins to the south in Baltimore,
MD and Anne Arundel County, MD. All were descended from Earl David Wemyss and many
joined the Methodist Episcopal Church movement. John Jr. even appears in the Volume 2 of
Bishop Francis Asbury’s journals,36 hosting a meeting of about 30 people in Hillsboro, NC, just
33
http://www.abingtonfriends.net/
Asbury, Francis, “Journal of Rev. Francis Asbury: Bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church, Volume 2, ISBN 9 781147 609004 https://archive.org/details/journalrevfranc03asbugoog
35
https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/Staunton_(Independent_City),_Virginia
36
Journal of Reverend Francis Asbury: Bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church, Vol. 1, 2, and 3
34
40
north of today’s Chapel Hill. Chapel Hill was named for the ruins of the Methodist Episcopal
Church that stood there but was destroyed during the Revolutionary War.
After standing in line in Hillsboro, North Carolina in 1785 for land grants in the new territory of
southern Ohio and Tennessee, John Weems Jr and several of his children and their spouses and
many grandchildren, moved again to Laurel Gap, where John Bailey (John Jr’s son-in-law) joined
his brother Claudius Bailey who had lived there for several years. Other families such as the
Bible family also moved to what would become Greene County, Tennessee, but at the time was
the “State of Franklin,”37 a sovereign state organized by John Sevier. The area was a favorite
destination for men who had participated in the Regulator War of North Carolina38. They
sought land where they were un-regulated by the government, a new start, and the State of
Franklin fit the bill.
Unknown to most people, the men who organized the state of Franklin were all Freemasons
(John Sevier39 , LT Samuel Wear40, Col. Joseph Hardin41, Samuel Doak42, William Cocke, David
“Davy” Crockett43, Gen. James White and Arthur Campbell) and they wanted to organize a free
state based upon Freemason ideals. Unfortunately, the state only lasted for 4 years44 but its
influence continued. President Andrew Jackson came from Greeneville, TN (the capital of the
State of Franklin) and one of the first Freemason Lodges in Tennessee was formed in 1801 in
Greeneville, TN. Reorganized in 1812, it retained the designation of “Lodge #3” as the oldest
surviving lodge in Tennessee.
A few years after moving to Laurel Gap, John Weems, Thomas Bailey, and Claudius Bailey
donated land to build the Methodist Episcopal Church, known as The Old Brick Church. John
and another son lived behind the property, and the Bailey family lived across the road and in
the village. John’s 9 children and many of his grandchildren are buried there in the cemetery
that stands behind the ‘new’ Zion United Methodist Episcopal Church. The old church burned to
the ground in about 1880 (most likely 1876) and the new church was built slightly to the west of
where the old church sat.
37
https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/state-of-franklin-declares-independence
http://www.carolana.com/NC/Revolution/revolution_battle_of_hillsborough.html
39
Driver, Carl Samuel. John Sevier: Pioneer of the Old Southwest. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press,
1932
40
Patterson, Prof. Tommie Cochran (1931). Joseph Hardin: A Biographical & Genealogical Study. Dissertation
Manuscript. Library of the University of Texas at Austin, Texas; Austin, TX. OCLC 13179015.
41
Lucile Deaderick; Heart of the Valley: A History of Knoxville, Tennessee; Knoxville, Tennessee; East Tennessee
Historical Society; 1976.
42
Samuel Doak; E. Alvin Gerhardt, Jr.; "The Tennessee Encyclopedia of History and Culture;" 2002; retrieved June
3, 2008.
43
David "Davy" Crockett; Michael Lofaro; "The Tennessee Encyclopedia of History and Culture;" 2002; retrieved
November 19, 2011.
44
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/true-story-short-lived-state-franklin-180964541/
38
41
Figure 13 The Old Brick Church showing the name of John Weems as a resident of Greene County, Tennessee
45
46
Figure 14 - Zion Methodist Church Cemetery
45
https://www.findagrave.com/cemetery/183940/zion-united-methodist-church-cemetery#viewphoto=30196982, taken by Denise Kruta in 2010
42
47
Figure 15 - New Zion United Methodist Church in Baileyton, TN
Figure 16 - Old Bailey Cemetery where John and Kitty Weems were supposedly buried
48
Instead, John and Kitty Weems were buried near the Old Brick Church and the paved road now lies over
their grave sites. No tombstones remain.
46
IBID
https://www.findagrave.com/cemetery/183940/zion-united-methodist-church-cemetery#view-photo=29071384
48
Photo taken by Diana Muir during 2005 visit
47
43
49
Figure 17 - Transcript of will of John Weems made by a researcher in the 1970s
49
https://www.ancestry.com/interactive/9176/004776044_00292/3439261?backurl=https://www.ancestry.com/fa
mily-tree/person/tree/103223526/person/120024257340/facts/citation/540258688134/edit/record
44
Figure 18 - Showing John Weems as an early Tax Payer in Greene Co., TN
50
51
50 51
Tennessee Compiled Census and Substitute Index 1810-1891
Tennessee Early Tax Records 1783-1895 for John Weems, Ancestry.com
45
Figure 19 - Recap of Weems Family in Greene Co., TN
52
When the church burned, the men who were trying to squelch the flames drug an old trunk out
of the basement. It contained a saddle bag full of personal papers of John Weems who had died
52
T Elmer Cox Historical and Genealogical Society, Greeneville, TN, Weems Family Folder
46
many years before in 1812. Because it had been important to him, it must have been important
to them and they did their best to save it. The pastor of the church at that time was the
Reverend John Granser Weems, son of George Wright Weems, and grandson of John Weems. I
discovered later that all three of these men had also been Freemasons and were members of
the Greeneville Lodge which was chartered in 180153 as one of the first Lodges in Tennessee.
That means they would have known personally, and very well, John Sevier 54 and Andrew
Jackson55, both influential men in the political scene. It’s only recently that I’ve learned just how
much the Freemasons in Greeneville and its Civil War history56 played a part in the history of
the journals which were found.
57
Figure 20 - North Carolina Charter issued Dec. 8, 1801
While visiting the area that Mother's Day weekend in 2005, I visited several distant family
members, the local historical society, the library, and the local museum. When offered the
saddle bag and personal papers by the person who had custody of them, I gladly accepted.
When we opened the saddle bag, the stench of smoke and tar was still present and the small
53
http://www.greenevillelodgeno3.org/history.php
https://www.jstor.org/stable/42637428
55
https://www.nps.gov/anjo/index.htm
56
http://greeneville.com/community/history.htm
57
http://www.greenevillelodgeno3.org/history.php
54
47
books inside looked to be written in Latin or some other unknown language. Closing the saddle
bag back up, I promised that if they held anything of importance I would share it with them at a
later date.
Figure 21 - The Saddlebag in which the journals were found. Picture taken by Diana Muir in
Placing the saddle bag in the trunk of my car, I later returned to Atlanta and after looking inside
it briefly, I stored it in the back of my closest. There were several small books that looked like
journals but they were written in Latin and I could only make out one name, Henricus Santo
Claro, which I didn’t recognize at the time. There was also an old map made on lambskin,
wrapped in oilskin and an inner cloth, and what looked like some account books. Thinking they
had more to do with the church, than with my great-grandfather, I put them back in the saddle
bag, and left them in the closet.
When I moved home to Illinois 4 years later, the bag came with me. This time it was in an old
cedar chest of mine and once again went into the back of the closet. It wasn’t until September
of 2014 as I was watching a show on the History Channel about Templars on Oak Island, Nova
48
Scotia, that I heard a name that sounded vaguely familiar - Henricus Santo Claro - better known
as Henry Sinclair58! I quickly went to the closet and pulled out the saddle bag!
I knew nothing about Prince Henry Sinclair at that time, but as I began to translate the journals
from Latin and Old English, I soon became overwhelmed with the story of Henry Sinclair and
the Covenant his family and other influential Scottish families had made with the Templars to
protect the greatest secret of all time. It didn’t take long before I found that his greatgranddaughter, Katherine Sinclair59, had married John Weem’s great-great-great-great-greatgreat-great-grandfather in the early 1500s. Henry Sinclair was my 17th great-grandfather! I had
researched the Wemyss line but had never researched any of the collateral lines such as the
Sinclair family.
What I had found were 20 small journals, most in Latin, some in Old English, and five in fairly
modern English. The most recent one had been written by John Weems, my 3rd great
grandfather, starting in 1769. The oldest, starting in 1353 had been written by his 17th greatgrandfather, Henry Sinclair, who began writing at the age of 8. The lost journals spanned 15
generations of St. Clairs, Sinclairs, and Wemyss families, all of whom were affiliated with the
Templars or Freemasons. Several of the men were even Grand Masters60 of the Scottish
Freemasons. The journals told the story of how they had risked their lives and their families to
complete a Covenant that had been made over 650 years ago. And they had been passed from
generation to generation until they reached my 3rd great grandfather, John Weems of Greene
County, Tennessee. For some reason though, the journals had never been passed on to the next
generation, or at least that I could see – or that I knew of.
Since I first started transcribing the journals I’ve learned just how important the journals are to
the history of our country, the United States, and the men who fought to establish a free
nation. The alliances they made with the Native Americans and others to protect their secret
had been absolutely incredible and very secretive. I’ve also learned to what lengths some
people will go to hide the truth and make the journals disappear.
Although Greene County, TN was largely Unionist during the Civil War, there were pockets of
Confederate sympathizers who regularly wreaked havoc on the countryside, burning bridges
and other buildings. The Masonic Lodge, where the journals were most likely kept, was used as
both Confederate and Union barracks (Greeneville, TN changed hands ‘5’ times during the Civil
War) and the building was burned 2 times. The only reason the original charter of the lodge had
survived was because someone stole it and hid in the nearby Asbury Methodist Church a few
blocks away.61
58
https://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/usbiography/s/henrysinclair.html
https://www.clanmacfarlanegenealogy.info/genealogy/TNGWebsite/familychart.php?familyID=F4193&tree=CC
60
Outlines of the History of Freemasonry in the Province of Quebec, by John H. Graham, Montreal, 1892, pp. 16-17
61
http://www.greenevillelodgeno3.org/history.php
59
49
It is very possible that the journals found in the trunk rescued from the Old Brick Church were
copies made by Rev. John Granser Weems (the minister at the time and Freemason according
to his biography), his cousin George A Bailey (a first cousin and Freemason according to the
symbol on his gravestone), and an unknown third person (who was probably a family member
or cousin) and most likely a Freemason also. Because records were burned and destroyed, the
only records of the early Masons of Greene County, TN are the gravestone symbols and family
records of their descendants. What ‘is’ known is that both John Sevier and Andrew Jackson
(both living at the same time) were members of the same lodge and it is only natural that they
knew Rev. John Granser Weems, George A Bailey, and the other Weems and Bailey men who
were also Freemasons. It’s also very likely that both John Sevier and Andrew Jackson knew
about the journals and that the originals were kept in the Masonic Lodge for safety because
they had been held in Freemason hands throughout the centuries.
62
Figure 22 - Tombstone of Rev. John Granser Weems, minister of Old Brick Church when it burned and grandson of John
Weems, Jr.
62
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/69136924/john-granser-weems
50
63
Figure 23 - Tombstone of George A Bailey in the Old Bailey Cemetery, Master Mason and grandson of John Weems Jr.
Figure 24 - History of Greeneville College sold to Tusculum College for $700 due to damage during Civil War
64
63
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/65552195/george-a-bailey
51
Unfortunately, there was no safe place during the Civil War. Both the Masonic Lodge and
Greeneville College were devastated along with many other historic buildings. John Jr.’s
grandsons may have copied the journals to make certain a copy survived. Carbon testing still
needs to be done on the remaining artifacts.
Secondly, I made a trip to one of the locations mentioned in Journal #15 to search for the
marker described that supposedly leads to part of the treasure that was brought at a later time
by a different group of Templars and Freemasons. Mostly I wanted to make certain I wasn’t
crazy and that the information in the journals was accurate and hadn’t been the product of
someone’s imagination or an attempt at writing a book of fiction. The marker was there, and
for the first time I felt vindicated and confident about proceeding.
In writing this story, I’ve read many books concerning the subject and have talked with many
experts on Henry Sinclair and the Templar Treasure. I’ve decided not to recap what has already
been written, as I feel the journals need to stand by themselves. While I might reference
authors and books they have written, I’ve tried to diligently research the journals to find facts
to support the events and names that are mentioned.
Many of the experts on Henry Sinclair that I’ve talked to have said it was almost certain to be a
hoax, or an 18th century fantasy when sentiment was so against the Freemasons. After all, why
would they be hidden for hundreds of years and why would someone like “me” (who was from
the Wemyss line) find them? That is why it’s so important to judge the journals on their content
and whether or not the people, events and places are real. It’s also important to ask the
question “Who could have written the journals unless they were actually there?” and “How
could they be forged by 1 person when it’s obvious the person(s) who wrote them were
Freemasons and privy to information others simply wouldn’t know?” As you’ll find out, there
are events, people, astronomical events and traditions that I and others wouldn’t have known
unless we’d been standing there in the same place, at the same time.
Enjoy the journey as we try to solve a 665-year-old mystery and struggle to understand what
was found. Judge for yourself as the evidence is presented and examined…
(Please see Appendix #5 for a genealogical chart from myself to John Weems of Greene Co., TN
and then back to Prince Henry Sinclair). The story of why they changed hands from the Sinclairs
to the Wemyss will be included in a future volume.
64
Personal visit to Andrew Jackson Library at Tusculum College, Greeneville, TN
52
53
Book #1 – Journal of Prince Henry Sinclair 1353
(Translated from Latin)
“Nov 5, 1353”
“My father gave me this journal for the celebration of my 8th birthday. He tells me to write
about things I want to remember when I am a man. This year Father Dominic will teach me
Latin, French, Gaelic and Norwegian. Father has promised to take me fishing with him in the
spring. I can’t wait to see the western banks and want to catch lots of fish.”
Commentary:
Little is known of the early life of Henry Sinclair as there are no parish records from that time
period. The manorial court rolls for Rosslyn and Orkney make record of his actions later in life
in the role as Earl of Rosslyn and Jarl of Orkney, but this is the first time we know his true birth
date of 5 Nov 1345. It’s interesting that at the age of ‘8’, a sacred number for some, that he is
given the opportunity to go to the western banks with his father. It appears to be a rite of
passage and is suggested that his father has visited the island before, as he knows where he is
going. The LDS Church (of which I am a member) also baptizes children at the age of 8 as they
feel that this is a time when they understand the difference between right and wrong and are
able to make their own decisions dependent upon what they've been taught. The age of 8 is
also used by other organizations as the 'age of accountability' and is considered to be a 'sacred'
number. For instance, the Maltese Cross worn by Templars has 8 points.
65
Figure 25 - Maltese Cross
There is a short essay on the Number of Deity, written by Scott Wolter, the host of the History
Channel's America Unearthed included as Appendix 1. Scott and his wife Janet have served as
mentors to me for the past two years as I've tried to understand and unravel the meaning of
Henry's entries. Please refer to it to better understand how different numbers mean different
65
https://www.maltauncovered.com/malta-history/maltese-cross/
54
things. They have also introduced me to others who are experts on different aspects of things
presented in the journals that have helped tremendously. I will try to include other things from
people who have helped with my research, as they become relevant.
Figure 26 – A view of Castle Sinclair Girnigoe from Sinclair's Bay, another Sinclair property
Figure 27 - Arms of the Feudal Earldom of Orkney
66
66
67
Castle Girnigoe and Castle Sinclair. SM622". Historic Environment Scotland. Retrieved 20 March 2017.
55
Henry Sinclair was the oldest son of William Sinclair, the 8th Lord of Rosslyn and his wife
Isabella Strathearn, daughter of Earl Malise of Orkney.68 When Henry was born, his mother was
only 17 and his father was 22. It was typical in medieval times for men to marry young and
produce an heir, as many men were killed during battle and didn’t survive past their forties.
This also meant that they married often if a wife died early in childbirth, and women remarried
again and again when they were still young enough to produce children.6970717273747576
Many authors, such as Frederick Pohl77, Bill Mann78, and Steven Sora79, have written about
Henry Sinclair and the Templar Treasure. However, much of what they have written is
conjecture and supposition as few records exist to support their theories. They assume that
because he was born in a titled, landed, and wealthy family that he would have had the best
education possible.
That seems to have been true, although further entries in his journals indicate that he was
taught more than just academic topics. He was raised in the Templar tradition of his
grandfather who had been the leader of the Templars and had fought in the battle of
Bannockburn80 in 1314 under Robert de’ Bruce. It was rumored that a battalion of Templars
(who were banned and outlawed in 1307 by King Phillip of France) had taken the field of battle
and won the day for Robert de' Bruce, led by Henry’s grandfather. This is verified in an entry
made by Henry Sinclair in an 1395 entry. It was rumored that on that same battlefield, Robert
de’ Bruce created the Order of St Andrew81 (Order of the Thistle) which protected and gave
property, refuge, and protection to the Templars in Scotland where the edict of King Philip of
67
Crawford (2013), pp. 15, 73, 143
http://www.orkneyjar.com/history/vikingorkney/angusline.htm
69
https://www.ancestry.com/interactive/1981/31205_Vol1800314/10064748?backurl=https://www.ancestry.com/familytree/person/tree/114166845/person/230131524427/facts/citation/760374111307/edit/record
70
Sinclair, Gerald, “The Enigmatic Sinclairs,” 2015, Sinclair Publications
71
https://archive.org/details/saintclairsofisl00sain
72
http://www.orkneyjar.com/history/historicalfigures/henrysinclair/index.html
73
https://archive.org/stream/recordsofearldom00clou/recordsofearldom00clou_djvu.txt
74
http://sinclair.quarterman.org/newport_tower.html
75
Memorials of the Family of Wemyss of Wemyss by Sir William Fraser,
https://archive.org/details/memorialsoffamil01fras
76
Scales, Jodie K., “Of Kindred Celtic Origins Volume 1,” published 2009
77
Pohl, Frederick, “Prince Henry Sinclair, An Expedition to the New World in 1398
78
Templar Sanctuaries in North America by Bill Mann, https://www.amazon.com/Templar-Sanctuaries-NorthAmerica-Bloodlines/dp/1620555271/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1533605891&sr=12&keywords=templar+treasure
79
The Lost Colony of the Templars: Verrazano's Secret Mission to America by Steven Sora https://www.amazon.com/Lost-Colony-Templars-Verrazanos-Mission/dp/1594770190
80
http://www.bbc.co.uk/scotland/history/articles/battle_of_bannockburn/
81
Stevenson, Katie "The Unicorn, St Andrew and the Thistle: Was there an Order of Chivalry in Late Medieval
Scotland?", Scottish Historical Review. Volume 83, Page 3–22, April 2004
68
56
France82 wasn’t enforced until 1327. Even then, only 2 Templars were arrested and brought to
trial and then released.
The Templar tradition ran deep in Henry's family and Henry was taught to abide by its principles
and beliefs. This is evidenced over and over by the entries he makes in his journals.
83
Figure 28 - King Philip of France
Henry was also educated in the ways of his mother whose ancestors came from Norway.
Through his mother, Henry was also heir to the Earl of Orkney and as a child learned of the old
religion practiced in Norway and Orkney, along with the Christian faith of Scotland. There was a
Cistercian monastery not far from Rosslyn84 and monks and clerics from the monastery were
always welcome at Rosslyn Castle on the shores of the Firth of Forth. There was even a
workroom in the basement of the castle for clerics to translate ancient texts. It was most likely
a Cistercian monk who taught Henry as a young boy. Henry often mentions Norwegian and
Orkney festivals, which where most likely celebrated by his entire family. He mentions them as
a celebration of the “old and new religions” which he was taught to respect.
82
http://www.knightstemplarorder.org/templar-survival/
https://steemit.com/history/@ocupation/templars-soldiers-of-christ
84
Balmerino Abbey - https://www.nts.org.uk/stories/little-gems
83
57
th
85
Figure 29 - Balmerino Abbey in Fifeshire, Scotland established in the 13 Century
86
Figure 30 - Balmerino Abbey Medeival Chapter House
The best sources for factual information on the Sinclair family come from the Sinclairs
themselves in St Clairs of the Isles by Roland William Sinclair, published in 186287, and The
Enigmatic Sinclairs88 written by Gerald Sinclair in 2016. Both are written using factual resources
and I have come to rely on both, plus the expertise of Orkney researchers who know so much
more about Orkney and the Sinclair family than I do. I actually had to look up Orkney on the
85
IBID
https://www.britainexpress.com/attractions.htm?attraction=5019
87
St Clairs of the Isles by Roland William Sinclair, published 1862
88
Enigmatic Sinclairs by Gerald Sinclair, published 2015
86
58
internet in order to find it on the map when I first started researching. Like many others, I'd
never heard of it. My research on the Wemyss had been confined to Scotland and I didn’t know
of their ancient beginnings in Skarra Brae in Orkney and Greenland.
89
Figure 31 - Skarra Brae in Orkney
89
http://www.orkneyjar.com/history/skarabrae/
59
Figure 32 - Orkney Island in relationship to Scotland
90
“April 18th, 1354”
“This day we leave to fish on the western banks with my father and six of his fishing vessels. I
am excited to be included and will try not to be sick of the rough water. We are to travel first
to the monastery in a barque of 8 tons with my father and eleven men. Once in (Iceland) we
will travel with additional fishing boats to the western banks. Father has been there many
times but this is the first time I have been allowed to accompany him.”
90
http://kingarthur.wikia.com/wiki/Orkney
60
To buy a complete version of this book, please go to http://www.lulu.com/shop/diana-jmuir/the-lost-templar-journals-of-prince-henry-sinclair-book-1-13531395/paperback/product-23844155.html
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