USA > New York > Genesee County > Our county and its people : a descriptive and biographical record of Genesee County, New York, v. 2 > Part 6
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Whole No of Children
Aggregate Days of At-
tendance During
Value at School Build.
me and Sites.
.Assessed Valuation of
Districts,
Publie Money Received
Amount of Moneyi
Raised by Local
Taxation.
Alabama
11
11
050 5 -. 424 $ : 615 S
735.043 8 1.315 15 $ 2 078 20
Alexander
9
11
317 33 463
10,455
1.065,361
1,401 94
1.735 18
Batavia
12
43 2.190 253.931 155.750
15,200
1.127.373
1 429 -4
3,590 09
Bethany
11
11
314 30.847
7,595
567. 2651
1.275 65
1.972 79
Byron
10
295 36.709
4. 500
1,121.20%
1,200 94
2.660 02
Darien
13
13
399 28 195
1.266.1.6
1,510 65
2.194 05
Elba
9
11
800 33,063
7,450
$50.045
1,294 15
2,719 09
Le Roy
9
21
$00 94.186
16.5201
2 .- 98.85!
2.551 60
6,802 62
Oakfield
S
10
354 10 052,
10.825
731.350
1,377 43
2.669 75
Pavilion
9
11
291 81.770
9,500
976,510
1.251 21
3,589 27
Pembroke
18
16
558 56.111
11,925
1.170.461
2.067 18
3,353 19
Stafford
S
10
917
36.941
6,525
1.374,955
1,221 00
2,521 04
Total
129 191 6.856 753, 605 8306, 273 819. 454.015 821. 913 48 860.921 22
CHAPTER XX.
MASONRY IN GENESEE COUNTY.1
Batavia Lodge No. 415, Free and Accepted Masons, is the outgrowth or successor of several Masonic organizations, now extinet, the first of which, Olive Branch Lodge No. 39, was chartered in 1811. May 10, 1810, Isaiah Babcock of Batavia drafted a petition to the Grand Lodge asking for the institution of a lodge in this village, and this paper was signed by the following resident members of the Masonic fraternity: Ezra Platt, Tom Lemon, Richard Smith, Thomas Olcott, Lemuel Fos-
' Much of the information obtained in this chapter was taken from Daval Sert 's "H Story "! Masonry at Battant," published in 199 The chapter has been revised be Chars & W Nakle, esq,, secretary of Batavia Lodge No 475, P. & \ M.
5.268.141
6.454 40 24,036 75
Bergen
13
474 59.290
lagal Term.
Attending School.
School Year
froin Stale,
416
OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.
ter, Cyrus Griswold, William Rumsey, Bateman Fisk, Isaiah Babcock, Frederick A. Curtis, Sebe Brainard, Edmund Tracy, Isaac Marsh, Jason Munn and Isaac Lincoln. The petition was recommended by Genesee Lodge No. 130, of Avon. The latter lodge, however, was in arrears in its dues to the Grand Lodge, and the parent body decided that the warrant for the lodge at Batavia should not be issued until the lodge at Avon " paid up its dues." The latter organization soon after com- plied with the demand of the Grand Lodge and the dispensation sought was soon after granted. The petitioners originally intended to name their lodge Fredonian Lodge, but for some reason they decided to sub- stitute the name of Olive Branch Lodge.
The dispensation for Olive Branch Lodge was issued March 9, 1811, and signed by De Witt Clinton, Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of the State of New York. The new lodge was regularly instituted on May 30, 1811, at the tavern of William Keyes in Batavia, by Dr. Charles Little of Avon, past master of Genesee Lodge No. 130. The minutes of that historie meeting read as follows:
May 30, 1811.
Olive Branch Lodge, after having been duly installed in virtue of a Warrant of Installation, given by the Most Worshipfull, the Hon. De Witt Clinton, esq., Grand Master of Masons of the State of New York to our Worthy Brother Charles Little, for that purpose, met at the house of Wm. Keyes, in the Village of Batavia, on the the 30th of May. A. L., 5.11, and was opened on the first step of Masonry.
Present, the Worshipfull Ezra Platt, Master; Richard Smith, Senior Warden ; Lemnel Foster, Junior Warden; Wm. Rumsey, Treasurer, Isaiah Babcock, Seere- tary; Sebe Brainard. Senior Deacon ; Isaac Lincoln, Junior Deacon; Bateman Fisk, Matthew B. Eames, Stewards; Luther Cutler, Tyler.
Brethren present: Jonathan Hastings, Alexander Rea, Edmund Tracy, Josiah Risdou, George Cassick, Wm. Hastings, Cyrus Griswold, James Ganson, Abner Ashley, Othniel Field. Benjamin Allen, Solomon Lathrop.
The lodge then proceeded to business.
The petition of Parmenio Adams, praying the benefits of Masoury of this lodge, was read by the Secretary, who reported the receipt of $s. On motion, ordered the same to be placed on file. The Entered Apprentice Lodge was dispensed with and that of Fellow Craft opened. The Fellow Crafts Lodge was dispensed with and a Masters Lodge duly opened.
The by-laws of Genesee Lodge being read, on motion, ordered that the W. Master be requested to appoint a committee to revise the same and report their proceedings at the next meeting. Whereupon the W Master appointed brothers Richard Smith. William Rumsey and Isaiah Babcock said committee.
Voted that the next stated meeting of this lodge be on Wednesday evening next succeeding the second Tuesday of June next, at 6 o'clock P. M.
The several lodges were then closed in due form.
--- 1
417
MASONRY.
The early meetings of Olive Branch Lodge were generally held at the public taverns, no regular headquarters having been furnished. Aaron Van Cleve, sheriff and proprietor of an early tavern, set apart a commodious room in his hostelry which was used as a lodge room for some time after the first two meetings, which were held at Keyes's tav- ern. September 2, 1811, the trustees of the Batavia school district, in conjunction with a cominittee from Olive Branch Lodge, purchased a lot on the north side of Main street, at the corner of Ross street, for five dollars. Nathan Rumsey, the original owner, stipulated in the contract for the sale that a two-story brick building should be erected upon this lot within one and one-half years, the lower portion of which should be occupied as a school and the upper portion as a Masonic lodge room. The local members of the Masonic fraternity subscribed funds toward the erection of the building, but the War of 1812 caused a delay in the construction of the edifice, which was not completed until the winter of 1813-14. February 28, 1814, the lodge held its first meeting in its new quarters.
Up to the spring of 1813 the lodge had been working under a dispen- sation. But in response to a petition, the Grand Lodge, on May 20, 1813, granted a full charter to " Olive Branch Lodge No. 215," in which Richard Smith was named as first worshipful master, Lemuel Foster as first senior warden and John Zenas Ross as first junior warden. The lodge was formally instituted under the complete warrant December 21, 1813, at which time the first meeting under the new charter was held. According to the minutes of that meeting,
A Master Lodge, being duly opened and dispensed with, and that of Past Masters duly opened in virtue of a charter granted by the Grand Lodge of the State of New York, dated in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirteen, and in the year of Masonry five thousand eight hundred and thirteen, empowering cer- tain Brethren therein namned and their associates to ho'd a Lodge in the town of Ba- tavia, to be distinguished by the name or style of Olive Branch Lodge, No. 215. Present, Bro. Frederick A. Curtis, R. W. M. ; Lemuel Foster, W. S. W. : James Gan- son, W. J. W. ; John Latham, W. Treasurer ; Thomas Olcott, W. Tyler. Brother Rich- ard Smith received the degree of Past Master and was conducted to the chair by W. Bro. Ganson and duly seated by R. W. Bro. Frederick A. Curtis. The lodge was then closed in due form.
December 21, 1813. Olive Branch Lodge met at the lodge room in the Village of Batavia. Present, Richard Smith, W M. ; Lemuel Foster, S. W. ; John Z. Ross, J. W .; Edmund Tracy, T. P. T .; John Latham, S P. T. ; Wm. Sheklon, S. D. P. T. ; Isaac Lincoln, S. D. P.T. : Frederick Fitch, J. D. P.T. ; Blanchard Powers and Bate- man Fisk, S. ; E. Tracy, Tyler. Brethren present: Samuel Latham, Ehjah Gray,
27
418
OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.
Levi Farnham, Jason Mann, James Ganson, Thomas Olcott, Frederick A. Curtis. The petition of Uriah P. M. Monro being balloted for the same appeared clear. The Lodge was then closed to meet on the 27th inst. at 2 r. M.
Olive Branch Lodge now being a fully matured, permanent organ ization, the members became very zealous and active and the lodge consequently prospered. According to the by-laws adopted, " Wednes- day before the full moon " was selected as the time for regular monthly communications. The fees for admission were: Eight dollars for the first degree, four dollars for the second and four for the third. The annual dues were fifty cents, payable one shilling quarterly. Each member also paid the stewards twenty-five cents additional as "even- ing dues for refreshments, " except at special meetings, when the can. didates were expected to pay the bill for the evening entertainment. The by-laws also provided that the secretary should be paid two shill- ing for every petition filed, whether the candidate was accepted or re- jected. The brick school house and lodge room, contracted for in 1811, was now finished and made ready for occupancy. The first session of the lodge was held therein February 28, 1814. Even at the first meeting it was evident that the new quarters were inadequate; consequently the lodge frequently convened at the taverns of William Keyes, Paul Knowl. ton. Doddridge Loomis and John S. Leonard in Batavia, and in the famous inn ot Worthy L. Churchill, which was located on the road to Stafford, about three miles east of the court house. August 1, 1816, the lodge appointed Richard Smith. Benjamin Allen and Blanchard Pow- ers a committee to confer with the other proprietors of the school build- ing relative to buying or selling their respective rights in the structure. Whether they succeeded or not does not appear upon the records of the lodge, but the latter body abandoned its quarters in the school house' and the building was used in the future exclusively for school purposes. That the school district refused to buy out the right of the lodge in the premises in 1816 is evident, however, from the fact that on May >, 1542. the lodge, then located in Bethany, decided to sell the right of Olive Branch lodge in the building to the Batavia lodge of Old Fellows for twenty-five dollars. Whether this sale was ultimately consummated does not appear, but it is known that the building was used as a school house until 1854, when it was sold to William S. Mallory, who converted it into a dwelling house. It subsequently was demolished.
In 1819 Olive Branch Lodge was nearly disrupted by internal dissen-
1 This was the irs: 1. 04. bu iling erected in the village of Batavia,
419
MASONRY.
sions and the institution of new lodges, which numbered among their members numerous Masons who formerly had affiliated with the Batavia organization. In 1815 Le Roy Lodge No. 260 was formed at Le Roy. In 1816 Allegany Lodge No. 211 was instituted at South Pembroke (now Darien), and Rising Star Lodge No. 317 was instituted at Attica. Besides these, lodges had also been organized at Sheldon, Middlebury and Warsaw. Later on lodges were also formed in the towns of Byron, Alexander, Stafford, Bergen and Covington. Consequently, despite the enthusiasm among the members of the craft at Batavia, the mem- bership decreased so rapidly that there soon remained hardly enough resident Masons to hold a session. Yet the meetings were continued in various places in Batavia and Bethany.
The last meeting of Olive Branch Lodge at Batavia was held Decem- ber 14, 1820, when these officers was elected: W. M., Abner Ashley, Bethany: S. W., Uriel Spencer, Bethany; J. W., Kelsey Stone, Bata. via; treasurer, John Nash, Batavia; secretary, Josiah Churchill, Beth any: S. D .. Hezekiah B Pierpont, Batavia; J. D., William R. Thomp- son, Batavia; stewards, Jonathan Gregg, Bethany; John Wilson, Bethany; tiler, Z. Howe, Bethany. The first meeting at Bethany was held April 5, 1821, at the tavern of Cornelius J. and Jedediah Lincoln.
According to the action of the lodge on November 2, 1820, it was in- tended that the removal of the organization to Bethany should be nothing but a temporary step, for the express purpose of keeping the membership up to the highest possible figure; and it was expected that at the end of three or four years the lodge would be strong enough to move back to Batavia and there continue to work. During the suc- ceeding four years, from 1820 to 1821, a number of Masons removed from other places to Batavia, and the resident members of the craft began to discuss the return of the lodge's headquarters to the county seat. By 1824 fully fifty Masons lived in Batavia, and for many of them it was inconvenient to attend the sessions at Bethany. Conse- quently the Batavia brethren made formal application for the right to resume sessions regularly at Batavia, But the Bethany brethren in- sisted upon having a lodge of their own, though conceding practically everything else asked. The result of the movement was a compromise, whereby the Bethany brethren were permitted to retain the old name and warrant, while the Batavia brethren kept possession of all the funds and effects for the purpose of organizing a new lodge under a different name. The records of the meeting of Olive Branch Lodge November 8, 1824, show the following action :
120
OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.
Voted, That Olive Branch Lodge be and remain in the town of Bethany for time immemorial, and that this Lodge recommend to the Grand Lodge the granting of a charter for the brethren of Batavia.
Also voted, That the new Lodge (to be known as Batavia Lodge) shall have all the funds of this Lodge (Olive Branch Lodge) up to the first Wednesday in Decem. ber next, and the furniture, except the jewels.
Ou the same evening a petition was then drawn up and signed by fifteen brethren asking for the formation of Batavia Lodge, in which William Seaver was named as First Worshipful Master, Blanchard Powers as First Senior Warden, and Richard Dibble as First Junior Warden. The requisite recommendatory certificate was then formally endorsed, and the following day the documents were forwarded to the Grand Master. Later on nearly twenty other members of Olive Branch Lodge transferred their affiliation to the new organization.
Thus ended the career of Olive Branch Lodge in Batavia After a career of several years in Bethany it was finally removed to Le Roy, where it still exists. This, the first lodge of Masons in Genesee county, numbered among its members many of the most substantial and influ- ential men of the day. The following is an accurate list of all those who were connected with it from the time of its institution to the year 1820, and of the Batavia residents initiated up to 1824, when the Batavia members withdrew for the purpose of organizing a new lodge:
Original petitioners -- Ezra Platt. Isaac Lincoln, Isaac Marsh, Tom Lemon, Thomas Olcott, Jason Munn, Le Roy; Richard Smith, Lemuel Foster, William Rumsey, Isaiah Babcock, Batavia; Sebe Brainard, Edmund Tracy, Alexander ; Cyrus Gris- wold, Frederick A. Curtis, Sheldon; Bateman Fisk.
1811-1812-Othuiel Field, Benjamin Allen, Dr. John Zenas Ross, Luther Cutler. John Latham, Abel Wheeler, Dr. Winter Hewitt, Samuel Peek, Rev. Isaac Jones, Dr. David MeCracken, Richard Godfrey, Dr. John Hubbard, Blanchard Powers. Uriah P. B. Munro, Batavia; George Cassick, Mathew B. Eames, Alexander Rea, Josiah Goodrich, Pardee Brainard, Samuel Latham, Alexander: Buel Brown, Solo- mon Lathrop. Abner Ashley, Jotham Bisbee, Jehiel Mitchell, Bethany; Jonathan Hastings, William Hastings, Darien; Judge John H. Jones, Cuylerville; Joshua Green, Byron. Levi Farnham, Le Roy; Damel Audrews, Michael Andrews, Par- menio Adams, Thomas Cooley, Attica.
1814-Benjamin Butterfield. Wilham Whitman, John Lamberton, Joel Thompson, A-a Fuller, EphraimTowner, Asahel Wright, Doddridge Loomis, Charles G. Eggleston. Charles S. Rumsey, Calvin Houghton, Benjamin C. Adams, Abel Bigelow, Jonathan Scott, Batavia; Newcomb Demery, Levi Thompson, Norman Brainard, Noah North, Suel Fisher, Alexander: Dr. Benjamin H. Packard, Liberty Judd. Roswell Lathrop, Rev. William Barlow, Bethany: Elijah Cheeney, Pavilion; Gaius B. Rich, Attica : James Stage, Stafford; Otis Bramin. David Riddle, Moody R. Freeman, Erastus Crosby, Dr. Robert H Henderson, residence not given.
1>15-Thomas II. Clark, Jeremiah West, Oliver B. Smith, Norman Shepard, Dr. Orris Crosby, James MeKain, jr., George E. Martin, Seymour Kellogg, Benjamin
421
MASONRY.
Porter, sr., Benjamin Porter, jr., Jacob Hall, Gurdon Huntington, Capt. William Hull. James Hoyt, Asahel Powers, Batavia; Phineas Stevens, Le Roy; Joseph Wilder, Attica; Calvin Barross, Bethany; James Cronk, Amherst; Nehemiah Tracy, Alexander; Elisha Godfrey. Stafford; Henry St. John, Reuben T. Baker, Samuel McDongall, William Coffee, Eber Decow, John Easterbrook, Robbins Stillman, Ebenezer Pratt, Abuer Colby, John H. Redstone, residence not given.
1816-Dr. Ephraim Brown, Benjamin Blodgett, George W. Blodgett, Moses Beecher, John F. Cary, Samuel Lake, John Richardson, jr., Samuel J. Grannis, Thomas I). Campbell, Silas Frisbie, Henry O. Bronson, Batavia; Job Cole, David Goss, East Pembroke; Eden Foster, Stafford; Jasper Bennett, Bethany; Erastus Barrett, Al- fred Peck, Edward Taylor, residence not given.
1817-Daniel Tisdale, Rev. Samuel Johnson, Milton W. Rogers, John Showerman, Levi Kimball, James Cawte, Batavia; Henry Rumsey, Josiah Churchill, Joseph Towner, Dr. Daniel Rumsey, Elisha Walker Rumsey, Bethany ; Joseph Harris, resi- dence not given.
1818-1819-Rev. Elsha House, Hezekiah B. Pierpont, Leicester Stone, Elijah Spencer, Jabez Howe, Kelsey Stone, Lyman D. Wood, John Nash, William R. Thompson, Batavia; Heman Nelson, Alexander; Uriel Spencer, Bethany.
1520 -. William F. Lake, Thomas G. Green, Peter Daw, Batavia; Jonathan Gregg, John Wilson, Z. Howe, Bethany; Amos Wright, Peter Richardson, Zachariah H. Royce, residence not given.
1822-1524 -- John Chatfield, Rev. Levi S. Ives, Henry Tisdale, Alfred Pember, John Wills, John Getty, William Purcell, Adams Getty, Israel Webber, Ephraim Powers, Batavia.
The following residents of Batavia were initiated at Bethany in 1840- 1842: Michael MeDonald, Stevens T. Crane, Dr. Thomas T. Everett, Dr. James A. Billings, Richard S. Blennerhassett, Lucas Seaver. Dr. William II. Webster, Duane Patterson, Daniel M. Seaver, Eli Todd Lewis. These were initiated at Le Roy in 1848: William H. Preston, William H. Moody, Sanford S. Clark.
Following is a complete and accurate list of all the officers of Olive Branch Lodge and the years of their service :
Masters-1811, Ezra Pratt, 1812-1514. Richard Smith; 1815, Lemuel Foster ; 1816- 1817, Blanchard Powers; 1818, John Zenas Ross; 1819-1820, Blanchard Powers.
Senior Wardens-1911-1-19, Richard Smith; 1813-1814, Lemuel Poster; 1815, John Z. Ross; 1816, Edmund Tracy; 1817, Charles S. Rumsey; 1815-1819, Eden Foster : 1820, Ephraim Towner.
Junior Wardens-1811-1812, Lemuel Foster: 1813-1814, John Z. Ross; 1815, Blanch- ard Powers: 1816, Charles S. Rumsey; 1817, Benjamin Allen: 1818, Benjamin Blod- gett; 1919-1920, Abner Ashley.
Treasurers-1811-1815, William Rumsey, 1816, Benjamin Allen; 1817, Benjamin Porter, sr. ; 1818, Abner Ashley, 1819-1920, Noah North.
Secretaries-1811-1815. Isaiah Babcock; 1916, Richard Smith; 1817, Thomas II. Clarke; 1818-1820, Samuel Lake.
422
OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.
Senior Deacons -- 1811-1814, Sebe Brainard; 1815, Benjamin Allen; 1916, James McKain; 1817, Gurdon Huntington; 1818, Norman Shepard; 1919, Gordon Hunt- ington; 1820, Kelsey Stone.
Junior Deacons-1811-1814, Isaac Lincoln; 1815, C. G. Eggleston; 1816, Jacob Hull; 1817, James Cawte; 1518, James McKain; 1819, James Cawte; 1820, Uriel Spencer.
Stewards -- 1811-1811, Matthew B. Eames, Bateman Fisk : 1815, Calvin Houghton, Abner Ashley; 1816, Benjamin Porter, jr., Norman Shepard; 1818, Asahel Powers, Moses Beecher: 1818, Levi Kimball, James Cawte; 1819, Asahel Powers, John Showerman; 1820, Hezekiah B. Pierpont, Leicester Stone.
Tilers-1811-1814, Luther Cutler: 1815-1817, Levi Thompson ; 1813-1520 Jonathan Scott.
The petition for the formation of the new lodge at Batavia bore date November 8, 1-24, was officially recommended by Olive Branch Lodge, and bears the signatures of the following brethren, who thus became the charter members of the new lodge:
William Seaver, master; Blanchard Powers, senior warden; Dr. Rich- ard Dibble, junior warden ; Richard Smith, treasurer; Richard Martin, secretary; Dr. John Z. Ross, Dr. Ephraim Brown, William R. Thomp- son, Benjamin C. Adams, Ephraim Towner, John Wills, Benjamin Por- ter, sr., Orange Allen, Samuel Graves, Alfred Pember.
A dispensation for the new lodge was granted April 30, 1825, by Grand Master Joseph Enos, and June 8, 1825, the Grand Lodge grauted a permanent warrant of constitution under the name of Batavia Lodge No. 433, F. & A M. The first meeting of the new lodge was held August 15, 1825, at the Eagle tavern of Bissell Humphrey, located on the site of Hotel Richmond, on the southeast corner of Main and Court streets. On September 20, following, Dr. John Cotes was initiated into the first degree, he being the first person to be made a Mason by the new lodge.
Early in the winter arrangements were made for the installation of Batavia Lodge. This event was first arranged for December 13, but for some reason a postponement was had until December 19, when the ceremony occurred in St. James Episcopal church. A procession formed in front of Humphrey's tavern at eleven o'clock in the morning, under the direction General Ephraim Towner, marshal of the day. Headed by a band the body proceeded to the church, where the following pro- gramme was carried out : Instrumental music; prayer; Masonic Ode by the choir, under direction of HI. Gifford, choirmaster of St. James church; address by Rev. M. Smith; instrumental music; consecration
423
MASONRY.
of the lodge; chant -- " Cantata Domino"; installation of officers; vo- cal music, " Strike the Cymbal;" benediction.
Soon after the institution of Batavia Lodge came the mysterious dis- appearance of the notorious William Morgan, an event which is referred to in detail in preceding pages. In the exciting times which followed for several years the lodge met only at intervals, and then usually with great secresy. As this event marks the most important epoch in the history of Masonry in the United States, the following complete list of the members of the lodge in 1826, the year of Morgan's disappearance, is given. It is worthy of notice that but two members of Batavia Lodge ever renounced Masonry-George W. Harris, who was expelled August 15, 1826, and subsequently married the widow of William Morgan, and Samuel D. Greene, who was expelled February 8, 1821. The other members of the lodge at this time were:
William Seaver, Blanchard Powers, Dr. Richard Dibble, Dr. Ephraim Brown, Richard Martin, Richard Smith, Dr. John Z. Ross, William R. Thompson, Benjamin C. Adanis, Samuel Graves, Orange Allen, John Willis, Benjamin Porter, sr., Alfred Pember, Ephraim Towner, Henry Brown, Rev. Lucius Smith, Johnson Goodwill, John Lamberton, Peter Daw, John S Ganson, Dr. Jonas S. Billings, Cotton Denio, Leicester Stone, Benjamin Allen, George E. Martin, Joseph Clark, Jabez Harve, Nathan Townsend, Daniel Latinier, Daniel Tisdale, John Showerman, Kelsey Stone, Benjamin Blodgett, Dr. John Hubbard, Philo W. Stocking. Alba Burnham, John Chatfield, Dr. John Cotes, Nathan Follett, Charles C Church, Joseph W. C. Coffin, John Foote, Wray T. Palmer, Amos P Parker, Nahum Loring, Frederick Follett, Benjamin F. Towner, Heze- kiah D. Platt, Ezekiel King, Joel Chandler, Joseph Nixon, Ebeneser Mix, Simeon C. Steele, Joseph Baker, Jason Grattan, Silas Finch, Daniel H. Chandler, Abner Pratt, Lyman Swift, George Metzger. Lewis Swift, Parley Paine, Simeon Cumings, Samuel C. Holden, Joseph W. Churchill, Horace Seaver, Phineas Dodge, Phineas Silsby, Thomas MeCully, John Wilson, George L. Davis, Benjamin Stetson, Robert Clark.
In 1826 Batavia Chapter No. 122, Royal Arch Masons, came into ex- istence. Rev. Lucius Smith was its first high priest, William Seaver its first king and Henry Brown its first seribe.
June 25, 1839, Batavia Lodge forfeited its charter, and for three years Masonry was a dead letter in Batavia. Meantime a large number of lodges had become extinct, by reason of the anti Masonic agitation fol- lowing the Morgan episode, and the Grand Lodge renumbered the ex-
424
OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE
isting subordinate lodges. By this act Batavia Lodge became No. SS. and its first meeting as such was held June 1, 1842, at " Holden's upper sitting room," Brother Eden Foster presiding. These officers were at that time elected: Master, Ebenezer Mix; S W., Thomas McCully: J. W., Joel Allen ; treasurer, Abiel W. Ensign; secretary, Daniel M. Seaver ; S. D., Stevens T. Crane; J. D., Joseph N. Perry; stewards, Horace Eells and Jabez Howe; tiler, Richard Austin.
Meantime the lodge had met at various places-sometimes at Hol- den's tavern, sometimes at O. T. Fargo's tavern, which stood about midway between Batavia and Alexander, and sometimes at the Genesee House. In January, 1844, headquarters were established in the old " Cobblestone block, " where most of the meetings were held until 184;, when the lodge again surrendered its charter. This dissolution was brought about principally by internal dissension. The warrant was taken away November 9, 1847.
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