Early History of Freemasonry in Erie County

“Early History of Freemasonry in Erie County, New York State” is an article by W∴ Charles L Ketchum, Jr published in the Works Under Dispensation of the WNY Lodge of Research in 1982.
The Author’s Note: “A special thanks to the many Lodge Secretaries, Historians and Worshipful Masters who were kind enough to send me information about their Lodge History. These Histories helped in the preparation of this paper.”
References
“H. Perry Smith’s History of the City of Buffalo and Erie County – 1884” – (Vol. I pg.12; Vol. 2 pg. 351 – 367 by M. Pinner and Gen. John C. Graves)
“Freemasonry at Batavia, NY 1811 – 1891” by David Seaver – 1891


Critique of the paper by W∴ Rev. Don C. Markham
{February 7, 1983}
The paper, as presented by W∴ Charles L. Ketchum, Jr., is an extremely accurate and well-developed view of Freemasonry in Erie County in the early days. However, dealing with a subject like this is limited by the paucity of materials to be studied. One must search far afield in order to tract down names, activities, etc. Using only one reference is very shallow. Brother Ketchum mentions that Lodges and historians were contacted, but fails to list any of them. Use of other source materials might be desirable, such as contemporary newspapers, other local and regional histories, etc.
A point of information germane to the subject is regarding one of the Character Members of Western Star Lodge, i.e., Rowland Cotton, and I would share the following information with you:
SUBJECT: Captain Rowland Cotton, member of Independent Royal Arch Lodge, an Army Lodge in the American Army during the Revolutionary War.
Rowland Cotton – born March 22, 1759 at Pomfret, Connecticut, son of Samuel and Mary (Dresser) Cotton.
Enlisted in the American Army, Connecticut Troops, in December 1775. He was in the Battles of Harlem Heights and Trenton; crossed the Delaware with General Washington; was in the Battles of Princeton, Germantown, and Fort Mifflin; wintered at Valley Forge; was in the Battle of Monmouth, N.J. and took part in the siege of Yorktown, Virginia and was present at the surrender of Lord Cornwallis. He was discharged with the rank of sergeant in June 1783.
In 1790 he was living in Montgomery County, New York, where he accepted a commission as Captain in the New York Militia.
Captain Cotton also served in the War of 1812 as Captain and acting Brigade Quartermaster under Brigade General Timothy S. Hopkins of the New York Militia. He was wounded in the knee in the retreat from Black Rock on December 30, 1813.
Brother Cotton was the first Senior Warden of Otsego Lodge No. 138, at Cooperstown, New York, this Lodge having been instituted in 1795.
Brother Cotton married Kezia Holt of Windham, Connecticut. She was the daughter of Lt. Daniel and Kezia (Rush) Holt of the same town.
Brother Cotton signed the petition in December 1807, for Western Star Lodge No. 239, at New Amsterdam (now Buffalo), New York. On March 10, 1812, he was installed as the tiler of this Lodge.
Brother Cotton owned a large tract of land in Western New York of which part is now in the heart of Buffalo.
His Masonic Diploma was issued on March 8, 1783 by Independent Royal Arch Lodge No. 8 (now No. 2) in the last cantonment of the American Army near Newburgh, New York. This Diploma is safely preserved in the Archives of that Lodge.
Just how or why Captain Cotton came to be buried in Attica we do not know, but he is and he died on June 11, 1847.
All in all, this was a good paper and a valuable addition to the fount of Masonic knowledge. Congratulations on a difficult topic well-considered!

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