A new petition for a Lodge to be located in the Town of Willink was drawn up and dated May 19, 1816, and recommended Brothers, Isaac Phelps, Jr. as their first Worshipful Master; Hawxhurst Addington, Senior Warden; and James Stevens, Junior Warden. Among the signers of the petition appear the names of the following:
Brothers; Benjamin McKay, Henry D. Stevens, William A. Burt, William Warren, David Norton, and Seth Abbott.
Several of these names were identical with those attached to the petition for the lodge “West Orb of Light Lodge.” The petition was recommended by Western Star Lodge No. 239, on February 5, 1817.
BLAZING STAR LODGE received the number “294”, and the Charter was dated, July 31, 1817. An endorsement on the petition, made by the Grand Secretary, R∴W∴ Elias Hicks reads as follows:
“This Warrant was granted on a former petition, on December, 6, 1815, but never taken out; $30.00 was then received by J. Wells, Esq., who has paid the same to me.” (R∴W∴ John Wells was the Grand Secretary at the time when “West Orb of Light Lodge” petitioned for a Lodge.)
There is no doubt the petition, referred to upon which the $30 fee was paid and endorsed as having been received was that of “West Orb of Light Lodge”; therefore, my conclusion is that possibly, due to the poor mail service at that time, the communication from Grand Lodge was never received by the Brethren, so in due time they drew up a second petition changing the name desired to BLAZING STAR Lodge. Whatever the reason being, BLAZING STAR LODGE No. 294 became the second oldest Lodge in Erie County.