War of 1812

With the 200th anniversary of the War of 1812 approaching, there is a lot of interest in the Niagara Peninsula and beyond. Books are being published, historical landmarks are being refurbished and many people are planning day trips to visit points of interest that were significant during the war. Masons too are interested in what was happening in masonry back then and are visiting lodges from that era. Hamilton Masonic District B has one of these Lodges.

As the 18th century was drawing to a close eight pioneer UEL settlers gathered to form a Masonic Lodge under a warrant issued by the Grand Lodge of England, for a Lodge of Masons at the Forty Mile Creek in Upper Canada, as Grimsby was then known.

Union Lodge No. 7, the 4^th oldest Masonic Lodge in Ontario, held their first meeting December 17, 1799 at the house of John Foote, a red-framed building sometimes called The Red Tavern, located on the north side of Main St. E., just west of Kingsway Blvd. in Grimsby.

Because of the war of 1812-15 the Lodge was forced to close.  The last meeting recorded being September 26, 1812, when the Lodge closed in perfect harmony at nine o'clock," and it was not until April 11, 1816, that the next meeting was held.

During the war the jewels, warrant and record books of the Lodge were placed in an old wooden trunk and were hidden in a log house on the farm of Bro. Samuel Kitchen,  located on the south side of Main Street across from Park School. It is recorded that Mrs. Kitchen, who was a great admirer of the Craft, saw that the jewels were kept polished and that the other valuables were in good condition. She often told the story of the hiding of the jewels to Mrs. Forbes, her daughter, who was the wife of R.W. Bro. William Forbes of Grimsby.  At the close of hostilities they  were returned in good condition to the Lodge.

The following is a list of Founding and Early Members with their contributions during the War of 1812.

Col. Robert Nelles - First Master

Col. Robert Nelles’ family was with a group of Loyalists in the Mohawk Valley, New York State, who lost their property and fled into this district between the years 1783 -1787. He built around him a small community. His home, "The Manor," 126 Main St. West, built in 1798, is often termed the oldest home between Niagara and the Bay of Quinte. He owned and operated a Mill, an Inn, a stage-coach and a boat service. He was elected Township Warden from 1797 until 1801, at which time he was elected to the Legislature of Upper Canada. He represented Lincoln, W. York and Haldimand from 1801 to 1808 and again from 1813 to 1820.

Col. Robert Nelles was largely responsible for the formation of the 4th Lincoln Regiment, of which he was in command at the end of the War of 1812. He served all during the war and was in the battles of Queenston Heights and Lundy's Lane.

Allan Nixon - First Junior Warden

The Family history records that Allan was commissioned a Lieutenant in the 4th Lincoln Regiment in 1809 and that he served in the War of 1812. But it could only have been for a brief period as both he and his wife, Mary, died within a week of one another early in 1813 of cholera - he on March 19, she on March 25.

Jonathan Moore - First Treasurer

Jonathan was a Lieutenant in the 5th Lincoln Regiment during the War of 1812 and, as he died in 1813, he may have been a casualty.

James Henry - First Deacon

Family records state that Captain James Henry was one of the first settlers of Upper Canada. He was but fourteen years of age when he and his father were travelling over the Allegheny mountains in search of land and he was captured by the Indians and held prisoner by them for four years. At this time when the Indians were at Niagara, he made his escape by paddling a canoe across the river to the Canadian side. The first person he met was Col. John Butler and he put himself under the latter's charge until he was old enough to take up land. He was a Captain under Col. John Butler in the 4th Lincoln Regiment and served in the War of 1812.

Henry Hixon - First Candidate

 "Captain Hixon", was active in Masonic and Militia affairs at The Forty. When Governor Simcoe formed his loyal Lincoln Regiments, Henry Hixon became an officer in the 4th Lincoln. He served with that regiment during the War of 1812 and was in several battles. There was a story told by a brother officer, Jonathan A. Pettit, that after the Battle of Stoney Creek, the American army retired to The Forty and were forced to flee from that position when Yeo's fleet shelled them from the lake. He and Captain Hixon took their arms and went in pursuit along the shore, and captured about 40 American prisoners.

Dr. Cyrus Sumner

Dr. Cyrus Sumner was a well known physician to the pioneer communities of Niagara. He served with General Sir Isaac Brock’s army in the War of 1812, and was the only surgeon attached to the force that occupied Detroit.

The lodge is in possession of his 1804 handmade Masonic apron pictured below.

The above information has been used with permission from Two Hundred Years at “The Forty”, the Official History of Union Lodge A.F. & A.M. No. 7, G.R.C. which was compiled by R.W. Bro. Robert J. Brooks, P.D.D.G.M.

History of Hamilton Masonic

 District 'B'

In 1795 the first Lodge to call Hamilton its home was The Barton Lodge which held its first meeting at Smith's Tavern in Hamilton. In 1799 the second Lodge in the Hamilton area was established at Forty Mile Creek (Grimsby) and was called Union Lodge. The original District was called The Gore District and stretched from Grimsby to Oakville. Immediately following the end of World War I there were 8 Lodges formed in this vicinity.

When the Grand Lodge of Canada was formed in 1855, Hamilton Masons were in Upper Canada. The accompanying map shows that Hamilton was in District 8, and spread northwest as far as Georgetown. Niagara was in District 10.

With such rapid growth in the numbers of Lodges after World War I, in 1923, Hamilton District 8 was split into Hamilton A (16 Lodges) and Hamilton B (15 Lodges). Redistribution in 1974 created three Hamilton Districts with 14 Lodges each.

The Districts are laid out in a very distinctive pattern with regard to geography. Consider the Hamilton Masonic Centre as the point of intersection of all three Districts. District A comprises all the Lodges on the north of the Lake from Oakville to The Masonic Centre (Scottish Rite). District B comprises all the Lodges south of the Lake from Grimsby to The Masonic Centre (Scottish Rite). District C takes in the westerly sector from Ancaster and Dundas to The Masonic Centre (Scottish Rite), (one of the smallest in area for Ontario).

Today Hamilton District B only consists of 12* lodges, with close to 1500 members. Union Lodge No. 7 in Grimsby is the oldest Lodge with a Warrant Constituted on December 17, 1799. They  celebrated their 200th Anniversary in 1999. Three Lodges that were Constituted in 1855, Harmony Lodge #57, Acacia Lodge #61 and St. Andrew's Lodge #62  celebrated their 150th Anniversary in 2005. A total of eight Lodges have already celebrated 100 years and three more are not far behind. The newest three Lodges total more than 130 years when combined.

*Doric Lodge #382 amalgamated with The Lodge of the Ancient Landmarks #654 on May 24, 2005, and thus became a member of Hamilton Masonic District C.

* T. H. Simpson Lodge #692 amalgamated with its Mother Lodge, Wentworth Lodge #166, on March 21, 2006.

It might be of interest to note that the formation of the Grand Lodge of Canada in the Province of Ontario was done here within our District and that lodges within our District were instrumental in its formation. This information can be found on pages 78 - 81 of the original edition, 1980, of Grand Lodge's book edited by Wallace McLeod, Whence Come We.

*Special thanks to W. Bro. Norman Madill - The Lodge of Strict Observance No. 27

District B Trivia

Information from a 1944-1945 Union Lodge No. 7 Trestle Board.

Lodges in the Hamilton District in 1944-45

(Present District B Lodges)

Union Lodge No. 7

The Lodge of Strict Observance No. 27

Harmony Lodge No. 57

Acacia Lodge No. 61

St. Andrew's Lodge No. 62

Wentworth Lodge No. 166

Enniskillen No. 185

Lincoln Lodge No. 544

St. Andrew's Lodge No. 593

Hillcrest Lodge No. 594

Total 10 Lodges

(Other Lodges)

Electric Lodge No. 495

Ionic Lodge No. 549

Buchanan Lodge No. 550

Wardrope Lodge No. 555

Beach Lodge No. 639

The Lodge of Ancient Landmarks No. 654

Total 6 Lodges

(No Longer Existing)

Doric Lodge No. 382

* Doric Lodge No. 382 amalgamated with The Lodge of the Ancient Landmarks No. 654on May 24, 2005, and thus became a member of Hamilton Masonic District C.

Total 1 Lodge

Questions:

1. Which two present District B Lodges are not listed and why?

Composite Lodge No. 667 Incorporated 1951

Battlefield  Lodge No. 714 Incorporated 1964

2. A former District B Lodge is not mentioned at all. Who is it, and why?

T. H. Simpson Lodge No. 692 has come and gone between 1945 and present.

It incorporated in1957 and amalgamated with its Mother Lodge, Wentworth Lodge No. 166, in 2006