Brethren of the Inland Seas

Brethren of the Inland Seas

The Niagara Network of Maritime Masons

Ethan Moncion

Niagara - 2024

On the 7th of May 1910, the Kingston newspaper British Whig reported the sad death of the seventy-three-year-old Captain L. J. O'Neil. The brief article observed that the Port Colborne resident had immigrated from Ireland as a young man, spent his life on the Great Lakes, left a wife and six children upon passing, and was a Freemason.1 The last aspect of his life may conjure questions in the mind of the reader as to why a Niagara ship's captain sailing the 19th century Great Lakes would be involved in Freemasonry. In the late 18th century, Freemasonry contributed to the establishment of maritime trade networks in the Niagara region, linking the region to the broader Great Lakes and Atlantic economy. Masonry enabled such networks in Niagara in three principal ways. First, by establishing naval support for merchants through the military-civilian lodge connections; second, by establishing a sincere bond between members who would conduct business with one another; and third, by providing a safety net of sorts to which a Mason in crisis could look for support. This laid the groundwork for a well-established and reliable network of men to exist in the 19th century Niagara Peninsula. The result was a substantial number of men joining the brotherhood around the turn of the 19th century, integrating themselves into this network which could aid them in pursuing their ambitions. The Freemasons functioned as a support network for the brethren in their personal and professional endeavors which would result in both interest in joining the organization by Niagara men and in overall economic and social development for the region.

The Freemasons are a fraternal organization and while their precise origins are unclear, surrounded by mythologies, "the craft" is thought to have grown out of medieval European trade guilds.2 Modern Freemasonry began in earnest with the establishment of the Grand Lodge of England in 1717.3 The organization was spread throughout North America in large part by traveling regimental lodges in the British military, including a few lodges on ships, which the Irish lodges played a significant role in popularizing among the lower classes.4 The Freemasons accept into the brotherhood any man who believes in the existence of a supreme being and the immortality of the soul and enjoy a large membership to this day.5 Many of the prominent early Niagara settlers were members and the lodge at Niagara provided a space for the administration of the young province with the first Legislature of Upper Canada meeting there.6 The craft also facilitated relationships between British settlers and Indigenous peoples through Freemasons such as Joseph Brant, Tecumseh, and John Norton.7 Along with military lodge networking, St. John's Lodge of Friendship at Niagara became a kind of community center, a space where many local organizations could meet.8 Upon arriving in Niagara, Elizabeth Simcoe's comment in her famous diary is quite telling of the importance of the lodge to the community. She wrote, "there is no church here, but a room has been built for a Freemason's Lodge, where divine service is performed."9 In this way, the early British colonization of Niagara was interwoven with the establishment of both naval and army lodges within the peninsula's context as a maritime rendezvous point.

Freemasonry provided a highly reliable network of professional and personal relationships between members that could be counted on for support in business ventures. As historian Kevin H. Nichols has observed, in the early British colonies in the Great Lakes region where other networks have limited infrastructure masonic relationships were a distinct advantage for members of the fraternity.10 An excellent example of this is the relationship between Governor Simcoe and wealthy Niagara merchant Robert Hamilton. While the men were publicly perceived as enemies, they nonetheless appear to have taken their obligation as Freemasons to aid and refrain from harming one another seriously.11 As Nichols noted, Hamilton relayed important intel regarding trade to Simco and was receptive to his dealings with certificates, eventually installing him as Lieutenant of the County of Lincoln.12 In her diary, Governor Simcoe's wife, Elizabeth Simcoe, wrote on the 31 December 1792 that she had Mrs. Hamilton, Robert's wife over to their residence and they "play at whist every evening."13 Given the frequency with which Mrs. Simcoe writes that she and John spent time with the Hamiltons, Nichols is perhaps correct in his observation that the perceived animosity between the two men was overblown.14 The relationship of the two men stands as an example of Freemasons putting aside their differences and cooperating professionally and personally for mutual benefit.

Freemasonry provided a dependable link for a man such as Robert Hamilton to establish his maritime trade relationships with fellow Masons such as William Johnson and merchants Phyn and Ellice. 15 Hamilton and George Forsyth, another Niagara merchant, were high ranking officers in St. John's Lodge of Friendship, No. 2, which overlooked the northern terminus of the Niagara River as seen in Figures 1-3.16 In 1796 Hamilton was installed Deputy Provincial Grand Master under William Jarvis.17As one of the principal suppliers to the British military, Hamilton had secured contracts to control most of the portage routes around the Niagara River by the beginning of the 19th century.18 A prospective merchant would have needed to pay him a visit to move goods into the interior of the continent by water. Masonic membership would have facilitated introductions to such men as Hamilton, as well as created an immediate bond. The petitions to join St. John's Lodge of Friendship, No. 2, by many Queenston men in the decades on either side of the year 1800 are likely suggestive of the advantage this network offered traders.19 As for Hamilton and Simcoe's quarrels, minutes of Niagara Lodge No. 2 meetings from the mid-19th century reveal that while quarrels frequently arose between Masons, they were just as frequently easily resolved.20 Brother George Masson, District Deputy Grand Master of the London district experienced similar ease in resolving Masonic disputes under his jurisdiction in 1864.21 Though at a somewhat later date, this would seem to support the notion that the Masonic environment supported tolerance between its members and a solidarity with one another, something that would prove helpful to men such as Hamilton and Simcoe. Given that Lieutenant of Lincoln was one of several public offices Hamilton held, his relationship with Simcoe clearly aided both men in their respective ambitions and in the administration of early Upper Canada.22

Figure 1: Niagara Lodge, No. 2, A.F. & A.M., today. The building sits on the Northeast corner of King and Prideaux Streets in downtown Niagara-on-the-Lake, on what is referred to as "Lot 33" on the historical maps of the town.

Figure 2: View of the Niagara River from King Street near Niagara Lodge, No. 2, in 1863.

Figure 3: And a similar view today. The Niagara River is just visible in the background.

While working out of Fort Niagara in the late 1700s, Robert Hamilton likely made the acquaintance of local ship builder in the British Bateau Service and resident Storekeeper General, John McFarland. McFarland was born in Paisley, Scotland in 1752 and immigrated to British Canada during the American Revolutionary War.23 He became a member of St. John's Lodge of Friendship, No. 2, engaged in maritime trade dealing in luxury goods such as tea, and accumulated a tremendous amount of wealth with which he built an impressive house which stands today as a museum, as seen in Figure 4.24 While most personal details of John's life are sadly unknown, as textual records for his activities are sparse, it is highly likely given his proximity to men such as Hamilton that his Masonic connections aided his tremendous success in his many business ventures. 25

Figure 4: McFarland House today, situated in McFarland Park on the Canadian bank of the Niagara River. It is now a Niagara Parks Commission Historic Site.

Through the Masonic network, John McFarland likely met another local trader, James Secord. A middle-class family man, Secord operated a store from the front of his Queenston home which supplied residents with a wide variety of goods coming through the Niagara portage routes under the auspices of Hamilton and Forsyth.26 James was, of course, the husband of the famed War of 1812 heroine Laura Secord. Secord's membership as a Freemason has not been widely acknowledged, however there are multiple references to his membership in books on Canadian Masonic history published by the lodges themselves.27 Interestingly, that makes two local maritime Masons whose homes are now museums operated by the Niagara Parks Commission.28

The year John McFarland died (see Figures 5-6) another Niagara ship carpenter was born.29 Robert Fizette was a Niagara resident and the Tyler of Niagara Lodge No. 2.30 He was also chief constable, assessor along with John Barker, and collector along with John Rogers in the township of Niagara.31 His house is listed in the 1865 Mitchell & Co.'s General Directory as being on Regent Street and his profession is listed as chief constable with his office in the County Buildings.32 By trade however, Fizette was a ship's carpenter and had worked for the Niagara Harbour and Dock Company.33 Another prominent Mason of Niagara Lodge, No. 2, was Stephen Follett. He was Master of the lodge by 1876, and he was recorded in the directory of 1865 as a town councillor of Niagara.34 Follett's name appeared multiple times in April of 1858 on a ledger of the ships arriving at the Niagara wharfs built by the Dock Company.35 Follett's name appeared under the heading "Address," and corresponded to the vessel Peerless.36 From the ledger it is not entirely clear what his affiliation with the vessel was, however what is clear is that the Niagara men involved in maritime industry were a tight-knit community, and Masonic membership would have provided Fizette and Follett an avenue to valuable relationships with the affluent community.

Figure 5: St. Marks Anglican Church, where John McFarland is buried.

Figure 6: The headstone of John McFarland, right, next to that of his wife, Margaret, left, at St. Mark's Church.

Freemasonry provided a support network for ship owners, builders, and captains in times of crisis. One such story provides a rather inspiring example. On the morning of August 21, 1863, Captain Duncan Milloy lost his steamer, Zimmerman, to fire while on route from Niagara to Toronto.37 Fortunately for Brother Milloy, he was a member of Niagara Lodge, No. 2, and his fellow Masons rallied in support of him. Later that day, the members of Niagara Lodge, No. 2, put forward a motion to request that the Grand Lodge collect a one dollar loan from every Mason within its jurisdiction toward purchasing Milloy a new steamship.38 It seems the brethren came through for Captain Milloy, as the directory of 1865 notes the City of Toronto had recently been constructed and launched at Niagara, with Milloy as Captain, in replacement of the Zimmerman.39 Though the Niagara Harbour and Dock Company had previously been a major player in Niagara shipbuilding, the 512 ton steamer was constructed by "St. Catharines Boss Boatbuilder" Louis Shickluna, at his Niagara properties.40 This dramatic story is an excellent example of the supportive nature of the Masonic network within the context of the intense hazards of marine navigation in the 19^th^ century.

The Niagara Harbour and Dock Company, which was incorporated in 1831, became a peninsular powerhouse of shipbuilding.41 It likely employed other Freemasons in addition to Robert Fizette, given the large proportion of the population at the time that was engaged in shipbuilding with the Dock Company alone employing almost 400 people.42 An article appearing in the Western Herald in 1840 described the launch of a new steamer from the company's shipyard, built for John Hamilton, Robert Hamilton's son, who by that year was one of the foremost local shipowners.43 The Niagara Harbour and Dock Company had two shipyards, one in Niagara and one in Chippewa.44 The property in the Town of Niagara was located immediately behind St. Mark's Anglican Church, which was across the street from Niagara Lodge, No. 2, depicted in Figures 7-8.45 The works of the Dock Company in Niagara included a basin, wharfs, and a marine railway for hauling up large craft.46 The company had been quite prosperous and a major contributor to the local economy in the 1830s but was in economic crisis by 1848 and in 1853 was sold into private hands.47 The Freemasons, however, would still prove to be an important feature in the company's story.

Figure 7: An 1843 map of the Town of Niagara. The Niagara Harbour and Dock Company's properties can be seen near the bottom of the image.

Figure 8: A closer view of the Niagara Harbour and Dock Company's properties on the previous map. Note the properties of the "English Church" (St. Mark's) just across the street. Niagara Lodge No. 2 sits across the street diagonally from the church property on what is very faintly identified here as lot "33".

Brother Milloy was an instrumental figure in the economic development of Niagara as he was not only a prominent ship owner and captain but was also responsible for the construction of what became the Oban Inn.48 After the Niagara Harbour and Dock Company had gone bankrupt and passed into private hands, he acquired some of its properties in the final year of his life.49 Perhaps it was Captain Milloy's steamships that the lodge used for their annual trip from Niagara to Toronto, as his crafts were often hired for excursions and he ran the Zimmerman between Toronto, Niagara, and Lewiston, New York.50 As Brother J. Runnalls of Niagara Lodge No. 2 has pointed out, this was a popular and lucrative yearly event as the brethren put the proceeds toward the mortgage on the lodge building, which he observes presented a continual challenge for them.51 As the steamships provided an income source for the lodge, so too did the lodge provide a much needed boost to local maritime industry, which was a ghost of its former self since St. Catharines had become the center of maritime activity in Niagara.52 In this way, the lodge contributed significantly to the economic development of Niagara both in times of relative prosperity and decline.

The Freemasons of Niagara in the late 18th and 19th centuries were a key feature of the development of the region in more ways than one. Through establishing relationships with prominent Indigenous leaders and providing a space for the early administration of Upper Canada, they provided a pathway for British diplomacy during the province's early days. Moreover, freemasons facilitated relationships between military and civilian traders to take full advantage of Niagara's unique geographic position as a maritime gateway to the continental interior. The network of traders and shipbuilders, both military and civilian, expanded as the 19th century dawned. Niagara men in maritime trade and industry were attracted to the opportunities the organization could provide with its networking potential and its supportive function. Through connections with businesses such as the Niagara Harbour and Dock Company, Freemasons were actively involved in maritime commerce. As with the case of Brother and Captain Milloy, local freemasons had their brethren to fall back on in times of crisis. It is no wonder then, that Niagara men involved in seaborn business were interested in joining the brotherhood.


  1. "Capt. O'Neil Dead," British Whig, May 7, 1910, viewed on Maritime History of the Great Lakes, accessed February 3, 2024, 8. 

  2. Colin K. Duquemin, A Lodge of Friendship: The History of Niagara Lodge, No.2, A.F. & A.M., G.R.C., Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada, 1792-1992, (Niagara-on-the-Lake: Niagara Lodge, no.2, A.F.&A.M., G.R.C., 1991), 3, James A. Gibson Library Archives and Special Collections, Brock University, St. Catharines, Ontario. And Kevin H. Nichols, \"Frontier Freemasons: Masonic Networks Linking The Great Lakes To The Atlantic World, 1750-1820\" (PhD. diss., Wayne State University, 2020), 16. 

  3. Nichols, "Frontier Freemasons," 19-23; Duquemin, A Lodge of Friendship, 3. 

  4. Nichols, "Frontier Freemasons," 36, 40-1, 55-7. 

  5. Nichols, "Frontier Freemasons," 24, 48. 

  6. Nichols, "Frontier Freemasons," 89-90, 119 And Colin K. Duquemin, "DARLING, JOHN," in Dictionary of Canadian Biography, vol. 6, University of Toronto/Université Laval, 2003, accessed March 17, 2024. And Duquemin, A Lodge of Friendship, 23. 

  7. Nichols, "Frontier Freemasons," 76-7. And "Masonic Narratives," Home, Archives, Grand Lodge of A.F. & A.M. of Canada. 

  8. Nichols, "Frontier Freemasons," 119; And Duquemin, A Lodge of Friendship, 23. 

  9. Elizabeth Simcoe, The Diary of Mrs. John Graves Simcoe, ed. J. Ross Robertson, (Toronto: Prospero Books, 2001), 125. 

  10. Nichols, "Frontier Freemasons," 85. 

  11. Nichols, "Frontier Freemasons," 84-5. 

  12. Nichols, "Frontier Freemasons," 120-21. 

  13. Simcoe, The Diary, 145. 

  14. Simcoe, The Diary, 125, 131, 145, 152, 158, 176. And Nichols, "Frontier Freemasons," 121-22. 

  15. Bruce Wilson, \"Robert Hamilton\" The Canadian Encyclopedia, Historica Canada, article published January 22, 2008; last Edited December 16, 2013. And Nichols, "Frontier Freemasons," 122. 

  16. Duquemin, A Lodge of Friendship, 21.Figure 1: photo by the authour; Figure 2: J. Ross Robertson, The History of Freemasonry in Canada,from Its Introduction in 1749: Compiled and Written from Official Records and from Mss. Covering the Period 1749-1858, in the Possession of the Author, (Toronto: G.N. Morang, 1900), 340. Figure 3: photo by the authour. 

  17. Duquemin, A Lodge of Friendship, 20, 28; 

  18. Duquemin, A Lodge of Friendship, 20, 209. 

  19. Robertson, The History of Freemasonry in Canada, 273. 

  20. Runnalls, Niagara Lodge No. 2, 17. 

  21. Proceedings: Grand Lodge of A.F. & A.M. of Canada, 1864, (Grand Lodge of A.F. & A.M. of Canada in the Province of Ontario, 1864), 471, James A. Gibson Library, Brock University. 

  22. Runnalls, Niagara Lodge No. 2, 30. 

  23. Danielle Lamoureaux, pers. comm. 

  24. Danielle Lamoureaux, pers. comm.

    Figure 4: photo by the author. 

  25. Danielle Lamoureaux, pers. comm. 

  26. Melissa Bottomley, Manager of the Niagara Parks Commission North End Heritage Sites, pers. comm. 

  27. Robertson, The History of Freemasonry in Canada, 273; Duquemin, A Lodge of Friendship, 37; Runnalls, Niagara Lodge No. 2, 26. 

  28. Chris Raible, "'The Threat of Being Morganized Will Not Deter Us': William Lyon Mackenzie, Freemasonry and the Morgan AffairOntario History 100, no. 1 (2008): 3--25. 

  29. Figure 5: photo by the author; Figure 6: photo by the author. 

  30. Mitchell & Co.'s General Directory for the Town of St. Catharines, and Gazetteer of the Counties of Lincoln and Welland, for 1865, (Toronto: Mitchell, 1865), 91, James A. Gibson Library, Archives and Special Collections, Brock University, St. Catharines, Ontario; And Nichols, "Frontier Freemasons" 21. 

  31. Mitchell & Co.'s General Directory, 90. 

  32. Mitchell & Co.'s General Directory, 95. 

  33. "Photo Record: 'Print: Photographic': Description," Object ID: 986.053.105, Niagara-on-the-Lake Museum, accessed February 1, 2024. 

  34. Duquemin, A Lodge of Friendship, 219; "Past Masters" Niagara Lodge No. 2 A.F. & A.M., last modified 2019. 

  35. "Archive Record: 'Ledger,'" Object ID: 988.5.286, Niagara-on-the-Lake Museum, accessed February 3, 2024. 

  36. Niagara-on-the-Lake Museum, "Archive Record: 'Ledger.'" 

  37. Mitchell & Co.'s General Directory, 89; And Duquemin, A Lodge of Friendship, 59. 

  38. Duquemin, A Lodge of Friendship, 59. 

  39. Mitchell & Co.'s General Directory, 89. 

  40. Mitchell & Co.'s General Directory, 89; Barrie Dyster, "Milloy, Duncan" in Dictionary of Canadian Biography, vol. 10, University of Toronto/Université Laval, 2003, accessed March 24, 2024. 

  41. Editors, "The Niagara Harbour and Dock Company...," Canadian Gazetteer, 1846, viewed as "Jesse Wood (Schooner), 1834," on Maritime History of the Great Lakes, accessed February 2, 2024. 

  42. Mitchell & Co.'s General Directory, 89-103; And "Niagara Harbour and Dock Company" Online Plaque Guide, Ontario Heritage Trust, King's Printer for Ontario, last modified 2024. 

  43. Editors of the Niagara Chronicle, "On Tuesday last a new steamboat...," Western Herald, Thursday, January 16, 1840, viewed on Maritime History of the Great Lakes, accessed February 2, 2024.; And Peter Baskerville, "Hamilton, John, (1802-82)," in Dictionary of Canadian Biography, vol. 11, University of Toronto/Université Laval, 2003, accessed February 2, 2024. 

  44. Editors, "The Niagara Harbour and Dock Company..." Canadian Gazetteer, 1846. 

  45. "Archive Record: '[Sketch Showing the Ground Given to the Niagara Harbour and Dock Company by an Act of Parliament of Upper Canada,'(https://niagarahistorical.pastperfectonline.com/archive/B2E6ECDC-68FB-4DEE-AE30-721748546690;)"(1831, Copy), Map, Object ID: 986.075, Niagara-on-the-Lake Museum, accessed February 2, 2024,W. C. E. Holloway, J. Nightingale, [Plan of the Military Reserves at Niagara, 1843], map, Library and Archives Canada, National Map Collection: NMC-43151, viewed online at Historical Maps of Niagara, Map, Data & GIS Library, Digital Repository, Brock University, St. Catharines, Ontario. 

  46. Editors, "Niagara Harbour and Dock Company" Montreal Gazette, July 9, 1833, viewed on Maritime History of the Great Lakes, accessed February 2, 2024, 2. 

  47. Mitchell & Co.'s General Directory, 89; "Some Notes on Pre-1840 Structures in Niagara-on-the-Lake Old Town," Niagara-on-the-Lake Museum, accessed March 24, 2024), 34, 200. 

  48. Niagara-on-the-Lake Museum, "Some Notes on Pre-1840 Structures in Niagara-on-the-Lake Old Town" 34, 201. 

  49. Niagara-on-the-Lake Museum, "Some Notes on Pre-1840 Structures in Niagara-on-the-Lake Old Town" 34, 200-01; And Mitchell & Co.'s General Directory, 89. 

  50. Runnalls, Niagara Lodge No. 2, 18; Dyster, "Milloy, Duncan" in Dictionary of Canadian Biography

  51. Runnalls, Niagara Lodge No. 2, 18, 20. 

  52. Mitchell & Co.'s General Directory, 89; Runnalls, Niagara Lodge No. 2, 18.