Craft Masonry in Orange and Rockland Counties, New York

which had been granted to Major Foote for his military services; and it was near this on the south that he selected a site and built a
residence for himself. The building is still standing but has passed out of the possession of his descendants.
Mr. Foote served as county clerk until 1801 when he was succeeded by Philip Gebhard. He was not only the clerk of the board of
supervisors, but also the clerk of the courts held in the county and the custodian of their records. In 1810 he was appointed by
Governor Daniel D. Tompkins as county judge for a term of six years. Subsequently in 1828 he was again appointed to the same
office which he held until his death in 1829 at the age of seventy-four.
No citizen of Delaware has ever enjoyed a more distinguished circle of acquaintance. He knew and corresponded with the most
active political managers of the day, and many of them were his guests at Arbor Hill. We may mention a few from whom letters are
still preserved by his descendants: The Patroon Stephen Van Rensselaer, Hon. Elisha Williams, Governor Morgan Lewis, General
Schuyler, the Livingstons, Cadwalader Colden, Josiah Ogden Hoffman, Philip Van Courtlandt, Martin Van Buren, John Jay, DeWitt
Clinton, Aaron Burr, etc. Catherine Livingston writes to him regretting not having seen him, and would like to sell him a young slave
girl, as she has more than she can afford to keep.
We have already stated that he married in 1779 Jerusha Purdy. He had four children, viz: Frederick Parsons, Charles Augustus,,
Harriet, and Margaret. Frederick served as general in the war of 1812 and died in Leghorn, Italy, in 1827. His second son Charles
Augustus, was a lawyer and filled many local offices. He was a member of congress in 1824, but died soon after, aged forty. His
eldest son was a graduate of West Point, served with distinction in the Seminole War and finally was killed in the battle at Gaines'
Mills in 1862. The second son of Charles Augustus Foote was Charles A. Foote of Delhi, who died in 1896, and who will be
remembered by many friends still living. He was born in 1818 and being left an orphan he was obliged to care for himself. When
twenty-one years of age he commenced business and continued in it till his death. During these many years he maintained a
character of spotless integrity. He held many positions of public trust. He was treasurer of Delaware county for nine years from 1861
to 1870. He served as treasurer of the village of Delhi; he was town clerk; he was a trustee of the Delaware Academy, and a director
of the National Bank. In all these positions he discharged his trusts with unswerving fidelity.
St. John’s Lodge No. 19/18, Warwick, Orange, New York
Warrant: 26 Mar 1790
Ceased Labor ca 1825.
http://www.archive.org/stream/officialexpositi00newy/officialexpositi00newy_djvu.txt
ST. JOHN'S REGIMENTAL LODGE - Sir John Johnson, Provincial Grand Master for New York, having left for Canada, at the
beginning of hostilities in the War for American Independence, his prerogatives descended upon his Deputy, Dr. Peter Middleton,
who exercised them with tact and a due regard for the feelings swaying the population of the Province. He issued the first warrant
granted to any unit of the Continental Army, owning allegiance to George Washington as Commander-in-Chief; it authorized the
formation of St. John's Regimental Lodge, composed of New York Brethren who had joined the ranks of the revolutionists. This
warrant was dated 24 Jul 1775. After the close of the war, it turned up at Clark's Town, Orange County, New York, where a Lodge
continued to work under its authority, later transferring its headquarters to Warwick, in the same county. This Lodge, known later as
St. John's Lodge, No. 18, succumbed finally, about 1825. [Lodge No. 26 E.R.]
http://www.joycetice.com/books/1879c46.htm
On the 3d of June, 1793, a petition was addressed to the Grand Lodge of F. and A. M. of the State of New York, by Amos Park,
James Cameron, Nathaniel Seely, Jr., Henry Starret, Peter Loop, Jr., Nathaniel Teal, James Seely, and John Crabtree, praying for a
warrant to establish a lodge at Newtown (now Elmira), in the county of Tioga. This petition was presented to the Grand Lodge at its
annual communication in the city of New York, June 24, 1793, and a warrant was granted on the 28th of the same month, under the
name and number of Union Lodge, No. 30, to Amos Park, Master; James Cameron, Senior Warden; Nathaniel Seely, Jr.,
Junior warden; and was signed by Robert Livingston, Grand Master, Jacob Morton, Senior Grand Warden, James Scott, Junior
Grand Warden. The officers named in the warrant, who had formerly been members of St. John’s Lodge, No. 18, at
Warwick, Orange Co., were duly installed by Samuel Gardner, William Adams, and Thomas Morrison, at Canandaigua, on the 22d
of August following.
Amos Park - Of the physicians of this early time the first one was undoubtedly Dr. Amos Park, who, being something more than a
physician, was as well school teacher and preacher. He built largely, with the labor of his own hands, the first frame house
erected in Elmira, . . .on the river bank, a little west of the foot of High street. It could hardly have been much of a house, for some
twenty years afterward, in 1812, it is recorded that he sold his lot, house, and all for $37. The stringency of the times, however,
may have had something to do with the very modest price.
Nathaniel Seeley [Sr.] b. 11 Oct 1732 New Canaan, Fairfield, CT; d. 31 Oct 1799; bur. Fitzsimmons Cemetery, town of
Southport, Chemung Co. NY [near Seely Creek], son of Ebenezer Seeley and Mercy Dean, m. Jemima Collins. Nathaniel and
Jemima resided at Cornwall, Orange, NY. In Apr 1765 Nathaniel and Bazaleel Seeley were overseers of roads. The Will of Adam
Collins of Blooming Grove, Orange County dated 1 May 1770 names sister Jemima Seeley, brother in law, Nathaniel Seeley and
nephew Samuel Seeley. In 1775 the Revolutionary Pledge was signed by Samuel Seely, Josiah Seely, Nathaniel Seely {Sr.],
John Seely, Jonas Seely, Israel Seely, Thaddeus Seely, Bazaliel Seely, and Nathaniel Seely, Jr., all of Cornwall. Nathaniel and
Jemima removed to Hardyston, Sussex County, New Jersey where Nathaniel appears on assessment lists of Hardyston
Township.
Nathaniel and Jemima did not remain in Sussex County, but returned to Orange County. On 4 May 1784 Nathaniel Seeley and
Jemima his wife leased property at Cornwell, Orange County for a period of ten years the property consisting of a barn, orchard,
garden, 100 acres of land, 100 acres of meadow, 100 acres of pasture, 100 acres of wood, and 100 acres of land covered with
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