Buffalo Bill Honor Night
On September 6, 2019 White River Lodge and Mizpah Chapter honored Brother William Cody (Buffalo Bill) by having dinner at Buffalo Bill's Tavern and Grill in Show Low. We presented the owner, Gary Martinson, with a plaque honoring the great Mason, William Cody, that Gary will hang by the Buffalo Bill statue in his restaurant in Show Low.
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About Brother Buffalo Bill
William was born on a farm in LeClaire, Scott County, lowa, on February 26, 1846 to Isaac and Mary. Isaac abandoned his farm to work as a stage driver and the family moved to the vicinity of Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. When Bill was only 11, Isaac died in the Kansas border war. Mary died when he was still in his teens and serving with the Kansas Cavalry.
Following his father’s death, he secured employment as a “carrier boy” on a supply train. Later at age fourteen he obtained a lucrative job as a rider for the Pony Express and is credited with making the longest ride on record. Upon reaching Three Crossings he learned that the rider at Sweetwater had been killed and he was requested to ride the next leg. He made the trip of 321 miles without stopping except for meals and to change horses.
At seventeen, he enlisted in the 9th Kansas Cavalry. Later he served as a Scout in Tennessee and as a Trooper in Missouri. In 1866 he married Louisa Frederici in St. Louis. During this time, he entered into a contract with the Goddard Brothers to furnish the Kansas Pacific Railroad with all the buffalo meat required to feed the laborers engaged in road construction and in eighteen months (1867-68) he is alleged to have killed 4,280 buffalo.
From September, 1869, when he first caught the notice of General Phil Sheridan by some daring riding through Indian country, until December, 1872, when he resigned, he was continuously on army payrolls as a civilian scout. According to Mrs. Cody, when she saw him at Fort McPherson, for the first time in a long time, he was wearing his trade mark long hair, moustache and goatee— the style of prairie scouts of those days.
In 1870, Captain W.B. Brown organized Platte Valley Lodge No. 32 A.F.& A.M. under the jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of Nebraska. He and Capt Brown were close friends, and it is likely that he petitioned right away for membership. On his 24th birthday, he was elected to membership. He was initiated March 6, 1870 and passed to the degree of FC on April 2, 1870.
On January 10, 1871, He was raised to the sublime degree of Master Mason. Within a few months, he was cited for “conspicuous and gallant conduct” for a skirmish on Bird Wood Creek, Nebraska. He also began to achieve wider national fame as a guide for distinguished hunting parties. In September, 1871, he led the famous Bennett/Jerome hunt which resulted in an invitation to New York. General Sheridan was so pleased with his conduct of that and a subsequent hunt that he asked him to guide the Grand Duke Alexis of Russia in January, 1872. Three months later, he was awarded the Medal of Honor for a skirmish while on detached duty with the 3rd Cavalry. Due to new rules enacted by Congress, his as well as others (910 in all) had their Medals revoked in 1917, but due to the efforts his family, his Medal was reinstated in 1989. (Zim, 2014)
While in NY Buffalo Bill saw himself portrayed in a stage play and was persuaded by Ned Buntline to star in a drama written expressly for him. From that time forward, he and his partner, Texas Jack Omohundro, spent half their lives on the plains and half on the stages of all the major cities of the East.
Cody founded his famous Wild West Show in 1883. In 1887, he took the show to Europe for the first time to be the featured attraction during the celebration of Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee. Though he remained in England as the toast of British society through October he petitioned Euphrates Chapter No. 15, Royal Arch Masons of North Platte, Nebraska by mail in September. Within a month of the closing of the 1888 season on November 18th, he was advanced to the degree of Mark Master, inducted into the Oriental Chair and received and acknowledged a Most Excellent Master. On the following day he was exalted to the Royal Arch Degree.
Thereafter, Cody petitioned Palestine Commandery No. 13, order of Knights Templar of North Platte, Nebraska, was duly elected and received the Illustrious Order of the Red Cross on April 1, 1889 and on the following day received the Order of Malta and was dubbed a Knight Templar, just before sailing once again to Europe.
Just before returning for another tour of England, he petitioned Tangier Temple of the Ancient Arabic Order Nobles of the Mystic Shrine of Omaha, Nebraska on March 22, 1892, and walked the burning sands three days later. In the meantime, he had found time to lead a hunting expedition through the Grand Canyon and into the Kaibab country of Utah, serve as a marshal during the inauguration of President Benjamin Harrison, and act as Chief of Scouts for General Miles in a futile attempt to head off what became the Wounded Knee Massacre.
The Northern Jurisdiction of the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry in the Valley of New York City honored “Buffalo Bill” by conferring all of its degrees in the Lodge of Perfection (4-14 deg), the Council of Princes (15 & 16 deg), the Chapter of Rose Croix (17 & 18 deg), and the Consistory (19-32 deg) in the same day, April 4, 1894.
By all accounts, Cody’s life provided an exemplary model for Masons. He was a man of his word in his dealings with all people. He dealt with people of all races, religions, sexes, and occupations, as equals, and was always open handed in helping those less fortunate than himself.
“Buffalo Bill” gave the last performance of his Wild West Show at Portsmouth, Virginia where he became ill with a cold and headed for his Wyoming ranch. He stopped off at Denver to visit his sister and died suddenly on January 10, 1917. Although “Buffalo Bill” left a will stating he wished to be buried on top of Cedar Mountain about five miles west of his town, Cody, Wyoming, he was actually buried atop Lookout Mountain, 20 miles west of Denver. After his remains had lain in state in a bronze casket in the Capitol Rotunda in Denver, a service was held, and his body was placed in a temporary vault while a permanent tomb could be cut out of the solid granite atop Lookout Mountain.
At the request of Platte Valley Lodge of North Platte, Golden City Lodge No. 1, Golden, Colorado conferred Masonic burial rites on June 3, 1917, atop Lookout Mountain, at 3:00 o’clock in the afternoon. Worshipful Master G.W. Parfet, Jr. of Golden City Lodge No. 1 appointed eight Brother pallbearers who were dressed in their Knight Templar uniforms. At the request of Mrs. Cody, and almost five months after his death, the casket was opened and an estimated 10,000 people viewed the dead pioneer and trail blazer. It was estimated that more than 20,000 persons visited the spot and 15,000 were present at the burial ceremony having walked or ridden to the top of Lookout Mountain. It was certainly one of the largest, if not the largest, Masonic burial ever.
Adapted by Paul Diaz from an original article by:
Ernest J. Goppert, Jr., P.G.M.
Grand Lodge Of Wyoming
http://masonicworld.com/education/files/may03/buffalo_bill.htm
References Zim. (2014, January 17). Buffalo Bill Cody and the Medal of Honor. Retrieved from History by Zim: http://www.historybyzim.com/2014/01/buffalo-bill-cody-and-the-medal-of-honor/
Following his father’s death, he secured employment as a “carrier boy” on a supply train. Later at age fourteen he obtained a lucrative job as a rider for the Pony Express and is credited with making the longest ride on record. Upon reaching Three Crossings he learned that the rider at Sweetwater had been killed and he was requested to ride the next leg. He made the trip of 321 miles without stopping except for meals and to change horses.
At seventeen, he enlisted in the 9th Kansas Cavalry. Later he served as a Scout in Tennessee and as a Trooper in Missouri. In 1866 he married Louisa Frederici in St. Louis. During this time, he entered into a contract with the Goddard Brothers to furnish the Kansas Pacific Railroad with all the buffalo meat required to feed the laborers engaged in road construction and in eighteen months (1867-68) he is alleged to have killed 4,280 buffalo.
From September, 1869, when he first caught the notice of General Phil Sheridan by some daring riding through Indian country, until December, 1872, when he resigned, he was continuously on army payrolls as a civilian scout. According to Mrs. Cody, when she saw him at Fort McPherson, for the first time in a long time, he was wearing his trade mark long hair, moustache and goatee— the style of prairie scouts of those days.
In 1870, Captain W.B. Brown organized Platte Valley Lodge No. 32 A.F.& A.M. under the jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of Nebraska. He and Capt Brown were close friends, and it is likely that he petitioned right away for membership. On his 24th birthday, he was elected to membership. He was initiated March 6, 1870 and passed to the degree of FC on April 2, 1870.
On January 10, 1871, He was raised to the sublime degree of Master Mason. Within a few months, he was cited for “conspicuous and gallant conduct” for a skirmish on Bird Wood Creek, Nebraska. He also began to achieve wider national fame as a guide for distinguished hunting parties. In September, 1871, he led the famous Bennett/Jerome hunt which resulted in an invitation to New York. General Sheridan was so pleased with his conduct of that and a subsequent hunt that he asked him to guide the Grand Duke Alexis of Russia in January, 1872. Three months later, he was awarded the Medal of Honor for a skirmish while on detached duty with the 3rd Cavalry. Due to new rules enacted by Congress, his as well as others (910 in all) had their Medals revoked in 1917, but due to the efforts his family, his Medal was reinstated in 1989. (Zim, 2014)
While in NY Buffalo Bill saw himself portrayed in a stage play and was persuaded by Ned Buntline to star in a drama written expressly for him. From that time forward, he and his partner, Texas Jack Omohundro, spent half their lives on the plains and half on the stages of all the major cities of the East.
Cody founded his famous Wild West Show in 1883. In 1887, he took the show to Europe for the first time to be the featured attraction during the celebration of Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee. Though he remained in England as the toast of British society through October he petitioned Euphrates Chapter No. 15, Royal Arch Masons of North Platte, Nebraska by mail in September. Within a month of the closing of the 1888 season on November 18th, he was advanced to the degree of Mark Master, inducted into the Oriental Chair and received and acknowledged a Most Excellent Master. On the following day he was exalted to the Royal Arch Degree.
Thereafter, Cody petitioned Palestine Commandery No. 13, order of Knights Templar of North Platte, Nebraska, was duly elected and received the Illustrious Order of the Red Cross on April 1, 1889 and on the following day received the Order of Malta and was dubbed a Knight Templar, just before sailing once again to Europe.
Just before returning for another tour of England, he petitioned Tangier Temple of the Ancient Arabic Order Nobles of the Mystic Shrine of Omaha, Nebraska on March 22, 1892, and walked the burning sands three days later. In the meantime, he had found time to lead a hunting expedition through the Grand Canyon and into the Kaibab country of Utah, serve as a marshal during the inauguration of President Benjamin Harrison, and act as Chief of Scouts for General Miles in a futile attempt to head off what became the Wounded Knee Massacre.
The Northern Jurisdiction of the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry in the Valley of New York City honored “Buffalo Bill” by conferring all of its degrees in the Lodge of Perfection (4-14 deg), the Council of Princes (15 & 16 deg), the Chapter of Rose Croix (17 & 18 deg), and the Consistory (19-32 deg) in the same day, April 4, 1894.
By all accounts, Cody’s life provided an exemplary model for Masons. He was a man of his word in his dealings with all people. He dealt with people of all races, religions, sexes, and occupations, as equals, and was always open handed in helping those less fortunate than himself.
“Buffalo Bill” gave the last performance of his Wild West Show at Portsmouth, Virginia where he became ill with a cold and headed for his Wyoming ranch. He stopped off at Denver to visit his sister and died suddenly on January 10, 1917. Although “Buffalo Bill” left a will stating he wished to be buried on top of Cedar Mountain about five miles west of his town, Cody, Wyoming, he was actually buried atop Lookout Mountain, 20 miles west of Denver. After his remains had lain in state in a bronze casket in the Capitol Rotunda in Denver, a service was held, and his body was placed in a temporary vault while a permanent tomb could be cut out of the solid granite atop Lookout Mountain.
At the request of Platte Valley Lodge of North Platte, Golden City Lodge No. 1, Golden, Colorado conferred Masonic burial rites on June 3, 1917, atop Lookout Mountain, at 3:00 o’clock in the afternoon. Worshipful Master G.W. Parfet, Jr. of Golden City Lodge No. 1 appointed eight Brother pallbearers who were dressed in their Knight Templar uniforms. At the request of Mrs. Cody, and almost five months after his death, the casket was opened and an estimated 10,000 people viewed the dead pioneer and trail blazer. It was estimated that more than 20,000 persons visited the spot and 15,000 were present at the burial ceremony having walked or ridden to the top of Lookout Mountain. It was certainly one of the largest, if not the largest, Masonic burial ever.
Adapted by Paul Diaz from an original article by:
Ernest J. Goppert, Jr., P.G.M.
Grand Lodge Of Wyoming
http://masonicworld.com/education/files/may03/buffalo_bill.htm
References Zim. (2014, January 17). Buffalo Bill Cody and the Medal of Honor. Retrieved from History by Zim: http://www.historybyzim.com/2014/01/buffalo-bill-cody-and-the-medal-of-honor/