Masonic Ancestor Update Brings More Questions

Recently I finally received a reply from the Grand Masonic Lodge of Illinois regarding records for my elusive ancestor Edward Dawes. I state "finally" because the request was mailed in Sep 2010 from CO and took eight months apparently from them placing CA as the state and I did move to TX since then rather abruptly.

They have limited records at the grand lodge, suggested I write the Lodge in Raleigh, No. 128, but still managed to provide two copies of records for Edward that aroused some new questions...

Edward was listed as one of 22 members and one who was initiated , passed, and raised in the 1854 Logde Proceedings Book. Four years later in the 1858 Lodge Proceedings Book, Edward is listed as the Senior Steward of Logdge No. 128 in Raleigh. Then an entry of his death was included that stood outin the chart entitled

"Died since August 31, 1872": Edward Dawes (d) Nov 5 /(18)72

For anyone who has read about my research and other peoples' research on Edward, it has been fairly well documented that he died in May of 1873 and clearly has a Masonic symbol on his headstone so it is fairly remarkable that they would have the death date wrong. However, I am unfamiliar with burial rites if any are provided by the Masons for their passed on brethren (though the Knights of Pythias appear to have given some rights and acknowledgement letter for the widow of Edward's son John Thomas Dawes after he was murdered in Crockett TX in 1916.)

Of course I will gladly be writing the Raleigh Lodge No. 128 for more specifics on Edwards membership and duties.