You gotta remember that Masonry first started out as a simple union of masons. They build buildings, and got good at making extravagant cathedrals and such. This got subverted or transforms because of "sacred geometry" at some point and turned to Gnostic type beliefs and rituals enacted through the shapes of their building. It would be no surprise that they would want to lift up legitimate influential early Masons as a way to establish their integrity to the masses.