It is said in the masons own writings that Tubal-cain was adopted as the father of free masonry.

“Among the figures adopted from the Bible for Freemasonry is Tubal Cain from Genesis 4:22. Known as the first blacksmith, Tubal Cain is a descendant of Adam and Eve and the son of Lamech and Zillah. While it is not known when Tubal Cain emerged in the ritual of Speculative Masonry, the famous Masonic author and historian Albert Mackey referred to him in his book A Lexicon of Freemasonry as the “first to work in iron and brass.”

In this passage, Mackey wrote that Tubal Cain: …introduced many arts into society which tended towards its improvement and civilization. Tubal Cain is the Vulcan of the Pagans, and is thought to have been closely connected with ancient Freemasonry. Faber says that “all the most remarkable ancient buildings of Greece, Egypt, and Asia Minor, were ascribed to Cabirean or Cyclopean Masons,” the descendants of Vulcan, Dhu Balcan, the god Balcan, or Tubal Cain.

Oliver says, “In after times Tubal Cain, under the name of Vulcan and his Cyclops, figured as workers in metals and inventors of the mysteries; and hence it is probable that he was the hierophant of a similar institution in his day, copied from the previous system of Seth, and applied to the improvement of schemes more adapted to the physical pursuits of the race to which he belonged.”

Because of Tubal Cain’s significant contributions to the science of craftwork, Mackey believes he can be looked upon as our Masonic ancestor.”