Independent Order of Odd Fellows

This article is about the fraternal order founded in 1819 in Baltimore, United States. For other uses, see Odd Fellows (disambiguation).
"IOOF" redirects here. For other uses, see IOOF (disambiguation).

Independent Order of Odd Fellows
AbbreviationIOOF
Named afterOdd Fellows
FormationApril 26, 1819; 205 years ago (1819-04-26)
FounderThomas Wildey
Founded atWashington Lodge No. 1, Seven Stars Tavern, Baltimore, Maryland, United States
TypeFraternal order
52-0363509 (Sovereign Grand Lodge)[1]
Legal status501(c)(8) fraternal benefit society[1]
Purpose"Visit the sick, relieve the distressed, bury the dead and educate the orphan"
HeadquartersSovereign Grand Lodge
Location
Coordinates36°05′56″N 80°14′46″W / 36.09881°N 80.246199°W / 36.09881; -80.246199
Region
International
Membership
600,000 members
10,000 lodges
in 26 countries[2][3]
Douglas E. Pittman[4]
Deputy Sovereign Grand Master
E. Wesley Nelson[4]
Sovereign Grand Warden
Charles E. Lusk[4]
Affiliations"Inter-fraternally": Independent Order of Oddfellows Manchester Unity
(parent organisation 1819–1842)
International Association of Rebekah Assemblies
Revenue (2014)
$1,780,337 (Sovereign Grand Lodge)[1]
Expenses (2014)$1,478,384 (Sovereign Grand Lodge)[1]
Staff (2013)
14 (Sovereign Grand Lodge)[1]
Websiteodd-fellows.org
Part of a series on
Odd Fellows
General articles
Governing bodies
Auxiliaries
and appendant bodies
People
Financial services
Buildings

The Independent Order of Odd Fellows (IOOF) is a non-political, non-sectarian international fraternal order of Odd Fellowship. It was founded in 1819 by Thomas Wildey in Baltimore, Maryland, United States. Evolving from the Order of Odd Fellows founded in England during the 18th century, the IOOF was originally chartered by the Independent Order of Oddfellows Manchester Unity in England but has operated as an independent organization since 1842, although it maintains an inter-fraternal relationship with the English Order.[5] The order is also known as the Triple Link Fraternity, referring to the order's "Triple Links" symbol, alluding to its motto "Friendship, Love and Truth".[5]

While several unofficial Odd Fellows Lodges had existed in New York City circa 1806–1818,[6] because of its charter relationship, the American Odd Fellows is regarded as being founded with Washington Lodge No 1 in Baltimore at the Seven Stars Tavern[7] on April 26, 1819, by Thomas Wildey along with some associates[5] who assembled in response to an advertisement in the New Republic. The following year, the lodge affiliated with the Independent Order of Oddfellows Manchester Unity and was granted the authority to institute new lodges. Previously, Wildey had joined the Grand United Order of Oddfellows (1798-) in 1804 but followed through with the split of Independent Order of Oddfellows Manchester Unity (1810–) before immigrating to the United States in 1817.

In 1842, after a dispute on authority, the American Lodges formed a governing system separate from the English Order, and in 1843 assumed the name Independent Order of Odd Fellows.[8]

Like other fraternities, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows began by limiting their membership to white men only. On September 20, 1851, the IOOF became the first fraternity in the United States to include white women when it adopted the "Beautiful Rebekah Degree" by initiative of Schuyler Colfax, later Vice-President of the United States.[2] Daughters of Rebekah are an auxiliary organization to the Odd Fellows.

Beyond fraternal and recreational activities, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows promotes the ethic of reciprocity and charity, by implied inspiration of Judeo-Christian ethics. The largest Sovereign Grand Lodge of all fraternal orders of Odd Fellows since the 19th century, it enrolls some 600,000 members divided in approximately 10,000 lodges into 26 countries,[2][9] inter-fraternally recognized by the second largest, the British-seated Independent Order of Oddfellows Manchester Unity.[10]

  1. ^ a b c d e "Form 990: Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax". The Independent Order of Oddfellows Sovereign Grand Lodge. Guidestar. August 31, 2014.
  2. ^ a b c "About". Ioof.org. April 19, 2013. Retrieved December 9, 2015.
  3. ^ "Deutscher Odd Fellow-Orden: Geschichte des Ordens". Oddfellows.de. Retrieved December 9, 2015.
  4. ^ a b c "Leadership". Independent Order of Odd Fellows. Retrieved October 8, 2016.
  5. ^ a b c "About us". IOOF. Archived from the original on January 28, 2013. Retrieved May 11, 2013.
  6. ^ [1] Archived March 17, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
  7. ^ Volume four, p. 150, Encyclopedia of Newfoundland and Labrador, ISBN 0-9693422-1-7.
  8. ^ Cite error: The named reference MATabbert was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  9. ^ "Deutscher Odd Fellow-Orden: Geschichte des Ordens". Oddfellows.de. Retrieved December 9, 2015.
  10. ^ [2] Archived September 30, 2009, at the Wayback Machine