History Of The IOOF

In Baltimore, Maryland, 1817, five men set upon the task of establishing a men's organization similar to the one they left behind in Europe before their immigration to America. The European "club" was called "The Manchester Unity" and at that time had been serving most European communities for about 200 years. The Baltimore men changed the name for the new organization to Odd Fellows but kept the general principal to: "Uplift the character of mankind.

The new Odd Fellows pledged to uphold these four basic charges: (1) visit the sick, (2) comfort the widow, (3) educate the orphan and (4) bury the dead. Early 19th century America was filled with challenges. Life was tough, often lawless or desperate. Medicine was still crude and in a primitive stage. Life expectancy was about 45 to 50. There were lots of sickness, orphaned kids, widows and plenty of graves to dig. Odd Fellows gave dignity to struggling families and provided support to the needy. When lodges were built Odd Fellows often purchased additional land to provide the local community with a cemetery.

Membership grew fast. Each new state established a grand lodge to offer guidance for all new local lodges. The earliest lodges in Washington preceeded statehood - Washington Territory lodges were under the jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of California. At one time in the state of Washington, there were over 400 lodges serving their local communities.