Various fraternal, service and
other organizations existed in which our ancestors participated. Fraternal
organizations are associations of people bound together for social, literary,
religious, philosophical, athletic or philanthropic purposes.
The Chinese are credited with
the first beneficent fraternal organization in the form of burial societies.
Later, the Greeks and Romans fostered fraternal societies, and among the
benefits accorded the member was that of the paid burial.
The Friendly Societies of England
superseded the guild system of that county. They are responsible to a marked
degree for the institution of the fraternal life insurance system, having
paid benefits since 1793. The Friendly Societies persisted until 1812 when
they were superseded by the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.
Societies have been organized
and disbanded until the organization of the Ancient Order of United Workmen
was perfected by John Jordan Upchurch at Meadville, Pennsylvania, on October
27, 1868. Mr. Upchurch was instrumental in launching the new society which
inspired the organization of other societies, thus the system became national
in scope.
In the late 19th and early 20th
centuries, one of the primary sources of health care and health insurance
for the working poor in Britain, Australia, and the United States was the
fraternal society. As recently as 1920, over one-quarter of all adult Americans
were members of fraternal societies. Fraternal societies were particularly
popular among blacks and immigrants.
[Woodmen and Fraternalism (booklet), Form 4154
R-5/97; Modern Woodmen of America History, online
http://www.modern-woodmen.org/aboutusf.htm,
05 June 1999, and Woodmen of the World, History and Facts, online
http://www.woodmen.com/history.htm
07 June 1999.
"Medical Insurance that Worked
— Until Government "Fixed" It," of How Government Solved the Health Care
Crisis, online http://www.freenation.org/fnf/a/f12l3.html
Previously
published in hard copy Winter 1993-94 issue of Formulations a publication
of the Free Nation Foundation
Complete List of Fraternal Organizations
American Legion
The American Legion is the largest
veteran's organization in the United States. Genealogical research activity
is limited to the forwarding of mail to a current member. The paper and
microfilm archives have no useful information for the genealogist. The
information from the membership list is strictly confidential and usually
does not identify a specific person, only individuals sharing the same
name. That is, no social security or service numbers are listed, only names
and addresses. We may have hundreds of individuals with the same common
first and last name. There are no membership records before 1966. In order
to take advantage of the forwarding service, a person would have to be
a current member of the American Legion. Membership details and an enrollment
form are available online. Joe Hovish, Director, Internet Operations
jhovish@legion.org 07-31-1998
Additional -- the American Legion
does not have DD214 (discharge papers), military serial numbers and often
do not know in what war the veteran fought. The membership
list is restricted by the board of directors and they cannot reveal whether
or not a veteran is/was a member. Making use of the forwarding service
appears to be the only way to contact a member.
DAR
National
Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution [NSDAR]
founded in Washington, D.C. on
October 11, 1890.
Find
Your Patriot - DAR Patriot Look Up Service
Elks [Benevolent and Protective Order
of Elks]
Oklahoma
Elks Association
The
Elks National Foundation
established in 1928 as the charitable
arm of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks
Fraternal
Order of Police - Oklahoma State [FOP]
OKLAHOMBRES Online
The Study of Oklahoma Lawman and Outlaw History
OKGenWeb Lawmen and Outlaws
Fraternal Order of Police - Grand Lodge - Nashville, TN
Founded in 1915
Oklahoma Sheriffs Association
Oklahoma
County Sheriffs Office
Tulsa
County Sheriffs Office
Other County Sheriffs Offices
Online
[6-99 no page founded that
listed only Oklahoma Sheriff Departments]
City Police Departments
Law
Enforcement Agencies in Oklahoma
Oklahoma
City Police Department
Using
FBI Records for Genealogy - FAQ
Police Departments
LAW
ENFORCEMENT LINKS
Oklahoma
Highway Patrol
[NOTE: not much genealogical information found online 08-2001]
GAR
Grand Army of the Republic - organization of Union Civil War Veterans
Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War
Union Veterans Buried in Tulsa County, Oklahoma
Grange (Order of Patrons of Husbandry)
The
National Grange
Oklahoma
The Grange is a fraternal order known as the
Order of Patrons of Husbandry. In December 4, 1867 in a small Washington, D.C.
building the Order of Patrons of Husbandry, more commonly known as the Grange,
was born. The National Grange is the nation’s oldest national agricultural
organization, with grassroots units in 37 states. The Grange is comprised of
families and individuals who share a common interest in community involvement,
agricultural and rural issues.
Independent
Order of Foresters [IOF]
1874 at Newark, New Jersey a
group of people started The Independent Order of Foresters, a fraternal
benefit society. The international headquarters is at 789 Don Mills Rd, Toronto, Canada M3C 1T9. Operated in the U.S., Canada and Great Britain.
Independent
Order of Odd Fellows [IOOF]
Independent Order of Odd Fellows and Rebekahs
IOOF
Lodge - Family Research
Links
to IOOF History
The Odd Fellows have maintained
the IOOF Home, an orphanage, in Checotah since 1903. Lodges of this organization
are to be found in most towns of the state.
Matron
Checotah Home, Checotah, McIntosh County, Oklahoma
Photo of home and Roster
of Residents 1939
Carmen
Home - Carmen, Alfalfa County, Oklahoma
Photo of home and Roster
of Residents 1939
IOOF
Lodge, Mounds, Creek Nation, Indian Territory 1899-1907
A deceased member’s tombstone
is often marked with three oval chain links entwined across the top of
a triangle. Within the three links are "F,” "L" and "T" representing
the goals of the Odd Fellows, Friendship, Love and Truth. A number
is often located below the links and possibly indicates the lodge number
to which the person was a member.
Odd Fellows, recognizing the need
for a woman's touch and her helpfulness in carrying out the principles
of Odd Fellowship, brought into being the Rebekah
degree, founded upon the principles of faithfulness, hospitality, purity
and dedication to the principles of the Order as portrayed by women characters
of the Bible.
Rebekah
Assembly Of Oklahoma 1939-1940 (includes photos)
Those
who died during the year 1938
Family Fraternity
Odd Fellow Lodges - Rebekah Lodges
- Junior Boys Lodges - Theta Rho Girls Clubs
Oklahoma Grand
Secretary
LaVaughn Lawson
P.O. Box 588
Perry, OK 73077-0588
|
National and Canada
Sovereign Grand
Secretary
Terry L. Barrett
422 Trade Street
Winston-Salem, NC 27101-2830 |
Kiwanis
International
Kiwanis'
Texas-Oklahoma
Kiwanis Internationl's Constitution
and Bylaws does not permit sharing of members' personal data, such as names,
addresses, etc. Kiwanis' focus is on serving young children, prenatal
to age five.
Knights
of Columbus
Knights
of Columbus - Oklahoma
The world's largest Catholic
Family Fraternal Service Organization
The Knights of Columbus was founded
in New Haven, Connecticut, in 1882 in the basement of St. Mary's Catholic
Church by Father
Michael J. McGivney and a handful of Catholic laymen. The aim of the
founder and those first members was to set up a parish-based lay organization
that offered insurance benefits. In an era when parish and fraternal societies
were popular, Father McGivney felt there should be some way to strengthen
the religious faith of his flock and provide financial support for
families overwhelmed by illness or the death of the breadwinner.
No information found online about
their membership database and no response was received to the query about
genealogical information. [05-99]
Knights
of Pythias
The Order of Knights of Pythias
is an international fraternity which was founded in Washington, DC, February
19, 1864, by Justus H. Rathbone and was the first to be chartered by an
act of Congress.
Supreme Lodge Knights of Pythias
1495 Hancock Street
Quincy, MA 02169
617-472-8800
Fax 617-376-0363
email: kop@earthlink.net
Grand Lodge of Oklahoma
Roy D. Scott, Secretary
14138 E. 19th Place
Tulsa, OK 74108
918-438-6068
[Note: We did not find an online
link for a Grand Lodge of Oklahoma, nor did an email response from the
Supreme Secretary indicate what information might be available when contacted
about members. 6-99]
Lions
Lions
Clubs International
Masons
Fraternal organizations came
early to Indian Territory. The Masonic Order had a goodly number
of members in the Indian Territory long before the War between the States,
and lodges under the jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of Arkansas were formed
before 1870. The Grand Lodge of Indian Territory was established
in 1874, and that of Oklahoma Territory in 1892. For many years the
Masons operated an orphans' home and have, at Guthrie, one of the finest
temples in the world.
[Source:
Edward Everette Dale, Oklahoma, the Story of a State (Elmsford,
NY: Harper & Row, Publishers, 1968) 387.]
My father / grandfather
/ uncle / great-grandfather / wife's grandfather / etc. was a Mason, I
think. Can you tell me how
I can find out about...?"
Oklahoma Grand Lodge
The Grand Lodge of Ancient Free
and Accepted
Masons of the State of Oklahoma
102 South Broad Street
Guthrie, OK 73044-4910
405-282-3212
Postal Address: P.O. Box
1019
Guthrie, OK 73044-1099 |
Scottish
Rite Masonic Temple
900 E. Oklahoma
Guthrie, OK 73044
405-282-1281 |
- Grand
Lodges
-
Masonic
Children's Home - Guthrie, OK 1922-1978
- Masonic
Information Center
- About
Freemasonry
- E-M@son
- web site for Freemasons
- Philalethes
Society
World's Oldest and Largest
Masonic Research Society founded on October 1, 1928 -- purpose of this
Research Society is to act as a clearing house for Masonic knowledge
Prince
Hall Masonry
- Blue or Craft Lodges and Grand Lodges
Supreme
Council, Scottish Rite Freemasonry, SJ, USA
Research or other questions should
be sent in writing to the relevant party: Grand Executive Director (for
administrative matters), the Librarian or Archivist/Historian of The Supreme
Council (for research questions), or the Managing Editor of the Scottish
Rite Journal (for questions relevant to material published in the Journal).
Address all correspondence to: 1733 16th Street NW Washington, DC 20009-3103
- Shriners,
or Shrine Masons, belong to the Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the
Mystic Shrine for North America (A.A.O.N.M.S.). The Shrine is an international
fraternity of members who belong to Shrine Temples. Founded in New York
City in 1872, the organization is composed solely of 32nd degree Scottish
Rite Masons or Knights Templar York Rite Masons.
-
Daughters of Isis, Prince Hall Affiliate
The Daughters of Isis is an Auxiliary for the female family members of Nobles of the Ancient Egyptian Arabic
Order Nobles of the Mystic Shrine.
-
Rainbows
Order of the Rainbow
for Girls. This is a junior organization for girls of the teen age
from Masonic, Eastern Star, and Amaranth homes, and the friends of members
of Rainbow.
- Founder - William
Mark Sexson, born at Arnica Springs, Missouri, July 8, 1877 and died
December 20, 1953, McAlester, Oklahoma. He is buried in the Masonic Section
of Oak Hill Cemetery in McAlester, Oklahoma.
- Spring of 1922,
Mr. Sexson make an address before South McAlester Chapter No. 149 appealing
for an organization for girls of the teen age from Masonic, Eastern Star,
and Amaranth homes.
- History
of the Supreme Temple in McAlester, Oklahoma
-
History
of the Order of the Eastern Star
Order of the Eastern Star (O.E.S.)
An organization of female family members of affiliated Master Masons.
Modern
Woodmen of America
Modern Woodmen was founded in
1883 by Joseph Cullen Root in Lyons, Iowa. He dreamed of a fraternal benefit
society, one designed to provide financial security to families from all
walks of life. Modern Woodmen was the original name of the society.
The phrase 'of America' was added later to signify the group's patriotism.
Moose
Lodge
When Dr. John Henry Wilson, a
Louisville, KY, physician, organized a handful of men into the Loyal Order
of Moose in the parlor of his home in the spring of 1888, he and his
compatriots did so apparently for no other reason than to form a string
of men's social clubs. Dr. Wilson left the infant order before the
turn of the century. Two Indiana Lodges kept the Moose from disappearing,
until 1906, when a young government clerk from Elwood, Ind., was invited
to enroll into the Crawfordsville Lodge. It was on James J. Davis' 33rd
birthday, October 27, that he became a member of the Loyal Order of Moose.
Davis, a native of Wales was given the title of "Supreme Organizer," and
he set out to solicit members and organize Moose Lodges across the U.S.
and southern Canada.
In 1913, the Women of the Moose
received formal recognition as the organization's official female component.
In 1921, Katherine Smith was responsible for organizing their unstructured
program and increasing membership.
[Note: We did not find an online
link to indicate what information might be available, nor did an email
response to an inquiry from their Publications Department include what
information might be available when contacted about members. 6-99]
Odd Fellows
Optimists
International
In 1911, a new type of civic
and service organization, calling itself the "Optimist Club," was formed
in Buffalo, New York.
[Note: We did not find an online
link to indicate what information might be available, nor did we receive
an email response to an inquiry about what information might be available
when contacted about members. 6-99]
Rotary International
Rotary
History
Established in 1905. Headquarters
- Rotary International, One Rotary Center, 1560 Sherman Ave, Evanston,
IL 60203
08-98 Allen Dixon wrote:
"...doubt that any search for [genealogical] information would prove beneficial...each
club is...autonomous and records are kept, but difficult to research at
world headquarters...if you wanted information or research on a particular
person...go to the club where the person was a member and hope they kept
good records." AllenDixon@compuserve.com
Salvation
Army
Founded in London in 1865 by William
Booth. The Salvation Army is an integral part of the Christian Church,.
Their Family Tracing Service does
not normally become involved in searches for genealogy, adoption, etc.
[Note: We did not find an online
link to indicate what information might be available, nor did we receive
an email response to an inquiry about what information might be available
when contacted about members. 6-99]
SAR
National
Society Sons of the American Revolution
Sons
of the American Revolution - Oklahoma
Veterans
Of Foreign Wars [VFW]
Veterans
Of Foreign Wars - History
07-98 Steve Greeley, VFW Lan
Administrator wrote: "...do[es] not keep any information on the members
of the Veterans of Foreign Wars except their membership status and that
is covered by the US Confidentiality laws and can not be given out."
greeley@vfw.org
Military
Records FAQ: Army/Marines/Navy records for Genealogical purposes
Woodmen
of the World
Woodsmen
Of The World Headstones
State
Office Locator
01-99 "Woodmen of the Word has
limited historical records of its past members available. This information
is available to relatives of the insured only. Information may be
requested by emailing SERVICE@WOODMEN.COM To complete a search we
need the following information: Name of the person to search for, date
of birth, date of death and city and state of the person's residence. The
search may take a week to complete. " Ernie May, Sr. Staff Writer
Woodmen of the World/Omaha Woodmen
Life Insurance Society, founded in Omaha, Nebraska, on June 6, 1890, by
Joseph Cullen Root, is one of the largest fraternal benefit societies in
the United States.
Woodmen
Rangers® youth program was started in 1903 and was the first youth organization of its kind in the country.
For information on someone with
a WOW tombstone, write
Woodmen of the World
Membership Services
1700 Farnam
Omaha, Nebraska 68102
800-225-3108
email: SERVICE@WOODMEN.COM
