Independent Order of Odd Fellows
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The Independent Order of Odd Fellows (I.O.O.F.) is a fraternal
organization derived from English Oddfellows orders of the
mid-1700s.
The Patriotic Order in England was followed by the Union of
United Orders and the Loyal Order. In 1813, various lodges of the
Union Order organized the Manchester Unity of Oddfellows. Several
unofficial lodges existed in New York City, but American Odd
Fellowship is regarded as being founded in Baltimore in 1819, by
Thomas Wildey, and the following year affiliated with the Manchester
Unity. Within a few years the new American Lodges separated from the
English Orders and formed the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.
Its ladies' auxiliary is known as the Rebekahs. Both the Odd
Fellows and Rebekahs have higher branches known as Encampments and
Patriarchs Militant.
Today, some branches of the order (i.e. some countries) allow
women to join the Odd Fellows itself, leading the Rebekahs to have
declined in importance. Also, the higher branches and their degrees
are, in some countries, becoming regarded as being of less
importance or too time-consuming, and (in those countries) are
gradually being abandoned.
The most widely encountered symbol of the Odd Fellows - on
signage and gravemarkers - is the three-link chain ("the Chain With
Three Links", "Triple Links") with three initials, 'F', 'L' and 'T',
one each inside each link, signifying Friendship, Love and
Truth.
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Odd Fellows Lodges, Rebekah
Lodges, Encampments, Cantons & Auxiliaries, Junior Lodges and
Theta Rho Girls' Clubs
Oklahoma
Grand Lodge of
Oklahoma, IOOF
Daniel Barton, Grand Secretary
PO BOX
588
Perry, OK 73077-0588
United States of
America
Rebekah Assembly
of Oklahoma, IOOF
Evelyn Pyles, Assembly Secretary
PO BOX
15197
Del City, OK 73155-5197
United States of
America
Grand Encampment
of Oklahoma, IOOF
LeRoy White, Grand Scribe
4309
Cardinal
Edmond, OK 73034-9017
United States of
America
Tel:
405-341-1174
GLEA of Oklahoma,
IOOF
Dorothy Jones
610 E Park Ave
Tonkawa, OK
74653
United States of America
Tel:
580-628-3035
PM of Oklahoma,
IOOF
M D Bridgforth, Adj
PO BOX 850716
Yukon, OK
73085-0716
United States of America
Tel:
405-354-6319
LAPM of Oklahoma,
IOOF
Lady Nancy Irvin
106 VonElm Ave
Yukon, OK
73099
United States of America
Family History Research
The Sovereign Grand Lodge does
not have information on an individual's Membership in the
Order. However, this responsibility lies with each
Jurisdiction (Canadian Province or US State). To obtain family
information, please contact the Jurisdiction directly
by following the instructions listed below:
- Write to the Grand Lodge or
Rebekah Assembly Secretary of the appropriate Jurisdiction
(Canadian Province or US State). See the Jurisdictions Pages
on this site for names, addresses, phone & fax numbers and
email address - where available.
- Information you need to
provide is:
- Name of the individual
- Town of
residence
- Years of residence
- Year of death. A
Member may keep Membership in one Lodge and participate in a Lodge
of another city as a visitor or Associate Member.
Please keep in mind the following when
making your requests:
- Odd Fellow
or Rebekah Applications do not include information about the
applicant's parents.
- Each
Jurisdiction keeps the annual reports from all of the Lodges under
its jurisdiction, for as far back as the records survive.
The annual reports list the current members and dates of
membership change, such as when a Member joined the Lodge (by
initiation or by transfer from another Lodge) and when a Members
leaves the Lodge (by death, resignation, or transfer to another
Lodge). Details, such as what Lodge the Member transferred
to or from, are in the Lodge's records. When a Lodge
surrenders its Charter (closes), its records are to be transferred
to the Grand Lodge or Rebekah Assembly Office of that
Jurisdiction. If a Lodge amalgamates with another Lodge, its
records transfer to the other Lodge.
- Searching
for a name can take time and the more information provided to
narrow the search, the more likely someone will be able to find
confirmation of Lodge Membership.
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