A Fraternity that Cares about its Community and its Members
"Visit the Sick"
visiting and comforting our members in time of need
The Independent Order of Odd Fellows was founded on the North American Continent in Baltimore, Maryland, on
April 26, 1819 when Thomas Wildey and four members of the Order from England instituted Washington Lodge No. 1.
This lodge received its charter from Manchester Unity of Odd Fellows in England. At that time, the city was suffering both
a yellow fever epidemic and mass unemployment so they dedicated the organization to “Visit the sick, relieve the distress,
bury the dead, and educate the orphans.”
In 18th Century England, people were facing a lot of challenges. Life was tough, often lawless and desperate. Medicine was still crude and in a
primitive stage. Life expectancy was about 45 to 50. There were lots of sickness, orphaned kids, widowed mothers, and many people cannot afford
to pay a decent burial for the dead. So, ordinary people from different trades and walks of life found it necessary to group together as brothers and
sisters and contribute some of their hard-earned wages to a common fund which they could use for unfortunate times such as sickness, losing a job,
and even death. They would work together to help each other and the unfortunate families back on their feet, whether it was rebuilding a barn that
had burned or putting in a new crop after a devastating season.
It was odd to find people organized for the purpose of giving aid to those in need and pursuing projects for the benefit of all mankind. Such altruistic
and friendly society came to be known as “Odd Fellows” because it was odd to find people organized for the purpose of giving aid to those in need and
of pursuing projects for the benefit of all mankind. It was believed that they were “an odd bunch of fellows” who would behave in such a selfless and seemingly impractical fashion. Odd Fellows are also known as “The Three Link Fraternity” which stands for Friendship, Love and Truth.