Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1883-06-07
HISTORY Of THE ORDER
OF ODD FELLOWS.

There has been much discussion,
and considerable feeling engendered,
in both this country and England,
regarding the exact date or period
when the large and powerful organ
ization known as Odd Fellows was
first established, or the principles Of
the order first promulgated. Many OF
the members, who are considered au-
thorities upon the subject, assert that
no evidence Of the existence Of such
a society can be traced beyond period
of $50 years, or 200 years at the
most, while others as stoutly asserted
that indesputable proof has been dis
covered, revealing the presence of a
similar organization among the Jews
after they were taken captive into
Babylon and, that after their sub
jugation by the Romans, some OF
them organized as Roman legion, in
the year 4. D. 70 and their society
being looked upon with favor, by the
reigning Emperor, received from him
the name of "Odd Fellows How
true the latter statement may be it
might he difficult to determine, but
the ability of the order to rise to It's
present gigantic proportions in the
space of 200 years would seem fully
assured by the rapidity of its growth
in this country. The Society of Odd
Fellows first gained a sure footing in
this country sixty-four years ago, and
IN that comparatively short time it
has advanced to the condition of in,
fuence and power which it now
possesses. Prior to that time there
had been several attempts to found
lodges in different cities, an effort In
that direction being made in Balti.
more as early as 1902, and "Shakes-
pear Lodge" was organized on Dec.
% Of the same year but for some
reason these attempts all proved futile
and Short-lived. It was not until the
the year 1909 that the Order of Ode
Fellows was successfully planted il
this country. The prime spirit in thi
movement was Thomas Wildey, he il
now regarded as the founder Of The
order in America He was born IL
London, England, Jan. Is, 1888, anC
became a member of Odd Fellow
Lodge, No. II, in that city, as sool
as he attained his majority. He sool
became noted for his Jealous efforts OF
behalf of the order, in spreading it
influence and power. and within thre
years from the time of his initiation
he succeeded in establishing anothe
lodge IN a remote part of the city
Some time after this transpired b
embarked for America, and arrived a
Baltimore in the summer Of 1919
It is said that the great distress an
suffering occasioned by the yello'
fever, which was then prevalent
aroused his sympathies and Undue
him with an idea that an immens
amount of good might be done b
organizing a humane and beneVoler
order, like the Odd Fellow, and he &
once set about forming lodge. II
experienced some difficulty at frs
being able to secure only two coadjt
tors in the scheme, while the constitI
ton calls for five before a charter ca
be granted after discouraging a
tempts he secured the necessar
number and Washington Lodge, n,
l, was organized in Baltimore, c
April 26, 1919, With the followir
names upon It's charter Thorn;
Nyildey, John Welch, John Dunnin.
Cheatham and John Rushwort1
From that time the course of o.
Fellowship in this country has been 8
unimpeded triumph, and from tn
meagre membership of FIVE men,
1919, it had attained membersh
of 474,S3S in 1881.
----~<<s~-s-s S<<s~-
The Mansion Star has enlarged