The sun., 1899-04-30
AMERICAN ODD FELLOWS.
CREDIT LONG GITEN TO BALTIMoBB
DUE REALLY TO NEW YORK.

The Anniversary Celebrated Inst wecl,
Not Tint of the True beginning of tho
Order I'm This Country Thomas vii.
dcy's Right to BE Called Its Founder.
In accordance with the proclamation ~
Grand Sire Alfred s. Pinkerton. the eiehtie'h
anniversary OF American Odd Fellowship was
observed on Wednesday. April 90. This ia
really the anniversary Of the founding OF
Washington Lodge. No. /. OF Baltimore, Md.
which by almost common consent has been
looked upon for many years as the original
American lodge. Thomas Wildey for half n
century has been regarded as the father and
founder OF American Odd Fellowship. but the
fact remains that while Washington Lodge OF
Baltimore was founded on April 20. 1919.
Shakespeare Lodge. No. ]. OF New York. was
founded Sept. %. 1906. or twelve years and
four months before. The credit that has 80
long been given TO Baltimore Is proved by re-
cent researches to belong TO New York.
Odd Fellow histories generally mention
Thomas Wldey as the founder OF the order
and Odd Fellow orators for scores OF years
have referred to him as such. but while no
one seeks to detract from his merits or abili-
ties which are admitted to have been great,
there Is n growing disposition to get closer to
the facts and to give credit where credit is due.
small amount OF publicity was given the
matter at the session OF the Sovereign
Grand Lodge at Boston. Sept. 10 to "a. 1893.
when John W. Stebbins OF Rochester. n. Y,
Grand Sire in 1894 1906. stated the facts as he
understood them in an address at the Past
Grand REPRESENTATIVES reunion. Although the
address was published in the Sovereign Grand
Lodge proceedings, it has attracted little at
tention either within or without the order. 10
is stated that the Odd Fellow press has paid
very little attention to the subject. one explana-
tion being that those who have extolled
Father Wildey 80 long as the founder OF the
order find 1t rather hard to right about face
and acknowledge the mistake.
Exactly when or where Odd Fellowship
originated in England no one knows. but at
the beginning OF this century many lodges ex-
listed there. One OF the primary laws OF the
order was the right. said to be somewhat pe-
cullar to Odd Fellowship. OF self-instituton,
that is. any five members who had been duly
Initiated into its mysteries had the right to
Join themselves together and found another
lodge. past Grand Sire Stebbins in his adj
dress referred to that fact and then proceeded
to give the result OF recent investigations con-
cerning early lodges IN the United States.
Authentic history" he said. records the
fact that Solomon Chambers. John p Cham
bers, John Meyer. Thomas Heelas and five
others founded Shakespeare Lodge. No. l. in
1906. and in January. 1910. initiated George p.
Morris and Adam C. Flanagan. youths OF but
IL land youths Of that age. according to 'an-
cient usage could be lawfully received). the
former OF whom gave to American literature
that beautiful epic. 'Woodman. spare that tree
In January, 1921. Morris. with others. with
drew from Shakespeare Lodge and founded
Franklin Lodge No. .. from which. in Novem-
ber OF the same year. spranG Washington
Lodge No. 3, and Jan. 3. 1922. Columbia
Lodge. No. 4. located in Brooklyn.
"April
others founded Washington Lodge. No. /. at
Baltimore. and the same year. Nov. 8. Henry NJ.
Jackson and others founded Franklin Lodge,
No. >. in the same city. March 20. 1920 James
B. Barnes. James Wilson. Jacob Myers. Thom-
rs Kennedy. ii. d. Fregere and James B. Eaton
founded Massachusetts Lodge. No. l. at Bos-
ton. the latter OF whom had been previously
made an Odd Fellow by the other five. Dec.
70. 1921. John B. Robinson OF Franklin Lodge.
No. ,. OF New York. while on business In Phila-
delpha. found and assembled four other Odd
Fellows residing there and himself. though not
o resident. Joined them. making the five. and
founded Pennsylvania Lodge. No. 1.
Thus were founded in four OF our chief
cities. In the order and at the times named
biRht lodges Of Odd Fellows consisting each Of
not less than five members. ench Independents
and each ignorant Of the existence of any
others outside Of its own State. except per-
haps Pennsylvania Lodge. No. !, Instituted
by Mr.. Robinson. There is no doubt that they
must have added to their numbers and that
In 1923 they must have contained several hun
dred members. when by the accidental visit Of
Ihonas Nildey To Boston they were all finally
orGa1nl5ed Mp, %nder a central authority.
J, IN the sprinz Of 1872. was the primo cause
Of bringing Thomas WiIdey to the front as the
On q Visit to Baltimore he attended meetins;
o1 washington 3dge. saw the work splendid-
~ ~ rendered, end AMI learned that the lodge had
Lodge of the United States. Upon his return
I e b9stQn he AVE sspch II, glowing account of
Lodge. No /. Immediately applied for a Grand
Lodge chqTter This visit OF, Mr.: Wilson con-
Of q lodge outside OF Baltimore. '''0 'A'7'0"''
odFe II eed 3D. states Ry snrs rs
3bGfe bai ~ IN Lond2h which had no authority save
qaSd :I19Sd Mas'sr MTh9%ns 70 WTdGy the then sofae
ran edse Of Sas nttSff wbch i
u the odls in % New YdrR Rs sns 1ss'TT Sanns
he visited hem and induced them to Apply
nesy as had thofe dse Sse'es re-
Ihs 6dse ,hSS9 ga though pU6t a, that time Goumbi
ohnned charter from lodge a'R'fI IN iverpoo 'sr "ot
Grand Lodge Of MARYLAND sur
rendered Us so.called United States jurisdic-
ton. and the four States. New York, Massa.
rhusetis. lennsylvania and Maryland organ
Zed the Grand Lodge OF the United States jan
officers. "AN 'oe''"A
-, Thus through the chance visit OF Jane.
Wilson. n omas Wildey became the organizer
pi lodges egally existing In three Of the ead-
ng cities OF the continent into State Grand
Lodges. Maryland having previously so organ
zed. and they IN turn organized the Grand
Lodge OF ne United States. No greater ner-
version II authentic history ia conceivable
than the ot-repcated statement that Odd Fell
,om%shin q this continent was founded April
20 1919, by Washington Lodge No /. OF Bal
founder ~
There are now Odd Fellow lodges In twenty.
,wo different provinces and nations. number.
ng more than one million members
DEAD LETTER OFFICE BUSINESS.
variety OF Causes Which Contribute to
the Stock of UndeIivercd NaiL