Rock Island Argus., 1902-04-22
EIGHTY-THIRD ANNIVERSARY
OF ODD FELLOW SOCIETY


years ago the order was established
in America, April %, 1919.
The Odd Fellows of Rock Island
are planning an observance of their
anniversary this year and it is likely
that all will make some recognition
of the day. The plans are now being
formulated. 1t is interesting. there
fore. to recall some history concern
ing the early days. 1t seems that
Thomas Wildey and four others in
stitnted the first lodge organized on
u legal baSis-that is. legal according
To the statutes of the Independent
Order of Odd Fellows. Thomas Will
dey. whose name is revered and whose
memory is kept green in every lodge
room i'm -,merica, was n young Eng
lish mechanic. His associates in
instituting Washingtonian lodge No.
\ at Baltimore the long three
quarters of n century ago were also
Welch. John Duncan. John Cheatham
and Richard Rushworth. From this
small beginning the order has flour
ished until there are now i'm the Unit
ed States thousands of lodges. with
membership of 100000 men. In
the sister. or Rebekah lodges. the wo-
men number 100000. There are in IL
linoiS about $40 lodges, with 10000
members. and in the Rebeliah lodges
the number reaches 10000. The pres
ent value of real property held by the
order is $l6.5OO.OOO and represents an
investment of nearly $4,000. 900. The
aggregate rents received are $50O.0
and i'm benefits and aid To members
and their dependents the Odd Fellows
eXpend Sl.OOO.OOO annually. When it
is considered that the growth of the
organization for the first twenty
years was SLOW, the present scope of
its influence cannot he regarded as
otherwise than remarkable.
Odd Fellowship is comparatively
modern. but it is difficult TO deter
mine just when the first lodges were
organized. I'm the Gentleman's Maga-
zine in I745, the first mention made
of them is found. y writer refers To
the Odd Fellows lodge as n pleasant
place at which to spend an evening.
1t Is probable that the first lodges
were formed by Il few laborers in
different districts of England. They
banded together to help one another
in sickness and misfortune and To
care for one anoThers' families in case
of the death of members. This is
still the foundation principle. and
every Odd Fellow. rich or poor. must
receive q stipulated amount weekly.
an attack of sickness. This
removes any charitable feature the
might have. IL is an obli- /
CATION upon every lodge 10 care for
its sick members and 10 see that they |
have proper burial in case of death.
The limit to the benevolence of |
lodge is the limits TO the funds in its
treasury. or the humanity of its MEM
bers. This feature, as YOU may see.
is quite comprehensive.
II was in the 3Os that Odd Fellow
ship moved west and Alton lodge No.
1. the first i'm Illinois. was instituted
August l. 1896. The original mem !
bers were Samuel l.. Miller. John II.
Woods. stephen Lansing. Thomas
Wright and .Fohn Fisher. James +.
Starr. now living in the state OF
* the only survivor OF
those who. with the five named. made !
up the charter list of the first lodge
After Wildey had formed the lodge |
i'm Baltimore-he became an Odd Eel |
low i'm England-the number of sub
ordinate lodges slowly increased for
four or five years. until Wildey and his |
decided Ia cut loose from !
with English Odd Fellow
ship. whose seat of government was
at Manchester. The grand lodge of
the United States held its first COM
on Washington's birthday. |
1925. making the establishment dis
tinctiveIy American. The grand /
lodge of Illinois was instituted at Al
ton August %. 1888. by Past Grand
Sire Wildev. The subordinate lodges
NJ that time were Alton No. ?. Clark
No. 2. at Greenville; Illini No. att
and Wildey No. >. at
-;aIena. The first grand officers were
Samuel C.. Price. grand master; Alex
,nder Botkin. deputy grand master;
David u. Berry. grand warden; Sam
ieI l.. Miller. grand secretary and
treasurer. and John r. Woods. grand
There are now about l.
200 subordinate lodges In the state,
With perhaps 10000 members.
100 members.
The benevolent features of the or
Ter are prominent. In the care and
support of widows and orphans OF
members there Is annually expended
, sum of 81 900. 900. The amount
would be more rather than less. Many
IF the states have their own homes
-or those dependent upon the order.
rhe Odd Fellows Orphans home at
lincoln. this state. is conceded TO be
he model institution of the kind i'm
he country. Committees from other
states often come 10 inspect IL ana
examine its working in order To get
! proper start in their own homes.
rhe home is situated in the city limits
IF Lincoln and consists of two fine
81 t.,,;IJ;,ore and forty nCres of /