The Waterbury Democrat., 1942-01-14

On January 15, 1942 (tOmorroW) Odd Fellowship throughout North America and in many parts of the Old World will by proclamation of the Grand Sire of the Order, Lynn J. Irwin of Des Moines, Iowa, hold appropriate meetings to commem- crate the birthday of Thomas Wild ey, the founder of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.
 Thomas Wildey was born in the city of London, England, on the 18th. day of January 1782 in the reign of George the Third, at the close of the Revolutionary War. He attended parish school at the age of five years, but left at the age of IA to learn coach-spring mak- ing, in which he became an ex- pert.
 While in England he had been prominent among his fellow work men, not only as workman but in their class enjoyments. Among these, perhaps none ranked high CT than those who were members of the so-called Odd Fellows.
 He became an initiate of Lodge No. IF of that Order, serving in every capacity, from the humblest to the highest office, spending the first 13 years of his majority in the active work of Odd Fellowship.
 Embarks for U. $.
 On the 3Oth day of July, 1877, Wildey embarked for the United States, reaching the city of Balti- more on the 2nd. of September fol- lowing, and sought and found em- ployment, though business was stag nant and money scarce. The war, just over, had crippled all kinds of trade, but being master of his craft he found work when many others did not.
 In 1918 he made the acquain- tance of John Welch, an English man, who had preceded him to America. As fellow countrymen they were much together A year had cemented this intimacy when they discovered that each of them had been an Odd Fellow and the mutual surprise was quite agree able.
 The Baltimore American on the 18th day of February 1919 ran the following:
 Notice to all Odd Fellows A few members of the Society of Odd Fellows will be glad to meet their k>r of subject of forming Lodge. The meeting will be held on Friday eve- ming, the End of March, 1819."
 The Baltimore American on the 27th day of March, 1919, again ran: Notice to all Odd Fellows-A few members of the Society of Odd Eel lows will be glad to meet their brethren for the purpose of forming a lodge, on F'riGay evening, April the 2nd, at the Seven Stars, Second S.-eet, At the hour of seven p. m."
 Those responding were John Dun can, John Cheatham ard Richard RushWorth. who with John Welch and Thomas Wildey instituted Washington Lodge No. April 26th, 1919. Thus was formed and started Odd Fellowship which in later years, was to become one of the worlds largest fraternal orders. The charter received from the Duke of York Lodge February 1st, 1920.
 First Noble Grand
 Wildey served as the first Noble Grand of Washington Lodge and upon-formation of the Grand Lodge of Maryland served as it's first Grand Master, and later as the first Grand Sire of the Sovereign Grand Lodge, the latter office be- ing the highest within the gift of the Order. He took trip to Eng land in 1926, bringing back an Eng fish Charter dated May 15, 1926 from Manchester thereby making the Order in America Independent and confirming the Duke of York charter.
 He retired as Grand Sire in 1883, but continued to travel extensively fer the Order and was elected Off, cial Travelling Agent in 1887. The Founder had outlived two genera tions and was in his eightieth year when he passed away on the 18th day of October 1861, leaving 42 jurisdictions and two hundred thousand Odd Fellows as his pyra- mid.
 No Monument
 He needed no monument to carry bis uamA dnwn to poSteritv. for no