It is one of the oldest and largest fraternity in the world yet it remains humble and discreet up until today. And unlike other fraternal orders, IOOF is never involved in conspiracies and political issues.
Its aim is the elevation of human character to a higher, nobler plane; to extend sympathy and aid to those in need, making their burdens lighter, relieving the darkness of despair; to war against vice in every form, and to be a great moral power and influence for the good of humanity.
WHY THE NAME “ODD FELLOWS”
In the 1700’s in England, a group of laboring men, just like labor unions of today, associated themselves together and formed a fraternity for social unity and fellowship and for mutual help which was a marked violation of the trends of the times that’s why they became known as ‘peculiar’ or ‘odd’, and hence they were called ‘Odd Fellows.’
Another, similar explanation is that the original Odd Fellows were men who were engaged in various or “odd” jobs. Because of the appropriateness of the name, those engaged in forming these unions accepted the name. One says that they were called “odd” because in the beginning of Odd Fellowship in the 17th century, at the time of industrialization, it was rather odd to find people who followed noble values such as benevolence, charity and fraternalism.
FAMOUS ODD FELLOWS IN HISTORY
Odd Fellowship, unlike many other organizations, makes no special effort to attract “name” members. The Odd Fellows are a warm, personal type of affiliation that doesn’t rely on “rubbing elbows” with the famous to give them satisfaction. However, note that this is a small sampling of famous Odd Fellows in American History.
 William McKinley, 25th U.S. President (1897-1901)
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 Ulysses S. Grant, 18th U.S. President (1869–1877)
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 Rutherford Hayes, 19th U.S. President (1877–1881)
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 Warren Harding, 29th U.S. President (1921–1923)
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 Harry Truman, 33rd U.S. President (1945 -1953)
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 Franklin D. Roosevelt, 32nd U.S. President (1933–1945)
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 Schuyler Colfax, 17th U.S. Vice President (1869–1873)
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 Thomas Hendricks, 21st U.S. Vice President (1885)
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 Earl Warren, U.S. Chief Justice (1953–1969)
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 Wyatt Earp, iconic Western Lawman (1865-1897)
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 Burl Ives, singer & actor,
“A Holly Jolly Christmas” |
 William Jennings Bryan,
41st U.S. Secretary of State |
 Charlie Chaplin, famous actor and comedian
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 Red Skelton, famous actor and comedian
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 Everett McKinley Driksen, U.S. Senator (1951-1969)
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 Thomas Sterling,
U.S. Senator (1913-1925) |
 Alexander S. Clay, U.S. Senator (1853-1910)
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 Richard Russell Jr, U.S. Senator (1933-1971)
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