Finding Aid of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Grand Lodge of North Carolina, ORG.65
Abstract
The Independent Order of Odd Fellows was established in eighteenth century England
as a secret, fraternal society. The American order was founded in 1819 and began to
spread to the various states. On April 26, 1841, Weldon Lodge No. 1 was organized
in Weldon in Halifax County, North Carolina. Historically, the individual lodges of
I.O.O.F. have served as both social and relief organizations. The primary tenants
held by Odd Fellows have been summarized as friendship, love, and truth.
Descriptive Summary
- Title
- Independent Order of Odd Fellows Records
- Call Number
- ORG.65
- Creator
- Independent Order of Odd Fellows.
- Date
- 1842 - 2014
- Extent
- 1.00 fibredex boxes, 1.00 reels
- Language
- English
- Repository
- State Archives of North Carolina
Series Quick Links
- Correspondence, 1916-1970
- Financial Records, 1927-1970
- General Records, 1968-1978
- Ledgers, 1902-1910
- Memorandum, 1912-1916
- Minutes, 1912-1915
- Petitions, 1913-1969
- Programs, 1929-1961
- Publications, 1902-1969
- Reports, 1900-1968
- Miscellaneous
- Returns, 1882-1985
- Odd Fellows Home Alumni Association, 1958-2014
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], Org.65, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Washington Lodge No. 3 (Murfreesboro, Hertford Co.), Anchoree Lodge No. 14, and Tulula Encampment No. 8 (Pasquotank Co.), State Archives of North Carolina, Raleigh, NC, USA.
Arrangement Note
Chronological within each series.
Finding Aid prepared by: Carolyn G. Hughes on 6 October 1959.
Revised by: Fran Tracy-Walls in December 2002 and Gwen Thomas Mays in September 2019.
Historical Note
The Independent Order of Odd Fellows (I.O.O.F.), a secret fraternal, benefit society,
evolved in England during the eighteenth century. By most accounts, the origin of
the name "Odd Fellows" cannot be traced. Thomas Wildey is considered to have been
the founder of the society in America, established at Baltimore in 1819. However,
other lodges are known to have existed before Wildey came to the United States. On
April 26, 1841, Weldon Lodge No. 1 was organized in Weldon in Halifax County, North
Carolina.
The second lodge in North Carolina was Cape Fear Lodge No. 2 at Wilmington and was
instituted May 13, 1842. The third lodge in North Carolina was Washington Lodge No.
3 at Murfreesboro and was instituted May 17, 1842. This lodge ceased to exist during
the Civil War, and its number was assigned to Virginia Dare Lodge at Manteo on Roanoke
Island.
The charter of the Grand Lodge of North Carolina was granted by the Grand Lodge at
its session in 1842 and was instituted the Grand Lodge of North Carolina on January
6, 1843 in the city of Wilmington. By 1860 there were thirty-two lodges with 1026
members, in 1896 there were 112 lodges with 4,335 members, in 1910 membership had
reached 16, 302.
Historically, the individual lodges of I.O.O.F. have served as both social and relief
organizations. The primary tenants held by Odd Fellows have been summarized as friendship,
love, and truth. The duties expected of Odd Fellows have been to visit the sick, relieve
the distressed, bury the dead, and educate the orphan.
The annual meeting of the Grand Lodge was held in Wilmington in 1890. There it was
decreed that "for the purpose of immediately establishing an Orphanage, we recommend
that each lodge be requested to donate 10 cents per month per capita and that the
Secretary of each lodge be requested to notify the Secretary of the Board of Trustees
of the action of the lodge and the amount per month to be obtained."
At the annual meeting the following year, held in Oxford, it was resolved that "the
purpose of the Grand Lodge to put the Orphan Home in operation was freely discussed
and it was finally resolved by the Trustees that it was essential for the welfare
and prosperity of the Odd Fellows Orphan Home that a certain income be created for
it, so that the institution shall not be altogether dependent on the charity of the
Order."
A Committee met later in 1891 to consider four offered sites for the construction
of the Orphan Home. After visiting a site in Carthage, a site in Raleigh, and a site
in Wilmington, the site in Goldsboro was chosen. Goldsboro's Neuse Lodge No. 6 was
to appoint a building committee.
At the annual meeting held in Wilmington in 1892, it was resolved that "all applications
for admission to the Orphans Home must come approved by the Odd Fellows Lodge nearest
to the location where the child resides and the Superintendent shall have the right
in his discretion to admit the same, giving always preference to the most needy. In
the admission of orphans to the Home, the orphans of Odd Fellows shall be given preference."
By 1913 there were 182 children living at the Home. By the 1930s there were fewer
and fewer applications, sometimes only one or two per year. In 1941 there were no
applications and no admissions to the Home. From 1942 through 1970, the number of
children at the Home fluctuated between 42 and 60. By 1970, with dwindling membership
in the Order, and changing societal rules regarding the care of orphaned children,
the Grand Council took under advisement the recommendations of the Trustees and after
much consideration decided that phasing out of the Home should be carried out. Most
of the children were placed in foster homes, some in the Kennedy Home at Kinston,
and the Episcopal Home at Goldsboro. A buyer for the property was sought out.
Additionally, during the nineteenth century, some lodges provided a forum for justice.
Charges of unacceptable and unbecoming conduct brought against a member by the lodge
or by an individual were tried by committee. The consequences of sustained charges
might mean expulsion and the loss of relief benefits.
Today the I.O.O.F. emphasizes charitable projects, with goals related to its original
injunctions, including relief of the distressed. Collectively, the group maintains
a chair of eye research in the Wilmer Eye Institute at Johns Hopkins University in
Baltimore, Maryland. Currently the international headquarters are in Winston-Salem,
North Carolina. By the latter part of the twentieth century, the order had a world-wide
membership of over one million.
Contents of the Collection
1. Correspondence, 1916-1970
Scope and Content:
This series includes general correspondence of the I.O.O.F. Grand Lodge of North Carolina and individual Lodges.
2. Financial Records, 1927-1970
Scope and Content:
This series includes audit reports, a certificate book, ledgers, weekly reports, a cash book, and ledgers for Neuse Lodge No. 6.
3. General Records, 1968-1978
Scope and Content:
This series includes a national register nomination for the Lodge building in Goldsboro, a newsletter, resolutions, and a charter.
4. Ledgers, 1902-1910
Scope and Content:
This series includes a roll of officers, and a roster of members.
5. Memorandum, 1912-1916
Scope and Content:
This series includes general memos of the Order.
6. Minutes, 1912-1915
Scope and Content:
This series includes minutes of various lodges in North Carolina.
7. Petitions, 1913-1969
Scope and Content:
This series includes petitions for membership.
8. Programs, 1929-1961
Scope and Content:
This series includes a program from a Rebekah Assembly, and a Grand Lodge meeting.
9. Publications, 1902-1969
Scope and Content:
This series includes publications of the Grand Lodge such as ceremonies, NC code of law and forms, proceedings, and ritual of a subordinate lodge.
10. Reports, 1900-1968
Scope and Content:
This series includes reports of the Grand Secretary, Odd Fellows Home weekly reports, advance reports, and annual reports.
11. Miscellaneous
Scope and Content:
This series includes items that do not fit into any other series.
12. Returns, 1882-1985
Scope and Content:
This series includes returns that were sent in semi-annually, and may include the name and location of the lodge or encampment, date of institution, meeting days, officers, past chief patriarchs, royal purple degree members, number of members, and a financial report. Returns may also include correspondence, dismissal certificates, withdrawal cards, and supporting documents.
13. Odd Fellows Home Alumni Association, 1958-2014
Scope and Content:
This series includes the papers of Leonard Veed Staton, who had been a resident of the Home, and a member of the Association. The materials include correspondence, histories, memos, newsletters, newspaper clippings, prints, rosters, sheet music, and The Three Links publication.
Subject Headings
Acquisitions Information
Portions of collection are a gift.