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68-808: The Independent Order of Odd Fellows ( IOOF ) is a non-political, non-sectarian international fraternal order of Odd Fellowship . It was founded in 1819 by Thomas Wildey in Baltimore , Maryland , United States. Evolving from the Order of Odd Fellows founded in England during the 18th century, the IOOF was originally chartered by the Independent Order of Oddfellows Manchester Unity in England but has operated as an independent organization since 1842, although it maintains an inter-fraternal relationship with

136-634: A Moveable feast in New Haven . The Lodge has been the basic local unit of the Order since its founding. Councils of Past Grand Masters, also known as the Patriarchal Order of Past Grand Masters in America, were added in 1844 and are composed, as the name suggests, by Past Grand Masters of the Order. Patriarchies, composed of Past Grand Masters who have rendered particularly valuable service to

204-724: A Rebekah lodge in 1995. After the Independent Order of Odd Fellows Grand Lodge of Sweden was established in 1895, the interest in Odd Fellowship was awakened in Finland. After Finland had declared independence in 1917, the idea of an Odd Fellows Lodge in Finland was raised again. A few interested people from the town Vaasa in Ostrobothnia province were able to join the Swedish Odd Fellow lodges until

272-586: A charter which was granted. Grand United Order of Odd Fellows in America are still headquartered in Philadelphia. On September 20, 1851, IOOF became the first national fraternity to accept both men and women when it formed the Daughters of Rebekah as an auxiliary organization. Schuyler Colfax (Vice President of the United States (1869–1873) under President Ulysses S. Grant ) was the force behind

340-700: A clear political agenda, sometimes radical or militant - for example, the Nativist and anti-Catholic Order of the Star Spangled Banner and Order of United Americans , active in the 1840s US, or the Ku Klux Klan . Some are associated with professions, such as the Fraternal Order of Police , while yet others are focused on academic traditions. In the more social type, each lodge is generally responsible for its own affairs, but it

408-560: A contributing member and be benefited thereby. Hence, from such desires, the Household of Ruth was formed to extend, strengthen and perpetuate the bonds of Friendship, Love and Truth. A fixed admission fee, monthly contribution and special sick and death benefit were enacted and had long continued after Households were established. Some sisters paid dues in both places. This list was continued until 1928. December 19, 1843, Philomathean Lodge No.646, Grand United Order of Oddfellows, received

476-600: 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. Teachings in the Order are conducted through the exemplification of the Degrees of membership. The Degrees are conferred on the candidate by their Lodge, and are teachings of principles and truths by ceremonies and symbols. The Degrees are presented largely by means of allegory and drama. For Odd Fellows,

544-918: A lodge of Oddfellows. They were denied, because they were black. At this point, Peter Ogden , a black sailor who had been initiated into a Grand United Order affiliated lodge in Liverpool , suggested that they try to receive recognition from them. This idea was approved, and Ogden sailed to England and obtained recognition from the Grand United Order's governing body at Leeds to form the Philomathean Institute into Philomathean Lodge, No. 646 on March 1, 1843. The four existing Grand United Order-affiliated lodges refused to recognize Ogden as Deputy, admittedly because they did not wish to associate with black people. On his return to Liverpool, he applied, through his Lodge Victoria Lodge No. 448, to

612-423: A reported 2,676,582 members. While this data from 1921 may not be the exact zenith of its membership, the organization experienced a loss in membership of 23.5% between 1920 and 1930, explained in large part by the development of the commercial insurance industry , and has continually declined. The Great Depression and the introduction of Franklin D. Roosevelt 's New Deal brought a decline in membership. During

680-557: A separate governing system from the English Order. In 1843, they changed the name of their organization to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. In the following years, lodges were instituted all over the country, first in the east and later in the west. After rejection from the Independent Order of Odd Fellows due to race, an African American sailor, Peter Ogden , petitioned the Grand United Order of Oddfellows for

748-583: A system of awards , medals , decorations , styles , degrees , offices , orders , or other distinctions , often associated with regalia , insignia, initiation and other rituals , secret greetings, signs, passwords, oaths , and more or less elaborate symbolism , as in chivalric orders. The Freemasons and Odd Fellows emerged in the 18th century in the United Kingdom and the United States . Other examples, which emerged later, include

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816-400: Is a jurisdiction of the Grand United Order of Oddfellows in the United States, Jamaica , Canada , South America , and other locations. Since its founding in 1843, its membership has principally included African Americans , due to their being discriminated against in most other fraternal orders in America at the time. The Grand United Order of Odd Fellows in America traces its origin to

884-860: Is affiliated to, two orders might merge, or a group of lodges will break away from an order and form a new one. For example, the Independent Order of Foresters was set up in 1874 when it separated from the Ancient Order of Foresters , also called Foresters Friendly Society, which itself was formed from the Royal Foresters Society in 1834. Consequently, the histories of some fraternal orders and friendly societies are difficult to follow. Often there are different, unrelated organisations with similar names. Grand United Order of Odd Fellows in America The Grand United Order of Odd Fellows, American Jurisdiction

952-414: Is often affiliated to an order such as the Independent Order of Odd Fellows or the Independent Order of Foresters . There are typically reciprocal agreements between lodges within an order, so that if members move to other cities or countries, they can join a new lodge without an initiation period. The ceremonies are fairly uniform throughout an order. Occasionally, a lodge might change the order that it

1020-737: The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks , the Fraternal Order of Eagles , the Independent Order of Rechabites , the Templars of Honor and Temperance , the Independent Order of Foresters , the Knights of Columbus , and the Loyal Order of Moose . Some may have ethnic or religious affiliations, such as Ancient Order of Hibernians or Order of Alhambra for Irish Catholics , or the Orange Order for Irish Protestants . Some orders have

1088-548: The Seven Stars Tavern on April 26, 1819, by Thomas Wildey along with some associates who assembled in response to an advertisement in the New Republic. The following year, the lodge affiliated with the Independent Order of Oddfellows Manchester Unity and was granted the authority to institute new lodges. Previously, Wildey had joined the Grand United Order of Oddfellows (1798-) in 1804 but followed through with

1156-453: The 1800s. The Independent Order of Odd Fellows re-established lodges in the country in 2008. In January 2012, there were four Odd Fellow lodges in the country. The Independent Order of Odd Fellows was established in Norway in 1898 and is one of the strongest jurisdictions in terms of membership. In January 2010, there were 151 Odd Fellow Lodges and 125 Rebekah Lodges and about 23,414 members in

1224-562: The 1870s the Order spread west and south, establishing lodges in Florida , Texas , Colorado and California . By the time of the Order's 1892 convention it had spread to Cuba . In 1897 there were 2,253 lodges and thirty six Grand Lodges. By 1979, the structure had apparently changed somewhat, with the national organization called the Grand Lodge, six "regional groups" and local Lodges. National conventions were then held biennially and

1292-855: The 1890s, and the membership totaled almost 4,000 brothers. The formal establishment of the IOOF Grand Lodge of the German Empire was on December 28, 1872. The Independent Order of Odd Fellows in Iceland was founded in August 1897 under the Jurisdiction of the IOOF Grand Lodge of Kingdom of Denmark, until it established the Grand Lodge of Iceland on January 31, 1948. In December 2017, there were 28 Odd Fellows Lodges, 18 Rebekah Lodges, 6 Odd Fellow Encampments and 5 Rebekah Encampments – about 3,900 members. The Independent Order of Odd Fellows

1360-567: The 19th century, it enrolls some 600,000 members divided in approximately 10,000 lodges into 26 countries, inter-fraternally recognized by the second largest, the British-seated Independent Order of Oddfellows Manchester Unity. Odd Fellows lodges were first documented in 1730 in England from which many organizations emerged. While several unofficial Odd Fellows lodges had existed in New York City sometime in

1428-579: The City of New York and State of New York, Philomathean Lodge was instituted at 12 noon with 48 members. At the installation of the first offices of the Lodge, Peter Ogden delivered to the Noble Grand all Books and paraphernalia belonging to the new lodge. Past Grand Master Joseph Jones, District Secretary of Liverpool, England, and member of Victoria Lodge No. 448, Grand United Order of Oddfellows, delivered

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1496-546: The Committee of Management, and the same was granted on January 6. 1943. A Committee of five Grand Masters and a Noble Father was appointed to constitute a Lodge in the City of New York to be known as the Philomathean Lodge No. 646, Grand United Order of Oddfellows. This Committee arrived in New York City on Sunday, February 27, 1843, and convened Wednesday, March 1, 1843. On March 1, 1843, On Elm Street in

1564-553: The English Order. The order is also known as the Triple Link Fraternity , referring to the order's "Triple Links" symbol, alluding to its motto "Friendship, Love and Truth". While several unofficial Odd Fellows Lodges had existed in New York City circa 1806–1818, because of its charter relationship, the American Odd Fellows is regarded as being founded with Washington Lodge No 1 in Baltimore at

1632-604: The Grand Lodge was surrendered. In September 2012, there were 3 Odd Fellows Lodges and 3 Rebekahs Lodges in the country. The Independent Order of Odd Fellows was established in Cuba when Porvenir Lodge no.1 was instituted in Havana on August 26, 1883. More lodges were then instituted the following years. In 2012 there were about 116 Odd Fellows Lodges, 50 Rebekahs Lodges, 33 Encampments, 12 cantons and 2 Junior Lodges, totaling to about 15,000 members in Cuba. The first attempt to establish

1700-456: The Grand United Order of Oddfellows in 1804, then joined its splinter order, Independent Order of Oddfellows Manchester Unity, before immigrating to the United States in 1817. In 1842, after an elementary dispute on whether the American lodges were to be involved in decision-making procedures, in a split along racial lines, some American Lodges formed with exclusively whites-only membership and

1768-518: The IOOF and the lodges rallied. Over the next half-century, also known as the " Golden age of fraternalism " in America, the Odd Fellows became the largest among all fraternal organizations (at the time, even larger than Freemasonry ). By 1889, the IOOF had lodges in every American state. Compared to Masonic lodges, membership in the Odd Fellows lodges tended to be more common among the lower middle class and skilled workers and less common among

1836-550: The IOOF became the first fraternity in the United States to include white women when it adopted the " Beautiful Rebekah Degree " by initiative of Schuyler Colfax , later Vice-President of the United States . Daughters of Rebekah are an auxiliary organization to the Odd Fellows. Beyond fraternal and recreational activities, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows promotes the ethic of reciprocity and charity , by implied inspiration of Judeo-Christian ethics. The largest Sovereign Grand Lodge of all fraternal orders of Odd Fellows since

1904-538: The Independent Order of Odd Fellows in what later became the Czech Republic was in 1905 through the formation of Friendship Lodge No. 8 in Saxony. But the unstable political and social condition of the country hampered development. The actual development of the IOOF began after the creation of Czechoslovakia. However, Lodges were banned and cancelled during WWII. The IOOF began to re-activate lodges in 1989, building

1972-407: The Independent Order of Odd Fellows, known as Valparaiso Lodge No.1, was instituted by Dr. Cornelius Logan, Grand Sire, on April 15, 1874. Four additional lodges were instituted in the following years, and a Grand Lodge of Chile was instituted on November 18, 1875. However, due to the political situation in the country, the lodges in the country were reduced to 3 active lodges in 1888 and the charter of

2040-775: The Kingdom of Denmark is located at the Odd Fellow Palace in Copenhagen. The Independent Order of Odd Fellows was formally established in the Dominican Republic when Dr. Joaquin Balaguer Lodge no.1 was founded on February 24, 2007, in the City of San Cristobal. The Independent Order of Odd Fellows was founded in Estonia when 1 Odd Fellows Lodge was founded by the Grand Lodge of Finland in 1993 and

2108-499: The Manchester Unity and the IOOF can visit each other's lodges, and are welcome as brothers and sisters. Currently, there are about 12,000 lodges with nearly 600,000 members. Units of the order in the United States include: As an organization, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows aims to provide a framework that promotes personal and social development. Lodge degrees and activities aim to improve and elevate every person to

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2176-455: The Order, were created during a reorganization in 1873, and are modeled on a similar British adjunct. The number of lodges and other local units grew steadily during the 19th century. There were 32 in 1850 and 66 in 1860, though 17 of these were inactive. In 1863, at the twentieth anniversary of the Order, it was announced that there were 50 active lodges in the United States, Canada , and Bermuda and in 1867 there were 66 active lodges. During

2244-484: The Rebekahs' decline in importance. Also, the appendant branches and their degrees are, in some countries, becoming regarded as less important or too time-consuming, and are gradually being abandoned. Although there was a decline in membership in fraternal organizations in general during the 20th century, membership in the 21st century started to increase. The Odd Fellows scholarship has extended financial assistance to

2312-580: The Sovereign Grand Lodge finally permitted the Grand Lodge of Sweden to officially establish the IOOF in Finland in 1925. The first lodge established was named Wasa Lodge no.1 in the coastal town of Vaasa. Additional lodges were then formed in Helsinki in 1927 and a third lodge in Turku in 1931. Odd Fellows in Finland encountered great difficulties in the 1930s and during the wartime. Especially

2380-576: The authority to establish a Sub-Committee of Management of the Grand United Order of Oddfellow of England, subject to the resolutions and under the control of the Committee of Management of the Grand United Order of Oddfellows, England, of eight Past officers if possible, to carry out the extension of the Order in granting dispensations. By 1847 there were 22 lodges in Ogden's organization and in 1851 lodges from New York , Pennsylvania, Connecticut , Massachusetts , New Jersey , Delaware and Maryland met at

2448-535: The camp" Vistula-Lager" existed. In addition to the above-mentioned, there were 18 IOOF lodges in the Lower Silesia, including as many as five in Wroclaw, "Morse", "Moltke," Phönix "Freundschaft" and "Caritas". In the years 1925 to 1926, they built a new, modern building for their headquarters. It was projected by A. Radig, and it stands in today's Hallera Street in Wroclaw. The Independent Order of Odd Fellows

2516-574: The club was instituted as Friedens Lodge no.1 on June 4, 1922, in Vienna followed by Ikarius Lodge no.2, Pestalozzi Lodge no.3 and Fridtjof Nansen Lodge no.4. Mozart Lager Encampment no.1 was also instituted on June 3, 1932. The first lodge under the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Belgia Lodge no.1, was instituted on June 13, 1911, in Antwerp. On March 15, 1975, Aurora Rebekah Lodge no.1 was instituted in Antwerp. Two more Odd Fellows Lodges were opened in

2584-635: The country. The Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Isthmian Canal Lodge No. 1, was instituted at Gorgona, September 17, 1907, in Panama. The charter was secured upon the application of named petitioners. Officers were installed. A special meeting was announced to institute a class of 25 on October 5, 1907. The Independent Order of Odd Fellows was established in Poland in Poznan in 1876 and in Wroclaw (then Breslau) in 1879. A Regional Grand Lodge of Silesia and Poznan

2652-490: The country. The first I.O.O.F store in Brazil was established on February 16, 2020. It was a historic date for the country. A special delegation was sent to the country with 3 people, Edward Johnson, Michelle Heckart and Hank Dupray to assist in the foundation. Brazil Lodge N 01. was opened with 18 founding members and the first Noble Grand in Brazil was Gabriel Boni Sutil. Brazil Lodge N 01 remains open and members are working on

2720-402: The degrees in Odd Fellowship emphasize a leaving of the old life and the start of a better one, of welcoming travelers, and of helping those in need. Lodges also provide an international social network of members in 26 countries. The command of the IOOF is to "visit the sick, relieve the distressed, bury the dead and educate the orphan". Specifically, IOOF has stated the following purposes: There

2788-478: The depression, people could not afford Odd Fellows membership fees, and when the New Deal's social reforms started to take effect, the need for the social work of the Odd Fellows declined. In 1971 the IOOF changed its constitution, removing its whites only clause. In 1979 the Order had 243,000 members. Some branches of the order ( i.e. , some countries) have allowed women to join the Odd Fellows itself, leading to

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2856-509: The early membership consisted primarily of military officers and government officials. The organization failed during World War II , and was not reformed until November 21, 2009. In 2019 there were 25 active Odd Fellows lodges, 1 Rebekah Lodge, 3 Encampments and 2 Cantons of the Patriarchs Militant located in various towns and cities in the country. Andalucia Rebekah Lodge no.1 was established in 1995, and Costa del Sol Lodge no.1

2924-459: The first Odd Fellows Hall in the Czech Republic in 1996. In 2010, Martel Rebekah Lodge No.4 was founded as the lodge for women. The Independent Order of Odd Fellows was established in the Kingdom of Denmark in 1878 and the Rebekahs in 1881. In September 2012, IOOF had over 112 Odd Fellow Lodges and 94 Rebekah Lodges, with a total membership of 14,500 in Denmark. The IOOF Grand Lodge headquarters of

2992-799: The founder of the German Order, Ostheim , was appointed Gedeputeerd Groot Sire voor Nederland and installed the first Dutch board. In 1899, lodges were established in The Hague and Groningen . Also in 1899, the first Nederlandse Grootorde (Grand Lodge of Netherlands) was founded. On September 2, 1911, the first Belgian Lodge, Belgia Loge nr. 201 , was established in Antwerp , and the Order changed its name to Orde in Nederland en België . Various orders of Odd Fellows have existed in Nigeria since

3060-610: The growth of the IOOF in the country. Two lodges under the Manchester Unity of Independent Order of Odd Fellows known as Royal Wellington Lodge no.1 and Loyal Bon Accorde Lodge no.2 existed in Halifax, Nova Scotia, as early as 1815. The IOOF in Canada has 7 Grand Lodges, namely: Grand Lodge of Alberta, Grand Lodge of Atlantic Provinces, Grand Lodge of British Columbia, Grand Lodge of Manitoba, Grand Lodge of Ontario, Grand Lodge of Quebec and Grand Lodge of Saskatchewan. The first Lodge under

3128-555: The headquarters were in Philadelphia The headquarters remain in Philadelphia (as of 2011). Ocean Springs, Mississippi had a hall. Louisville had several lodges.Union Lodge No. 1341 was established in 1867. St. John No. 1364 and St. Luke No. 1371 lodges were established by 1872. Two lodges of the G. U. O. O. F. sister society, the Household of Ruth , were established in Louisville in 1877: No. 24 and No. 60 and No. 4213

3196-634: The institution of Württemberg Lodge, other lodges were instituted including Germania Lodge No. 1 in Berlin on March 30, 1871; Helvetia Lodge No. 1 in Zurich, Switzerland on April 2, 1871; Saxonia Lodge No. 1 in Dresden on June 6, 1871; and Schiller Lodge No. 3 in Stuttgart on May 25, 1872. During the first decades, many lodges were instituted including 56 lodges in the 1870s, 20 lodges in the 1880s, 41 lodges in

3264-564: The institution of the Grand Lodge of Finland on June 2, 1984. In the year 2008, there were 57 Odd Fellows lodges and 48 Rebekah lodges in Finland with about 8,200 members. The first lodge under the Independent Order of Odd Fellows was established on December 1, 1870, in Württemberg, Germany, by Dr. John F. Morse, a Past Grand Master in California and a member of California Odd Fellows Lodge No. 1 of San Francisco, California, U.S.A. After

3332-435: The movement. Both the Odd Fellows and Rebekahs have appendant branches known as Encampments and Patriarchs Militant . The American Civil War (1861–1865) shattered the IOOF in America; membership decreased and many lodges were unable to continue their work, especially in the southern states. After the Civil War, with the beginning of industrialization, the deteriorating social circumstances brought large numbers of people to

3400-441: The name Independent Order of Odd Fellows. By that time there were only four known lodges of Oddfellows in the United States owing allegiance to the Grand United Order; they were located near Pottsville , Pennsylvania . note: those four lodges were "self-inducted". In 1842 members of the Philomathean Institute in New York petitioned the Manchester Unity aligned American Oddfellows for a dispensation to form their institute into

3468-421: The oration. Brother James B. Field, Noble Grand of Philomathean Lodge No. 646 responded most eloquently, and also called upon his staff of officers to express their gratitude to the delegates from England. As the years rolled on, the illustrious Peter Ogden thought he had found a haven by receiving so much praise. He then decided to send for his sister to come to America where he could have a temporary home. But as

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3536-403: The original Grand United Order of Oddfellows in England, which was established in 1798. In 1810 a group split from the Order and became the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Manchester Unity . In 1819 a branch of Oddfellowship was introduced into the United States by Thomas Wildey , and remained an organic party of the Manchester Unity until 1843, when it became a separate organization under

3604-433: The period 1806 to 1818, the American Odd Fellows is regarded as being founded with Washington Lodge No 1 in Baltimore at the Seven Stars Tavern on April 26, 1819, by Thomas Wildey along with some associates who assembled in response to a newspaper advertisement. The following year, the lodge affiliated with the Independent Order of Oddfellows Manchester Unity was granted the authority to institute new lodges. Wildey had joined

3672-427: The question of premises was quite difficult for many years. However, all three lodges which had been established before the war continued their activities almost without interruption. Only after the war, in the year 1951 was the next lodge established. Since then, the development has been steady and quite rapid. In the beginning of the 1980s, the number of brother lodges was 35 and the number of sister lodges 19 leading to

3740-442: The split of Independent Order of Oddfellows Manchester Unity (1810–) before immigrating to the United States in 1817. In 1842, after a dispute on authority, the American Lodges formed a governing system separate from the English Order, and in 1843 assumed the name Independent Order of Odd Fellows. Like other fraternities, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows began by limiting their membership to white men only. On September 20, 1851,

3808-414: The wealthy white collar workers and professionals. In 1896, the World Almanac showed the Odd Fellows as the largest among all fraternal organizations. By the late nineteenth century, the Order had spread to most of the rest of the world, establishing lodges in the Americas, Australasia, and Europe. According to the Journal of the Annual Communication of the Sovereign Grand Lodge 1922, page 426, there were

3876-407: The years rolled on and some of the members passed on, his sweet and gentle voice became boring. He was mocked and jeered openly. He took this performance to heart and discontinued his visits to the lodge. Due to the attitude and performance of the members, Peter Ogden decided to remain in solitude. As time went on he became ill, painful, and heartbroken and in the solitude of his home he passed away. He

3944-435: The youth for their education from time to time. The IOOF continues in the 21st century with lodges around the world, and is claimed to be the "largest united international fraternal order in the world under one head", with every lodge working with the Sovereign Grand Lodge located in the United States. Also, the Independent Order of Oddfellows Manchester Unity and the IOOF have recognized each other inter-fraternally; members of

4012-448: Was buried without receiving the last rites of the Order. Members of the Order heard of his death from overseas and searched until they found his sister, but she refused to give any information. Her reply was, “You killed my brother. I do not want to see any of you.” After the institution of Philomathean Lodge, there was no provision for the female. A motion prevailed that each member who desires to may bring his wife, mother or daughter as

4080-412: Was established by 1911. The District Grand Lodge No. 19 was in New Castle, Kentucky . Membership has always been open to people of any race, though it has remained a predominantly African American Order. In 1979 there were 108,000 members. Their female auxiliary known as the Household of Ruth flourished during the golden age of fraternalism with nearly 100,000+ members. Unlike the Independent Order,

4148-442: Was established in 1885, which opened lodges in Bydgoszcz in 1895, Gniezno in 1896, Torun in 1898, Gdansk in 1899, Pila 1899 and Grudziadz in 1901. After World War I, six Odd Fellows lodges worked in the Polish lands: in Poznań "Kosmos-Loge" in Inowroclaw "Astrea-Loge" in Bydgoszcz "Emanuel Schweizer Gedächnits Loge" in Gniezno "Friedens-Loge" in Torun "Coppernicus -Loge" and Grudziadz "Ostheim-Loge." Moreover, in Gdansk Gedania-Loge "and

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4216-416: Was established in Victoria sometime in the year 1850 and this body made negotiations for affiliation with the Grand Lodge of the United States in 1861. It is also noted that an Ancient Independent Order of Odd Fellows was in existence from 1861 to 1954 in Victoria, Tasmania and South Australia. The Independent Order of Odd Fellows in Austria was first formed as a club in 1911. After WWI, conditions changed and

4284-417: Was first established in Switzerland on June 19, 1871, when Helvetia Lodge no.1 was instituted in Zurich by Dr. Morse of California and Mr. Schaettle and Bernheim, members of the fraternity in Germany. The IOOF Grand Lodge of Switzerland was established on April 22, 1874. Fraternal order Fraternal societies are often divided geographically into units called lodges or provinces . They sometimes involve

4352-499: Was first introduced in the country when Colombo Lodge no.1 was instituted in Naples in 1895. The first lodge in Mexico under the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, known as Ridgely Lodge no.1, was instituted on August 5, 1882. Several Lodges were opened the following years reaching up to 5 Lodges in 1895. However, the political situation affected their progress. In 2012, there was one Odd Fellows Lodge and one Rebekah Lodge re-instituted in 1996. Paradijs Loge nr. 1 (Paradise Lodge No. 1)

4420-536: Was formally established in Puerto Rico when Boriken Lodge No. 1 was instituted on November 6, 1899, with the help of several members from Florida, New Jersey and New York Lodges of the IOOF. Naborias Rebekahs Lodge No. 1 was also formed in the country. Filipinos first embraced the fraternalism of the Odd Fellows during the revolutionary era as a reaction to the perceived abuses by their Spanish colonists, and by 1898, had formed several military lodges and Odd Fellows Association in Manila . According to their own records,

4488-435: Was founded in Amsterdam on March 19, 1877, by L. Elkan and G.E. van Erpen , former members of an Odd Fellows lodge in the United States. This initiative commenced in 1876, but initially the Dutch Government was not pleased. It subsequently stopped its resistance later in the same year. The translation of the rituals was the next problem, combined with the recognition by the Soeverine Loge (Sovereign Grand Lodge). Eventually

4556-425: Was founded in the country by members of the IOOF from Denmark and Norway in 2002. The Independent Order of Odd Fellows in Sweden was first established in Malmo, Sweden, in 1884, and a Grand Lodge of the Kingdom of Sweden was instituted in 1895. In 2012, Sweden held the strongest membership in IOOF with more than 174 Odd Fellow Lodges, 113 Rebekah Lodges, and over 40,000 members. The Independent Order of Odd Fellows

4624-417: Was one Odd Fellows Lodge in the country, Buenos Ayres Lodge no.1 instituted on January 1, 1903, with 32 members. The most recent report from the lodge was received by the Sovereign Grand Lodge in 1912. A lodge of the Order of Loyal and Independent Odd Fellows was in existence in the state of New South Wales on February 24, 1836. The lodge was established in New Zealand in 1843. An Australian Supreme Grand Lodge

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