Hi. I don't know much about this. Perhaps someone out there with recent family ties to it could help here, but this is the little I know. They were, and still are, a fraternal and charitable organization. Nowdays, they have coordinated fundraisers for charities. Then, they might have just "helped out" a family down on its luck, or passed the hat to help fund the county orphanage, or organized the rebuild of a members barn that had burned down. They often purchased and maintained cemeteries for members and families, so there was someplace to bury Grandma besides the back 40. I believe they had some simple "insurances" that were made available. I've always figured that part of the reason for the growth of these lodges, and others like them, was that some of the movement patterns had changed. Earlier, people tended to migrate, albeit over time, with extended family and with neighbors from the old settlement. They moved with their support base, in a sense. Later, with land runs, and with more couples striking out on their own to homestead, etc., etc. people often found themselves in new places trying hard to make a new life from scratch among strangers. They CREATED new support bases in the lodges and fraternal organizations. Just my theory :-))) Linda Schreiber -----Original Message----- From: Steve & Sharon Mehl <skmehl@idir.net> To: Indian-Territory-Roots-L@rootsweb.com <Indian-Territory-Roots-L@rootsweb.com> Date: Thursday, January 07, 1999 9:28 PM Subject: Re: I.O.O.F >Does anyone understand the "reason" for this organization? > >I've got a Badge from the Leominster Lodge #86 in Leominster MA...it is >really strange looking for an outsider like me...it has the red ribbon on >one side with those words on it...with a cream colored banner with 2 rippled >(3d) American Flags on it...with a round button that says "Independent Order >of Odd Fellows" and in chains "FLT". On the otherside is a black ribbon >with "in Memoriam" a holy bible with a skull & bones under it...and long >spears through the backside..."leominster lodge #86 Leominster MA"...it is >kinda spooky looking...the pin that holds it to your garment is kinda >scalloped and it shows two hands shaking. It's like a reversible >ribbon...could wear either way. > >The envelope it is in says "patented May 6 1890". There are other >dates...such as badges covered by following patents...with dates ranging >from June 1892 to Nov 1897. There is other information on the envelope too. > >Any ideas? Is this related to Indians? It came from the side of my family >that I don't know anything about...and didn't think was Indian. > >Thanks for taking the time to read my note! > > Sharon Mehl >skmehl@idir.net >http://www.idir.net/~skmehl/ >----- Original Message ----- >From: James H Granger <granger@worldnet.att.net> >To: <Indian-Territory-Roots-L@rootsweb.com> >Sent: Sunday, December 27, 1998 4:00 PM >Subject: Re: I.O.O.F > > >>I think it stands for International Order of Odd Fellows, another fraternal >>organization. >>Jim >> >> >>>I believe the I.O.O.F. stands for International Order Of Forestors. >> >> > >