Record Group 6
INDEPENDENT ORDER OF ODD FELLOWS COLLECTION

CALL NUMBER: RG 6

EXTENT: 230 journals and books in 8 boxes.

PROVENANCE: Donated by the Independent Order of Odd Fellows of Arizona.

SCOPE: Mostly journals documenting the proceedings of the national meetings of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and the state-wide meetings of the Arizona men's and women's organizations of the I.O.O.F.

CONTENT: Journals and books, 1846-1983 (bulk dates, 1900-1983).

ORGANIZATIONAL SKETCH: The Independent Order of Odd Fellows is a fraternal organization that originated in England and was established in the United States by Thomas Wildey in 1817. This fraternal order's main tenets were "to relieve distress, bury the dead, and educate the orphan." Some of the organization's activities included financial and physical aid to the elderly and needy, community work, youth programs, patriotic and social activities, and health care issues. The Tempe Lodge #8 was founded on March 5, 1888, with thirty members. Through the late nineteenth century, the membership of the Tempe lodge included many of the most prominent business and civic leaders in the community. After World War II, membership declined and the Tempe Lodge no longer played as prominent a role in the community. The Tempe Odd Fellows owned the Niels Petersen House briefly, from 1969 until 1979, when the City of Tempe assumed ownership.

COLLECTION DESCRIPTION: This collection includes journals of the proceedings of annual national meetings of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. It also includes journals of the proceedings of the annual meetings of the Arizona Grand Lodge, Grand Encampment, Patriarchs Militant, the Rebekah Assembly, the Grand Ladies Encampment Auxiliary, and the Department Association Ladies Auxiliary of the Patriarchs Militant in Arizona. The journals record the resolutions, reports, and organizational and membership information of these various organizations of the I.O.O.F. The Grand Lodge of Arizona was located in Tucson, Arizona. The collection also includes books published by the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.

RELATED MATERIALS:
  • Independent Order of Odd Fellows Artifact Collection
  • TH-551.01 - Odd Fellows (I.O.O.F.)
    • TH-551.011 - Tempe Odd Fellows/Rebekahs
    • TH-551.012 - General Odd Fellows/Rebekahs
    • TH-551.014 - Tempe Odd Fellows Lodge Reports
    • TH-551.015 - Tempe Rebekahs Lodge Reports
    • TH-551.018 - Modern Odd Fellows/Rebekahs