The Independent Order of Odd
Fellows was formed in England
during the early 1700s. By the
1800s, groups had sprung up in
other countries around the world.
The society was established by
English laborers. Its purpose was
to help other everyday people who
were going through hard times. Life
was not easy for many people in the
1700s. They worked hard, often for
little pay. Disease was common. And
people who got sick often died. Many
families struggled to pay medical
bills and burial costs for loved ones.
The Odd Fellows banded together to
help each other.
In 1819, the Odd Fellows came to
the United States. The first US lodge
opened in Baltimore, Maryland. At
the time, there was a yellow fever
epidemic in the city. Odd Fellows
visited people who were sick. They
helped families bury their dead.
Odd Fellows:
International Do-Gooders
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