Who Are the Odd Fellows?
The Odd Fellows, also known as the Independent Order of Odd Fellows in the United States or the Grand United Order of OddFellows when talking about their lodge in Manchester, England, are a fraternal organization, kind of like the Freemasons, but different.
Although there are other fraternal groups in the U.S. that are better known, like the Shriners and aforementioned Freemasons, the Odd Fellows are still around and have lodges in various countries and U.S. states.
The Odd Fellows started back in 1730 in London, and expanded to the United States in 1819 when the first lodge opened up in Baltimore, Maryland. The group considers themselves politically and religiously independent, but they do tend to have a Judeo-Christian slant, much like similar organizations.
It’s believed that the name “Odd Fellows” comes from the many smaller tradesman careers of the people who started the group. Some of them, like the Freemasons, had a very distinct job – that of a mason. For the Odd Fellows, they came from the “odd trades,” which made their organization full of “odd fellows.”
The main goals of the Odd Fellows are to foster personal and social development, as well as take on charitable projects and help those in need.
Symbols on Odd Fellows’ Gravestones
How can you identify the grave of an Odd Fellow? Look for the three interlocked rings, as seen in the picture above. Called the Triple Links, this is the main symbol that they use.
What do the Triple Links mean? You’ll need to join the Odd Fellows to find out.
Found in Ohio 