Lodges were originally formed by workingmen for social purposes, and for assisting with employment when out of work. Fraternal and Friendly Societies like the Odd Fellows were the predecessors of modern-day trade unions. The brethren were slow to learn that “in union there is strength.” Unlike Freemasons, Odd Fellowship’s emphasis is mutual help over and simple character over the esoteric.

King George the IV of England, while still Prince of Wales, was admitted to membership around 1780. The oldest surviving revised initiation ritual dates back March 12, 1797 under the “Order of Patriotic Odd Fellows”.

While several Odd Fellow lodges had existed in New York City sometime in 1806 to 1818, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows was officially organized on April 26, 1819 in Baltimore, Maryland, by Thomas Wildey and four other members of the fraternity from England.

Odd Fellowship began in California in San Francisco in 1847, was interrupted by the Gold Rush, but resumed throughout the state in 1853. Our Lodge in Alameda Co. was fairly early, formed in Alvarado in 1859 and Irvington in 1863. Hayward was instituted in 1867. We played a role in several 19th c. social reform movements like anti-slavery, women’s suffrage, and temperance.

In 1850, Schuyler Colfax was tasked to write a Degree for women. The Rebekah Lodges were founded on 20 September 1851, when, after considerable debate, the Sovereign Grand Lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows voted to adopt the Rebekah Degree, largely due to U.S. Vice-President Colfax, U.S. Colfax served in this federal office from 1869 to 1873. In 1868 the Rebekahs were given their own Lodge system.

Today Odd Fellows and Rebekahs are locally active lodges in the Fremont and Contra Costa areas. We have close fraternal relations in our district with IOOF Livermore, Hayward, and Alameda. We have a special relation to the south Bay lodges, especially the True Fellowship in the College Park neighborhood near Santa Clara. The Irvington area of Fremont has been much shaped by Odd Fellowship charity.