Photograph courtesy of Antiochiana, Antioch College.
As published in the Yellow Springs Torch on May 3, 1895:
THE I.O.O.F.
Give a Pleasant Social To Their Friends.
The members of the I.O.O.F. of this place, gave their outside friends a very pleasant little surprise on Friday evening of last week, in their hall on Xenia avenue.
The hall was comfortably filled with invited guests and members of the lodge, and while the guests were looking about them and wondering what all the peculiar things hanging on the walls were used for, the presiding official, J.C. Littleton announced the program of the evening.
The exercises were interspersed with music by Carlisle’s orchestra, which was well rendered notwithstanding that the young lady violinists met with bad luck on account of the frequent breaking of strings, and whether this was caused by the goat or not is not known.
“Sailor Joe” Craven was present and gave an interesting account of the beginning of Oddfellowship. It was first started by three working men in one of the workshops in England. In one corner of this shop a marble slab has been erected to mark the spot where the order was first started. The name came by the three men who first joined themselves together for the purpose of mutually aiding each other by regular contributions to a relief fund, and as there were three and seemed to be such friends they were called by their fellow workmen, odd fellows, and the name was finally chosen for the great association to which it has since grown.
Mr. S. S. Puckett in a few remarks giving very interesting points of history of the local lodge, stating that some 42 years ago the first lodge of Yellow Springs, on account of prejudice against them, were compelled to meet in an old mill, in a room high up and it was very hard for anyone should they desire to become a members to find anyone who would make it known that he was an Odd Fellow. The remarks led to the presentation to the lodge of a very fine regalia which the lodge had some eight years ago presented to Henry Nevius. This brother had been faithful in caring for the lodge, especially during the war when most of the members were fighting the battles of their country, and for this fidelity they presented him with regalia. His death took place several months ago, and his friends desired to return the regalia to the lodge, where it might be kept in his memory. The address on part of the lodge in reception of the regalia was made by Dr. J. M. Harris. After the speeches refreshments were served and a very interesting social was greatly enjoyed.
