Early History of St Luke, Odd Fellows & the House of Ruth

Three African American Fraternal Orders All Under One Roof.

St Luke, Odd Fellows, & House of Ruth Orders served the African American Communities which were settled soon after emancipation and located within the Town of Blacksburg and the surrounding areas within the Montgomery County, Virginia.

The name of this building has changed over the years, most often referred to as Odd Fellows Hall. However, to honor the history and legacy all three orders, this building will be referred to as: St Luke, Odd Fellows, & House of Ruth Hall (StLOFHRH).

A Brief History of African American Fraternal Orders

The Grand United Order of Odd Fellows (GUOOF) is an organization which broke away from Freemasonry many centuries ago in Europe. In the early 1800s, the Philomathean Lodge No. 646, Grand United Order of Odd Fellows, was established by male members of the Mother A.M.E. Zion Church, New York City, on 1 March 1843. The Order was given dispensation by the the Victoria Lodge No 448, Liverpool, England through the leadership of Illustrious Brother Peter Ogden, a mariner who was a member of the Victoria Lodge No 448. Soon after the establishment of Philometheon Lodge, the Household of Ruth was instituted as its counterpart order for wives, daughters, and mothers. In December of 1843 the New York order was granted permission from the Victoria Lodge to grant dispensations to other emerging lodges.

The motto of the Odd Fellows is “Friendship, Love and Truth.” The emphasis of the order was that ALL who enter the fraternal membership are on equal footing. The mission was to provide “relief” (mutual assistance) for the sick members and their families, to assist and defray the cost of their burial, to protect their widow from hardship, to educate orphans and to assist the disabled. Typically, members paid a fixed entrance fee and there after monthly dues.

There was also an element of secrecy in membership, which was steeped in biblically oriented rituals and codes. Michael Barga noted, “Many historians note the Odd Fellows as one of the most significant black mutual aid societies . . . and the hybrid of non-denominational Christian content and a Mason-modeled organizational structure may have been why.”

By the early 1900’s the GUOOF in the USA reported over 200,000 members with over 2,000 established lodges. The Roanoke Lodge No 3225 was given a dispensation on 13 March 1890. The Finance book for the Household of Ruth (MS1988-009) reports that there was a relationship with the Lodge in Christiansburg and the Grand Lodge in Roanoke, indicating that the Roanoke Lodge was the progenitor of both the Blacksburg and Christiansburg Lodges.

Independent Order of St Luke was founded in Baltimore in 1867 by Mary Prout (1801-1884) an enslaved woman. IOSL initially was a woman’s mutual aid association which offered insurance and burial assistance to its members, but over time it expanded beyond Maryland. Maggie Lena Walker (1854-1934) of Richmond, took over the reins in 1889 and through her leadership, expanded the system of cooperative economics for the Black members, men and women, across 26 states. Maggie Walker fostered economic empowerment. She started a department store to provide jobs, a newspaper and the St Luke Penny Savings Bank, providing financial independence, economic resilience and entrepreneurial opportunities for Richmond African Americans. She was noted as the first African American woman to be president of a bank in USA. The National Museum of African American History & Culture provides more information.

Let us put our moneys together … and reap the benefits ourselves.

Maggie Lena Walker

The Union of Blacksburg’s St Luke, Odd Fellows and House of Ruth Orders Under One Lodge

The Tadmore Light Lodge, No. 6184 the Grand United Order of Odd Fellows was founded in the early 1900s, probably in 1904, based on the 1904-1911 Minute Book, pg 130-131. Anthony Wright de Hernandez’s article provides more extensive information about the Order. Please note that the building exists, but sadly this Order ceased to function in the 1950’s.

The House of Ruth No 5533 included the mothers, wives and daughters of the Tadmore Light Lodge, No 6184 members. This female order, which was started a few years after the men’s order, was vital in the function of the Lodge and the well being of the community.

This interview with Beatrice Freeman Walker provides light on the R.W.G. Council Independent Order of St Luke and the House of Ruth. Her mother, Bessie Briggs Freeman was involved with the order, providing mutual aid opportunities to orders beyond this area. (More information to come).

Construction of the St Luke & Odd Fellows Hall (1905-06)

A land deed (Vol 53, pages 532-533) dated 13 May 1905 from George & Lelia Williams and William & Mary Lou Young to the trustees of both the Order of Odd Fellows and the Order of St Luke. The copy of the deed follows with a transcription. This indicates that the lot was divided and sold to the trustees of the union of both orders.

The Lodge was built between 1905-06. In a ledger of an unknown hardware store, which mentioned many Blacksburg residents of the period, there is an entry for metal roofing (“ash pan (17) roofing”) charged to Odd Fellows Lodge (Hall), dated February 1906. This indicates when the lodge was under-roof. The building was a joint effort, serving as meeting and ceremonial places for by all three orders, alternating time and days of their meetings.

This building was constructed during the prime years of Maggie L. Walker’s expansion of the Independent Order of St Luke. By this time the famous St Luke Penny Bank , chartered in 1903, was helping people across the state.

Location of the St Luke & Odd Fellows Hall, Blacksburg, Virginia

Currently the official address of the St Luke, Odd Fellows, & House of Ruth Hall is 203 Gilbert Street. When this building was erected, the hall was located on New Town (Newtown) Alley. New Town was a neighborhood of 15-20 African American families, which slowly developed after emancipation.

This 1928 Sanborn Fire Map of Blacksburg indicate the location of the Hall, the corner of Giles Road (Newport Road) and New Town Lane. The lane which traveled west from Newport Road (Giles Road), through New Town Alley exited on Peppers Street. Pepper Street was the road which connected Blacksburg to the Prices Fork community. Lucy Lee Lancaster’s map provides an overview of the road system.

Documents

• St Luke & Odd Fellows Deed – May 1905, Vol 53/pg 532-533. Transcription.
• 2005 Deed of the St Luke & Odd Fellows Hall to the Town of Blacksburg from the court appointed trustees, Beatrice Walker, Aubrey S Mills, Sr & Walter Lewis, to the Town of Blacksburg, August.
• National Registration of Historic Places Registration Form – 27 July 2005

Links to Resources with Notes

• Blacksburg, Virginia Odd Fellows Records, 1902-1969 (MS1988-009), Virginia Tech Special Collections & University Archives Online. “The Blacksburg Odd Fellows lodge was probably formed in December of 1904. It was a branch of the Grand United Order of Odd Fellows, a mutual relief society for people of color. The Blacksburg, Virginia Odd Fellows Records consist of financial records, correspondence, minute books, brochures of several annual conferences, by-laws and odd issues of the Odd Fellows Journal for the men’s lodge. There are also correspondence, minutes and financial records for the women’s Household of Ruth.”
  • Receipt for regalia order, household of Ruth (MS1988-009) – This is a 31 May, 1919 receipt to Marie Johnson, W.R., PO Box 303, Blacksburg, Secretary of Household of Ruth, Lodge #5533 for first payment of $37.60, and $5.00 per month for a total of $76.25. The order consisted of a set of 14 officer collars, 12 floormembers, 26 turbans
  • Finance book for the Household of Ruth (MS1988-009) – The digital images of the book with beginning date of 9 July, 1918 to 1921.
    The House of Ruth Lodge, #5533 met at the Odd Fellows Hall and paid for half of the expenses collected from monthly dues. These minutes provides names of members, both Brothers and Sisters who elected governing members and paid dues (in 1921=half a dollar to a whole dollar/month), “sick dues” to people in need($5/two weeks), taxation fees, hack rides to funerals, and burial fees (between $50-60).
    
    An examples of important information gleaned from this document include 1) mutual aid: Recorded for 1 Feb 1921, the leaders moved to pay two weeks of “Sick Dues”, value of $5, to Will Mullens. The next entry noted that $38.95, a portion of the $60.00 required, would be paid for Will Mullens’ burial. 2)The House of Ruth Lodge had a relationship with both the Christiansburg and Grand Lodge in Roanoke. The entry for 5 April, 1921 mentions the Christiansburg Lodge and the 17 May, 1921 mentions Sister Scott and Sister Maria Johnson attending as delegates.
    
    Names of people mentioned in this document: Margrett Anderson, Maria Anderson, Mariah Anderson, Martha Anderson, Mellie Anderson, Nash Anderson, Ethel Brown, Ester Collins, Daisy Dooly, Ella  Green, William M. Green, Janie Hampton, John Hampton, Lucy  Hampton, Rebecka Hampton, Lucky Harriston, May Headen, Virginia (Vergie) Jackson, Lizzie Johnson, Marie Johnson, Hattie Jones, Will Keys, Gertrude King, Ellane Mead, F.H. (Floyd) Mead, Ellison Meade Pitcher, Elaine Meader, Anner Mills, Martha Mills, Rachel Mills, Alease (Aloise) Mullens, Will M. Mullens, JF Neelly, Victoria Parson, Anna Price, Annie Price, Carrie Price, Claudia Price, Clodie Price, Fannie Price, Millard Price, Rosa  Price, Vern Price, Zetella Price, H.P. Saunders, Harrison Saunders, Annie E. Scott, W Shepard, Grandville Smith, Jennie  Smith, Tylor Smith, Ethel Tauksley, Rosa  Toliver, Georgia Trussell, Callie Wade, Celia Wade, Clisby (James C) Wade.
  • Household of Ruth Membership Questionnaires (MS1988-009)
  • Grand United Order of Odd Fellows, Tadmore Light Lodge, No 8184. Anthony Wright-Hernandez, Feb 2017, explains about the origins of this Black Mutual Society, its importance to African American life in Blacksburg, and its connected relationship with Christiansburg, Roanoke and even further away, Richmond.

Other Mutual Aid Organizations

• Please NOTE! The Grand United Order of Odd Fellows is a different organization than the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. That USA organization was founded in 1819, under the similar mission and premise as the GUOOOF, but for white people only. That exclusion was removed in 1971, and in 2001 women were invited to join the order.
• Ora Brown Stokes and the Richmond Neighborhood Association. Angela Lehman. Maggie L Walker created the St Luke Penny Savings Bank in the Jackson Ward neighborhood in Richmond, which influenced the operations of the Blacksburg St Luke Order. Ora Brown Stokes was interested in promoting education and juvenile justice, especially for females. She set the stage for Maggie L Walker’s work.
• Grand United Order of Odd Fellows in America. Michael Barga. A comprehensive article about the Odd Fellows and the House of Ruth. Important facts that between 1868 and 1886, the number of lodges and membership increased significantly.
• The Official History and Manual of the Grand United Order of Odd Fellows in America. Charles H. Brooks. 1902. Of interest: page 140, 13 March 1890, Roanoke Lodge 3225 was given dispensation, located in Roanoke City, VA. In 1901 the American Grandmaster was E.H. Morris, Dep Grand Master was L.L. Lee and Grand Secretary was C.H. Books. The 45th General meeting was held on 2 October, 1900 in Louisville, Ky. On page 239 are directions for laying a corner stone of a new building: A stone, small tin box, 3 silver or silver-plated goblets, a small Bible, sufficient quantity of earth, corn and water. Page 263 explains the format of the Annual Report. Includes “Brothers Relieved, Brothers Buried, Widows Relieved, Orphans Relieved, Funerals.”
• Some Efforts of American Negroes for Their Own Social Betterment. Report of an Investigation under the Direction of Atlanta University; Together with the Proceedings of the Third Conference for the Study of the Negro Problems, Held at Atlanta University, May 25-26, 1898. Edited by W. E. Burghardt Du Bois, Ph. D.
• W. E. B. Du Bois (William Edward Burghardt), 1868-1963, edited by Economic Co-operation among Negro Americans. Report of a Study made by Atlanta University, under the Patronage of the Carnegie Institution of Washington, D.C., together with the Proceedings of the 12th Conference for the Study of the Negro Problems, held at Atlanta University, on Tuesday, May the 28th, 1907

Independent Order of St Luke Articles

• Right Worthy Grand Council Independent Order of St Luke
• Independent Order of St Luke and Maggie L. Walker
• St Luke Penny Savings Bank
• Maggie L Walker Home
• National Museum of African American History & Culture
• Maggie Lena Walker, How the daughter of a former slave became a banker pioneer
• National Woman’s Museum Article
• St Luke Hall: A Beacon of Black Business
• Womanist Consciousness: Maggie Lena Walker and the Independent Order of Saint Luke, Elsa Barkley Brown