The first Lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows that was established in Williamson County was Williamson Lodge, No. 392. It was instituted May 27th, 1869, by Samuel A. Flagler, Acting Grand Master, assisted by the following brothers from Carbondale Lodge, No. 233: J. Boyd Richart, Deputy Grand Master; Thos. J. Belcher, Grand Warden; A. G. Shepart, Grand Secretary: Charles Martin, Grand Treasurer, Joseph Weaver, Grand Marshal; Ed Norberry, Grand Conductor, and J. D. White, Grand Guardian. The charter members were: S. W. S. Fribble, Pierce L. Jenison, David M. Fligor, James O. Bagwell and Jas. M. Jemison. S. W. S. Pribble was first Noble Grand of the Lodge: Pierce L. Jenison, first Vice Grand: David M. Fligor, first Secretary, and James M. Jemison, Treasurer.
On the night of the institution only two members were initiated. They were William H. Eubanks and John B. Willeford. No other members were admitted until June 26th, when Dr. Augustus N. Lodge was admitted by card. On July 3rd, Lorenzo D. Hartwell and Geo. W. Willeford were admitted by initiation; July 10th, Daniel A. Davis was initiated; July 17th, Geo. W. Young was admitted by initiation; July 31st Edward H. Bishop was admitted as an ancient Odd Fellow: November 27th, David V. Sanders was admitted by deposit of card; December 18th, Caleb T. Holland was admitted by initiation.
This completes the history and work of the new and first Odd Fellows Lodge in the County up to the close of the year 1869, showing that for the first seven months of its existence only seven had been admitted by initiation, two by deposit of card and one as an ancient Odd Fellow, making a total membership of the Lodge, at the close of the year, and the first seven months of its existence, of only fifteen members.
Daniel A. Davis, the South Side Baker, has held continuous membership in the Lodge since July 10th. 1869, being the fifth member initiated. Geo. W. Young, Lawyer, has held continuous membership in the Lodge since July 17th, 1869, being the sixth member initiated, being 35 years in July, 1904. These two members are the only ones remaining of the Old Guard. They have never been in arrears for dues at any time since they became members and neither one of them has ever drawn any sick benefits out of the Treasury of the Lodge. Geo. W. Young has made some reputation as an Odd Fellow by being a member of the State Grand Lodge for the last thirty-one years, and has held several positions and served upon several Committees in that body.
The general trend and history of Williamson Lodge, No. 392, has been somewhat in keeping with the first seven months of its existence. It has never been given to much show or boasting, but has quietly pursued the even tenor of its way, at all times trying to carry out the fundamental principles of the Order, “We command you to visit the sick, relieve the distressed, bury the dead, protect and educate the orphan, and care for the widow.”
This Lodge met in 1869 and fitted up a hall in the third story of Bainbridge Brick Block, on the West side of the public square, where it continued to meet until 1883, when it fitted up a hall in what was then called the Hundley Building, on the east side of the square, corresponding to the second story of the building where John M. Cline’s Drug Store now is. It continued to hold its meetings there until 1892, when it moved into a lodge room of its own, built and furnished from its own funds, on South Market Street, on the Southwest corner of the block just south of where Westbrook’s store now is. Here it held its meetings and rented its hall to the Masons, Knights of Pythias, and other benevolent organizations, until February 1st, 1899, when the hall and most of the furnishings and paraphernalia were destroyed by fire, but the loss was nearly covered by insurance.
The Lodge then obtained a lease upon the second story of what was then called the Goodall and Campbell building on the north side of the square, the building now, and at the time, being owned by Charles H. Denison, and being upon the same spot of ground where Richard Trevor’s store now it. As the room was in a very bad state of repair, the Lodge was compelled to, and did, expend considerable money in repairing it and arranging the many requisites for good lodge work. Something over seven hundred dollars was expended in repairs and refitting the hall. Sub-leases were entered into with the Encampment, Rebekahs, Masons, Eastern Star, Knights of Pythias and Knights and Ladies of Honor. All arrangements were highly satisfactory with landlord and tenants, when the following September 26th, 1899, the lodge room, building and all the furnishings and regalia of all the Orders, including the Odd Fellows, were destroyed by fire, nothing saved, and not more than half enough insurance to cover the loss.
In 1900 the Masons, Odd Fellows and Knights of Pythias, procured a ten-year lease from Mr. C. H. Denison for a hall in the new Denison Building on the north side of the square. There is also a banquet hall attached, and the room is styled “Fraternity Hall.” It was furnished and fitted up by all three of the Orders jointly, each bearing one-third of the expense. The Hall is used by the Chapter and Blue Lodge Masons, by the Encampment and Subordinate Lodge of Odd Fellows, by the Knights of Pythias and by the Eastern Star and Rebekahs. Williamson Lodge, No. 392, is styled and regarded as the parent lodge in the County.
Since the institution of the Lodge in Marion, ten other Lodges have been instituted in the County, and the charter members have drawn heavily upon the Marion Lodge. Over three hundred names have been enrolled on the records of Williamson Lodge, No. 392, and there have been withdrawals for nearly every lodge instituted. It bought forty lots in the Marion City Cemetery, and its net worth is about $4000.00.
Benevolent Encampment, No. 171, was instituted January 5, 1876, with W. H. Eubanks. Geo. W. Young, Daniel A. Davis, James V. Grider, Patrick H. Lang, John R. Little and Jacob Stein, as Charter members. James B. Richart of Carbondale was the instituting officer, assisted by members from Carbondale Encampment. This Encampment was one of the best furnished encampments in Southern Illinois, and sustained itself with the Order in an acceptable manner until the burn-out September 26, 1899, when it lost all of its paraphernalia and working apparatus, and not having any insurance, it has not done any work since, but a few of the members pay the per capita tax to the Grand Encampment and retain the charter, cherishing the hope that before long, some of the young and enthusiastic Odd Fellows will desire to take the Sublime Degrees and again start the Encampment on the highway of Patriarchal Odd Fellowship, and infuse new life into the work, and make it what it was intended to be, and is, the crowning beauty and sublimity of Odd Fellowship.
On February 10, 1916, the C.H. Denison building which housed most of the fraternal organizations in town on the north side of the square burned down and was replaced that year with the First National Bank building where the Bank of Marion now sits.
For once, instead of all the organizations meeting where the Odd Fellows met, the I.O.O.F. appears to have followed the Masonic lodge instead. Their last meeting place appears to have been the Masonic Hall at 315 W. Main Street.
By the 1930’s, this organization was waning in Marion and the club was officially disbanded on July 20, 1940, according to the Grand Lodge of Illinois records.
(Extracted from 1905 Souvenir History, WCHS; I.O.O.F. Grand Lodge records; compiled by Sam Lattuca on 02/26/2013)