HomeMy WebLinkAboutM-89-10705Q 14
TO
Mr. Cesar Odio
City Manager
FRO/liller J. Dawkins
City Commissioner
cc: Jose Rodriguez.
CITY OF MIAMI. FLORIDA
. :!v OFFICE MEMORANDUM
DATE:
SUBJECT:
REFERENCES:
ENCLOSURES:
S 1 4: E �.,
�V J.♦ JC V i { 1
September 12, 1989
NOVEMBER 9TH COMMISSION
MEETING AGENDA ITEM
Please schedule Mr. Jose Rodriguez, a member of the Independent
Order of Odd Fellows and Rebekahs, on the November 9, 1989
Commission agenda to discuss the naming of NW 3rd Street between
22nd and 27th Avenues in honor . of. the founder of the first Odd
Fellows Lodge in 1819 Thomas Wildey.
THOMAS VVAIDEY,
FOUNDER or THE
INDEPENDENT ORDER
OF ODD FELLOWS
Thomas Wildey, the founder of Odd Fellow-
ship in North America, was a man of immense
vitality, humor and warmth. The early records
and journals of the Order, now in the Sovereign
Grand Lodge, 16 W. Chase St, Baltimore, reveal
Wildey's magnanimity toward all men, and his
total dedication to furthering Odd Fellowship in
the new world.:
• Thomas Willey was torn In London, England,
• in 1782. He was orphaned five years later, and
the Odd Fellow pledge.to "Educate the Orphan"
sprang from his personal childhood experiences.
At the age of 14, Wildey went to live with an
uncle. He had nine years of schooling, and was
then apprenticed to a maker of coach springs. In
1804, he joined the Fellows.
At that time, there was no central authority to
govern Odd Fellows lodges in England. Local
lodges helped odd -job workers and journeymen
find employment; ab d gave them financial sup-
port between jobs or sent them on to neighboring
towns where work was available. Thomas Wik(ey
helped found lodges, and tried to form an asso-
ciation between them.
When restlessness brought him to America in
1817, the British were still unpopular because of
the war of 1812. Baltimore that year was suffer-
ing both a yellow -fever epidemic and mass un-
employment An outgoing personality, Wildey
missed companionship and advertised in the
newspaper to determine if there were any other
Odd Fellows in Baltimore, asking them tb meet
him at the Seven Stars Inn.
On April 26, 1819, Wildey and the 'four men
who responded to the ad formed the Indepen-
dent Order of Odd Fellows in North America,
dedicating the Order to active philanthropic
goals; Other Odd Fellow. Englishmen had
grouped in states along the Epstein Seaboard,
but Wildey gathered them all l newly - formed
fraternity. He traveled widely to set up lodges in
the most recently settled parts of the country,
and at the time of .his death in 1861, there were
more than 200,000 members of the Independent.
Order of Odd Fellows in lodges in 42 states.
From the United States, Odd Fellowship
:.siLread to Europe, Cuba, South Anerica,,Aus -.
trails, and Asia, pursuing . its (Rats to visit the
sick.. relieve the distressed, bury the dead, edu-
cate- the orphan, and protect the widows ..
and extending the three "links' , of friendship.
'love, and truth among all men.
mowilimminiewnw
MONUMENT
DOMMEMORA''E
WILDEY AND RIDGELY
The monuments to Thomas Wldey and James
Lot Ridgety, erected in Baltimore by the Inde-
pendent Order of Odd Fellows, were occasions
for great celebrations.
In 1865 the nation was just re- united after the
terrible years of civil strife, but the fraternity of .
Odd,. Fellowship had preserved a strong bond
between many Southerners and Northerners.
This spirit of brotherhood inspired the creation
of a monument depicting Charity and dedicated
to Thomas Wildey, founder of the Odd Fellows.
in North America.. • -
According to contemporary newspaper reports,
Wednesday, September 20, 1865, was a beau-
tiful, sunny day. Representatives of Odd Fellow
lodges from all over the nation joined in Balti-
more for the ceremony witnessed by 50,000 .
spectators. President Andrew Johnson was ex-
pected for the unveiling, but at the last minute,
White House business kept him in Washington.
Among the many dedicatory speakers were
numerous southerners, as well as Past Grand
Sire James B. Nicholson who delivered.the de-
dicatory address. An original ode fir the occa-
sion was sung by a local choir.
The Wildey Monument, on a hill on Broadway,
is 52 feet high, including the graceful statue of
Charity which crowns a doric column. The base
is hewn of Maryland granite, the shaft is Mary-
land marble, and the statuary carved from Italian
marble.
The celebration of the unveiling of the Wildey
Monument continued into Thursday, and was .
topped off by a champagne banquet in the Druid
Hill Park Pavilion.
On September 22, 1885, the weather was not
favorable, but clouds and rain lifted briefly for
the unveiling of the Monument in Harlem Park
dedicated to James Ridgely. • •
The Monument, 36 feet 8 inches high, In a
modem ornate gothic style, features a statue of
this memorable philanthropist
Ridgey,• born in 1807, had known Thomas
Wildey and the original Seven Stars group. He
was an active member of the Order.and in 1840
became Grand Secretary of the Grand Lodge, a
post he held for 41 years, until his death.in 1881:
James Lot Rid9ey contributed a great intellect
to the Order. He was known as ''an educator of
Odd Fellows," and developed the "intelligent
system of benefaction," by which today the Odd
Fellows continue to carry out their pledges.
. War Dead Honored The nation's war dead are honored by the Odd Fellows and Rebekahs each year
"with a special pilgrimage to the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery p in Virginia. The
mead Congress) and includes special commemorative at worship service. Wreaths are on some who are •
the Tomb by officers of the Sovereign Grand Lodge and the Order's vwious branches and aw arias. •
WHAT IS
ODD FELLOWSHIP?
First, Odd Fellowship signifies belief in , Su-
preme Being and in the Brotherhood of Men:
two beliefs are the only "oquirementi" •
for membership. The Order has no interest in
denominational aftatations.
n
Second, Odd Fellowship is dedicated to
broadening man's mind, without taking from the
Individual. any Hof his rights or privileges, and
elevating his character.
Odd Fd oven iP is an o'ganiata i because
the union of extentlueli in sysfantsbc member=
ahlp is alines for a fiemnton
od tamit o fr pailiesephytil So may, an
Odd Feapwstttp ls.the testtirg and appics- ,
tion of Friendthdp, Love, and Truth; of Faith,
,Hops 'and charity; and of .Universal Jijitios,
because Asp we the prini ilss of the Order's
doctrine, Me bases forthositpiit aid action which
will Feat* peace and harmony among renal 1d
lead us ter our ultirrete goal of univsmk, broth*.
hood.
•