Description

Unable to read sign held by man in lower 1st row. Auto on right may be a 1910s or 1920s model.

Several men in this photograph were members of the International Organization of Odd Fellows (I.O.O.F) including William Poulson, Eli Stauffer, George Payne, Mr. Crumb, John Orthel, and John F. Mahoney. Some of their wives were "Rebekahs", the female auxiliary of the I.O.O.F including the wife of Eli Stauffer and Mrs. Henry Brinkmeyer.

The command of the IOOF is to”visit the sick, relieve the distressed, bury the dead and educate the orphan.” Specifically, IOOF today are dedicated to the following purposes:

To improve and elevate the character of mankind by promoting the principles of friendship, love, truth, faith, hope, charity and universal justice.

To help make the world a better place to live by aiding each other, the community, the less fortunate, the youth, the elderly, the environment and the community in every way possible.

To promote good will and harmony amongst peoples and nations through the principle of universal fraternity, holding the belief that all men and women regardless of race, nationality, religion, social status, gender, rank and station.

The Rebekahs, also known as the International Association of Rebekah Assemblies (IARA), and originally the Daughters of Rebekah is an international service-oriented organization and a branch of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. It was initially designed as the female auxiliary of the IOOF, but now allows both female and male members.

It is one of the units of the IOOF, but women need not be related to an Odd Fellow to be a member of the Rebekahs. As long as she meets the moral, ethical and age requirement for admission, any woman may join. In most jurisdictions, women aged 16 or 18 years old and above can join a Rebekah Lodge.

The general duties of the members of this unit are, “To live peaceably, do good unto all, as we have opportunity and especially to obey the Golden Rule, Whatsoever ye would that others should do unto you, do ye even so unto them.”

Handwriting on photograph reads: "1st Lower Row: 1-Dick Surnid, 2-Eli Stauffer, 3-Henry Suder; 2nd Lower Row: 1-Ora Edwards, 2-George Hill, 3-Frank Brown, 4-, 5-Crumb, 6-Sterling Shull (died 1919), 7-Lyle Sharparack, 8-John F. Mahoney; 3rd Center Row: 1-William Poulson, 2-John Orthel, 3-Ed. Whitaker, 4-W.M. Wood, 5-George M. Payne, 6-Rudolph Beahr, 7-unknown, 8-Sam Dryer, 9-Major Linn (died 1916); 4th Row: 1-Nash Burnett, 2-Herman Brinkmeyer, 3-Jack Jones, 4-Arnold Cruishank, 5-Monroe Redding; 5th Row:"

Source: odd-fellows.org.