Treasure Chest Thursday: Saul Wilson - Odd Fellow

Well, I don't know enough about my great grandfather Saul Wilson to know if he was strange or not. But, I believe he was an Odd Fellow, that is, a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Hudson, New York Chapter.

I have located the following newspaper article from the Hudson Evening Register, dated January 1901.[1]

Odd Fellow's Election

   At the semi-annual elections of Hudson City Lodge No. 142. I.O.O.F., held at Odd Fellows Temple Tuesday evening, Jan. 1, 1901, the following offcers were elected:

   N.G. - Saul Wilson.

   V.G. - Platt V. Washburn.

   S. - Edward J. Hodge. 

   T. - Lewis W. Bachman.

   Trusteees - Eugene D. Smith, John W. Holsapple, Fayette J. Hall.

I have checked all the Hudson City directories several years before and after 1901 and the U.S. Census population schedule for 1900 and there is only one Saul Wilson in Hudson, my great grandfather. So, the "N.G. - Saul Wilson" in the newspaper article is likely my Saul Wilson.

The Odd Fellows are a fraternal service organization where the members believe in friendship, love and truth. They aid those in society who are in need.

According to my reading of Wikipedia, the following are elected posts in a lodge (and represented by the abbreviations in the article):

Noble Grand (N.G.)
Vice Grand (V.P.)
Secretary (S.)
Treasurer (T.)

The Noble Grand chairs and plans meetings, is the official representative of the lodge to outside persons and organizations. 

I have tried unsuccessfully to contact the New York State Chapter of IOOF to see whether there might be any records of Saul Wilson's tenure with the organization. Think I'll give it third try.

Notes:

1. "Odd Fellow's Election," Evening Register (Hudson, New York), January 1901 (date unknown), page unknown, col. 3; digital image, Old Fulton New York Postcards (http://fultonhistory.com/Fulton.html : accessed 20 February 2012).