I don't know if there were/are any IORM tribes located in Virginia but in light of today's discussion (FLT=Friendship, Love & Truth) I thought that this research I did last year could be a resource for others. This is an inquiry that I made to David Lintz along with his reply......

The following information I found while checking out the local history of Mifflin County, PA and I was hoping that someone in your organization could help me understand it and possibly add to it any information that pertains to this writing....
A charter was granted for Ougpatonga Tribe, No. 6, Improved Order of Red Men, on the Seventh Sun of the Buck Moon, G. S. D. 376. It has at present eighty members. The present officers are William Hall. S.; H. H. Matter, S. S.; William C. Davies, J. G.; C. C. Secrist P.; Orrin Braman, C. of R.; Joseph H. Allen, K. of W. Lewistown Lodge, No. 97, I. O. of O. F., was created by a charter bearing date August 19, 1844, and mentioning the following persons as officers: John Hamilton, N. G.; L. J. Eberly, V. G.; A. W. Groff, Sec.; Joseph Sourbeck, Asst. See.; William Yerger, Treas. A stock company was organized in 1844 of members of the lodge, who purchased a lot on the corner of Market and Dorcas Streets, and, in 1845, erected a brick building at a cost of six thousand dollars, with lot, fitting the second and third floors for lodge and society-rooms. After a few years the building passed entirely to Lodge No. 97, who now own it. The lodge has a membership of one hundred and sixty-five. The present officers are as follows: William Smith, N. G.; James Smith, V. G.; A. T. Hamilton, Sec.; W. S. Settle, Treas. 

This was my source.........

LOCAL HISTORY: Mifflin, Borough of Lewistown - Part 2; Ellis, Franklin, ed. History of that part of the Susquehanna and Juniata Valleys embraced in the counties of Mifflin, Juniata, Perry, Union and Snyder. Philadelphia, 1886. Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Jana Dress. OCRed and proofread by Judy Banja [log in to unmask] Copyright 2004. All rights reserved

Here are the questions I need your help with......

Seventh Sun of the Buck Moon, G. S. D. 376 represents what date?

At what time was H. H. Matter an officer of IORM?

What ever became of Ougpatonga Tribe, No. 6?

Is your organization affiliated with the Masons?

What does this stand for......

No. 97, I. O. of O. F and is this a branch of the IORM?

Here's the reply that I received back.........

Thank you for your recent e-mail inquiry.

Ongpatonga Tribe No. 67 was instituted in Lewistown on July 7, 1867. [to get common era years add 1491 to GSD dates.]

H. H. Matter was Senior Sagamore (S.S.) of his tribe (1st vice president). He would then move up to Sachem (president) the next year and then to Prophet (past president). He would have been Junior Sagamore the year before.

When your source says "at present" he could mean 1885 or earlier, depending on when the research was done before the book was published (1886). So it is not certain when Matter was Senior Sagamore. I don't have the Pennsylvania state proceedings for that year, which may or may not have him listed.

Local tribes kept their own records, but where they finally wound up is anybody's guess. Sometimes the local library or historical society have records.

The tribe appears in the 1927 national directory. (The last one published.) I don't know their fate. Brad Buchanan of Nottingham is the Great Chief of Records (state secretary) for Pennsylvania ([log in to unmask]). He may have some historical information or know of someone who does. 

The Improved Order of Red Men is not associated with the Masons in any way. It is just one of dozens of fraternal groups that formed in this country or were brought over from Europe (IORM was formed in America).

IOOF is the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. No connection with Red Men. Many times local fraternal groups shared the same space either by jointly owning a building or paying rent to the owner. Lodge 97 IOOF apparently owned the building eventually.

David Lintz, Director
Red Men Museum and Library
Hope this helped. Is anybody aware of any IORM records in Virginia that would be a good resource to check?

Sincerely, Vicki Ford

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