Peter Ogden (died 1852) was the founder of the

Grand United Order of Odd Fellows in America The Grand United Order of Odd Fellows, American Jurisdiction is a jurisdiction of the Grand United Order of Oddfellows in the United States, Jamaica, Canada, South America, and other locations. Since its founding in 1843, its membership has prin ...

. This fraternal order was a

Benefit society A benefit society, fraternal benefit society, fraternal benefit order, friendly society, or mutual aid society is a society, an organization or a voluntary association formed to provide mutual aid, benefit, for instance insurance for relief fr ...

open to African American men and was heavily involved with the early civil rights movement. Ogden was born in the West Indies and served on the ''S.S. Patrick Henry'' as a ship steward.

Early life

Not much is known about Peter Ogden's early life. The official history of the Grand United Order of Odd Fellows in America notes that he was born in the West Indies, with one source specifying the island of Jamaica. Ogden was a sailor and then steward on the ''S.S. Patrick Henry'' that sailed between Liverpool and New York City. While in Liverpool, Ogden was initiated in Odd Fellowship in Victoria Lodge, No. 448.

The Grand United Order of Odd Fellows in America

The

Philomathean Institute The Philomathean Society of the University of Pennsylvania is a collegiate literary society, the oldest student group at the university, and a claimant to the title of the oldest continuously-existing literary society in the United States.Thi ...

was formed in New York City in 1842 by educated Black men of that city including

Patrick H. Reason Patrick Henry Reason, first named Patrice Rison (March 17, 1816 – August 12, 1898), was one of the earliest African-American engravers and lithographers in the United States. He was active as an abolitionist (along with his brother Charles Lew ...

and James Fields. The Institute petitioned the

Independent Order of Odd Fellows The Independent Order of Odd Fellows (IOOF) is a non-political and non-sectarian international fraternal order of Odd Fellowship. It was founded in 1819 by Thomas Wildey in Baltimore, Maryland, United States. Evolving from the Order of Odd ...

for a charter, but they were denied because of their race. Ogden, informed about the rejection, urged the men to instead seek recognition from the Grand United Order of Oddfellows in England in what he thought was a purer form of Odd Fellowship without American racism. Ogden returned to England and petitioned the Victoria Lodge to grant a charter to the institute. In 1843, the Philomathean Lodge, No. 646, was established in New York City with Peter Ogden as the first Grand Master. Ogden initiated the other men into Odd Fellowship bringing over the ritual and symbolism from England and oversaw the creation of a second lodge in New York, the Hamilton Lodge, No. 710. Unity Lodge, No. 711, was soon established in Philadelphia. Rising Star, No. 713, established in

Hartford, Connecticut Hartford is the capital city of the U.S. state of Connecticut. It was the seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960. It is the core city in the Greater Hartford metropolitan area. Census estimates since the ...

was the first lodge in Connecticut. Ogden continued to sail in-between New York and England and often carried correspondence, questions, and reports between the leadership in New York and the leadership in England. By Ogden's death in 1852, there were twenty-five lodges in America with over 1500 members.

Personal life

Peter Ogden was married though his wife's name is unknown. He died on November 29, 1852, in New York.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ogden, Peter 1852 deaths Year of birth missing African-American activists Odd Fellowship African-American sailors Service organizations based in the United States