Julia Street: Odd Fellows and New Places

Hey Julia,
At the cemetery end of Canal Street one of the cemeteries is called “Odd Fellows Rest.” I understand that Odd Fellow was an early fraternal order sort of like the Masons, but why would any group of men want to call their organization “Odd Fellows” let alone wanting to be entombed among them?
Grant Bellow, River Ridge

Grant, your question reminds me of the famous quip from comedian Groucho Marx who was best known for hosting a weekly quiz show during the early days of television.
Asked if he belonged to any club Groucho responded, “I would never want to join a club that would have me as a member.”

Fraternal men’s organizations were once very popular worldwide. You are right, the Masons, which trace back to the 14th century, were the best known but many other groups formed too. Their main purpose was to provide social service and care, especially back in the days when neither government nor private enterprise provided such aid. Burial assistance was always a top priority, which is why so many operated their own exclusive cemeteries, usually with distinguished architectural feature such as elaborate tombs or monuments. (Near the Canal Street Odd Fellows facility there is an Order of the Elks cemetery distinguished by the impressive statue of the animal atop a hill.)

By the late 1900s, the organizations flourished. Many were formed as secretive societies with the own rituals and symbols that gave the groups an aura of mystery.

Back to the name selection, that is literally odd. One theory is that the members of the earlier groups all tended to belong to similar or related trades such as the masons. The Odd Fellows, however, did not require such related activities—hence they belonged to odd, as opposed to similar, trades. Another theory is that the fraternal groups put an emphasis on charity and provided related services at a time when that was seldom offered by individual groups. That too was deemed to be odd.

A simple explanation could be that the connotation of the word “odd” was different in the early days—it did not mean strange or weird, but just different or varied. For their good works, may the fellows, odd or otherwise, rest in peace.


 

I have heard about a new city being created in Louisiana called St. George. How would that compare with the state’s other cities in population?
Jay Rutherman, Kenner

Yep, in April the Louisiana Supreme Court gave final approval to what has been a long contentious battle to allow the incorporation of a city from what had been an unincorporated part of East Baton Rouge Parish. It all started in 2012 as an effort to gain more control over the public school system. In 2019 residents of the area approved the incorporation as a city with a 54% favorable vote. More litigation is still possible, but the idea seems to have passed the major hurdles. The governor will appoint the first mayor and council who will create the city’s government.

St. George will have a population, according the 2020 census, of 86, 316. That will make it the state’s fifth largest city behind fourth place Lafayette (121,706) and ahead of Lake Charles which tumbles a notch to sixth place (82,430). New Orleans, of course is first (380,498), Kenner is seventh (65,786.) Metairie is not incorporated (that’s why you never hear of a mayor of Metairie because it is not technically a city) but if it were it would be in fourth place (40,046). Having heard of St. George, Poydras is leading an effort to get part of Metairie incorporated so that he can run for mayor there. However, since he spends much of his time living in an abandoned banana boat in the Atchafalaya swamp, he might not meet the residency requirement.

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