Chronological Establishment of Fraternal Organizations in America 

1733

Freemasonry

1765

Sons of Liberty

1771

Saint Tamina Society

1776

Phi Beta Kappa

1783

Society of the Cincinnati

1784

Prince Hall Freemasonry (Af./Am), chartered

1789

Tammany Society, or Columbian Order

1795

Loyal Orange Legion

1797

Royal Arch Masonry, International General Grand Chapter of

1801

Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite, Southern Jurisdiction

Washington Benevolent Society

1813

Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite, Northern Jurisdiction

Society of Red Men

1819

Independent Order of Odd Fellows

1834

Ancient Order of Foresters

United Ancient Order of Druids

Improved Order of Red Men

1835

Knights of the Golden Circle

Order of Reubens

1840

Sons of Hermann

1842

Independent Order of Rechabites

Sons of Temperance

Templars of Honor and Temperance

1843

Independent Order, B'nai B'rith

Grand United Order of Odd Fellows (Af./Am.)

1844

American Brotherhood

Order of United Americans

1845

Ancient Order of Hibernians

Order of United American Mechanics

United Daughters of Rechab

1846

Order of Twelve (Af./Am.)

Patriotic Order, Sons of America

United Order of True Sisters

1847

Independent Order, Good Samaritans and Daughters of Samaria  (Af./Am.)

1849

Independent Order, Free Sons of Israel

Actor's Order of Friendship

1850

Knights of Jericho

Independent Order, Good Templars

1851

Ancient and Illustrious Star of Bethlehem

Sons of "76, or Order of the Star Spangled Banner

Good Templars

1853

Junior Order, United American Mechanics

1854

Order of the Heptasophs, or Seven Wise Men

Sons of Malta

Molly Maguires

Czechoslovak Society of America

1855

Grand United Order of Galilean Fishermen

Order of the Eastern Star

1857

Fenian Brotherhood

Rosicrucians 

1859

Order of B'rith Abraham

Order Knights of Friendship

1861

United Brothers of Friendship and Sisters of the Mysterious Ten      (Af./Am.)

1863

Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers

1864

Knights of Pythias

1865

Ancient Order of Freesmiths

Knights of the Ku Klux Klan

Military Order, Loyal Legion of the U.S.

North American Swiss Alliance

Order of Mules

1866

Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks

Grand Army of the Republic

1867

Order, Patrons of Husbandry (Grange)

Klu Klux Klan

1868

Ancient Order of United Workmen

Independent Order of Mechanics

St. Patrick's Alliance of America

Ye Ancient Order of Corks (Jolly Corks)

1869

Order of the Star of Bethlehem

Degree of Rebekah

Knights of Pythias of North and South America, Europe, Asia, and     Africa (Af./Am.)

Women's Relief Corps

Knights of St. Crispin

Noble Order, Knights of Labor

1870

Ancient Illustrious Order, Knights of Malta

Order of the Red Cross of Constantine

P.E.O. Sisterhood

Royal Templars of Temperance

1871

Ancient Arabic Order, Nobles of the Mystic Shrine

Ancient Order, Knights of the Mystic Chain

Order, Sons of St. George

1872

Knights of the Golden Eagle

Independent Order of Immaculates of the USA

Independent General Grand Council of Royal and Select Masters

International Order of Twelve, of Knights and Daughters of Tabor      (Af./Am)

Order of Native Americans

1873

Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen

Degree of Honor

Knights of Honor

Order of Amaranth

Order of the American Union

Polish Roman Catholic Union of America 

1874

Independent Order of Foresters

1875

German Order of Harugari

Native Sons of the Golden West

The Crescents

Daughters of Liberty

1876

United Order, Golden Cross

Sons of Scotland Benevolent Association

1877

Knights and Ladies of Honor

Royal Arcanum

Order of Shield of Honor

Independent Order, Sons of Benjamin

Catholic Knights of America

1878

American Legion of Honor

Improved Order of Heptasophs, or Seven Wise Men

Knights of the Maccabees

Order of Mutual Protection

Order of Mutual Protection 

Order of Scottish Clans

Royal Order of Scotland

United Order of Pilgrim Fathers

1879

Catholic Association of Foresters

Czech Catholic Union

The Home Circle

Knights and Ladies of the Golden Rule

Order of Chosen Friends

Order of Sparta

Knights of the Sherwood Forest

Knights of St. John

Knights of the Red Cross

National Haymakers' Association (PofH) 

Sons of Adam

1880

Patriarchal Circle of America

Polish National Alliance of US of N.A.

Portuguese Union of the State of California

Societas Rosicruciana in Civitatibus Foederatis

1881

Benevolent Order of Buffaloes

Order of the Golden Chain

Order of United Friends

Catholic Benevolent Legion

Catholic Knights of St. George

Danish Brotherhood in America

Danish Sisterhood

Golden Star Fraternity

Grand United Order, True Reformers

Independent Order of Svithiod

Knights and Ladies of Honor

Loyal Knights and Ladies

Order of Iron Hall

Sons of Veterans, USA 

(name changed to Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War in 1922)

Templars of Liberty

1882

Independent Order of Mystic Brothers

Knights of Columbus

Patriotic League of the Revolution

Travelers Protective Association of America

1883

Modern Woodmen of America

Mosaic Templars of America

Royal League

1884

American Star Order (Roum. Jews)

Ancient and Illustrious Order, Knights of Malta

Bavarian National Association of N.A.

Free and Regenerated Palladium

Knights and Ladies of the Golden Star

Northwestern Legion of Honor

Order of American Freemen

1885

Fraternal Mystic Circle

Degree of Pocohontas

Legion of the Red Cross

1886

Lithuanian Alliance of America

National Order of Videttes

Native Daughters of the Golden West

Order of the Golden Circle

Verhovay Fraternal Insurance Association

William Penn Association

1887

American Protective Association

Ancient Order of Osiris

Independent Order of Chosen Friends

Independent Order of B'rith Abraham

Improved Order of B'nai B'rith

Knights and Ladies of the Round Table

New England Order of Protection

Polish Falcons of America

1888

American Order of Druids

Ancient Essenic Order

Daughters of America

International Association of Machinists

Knights of the Ancient Essenic Order

Knights of the Blue Cross of the World

Loyal Order of Moose

Loyal Women of American Liberty

Modern Order of Chaldeans

Order of Pente

Order of the Red, White and Blue

Order of Select Friends

Pythian Sisterhood

Rathbone Sister of the World

Sexennial League

1889

Foresters of America

Knights of the Globe

Order of Equity

Order of Unity

Royal Neighbors of America

United Confederate Veterans

1890

Ahavas Israel

Brotherhood of America

Independent Order of Owls

Knights of Reciprocity

Loyal Knights of America

Order of United Commercial Travelers of America

Polish Union of America

Social Order of the Beauceant

Woodmen of the World

1891

Catholic Workmen

Daughters of America

Home Palladium

Modern Knights Fidelity League

Zivena Beneficial Society

1892

Concatenated Order of Hoo-Hoo

Independent Order Sons of Abraham

Loyal Mystic legion of America

Mystic Workers of the World

Mystic Order, Velied Prophets of the Enchanted Realm

Order of Amaranth

Order of Aegis

Pioneer Fraternal Association

1893

Ancient Arabic Order, Nobles of the Mystic Shrine of North and South America (Af./Am.)

Daughters of Isis

Indian Republican League

Knights and Ladies of Azar

Pennsylvania Slovak Catholic Union

Union Fraternal League

1894

American Benevolent Association

American Hungarian Catholic Society

American Knights of Protection

Croatian Fraternal Union of America

Dramatic Order, Knights of Khorassan

Imperial Order of Muscovites

Order of the Golden Rod 

Order of the White Shrine of Jerusalem

Royal Tribe of Joseph

Tribe of Ben-Hur

Ukranian National Association

United Order of Foresters

Workmen's Circle

1895

Ancient Mystic Order of Bagmen of Bagdad

Ancient Order of Sanhedrims

Court of Honor  

Improved Order of Knights of Pythias

Independent Order, Knights of Labor

Knights of Equity

Knights of the Loyal Guard

National League of the Armenian Race in America

Order of the Daughters of Scotia

Order of the Little Red School House

Protestant Knights of America

Sons of Norway

A special "Thanks" to Mark Tabbert of the George Washington Masonic National Memorial for submitting the above chronology.  Mark is the Curator of the George Washington Museum and invites you to visit his on-line museum at:

Click Here for the George Washington Masonic National Memorial

 

              

               

Museum Home Page     Phoenixmasonry Home Page

Copyrighted © 1999 - 2019   Phoenixmasonry, Inc.      The Fine Print