Odd Fellows Three Links on a Headstone

Three linked chain rings, often with the letters F, L and T, puzzle many visitors to old cemeteries. They mark a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.

What it means

Who the Odd Fellows were

The Independent Order of Odd Fellows is a fraternal society founded in North America in 1819, with roots in earlier English lodges. Members pledged to visit the sick, bury the dead, and care for widows and orphans. At its height it had hundreds of thousands of members across Canada and the US, and many lodges had their own cemeteries.

Rebekahs

The Rebekahs were the women's branch, and their symbols — a dove, beehive, moon and stars, or the letter R — appear on women's stones.

For genealogists

A three-links symbol tells you an ancestor belonged to a lodge. Lodge records may hold membership dates and family details. See how to research ancestors in a cemetery and Masonic emblems.

Odd Fellows cemeteries

Many towns have an IOOF or Odd Fellows cemetery, founded by local lodges to provide burial grounds for members and their families. Some are still operated by lodges; others have passed to municipalities. Records may be held by the lodge, the cemetery or a local archive.

Key Takeaways

• Three links mark an Odd Fellows member.
• FLT stands for Friendship, Love and Truth.
• Rebekah symbols mark women members.
• Lodge records can help genealogists.

Next Step

See headstone symbols and meanings.