AOF: Ancient Order Of Foresters: A Masonic order that evolved from the British Royal Order of Foresters.
AOH: Ancient Order Of Hibernians: A Catholic, Irish Masonic order that was founded in 1836 in New York City. The term Hibernia is ancient Latin for “Ireland.” They can trace their roots back to 1641 in Ireland where they protected priests.
AOKMC: Ancient Order Of Knights of Mystic Chain
AOUW: Ancient Order Of United Workmen: A Masonic order founded by John Jordan Upchurch in Meadville, Pennsylvania on October 27, 1868; the order acts similar to the Union, protecting the rights of workers.
B
BPOE: Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks: When New York's Blue Laws prohibited any business from opening on Sunday, a group of actors would frequent the Jolly Corks Bar to socialize. Before Christmas in 1867, one of their members died, leaving behind a wife and children; the men pulled together to help the grieving widow. Two months later, on February 16, 1868, the Masonic order was born; The Order is synonymous with compassion. Tradition still holds that members have a toast at 11 o'clock, Sunday night.
BPOEW: Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks of the World: The Masonic order was formed in 1898 in Cincinnati, Ohio by B.F. Howard and Arthur J. Riggs when they discovered the rites of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks was not copyrighted. In 1918, the former Order gave up on trying to put a stop to the infringments they had endured.
D
DAR: Daughters of the American Revolution: A sororal association open to any woman who is 18 years or older and can legally prove they are a direct, blood-line decendant of a soldier or important person who helped America gain its independance during the Revolutionary War.
DOR: Daughters of the Revolution
C
CBKA: Commandery Benevolent Knights Association
CCTAS: Crusaders-Catholic Total Abstinence Society
CK of A: Catholic Knights of America: A fraternal life-insurance company founded as the Order of United Catholics in Nashville, Tennessee on April 23, 1877. It was later changed to its current name.
CSA: Confederate States of America: People who lived in the old South between1861 and 1865.
CTAS: Catholic Total Abstinence Society: An order that was founded in Chelsea in 1838 by Reverend T. Sisk; their values resemble those of Quakers.
E
EBA: Emerald Beneficial Association
I
IHS: The first three letters in the Greek spelling of Jesus are IHS.
IHSV: Red Cross of Constantine: The highest award in York Rite Masonry.
IOI: Independent Order of Immaculates
IOKP: Independent Order of Knights of Pythias
IOOF (Also: PM and TH): Independent Order of Odd Fellows (Also: Patriarchs Militant and Temple of Honor): A Masonic order that was founded in England as the English chpater of the Order of Odd Fellows.
IORM: Improved Order of Redmen: In 1765 they were known as the Sons of Liberty, disguising themselves for freedom from British colonies. After the War of 1812, the Order changed its name to the Order of Redmen, and later to their current name.
ISH: Independent Sons of Honor
F
FAA: Free and Accepted Americans: A Native North American Indian association founded in New York in 1863 by William Patton. The association protects Americans legal rights and opposes the joining of Church and State.
FOE: Fraternal Order of Eagles: Founded on February 6, 1898 in Moran's shipyard in Seattle Washington.
G
GALSTPTR: German American Legion of St. Peter
GAR: Grand Army of the Republic: A Masonic order compased of veterans of the Union Army and formed shortly after the Civil War.
GUO of OF: Grand United Order of Odd Fellows: A Masonic order founded in 1843, and unlike the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, accepted African Americans.
U
UCV: United Confederate Veterans: In 1889, several groups of Confederate sympathizers united and formed the United Confederate Veterans Association in New Orleans, Louisiana.
USA: United States Army.
USAF: United States Air Force.
USMC: United States Marine Corps.
USN: United States Navy.
J
JAOUW: Junior Order of the Ancient Order of United Workmen.
JOUAM: Junior Order of the Order of United American Mechanics: An Order founded in 1853 in Philadelphia, Pennsyvania by young mechanics.
K
K of H: Knights of Honor
K of L: Knights of Loyola
K of SJ: Knights of St. John: This Order began as a Benedictine Order founded in Jerusalem, following the First Crusade; they were changed with leading pigrims safely to the Holy Land.
K of STP: Knights of St. Patrick: Founded by King George III in 1783 in Ireland.
K of STW: Knights of St. Wenceslas
KC (Also: K of C): Knights of Columbus: A Roman Catholic fraternal organization, named in honor of Christopher Columbus.
KFM (Also: K of FM):Knights of Father Matthew: A Catholic society founded in Ireland in 1838 by Theobald Matthew; the central teachings of this association is that people should completely abtain from drinking alcholic beverages.
KG (Also: KSTG): Knights of St. George: An Order founded by Emperor Frederick III of Austria in 1464.
KGE: Knights of Golden Eagle: Founded in 1872.
KHC: Knights of Holy Cross
KKK (Also: NOK): Knights of Klu Klux Klan (Also: New Order Knights)
KOTM: Knights of Macabees
KSF: Knights of Sherwood Forest
KGL: Knight Grand Legion
KM: Knights of Malta: The original Sovereign Military Order of St. John of Jerusalem, members of this group must be Catholic and once served in the military.
KMC: Knights of Mystic Chain
KP (Also: K of P): Knights of Pythias: This Order was stablished in 1864 in Washington, DC by Justus T. Rathbone; they have a strong connection to the Boy Scouts.
KPC: Knights of Peter Claver: The Catholic Order was founded on November 7, 1909 in Mobile, Alabama by four Priests.
KSC: Knights of St. Columbkille
KSL: Knights of St. Lawrence
KSTI: Knights of St. Ignatius
KSTJ: Knights of St. Joseph (Also: the Order of the Lily): An organization for young, Catholic boys.
KSTM: Knights of St. Martin
KSTP: Knights of St. Paul: A Christian Order that was founded on January 15, 1934 and promote zelous preaching.
KSTP: Knights of St. Peter
KSTT: Knights of St. Thomas: A Christian Military order of English origins, founded by Peter of Roche the Bishop of Winchester, around 1227 during the Fifth Crusade
KT (Also: K of T): Knights of Tabor
KT: Knights Templar (Also: Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon): In a most obvious display of greed, the Inquisition was set on the Knights Templar. The Templars were a religious military order founded in 1118 after the first Crusade to protect European travelers to and from the Holy Land. The Knights were attributed with inventing the idea of banking, as pilgrims could, for a moderate fee, deposit money at a church at one end of the journey and pick it up again at the other. They had amassed a great wealth and held titles over many lands. The Church accused them of worshipping a goat-headed idol named Baphomet (some theologians believe this is an anagram for Sophia, the female face of God who is associated with wisdom), practicing homosexuality and “other unspeakable blasphemies.” Pope Clement ordered the sect rounded up and put to death by fire. The day was Friday, October 13, 1307, and is the origin for the modern day belief that Friday the 13th is unlucky. It is inaccurately stated, however, that all the Knights Templar were exterminated.
KWM: Knights of Wise Men
L
LK of A: Loyal Knights of America
LOM: Loyal Order of the M.O.O.S.E.: Founded in 1888 in Louisville, Kentucky.
M
MM: Military Marker.
MOLLUS: Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States: A fraternity comprised of former Union Army officers organized in the wake of the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln.
MRA: Royal Arcanum: An offshoot from the Knights of Honor and founded in Massachusetts on November 5, 1877, when they encouraged better insurance for all.
MWA: Modern Woodsmen of America
O
OES: Order of the Eastern Star: The largest fraternal organization in the world for both men and women. It was established in 1850 by Robert Morris, a lawyer and educator from Boston, Massachusetts who had been an official with the Freemasons.
OUAM: Order of United American Mechanics
P
PH: Purple Heart: An honor to those who are wounded in combat.
POSA: Patriotic Order of the Sons of America
R
RAM: Royal Arch Masons
RIP: Rest in peace.
RK: Roman Knights
RO-AUM: Rosicrucian Order: A Masonic order founded between the 15th and 17th Centuries.
RSTV: Rite of St. Vaclara
RSTV: Rite of St. Vita
S
SAR: Sons of the American Revolution: A association open to any male who is 18 years or older and can legally prove they are a direct, blood-line decendant of a soldier or important person who helped America gain its independance during the Revolutionary War.
SBL: Society B. Lafayette
SBCL: Saint Bonifazius Catholic Union
SCV: Sons of the Confederate Veterans: An Order that was formed in Richmond, Virginia in 1896 and is open to any male 18 years or older who can legally trace their bloodline back to Confederate soldiers.
SNA-AUM: Shrine of North America: Founded in 1872 by 13 Masons, they are now called the Shriners and help children in need.
SR: Scottish Rite: A high initiation in Masonry.
SS: Silver Star: An honor to those who show "gallantry in action."
SSW: Same Stone With: When more than one person is listed on a single
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