The Jr, OAUM marker is fairly frequently found in this part of New York State. It was founded in Philadelphia in 1853 as a junior section of the Order of United American Mechanics. It became an independent secret society by 1885 with its fundamental purpose directed at keeping undesirable foreigners out of the country. It considered German, Irish and Roman Catholic persons as among those undesirables and it concentrated its rituals on religious "principals." At the point of its 1885 separation from the OUAM, the Jr. in its name no longer signified age and Mechanics had nothing to do with members' occupations.

Over time, JOUAM changed its ideology and requirements so that Jews, non-whites, and Roman Catholics could join, and women were also accepted as members. It is hard to understand why groups that were formerly targeted by this organization would want to join it.

Over more time it became primarily a legal reserve, fraternal  life insurance society. It also eventually absorbed its parent UAM. In 1900 the order had 200,000 members and that was reduced to 8,500 by 1975.

Its ideology is the same as the Daughters of America which is a sister organization. See DOA for that listing.

(Source: Greenwood Encyclopedia of .... Fraternal Organizations, Alvin J. Schmidt, Greenwood Press, 1980, pp 171-172)

Published On Tri-Counties Site On 06/05/2003
By Joyce M. Tice
Email: JoyceTice@aol.com

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