# What was I.O.U.F.? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 26, 2006, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-i-o-u-f/358280 "2006-05-26T03:23:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![BJMoose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5fc32e/32.png) [@BJMoose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BJMoose)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2006, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-i-o-u-f/358280/1 "2006-05-26T03:23:24Z")
A century back there was a fraternal organization known as I.O.U.F. I have not been able to find any info on this group (don’t even know what it stands for). All I’ve been able to find through search engines (using IOUF plus members or some such limiter) is a couple of obits that mention I.O.U.F. membership. (Don’t confuse this with the IOOF. The Odd Fellows are still around and I know about them.) ---
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2006, 7:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-i-o-u-f/358280/2 "2006-05-26T07:47:37Z")
I’m not sure about the USA but I’ve had a look at the list of friendly societies and fraternal organisations that are currently regulated in Australia, the UK and Canada via the websites of APRA (_Australian Prudential Regulation Authority_), FSA (_Financial Services Authority_) and OSFI (_Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions_). I thought they may possibly give a guide to what the IOUF was. There are lots of references to the Oddfellows (IOOF) but nothing for IOUF. The closest match was the Independent Order of Foresters (IOF) in Canada. Perhaps the IOUF was a variant of the Foresters? ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2006, 10:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-i-o-u-f/358280/3 "2006-05-26T10:53:39Z")
My guess is, not knowing just what original document you’re reading, is that the optical character scanner/reader just did a poor job of picking up IOOF, cutting off the top of the second “O.” Is that possible? ---
**Author:** ![Crotalus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crotalus/32/41_2.png) [@Crotalus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crotalus)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2006, 11:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-i-o-u-f/358280/4 "2006-05-26T11:12:21Z")
You have stumped a very useful and fun site, [Acronym Finder](http://www.acronymfinder.com/), which has never let me down before. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2006, 11:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-i-o-u-f/358280/5 "2006-05-26T11:46:47Z")
> [@](#): > > (using IOUF plus members or some such limiter) is a couple of obits that mention I.O.U.F. membership. My first thought was the same as **samclem** ’s–that IOOF had been mis-read (electronically) or mis-typed as IOUF. Among your members, did you have any noted personalities? We might be able to tackle the search from that direction. ---
**Author:** ![BJMoose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5fc32e/32.png) [@BJMoose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BJMoose)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2006, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-i-o-u-f/358280/6 "2006-05-26T15:47:24Z")
:smack: :smack: :smack: Actually, the fault is with myself. Shortly after awakening this morning I realized I’d screwed the pooch. **It’s A.O.U.W.** That’ll teach me to start a thread after my bedtime! It’s the Ancient Order of United Workmen, a fraternal benefit society started by a Freemason. Amazing how well search engines work when you input the right garbage. . . .