United Brothers of Friendship

United Brothers of Friendship (UBF) was a benevolent organization for African American men established in 1861 in Louisville, Kentucky.[1] It grew to have about 60,000 members.[2]

It met at the Centre-Street Baptist Church and later at the Quinn Chapel Baptist Church. In 1866 a lodge at Shelbyville, Kentucky, was established. Chapters were added and the benevolent society grew to 29 chapters. A branch for females called the Sisters of the Mysterious Ten (SMT) was established.[1]

Several members managed the Ohio Falls Express newspaper in Louisville, Kentucky including William Henry Fitzbutler.[3]

A lodge in Asbury, Kentucky, was established in 1865. F. D. Morton and Charles L. Asbury served as national grand master of the group.[4]

A "ritual and degree" book was published for the group.[5] W. H. Gibson Sr. had a history of the organization published in 1897.[6] Lodge buildings included one in Paris, Kentucky.[7]

The organizations declined from the late 1940s into the 1960s.[1]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 White, Juanita L. History of the United Brothers of Friendship. Shelby County Historical Society.
  2. ↑ "United Brothers of Friendship and Sisters of the Mysterious Ten". Notable Kentucky African Americans Database. University of Kentucky. Retrieved 2026-08-20.
  3. ↑ Gibson, William H. (August 19, 1897). "History of the United Brothers of Friendship and Sisters of the Mysterious Ten: In Two Parts ; a Negro Order ; Organized August 1, 1861, in the City of Louisville, Ky". Bradley & Gilbert Company – via Google Books.
  4. ↑ History of Vanderburgh County, Indigan, from the Earliest Times to the Present, with Biographical Sketches, Reminesces, etc (PDF). Madison. Wisconsin: Brant & Fuller. 1889. p. 396 – via Wikimedia Commons.
  5. ↑ "Ritual and degree book of the United Brothers of Friendship : containing forms and ceremonies of the first, second, third, and fourth degrees". [Louisville, Ky.? : United Brothers of Friendship?]. August 19, 1894 – via Internet Archive.
  6. ↑ Gibson, W. H. (August 19, 1897). "History of the United brothers of friendship and Sisters of the mysterious ten: in two parts ; a Negro order ; organized August 1, 1861, in the city of Louisville, Ky". Printed by the Bradley & Gilbert company – via HathiTrust.
  7. ↑ Brother, Janie-Rice (February 28, 2022). "The United Brothers of Friendship Lodge Hall, Paris, Kentucky". Gardens to Gables. Retrieved 2026-08-20.
  8. ↑ "Elijah P. Marrs, b. 1840. Life and History of the Rev. Elijah P. Marrs, First Pastor of Beargrass Baptist Church, and Author". docsouth.unc.edu.
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