Name/Title
Woodmen of the World, Oak Camp, No. 78, St. Joseph, Missouri RibbonEntry/Object ID
AM2014.11.3Scope and Content
Woodmen of the World, Oak Camp, No. 78, St. Joseph, Missouri. Ribbon as would be worn as honor badge, with pin attached to back of ribbon holder. Ribbon holder is crossed gavel with axe. The "Oak Camp" was evidently the "chapter" located in St. Joseph, MO. Undated but is likely from the 1930's.
On June 6, 1890, Joseph Cullen Root founded Woodmen of the World in 1890 with simple idea of making life insurance available to everyone. By 1898, Woodmen of the World had more than 88,000 members from all over the country. Membership was originally restricted to white males between the ages of 15 and 52.
The history of this organization includes the erection of numerous distinctive tombstones depicting tree stumps across the country before 1930.
At the top of the organizational structure of the Woodmen of the World is the "Sovereign Camp", which meets quadrennially. When the Sovereign Camp is not in session the WOW is run by a board of directors. States are called either "Jurisdictions" or "Head Camps". Local groups are called either "Camps", Courts" or "Groves". The Woodmen took their ritual and secrecy seriously at least through the 1970s. Members were initiated, given an annual password and the constitution provided for an "Escort, Watchmen and Sentry".Lexicon
Nomenclature 4.0
Nomenclature Secondary Object Term
Ribbon, CommemorativeNomenclature Primary Object Term
CommemorativeNomenclature Sub-Class
MemorabiliaNomenclature Class
Documentary ObjectsNomenclature Category
Category 08: Communication ObjectsLOC Thesaurus for Graphic Materials
InsuranceSearch Terms
Woodman of the World, Oak Camp, No. 78, St. Joseph, MO, Woodmen of the World