The P.E.O. Sisterhood was founded in 1869 on the campus of Iowa Wesleyan College, Mount Pleasant, Iowa. It has grown from a founding membership of seven young women to today’s membership of over a quarter of a million members in the United States and Canada. From its beginning, the P.E.O. Sisterhood has promoted educational opportunities for women.

P.E.O. came to Indiana in 1886 with the organization of Chapter U (original lettering later changed to A) in Thorntown. This chapter was the first east of the Mississippi and the second outside of Iowa. By 1923, nine chapters had been organized in Indiana, thus allowing the formation of The Indiana State Chapter in June of 1923. To date, there are more than 135 active chapters in Indiana.