ROYAL ARCANUM

ROYAL ARCANUM. Life insurance, as commercially conducted in the mid to late 1800s failed to meet the needs of the masses. Thousands saw their possessions vanish in bankruptcy proceedings and receiverships. Masons and Odd Fellows organized relief associations that bound members of the lodge together. That gave rise to the concept of bringing men together in a fraternal union for purposes of protection. (1)

John Upchurch founded the Ancient Order of United Workmen in Pennsylvania upon the principle of combining cooperation and fraternity with the business of furnishing protection at the lowest possible cost. While his plan was wrong in detail, the protection was what people demanded. (2)

The Knights of Honor was founded in Kentucky, with a slight improvement in recognizing sound insurance principles. Their growth was rapid. In 1876-77 two of the founders of Knights of Honor, John A. Cummings of Boston, MA. And Dr. Darius Wilson attempted to have the K. of H. adopt a scale of assessment, recognizing one of the well-known elements of life insurance. The effort failed, because of a lack of public education. (3)

Upon their return to Boston, Wilson and Cummings organized a new society under Massachusetts's law. Dr. Wilson invited the members to meet at his house, 1066 Washington Street, on June 23, 1877, and by virtue of his position as founder of the order, organized the Supreme Council of the Royal Arcanum. The association received a charter from the State of Massachusetts on November 5, 1877. (4)

A Dubuque "council," one of six or seven in the state, was organized in February 1892 by W. L. Kendall.

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Source:

1. "Welcome to the Royal Arcanum," Online: http://www.royalarcanum.com/

2. Ibid.

3. Ibid.

4. Ibid.

5. "Municipal Molecules," Dubuque Daily Herald, February 26, 1892, p. 4