The Modern Woodmen Of America
One of the most important Rock Island institutions is the head office
building of the Modern Woodmen of America. In the Rock Island building,
erected and furnished at an expense of more than $425,000 are constantly
employed an average force of two hundred people, with a monthly pay roll
of over $15,000. It will thus be seen that aside from the value as an
advertisement to the city and county the society is a most valued
financial institution, bringing to the locality a most desirable class of
citizens who are connected with it.
The Modern Woodmen of America is a fraternal beneficiary society,
incorporated under the laws of the State of Illinois, May 5, 1884. It
began business, however, and started as a fraternal beneficiary society
with the organization of its first camp January 5, 1883, at the town of
Lyons, Clinton County, Iowa. Its first camp was composed of twenty-one
charter members and was instituted by Mr. Joseph Cullen Root. It is by far
the largest fraternal beneficiary society in America, having on July 1,
1907, a membership in good standing of 851,441 beneficial members and
39,796 social members, or a grand total membership of 891,237. On this
date it had 11,797 local camps of lodges distributed in the following
states:
Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of
Columbia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Indian Territory, Iowa, Kansas,
Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana,
Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma,
Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah,
Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming.
The society's principal purpose is to pro-vide substantial death benefits
for the widows, orphans and other dependents of deceased members, and for
this purpose it issues to accepted members policies or certificates of
insurance, and incidentally affords valuable fraternal privileges and
advantages to all its members while living. It has unusually strong and
attractive fraternal features. Its ritualism is beautiful, entertaining,
instructive and helpful. Its local camps or lodges care for their sick and
do all in their power to relieve members in distress. Many local camps pay
sick benefits and most local camps have committees to care for the sick
and distressed, and in countless ways co-operate in the promotion of the
interests of their members, and in carrying out in fullest measure the
sublime doctrines and teachings of co-operation and fellowship. Its plan
of co-operation is of the simplest form, and yet in its vast business it
has a system of methods in its various departments which is unsurpassed in
the great commercial organizations of the country.
The management of this society is progressive, economic and business like.
It has a representative form of government in which the voice of the
individual member reaches the administration of the society's affairs
through a delegate system, including triennial meetings of delegates from
local camps to county conventions, and delegates from these county
conventions in turn to state conventions, and delegates from these state
conventions to the National convention, or Head Camp, which is the
legislative and controlling body of the organization. At its triennial
head camps laws and rules are adopted and prescribed for the management,
control and regulation of the society, as well as defining the privileges
and powers, rights and duties of its members and officers. At its
triennial head camps the various officers of the society are elected.
The plan of collecting and disbursing mortality benefits prescribed in its
contracts is of the simplest form, furnishing protection or insurance at
actual cost; the membership being called upon to pay such assessments from
month to month to the Mortality or benefit fund, as its board of directors
shall from time to time find necessary and desirable to meet the claims
against such fund, occasioned by the current or monthly deaths among its
membership, thus requiring from its members the payment of only that
amount which is necessary to meet its death aims.
The expenses of conducting the business of the society aside from the
payment of death claims are met from the general fund, which is separate
and distinct at all times from the benefit or mortality fund, and which
fund is made up of contributions for expense purposes from its membership
in the nature of a per capita tax, which is fixed and levied by the head
camp of the society. Since 1890 this contribution has been one dollar per
member per year, out of which has been paid all the expense of conducting
the vast business of this society.
The result of this simple plan of "co-operation and protection" has been
the most phenomenal in development of any like concern in American
history. The following statement taken from the records of the society
shows the number of benefit certificates issued yearly since organization
up to and including the year 1906:
1883 562 1895 55,423
1884 788 1896 65,000
1885 3,694 1897 68,829
1886 4,706 1898 92,911
1887 8,139 1899 135,644
1888 11,943 1900 142,864
1889 19,950 1901 133,415
1890 12,354 1902 94,068
1891 14,384 1903 63,158
1892 25,139 1904 81,718
1893 24,385 1905 103,254
1894 38,563 1906 132,729
From January 1, to July 1, 1907, there have been written 81,268
certificates, making a grand total of certificates written in this society
from its organization down to July 1, 1907, 1,414,852.
The society has had a most successful career financially, as well as in
its growth and influence as a fraternal society. Its plan of payment of
death losses has always provided ample means for the prompt settlement of
all death claims, and since its organization it has paid out in death
losses the magnificent sum of more than $59,000,000.
The first member to die in this society was Mr. Ab. Mayer, of Davenport,
Iowa, on July 14, 1884.
The average age of the membership of the society is 38.23 years.
The death rate for the last ten years per one thousand members is as
follows: 1897, 4.35; 1898, 4.32; 1899, 4.91; 1900, 4.64; 1901, 4.84; 1902,
4.84; 1903, 5.03; 1904, 5.65; 1905, 5.43; 1906, 5.48.
It accepts to membership in this society male white persons between the
ages of eighteen and forty-five, except that if the applicant be over
forty-one years of age he cannot carry benefits to exceed $2,000. All
applicants for membership are required to pay a membership fee of five
dollars, and the cost of medical examination, varying from $1.25 to $2.25.
Its field work is under the management of the head consul of the society,
who appoints a state deputy head consul for each state, who in turn
appoints district deputy head consuls for. certain territory or districts
in a state, who give personal attention to the details of securing members
for the local lodges in the various localities.
The financial management of the society is under the control of a board of
directors, consisting of five members, while the head clerk is the
recording and accounting officer. The head banker has the custody of the
funds and no money can be paid out by him, except upon orders signed by
the head consul, the head clerk and at least three members of the board of
directors.
In the adoption of social members only no medical examination fee is
required. Payment by members to the mortuary fund is according to rates
established by the head camp and are graded according to the age at the
time of joining the society. The rates do not increase with advancing age,
and during recent years it has not been necessary for the board of
directors to levy an assessment each month in order to meet the current
death losses.
Certificates are issued in this society in the amounts of $500; $1,000;
$1,500; $2,000; and $3,000, as the applicant may desire.
The officers of local camps are consul (pre-siding officer), past consul,
clerk (recording officer), banker, adviser, escort, watchman, sentry,
board of three managers, and examining physicians.
Great care is taken in determining the physical soundness of applicants
for mem-bership~' in this society. Each applicant is examined as to his
physical condition by the local camp physician, after which the
application is forwarded to a state physician who reviews the examination
of the local examiner, and such state physician, after passing upon the
applicant by either approving or rejecting him, forwards the application,
together with the record of such approval or rejection to the board of
supreme medical directors, which board is composed of three eminent
physicians, selected and appointed by the executive council of the
society. This supreme Medical board again reviews the application so far
as it relates to the medical examination and opinion of both the local
examiner and the State examiner, and action of the supreme medical board,
either in. approving or rejecting the application, is final, except in
emergency cases only, when the executive council, for special cause, may
ask a reconsideration and examination of the applicant by the supreme
medical board.
The head camp of the society is held at whatever place in the jurisdiction
the pre-ceding head camp selects.
At the time of the organization of Pioneer Camp, No. 1, on January 5,
1883, the first provisional head camp was organized, and the following
officers elected:
Head consul, J. C. Root, Lyons, Iowa; head banker, Louis G. Blaine, Lyons,
Iowa; head clerk, Albert Hilton, Lyons, Iowa.
The first regular head camp, however, was held in June, 1883, at Fulton,
Illinois. At this head camp five local camps were represented by fifteen
delegates, and the first fundamental laws were adopted. The head camp
officers elected at this meeting were as follows:
Head consul, J. C. Root, Lyons, Iowa; head adviser, E. D. Leland, Lenark,
Illinois; head clerk, Albert Hilton, Lyons, Iowa; head banker, A. M.
Green, Mt. Carroll, Illinois; head escort, G. B. Jackson, Tampico,
Illinois; head watchman, Harrison Frazier, Lyons, Iowa; head sentry, G.
Guernsey, Erie, Illinois; head managers, C. C. Farmer, Mt. Carroll,
Illinois; S. IL Zimmerman, Polo, Illinois; J. J. Ward, Sterling, Illinois.
The seventh head camp met in Springfield, Illinois, on the morning of
November 11, 1890. There were nine hundred and sixty-one delegates
present, including the head officers, and standing committees,
representing 42,300 members and 1,491 camps.
Prior to this head camp meeting, serious differences of opinion existed
among the then head officers as to methods of conducting the business of
the society. At this meeting the entire fundamental laws of the society
were re-written and the society itself practically reorganized on new and-
different lines and plans of operation; none of the former head officers
were re-elected, but new officers were selected from the head camp
delegates to conduct the business of the society, upon the new plan and
under the laws promulgated and adopted at this meeting. In this head camp
laws were adopted providing for the holding of state head camps, and more
complete and satisfactory form of representative government. The officers
elected at this head camp were as follows :
Head consul, William A. Northcott, Greenville, Illinois; head adviser, H.
C. Hedges, Lansing, Michigan; head clerk, Charles Wesley Hawes, Rock
Island, Illinois; head banker, David C. Zink, Grand Island, Nebraska; head
physician, Doctor Frank Swallow, Valley Falls, Kansas; head Chaplain,
Reverend F. F. Farmiloe, Genoa, Illinois; head escort, W. H. Dawson,
Slayton, Minnesota; head sentry,
L. E. Mentch, Carey, Illinois; head watchman, L. H. Hasse, Elgin,
Illinois; board of directors, M. W. Matthews, Urbana, Illinois; A. R.
Talbot, Lincoln, Nebraska; J. W. White, Tampico, Illinois; C. T. Heydecker,
Waukegan, Illinois; J. G. Johnson, Peabody, Kansas.
The eighth head camp was held in Omaha, Nebraska, in February, 1892. There
were present one hundred and twenty-seven head officers, members of
standing committees, and delegates, representing 1,782 camps, with a
membership of 68,667. At this head camp the Royal Neighbors of America
was, by resolution, accepted as the ladies' auxiliary of the Modern
Woodmen of America.
In the interim between the meeting of the head camp at Springfield,
Illinois, and the head camp at Omaha, Nebraska, Honorable
M. W. Mathews, chairman of the board of directors, died, and General
Jasper N. Reece, of Springfield, Illinois, was appointed to fill the
vacancy caused by the death of Senator Mathews.
The ninth head camp met in convention in Madison, Wisconsin, in June,
1895, with two hundred and seventy-three delegates, head officers and
committeemen, representing 2,840 camps and 125,667 members. At this head
camp meeting the basis of representation on account of the rapid growth of
the society was changed to one delegate for each 1,000 members, and one
delegate at large from each state. Among the great questions considered at
this meeting was that of the change of rates of the society; and the
establishment or recognition of the forester teams in camp work.
The tenth head camp met in Dubuque, Iowa, in June, 1897, with two hundred
and forty-two delegates, head officers and committeemen present,
representing 208,292 members and 4,436 camps. At this head camp meeting
the laws were changed so as to pro-vide for twelve head physicians,
instead of five as formerly.
At this head camp there was created the executive council of the society,
composed of the head consul, the head clerk, and board of directors, to
which body the head consul and other officers of the society might at any
time appeal for counsel and advice in any matter pertaining to the
administration of the affairs of his department.
The eleventh head camp met in Kansas City, Missouri, in June, 1899, with
three hundred and eighty-three delegates, head officers and members of
standing committees present, representing 5,863 camps and 339,364 members.
At this meeting the board of head physicians was increased from twelve to
nineteen, and the board of auditors was increased from three to five.
At the July, 1899, meeting of the executive council, following the Kansas
City head camp, J. W. White resigned as director and was appointed general
attorney. At the same meeting the executive council appointed E. E.
Murphy, of Leavenworth, Kansas, as director to fill the vacancy caused by
the resignation of Mr. White.
The twelfth head camp met in St. Paul, Minnesota, on June 11, 1901, with
six hundred and twenty-nine delegates, head officers and members of
standing committees in attendance, representing 8,980 camps and 568,181
members. At this head camp meeting the number of head physicians was
increased to provide one head physician for each state. The basis of
representation in this growing society was again modified and fixed at one
delegate for each 1,500 members or major fraction thereof, in good
standing, in camps of each state, on January 1, preceding head camp. At
this head camp the question of rates was again considered, and a committee
was appointed to employ actuaries and assistance to consider carefully the
question in all of its phases and the condition of the society, and make
its report to the executive council which in turn should publish it to the
jurisdiction. At this meeting Honorable William A. Northcott, who had
served so long and faithfully as head consul of the society, announced to
the head camp and the jurisdiction, that because of the condition of his
health it would be impossible for him to accept another term of office
from the society, and he would not, therefore, be a candidate to succeed
himself at the end of the term which he was elected to serve.
In the interim between the twelfth head camp and the thirteenth head camp
occurred the great discussion throughout the jurisdiction among the
officers and members of local and subordinate camps the question of
re-adjustment of rates, based upon the report of the committee appointed
at the St. Paul head camp, so that the thirteenth head camp, which
convened at Indianapolis, Indiana, on June 16, 1903, might be considered
the most critical and important head camp thus far in the history of the
society. At this head camp five hundred and thirty-seven delegates, head
officers and members of standing committees were present, representing
10,589 camps with a membership of 682,639. The most important matter
before this head camp was the discussion and action upon the report of the
St. Paul head camp committee on revision of rates. After several days
deliberate consideration and earnest and oft-times bitter debate the head
camp adopted a new table of rates for the society, which has been the
basis of mortuary contribution to the society's benefit' fund by its
members since, and is as follows:
Age at Nearest B'dy $500 $1000 $1500 $2000 $3000
18 to 25 years inc $ .25 $ .50 $ .75 $1.00 $1.50
26 to 27 years .30 .55 .85 1.10 1.65
28 to 29 years inc .30 .60 .90 1.20 1.80
30 to 31 years .35 .65 1.00 1.30 1.95
32 to 33 years inc .35 .70 1.05 1.40 2.10
34 to 35 years inc .40 .75 1.15 1.50 2.25
36 to 37 years inc .40 .80 1.20 1.60 2.40
38 to 39 years inc .45 .85 1.30 1.70 2.55
40 to 41 years .45 .90 1.35 1.80 2.70
42 to 43 years inc .50 .95 1.45 1.90
44 to 45 years inc .50 1.00 1.50 2.00
At this head camp Honorable William A. Northcott, head consul, in carrying
out his announced purpose and plan at the previous head camp, declined to
be a candidate for re-election, and Adolphus R. Talbot, of Lincoln,
Nebraska, was elected head consul to succeed him.
At this head camp the office of past head consul was created, and former
head consul William A. Northcott was made past consul, and member of the
head camp of this society for life, out of recognition for the
distinguished services he had rendered the society.
The fourteenth head camp met at Milwaukee, -Wisconsin, June 20, 1905, with
four hundred and seventy-six delegates, representing 10,736 camps and
693,425 members. At this meeting of the head camp the law was changed so
that the head camp met triennially instead of biennially, and special
rates were provided for hazardous occupations. The following officers were
elected at this head camp meeting, who are its present head officers:
Head consul, Adolphus R. Talbot, Lincoln, Nebraska; past head consul,
William A. Northcott, Springfield, Illinois;; head clerk, Charles W.
Hawes, Rock Island, Illinois; head adviser, Dan B. Horne, Davenport,,
Iowa; head banker, C. H. McNider, Mason City, Iowa; head escort, C. D.
Elliott, Seattle, Washington; head sentry, W. E. Beachley, Hagerstown,
Maryland; head watchman, George L. Bowman, Kingfisher, Oklahoma; head
chaplain, Reverend Henry N. Dunning, Albany, New York. Board of
directors-R. R. Smith, Brookfield, Missouri; R. E. Murphy, Leavenworth,
Kansas; George W. Reilly, Danville, Illinois; A. N. Bort, Beloit,
Wisconsin; C. J. Byrns, Ishpeming, Michigan. Supreme medical board-Doctor
E. L. Kerns, chairman, Rock Island, Illinois; Doctor F. A. Smith, Rock
Island, Illinois; Doctor B. E. Jones, Rock Island, Illinois. Appointed-F.
O. Van Galder, editor, Rock Island, Illinois; B. D. Smith, general
attorney, Mankato, Minnesota; Truman Plantz, general attorney, Warsaw,
Illinois.
The next triennial head camp of this society will meet in June, 1908, at
Peoria, Illinois.
The head camp meeting in Omaha, in 1892, directed the head officers to
move the head office from Fulton to Rock Island. For nearly five years
every effort on the part of the head officers to comply with the
directions of the head camp in such removal was thwarted by the activity
of the citizens of Fulton by injunction proceedings and re-straining
orders of the various courts against such removal. In the fullness of
time, how-ever, hearings were had upon all such proceedings and the
Court's final decision authorized the head officers to carry out the
expressed wish and will of the head camp in removing such head office to
Rock Island. The removal occurred in September, 1897, and the new and
commodious head office building was completed and occupied by the society
some two years later, since which time this great society has been a part
of the life and business activity of Rock Island County.
The head office of this society at Rock Island, Illinois, has one of the
most commodious and appropriate fire-proof buildings of modern times. It
has been constructed at an expense of more than $350,000, is thoroughly
equipped with steel furniture and file boxes, and is one of the safest and
strongest buildings that can possibly be constructed of stone, brick and
steel beams. It is beautifully frescoed, supplied with all modern
conveniences and equipment, and the apartments are so adjusted with
reference to each other as to best facilitate the great work of this
society. In this building are the offices of the head officers, as well as
the offices of the general attorneys, with their complete law library, and
the offices of the editor and supreme medical board. The arrangement of
the rooms and offices in this commodious four-story building is so
complete as to light, ventilation and other essentials, as to make it
everything that can be desired in the way of a complete modern office
building. Here are employed approximately' two hundred and fifty clerks,
stenographers and beads of departments, in connection with the business of
this society.
No one can measure the great power and influence of the Modern Woodmen
among the people of this country. Its influence and effect upon the growth
and development of Rock Island County, and its helpfulness to the business
enterprises thereof is of such lasting benefit that the establishment of
its permanent home in Rock Island is a continuing pleasure and
satisfaction to the people.
Rock Island County Organizations and Societies
Source: Historic Rock Island County, pub. Kramer & Company, Rock Island, Illinois, 1908