Formed in London, Ontario, in 1878 basically to provide insurance to members. The organization was actuarially unsound and was in financial trouble by 1880, causing the American portion of the society to withdraw. The two groups re-united in 1881. In 1914 they changed the name to The Maccabees and in 1958 became a mutual life insurance company. In 1962 they changed their name to Maccabees Mutual Life Insurance Company. It was sold to Royal Insurance in the 1990s who sold it to Swiss Re in 1999, who folded the company.
An 1879 Constitution is online1.
Membership was open to whites between 18 and 70, healthy, and of good moral character. Those who worked in hazardous occupations or in the liquor trade could not join.
There were three degrees:
– Degree of Protection
– Degree of Friendship
– Degree of Loyalty
The local unit was called a Tent. Great Camps were at the state or province level with the top
unit called the Supreme Tent.
Click for a list of Tents in Ontario
Click for a list of misc in Ontario
There was a ladies auxiliary, Ladies of the Maccabees, formed in 1890 becoming the first fraternal
benefit society operated exclusively by women. The Ladies merged into the Knights in 1926. There
was a schism in 1892 with the Ladies of the Modern Maccabees leaving. They became the Women’s
Benefit Association in 1915 and the North American Benefit Association in 1966. Their local unit
was a Hive.
Click for a list of Hives in Ontario
References:
(1) https://archive.org/details/cihm_94304