Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1899-04-13
The Ancient Order of United
Workmen.

~, 1868 at Meadville, Penn, by John
Jordon Upchurch. Prior to this time,
more than ninety per cent of men in
dying left their families less than
enough to defray the expenses of the
funeral. Upchurch conceived the
idea of an organization where, in case
of death, each living member would
contribute one dollar to meet the
pressing needs of the family of the
deceased, as we'll ss embodying the
usual fraternal features. So on Oct.
q, 1868, he, with twelve of his fellow
lab0rers in the railroad shops at that
place, framed an organization, pledgiag
themselves to carry out the above
features. But little did these thirteen
men think that in less than two years
the order would have grown until one
dollar from each member meant a
snug fortune, but such was the case,
and the amount to be paid to the bene-
ficiaries of deceased brother was
placed at two Thousand dollars, and
the amount then Fixed remained the
same until two years ago when it was
made optional with member upon his
joining the order, whether his family
receive one OF two thousand dollars.
From this small beginning has grown
the strongest beneficiary organization
in the new world, numbering today
3385 thousand, and it has paid to its
beneticiaries almost ONE HUNDRED
MILLIONS OF DOLLARS, besides the
hundreds of thousands contributed to
brothers In sickness and distress.
This order paid to widows and Or
phans, during the month of December,
1898. $7l4,97411; $2a,O6a68 per day;
SOL per hour, Each time the minute
hand crosses minute mark this order
pays sixteen dollars to its beneficiaries
The order was introduced into Iowa
about 1879 By 1889 there was mem.
Tbership in the state of about $4,000.
Then came what is known as the
secession: when the grand lodge of
Iowa, in special session at Cedar
Rapids, disavowed allegiance to the
supreme lodge, and set up an instltu-
ton on Its own hook.
This organization is known all over
the United States as the rebel order of
Iowa. For fourteen years this Or
ganization maintained its existence
under the name A. U. U. W.; thereby
causing much. confusion. AS in 1884
the Loyal Grand lodge was reorgani-
zed with membership in the state of
six hundred. For years y legal war
fare was waged between these rival
factions, until in 1896 the supreme
court of Iowa denied to the rebel fac
tion the right to use the name A. o.
U. w., and since that time they call
themselves "The Iowa Workmen."
In January, 1899, the loyal order in
Iowa had membership of 1900, with
good prospect for steady growth.
Missouri Valley Lodge No. 23e, was
organized July 26, 1891, with nineteen
charter members. Today we have 80
in good standing, having made net
gain of moIe than 400 per cent. IN less
than six years, and the prospects were
never better for good healthy in
grease in membership than at present
having initiatory work to do at every
lmeetinp. Tho lo,loa in this nlaca hao
had but two deaths since organization
those of brothers L. S. Cook and j. F.
Owens. In each of these cases the
family received the two thousand dol
lars in thirty days from the aling Of
complete proof OF death.
We also have an auxiliary order
known as 1.-THE Degree Of Honor" but
as this article is already long, we will
speak of it at future tipa
w. f. DONALDSON.