Modern Woodmen of America

In 1883 Joseph Cullen Root founded Modern Woodmen of America in Lyons, Iowa. By 1887, both Waukon & Postville had camps. The MWA is a death benefit society protecting families and their financial futures following the death of a breadwinner. The name honors the pioneering woodmen who cleared the forests to build homes, communities and security for their families. Their emblem is two crossed axes, and the initials MWA within a shield containing five stars on top. This emblem was also incorporated in cemetery grave-flag markers, some still remaining on graves of local members in cemeteries throughout Allamakee county.

Similar insurance fraternities existing in the early 1900's were Ancient Order of United Workmen, Royal Arcanum, Maccabees, and the Independent Order of Foresters. An insurance society worked on the assessment basis, ie: when a member died, every fellow member of the local lodge contributed a dollar amount. Under this system the Modern Woodmen's first benefit was paid in 1884 upon the death of Neighbor Abraham Mayer of Davenport, Iowa, from "indiscretion in eating confectionary, ice cream, etc. . . ." To his wife went $698.58.

Today, more than a century after its founding, Woodmen lodges can be found in all 50 states, providing life insurance, annuity, investment and banking products to the family market. They have kept alive the society's original goals: to provide fraternalism, protection, and service by continuing to furnish life insurance.

In the late 1800's and well into the 1900's, families could purchase small aluminum stake-type gravemarkers featuring the MWA working tools -axe, beetle and wedge, the motto Pur Autre Vie (for the life of another) and initials. Tree stump monuments, engraved with Modern Woodmen symbols were popular, although the fraternity did not sell these monuments.

~Brief history compiled by S. Ferrall from the following sources:
1) Modern Woodmen of America.
The MWA also helps with genealogy by providing valuable information from life insurance records to descendants. For more information about this group visit their website.
2) Wikipedia

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Modern Woodmen of America banquet, date unknown.
The location is thought to be in or near Allamakee county.

I don't know when this pictures is from or where it was taken. It was in with my Grandma's pictures. I am assuming it was in Allamakee because she lived her whole life in Allamakee....... Sheila Mellick

If you can identify the location or any of the men or women in the photo, email the Allamakee co. Coordinator.

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Misc. articles and histories of the Modern Woodmen in Allamakee co.

B.W. Jewell, of Manchester, has been here during the week preparing the way for organizing a camp of Modern Woodmen, one of the best of cooperative insurance societies.
~Postville Review, March 12, 1887

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Mr. Prescott, who has been looking the matter up, informs us that he has secured enough names for a good Camp of Modern Woodmen.
~Postville Review, March 19, 1887

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A camp of Modern Woodmen was instituted in Postville, consisting of 21 charter members. Officers were chosen for the first term and duly installed:

~Postville Review, April 9, 1887

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The Modern Woodmen were the first to pay the death loss on S.S. Powers. The heirs received $2,000 from this society two weeks ago. The other societies have not yet paid their losses.
~Postville Review, March 31, 1888

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State Deputy G. W. Albert has organized a Modern Woodmen Camp at New Albin.
~Allamakee Journal and Lansing Mirror, October 1895

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Harper’s Ferry Camp No. 8274, M. W. A., was chartered June 16, 1900, and as near as can be ascertained G. W. Clark was the first venerable consul, and T. A. Oestern first clerk. The present membership is twenty-six, and the officers are: Consul, J. J. Rellihan; Advisor, A. S. Inger; Clerk, P. G. Cota; Banker, J. H. O’Neill; Escort, C. L. Traversy; Watchman, F. Wachter; Sentry, Pat Burke.

Waterville Camp No. 3470, M. W. A., was organized January 8, 1896, with sixteen charter members, viz: A. Asleson, B. M. Bottolfson, Ed Gaynor, H. A. Hendrickson, Halvor Larson, Harold Hanson, H. H. Larson, Dr. S. C. Myers, Alfred Pederson, G. Pederson, J. J. Kaveny, Jonas Siem, Ole Storla, Carl Spinner, Martin Stromme, Vic H. Stevens, of whom seven are still members of this camp. The first officers were: Venerable Consul, Martin Stromme; Worthy Advisor, V. H. Stevens; Banker, C. A. Spinner; Clerk, B. M. Bottolfson; Escort, G. Pederson; Watchman, J. Siem; Sentry, A. Asleson.

The present membership of the camp is 3,56 beneficial and 7 social; and the total insurance now carried is $74,500.00. During the seventeen years the camp has been in existence four members have died, three of them by accidents. The official roster now is: Venerable Consul, M. J. Kelly; Worth Advisor, G. Pederson; Banker, A. C. Grimsgard; Clerk, J. A. Anderson; Escort, A. J. Ellefson; Physician, B. J. Dillon, M. D.

New Albin Camp, No. 3309, Modern Woodmen of America, chartered in the latter part of 1895

~Past and Present of Allamakee county, Iowa; Ellery M. Hancock, 1913 - Chapter 19

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Jewell Camp - No. 327, Modern Woodmen of America, was instituted April 5, 1887, at Waukon, taking its name from B. Wood Jewell, deputy head consul, who was here of effect the organization. The camp was composed of the following twenty-eight charter members: Armstrong, L.; Bearce, L. M.; Boomer, J. H.; Conner, A. B.; Cabanis, J. L.; Carroll, T. L.; Dayton, J. F.; Dayton, Henry; Goodrich, J. W.; Gilchrist, W. T.; Goodykoontz, A. E.; Haines, G. W.; Hancock, E. M.; Johnson, J. K,; Jones, J. B.; Lewis, J. C.; Manning, G. R.; Medary, T. C.; Medary, G. C.; Minert, J. B.; Nichols, F. E.; Olson, O. H; Pleimling, Nic.; Ratcliffe, J. G.; Raymond, J. P.; Reed, D. W.; Siekemeier, S. A.; Stilwell, H. H.

Officers were elected as follows: Venerable Consul, H. H. Stilwell; Adviser, T. L. Carroll; Clerk, J. L. Cabanis. (Soon after removed from Waukon and F. E. Nichols was clerk until January, 1891.) Banker, J. H. Boomer; Escort, J. B. Jones; Watchman, G. W. Haines; Sentry, F. E. Nichols; Managers, D. W. Reed, A. B. Conner, and J. F. Dayton.

The first death in the camp was that of Neighbor A. E. Goodykoontz, November 18, 1888.

For a number of years the order languished, after its first vigorous start, because of a division in the Head Camp. In 1891 Jewell Camp had dwindled to twenty-one members. A faithful few, including Consul C. S. Stilwell, Adviser W. D. Bean, Clerk E. M. Hancock, and Bankers Halvor Simonsen and G. W. Haines, with Neighbors Goodrich and Jones, held occasional meetings in Neighbor Stilwell’s office. But soon after the order took on new life, and by ‘95 or ‘96 a steady increase had set in which continued until in 1912 Jewell Camp had attained a membership of 220.

The following have served as Venerable Consul: H. H. Stilwell, C. S. Stilwell, 1888-92; W. D. Bean, 1893; J. B. Jones, 1894; J. W. Goodrich 1895-97; J. B. Jones, 1898-1900; Otto Hagen, 1901; W. S. Hart, 1902; J. B. Jones, 1903; Dan Williams, 1904; G. W. Haines, 1905-07; James Collins, 1908-09; G. W. Haines, 1910-13.

Clerk: F. E. Nichols, 1887-1890; E. M. Hancock, 1891-98; E. W. Goodykoontz, 1899-1904; L. F. Seelig, 1905-12; F. E. Kelley, 1913

Present officers are: Venerable Consul, G. W. Haines; Worthy Adviser, F. H. Nagel; Excellent Banker, W. H. Ebendorf; Clerk, F. E. Kelley; Escort, Edgar Morstad; Watchman, Elmer Heitman; Sentry, B. Langheim; Manager, Thos. Hartley, Daniel Williams, Bert Klinkel.

~Past and Present of Allamakee county, Iowa; Ellery M. Hancock, 1913 - Chapter 20

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Lansing Camp, No. 2142, Modern Woodmen of America, was organized January 15, 1894, with twenty-two charter members, and rapidly increased in popularity and numbers. To this camp belongs the credit of inaugurating an annual county picnic, the first of which was held at Waukon, and the county membership continued to assemble annually at different places for this enjoyable occasion until recently. At the institution of this camp its principal officers were: Venerable Consul, A. Barge; Clerk, W. T. Piers. Its present membership is 190, with the following officers: Consul, M. H. Phillippie; Advisor, George Miles; Banker, J. Boeckh; Clerk, C. M. Roggensack; Escort, B. J. Byers; Sentry, R. Lowe, Watchman, M. Olson; Directors, M. Whalen, H. Aschom and O.

~Past and Present of Allamakee county, Iowa; Ellery M. Hancock, 1913 - Chapter 21

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M.W.A. - Oak Camp, No. 328, Modern Woodmen of America, was organized in 1887, at Postville, with a charter membership of only ten. It has thriven with the order, until now its membership is 136, and its present officers are: Venerable Consul, Hugh Shepherd; Worthy Advisor, Bert Tuttle; Clerk, G.Staadt; Banker, A.L. Peterson; Escort, C.A. Ammons; Watchman, Fred Gordon; Sentry, N. Harvey.

~Past and Present of Allamakee county, Iowa; Ellery M. Hancock, 1913 - Chapter 22

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M.W.A. Postville, Oak Camp No. 328
Venerable Consul - W.J. Hanks
Worthy Advisor - Bert E. Tuttle
Banker - A.L. Peterson
Clerk - A.J. Phillips
Escort - C.A. Ammons
Watchman - Wm. Weihe
Sentry - Hugh Shepherd
Physician - Dr. A.A. Schmidt
Manager - Warner Harris
~Postville Herald, January 21, 1926

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Compilation of Modern Woodmen
.......to add a name to this list, email the Allamakee co. Coordinator

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