Order of Scottish Clans facts for kids
The Order of Scottish Clans was a special group that helped Scottish immigrants and their families in the United States and Canada. It was like a club that offered two main things:
- It provided a type of insurance to help members and their families if someone got sick or passed away.
- It also worked to keep Scottish culture and traditions alive among people of Scottish background living in America.
| Formation | November 30, 1878 |
|---|---|
| Founder | James McCash, Dougal Crawford, John Beattie, John Bruce, John D. Cruickshank, George Bain, Robert R. Scott, William Morrison, Peter C. Peterkin, Neil Stewart |
| Founded at | St. Louis, Missouri |
| Dissolved | 1971 |
| Merger of | Independent Order of Foresters |
| Type | Fraternal and benevolent society |
| Headquarters | Boston |
|
Membership
|
16,000 (1971) |
| Subsidiaries | Daughters of Scotia (female auxiliary) |
Contents
A Look Back: How It Started
In the 1870s, many Scottish groups existed in the US and Canada. These groups often held fun events like games and parties. Their goal was to preserve Scottish heritage. However, none of these groups offered financial help if a member became ill or died.
Founding the Order
To fill this need, the Order of Scottish Clans was created. It was founded in St. Louis, Missouri, on November 30, 1878. The founders included James McCash, Dougal Crawford, John Beattie, John Bruce, John D. Cruickshank, George Bain, Robert R. Scott, William Morrison, Peter C. Peterkin, and Neil Stewart.
Changes Over Time
The group faced some money problems in Missouri during the 1920s. However, it managed to recover. In 1971, the Order of Scottish Clans joined with another large group called the Independent Order of Foresters.
Who Could Join?
Membership in the Order of Scottish Clans was open to men. They had to be of Scottish descent, either Scotsmen themselves or their sons or male relatives. Members needed to be between 18 and 50 years old. They also had to be good people with a way to support themselves.
Membership Numbers
In 1897, the Order had about 4,000 members. By the time it merged with the Independent Order of Foresters in 1971, its membership had grown to 16,000 people.
How the Order Was Organized
The Order of Scottish Clans had a three-level structure.
- The local groups were called "Subordinate Clans."
- Groups that covered a whole state or province were called "Grand Clans."
- The highest authority was the "Royal Clan," which met every two years.
Local Clans
In 1897, there were 96 local Clans. Most of these, 89, were in the United States. The other 7 were in Canada. Each local branch often chose a clan name based on the people in their area. For example, Clan MacKenzie #27 was located in Manchester, New Hampshire.
Headquarters
At the time of its merger, the main office for the Order of Scottish Clans was in Boston.
Daughters of Scotia
The Daughters of Scotia was a separate group for women. It was connected to the Order of Scottish Clans. This group was founded in New Haven, Connecticut, in 1895. It became an official organization the next year.
Early Days
When it first started, the Daughters of Scotia had two men and twenty-three women as members. Once the organization was strong, the men left.
Who Could Join the Daughters?
Membership was open to women who were wives, mothers, daughters, sisters, or widows of members of the Order of Scottish Clans. Other women of Scottish descent could also join. Sometimes, women adopted by the Order of Scottish Clans or the Daughters of Scotia could also become members.
There were two types of membership:
- Donation members: These members were usually between 16 and 45 years old and in good health. They could receive benefits from the donation fund.
- Social members: These members were typically over 45 years old or not healthy enough to be donation members. They enjoyed all the benefits of membership except for the donation fund payments. All members in Canada were social members.
How the Donation Fund Worked
The donation fund was not like regular insurance. Instead, it was a death benefit. When a member passed away, other members would each pay a small fee. This money would then go to the family of the deceased member.
Traditions and Structure
The Daughters of Scotia had their own special traditions, including an initiation ceremony for new members.
In 1979, their local groups were called "Clans." Today, they seem to be called "Lodges." The national group is known as a Grand Lodge and holds a meeting every year. In 1979, the Daughters of Scotia had 17,000 members. Their main offices were in Troy, Michigan.
