The Ancient Order of United Workmen (AOUW) was a fraternal organization in the United States and Canada, providing mutual social and financial support after the American Civil War . It was the first of the "fraternal benefit societies", organizations that would offer insurance as well as sickness, accident, death and burial policies. It dissolved in 1952.
25-723: The order began when John Jordan Upchurch , a mechanic on the Atlantic and Great Western Railroad living in Meadville, Pennsylvania , became dissatisfied with a group he had joined, the League of Friendship, Mechanical Order of the Sun . The latter society had established a lodge, called a subordinate League, in Meadville on April 20, 1868, and its membership was composed almost entirely of mechanics, engineers, firemen and day labors working on
50-667: A AOUW Emblem and met in a "supreme lodge" biennially. The Ancient Order of United Workmen of North Dakota evolved into the Pioneer Mutual Life Insurance Company, which was taken over by American United Life Insurance Company and is now part of OneAmerica . The AOUW also had lodges in Canada set up by John Milne, a banker and mayor of Essex, Ontario . The assets and operations of the Ancient Order of United Workmen of Ontario were acquired by
75-458: A "brand refresh", including an updated logo and the company's first national advertising campaign doing business as OneAmerica Financial. OneAmerica Financial has served as the 500 Festival Mini-Marathon 's title sponsor since 2004; the sponsorship is set to expire in 2024. In 2015, the company signed a four-year naming-rights partnership to become the title sponsor of Indianapolis Colts gameday radio broadcasts. OneAmerica Financial sponsored
100-501: A beverage, shall be expelled from the order." To do so would deprive them of the $ 2,000 death benefit. Its membership was more than 318,000 in 1895. The Grand Lodge of Ontario split from its American parent very early, and in 1898, was already holding its 20th annual session. The Grand Lodge of Quebec and Maritime Provinces was separated from the American parent group in 1907 and were soon renamed The Royal Guardians . In 1952
125-647: A life insurance group in 1877 by the Knights of Pythias , it became American Central Life Insurance Company in 1899. In 1904, American Central Life Insurance Company established its Reinsurance Division, which as of 2015 is the oldest life reinsurance company in the U.S. In 1930, Knights of Pythias separated the insurance program, creating United Mutual Life Insurance Company Inc. Then, in 1936, American Central and United Mutual merged to form American United Life Insurance Company (AUL). In 1957, American United Life Insurance Company started posting puns and funny sayings on
150-1059: A signboard in downtown Indianapolis, a tradition that has continued to the present. In 1982, AUL moved into the AUL Tower , the tallest building completed in Indianapolis at the time. A longtime supporter of downtown Indianapolis redevelopment, OneAmerica was an investor in Circle Centre Mall . In 1994, the State Life Insurance Company joined AUL, as did the Pioneer Mutual Life Insurance Company in 1998. In 2000, AUL reorganized to form American United Mutual Insurance Holding Company and OneAmerica Financial Partners Inc. In 2010, OneAmerica purchased McCready and Keene, Inc. In 2014, OneAmerica purchased City National Bank's retirement services division. In 2015, OneAmerica purchased Bank of Montreal 's BMO Retirement Services. In 2024, OneAmerica announced
175-781: Is an American financial services mutual holding organization with corporate offices at the OneAmerica Tower in Indianapolis , Indiana , U.S. Its eight operating companies offer individual life , disability , and long-term care insurance , and annuities . For businesses, they offer employee benefits , retirement plans , and group insurance . They operate throughout the United States except in New York. OneAmerica Companies maintain "superior" financial ratings from A.M. Best and Standard and Poor's . Started as
200-589: The Atlantic and Great Western Railroad and in the local shops. Upchurch joined the local lodge on June 16, its eighth meeting, and soon rose to become its presiding officer. Another person who would go on to have an important role in the AOUW, William W. Walker , was a charter member. The League of Friendship, Mechanical Order of the Suns avowed purpose was to advance and foster the interests of its members and provide financial assistance on an ad hoc basis. The local lodge
225-866: The Erie and New York City Railroad based in Jamestown, New York ; the Meadville Railroad based in Meadville, Pennsylvania (renamed A&GW in April 1858); and the Franklin and Warren Railroad based in Franklin Mills, Ohio (renamed A&GW in January 1853). The owners of the three railroads had worked closely together since an October 8, 1852, meeting in Cleveland to plan an expansion that
250-625: The Independent Order of Foresters in 1926. Upchurch was a freemason , and incorporated various traditions of freemasonry including local "lodges" (branches), regalia, and initiation ceremonies. The Supreme Lodge structure was abolished in 1929, replaced by a congress. Its emblems and symbols included the All-Seeing Eye , an Anchor , the Bible , and Compasses . Its motto was "Charity, Hope, and Protection." The constitution of
275-852: The AOUW dissolved and each state affiliate was left to decide its fate. In Massachusetts, the state society merged into the New England Order of Protection . In North Dakota the affiliate became the Pioneer Mutual Life Insurance Company , while in Texas the group simply went into receivership . Only the affiliate in Washington state kept the Order active and under its original name. In 1979 the Washington-based Order had 3,000 members, published
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#1732787519830300-564: The AOUW in 1910. There was also a side degree called the Order of Mogullians. On June 23, 1893 J. Varnum Mott , M.D. founded the Workmen's Benefit Association in Boston. It was limited to members of the AOUW and supplied "additional insurance", including a $ 1,000 death benefit. There were 5,500 members in the late 1890s. Atlantic and Great Western Railroad The Atlantic and Great Western Railroad began as three separate railroads:
325-610: The Ancient Order of United Workmen provided that only white persons were eligible for membership. This was rescinded at some point. The religious aspects of the Orders ritual was removed in 1932. Notable buildings (lodges) of the Ancient Order of United Workmen include: A female auxiliary , the Degree of Honor , was created at the 1873 convention in Cincinnati . This group created its own Superior Lodge in 1896 and became independent of
350-543: The Atlantic and Great Western Railway. On October 5 of that year the new company issued a $ 30 million mortgage to pay off the outstanding mortgages on various companies included in the merger. The company went into the hands of a receiver, Robert B. Potter of New York, on April 1, 1867. Potter operated the railroad until December 1868 when it was leased for 12 years by the Erie Railroad. Jay Gould , then president of
375-557: The Erie, arranged to have the company again placed into receivership , this time with Gould and W. A. O'Doherty as receivers. This receivership was transferred to Reuben Hitchcock of Cleveland in November 1869. In February 1870, the Erie again leased the company, pending foreclosure . The foreclosure took place and the property was purchased on July 26, 1871, by Gen. George B. McClellan , William Butler Duncan and Allen G. Thurman. A deed for
400-458: The charter suggested by Upchurch to reorganize the insurance fund. Previously the Order would simply pay out $ 500 on the death of a member to his legal heirs. Upchurch's reform instead required each new member to pay a $ 1 initiation fee to the insurance fund and granted a $ 2,000 death benefit. When a member died, the fund would be replenished by a new $ 1 on each member. Those refusing to pay the assessment, and subordinate lodges which failed to forward
425-400: The development of insurance. The AOUW was convinced that their fraternal structure and less expensive overhead costs made them more likely to succeed than commercial life insurance firms. The organization prospered and by 1885 the Order was the largest fraternal benefit group in the United States. By this point many other groups had imitated the fraternal insurance concept. In 1886 the AOUW took
450-669: The initiative in calling sixteen of these groups together for a conference to discuss their common issues. The result was the National Fraternal Congress, a group that still exists today as the National Fraternal Congress of America . On August 1, 1893. an amendment to the general laws of the Supreme Lodge said: "Any member of the order who shall after August 1, 1893, enter into any business of selling, by retail, intoxicating liquors as
475-409: The money to an insurance fund within a month were ejected from the order. This system came to be called the post mortem plar or the assessment as needed plan. Providing insurance for workingmen was a novel idea in the late 1860s. Previously, insurance was usually limited to businessmen and manufacturers. Numerous bankruptcies of commercial life insurance firms and religious objections had also hindered
500-567: The new president of the Erie, Hugh J. Jewett , repudiated the lease and the company went into the hands of a new receiver, J. H. Devereaux. This action led to a series of lawsuits between McHenry and Jewett which brought shame to both companies. On January 10, 1880, the property was again sold at foreclosure and was reorganized as the New York, Pennsylvania and Ohio Railroad . OneAmerica Financial Partners, Inc. OneAmerica Financial Partners, Inc. , doing business as OneAmerica Financial ,
525-504: The property was finalized on October 3, 1871. The new company was named the Atlantic and Great Western Railway , the same as the old, but on consolidation of the individual parts (one in each state) in November, the name was changed back to the Atlantic and Great Western Railroad . In May 1874, the Atlantic and Great Western was again leased by the Erie, at terms very generous to the A&;GW and its backer James McHenry. On December 10, 1874,
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#1732787519830550-689: Was described as the "Great Broad Route", using the Erie Railroad to reach respective areas. On March 12, 1862, general control of all three companies was placed under a central board made of two directors from each of the companies. The Ohio Board was represented by Marvin Kent and Worthy S. Streator ; the Pennsylvania Board by William Reynolds and John Dick; and the New York Board by A. F. Allen and Thomas W. Kennard. Reynolds
575-477: Was elected the board's president. The line reached Cleveland, Ohio on November 18, 1863, and was connected to the Cincinnati, Hamilton and Dayton Railroad in Dayton on June 20, 1864, which linked St. Louis with New York City via a 6 ft ( 1,829 mm ) gauge line. On August 19, 1865, an agreement was drafted to merge the three separate companies, each named Atlantic and Great Western Railroad, into
600-484: Was formed in Meadville, Pennsylvania on October 27, 1868. Upchurch's original idea was to have an order which would unite the conflicting interests of capital and labor, but it soon became more interested in ameliorating working conditions for its members and establishing an insurance fund. The later became the prime focus after October 6, 1869, when the Provisional Grand Lodge accepted an amendment to
625-603: Was reported to have had a peak membership of about one hundred. Dissension began, apparently, over accusations of improper conduct on part of the Grand Council, the governing body of the League. After the Grand Council ordered a tax from the Meadville League that members thought was inappropriate, many members left. On October 27, 1868, the subordinate League decided to disband. The Ancient Order of United Workmen
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