The Ben Hur Life Association was founded in 1894 in Crawfordsville, Indiana, as a fraternal insurance group for persons of both sexes over the age of 18.
Founded as the Tribe of Ben Hur by Lew Wallace, Civil War general, politician, and author of the novel Ben Hur, the Ben Hur Life Association adopted its current name in 1930. It therefore has the unusual distinction of having its ritual based on a work of fiction. More importantly, it was an early graded assessment mutual insurance organization—although instead of having a fixed benefit with a variable assessment, it had a fixed assessment with a variable benefit. The assessment was always $1 per certificate per month, but the value of the certificate dropped according to the age at which you joined. It was $3,000 for those joining between 18 and 23, but for those who failed to join before the age of 54 (the maximum age for joining was 65) it was a mere $500.
There were also half certificates and double certificates, but although men and women were admitted “upon absolute equality,” no man’s life could be insured for more than a double certificate while no woman’s life could be insured for more than one certificate.
The lodge structure was Court, possibly Tribe (it is no longer clear), and Supreme Tribe. The number of degrees is also unclear today, but the rituals stressed morality, religion, and patriotism.
The main emphasis is and always has been on life insurance, but by 1920 the Tribe was also awarding annual $500 free scholarships to suitable members, a tradition that continued for many years As with many other such organizations, members may be either beneficial (insured) or social. Interestingly, not all candidates are required to swear an oath upon initiation.
Regardless of their flexibility, the organization suffered the fate of many others and has withered away. From well over 100,000 insured in 1910 to about 31,000 in 1979 and about 15,000 in 1990. The insurance company is no longer listed anywhere today.
The local branch was organized about 1899, and in 1904 had a membership of between 75 and 100. J. L. Johnson was the local deputy, engaged in securing new members.
In the 1905 Souvenir History it mentions, “At the last election( previous to 1904) the following Officers were chosen: Chief, C.G. Wilson; Teacher, Mrs. Fred Hauer; Judge, E.F. Vancil; Guide, Robert Sparks; Captain, James Smith; Mother Hur, Mrs. E.F. Vancil; Tirzah, Katie Edwards; Scribe, Charles L. Campbell; Ben Hur, C. M. Rice; Keeper of Tribute, Frank Howe; Indoor Keeper, Frank Wyatt; Outdoor Keeper, Frank Ward; Master of Ceremonies, Chas. Campbell, Sr.”
This organization was listed in the 1907 Marion business directory but fails to appear in the 1920’s. It is known from fire reports that they often held meetings in the same locations as the local I.O.O.F. Lodge.
Sam’s Notes: I believe there was a solid reason for the early popularity of a number of fraternal organizations similar to this that existed. Before the days of work safety, workmans’s compensation, disability and insurance in general, anyone getting hurt or killed on the job were pretty much on their own. A number of fraternal organizations in the early days insured that their members would be compensated if they were disabled or if they were killed, the organization often covered the cost of burial.
By the 1920’s, there were large numbers of local insurance companies in existence that performed the same task and a number of organizations like Ben Hur drifted out of favor over time. There were, of course, segregated areas of society that could not get insurance and continued to depend on fraternal organizations out of necessity to help provide for their family in times of need.
(Data extracted from internet sources, Marion Directories and the 1905 Souvenir History, WCHS; compiled by Sam Lattuca on 05/13/2013)