It was distinguished from its parent organization, the Order of Heptasophs in that its main focus was on insurance.
[2] A call was issued August 10, 1878 by Judge George V. Metzel, John W. Cruett, James Watkins, the Hon.
John G. Mitchell, W. F. C. Gerhardt and Herbert J. Thurn, all of Maryland, for a convention to found a new society.
Nevertheless, they organized themselves as the Supreme Conclave of the new Improved Order of Heptasophs, with Judge Metzel as the first Archon [3] The organization grew slowly, with the 83 members of the Zeta Conclave as the core of the membership.
[8] Unusually for a nineteenth century American fraternal order, the Improved Order of Heptasophs dispensed with the state or "Grand" level of organization and consisted only of the local Subordinate Conclaves and the Supreme Conclave, which had control over the groups business and beneficiary activities.