Royal Arcanum
The Royal Arcanum was found by Dr. Darius Wilson, who had also played a prominent role in the foundation of the Knights of Honor, American Legion of Honor and the Royal Society of Good Fellows, as well as being a prominent official in the Order of United American Mechanics, Ancient Order of United Workmen, a Freemason and an Oddfellow.
To make sure he would have control over the direction of the group, he wrote its ritual, constitution, beneficial plan, passwords and even designed the organization's emblem himself.
On June 23, 1877, he called together a group of his friends at 1066 Washington Street, Boston and initiated them as the first Supreme Council of the new order.
A. Cummings, at that time Grand Vice Dictator of the Knight of Honor in Massachusetts, who was offered, but refused, the post of Supreme Regent of the Royal Arcanum.
[6] This basic organizational structure has not changed substantially since the nineteenth century, nor has the group's headquarters moved from Boston.
[11] There was also a group called the Loyal Additional Benefit Association, which operated as a kind of side degree open only to members of the RA.
Its annual report of April 23, 1878 noted that the organization had 2,781 member in 82 Councils spread out across Massachusetts, Maine, Rhode Island, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Virginia, Georgia and Ontario, Canada; there were also petitions for the formation of Councils in Kansas, Illinois, California, and New Hampshire.
[19] Royal Arcanum has been on one side or the other of three rulings by the Supreme Court of the United States, in each having to do with benefits offered by the Council:
