National Ideal Benefit Society Inc.

                                          THE HISTORY 

 

The Honorable Alexander Watson Holmes of Richmond, Virginia, was the founder and First Supreme Master of the National Ideal Benefit Society.  His main objective in the founding of this Society was to provide benefits, charity, relief and insurance for it's members and their beneficiaries.  

 

Mrs. Mary E. Holmes, wife of the founder, and a group of ladies interested in the welfare of children established the Nursery Department as it was called then in October 1912.  It is now called the Junior Department.  Junior and Senior Lodges flourished throughout Virginia and very shortly thereafter, lodges sprang up in Pennsylvania, Maryland and the District of Columbia.

 

There has been five Supreme Masters in 102 years of the organization.  Currenlty the Supreme Master of the National Ideal Benefit Society is Dr. Wilhelmina Carey.  She is the first female Supreme Master of the organization.  Dr. Carey has been the Supreme Master since 1990.

                         

                                                   SUPREME MASTERS 

 

                                                  Alexander W. Holmes

                                   Founder, July 12, 1912 - January 10, 1935

 

                                                  Benjamin W. Perkins

                                          January 10, 1935- March 1, 1950

 

                                                      Zack A. Jones

                                          April 1, 1950 - August 9, 1962

 

                                                      Hiram E. Peterson

                                          August 9, 1962 - August 10, 1990

 

                                                      Dr. Wilhelmina Carey

                                                 August 10, 1990 - Current