CATHOLIC KNIGHTS OF AMERICA, a fraternal organization, founded in Nashville, Tenn., in 1877 and chartered under the laws of Kentucky in 1880. Its object primarily was mutual life insurance, but its scope was even tually extended to include the endeavor to unite fraternally all acceptable Roman Catholics of every profession, business and occupation; to give all possible moral and material aid in its power to members of the organization, by hold ing instructive and scientific lectures, by encour aging each other in 'business, and by assisting each other to obtain employment, and to estab lish and maintain a benefit fund for the benefit of the families of the members. The benefit fund is distributed according to well-established, insurance rules. The age limits for admission are from 18 to 45. At first men only could be come members; but since about 1901, women have been allowed admission on the same con ditions as men, except the age limits for women are from 18 to 40. The executive power is
vested in the Supreme Council (National) with headquarters in Saint Louis, Mo., the State councils and the officers of the local branches. In 1913 there were 560 branches in the United States, with a membership of 18,300 with a total insurance of $20,610,171. The organization had total assets of $1,168,541, including the reserve fund of $828,000. The claims paid in 1913 amounted to $546,662. Since its organization there has been paid to beneficiaries nearly $15,000,000; but the material aid has been slight compared with the spiritual, moral and intellectual benefit the organization has effected. This is the pioneer Roman Catholic fraternal organization in the United States.