Independent Order of Foresters

The Independent Order of Foresters was a North American fraternal benefit society that was formed in 1874 by members of the Ancient Order of Foresters at Newark, New Jersey, and continued to exist in parallel with the former order for some decades. The Canadian High Court continues to operate as Foresters Financial, a Toronto, Ontario-based life insurance company.

Structure
Each local lodge was a Court, under the administration of a Chief Ranger, these being under a regional jurisdiction, in turn under the Most Worthy High Court, administered by the Most Worthy High Chief Ranger and their executive council.

Secessions
In 1879, only five years after the founding of the order, several local courts in Illinois split from the national organisation to become the Independent Order of Foresters of Illinois, and many courts in Ontario seceded to become the Canadian Order of Foresters.