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The Life and Legacy of Dr. Oronhyatekha
At ForestersTM Headquarters in Toronto, Ontario stands a tall bronze statue.
The statue, with its strong features and stately bearing, is a tribute to Peter Martin – Foresters greatest leader – better known by his Mohawk name, Oronhyatekha.
Instrumental in establishing Foresters in Canada, he held Foresters highest office – Supreme Chief Ranger (now called International Fraternal President) – for 26 years during which he dedicated his life to building our fraternal benefit society.
Oronhyatekha (pronounced Or-on-ya-tek-ha) left behind a legacy rich in accomplishment in an age when native Canadians were rarely recognized for their accomplishments.
Born in 1841 near what is now Brantford, Ontario, Oronhyatekha ("Burning Sky") was educated at the local reserve school, then attended Episcopal schools in Massachusetts and Ohio. He returned home as a teacher with soaring ambitions and in 1860 was accepted into medical school at the University of Toronto.
Oronhyatekha’s life took a dramatic turn in his first year of university: He presented an address on behalf of the Mohawk people to the visiting Prince of Wales who was so impressed that he invited the young man to Oxford University. Oronhyatekha attended the famous British university, returning to Canada in 1863. He married Ellen Hill and later received his medical degree from the University of Toronto.
As he built his medical practice, Oronhyatekha joined various groups in the community including Foresters. He joined Court Dufferin in 1878; it is important to note that an exception was made since the rules at that time allowed only white males to join. Not only was he accepted, but he was also elected to the Vice Chief Ranger position. Later he became Chief Ranger of Court Victoria and shortly afterward was elected as the first High Chief Ranger of the High Court of Ontario.
Weathering the organizations’ storms of upheaval caused by heavy debt and internal conflict, Oronhyatekha helped the Canadian courts achieve stability. In 1881, Oronhyatekha became Supreme Chief Ranger.
He was a leader who traveled extensively, spreading the message of fraternalism and increasing membership. His efforts were very successful:
Foresters investments surpassed the one million dollar mark, and a new, larger headquarters known as the Temple Building was built in downtown Toronto.
By the early 1890s, he had built Foresters into North America’s leading fraternal benefit society with its base firmly grounded in actuarial science. And, the society reflected his values of fairness and equality; in 1898, he ensured that women could hold Foresters membership.
Although his professional life was a record of success, his personal life had its difficulties. Of his six children, only two survived into adulthood. And, in 1901, after a long illness, his wife Ellen died. Devastated by the loss, Oronhyatekha threw himself into expanding
Foresters activities. He traveled internationally and built an orphanage on land he once owned. Although debt eventually closed the orphanage, it played an important role in establishing the Orphan’s Benefit as part of Foresters membership package.
Eventually, Oronhyatekha’s health also started to decline. But even on his last journey to Savannah, Georgia to regain his strength, he was working hard for Foresters; history shows that he met with the U.S. president on this trip.
Oronhyatekha passed away on March 3, 1907 after having established an outstanding 26-year career as the Supreme Chief Ranger of Foresters.
He left no direct descendents – unless you count the amazing legacy of 900,000 Foresters members in the Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States. We all belong to the Foresters family because of the efforts of this one remarkable man – Oronhyatekha.
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