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The History of Dr. Oronhyatekha — Founder of Foresters
Prominent doctor and remarkable founder of the Independent Order of Foresters in Canada, Dr. Oronhyatekha held the office of Supreme Chief Ranger (now called International Fraternal President) — from 1881 until his death in 1907.
A Mohawk, born in 1841 at Six Nations, near what is now Brantford, Ontario, Oronhyatekha ("Burning Sky") was baptized Peter Martin, the eighth in a family of nine children. He was educated at the local reserve school, and later attended the Wesleyan Academy in Wilbraham, Massachusetts and Kenyon College at Gambier, Ohio. Initially planning to become a teacher, he changed his career plans in 1860 when he became one of the first native Canadians to be accepted into medical school at the University of Toronto, and shortly thereafter, to Oxford University in the United Kingdom.
He obtained his medical degree from the University of Toronto in 1866, and became the first native doctor in Canada to practice western medicine.
Dr. Oronhyatekha (pronounced Or-on-ya-tek-ha) gained prominence as a medical doctor, establishing successful practices in Napanee, Frankfort, Stratford, and London, Ontario. Before long, however, he became increasingly more active in the many community organizations to which he belonged, and ultimately left his medical practice.
He joined Foresters as a member in 1878 and quickly progressed through its leadership ranks, becoming Chief Ranger of Court (Branch) Victoria and, shortly afterward, the first High Chief Ranger of the High Court of Ontario. As Foresters leader, Dr. Oronhyatekha traveled extensively, spreading the message of fraternalism and increasing membership. By the early 1890s, he had successfully transformed Foresters into North America's leading fraternal benefit society.
Dr. Oronhyatekha brought his Mohawk values of fairness and equality to bear on the institutions of the Victorian era. He helped transform the insurance industry by extending insurance benefits to the average working family. In addition to admitting women as full members, he provided orphan benefits to the children of deceased Foresters members — benefits that are still available today as part of Foresters membership.
After an outstanding 26-year career as the head of Foresters, Dr. Oronhyatekha died on March 3, 1907 in Georgia. Although he left no direct descendents, today his legacy and commitment to children, families, and communities lives on through Foresters values and its more than 650,000 members in Canada, the United States and United Kingdom.
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