Catholic Mutual Benefit Association

[ McLaughlin Building, Corner Collin and Main — 1900 or earlier McLaughlin Wholesale & Retail Drygoods — then jewellers. ]

McLaughlin Building, Corner Collin and Main — 1900 or earlier McLaughlin Wholesale & Retail Drygoods — then jewellers., Unknown, Yarmouth County Museum and Archives PH 10 McLaughlin-1

The C.M.B.A. was a fraternal society that dealt primarily in life and health insurance. Members paid dues and were assisted with a stipulated weekly payment during times of sickness or disability.

Organized at Niagara Falls, NY, on July 3, 1876, with a membership of 25, the C.M.B.A. was incorporated in the state of New York on June 9, 1879. The Grand Council of C.M.B.A. of Canada was organized at Windsor, Ontario, on February 10, 1880. It was incorporated under Canadian federal law in March 1893. In Canada, most of its members were of French Canadian descent. Most of its members in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick were Acadian. In 1899, there were 6 branches of the C.M.B.A. in Nova Scotia, each with their own number. Belliveau’s Cove was 287, Church Point 306, Meteghan 271, Yarmouth 180, West Pubnico 206, Lower East Pubnico 260.

The Catholic Mutual Benefit Association of Yarmouth was organized on July 22, 1893. By July 1st, 1902, five of its members had died and the branch consisted of 80 members. The sum of $6000 has been disbursed by the Society for the relief of widows and orphans. The C.M.B.A. also held fundraisers such as suppers and other social events to raise money for local Catholic churches.

The Yarmouth branch of the C.M.B.A. arranged to have Jerome placed on exhibit at McLaughlin’s Hall in Yarmouth in the summer of 1899. “Eleazer” Comeau, a representative of the branch, went to Saint-Alphonse (then known as Chéticamp) and organized the visit with Dédier Comeau, where Jerome was staying at the time.

The C.M.B.A. folded in 1933.

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