American Protective Association

The American Protective Association (APA) was an American anti-Catholic secret society established in 1887 by Protestants, especially Irish Protestants from Canada. It was strongest in the Midwest, and came under heavy attack from Democrats until its collapse in the mid-1890s.

The order was founded at a meeting held in the law offices of Henry F. Bowers in Clinton, Iowa on 13 March 1887. This meeting drew up a constitution, a ritual and elected Bowers the group's first "Supreme President". Aside from Bowers himself, there were six other founding members. Bowers would later relate that this "First Council" was composed of three Republicans, two Democrats, one Populist and one Prohibitionist. The religious make-up of the first Council was one each Methodist, Baptist, Presbyterian, Congregationalist, Lutheran and "one of no religion".

W. J. H. Traynor succeeded Bowers as Supreme President in 1893 and led the group during its period of greatest influence during the mid 1890s. Traynor was born 4 July 1845 in Brantford, Ontario. His father was a contractor who "met with reverses which curtailed the son's opportunities for education." Traynor nevertheless continued his studies and became a newspaper proprietor based in Detroit, Michigan. Traynor had joined the Loyal Orange Lodge when he was seventeen and attained the Scarlett degree within a year. By the time he was Supreme President of the APA he was also a member of the Royal Black Knights of the Camp of Israel, American Orange Knights and the Illustrious Order of the Knights of Malta. He joined the International Order of Good Templars as a boy, and was reportedly connected with the Order of the American Union, the Crescents, American Patriot League, American Protestant Association, Knights of the Maccabees, Royal Arcanum and the National Union.

...
Wikipedia