Early in 1891, a mother of six children in Holy Family Parish, Chicago, passed away. There was no money to pay for funeral expenses; a collection had to be taken up. Thus, the seed was planted in the minds of a group of women and bore its first fruit at a meeting called May 1, 1891, in Holy Family Parish, Chicago.
The first officers of Holy Family Court No. 1 were the following:
Chief Ranger Mrs. Elizabeth Rodgers   Vice Chief Ranger Mrs. Jennie Clancy   Recording Secretary Mrs. Mary Walsh   Treasurer Mrs. Minnie Keefe   Medical Examiner Dr. T.W. Fitzgerald
Three years later, through untiring efforts and devotion, five hundred members were acquired. With a collection of $10 from each, the $5,000 necessary to receive a state charter was met. Their charter was granted on January 31, 1894. Women at that time were not allowed to vote or incorporate. The founders appealed to men to incorporate for them. Consequently, our Articles of Incorporation were signed by men.
The advantage of membership was extended to the whole family with the admittance of men and boys in 1958.
At the Diamond Jubilee Convention, held at the Denver Hilton Hotel, August 1966, the Articles of Incorporation were amended to change the Women's Catholic Order of Foresters (WCOF) to National Catholic Society of Foresters (NCSF).