The Order of Heptasophs was a fraternal organization established in New Orleans, Louisiana

New Orleans, Louisiana

New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...

 in April 1852. The name is derived from Greek roots meaning seven and wise and means the seven wise men. "the Order was founded at New Orleans, April 6, 1852, by Alexander leonard Saunders, a resident of that city, and prominent Freemason, among the earlier members being ex-governors, ex-mayors, et c."

The classical list of Seven Wise Men were Thales

Thales

Thales of Miletus was a pre-Socratic Greek philosopher from Miletus in Asia Minor, and one of the Seven Sages of Greece. Many, most notably Aristotle, regard him as the first philosopher in the Greek tradition...

 of Miletus

Miletus

Miletus was an ancient Greek city on the western coast of Anatolia , near the mouth of the Maeander River in ancient Caria...

, Solon

Solon

Solon was an Athenian statesman, lawmaker, and poet. He is remembered particularly for his efforts to legislate against political, economic and moral decline in archaic Athens...

 of Athens

Athens

Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...

, Bias

Bias of Priene

Bias , the son of Teutamus and a citizen of Priene was a Greek philosopher. Satyrus puts him as the wisest of all the Seven Sages of Greece. He was renowned for his goodness....

 of Priene

Priene

Priene was an ancient Greek city of Ionia at the base of an escarpment of Mycale, about north of the then course of the Maeander River, from today's Aydin, from today's Söke and from ancient Miletus...

, Chilo

Chilon of Sparta

Chilon of Sparta was a Lacedaemonian and one of the Seven Sages of Greece.-Early life:Chilon was the son of Damagetus, and lived towards the beginning of the 6th century BC.-Standing and influence:...

 of Sparta

Sparta

Sparta or Lacedaemon, was a prominent city-state in ancient Greece, situated on the banks of the River Eurotas in Laconia, in south-eastern Peloponnese. It emerged as a political entity around the 10th century BC, when the invading Dorians subjugated the local, non-Dorian population. From c...

 Pitticus of Mitylene, Cleobulus

Cleobulus

Cleobulus was a Greek poet and a native of Lindos, and one of the Seven Sages of Greece.-Life:Cleobulus was the son of Evagoras and a citizen of Lindus in Rhodes Clement of Alexandria calls Cleobulus king of the Lindians, and Plutarch speaks of him as the tyrant...

 of Rhodes

Rhodes

Rhodes is an island in Greece, located in the eastern Aegean Sea. It is the largest of the Dodecanese islands in terms of both land area and population, with a population of 117,007, and also the island group's historical capital. Administratively the island forms a separate municipality within...

, and Epimenides

Epimenides

Epimenides of Knossos was a semi-mythical 6th century BC Greek seer and philosopher-poet. While tending his father's sheep, he is said to have fallen asleep for fifty-seven years in a Cretan cave sacred to Zeus, after which he reportedly awoke with the gift of prophecy...

 of Crete

Crete

Crete is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, and one of the thirteen administrative regions of Greece. It forms a significant part of the economy and cultural heritage of Greece while retaining its own local cultural traits...

.

It has been strongly suggested, but never demonstrated, that the society may have been founded by alumni of the Mystical Seven Society

Mystical Seven (Wesleyan)

The Mystical Seven is a society founded in 1837 at Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut that currently is in existence as two separate groups. Publicly, members are called Mystics.-Early history:...

, or was in some other way connected to that organization.

In 1878 the Improved Order of Heptasophs

Improved Order of Heptasophs

The Improved Order of Heptasophs is a fraternal organization established in 1878 when its founding members split from the Order of Heptasophs in a dispute over offering mutual aid to its membership...

 (IOH) split off in a dispute over offering members mutual aid program, (fraternal insurance policies

Benefit society

A benefit society or mutual aid society is an organization or voluntary association formed to provide mutual aid, benefit or insurance for relief from sundry difficulties...

). At the end of the 19th century the Order of Heptasophs had about 1,000 men, the Improved order, 4,000.