FINDING AID
Scandinavian American Fraternity, Union Lodge #82 (St. Paul, Minn.) records, 1901-1958
COLLECTION SUMMARY
Collection Title:
Scandinavian American Fraternity, Union Lodge No. 82 (St. Paul, Minn.) records
Collection Number:
I/O:44
Dates:
1901-1902, 1906-1954, 1957-1958 and undated
Size:
2 boxes (.75 linear feet) and folder in oversized box
Language:
English (bulk), Norwegian, Swedish
Creator/Collector:
Scandinavian American Fraternity (St. Paul, Minn.), Union Lodge No. 82
Subject Headings:
Scandinavian American Fraternity
Independent Scandinavian Workingmen's Association of America
Fraternal organizations--Minnesota--Saint Paul.
Fraternal insurance--Minnesota--Saint Paul.
Scandinavian Americans--Minnesota--Saint Paul.
Repository:
Swenson Swedish Immigration Research Center, Augustana College, Rock Island, Illinois.
Abstract:
The Scandinavian American Fraternity, previously known as the Independent Scandinavian Workingmen's Association, was founded in Chicago in the 1880s. The collection includes meeting minutes (in Norwegian until 1917, then English), member addresses, lists of officers and committee members, a treasurer's receipt book, printed ritual book, and printed song cards.
RIGHTS AND ACCESS
Conditions Governing Access:
There are no restrictions on the use of this collection.
Reproduction and Use:
Unpublished manuscripts are protected by copyright. Permission to publish, quote, or reproduce must be secured from the Swenson Center and the copyright holder.
Preferred Citation:
[item identification], in I/O:44 Scandinavian American Fraternity, Union Lodge No. 82 (St. Paul, Minn.) records, Swenson Swedish Immigration Research Center, Augustana College, Rock Island, Illinois.
ACQUISITION AND RELATED MATERIALS
Source of Acquisition:
The material was donated by Melvin C. Anderson of Minneapolis, Minnesota in 1989.
Processed By:
Processed by Swenson Center staff. Updated in 2018 by Lisa Huntsha to follow DACS description convention.
CONTENT AND STRUCTURE
Administrative/Biographical History:
The meeting minutes indicate the lodge was organized as the Independent Scandinavian Workingmen’s Association of North America (St. Paul, Minnesota), Union Lodge No. 62 on October 14, 1901. Minutes last through September 22, 1902. The next minutes indicate the lodge was organized as the Independent Scandinavian Workingmen’s Association of North America, Union Lodge No. 82 on May 15, 1906. Meeting minutes from 1916 indicate the lodge was incorporated as the Scandinavian America Fraternity, Union Lodge No. 82. Meeting minutes starting on January 11, 1917 begin using the Scandinavian American Fraternity name and continue in English through 1954.
The organization provided life insurance, sickness and accident benefits, and emergency funds to its members, as well as offered a social membership without benefits.
The Scandinavian American Fraternity, previously known as the Independent Scandinavian Workingmen's Association, was founded in Chicago in the 1880s.
Scope and Content:
The collection consists of meeting minutes from 1901-1954. The minutes were kept in Norwegian until 1917 when they switched to English. The membership address book covers the years 1901-1949 and it includes only names of members and occasional addresses. The list of officers and committee members 1915-1945 includes names committees on which they served. There is also a treasurer's receipt book, printed ritual book, and printed song cards.
System of Arrangement:
Series I. Pamphlets, song cards, receipts
Series II. Ledgers of members, officers, and minutes (chronological)
Collection Inventory:
Box 1
Series I.
• Ritual for the Scandinavian-American Fraternity (English), 1932
• Pamphlet, Premium Rates for Scandinavian American Fraternity, mutual aid benefits (English), undated
• Songs cards (English, Swedish), undated
• Financial records/treasurer’s records/receipts for accounts paid (English), 1957-1958
Series II.
• Ledger of membership records, some with addresses, includes list of charter members (Norwegian), 1901-1949 and undated
• Ledger of officers and committee members roll call lists (Norwegian, English), 1915-1945 and undated
• Ledger of minutes (recording secretary’s book), (Norwegian), 1901-1910
• Ledger of minutes, changed to English in 1917 (Norwegian, English), 1915-1919
• Ledger of minutes (English), 1919-1922
• Ledger of minutes (English), 1922-1927
Box 2
• Folder of minutes (English), 1937-1940
• Ledger of minutes (English), 1940-1944
• Ledger of minutes (English), 1944-1951
• Ledger of minutes (English), 1951-1954
Oversized folder: photocopies of mutual aid benefits ledger (English)