HISTORY NEBRASKA MANUSCRIPT FINDING AID
RG5387.AM: North Star Relief Society (Lincoln, Neb.)
Records: 1890-1929
Lincoln, Lancaster County, Nebraska: Scandinavian fraternal organization
Size: 0.75 cu.ft.; 2 boxes
HISTORICAL NOTE
It is unclear when exactly the North Star Relief Society (Lincoln, Neb.) was first established. There is some evidence that the organization was in existence in 1881, however this collection of records only goes back as far as 1890. Although the organization had been around since at least the late 1800s, it was not officially incorporated until 1917.
According to the 1917 articles of incorporation, the North Star Relief Society was set up as a fraternal organization that would provide financial assistance to members who became ill or injured and could not work and would also provide death benefits to family members. The articles of incorporation also stated that membership was open to, “All male persons of good character and good health of the age of eighteen years, or upwards, and of Swedish parentage or descent …” By 1919, the bylaws of the organization stated that members “… must be of Scandinavian descent, in good health and past 18 and not over 50 years of age.”
Meetings of the Society were held on the second and fourth Monday of each month at Walsh Hall, 141 South 12th Street, Lincoln, Nebraska.
SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE
The collection consists of records of the North Star Relief Society (Lincoln, Neb.) dating from 1890-1929. The records document the activities of the Society and include articles of incorporation, constitution and bylaws, minutes of meetings, correspondence, membership materials, bills, receipts, tax forms, claims for benefits, etc. The majority of the materials are written in Swedish.
Note: See photo component [RG5387.PH] for photographs.
INVENTORY
Box 1
Folder
- 1890-1903, membership, minutes, claims
- 1895-1900, minutes, membership, account information
- 1902-1917, membership
- 1915-1919, minutes, expenses, membership
- 1917-1921, articles of incorporation, bylaws, initiation rules
- 1919-1927, minutes, accounts, etc.
Box 2
Folder
- Misc. records, 1918-1929, pt. 1
- Misc. records, 1918-1929, pt. 2
- Misc. records, 1918-1929, pt. 3
- Income tax records, 1925-1929
Subject headings:
Fraternal organizations — Nebraska
North Star Relief Society (Lincoln, Neb.)
Scandinavians — Nebraska
Scandinavian Americans — Nebraska
Swedes — Nebraska
Swedish Americans — Nebraska
Revised 08-14-2007 TMM
