Summary Information
Milwaukee Brewers' Association Records 1883-1894
- Milwaukee Brewers' Association
UWM Manuscript Collection 142
.4 cubic ft. (1 box)
UW-Milwaukee Libraries, Archives / Milwaukee Area Research Ctr. (Map)
This collection contains a general journal (1883-1894) and a
general ledger (1883-1894) from the Milwaukee Brewers' Association. These volumes document
the close relationship between several Milwaukee brewery owners, who committed to their
community through philanthropic donations to local charities benefiting the poor or ill.
They also gave money to religious, political, cultural, and educational organizations. Some
of the more popular recipients included Turnverein Vorwaerts, Liegel, Milwaukee Infants
House, St. Rosa's Orphanage, the Thirteenth Ward Catholic Church, and the Working People's
Reading Club. English
http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/wiarchives.uw-mil-uwmmss0142 ↑ Bookmark this ↑
Scope and Content Note
The Milwaukee Brewers' Association, originally called the Milwaukee Brewers Benevolent
Association, was organized in 1869. It was comprised of local brewers, including Valentin
Blatz, Frederick Miller, Adam Gettelman, Joseph Schlitz and several others, whose concerns
for the community and their industry bound them together. Albert C. Blatz, Valentin's son,
was secretary of the organization for many years.
In its early years, the association contributed money to many local charities reflecting a
wide range of interests. Most of the contributions were made to relief societies or groups
that helped the less fortunate including the Mission Kindergarten, Robert Chivas Relief
Corps Fair, the Ladies Relief Sewing Society and the Jewish Widows and Orphan Asylum. Other
recipients included art and musical organizations, such as the Allomania Singing Society;
schools including the Training School for Nurses; churches such as the First German
Reformation Church; popular community events like the Polish Celebration or State Fair; and
political campaigns or causes including the Iowa campaign of Charles Schmidt and a group
simply called Anti-Prohibition.
After the 1890s, the association changed its focus to promote mutual interests in the
industry and worked to eliminate abuses by adopting rules and regulations.
Arrangement of the Materials
The general journal is arranged chronologically and provides a complete record of the
association's transactions in order of occurrence. The general ledger provides cross
references with the general journal and is arranged in a roughly alphabetical order by the
name of account and then chronologically within each account.
Preferred Citation
Citation Guide for
Primary Sources
Related Material in the UWM Libraries
Administrative/Restriction Information
There are no access restrictions on the materials, and the collection is open to all
members of the public in accordance with state law.
The researcher assumes full responsibility for conforming with the laws of libel,
privacy, and copyright which may be involved in the use of this collection (Wisconsin
Statutes 19.21-19.39).
The volumes were separated from the rest of the Blatz Brewing Company collection donated
to UWM by the American Heritage Center in 1997. The two volumes were apparently in
possession of the Blatz Brewing Company because Albert Blatz had served as secretary of
the Milwaukee Brewers' Association during this period.
Leslie Heinrichs processed the collection at the Archives in 1999.
Contents List
Box
1
Folder
1
|
General Journal, 1883 -1894
|
|
Box
1
Folder
2
|
General Ledger, 1883 -1894
|
|
|