Title: Soldiers’ Relief Commission of Milwaukee County Records
Inclusive Dates: 1888-1920

Creator:

• Soldiers’ Relief Commission of Milwaukee County

Call Number: City of Milwaukee Archival Collection 51

Quantity:

• 8 volumes
• 1 folder

Repository:

Milwaukee Public Library, Frank P. Zeidler Room

Archival Location:

Milwaukee Public Library (Map)

Abstract:

Records of the Soldiers’ Relief Commission, which was created to help provide financial support to Civil War veterans and their families. Contains ledgers of minutes, applications, and a record of relief given.

Note:

To request materials from this collection, create/login to your Special Collections Account.

Language: English

URL to cite for this finding aid: http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/wiarchives.mwpl-cmac0051

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In order to alleviate the suffering of destitute veterans and their families, the Soldiers’ Relief Commission was created in 1887 when the State of Wisconsin passed a law, Chapter 304, to “provide for the relief of indigent union soldiers, sailors and marines, and the indigent wives, widows and minor children of indigent or deceased union soldiers, sailors and marines.” County boards were to levy a tax for the purpose of funding such relief. The county board then appointed a local board to oversee the disbursement of these funds. The Soldiers’ Relief Commission was organized in Milwaukee in January 1888.

Volumes 1-4 contains the minutes from the Soldiers’ Relief Commission, primarily listing the status of applications, but other general business is included as well. Most of the data is from January 1888 to August 1890, and then 1902-1920. Loose material found in volume 1 was placed in a folder. These materials are from 1903 and concern various financial matters. Also included in the folder are two annual reports for the years 1890 and 1904. Volume 4 is an index to volume 3.

Volumes 5-7 are the Record of Applications and contain information for Milwaukee area soldiers, typically Civil War veterans, and their immediate families. Includes: name, residence, rank, enlistment and discharge dates, grounds for application, and amount. Volume 5 is undated, although most likely from 1888-1890 and lists approximately 390 names. Volume 7 contains a separate section for applications for wives and widows.

Volume 8 is the Record of Relief paid. Information found in this volume also relates to Civil War veterans and includes: file number of application, name of person relieved, address, number of persons in family, and duration of relief granted. The names listed in this volume are from the Milwaukee area, but the collector of the information is not specified. Most people appear in the volume more than once since the relief was usually given for a three month period.

The collection is arranged alphabetically. Loose materials found in the minutes were placed in a folder.

Soldiers’ Relief Commission of Milwaukee County Records, 1888-1920, Collection 51. City of Milwaukee Archival Collections, Milwaukee Public Library, Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Archival Collections

• City of North Milwaukee Records. City of Milwaukee Archival Collection 9.

• Woman’s Relief Corps Journals. Local History Manuscript Collection 408.

Transcriptions of Volumes

Minutes of the Soldiers' Relief Commission

Record of Applications, 1861-1868

Record of Relief, 1888-1890

Access Restrictions

There are no access restrictions on the materials. The collection is open to all in accordance with state law. The public may view City of Milwaukee Archival Collections by appointment at the Central Library. To request an in-person appointment, create/login to your Special Collections Account. If you have any questions, please contact the Archives and Special Collections Department at mplarchives@milwaukee.gov.

Use Restrictions

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).

Acquisition Information

Milwaukee Public Library receives official materials from city departments via the Milwaukee City Records Center, pursuant to state statutes and city ordinances governing the permanent retention of city records.

Processing Information

Processed by Jean Hinz, 2004. Materials added by Bob Jaeger, 2018. In 2018, Bob Jaeger combined the previous Soldiers’ Relief Commission collections and renumbered it CMAC 51. In 2019, Bob Jaeger added volumes 2-4 and renumbered the remainder of the volumes accordingly.

Volume   1	Minutes, 1888-1890
Volume   2	Minutes, 1902-1908
Volume   3	Minutes, 1909-1920
Volume   4	Minutes, index to volume 3, undated
Folder   1	Receipts and Other Financial Documents (loose items found in volume 1), 1902-1903
Volume   5	Record of Applications, circa 1890
Volume   6	Record of Applications, 1905-1909
Volume   7	Record of Applications, 1911-1916
Volume   8	Record of Relief, 1888-1890