Summary Information
Polish National Alliance of the United States of North America. Lodge 1476: Records
1912-1975
- Polish National Alliance of the United States of North America. Lodge 1476 (Milwaukee, Wis.)
Milwaukee Mss 17
3.0 c.f. (2 archives boxes and 2 record center cartons)
UW-Milwaukee Libraries, Archives / Milwaukee Area Research Ctr. (Map)
Minutes, dues books, jubilee albums, and financial and insurance records of the Wladyslaw Jagiello Society, founded in 1912 and affiliated with Council 115 of the Polish National Alliance of America (Zwiazek Narodowy Polski w Ameryce). The records were collected by charter members and former officers of the fraternal and mutual benefit society, John and Aniela Knap.
English, Polish
http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/wiarchives.uw-whs-mil00017 ↑ Bookmark this ↑
Biography/History
The Wladyslaw Jagiello Society was founded July 3, 1912 by twenty-eight charter members living on Milwaukee's north side, and affiliated with Council 115 of the PNA. Lodge 1476 grew rapidly in size and in assets; within the following three decades membership had reached nearly 900, making it one of the largest PNA lodges in the United States. The lodge contributed to the war efforts during both World Wars, purchasing government bonds, and contributing to the Red Cross, Polish Relief Fund, and other groups, both in the United States and in Poland. Like other PNA lodges, the Wladyslaw Jagiello Society also established funds for sick benefits and life insurance (through sales of insurance to members), and contributed to community, civic, and patriotic activities.
The records were collected by John and Aniela Knap, who were both born near Tarnow, Poland, and who are currently (1981) active members of the lodge. John Knap was a charter member of Lodge 1476, and his wife, Aniela, served as president of Council 115 for 22 years. Both have been Lodge 1476 delegates to several national and regional PNA meetings.
Scope and Content Note
The collection primarily illustrates the financial and insurance benefit functions of a PNA lodge. In addition to three minute books, 1912-1958, which illustrate the organization and administration of the lodge, there are four dues books, 1930, 1943-1950, listing members' names and dues paid, with one volume for the children's department of the lodge, 1928-1941. Cash books, 1912-1966, with several gaps, list lodge receipts and disbursements, while the volumes of insurance records consist of two sets of books and premium records. Together the insurance records list the name and address of the insured, place and date of birth, year of first membership, and the amount of the policy and beneficiary. There is also one children's registration book, and one children's premium record.
Other records in the collection include a constitution of Lodge 1476 (1940) and PNA regulations, 1937; several lodge jubilee programs, and a manual for lodge financial secretaries. There is a file of miscellaneous insurance applications, listing personal information about the applicant; loan papers, 1933-1940, concerning repayment of loans against insurance policies; and several folders of assessment records. Assessments for the total sum of premiums due to the national office were mailed monthly to each lodge; the lodge financial secretary was then responsible for collecting the amounts from individual members. Especially interesting are the acknowledgments of assessments received by the national office (Box 4, Folder 1), which consist of postcards, 1912-1914, picturing the offices of the Dziennik Zwiazkowy (Zgoda) newspaper and the facilities and buildings of the PNA's Alliance College in Pennsylvania. Within the folder of miscellany are news clippings regarding lodge events, and there is a folder of scripts (in Polish) for plays which were apparently performed by members.
Administrative/Restriction Information
Presented by John and Aniela Knap, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 1980-1981. Accession Number: M80-541, M81-417
Processed by Menzi Behrnd-Klodt, October 1981.
Contents List
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Minute Books
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Box
1
Volume
1
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1912-1929
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Box
1
Volume
2
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1929-1940
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Box
1
Volume
3
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1941-1958
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Dues Books
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Box
1
Volume
4
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circa 1930
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Box
1
Volume
5
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1943-1945
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Box
1
Volume
6
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1945-1949
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Box
1
Volume
7
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1946-1950
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Box
1
Volume
8
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Children's Division, 1928-1941
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Cash Books
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Box
1
Volume
9
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1912-1921
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Box
1
Volume
10
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1925-1929, with Dues Register, , 1932-1936
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Box
1
Volume
11
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1938-1942
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Box
1
Volume
12
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1943-1946
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Box
1
Volume
13
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1947-1949
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Box
1
Volume
14
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1954-1957
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Box
1
Volume
15
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1958-1961
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Box
1
Volume
16
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1962-1966
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Insurance Records
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Registration Books
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Box
2
Volume
17
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1912-1944
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Box
1
Volume
18
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1944-1951
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Premium Record Books
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Box
2
Volume
19
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1912-1913
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Box
2
Volume
20
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1914-1915
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Box
3
Volume
21
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1916-1917
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Box
3
Volume
22
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1918-1919
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Box
3
Volume
23
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1920-1921
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Box
3
Volume
24
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1922-1923
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Box
3
Volume
25
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Children's Registration Book, circa 1944-circa 1951
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Box
3
Volume
26
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Children's Premium Book, 1935-1942
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Other Papers
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Box
4
Folder
1
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Assessments - Acknowledgements from National Office, 1912-1914
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Box
4
Folder
2
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Assessments (Monthly), 1912-1922
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Box
4
Folder
3
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Children's Assessments (Monthly), 1926
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Box
4
Folder
4
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Children's Insurance Registration and Assessment Rolls, 1921-1927
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Box
4
Folder
5
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Constitution, 1940, and PNA Regulations, , 1937
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Box
4
Folder
6
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Insurance Applications, 1933-1938
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Box
4
Folder
7
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Jubilee Programs, 1929, 1937, 1952, 1962
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Box
4
Folder
8
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Loan Papers, 1933-1940
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Box
4
Folder
9
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Manual for Lodge Financial Secretaries, 1958
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Box
4
Folder
10
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Miscellany, 1912-1975
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Box
4
Folder
11
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Play Scripts
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