Title: Great Lakes Wool Growers Cooperative Records
Inclusive Dates: 1904-1987

Creator:

• Great Lakes Wool Growers Cooperative

Call Number: Mss 727; Micro 1157

Quantity: 3.5 c.f. (8 archives boxes, 1 half record center carton) and 30 reels of microfilm (35mm)

Repository:

Wisconsin Historical Society, Division of Library, Archives, and Museum Collections

Archival Locations:

COLLECTION MAY BE STORED OFF-SITE: see catalog entry to request materials and for additional information.

Wisconsin Historical Society (Map)

Abstract:

Records (primarily 1930-1975) of the Great Lakes Wool Growers Cooperative, a regional wool marketing cooperative based in Wisconsin. Included are administrative records, publications, financial records, accounting reports, and related organizations' records (1904-1975). The related organizations are the Women's Auxiliary of the Wisconsin Co-Operative Wool Growers' Association, National Wool Marketing Corporation, and Wisconsin Sheepbreeders Association.

Language: English

URL to cite for this finding aid: http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/wiarchives.uw-whs-mss00727

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The predecessor of the Great Lakes Wool Growers Cooperative was the Wisconsin Co-Operative Wool Growers' Association. The latter was established April 11, 1930 by Wisconsin sheep producers and the State Department of Agriculture and Markets because of poor wool market conditions faced by individual wool growers. The intended purpose of the organization was to market members' wool through the National Wool Marketing Corporation to obtain a better price for the product. The Wisconsin Co-Operative was a stockholder of the National Wool Marketing Corporation, a selling agency owned and operated by state and regional wool marketing cooperatives. The governance of the Wisconsin Co-Operative was the responsibility of seven elected directors.

Membership was open to any producer of wool or mohair who agreed to consign or sell their wool to or through the association. No membership fees, dues, or stock purchases were required.

Members delivered their shorn wool directly to designated receiving agencies or sent it to the Co-Operative's warehouse via designated truck lines. On a consignment basis, once the wool was received and graded at the warehouse, the grower received an advance or partial payment. As soon as all of the wool was sold, the grower received a final settlement statement which was a payment based on what the wool brought at mill markets. On a cash basis, the Co-Operative or designated receiving agency purchased the wool outright. The system of Patron's Equity provided for distribution of “savings in operation.” More specifically, when the directors determined the earnings were sufficient for a sound operation, the savings were distributed to the members based on the amount of tonnage they had delivered to the Co-Operative.

Services of the Co-Operative were expanded in the late 1940s to include equipment sharpening; bag mending; and supply sales. In the early 1960s, they expanded to include retail sales and thus marketed products made from wool such as sheep pelts and wool flowers. The retail sales operations were one of the major responsibilities of the Co-Operative's Women's Auxiliary. The Co-Operative also functioned as an advocate for wool growers in legislative matters.

Beginning in 1932, a warehouse in Milwaukee was utilized for grading and storage of the Co-Operative's wool. The Co-Operative's office facilities were in Portage from 1930 to 1944 and were consolidated with the warehouse facilities in Milwaukee in 1945. The Co-Operative constructed a new building in Waukesha in 1970.

In early 1970, the Wisconsin Co-Operative Wool Growers' Association changed its name to the Great Lakes Wool Growers Cooperative. The name change was partially implemented because the organization anticipated receiving more wool from other states. With this change, the Cooperative was also incorporated in Illinois.

By the late 1970s, declining sheep flocks in Wisconsin and Illinois affected the financial status of the Great Lakes Wool Growers. Partially as a result, in May 1976, the Great Lakes Wool Growers Cooperative joined the North Central Wool Marketing Corporation in Minneapolis. North Central agreed to provide the services necessary for gathering and marketing wool for Great Lakes and its members in Wisconsin and Illinois. The Great Lakes Wool Growers Cooperative Association continues to exist and is represented on the North Central board of directors. The wool products and sheep supply division of the Great Lakes Wool Growers was sold to its former general manager, Roger Harris, in 1977.

The collection of Great Lakes Wool Growers Cooperative Records (1904-1987) documents several aspects of a regional wool marketing cooperative and its impact on local, state, and national levels. The records provide information on administration and management of the cooperative; government programs; wool production in Wisconsin; sales and marketing methods; and financial operations of the cooperative.

Records of Great Lakes Wool Growers Cooperative were arranged in the following series: ADMINISTRATION (1930-1987); CORRESPONDENCE (1938-1970); SUBJECT FILES (1932-1970); PRODUCTION RECORDS (1945-1963); PUBLICATIONS (1942-1965); FINANCIAL RECORDS (1931-1973); ACCOUNTING REPORTS (1930-1987); and RELATED ORGANIZATIONS (1904-1975). The bulk of the collection consists of administrative records maintained by the Cooperative's general manager and financial records. The majority of the collection dates from the 1950s to the 1960s and therefore pertains to the Wisconsin Co-Operative Wool Growers' Association. In each of the series, original order established by the Cooperative was generally retained.

The series ADMINISTRATION (1930-1987) consists of basic records of the organization. Included in the series are articles of incorporation and by-laws for the Wisconsin Co-Operative Wool Growers' Association; minutes; managers' reports; and scattered annual meeting materials. It should be noted that the minutes are photocopies or on microfilm and the originals are held by the North Central Marketing Corporation.

The CORRESPONDENCE (1938-1970) series primarily consists of routine files maintained by the Cooperative's general managers, Roy E. Richards and Roger Harris. The correspondence documents the management and operation of the Cooperative as well as its relationship with its members. Of particular note are the letters to members regarding payments and general memos to members. These files provide information on the wool market; new developments in government incentive programs; procedures for consigning or selling wool; and the financial status of the Cooperative. Correspondence of the general manager includes materials on a sheep shearing school; the Cooperative's services; receiving agencies; problems and concerns of Cooperative members; and the “Miss Wool” and “Make It Yourself With Wool” contests. The remaining correspondence files concern the physical plant development of the Cooperative.

The series SUBJECT FILES (1932-1970) is arranged alphabetically and also contains information on the physical plant development. The strength of this series, however, is its documentation of the federal government's role in wool marketing through programs such as the Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service Wool Payment Program; Government Incentive Payment Programs; and the Wool Price Support Program. Additional files of note are those reporting statistical information (Business Censuses and United States Department of Agriculture, Annual Surveys of Farmers Cooperatives) and those pertaining to other Wisconsin cooperatives.

The PRODUCTION RECORDS (1935-1964) series documents the production of wool and its sale by Cooperative members. The records include an annual summary of tonnage by counties as well as a listing of the amount of wool produced by each member. The Clip Year Statistics provide information on the Cooperative's wools by grade and other charges associated with wool marketing such as freight; storage; insurance; and grading.

The series PUBLICATIONS (1942-1965) consists of scattered brochures on membership services and the wool products division of the Cooperative. The Cooperative publication Wool News (June 1936; January 1939-December 1959) can be found in the holdings of the State Historical Society of Wisconsin Library.

The FINANCIAL RECORDS (1931-1973) series provides documentation of the Cooperative's financial activities from its inception through the early 1970s. The records also provide information on payment methods to individual members. Records in the series include general ledgers; receipts and disbursements journals; revolving fund ledgers; consignment and cash purchase ledgers; and wool journals. The series also includes payroll books for the limited period of 1962-1967.

The series ACCOUNTING REPORTS (1930-1987) contains summary information pertaining to the Cooperative's fiscal operations. The series includes standard accounting reports such as income tax returns, financial statements, and trial balances. Of particular note in this series are the accounting reports pertaining to consignments and shipments by type of graded wool. The 1972 consignment graded sheets are arranged alphabetically by member surname and contain information regarding quantity of wool, wool grades, and payments.

The series RELATED ORGANIZATIONS (1904-1975) is divided into three parts: Women's Auxiliary of the Wisconsin Co-Operative Wool Growers Association; National Wool Marketing Corporation; and Wisconsin State Sheepbreeders Association. Records for the Women's Auxiliary (1960-1970) are sparse and consist of the organization's constitution and publications. The correspondence is scattered and generally pertains to the “Miss Wool” and “Make It Yourself With Wool” contests and the wool products division of the Cooperative.

The National Wool Marketing Corporation (1939-1975) portion contains records relating to Wisconsin's membership in the national wool marketing organization. Of particular note are the loan applications, bonds, and agreements between the state and national organization. Also of significance are the daily circulars and “Weekly Market Letters” which provide information on the status of the wool market and legislative issues relating to wool. The remainder of the records in this portion are generally courtesy copies obtained because of the Cooperative's membership in the National Wool Marketing Corporation.

The Wisconsin State Sheepbreeders Association (1904-1939) records consists of a single volume of minutes. The provenance of this volume is uncertain and it is not clear how it came to be included in the records of the Great Lakes Wool Growers Cooperative.

Acquisition Information

Presented by the Great Lakes Wool Growers Cooperative, via Roger Harris, 1976, Elm Grove, Wisconsin and by North Central Marketing Corporation, via Wayne Knudsen, Minneapolis, Minnesota, 1988. Accession Number: M76-380, M88-353

Processing Information

Processed by Debbie Anderson, 1988.

	Series: Administration
Mss 727 Box   1 Folder   1	Articles of Incorporation and By-Laws, 1930; 1936-1970
Micro 1157	Minutes, Annual Meetings and Directors
Reel   29 Frame   1-261	1930-1959
Reel   29 Frame   262-438	1960-1968
Reel   29 Frame   439-574	1969-1972
Mss 727 Box   1 Folder   2	1972-1987
Box   1 Folder   3	Secretary Manager's Report, 1937, February
Box   1 Folder   4	Manager's Report, 1939, January
Box   1 Folder   5	Directors Meeting Minutes, 1965, April
Box   1 Folder   6	Annual Meeting Speech, 1938-1939
Box   1 Folder   7	Annual Meeting Ballot for Directors, 1958; 1962
Box   1 Folder   8	Annual Meeting News Releases, 1956-1960
	Series: Correspondence	⇧
Box   1 Folder   9	Letters Regarding Payments to Members, 1952; 1955-1965
Box   1 Folder   10	Memos to Clip Year Members, 1953; 1957-1964
Box   1 Folder   11	General Manager, [1938]-1969
	Manager
Box   1 Folder   12-15	A-C, G, 1963-1969
Box   2 Folder   1-5	H, M-N, S, W, 1962-1969
Box   2 Folder   6	1972; 1975
Box   2 Folder   7	Agreements Regarding Public Warehouse Storage Facilities, 1940-1952
Box   2 Folder   8	Building Construction in Waukesha, 1968-1971
Box   2 Folder   9	Building Sale in Milwaukee, 1969-1970
	Series: Subject Files	⇧
Box   2 Folder   10	Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service (ASCS), Wool Payment Program, 1965-1967
Box   2 Folder   11	Building Construction in Waukesha, 1969-1970
Box   2 Folder   12	Building Sale in Milwaukee, 1969-1970
Box   2 Folder   13	Business Censuses , 1954; 1958; 1963
Box   2 Folder   14	, 1955 Clip Year Instructions from National Wool Marketing Corporation
Box   2 Folder   15	Clip Year Operations, 1957; 1959-1962
Box   2 Folder   16	General Manager, Roy E. Richards, Speeches and Articles, [1932]; [1936]; 1938; 1957
Box   2 Folder   17	Government Incentive Payment Programs, 1954; 1962
Box   2 Folder   18	Insurance, 1948-1955
Box   2 Folder   19	Bernard LaFarge, 1956-1958
Box   3 Folder   1	Mortgage Notes and Descriptions of Land for Waukesha Building, 1969
Box   3 Folder   2	National Wool Growers, 1967-1968
Box   3 Folder   3	Production and Marketing Administration, Wool Price Support Program, 1952-1953
Box   3 Folder   4	Scholarships, 1958-1965
Box   3 Folder   5	Shearer Agreement, [1967]
Box   3 Folder   6	Storage Rates, 1947-1949
Box   3 Folder   7	United States Department of Agriculture, Annual Surveys of Farmers Cooperatives, [circa 1952]-1968
Box   3 Folder   8	Wisconsin Association of Cooperatives, 1960-1968
Box   3 Folder   9	Wisconsin Auditing and Management Cooperative, 1967
Box   3 Folder   10	Wisconsin Council of Agricultural Co-operatives, 1967
	Series: Production Records	⇧
	Tonnage by Counties
Box   3 Folder   11-14	1945-1950
Box   4 Folder   1-6	1951-1956
Box   5 Folder   1-5	1957-1960; 1963
Box   5 Folder   6	Clip Year Statistics, 1949-1964
Box   5 Folder   7	Miscellaneous Statistics, 1935-1963 (scattered)
	Series: Publications	⇧
Box   6 Folder   1	“Wisconsin's Wool Clip,” 1942; 1950
Box   6 Folder   2	“Warm Wonderful Wool,” [1960s]
Box   6 Folder   3	“Year In...and Year Out the Cooperative Nets the Highest Return for Your Wool,” [circa 1965]
Box   6 Folder   4	Newspaper Advertisements, 1945; 1962-1965
Micro 1157	Series: Financial Records	⇧
	, 1931-1937 Ledger
Reel   1 Frame   1-676	, 1931 Cash Receipts-, 1934 Total Flat Advance Payments
Reel   2 Frame   1-679	, 1934 Graded Advance Payments-, 1937 Revolving Fund Receipts
	, 1936-1963 Ledger
Reel   3 Frame   1-739	Current Assets-Sales
Reel   4 Frame   1-482	Expenses
Reel   5 Frame   1-486	, 1938-1940 Ledger
	, 1941-1944 Ledger
Reel   6 Frame   1-788	1941 General Account Receipts-1942 Outstanding Checks
Reel   7 Frame   1-573	1943 Summaries-1943 Outstanding Checks
Reel   8 Frame   1-693	1944 General Account Receipts-Additional Advance Payments
	, 1945-1951 Ledger
Reel   9 Frame   1-569	1945 General Account Receipts-1945 Additional Advance Payments
Reel   10 Frame   1-567	1946 Receipts-1946 Additional Advance Payments
Reel   11 Frame   1-740	1947 Receipts-1948 Cash Purchases
Reel   12 Frame   1-672	1948 Graded Advance and Flat Payments-1950 General Fund Disbursements
Reel   13 Frame   1-365	1951 General Fund Receipts-1942 Patronage Refunds, Paid April 1951
	, 1952-1958 Ledger
Reel   14 Frame   1-627	1953 Receipts-1954 Clip Year Account Sales
Reel   15 Frame   1-686	1955 Cash Receipts-1956 Outstanding Checks
Reel   16 Frame   1-638	1957 Receipts-1958 Journal Entries
	, 1959-1962 Ledger
Reel   17 Frame   1-611	1959 Receipts-1960 Account Sales
Reel   18 Frame   1-542	1961 Receipts-1962 Account Sales
Reel   13 Frame   366-435	, 1947-1968 Journal
	Receipts and Disbursements Journal
Reel   19 Frame   1-450	1963-1964
Reel   19 Frame   451-713	1964-1965
Reel   20 Frame   1-470	1968
Reel   20 Frame   471-727	, 1968-1973 Miscellaneous Income and Expenses Ledger
Reel   21 Frame   1-146	, 1970-1971 General Fund Disbursements
	Clip Year Revolving Fund Payments Ledger
Reel   21 Frame   147-306	1949
Reel   21 Frame   307-463	1950
Reel   21 Frame   464-746	1951
	Cash Purchase, Graded Advance, Additional, and Final Payments on Wool
Reel   22 Frame   1-255	1952
Reel   22 Frame   256-507	1953
Reel   22 Frame   508-727	1954
Reel   23 Frame   1-230	, 1955 Revolving Fund Ledger
	Consignment and Cash Purchase Ledger
Reel   23 Frame   231-458	1956
Reel   23 Frame   459-664	1957
Reel   24 Frame   1-236	1958
Reel   24 Frame   237-455	1959
Reel   24 Frame   456-660	1960
Reel   25 Frame   1-197	1961
	Wool Journal
Reel   25 Frame   198-380	1962
Reel   25 Frame   381-554	1963
Reel   26 Frame   1-142	1964
Mss 727	Payroll Books
Box   7 Volume   1	1962-1964
Box   7 Volume   2	1965-1967
	Series: Accounting Reports	⇧
Box   6 Folder   5	Income Tax Returns, 1970-1971
Box   6 Folder   6	Financial Statements, 1937-1938; 1940-1941; 1957-1964
Box   6 Folder   7	Financial Statements, 1971-1972
Box   6 Folder   8	Annual Financial and Operating Statements, 1942-1950
Box   6 Folder   9	Accounts Receivable Summaries, 1953-1964
Box   6 Folder   10	Balance Sheets and Working Papers, 1967-1968
Micro 1157	Trial Balances
Reel   26 Frame   143-187	1945, October-1955, May
Reel   26 Frame   188-237	1955, June-1963, January
	Bank Balances
Reel   26 Frame   238-293	1947, October-1956, February
Reel   26 Frame   294-332	1956, December-1966, June
Reel   26 Frame   333-444	, 1953-1956 Account Sales and Summary by Grade
Reel   26 Frame   445-662	1957-1967 Wool Shipments, Destinations, Grades, and Amounts
	1972 Graded Sheets, Consignment
Reel   27 Frame   1-568	A-I
Reel   27 Frame   569-1004	J-P
Reel   28 Frame   1-384	Q-Z
	Audit Reports
Reel   29 Frame   575-837	1930-1944
Reel   30 Frame   001-841	1946-1975
Mss 727 Box   6 Folder   11	1976-1987
	Series: Related Organizations	⇧
	Women's Auxiliary of The Wisconsin Cooperative Wool Growers Association
Box   6 Folder   12	Constitution and By-Laws, undated
Box   6 Folder   13	Constitution, 1960
Box   6 Folder   14	Correspondence, 1963; 1965-1970
Box   6 Folder   15	Newsletters, 1964-1970
Box   6 Folder   16	Information Handbook, 1967
Box   6 Folder   17	Miscellaneous Materials, 1964-1970
	National Wool Marketing Corporation
	Minutes
Box   6 Folder   18	Stockholders and Directors' Meetings, 1959; 1961; 1964-1965; 1967-1968
Box   6 Folder   19	Managers' Meetings, [1943]
Box   6 Folder   20	Managers' Sales Committee, 1955-1957
Box   6 Folder   21	Long Range Plan, [circa February 8, 1968]
Box   6 Folder   22	Annual Report, 1947
Box   6 Folder   23	General Manager's Reports, 1965; 1968
	Correspondence
Box   8 Folder   1	General, 1943-1969
Box   8 Folder   2	Certificates of Interest, 1936; 1941; 1945-1960
Box   8 Folder   3	Legislative Matters, 1957
Box   8 Folder   4	Production and Sales Statistics, 1960; 1966-1968
Box   8 Folder   5	Bonds Held for Wisconsin Cooperative Wool Growers Association, 1943-1955
Box   8 Folder   6	Revolving and Operating Funds Notes on Loans with Wisconsin Wool Growers Association, 1954-1973
Box   8 Folder   7-8	Loan Applications and Agreements with Wisconsin Wool Growers Association, 1958-1975
Box   8 Folder   9	Instructions for Advance Payments, 1956-1960; 1962
Box   8 Folder   10	Sealed Bid Sales, Procedures and Sales Results, 1964-1965
Box   8 Folder   11	Daily Circulars, 1956, February-August
	Publications
Box   8 Folder   12-13	“Weekly Market Letter,” July 1955; 1962-1966
Box   9 Folder   1-2	“Weekly Market Letter,” 1967-1969, January
Box   9 Folder   3	Consolidated Financial Statements, 1946
Box   9 Folder   4	Financial Statements, 1939; 1951; 1958-1959; 1967-1968
Box   9 Folder   5	Statement of Association Accounts for 1951 Clip Year, 1953
	Wisconsin State Sheepbreeders Association
Box   9 Folder   6	Secretary's Book, 1904 February-1939 January