Title: Danish Brotherhood in America. Lodge 9 (Oshkosh, Wis.) Records
Inclusive Dates: 1883-1920

Creator:

• Danish Brotherhood in America. Lodge 9 (Oshkosh, Wis.)

Call Number: Oshkosh Mss BP

Quantity: 0.8 c.f. (2 archives boxes)

Repository:

Housed at the Archives & Area Research Center, Polk Library, University of Wisconsin Oshkosh; owned by the 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.

UW-Oshkosh Polk Library / Oshkosh Area Research Ctr. (Map)

Abstract:

Records of Lodge 9 of the Danish Brotherhood, a social and fraternal benefit society for persons of Danish heritage. Included are four volumes of minutes and one financial ledger listing members and recording their monthly premium payments; in Danish.

Language: English

URL to cite for this finding aid: http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/wiarchives.uw-whs-osh00bp

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The Danish Brotherhood in America (Det Danske Brodersamfund i Amerika), organized in Omaha, Nebraska, on January 2, 1882, was a mutual benefit society for Danish immigrants and persons of Danish heritage. Active members in the organization had to purchase life and health insurance which entitled them to cash payments in case of illness and to death benefits. Other persons who did not purchase insurance were allowed to participate in some activities of the organization, including certain ceremonies and rituals which were obligatory for all members. In addition to its insurance program, the Brotherhood appears to have served primarily a social function. The constitution of the Danish Brotherhood prohibited discussions of political and religious issues at meetings. Many local lodges had libraries of Danish books which members were allowed to use at no charge.

Lodge No. 9 was one of eighteen Danish Brotherhood lodges in Wisconsin. It held its first meeting on July 4, 1883, and had about 100 charter members. The membership remained at a little over 100 members for most of the period covered by the records. Although the records end in 1920, Lodge 9 was in existence until sometime during the 1950's.

The records of Danish Brotherhood Lodge #9 consist of four volumes of minutes and one financial ledger. The minutes document the bi-weekly meetings of the lodge where financial matters, the disbursement of benefits the status of members, communications from the national office and other local lodges, and the election of officers were the main topics of discussion. The financial ledger contains a list of active members of the lodge and records their payments of monthly premiums. Although the records are in Danish, most handwriting in the minute books and the financial ledger is quite legible.

Acquisition Information

Presented by Paul Helstrom, Madison, Wisconsin, November 11, 1975. Accession Number: M75-514

Processing Information

Processed by Margaret Hedstrom, October 30, 1978.

	Minutes
Box   1 Folder   1-3	1883 July-1907 August
Box   2 Folder   1	1907 Nov.-1920 Jan.
Box   2 Folder   2	Financial Ledger, 1883-1907