Introduction | Agency History | Scope and Content | Series Description | Inventory

Introduction

The records of the Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen, Oak Leaf Lodge No. 196, Ladies Auxiliary of Dayton, Ohio, include organizational records such as minutes, financial and dues records, and miscellaneous printed material and artifacts.

The records were donated to the Center for Archival Collections in April 1993 through the cooperation of Mrs. Stanley Culler. No restrictions exist on the use of this collection. Duplication is permitted for the purposes of preservation and research. The register was prepared by Marilyn Levinson, Curator of Manuscripts in May 2004.

Agency History

A few years after the founding of the Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen in Oneonta, New York in 1883, the women relatives of members of the St. Clair Lodge no. 241 in Fort Gratiot, Michigan established an auxiliary organization in 1886. Two years later, at the 1888 national convention held in Columbus, Ohio support was given for the official formation of the Ladies Auxiliary, open to wives, mothers, and sisters of Brotherhood members, and on June 19, 1889 the Fort Gratiot women received the first charter.

The Ladies Auxiliary of the Oak Leaf Lodge no. 196, Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen was originally chartered on Dec. 13, 1900 in Dayton, Ohio.

In January of 1969, with a labor unification agreement between the Order of Railway Conductors and Brakemen, Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen and Enginemen, Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen, and Switchmen's Union of North America, a new organization, the United Transportation Union was formed. The following year the Auxiliaries of the former unions followed suit and on March 10, 1970 a new charter was issued for the Ladies Auxiliary of the United Transportation Union. In 1998, the word "Ladies" was eliminated from the Auxiliary title in recognition of modern workplace situations, allowing membership for male relatives and spouses of female Transportation Union employees.

Scope and Content

The records of the Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen, Oak Leaf Lodge No. 196, Ladies Auxiliary of Dayton, Ohio consist primarily of procedural records, including a series of minute books and dues/account ledgers dating from the establishment of the Lodge in 1900.

Although the correspondence consists primarily of printed circulars and notices from the Grand Lodge, there are a few individual letters of inquiry about transferring to the lodge as other groups disbanded in later years. The official correspondence also includes listings of Auxiliary members who have died, including the death dates.

Of particular interest in the minutes, also separately copied into the subject files, is the 1905 account of proceedings of charges of adultery brought by Lodge members against Minnie Trader, resulting with her eventual expulsion.

Series Description

PROCEEDINGS

MINUTES
1900-1929, 1936-1984
Arranged chronologically
General minute books; including roll calls in several volumes

ROLL CALL OF OFFICERS
Jan 1956-July 1964
Arranged chronologically
Form booklet with officers listed, noting their absence or presence at specific meetings

MEMBERSHIP MATERIAL
1910-1987
Assorted membership material including scattered forms for membership application/readmit/transfer, a national UTU Lodge directory, meeting attendance records, and membership bulletins

CORRESPONDENCE

CORRESPONDENCE - GRAND LODGE BRT
1916, 1950-1971
Arranged chronologically
Printed circulars and form letters related to Lodge business, with some beneficiary notifications on the death of members, and a couple of written inquiries about transfers

CORRESPONDENCE - GRAND LODGE UTU
1981-1990 (scattered)
Arranged chronologically
Printed circulars and form letters related to Lodge business, including membership summaries with death dates

CORRESPONDENCE - OHIO STATE MEETING
Nov 7, 1966-Sept 30, 1967
Correspondence related to the 16th Annual State Meeting held in Dayton, Ohio, Sept 29-30, 1967, including program booklet

CORRESPONDENCE - THANK YOU CARDS
1984, 1986, n.d.
Cards sent in recognition of condolences and donations

SUBJECT/CASE FILES.

EXAMINATION ON RULES, NYCRR
1947
Examination on rules for the government of the Operating Dept., New York Central System, taken by G.E. Morrison

MINNIE TRADER TRIAL
Sept 1905
Excerpt copied from Lodge minutes detailing charges of adultery against Sister Minnie Trader. Original located at the end of the minutes volume for 1904-1910

FINANCIAL DOCUMENTS

TREASURER'S STATEMENTS
1966-1984
Quarterly, semi-annual, and annual financial report forms

TREASURER'S ADMISSION/INSURANCE FORMS
n.d.
Blank forms used to submit information for membership or insurance, used by the Lodge treasurers

BOARD OF TRUSTEES ANNUAL FINANCIAL REPORT
1984, 1987
Printed report of the annual audit by the Board of Trustees, Ladies Auxiliary of the United Transportation Union

INTERNATIONAL SECRETARY-TREASURER ANNUAL FINANCIAL REPORT
1987
Spreadsheet report of the Secretary-Treasurer, Ladies Auxiliary of the United Transportation Union of receipts and expenditures

TREASURER'S DAYBOOKS
1955-1984
Daily record of Lodge 196 income and expenditures

DUES LEDGERS/ACCOUNT BOOKS
1900-1967
Cashbook and combined ledger including dues income and other expenses

MISCELLANEOUS FINANCIAL RECORDS
1931-1984 (scattered)
Bank balance and interest statements, passbooks, and dues payments

PRINTED MATERIAL

CERTIFICATES
1893, 1900
Charters of Lodge 196 in Dayton and Lodge 530 in Portsmouth (Encapsulated)

PAMPHLETS
1928, 1966, 1971, 1979
Constitution, by-laws, and general rule books of the Ladies Auxiliary, BRT and UTU

PAMPHLETS
1938
Testimony and Arguments on behalf of the Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen to the President's Emergency Board

BOOKS
1966
Ritual book of the Ladies Auxiliary

PERIODICALS
1940, 1942
Auxiliary Review (v.1, no. 10; v. 4. no.2)

LEAFLETS
n.d.
Hymn cards with words for use during funeral and other services

POSTERS
n.d.
Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen Poster (encapsulated)

ARTIFACTS

MISCELLANEOUS ARTIFACTS
n.d.
Rubber stamps, BRT pocket protector, Lodge 196 embossing seal, Bibles used in Lodge ceremonies, and ribbon from Auxiliary no. 328 in Willard Ohio

BANNER
n.d.
Hanging cloth banner of Oak Leaf Lodge no. 196

Inventory

Box 1

Folder

1. Minutes, Dec 14, 1900-Dec 21, 1903
2. Minutes, Jan 7, 1904-Nov 3, 1910
3. Minutes/Roll Call, Nov 16, 1910-Dec 16, 1910; Jan 3, 1901-Mar 16, 1905
4. Minutes, Dec 21, 1910-June 17, 1918
5. Minutes/Roll Call, July 5, 1936-Dec 16, 1954
6. Minutes, Jan 20, 1955-June 15, 1960
7. Minutes, July 20, 1960-April 25, 1973

Box 2

Folder

1. Minutes, May 23, 1973-Jan 1984
2. Roll Call of Officers, Jan 1956-July 1964
3. Meeting Attendance, Feb 7, 1968-Feb 24, 1988
4. Membership Applications/Readmit/Transfer, 1910-1987
5. Lodge Directory, 1988-1989
6. Membership Bulletins, Feb 23, 1977-Oct 20, 1987
7. Correspondence - Grand Lodge BRT, Aug 1, 1916
8. Correspondence - Grand Lodge BRT, Aug 16, 1950-May 10, 1971
9. Correspondence - Grand Lodge UTU, Jan 15, 1981-Dec 15, 1983
10. Correspondence - Grand Lodge UTU, Feb 1984-Jan 12, 1990
11. Correspondence re: 1967 Annual Meeting, Nov 7, 1966-Sept 30, 1967
12. Correspondence - Thank you cards, 1984, 1986, n.d.
13. Examination on rules for the government of the Operating Dept., 1937, 1947
14. Trial of Sister Minnie Trader, 1905

Box 3

Folder

1. Treasurer's Quarterly Statements, March 1966-April 1969
2. Treasurer's Assessment Statements, March 1975-Sept 1981
3. Quarterly Financial Reports, July 20, 1966-May 20, 1983
4. Semi-Annual Financial Reports, Jan 1983-Jan 1984
5. Annual Financial Report, 1966-1969, 1975-1984
6. Treasurer's Admission/Insurance Forms, n.d.
7. Report of the Board of Trustees, 1984/1987
8. International Secretary/Treasurer's Report, 1987
9. Treasurer's Day Book, Jan 1955-Aug 1964
10. Treasurer's Day Book, Aug 1964-Jan 1974
11. Treasurer's Day Book, Jan 1974-Jan 1984
12. Dues Ledger/Account Book, 1900-1902
13. Dues Ledger/Account Book, 1903-1905

Box 4

Folder

1. Dues Ledger, 1906-1907
2. Dues Ledger/Account book, 1905-1910; 1951-1955
3. Balance and Interest Statements, 1968-1984
4. Savings Books, 1931-1981
5. Dues Payment Receipts, 1967-1970
6. Constitution and General Rules - L.A., 1928
7. Constitution/By-laws - Revisions/Additions, 1966
8. Constitution/General Rules - UTU, Jan 1, 1971
9. Constitution - United Transportation Union, Sept. 1, 1979
10. Testimony and Arguments on behalf of the Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen to President's Emergency Board, October 1938
11. Ritual book, 1966
12. Auxiliary Review (v.1, no. 10; v. 4, no.2), 1940; 1942
13. Funeral Hymn Cards, n.d.

Box 5

Folder

1. Lodge Bibles (2), n.d.
2. Conductor's Train Book (blank), n.d.
3. Miscellaneous artifacts (Lodge Rubber Stamps, BRT Pocket Protector, Ribbon of BRT Auxiliary no. 328, Willard, Ohio, n.d.
4. Oak Leaf Lodge no. 196 Banner, n.d.

Wrapped/Encapsulated

1. Minutes, July 3, 1918-Jan 4, 1929
2. Dues Ledger/Account Book, 1911-1948
3. Dues Ledger/Account Book, 1949-1956
4. Dues Ledger/Account Book, 1956-1967
5. Charter, Lodge no. 196 (Dayton), 1900
6. Charter, Lodge 530 (Portsmouth), 1893
7. Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen Poster, n.d.
8. Lodge seal embosser, n.d.

Manuscripts by Subject | Labor Collections