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

Introduction

The records of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America Local Union 1581 of Napoleon, Ohio were donated to the Center for Archival Collections in October 1997 through the cooperation of William Booth, Business Representative of Local 1581, and Kristin R. Dusseau, a graduate archives assistant for the Center in 1997. Literary and property rights have been dedicated to the public and duplication is permitted for the purpose of preservation and scholarly research.

The records of Carpenters Local 1581 are divided between three Locals that merged to form Local 1581 in 1973: Carpenters Local Union 1825 of Bowling Green, Ohio, Carpenters Local Union 2180 of Defiance, Ohio, and Carpenters Local Union 822 of Findlay, Ohio. The entire collection includes three and a half linear feet of minutes, dues ledgers, financial reports, correspondence, membership rosters, job referrals, and miscellaneous printed material dating from 1935 to 1973. The records dating after 1973 are located within the offices of Local 1581 in Napoleon.

Agency History

Carpenter Locals throughout Northwest Ohio work together in a cooperative effort to assist their members in securing employment with competitive, fair wages and benefits that provide a life-long, healthy standard of living. Moreover, the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners diligently upholds the dignity of labor, and a higher standard of skill for their members. In that, the objectives of the first Carpenter Union chartered in Northwest Ohio in 1897 have not changed in the efforts of Carpenters Local Union 1581.

Local 1581 of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America was organized out of a merger between three Locals in 1973: Carpenters 1825, of Bowling Green, Ohio, Carpenters 2180 of Defiance, Ohio, and Carpenters 822 of Findlay, Ohio. Individually these local unions survived from 1935 until 1973 with membership peaking at around one-hundred active members in the mid 1960's. The original charter of Defiance Local 2180 dates from May of 1938.

Currently, Carpenters Local Union 1581 is located at 111 East Clinton Street, Napoleon, Ohio 43545. Further inquiry about the union may be made to William Booth, Business Representative for Local 1581.

Scope and Content

The collection of Carpenter Local 1581 contains vital information about daily union activity. More importantly, however, this collection documents the rise, and the eventual disbandment of three individual locals, providing essential information and history on the general trends of the labor movement in Northwest Ohio. While the records of all three locals are scattered in the early years, the minutes of Carpenters Locals 2180 of Defiance, Ohio span the entire length of its history, uninterrupted. Moreover, the minutes of Carpenters Local 1825 of Bowling Green, Ohio provide relatively consistent, linear history of the local despite its gaps. Approximately one-half of this collection consists of bound volumes of minutes. The other half are dues ledgers, financial documents, and miscellaneous correspondence and printed material.

The dues ledgers and financial documents are plentiful for all three locals, and provide a comprehensive financial history. These records both provide statistical information about members, officials, and the locals themselves, and document the way in which union money was spent; they document union pension policies, the salaries of union officials, and the financial priorities of all three locals. The bulk of the dues ledgers come from Carpenters 2180 of Defiance, Ohio, and date from 1950 to the early 1970's. The financial statements are from Carpenters 1825 of Bowling Green, Ohio and are concentrated from 1960 to 1970. The financial records for Carpenters 822 of Findlay are in the form of Treasurer's Cash Books, a chronological listing of union expenses dating from 1966 to 1973.

The minutes of Carpenters 1825 are scattered from 1935 to 1941 with a gap from 1942 until 1946. They are complete, however, from 1946 to 1971. The minutes of Carpenters 2180 of Defiance, Ohio span its entire history from its inception in May of 1938 to the merger into Carpenters 1581 of Napoleon in 1973.

While the strength of the collection lies in the relatively complete series of minutes of both Carpenters 1825 and Carpenters 2180 in documenting motions made and carried, business conducted, election results, and committee reports, the researcher might find the correspondence, though limited, helpful for information on union policy. Moreover, the newsletter publications, dating circa 1950, are particularly interesting for their insights on union codes of behavior; and the job referrals provide adequate summations of local carpenter job activity. Completing the collection is a newspaper clipping of those carpenter union members distinguished for their long service to their locals, and a union cartoon.

Series Description

PROCEEDINGS

MINUTES - CARPENTERS LOCAL 1825, BOWLING GREEN, OHIO
1935-1937; 1939-1941 (scattered); 1946-1971
Arranged chronologically
Records contain summaries of all motions, recommendations, communications, reports, and the status of individual members within the union.

MINUTES - CARPENTERS LOCAL 2180, DEFIANCE, OHIO
1938-1973
Arranged chronologically
Records contain summaries of all motions, recommendations, communications, reports, and the status of individuals members within the union.

MEMBERSHIP ROSTER - CARPENTERS LOCAL 1825, B.G, OHIO
1970; 1973
Arranged chronologically
Records contain a list of local 1825 members, and their social security numbers.

MEMBERSHIP ATTENDANCE ROSTER - CARPENTERS 2180, DEFIANCE,OH
1965-1970
Arranged chronologically
Records contain lists of members in attendance for local meetings.

CORRESPONDENCE

CORRESPONDENCE - CARPENTERS 1825, BOWLING GREEN, OHIO
1966; 1967
Arranged chronologically
Records contain correspondence with the Northwest Ohio Building and Construction Trades Council, and the Maumee Valley District Council of Carpenters. Correspondence is of a financial nature.

CORRESPONDENCE - CARPENTERS 2180, DEFIANCE, OHIO
1958; 1972
Arranged chronologically
Records are miscellaneous from local contractors , and from the Ohio State Council of Carpenters.

REPORTS

BUSINESS AGENT REPORT - CARPENTERS 2180, DEFIANCE, OHIO
1958
Record contains dates and listings of contractors and carpenter jobs.

JOB REFERRALS - CARPENTERS 2180, DEFIANCE, OHIO
1948-1953
Arranged chronologically
Records contain a summary list of construction jobs by contractor. It includes local members on the job, permits, and limited steward reports.

JOB REFERRALS - CARPENTERS 822, FINDLAY, OHIO
1953-1957
Arranged chronologically
Records contain a summary list of constructions jobs by contractor. It includes local members on the job, permits, and limited steward reports.

LEGAL DOCUMENTS

AGREEMENT - CARPENTERS 2180, DEFIANCE, OHIO
1950
Record contains the names of parties included in the agreement, the date of the signing, articles of the agreement, signatures, and an addendum.

FINANCIAL DOCUMENTS

DAY BOOKS - CARPENTERS 1825, BOWLING GREEN, OHIO
1969-1973
Arranged chronologically
Records contain the names of individual members of local 1825, and the date that their dues were paid. Includes a record of suspensions as well..

DAY BOOKS - CARPENTERS LOCAL 2180, DEFIANCE, OHIO
1942-1964
Arranged chronologically
Records contain the names of individual members of local 2180, and the date that their dues were paid. Includes a records of suspensions as well.

DUES LEDGERS - CARPENTERS LOCAL 2180, DEFIANCE, OHIO
1938-1953
Arranged chronologically
Records contain member names, addresses, dates of birth, dates of initiation, and dues paid. Listed alphabetically.

FINANCIAL LEDGERS - CARPENTERS 1825, BOWLING GREEN, OH
1966-1971
Arranged chronologically
Records consist of individual ledger sheets that contain lists of all union expenses by date, bills paid out, and dues amounts paid into local 1825.

FINANCIAL REPORTS - CARPENTERS 1825, BOWLING GREEN, OH
1966-1973
Arranged chronologically
Records contain list of local expenses and receipts kept by the Business Agent.

TREASURER'S CASH BOOKS - CARPENTERS 2180, DEFIANCE, OH
1956-1957
Arranged chronologically
Records contain list of local expenses by date.

TREASURER'S CASH BOOKS - CARPENTERS 822, FINDLAY, OHIO
1966-1973
Arranged chronologically
Records contain list of local expenses by date.

ACCOUNTING STATEMENTS - CARPENTERS 1825, B. G, OHIO
1966-1970
Arranged chronologically
Records contain expenses, receipts, dues paid, and an account balance of local funds, compiled by an accounting firm monthly.

ACCOUNTING LEDGER - CARPENTERS 1825, BOWLING GREEN,OHIO
1957 - 1967
Arranged chronologically

BOND REPORTS - CARPENTERS 2180, DEFIANCE, OHIO
Arranged chronologically
Records contain government bond application forms for the months of June and December.

PRINTED MATERIAL

UNION PUBLICATIONS - CARPENTERS 2180, DEFIANCE,OHIO
1950
Arranged chronologically
Newsletters from the National Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America.

NEWSPAPER CLIPPING - CARPENTERS 2180, DEFIANCE, OHIO
1965
Record contains a picture of distinguished carpenter union members.

BALLOT REFERENDUMS - CARPENTERS 1825, BOWLING GREEN, OH
1950; 1965
Arranged chronologically
Records consist of two referendums on additions to Carpenter constitution

Inventory

Box 1: Carpenters Local Union 1825, Bowling Green, OH

Folder

1. Minutes - October 1935; January-July 1936; October 1937; July-December 1939; February-April 1940; September-November 1940; February-April 1941
2. Minutes - December 1946; January 1947-August 1949
3. Minutes - September-December 1949; January 1950-Mar 53
4. Minutes - March 1953-December 1959
5. Minutes - December 1959-December 1967
6. Minutes - January 1968-August 1971
7. Membership Roster - 1970
8. Correspondence - NW OH Building and Construction Trades Council, 1969
9. Correspondence - Maumee Valley District Carpenters Council 1966
10. Day Book - January 1969-March 1971
11. Day Book - March 1971-May 1973
12. Financial Ledger Sheet - July-December 1966; June-December 1967
13. Financial Ledger Sheet - January-December 1968
14. Financial Ledger Sheet - January-December 1969
15. Financial Ledger Sheet - January-December 1970
16. Financial Ledger Sheet - January- June 1971
17. Financial Reports - January-December 1966; June-December 1967; January-July 1969; August-December 1970; January-July 1971; January-February 1973
18. Financial Statements - July-December 1960; January 1961-March 1963.
19. Accounting Statements - February-December 1966; January-December 1968
20. Accounting Statements - January-December 1969; January-June 1970
21. Ballot Referendum - 1950; 1965

Box 2: Carpenters Local Union 2180, Defiance, OH

Folder

1. Minutes - May 1938-August 1942
2. Minutes - August 1942-May 1946
3. Minutes - July 1946 - July 1950
4. Minutes - August 1950-June 1954
5. Minutes - July 1954-June 1958
6. Minutes - July 1958-July 1968
7. Minutes - July 1968-June 1973
8. Minutes, Officer Nomination Mtg- May 1967
9. Membership Attendance Roster - September 1965-December 1966
10. Membership Attendance Roster - January 1967-April 1968
11. Membership Attendance Roster- May 1968-April 1972
12. Membership Lists - 1970
13. Correspondence - Ohio State Council of Carpenters, n.d
14. Correspondence - Maumee Valley District Carpenters Council 1958 Williams County General Hospital, 1972
15. Business Agent Reports - June-July 1958
16. Job Referrals - May 1948 - December 1953 (scattered)
17. Agreement -General Building Contractors, 1950
18. Day Books -September 1942-December 1945
19. Day Book - June 1945-December 1947
20. Day Book - January-December 1948; January 1949
21. Day Book - February 1949-November 1950
22. Day Book - December 1950; January - October 1951
23. Day Book - October -December 1951; January 1952-February 1953
24. Day Book - March 1953-May 1954
25. Day Book - June 1954-April 1955
26. Day Book - May 1955-January 1956
27. Day Book - September 1956

Box 3: Carpenters Local Union 2180, Defiance, OH

Folder

1. Day Book - October 1956-April 1957
2. Day Book - April 1957-January 1958
3. Day Book - February-November 1958
4. Day Book - January 1959-January 1960
5. Day Book - March 1960 - June 1961
6. Day Book - July 1961-October 1962
7. Day Book - April-June 1964
8. Dues Ledger - 1938-1941
9. Dues Ledger - 1942-1945
10. Dues Ledger - 1946-1949
11. Dues Ledger - 1949-1953
12. Accounting Ledger - July 1957-December 1959
13. Accounting Ledger - January 1960-December 1961
14. Treasurer's Cash Book - 1956-1957
15. Bond Reports - 1939-1973, June and December
16. Union Publication- Current Information and Quarterly Circular, 1950

Box 4: Carpenters Local Union 822, Findlay, OH

Folder

1. Job Referral - 1953-1957, listed by contractor
2. Day Book - August 1970-June 1973
3. Expenditure Ledger - September 1963-November 1965
4. Expenditure Ledger - February 1968; April 1968-January 1970
5. Expenditure Ledger - 1968
6. Treasurer's Cash Book - July 1966-May 1968
7. Treasurer's Cash Book - June 1968-April 1970
8. Treasurer's Cash Book - May 1970-February 1972
9. Treasurer's Cash Book - May 1972-June 1973
10. Treasurer's Cash Book - 1972-1973

Manuscripts by Subject | Labor Collections