Contents and Arrangement Expanded View
Online

Collection Overview

Creator:
United Spanish War Veterans. Mrs. Edmund Rice Auxiliary
Title:
United Spanish War Veterans Mrs. Edmund Rice Auxiliary Meeting Records
Repository:
Manuscripts Division
Permanent URL:
http://arks.princeton.edu/ark:/88435/1r66j943s
Dates:
1906-1922
Size:
1 box, 2.0 linear feet, and (1 container)
Storage Note:
  • Firestone Library (scamss): Box P-000154
Language:
English

Abstract

Consists of three meeting ledgers documenting the activities of the Mrs. Edmund Rice Auxiliary of the United Spanish War Veterans, an American women's organization run by suffragists and philanthropists that advocated for veterans and their families during the first two decades of the 20th century, including during World War I.

Collection Description & Creator Information

Scope and Contents

Consists of three meeting ledgers documenting the activities of the Mrs. Edmund Rice Auxiliary of the United Spanish War Veterans, an American women's organization run by suffragists and philanthropists that advocated for veterans and their families during the first two decades of the 20th century, including during World War I. Spanning over 300 pages, the ledgers document the Wakefield, Massachusetts-based auxiliary's meetings, roll calls, officer votes, and projects as recorded by multiple women serving in the role of secretary. The ledgers begin in 1906 when the group was operating under the name Corporal Charles F. Parker Auxiliary, and shortly thereafter, they document the group's name change to the Mrs. Edmund Rice Auxiliary in November of 1906, with entries continuing under this name through 1922. Leaders serving in the role of secretary include Louise M. Parker (1868-1954), a member of the National Woman Suffrage Association and leader of women's clubs; Minnie Gihon, an active community member in Wakefield who was married to the National Commander of the USAWV; and (Anna) Myrtle Feindel, a woman from a nearby town who was married to a dairy farmer. In the organization's earlier years, Parker writes of the group's inaugural decisions, including bylaws, charitable priorities, and elections. Later entries further demonstrate how the organization's members carried out their work, taking roll calls, following Robert's Rules of Order, and conducting an internal audit of their books to ensure transparency. The group's projects during the period documented include establishing relief funds for veterans and their families, pursuing benefits for widows and dependents of soldiers killed in wars, organizing charity events, and making donations to libraries and other civic institutions, among other efforts. These ledgers provide evidence of how women were organizing in their communities as leaders for charitable purposes during an era where many of the same women were also organizing around women's suffrage.

Collection Creator Biography:

United Spanish War Veterans

United Spanish War Veterans

The Mrs. Edmund Rice Auxiliary was a women's philanthropic organization based in Wakefield, Massachusetts, that worked in concert with the United Spanish War Veterans, an American group composed of veterans of the Spanish-American War, the Philippine-American War, and the China Relief Expedition. Originally named the Corporal Charles F. Parker Auxiliary, the organization adopted the name Mrs. Edmund Rice Auxiliary on November 12, 1906. Initiated to aid soldiers and minister to the sick, the Auxiliary's membership was open to mothers, wives, daughters, and sisters of those fighting, as well as to nurses and women employed in military service. Its operations continued after World War I, with the Auxiliary adding to its mission the pursuit of benefits for widows and dependents of fallen soldiers, charitable and social events, donations to libraries, and other efforts. It is possible that the group's namesake, Mrs. Edmund Rice, refers to Elizabeth Huntington Rice (1849-1919), who was married to United States Army officer Edmund Rice (1842-1906).

Collection History

Acquisition:

Purchased from Whitmore Rare Books in 2021 (AM 2021-53).

Appraisal

No materials were separated from the collection during 2021 processing.

Sponsorship:

Processing of this collection was sponsored by the Delafield Fund.

Processing Information

This collection was processed by Kelly Bolding in March 2021. Finding aid written by Kelly Bolding in March 2021.

Access & Use

Conditions Governing Access

Open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

Single copies may be made for research purposes. To cite or publish quotations that fall within Fair Use, as defined under U. S. Copyright Law, no permission is required. For instances beyond Fair Use, it is the responsibility of the researcher to determine whether any permissions related to copyright, privacy, publicity, or any other rights are necessary for their intended use of the Library's materials, and to obtain all required permissions from any existing rights holders, if they have not already done so. Princeton University Library's Special Collections does not charge any permission or use fees for the publication of images of materials from our collections, nor does it require researchers to obtain its permission for said use. The department does request that its collections be properly cited and images credited. More detailed information can be found on the Copyright, Credit and Citations Guidelines page on our website. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us through the Ask Us! form.

Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements

For preservation reasons, original analog and digital media may not be read or played back in the reading room. Users may visually inspect physical media but may not remove it from its enclosure. All analog audiovisual media must be digitized to preservation-quality standards prior to use. Audiovisual digitization requests are processed by an approved third-party vendor. Please note, the transfer time required can be as little as several weeks to as long as several months and there may be financial costs associated with the process. Requests should be directed through the Ask Us Form.

Credit this material:

United Spanish War Veterans Mrs. Edmund Rice Auxiliary Meeting Records; Manuscripts Division, Department of Special Collections, Princeton University Library

Permanent URL:
http://arks.princeton.edu/ark:/88435/1r66j943s
Location:
Firestone Library
One Washington Road
Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
(609) 258-3184
Storage Note:
  • Firestone Library (scamss): Box P-000154