United Commercial Travelers of America, Fargo Council No. 65 Records
Collection
Identifier: Mss 278
Abstract
Local Fargo council of national organization uniting fraternally all commercial travelers and wholesale salesmen.
Dates
- 1898-1950.
Creator
- Thorsell, Leonard, 1872-1939. (Person)
Access
The collection is open under the rules and regulations of the NDSU Archives.
Copyrights
Copyrights to this collection held by the NDSU Archives.
History
The Order of United Commercial Travelers of America was founded in 1888 with the purpose of uniting
fraternally all commercial travelers and wholesale salesmen. It was a secret society with local lodges
called councils, chartered by state lodges called grand councils. The international headquarters was and
continues to be headquartered in Columbus, Ohio. Today it is a non-profit fraternal benefit society
offering its members various insurance products and other benefits. UCT also pursues community service
activities including youth programs, public safety and drug awareness campaigns, cancer education and
prevention, and aid to people with mental retardation. With a total membership of nearly 90,000, UCT currently has 416 local councils and operates in 47 states, the District of Columbia and 10 provinces of
Canada.
Fargo Council No. 65 was organized September 24, 1894 by supreme counselor A.J. Dowd of Chicago, Illinois. Meetings were held in the Knights of Pythias hall until 1895 when they moved to the Odd Fellows Hall. In 1910 it moved to the A.O.U.W. The Grand Council for Minnesota and North Dakota was organized September 29, 1894 at Duluth, of which the Fargo council was a member. By 1895 the Fargo council had eighty-one members and increased to 516 by 1924. In 1950 they had 517 members. By 1987 the council was still in existence, although further details are not known regarding membership.
Fargo Council No. 65 was organized September 24, 1894 by supreme counselor A.J. Dowd of Chicago, Illinois. Meetings were held in the Knights of Pythias hall until 1895 when they moved to the Odd Fellows Hall. In 1910 it moved to the A.O.U.W. The Grand Council for Minnesota and North Dakota was organized September 29, 1894 at Duluth, of which the Fargo council was a member. By 1895 the Fargo council had eighty-one members and increased to 516 by 1924. In 1950 they had 517 members. By 1987 the council was still in existence, although further details are not known regarding membership.
Extent
1 Linear Feet (1 linear ft.)
Language of Materials
English
Provenance
Donated by the Council, 1987 (Acc. 2207).
Separation record
10 photographic prints processed into Photo 2148 and Oversize 5.21.
Property rights
The NDSU Archives owns the property rights to this collection.
Scope and Content
The records of the Fargo Council No. 65 were found in the garage of a south Fargo home by a new
owner. He brought them in 1986 to the Cass County Historical Society at Bonanzaville which in turn
forwarded the records to the Institute for Regional Studies. In 1987 the council deeded the records to the
Institute. Although inquiry was made regarding additional records of the council, none were ever
received. The records received are not complete, especially the meeting minutes. There are no records
after 1950. The records have been organized into five series: Constitutions and by-laws, Meeting minutes,
Membership, Grand Council of Minnesota and North Dakota proceedings, and Subject files. In addition
ten photographs were separated and processed as Photograph Collection 2148.
The Constitutions and By-laws Series includes seven booklets spanning from 1934 to 1950 that cover the supreme, grand and local councils, and were published by the international headquarters in Columbus, Ohio. There are no by-laws or constitutions that apply only to the Fargo council.
The Meeting Minutes Series is very incomplete and covers only from 1898-1902, 1914-1919 and 1940- 1946. The first two runs of minutes are recorded in bound volumes, while those from the 1940s are typed on individual sheets of paper. There is also a folder of meeting minutes for the Executive Committee covering the years 1939 to 1947.
The Membership Series includes an undated ledger of members that also includes their membership number, actions taken such as transferred, suspended, died, etc. The book appears to cover from circa 1900 to 1928, based upon the actions taken. There is also a “Signature Book” dating from 1921 to 1931 that contains signatures of perhaps new members agreeing to abide by the constitution and by-laws. Finally there are several reinstatement slips from 1942.
North Dakota local councils were part of the Minnesota and North Dakota Grand Council which met annually within the region. The Proceedings Series contains the published annual proceedings for the years 1915 through 1921 and for 1946, 1948 and 1950. Each is a substantial booklet with minutes of the annual meeting, committee reports, membership statistics, financial reports and listing of local councils.
The Subject Files Series includes a number of interesting items. There are two histories of the local council. One was prepared by L. Thorsell in 1923. The other is a formal published booklet, published in 1924, that includes histories of the supreme, grand and local councils. It also contains numerous photographs, list of deceased members and current membership. The Manuals include one for the funeral ceremony (1921) and two for general meetings (1905 & 1925). The two installation ceremony manuals appear to be made locally. The Resolutions folder includes three resolutions from 1905 related to railroad transportation issues. There are six Ritual booklets issued by the international office that span from 1910 to 1942. They include how to conduct regular meetings and text to be used. The U.C.T. Song sheet contains the words for what likely was the official song sung by members. It was to be sung to Marching Through Georgia.
The Constitutions and By-laws Series includes seven booklets spanning from 1934 to 1950 that cover the supreme, grand and local councils, and were published by the international headquarters in Columbus, Ohio. There are no by-laws or constitutions that apply only to the Fargo council.
The Meeting Minutes Series is very incomplete and covers only from 1898-1902, 1914-1919 and 1940- 1946. The first two runs of minutes are recorded in bound volumes, while those from the 1940s are typed on individual sheets of paper. There is also a folder of meeting minutes for the Executive Committee covering the years 1939 to 1947.
The Membership Series includes an undated ledger of members that also includes their membership number, actions taken such as transferred, suspended, died, etc. The book appears to cover from circa 1900 to 1928, based upon the actions taken. There is also a “Signature Book” dating from 1921 to 1931 that contains signatures of perhaps new members agreeing to abide by the constitution and by-laws. Finally there are several reinstatement slips from 1942.
North Dakota local councils were part of the Minnesota and North Dakota Grand Council which met annually within the region. The Proceedings Series contains the published annual proceedings for the years 1915 through 1921 and for 1946, 1948 and 1950. Each is a substantial booklet with minutes of the annual meeting, committee reports, membership statistics, financial reports and listing of local councils.
The Subject Files Series includes a number of interesting items. There are two histories of the local council. One was prepared by L. Thorsell in 1923. The other is a formal published booklet, published in 1924, that includes histories of the supreme, grand and local councils. It also contains numerous photographs, list of deceased members and current membership. The Manuals include one for the funeral ceremony (1921) and two for general meetings (1905 & 1925). The two installation ceremony manuals appear to be made locally. The Resolutions folder includes three resolutions from 1905 related to railroad transportation issues. There are six Ritual booklets issued by the international office that span from 1910 to 1942. They include how to conduct regular meetings and text to be used. The U.C.T. Song sheet contains the words for what likely was the official song sung by members. It was to be sung to Marching Through Georgia.
- Businessmen -- Minnesota.
- Businessmen -- North Dakota.
- Businessmen -- Societies, etc.
- Fraternal organizations -- Minnesota.
- Fraternal organizations -- North Dakota.
- Trade associations -- North Dakota.
- Traveling sales personnel -- Minnesota.
- Traveling sales personnel -- North Dakota -- Fargo.
- Traveling sales personnel -- Societies, etc.
- United Commercial Travelers of America.
- United Commercial Travelers of America. Fargo Council No. 65 (Fargo, N.D.)
- United Commercial Travelers of America. Grand Council of Minnesota and North Dakota.
Creator
- Title
- Finding Aid to the United Commercial Travelers of America, Fargo Council No. 65 (Fargo, N.D.) Records
- Description rules
- Appm
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the Institute for Regional Studies Repository
Contact:
West Building N
3551 7th Avenue North
Fargo North Dakota 58102 United States
ndsu.archives@ndsu.edu
West Building N
3551 7th Avenue North
Fargo North Dakota 58102 United States
ndsu.archives@ndsu.edu