Foresters of America. Court Concordia, No. 119 (Sacramento, Calif.) and Court Sacramento, No. 12 (Sacramento, Calif.) records, 1881-1960

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Summary

Creators:
Foresters of America. Court Concordia, No. 119 (Sacramento, Calif.) and Foresters of America. Court Sacramento, No. 12 (Sacramento, Calif.)
Abstract:
The Foresters of America Court Concordia, No. 119 (Sacramento, Calif.) and Court Sacramento, No. 12 (Sacramento, Calif.) collection is comprised primarily of meeting minutes and financial records of the Foresters of America, Court Concordia No. 119 and Court Sacramento No. 12 from 1884-1960. The Foresters of America (F of A) was an American fraternal and benevolent organization that supported its membership with medical assistance, weekly sick benefits, burial benefits and support during times of unemployment or hardship. The Foresters of America also had social benefits, along with the financial. Its motto was "Liberty, Unity, Benevolence and Concord."
Extent:
13 Linear Feet (14 boxes + 6 volumes)
Language:
English and Languages represented in the collection: English , German
Preferred citation:

[Identification of item and/or item number], [box and folder number], Foresters of America. Court Concordia, No. 119 (Sacramento, Calif.) and Court Sacramento, No. 12 (Sacramento, Calif.) records, MS0016, Center for Sacramento History.

Background

Scope and content:

The collection is made up primarily of meeting minutes and financial records of Foresters of America Court Concordia No. 119 and Court Sacramento No. 12 from 1884-1960. Membership materials include medical information. Among the artifacts is a tasseled velvet Court Concordia collar/shawl (undated), ribbons and medallions, and a container with different colored stones. Also included are some poster-sized certificates and a Foresters card with odes and the words to songs dating to circa 1906. Three group photographs can be found under Administrative records—membership—photographs, box 12. The collection has been organized into three series, Administrative records, Artifacts and Financial records.

Series 1. Administrative records: This series is primarily made up of large minute books in large books and ledgers. Court Concordia minutes are mostly in German although membership information is in both English and German. Court Sacramento materials are entirely in English. One box of documents (Box 11) contains correspondence, newsletters, event flyers and recruitment information and other ephemera mostly dating from the 1938 to 1949, although the range is 1894-1959. Membership information is contained in ledgers. Also included are applications for membership along with medical forms; three group photographs; certificates; and three records of proceedings of annual sessions of the Grand Court of California dating from 1949-1959.

Series 2. Artifacts: This series contains a variety of committee ribbons, pins, and medallions, in addition to a velvet collar/shawl and a wooden box with different colored stones.

Series 3. Financial Records: These records span the period 1894-1960 and included ledgers, cash books, reports, stock ledgers, and certificates, as well as cancelled checks.

Biographical / historical:

The Foresters of America (F of A) was an American fraternal and benevolent organization that supported its membership with medical assistance, weekly sick benefits, burial benefits and support during times of unemployment or hardship. The Foresters of America also had social benefits, along with the financial. Its motto was "Liberty, Unity, Benevolence and Concord." A member of a Court became a member of the organization regardless of location, meaning that benefits moved with the member, a novel feature at the time and one that inspired the inception of the Royal Foresters at Knaresborough Castle, England in 1745. In 1834, its name was changed to the Ancient Order of Foresters. By 1874, the Canadian and American branches separated from the Ancient Order of Foresters to form the Independent Order of Foresters, headquartered in Canada. Separation from British friendly society administration was completed by 1889 when became the Ancient Order of Foresters of America. It then changed its name to Foresters of America in 1895. This is shown by the transition from Court Concordia No. 8393 to Court Concordia No. 119 on the same day as Court Sacramento No. 6742 became Court Sacramento No. 12 in the minute books.

According to Stacy C. Hollander (2016) in her exhibition label for an Foresters of America ceremonial axe, the stories surrounding the Robin Hood legend and the biblical Garden of Eden influenced the rituals, regalia and props of the Ancient Order of Foresters, and thus that of the Foresters of America. The terminology used come from the British medieval forest courts: court instead of lodge, for example, and officers called Chief Ranger (President) or Woodwards. Today, the Foresters and Foresters Financial are trademarks and trade names of the Independent Order of Foresters. Foresters Financial is an international financial services provider for life insurance, savings, retirement, and other financial products. These companies operate in the US, Canada and the UK.

Acquisition information:
This collection was donated by Heinz Ludke and the Sacramento Turn Verein. It includes administrative records, ledgers, minutes, financial records, photographs and certificates dating from 1884 -1960. Accession number: 2008/036.
Processing information:

Processing and finding aid by Lynn Aiello, 2019.

Arrangement:

The collection is arranged in 3 series:

  • Series 1. Administrative records
  • Subseries 1.1. Meeting minutes
  • Subseries 1.2. Correspondence and other related
  • Subseries 1.3. Membership
  • Subseries 1.4. Certificates
  • Subseries 1.5. Medical
  • Subseries 1.6. Photographs
  • Subseries 1.7. Proceedings
  • Subseries 1.8. Reports
  • Series 2. Artifacts
  • Series 3. Financial records
  • Subseries 3.1: Financial records
  • Subseries 3.2: Reports

Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Access and use

Restrictions:

Collection is open for research use.

Terms of access:

All requests to publish or quote from private manuscripts held by the Center for Sacramento History (CSH) must be submitted in writing to the archivist. Permission for publication is given on behalf of CSH as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the patron. No permission is necessary to publish or quote from public records.

Preferred citation:

[Identification of item and/or item number], [box and folder number], Foresters of America. Court Concordia, No. 119 (Sacramento, Calif.) and Court Sacramento, No. 12 (Sacramento, Calif.) records, MS0016, Center for Sacramento History.

Location of this collection:
551 Sequoia Pacific Blvd.
Sacramento, CA 95811, US
Contact:
(916) 808-7072
csh@cityofsacramento.org
Website