Ventimiglia Society of Chicago records

Ventimiglia Society of Chicago records, 1911-1991

Descriptive Inventory for the Collection at Chicago History Museum, Research Center

By Joseph C. Dane, Intern, 2009

Chicago History Museum, Research Center

1601 North Clark Street

Chicago, IL 60614-6038

Web-site: http://www.chicagohistory.org/research

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Title: Ventimiglia Society of Chicago records [manuscript], 1911-1991

Main entry: Ventimiglia Society of Chicago

Inclusive dates: 1911-1991

Size: 6.5 linear ft. (16 boxes)

Restriction: Boxes 12-15 are closed to researchers.

Accession numbers: 2008.0188.1

Provenance statement: Gift of Ralph Blust (2008.0188.1).

Terms governing use: Copyright may be retained by the creators of items or their descendents, as stipulated by United States copyright law, unless otherwise noted.

Please cite this collection as: Ventimiglia Society of Chicago records (Chicago History Museum) plus a detailed description, date, and box/folder number of a specific item.

This descriptive inventory contains the following sections:

Biographical/historical note,

Summary description of the collection,

Description of some material related to the collection,

List of online catalog headings about the collection,

Arrangement of the collection,

Detailed description of archival series in the collection,

List of contents of the collection.

Biographical/historical note:

The Ventimiglia Society of Chicago (VSC) was founded on May 1, 1911, by immigrants from Ventimiglia di Sicilia, a town in the Province of Palermo, Sicily, that also is called "Calamigna." The purpose of the Society was to commemorate in church the feast of Our Holy Mary of the Rosary on the first Sunday of October each year; to promote material benefits and welfare for the members; to develop and enhance their intellectual forces; and to aid and protect each other in sickness, death, or other emergencies. The Society closed in 1990-1991.

The organization was incorporated under the laws of Illinois on June 25, 1912, and limited membership to "Ventimigliesi," who were defined in the VSC's constitution and bylaws as, "...people who are natives of Ventimiglia Sicula, children of natives and descendents of natives." The term also extended to people of either sex who married a person who was a "Ventimigliesi."

The society began with only 55 members but continued to grow through the years. However, in the early 1980s, membership began to decline, and the group decided to suspend meetings but continue to pay sick and death benefits. By 1990, the VSC officially disbanded and distributed its remaining funds in 1991 among its last members, approximately 315 people.

Summary description of the collection:

Correspondence, reports, lists, constitution, bylaws, newsletters and flyers for events, minutes, raffle information, check stubs, receipts, and statements of medical and death benefits for members of the Ventimiglia Society of Chicago, a mutual benefit organization of Italian Americans from Sicily that also sponsored various social and religious events, such as the society's anniversary celebration on or near May 1st each year; the annual feast celebration for Our Holy Mary of the Rosary; and an annual Christmas party.

The society's constitution and bylaws state that the discussion at the meetings will be in Italian, and therefore the records are in Italian until the 1960s. Newsletters were published in March, June, September, and December of every year and carried information on members who passed away, births, birthdays, and other events, as well as advertisements from member businesses. The collection includes newsletters from 1980 to 1982.

Description of some materials related to the collection:

Related materials at Chicago History Museum, Research Center, include the Ventimiglia Society of Chicago photograph collection (2008.0188.2-8abc) and artifacts in Decorative and Industrial Arts.

List of online catalog headings about the collection:

The following index headings for this collection were entered in the online catalog.

Subjects:

Ventimiglia Society of Chicago--Archives.

Catholics--Illinois--Chicago--20th century.

Fraternal organizations--Illinois--Chicago--20th century.

Immigrants--Illinois--Chicago--20th century.

Insurance--Illinois--Chicago--20th century.

Italian Americans--Illinois--Chicago--20th century.

Chicago (Ill.)--Social conditions--20th century.

Sicily (Italy)--Emigration and immigration--20th century.

Form/genre:

Correspondence.

Membership lists.

Minutes.

Newsletters.

Reports.

Added entries:

United States--Illinois--Cook County--Chicago.

Arrangement of the collection:

Series 1. Minutes, 1911-1991 (box 1-5)

Series 2. Financial files, 1936-1991 (box 6-9)

Series 3. Membership files, 1911-1991 (box 10-15)

Restriction: Box 12-15 are closed to researchers.

Series 4. Other materials, 1955-1991 (box 16)

Detailed description of archival series in the collection:

Series 1. Minutes, 1911-1991 (box 1-5)

Series 1 consists of minutes from monthly meetings held by the VSC that contain information on admission, correspondence, committees, cancellations, member standings, expenses, and bank balances. Until the 1960s, the volumes were composed only in Italian; the subsequent minutes are a mix of Italian and English. This series is arranged chronologically.

Series 2. Financial files, 1936-1991 (box 6-9)

Series 2 contains bank and investment statements, correspondence with the Internal Revenue Service regarding the VSC's non profit status, tax forms, reports, deceased member listings and payments, mortuary funds statements, bonds, check stubs, sick and death benefit correspondence, and financial reports. Also included in this series are membership numbers and event invoices, expenses, and raffle winners. The records are organized chronologically.

Series 3. Membership files, 1911-1991 (box 10-15) Restriction: Box 12-15 are closed to researchers. Series 3 contains materials related to the members of the Society. Types of information included are their birthdays, the day they joined Ventimiglia, and expenses that were paid to them for medical and death benefits. There are also notices of cancellation, suspension, dropped out, and deceased members, etc. Boxes 12-15 are closed to researchers.

Series 4. Other materials, 1955-1991 (box 16)

Series 4 contains files on the past presidents of the society from 1911-1971, a packet of the constitution and bylaws including amendments in both Italian and English, holiday cards sent to the society, newsletters and flyers, and materials concerning the 75th Anniversary celebration in 1986, including the anniversary tickets, responses, and a letter announcing the event. The series is arranged chronologically.

List of contents of the collection:

Series 1. Minutes, 1911-1991 (box 1-5)

Box 1

volumes:

1 Register 1, 1911-1921

2 Register 2, 1921-1932

Box 2

volumes:

1 Register 3, 1933-1938

2 Register 4, 1938-1944

3 Register 5, 1944-1945

Box 3

folders:

1-2 Register 6, 1945-1951

3-4 Register 7, 1952-1957

5-6 Register 7, continued 1957-1962

Box 4

folders:

1-5 Minutes, 1963-1969

6-9 Minutes, 1964-1968

10-11 Minutes, 1969-1970

Box 5

folders:

1-5 Minutes, 1970-1975

6 Minutes, 1976-1977

7-11 Minutes, 1976-1982

12 Calendar, 1980

13 Minutes, 1983-1991

Series 2. Financial files, 1936-1991 (box 6-9)

Box 6

folders:

1 25th Anniversary celebration budget, 1936

2 Federal income tax, bank signature applications, bond insurance, treasurer and financial secretary 1945-1983

3 Annual report, 1945, 1984, 1986

4 Christmas party income and expenses, 1950-1979

5-7 Supreme council payments deceased members financial statements, 1959-[1983]

8-10 Mortuary fund annual statements, 1961-[1982]

11 Bond, 1968-1983

Box 7

folders:

1 Check stubs, 1970-1982

2-5 Sick and death benefits, 1970-1976

6-7 Expenses, 1970-1976

Box 8

folders:

1-2 Expenses, 1970-1976

3-4 Financial reports with membership standings, 1972-[1982]

5 Ventimiglia Society copy doctor's list, 1974-1982

6-8 Cancelled checks, bank statements, and check stubs 1984 and prior, 1974, 1978-1984

Box 9

folders:

1 Annual picnic and raffle, 1976, 1978-1981

2-5 Expenses invoices, 1977-1982

6 Financial reports, 1980-1991

Series 3. Membership files, 1911-1991 (box 10-15)

Restriction: Box 12-15 are closed to researchers.

Series 3 contains materials related to the members of the Society. Types of information included are their birthdays, the day they joined Ventimiglia, and expenses that were paid to them for medical and death benefits. There are also notices of cancellation, suspension, dropped out, and deceased members, etc. Boxes 12-15 are closed to researchers.

Box 10

folders:

1-3 Register of active women, 1911

4-7 Letters to the secretary, notices of death, 1943-1966

8-9 Deceased women, 1959-[1982]

Box 11

folders:

1-3 Members deceased, suspended, cancelled, and dropped out, ca. 1960-1980

4 Schedule of benefits, 1968

5 Members deceased or cancelled, ca. 1980

6 Master list, 1983

7-8 Members, 1983-1987

9 Beneficiary letters (blank), 1984

10-12 Member and beneficiary lists, 1984-1988

13 Dissolution papers (blank), 1990-1991

14 Deceased members, 1991

15 Change of contact information (blank)

16 [Mortuary benefit] certificate (blank)

Box 12-15 Restriction: Closed to researchers

Series 4. Other materials, 1955-1991 (box 16)

Box 16

folders:

1 Presidents, 1911-1971

2 Bylaws and constitution, 1955, 1959

3 Holiday cards, 1974, 1976

4 Newsletters and flyers, 1978-1982

5 75th Anniversary celebrations, 1986