Archives West Finding Aid
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Ladies Auxiliary of the B.L.F.E. Liberty Lodge #397 Montpelier, Idaho, 1918-1943
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- Ladies Auxiliary of the B.L.F.E. Liberty Lodge 397
- Title
- Ladies Auxiliary of the B.L.F.E. Liberty Lodge #397 Montpelier, Idaho
- Dates
- 1918-1943 (inclusive)19181943
- Quantity
- 5 boxes, (3.25 linear feet)
- Collection Number
- UUS_Caine MSS 24
- Summary
- Records from the Ladies Auxiliary these include correspondence, financial records and lodge minutes
- Repository
-
Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library, Special Collections and Archives Division
Special Collections & Archives
Merrill-Cazier Library
Utah State University
Logan, UT
84322-3000
Telephone: 4357978248
Fax: 4357972880
scweb@usu.edu - Access Restrictions
-
No restrictions on use, except: not available through interlibrary loan.
- Languages
- English
Biographical NoteReturn to Top
The history of the labor movement in the Western United States is one dominated by the unions representing the major industries such as mining and railroading. The papers chronicle railroad union activity on the Oregon Shortline (later the Union Pacific) of Idaho, Utah, and Oregon. Specifically the collections contain records from the Women's auxiliary to the Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen and Enginemen. These records were found together in the Oddfellows Hall in Montpelier, Idaho, at which location the unions held their regular meetings. The records span the period from 1884 through 1954.
Construction of the Oregon Shortline Railroad, a subsidiary of the Union Pacific Railroad, began in 1881 and was finished in 1884. The line left the mainline of the U.P. at Granger, Wyoming and joined the Oregon Railway and Navigation Company line at Huntington, Oregon. By the end of 1882, the company had built 330 miles of track. The route of the road came through Montpelier, so that in 1883 this Idaho farming community became a division point for the railroad. By the turn of the century a shop and roundhouse had been built in the Idaho town. Town histories indicate that the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers established a lodge in 1883. Another union, the Brotherhood of Locomotive of Firemen's Re-Echo Lodge 195 moved their headquarters from Shoshone, Idaho to Montpelier in 1887. The earliest records in this collection chronicle the B.L.F.'s Re-Echo Lodge 195 and date back to 1884 when the lodge was headquartered in Shoshone, Idaho.
The railroad was a boon to Montpelier and became the main employer of that town into the 1950's. However, as trains became faster and more powerful and as engines changed from steam power to diesel, the need for a large railroad work force in Montpelier declined. By the 1950's many of the union men were moved to the divisional headquarters in Pocatello.
These railroad labor records cover important periods for the American labor movement. They document union activity through two world wars as well as the Great Depression. They also describe a period in which railroad employment played a key role in small western towns such a Montpelier, Idaho. In addition, the papers recount the difficulties of a manufacturing type of industry blending into a religious farming community.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
The papers contained in this collection are from the Women's Auxiliary of the B.L.F.E. This lodge began in 1918. Their activities revolved around helping Re-Echo Lodge 195. They helped with social functions, political action, and insurance policies. These records are primarily ledgers from meetings and a small correspondence file.
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
Restrictions on Use
It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain any necessary copyright clearances.
Permission to publish material from the Ladies Auxiliary of the B.L.F.E. Liberty Lodge #397 Montpelier, Idaho must be obtained from the Special Collections Manuscript Curator and/or the Special Collections Department Head.
Preferred Citation
Initial Citation: Ladies Auxiliary of the B.L.F.E. Liberty Lodge #397 Montpelier, Idaho USU_Caine MSS 24, Box [ ]. Special Collections and Archives. Utah State University Merrill-Cazier Library. Logan, Utah.
Following Citations:USU_Caine MSS 24, USUSCA.
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Arrangement
The correspondence are arranged alphabetically and the financial records are arranged chronologically.
Processing Note
Processed in May of 2006
Acquisition Information
The materials in this collection were purchased by USU Special Collections & Archives for inclusion in the Marie Eccles-Caine Archive of Intermountain Americana.
Related Materials
Fife, Kimball M. Montpelier, Idaho's locomotive firemen and enginemen : a community of railroaders, 1900-1920 (BOOK COLL 42 No. 87)
Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen Lodge #607 Montpelier, Idaho(CAINE MSS 23)
B.L.F.E. Re-Echo Lodge #195 Records, Montpelier, Idaho (CAINE MSS 22)
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
Correspondence, filed alphabetically, 1903-1945Return to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
---|---|---|---|
Box | Folder | ||
1 | 1 | A |
1940-1944 |
1 | 2 | B |
1927-1944 |
1 | 3 | C |
1931-1932 |
1 | 4 | D |
1929-1944 |
1 | 5 | E |
1934 and 1944 |
1 | 6 | G |
1930-1931 |
1 | 7 | H-J |
1929-1932 and 1944 |
1 | 8 | K-L |
1932-1934 and 1944 |
1 | 9 | M |
1903 and 1930-1944 |
1 | 10 | N-O |
1931 and 1936 |
1 | 11 | Q |
1930-1932 |
1 | 12-14 | S |
1929-1945 |
1 | 15 | T |
1929-1932 |
1 | 16 | W |
1929-1934 |
Financial records of Liberty Lodge 397, 1942-1949Return to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
---|---|---|---|
Box | Folder | ||
2 | 1 | Checkbook registers |
1942-1946 |
2 | 2 | Bank statements |
1942-1949 |
Financial records of Liberty Lodge 397, 1903-1949Return to Top
(bank deposits and receipts)
Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
---|---|---|---|
Box | Folder | ||
3 | 1 | Bank Deposits
Folders 2-15 contain lodge receipts
|
1944 |
3 | 2 | 1903-1904 |
1903-1904 |
3 | 3 | 1921 |
1921 |
3 | 4 | 1929 |
1929 |
3 | 5 | 1930 |
1930 |
3 | 6-8 | 1943 |
1943 |
3 | 9-10 | 1944 |
1944 |
3 | 11 | 1945 |
1945 |
3 | 12 | 1946 |
1946 |
3 | 13 | 1947 |
1947 |
3 | 14 | 1948 |
1948 |
3 | 15 | 1949 |
1949 |
Financial and membership records of Liberty Lodge 397, 1919-1945Return to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
---|---|---|---|
Box | Folder | ||
4 | 1 | Insurance statements |
1943-1948 |
4 | 2 | Annual financial reports |
1928-1929 |
4 | 3 | Annual financial reports
Folders 4-12 contain the quarterly assessment reports of the lodge
|
1930, 1932, and 1934 |
4 | 4 | 1928 |
1928 |
4 | 5 | 1942-1943 |
1942-1943 |
4 | 6 | 1943-1944 |
1943-1944 |
4 | 7 | 1945 |
1945 |
4 | 8 | 1946 |
1946 |
4 | 9 | 1947 |
1947 |
4 | 10 | 1948 |
1948 |
4 | 11 | 1949
Folders 12-14 contain quarterly reports from the collector's office
|
1949 |
4 | 12 | 1929-1930 |
1929-1930 |
4 | 13 | 1931-1934 |
1931-1934 |
4 | 14 | 1933-1934
Folders 15-18 contain quarterly reports from the treasurer's office
|
1933-1934 |
4 | 15 | 1929-1930 |
1929-1930 |
4 | 16 | 1931-1932 |
1931-1932 |
4 | 17 | 1933-1934 |
1933-1934 |
4 | 18 | 1944-1945 |
1944-1945 |
4 | 19 | Membership roster |
1919-1921 |
4 | 20 | Sympathy cards |
undated |
Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
---|---|---|---|
Box | Volume | ||
5 | 1 | 1918-1921 |
1918-1921 |
5 | 2 | 1923-1925 |
1923-1925 |
5 | 3 | 1926-1928 |
1926-1928 |
5 | 4 | 1928-1930 |
1928-1930 |
5 | 5 | 1930-1933 |
1930-1933 |
5 | 6 | 1933-1935 |
1933-1935 |
5 | 7 | 1935-1937 |
1935-1937 |
5 | 8 | 1937-1943 |
1937-1943 |
5 | 9 | Secretary's Rollbook |
1930-1935 |
5 | 10 | Insurance register
Volumes 11-14 are the collector's cash register
|
1918-1928 |
5 | 11 | 1924-1928 |
1924-1928 |
5 | 12 | 1928-1933 |
1928-1933 |
5 | 13 | 1933-1938 |
1933-1938 |
5 | 14 | 1939-1943
Volumes 15-17 are the treasurer's cash register
|
1939-1943 |
5 | 15 | 1926-1933 |
1926-1933 |
5 | 16 | 1934-1938 |
1934-1938 |
5 | 17 | 1939-1948 |
1939-1948 |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Railroads--Employees--Labor unions--Idaho
- Railroads--Employees--Labor unions--Utah
- Railroads--Employees--Labor unions--Wyoming
- Women--Societies and clubs
Geographical Names
- Montpelier (Idaho)--History