Repository: Heinz History Center
Title: Ancient Order of Hibernians,Allegheny County Board Records
Collection Number: MSS 391
Extent: 10.25 linear feet (14 boxes)
Date: 1896-2012
Extent: 10.25
Abstract: The Ancient Order of Hibernians is an Irish Catholic fraternal organization founded by Irish immigrants and their descendants to preserve their Irish heritage in America. The Ancient Order of Hibernians Allegheny County Board Records contain administrative papers, account ledgers, attendance ledgers, meeting minutes, newspaper clippings, event programs and packets, event photographs, and correspondence related to the Allegheny County Board and the divisions it oversees.
Language: The material in this collection is in English.
Author: The guide to this collection was written by Gloria Hendrickson.
Sponsor: This collection has been made accessible as part of an NHPRC-funded Basic Processing grant.
Publisher: Heinz History Center
Address: 1212 Smallman St.
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15222
library@heinzhistorycenter.org
URL: https://www.heinzhistorycenter.org

History

The Ancient Order of Hibernians is an Irish Catholic fraternal organization founded by Irish immigrants and their descendants to assist in the acclimation of Irish immigrants and preserve their Irish heritage in America. First organized in Pennsylvania and New York in 1836, the Ancient Order of Hibernians consists of local divisions which report to a county board, and in turn a state and national board. Today, the A.O.H. boasts over 80,000 members in 46 states who help to advance the organization's social, economic, religious, and political mission.

The first Allegheny County division was formed in the late 1840s. Over the next century, dozens of divisions formed across Allegheny County and Pittsburgh, including a Ladies A.O.H. Members participated in and sponsored St. Patrick's Day parades, Irish Day picnics and reunions, and various Catholic Mass celebrations. The local divisions contribute time and money to community events and benefits, promote Irish culture and heritage, support Irish politicians, finance residential properties, and attend annual state and national conventions.

Scope and Content Notes

The Ancient Order of Hibernians Allegheny County Board Records document the Allegheny County Board and its divisions and contain administrative papers, account ledgers, attendance ledgers, meeting minutes, newspaper clippings, event programs and packets, event photographs, and correspondence. The documents pertain to several divisions including: Division 9 in Oakland, Division 15 in Hazelwood, Division 17 in Monroeville, and Division 32 in Carnegie.

Series I: Allegheny County Board Administrative and Financial Papers, 1915-2009 (boxes 1-4)

Series one consists of financial records and internal meeting information of the Allegheny County Board. It contains financial records such as bank account statements, receipts and expenses, board meeting minutes, and division assessments ledgers.

Box 1 has bank account materials including statements and checks for both death benefit and money market funds, and audit reports.

Box 2 holds volume 3 of County Fund from 1935-1950, volume 4 of Division Assessments from 1957 through 1968, and volume 5 for Division Assessments from 1968 through 1978.

Boxes 3 and 4 contain individual mortgage files pertaining to residential properties the board invested in. Box 4 also has state and national convention mailing lists, board meeting minutes between 1980 and 1986, revisions to the 1956 bylaws, and blank application forms.

There are two oversized county death benefit fund ledgers: volume 1 (1915-1935) and volume 2 (1915-1950).

Series II: Division Ledgers, Meeting Minutes, and Financial Records, 1902-2012 (boxes 5-12)

Series two holds ledgers related to specific divisions of A.O.H. in Allegheny County which contain meeting minutes, financial information, attendance records, member lists, and member fees.

Subseries 1. All Divisions (box 5)

Box 5 houses division reports from all the divisions in Allegheny County from 1950 through 1968, state convention expenses, and state convention proceedings.

Subseries 2. Division 15, Hazelwood (boxes 6-7)

Box 6 has Division 15 ledgers pertaining to finances and meeting minutes (1909-1991), while box 7 includes two Division 15 member ledgers (1927-1939).

Subseries 3. Unknown Division Ledgers (boxes 7-9)

Box 7 has an employee wages ledger (1959-1980) and five division financial ledgers (1906-1986).

Box 8 contains unknown division member fees ledgers (1906-1925), meeting attendance ledgers (1934-1951), a meeting minutes ledger from 1924-1935, and member ledgers (1940-1950).

Box 9 has three unknown division member ledgers.

Subseries 4. Letters to Members Ledgers (box 10)

Box 10 has a Division 8 meeting ledger (1896-1909), a Division 9 Letters to Members ledger, a Division 17 Letters to Members ledger, and a Division 34 Letters to Members ledger.

Subseries 5. Individual Division Cash Books (box 11)

Box 11 includes Division 12 cash book (1916-1969), Division 8 cash book (1949-1986), and a Division 8 receipt book (1951-1980).

Box 12 contains papers from the 1950s to 1990s on different A.O.H. divisions. There are election forms, division meeting minutes, banking statements, and notices and correspondence.

There are also two oversized ledgers: volume 6 of Division Financial Standings (1902-1949) and volume 8 By Division (1927-1935).

Series III: Topical Information, 1911-2000

Box 12 contains historical information on Irish immigration to Western Pennsylvania; newspaper clippings; photographs depicting events, members, and the 1995 board; miscellaneous correspondence to the board, and Daniel O'Connell Literary Society ledger and letterhead.Box 12 contains historical information on Irish emigration to Western Pennsylvania; newspaper clippings; photographs depicting events, members, and the 1995 board; miscellaneous correspondence to the board, and Daniel O'Connell Literary Society ledger and letterhead.

Series IV: Event Programs and Packets, 1950-2009 (boxes 12-14)

Series four consists of programs from local, state, and national events sponsored by the A.O.H. The programs indicate events participated or supported by the Allegheny County Board and individual divisions.

Box 12 has programs from several events, such as the Irish Day Picnic, Irish Day Reunion, Pennsylvania A.O.H. President's dinner, and St. Patrick Church 200th Anniversary Mass.

Box 13 contains Ladies A.O.H. state and national convention programs (1950-2000) and St. Patrick's Day Communion Breakfast programs (1992-2008).

Box 14 consists of programs from the Biennial National Convention of A.O.H. (1950-2000), Irish American Unity Conference (2005), the Pennsylvania State Conventions (1991-2003), Irish Day programs (1954-1996), and two War Memorial acknowledgements (2000).

There is also an oversized ledger for this series: - volume 12 Irish Day (1945-1950)

Conditions Governing Access

None

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Gift from Ancient Order of Hibernians (courtesy of Ed Deenihan) in 2000, 2009, 2012.

Archives accession # 2000.0093

Archives accession # 2009.0113

Archives accession # 2012.0094

Preferred Citation

Ancient Order of Hibernians, Allegheny County Board Records, 1896-2012, MSS 391 , Library and Archives Division, Senator John Heinz History Center

Processing Information

This collection was processed by Gloria Hendrickson on 2/08/2013.

Conditions Governing Use

Property rights reside with the Senator John Heinz History Center. Literary rights are retained by the creators of the records and their heirs. For permission to reproduce or publish, please contact the Library and Archives of the Senator John Heinz History Center.

Guide to the Ancient Order of Hibernians, Allegheny County Board Records 1896-2012

History

Scope and Content Notes

Conditions Governing Access

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Preferred Citation

Processing Information

Conditions Governing Use

Subjects

Geographic Names

Other Subjects

Container List