Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernians records

Collection

Identifier: MS-2006-057

Staff Only

Dates

Creation: 1836 - 2014

Scope and Contents

This collection contains correspondence, meeting minutes and convention information from the LAOH. The bulk of the records come from the national office, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Ohio, New York, and Michigan, with lesser amounts from other state divisions. Newspaper clippings and photographs included are from all of the aforementioned offices as are awards and other LAOH-related artifacts. Financial records and annual reports are from the central office.

Creator

Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernians (Organization)

Restrictions on access

Collection is open for research. Financial and personnel records are closed.

Restrictions on use

These materials are made available for use in research, teaching and private study, pursuant to U.S. Copyright Law. The user must assume full responsibility for any use of the materials, including but not limited to, infringement of copyright and publication rights of reproduced materials. Any materials used for academic research or otherwise should be fully credited with the source. Copyright has been retained by the Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernians.

Historical Note

The Ancient Order of Hibernians (AOH) was founded in 1836 in the United States as a movement of Irish Catholics in opposition to the growing atmosphere of anti-Catholicism in the United States. The AOH had the support of women but due to the secretive nature of the original group the women were not allowed to join and were mostly ignored. The women decided to form their own group. Originally the “Daughters of Erin,” the group was founded in 1894 in Omaha, Nebraska. The name was changed in 1906 to the Ladies Auxiliary to the Ancient Order of Hibernians, and again in 1984 to the Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernians (LAOH).

The LAOH mission statement reads “While practicing friendship, unity and Christian charity, we will work to strengthen our Roman Catholic faith, our country and our communities; and perpetuate the religion, history, culture and traditions of our Irish heritage.” Their constitution outlines the goals of promoting not only friendship, unity, and Catholic charity but also assisting the people of Ireland in establishing an Irish Republic that includes all thirty-two counties. The events, meeting minutes and various other items in this collection of the LAOH reflect these values and goals.

Members of LAOH must meet certain qualifications of membership. All LAOH members must be practicing Roman Catholic women age sixteen or older, Irish by birth or descent, and a mother of an LAOH member or the wife or mother of an AOH member or the mother of a Junior Hibernian. LAOH has divisions and junior divisions in twenty-seven states across the United States. Each state has a variety of divisions with division leaders as well as a state board. The state boards report to the national board which oversees all the LAOH divisions.

Listed below are the years in which divisions included in this collection were chartered:

Massachusetts: 1959; Pennsylvania: 1924; Ohio: 1904; New York: 1911; Virginia: 1971; Maryland: 1913; Connecticut: 1921; New Jersey: 1916; Michigan: 1969

SOURCE

Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernians, "www.ladiesaoh.com." Last modified 2015. Accessed July 26, 2015. http://www.ladiesaoh.com

Extent

54 Linear Feet (54 boxes)

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

This collection contains correspondence, annual reports, meeting minutes, convention proceedings and programs, financial records, ritual books, and constitutions. Also included are newspaper clippings, ephemera, photographs, and artifacts such as awards.

Arrangement

This collection is arranged in twenty-one series: I. National office, II. California, III. Connecticut, IV. Florida, V. Illinois, VI. Indiana, VII. Maryland, VIII. Massachusetts, IX. Michigan, X. Minnesota, XI. New Jersey, XII. New York, XIII. Ohio, XIV. Pennsylvania, XV. Rhode Island, XVI. South Carolina, XVII. Virginia, XVIII. Washington, DC, XIX. Wisconsin, XX. Ancient Order of Hibernians; XXI. Related publications and materials.

Provenance

Gift of the Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernians, 2007-2012. Additional materials were given by Judy Coyne, 2009; Sheila Lynch, 2009; Rose Ann Rabatoy, 2010-2014; Mary Ryan, 2006-2010; Carol Sheyer, 2013; Dorothy Weldon, 2013; Sue Lauster, 2014; Clara Joyce, 2014; and Susanna Carroll, 2013.

Separated Materials

Published works associated with this collection have been transferred within the Burns Library and can be found in the Boston College Library catalog.