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Title: |
Ancient Order of Hibernians Cuyahoga County Divisions Records |
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Repository: |
Western Reserve Historical Society
Phone: 216-721-5722 http://www.wrhs.org |
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Creator: |
Ancient Order of Hibernians Cuyahoga County Divisions |
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Dates: |
1880-2011 |
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Quantity: |
2.00 linear feet (2 containers and 7 oversize volumes) |
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Abstract: |
The Ancient Order of Hibernians, Cuyahoga County Divisions (f. 1871) was founded in Cleveland, Ohio, to provide social gatherings, cultural events, and charitable opportunities for the Irish American community in northeast Ohio. The Ancient Order of Hibernians began in 1520 in Ireland as a reaction to the efforts of Henry VIII to become head of the church in Ireland. The group's main purpose was to protect the Catholic Church and priests especially during the 17th century in Ireland when the existence of Roman Catholic priests was illegal according to Oliver Cromwell's legislation. According to the 1949 Ancient Order of Hibernians program, the Cleveland group was dedicated to the ideals of "Friendship, Unity, and True Christian Charity". The Ancient Order of Hibernians (AOH) was established in the United States in the 1830s in reaction to the mounting wave of religious bigotry, discrimination, mob action, and violence against Irish immigrants. The organization was started in New York City on May 4, 1836. The organization began in Ohio in 1850 in Cincinnati. The first Cleveland division was started in 1871. It grew quickly, and by 1875, four divisions were active in Cleveland. The first charter for the Ladies Auxiliary of the Ancient Order of Hibernians in Ohio was granted to AOH wives in Dayton in 1896. The first Ladies Auxiliary in the Cleveland area was organized at St. Colman's Church on the West Side of Cleveland in 1908. Around 1987 the Ladies voted to leave out the "Auxiliary" and call themselves the Ladies Ancient Order of the Hibernians. In the early 20th century the AOH focused mainly on social gatherings and raising money for a scholarship endowment for Trinity College and local charities. By the late twentieth century, the focus shifted to historic preservation, fund raising for Catholic-based charities, promotion of Irish culture, and financial assistance to families of political prisoners who were jailed by the British government and assistance to Catholic schools in Belfast, Northern Ireland. The collection consists of annual reports, applications for membership, announcements, bylaws, clippings, constitutions, correspondence, dues booklets, dues ledgers, financial records, letters, lists, membership cards, minutes, proclamations, programs, a ritual booklet, a thesis, and a wake service booklet. |
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Identification: |
MS 5096 |
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Location: |
closed stacks |
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Language: |
The records are in English |
The Ancient Order of Hibernians, Cuyahoga County Divisions (f. 1871) was founded in Cleveland, Ohio, to provide social gatherings, cultural events, and charitable opportunities for the Irish American community in northeast Ohio. The Ancient Order of Hibernians began in 1520 in Ireland as a reaction to the efforts of Henry VIII to become head of the church in Ireland. The group's main purpose was to protect the Catholic Church and priests especially during the 17th century in Ireland when the existence of Roman Catholic priests was illegal according to Oliver Cromwell's legislation. According to the 1949 Ancient Order of Hibernians program, the Cleveland group was dedicated to the ideals of "Friendship, Unity, and True Christian Charity". The Ancient Order of Hibernians (AOH) was established in the United States in the 1830s in reaction to the mounting wave of religious bigotry, discrimination, mob action, and violence against Irish immigrants. The organization was started in New York City on May 4, 1836. The organization began in Ohio in 1850 in Cincinnati. The first Cleveland division was started in 1871. It grew quickly, and by 1875, four divisions were active in Cleveland. The first charter for the Ladies Auxiliary of the Ancient Order of Hibernians in Ohio was granted to AOH wives in Dayton in 1896. The first Ladies Auxiliary in the Cleveland area was organized at St. Colman's Church on the West Side of Cleveland in 1908. Around 1987 the Ladies voted to leave out the "Auxiliary" and call themselves the Ladies Ancient Order of the Hibernians. In the early 20th century the AOH focused mainly on social gatherings and raising money for a scholarship endowment for Trinity College and local charities. By the late twentieth century, the focus shifted to historic preservation, fund raising for Catholic-based charities, promotion of Irish culture, and financial assistance to families of political prisoners who were jailed by the British government and assistance to Catholic schools in Belfast, Northern Ireland.
click here to view the Encyclopedia of Cleveland History entry for the Ancient Order of Hibernians
The Ancient Order of Hibernians Cuyahoga County Divisions Records, 1880-2011 and undated, consist of annual reports, applications for membership, announcements, bylaws, clippings, constitutions, correspondence, dues booklets, dues ledgers, financial records, letters, lists, membership cards, minutes, proclamations, programs, a ritual booklet, a thesis, and a wake service booklet.
This collection is of value to researchers interested in Irish-American organizations in the Cleveland, Ohio, area, specifically the Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernians and Men's AOH. It includes information about the Cleveland area and Cuyahoga County divisions. Around 1948 Cleveland was home to five Ancient Order of Hibernians divisions (1, 3, 5, 6, 7, and 8) and two divisions (2 and 5) of Ladies AOH. By 2011 other divisions mentioned are the LAOH division 5/10 and the Augustine Boland /William Berry Division of the Ancient Order of Hibernians. The history of the organization is documented in a thesis by Nicole Creech included in the files which compares early 20th century activities of the Ancient Order of Hibernians with the later 20th century activities of the organization. The thesis chronicles the origin of the organization and its purpose as well as its history in Ireland and transfer to the United States.
This collection is also of value to researchers studying Irish-American organizations, their origin in Ireland, and their present form in America. It is of value to researchers interested in newly arrived immigrants in Cleveland, Ohio, including social support and job networking. It also is of interest to social researchers studying immigrant organizations and women's organizations, especially within the Irish community.
None.
Related Material: Related MaterialThe researcher should also consult MS 4841 John Walsh Papers and MS 4870 Sara McLaughlin Papers.
All photographs have been removed to PG 567 Ancient Order of Hibernians Photographs.
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.
[Container ___, Folder ___ ] MS 5096 Ancient Order of Hibernians, Cuyahoga County Divisions Records, Western Reserve Historical Society, Cleveland, Ohio
Gifts of Mary Celine O'Leary in 2000; Eileen McIlwee in 2000; Marilyn Madigan in 2001; and Margaret Lynch in 2011.
Processed by Rosemary Miller in 2011.