Mutual Relief Association Incorporated
name: label: Collection Creator
content: United Shoe Machinery Corporation
setName: label: See more items in
content: United Shoe Machinery Corporation Records
unitdate: label: Date
content: 1906 - 1951
label: Date
content: 1902
dataSource: label: Archival Repository
content: Archives Center, National Museum of American History
identifier: label: Identifier
content: NMAH.AC.0277, Series 9
objectType: label: Type
content: Archival materials
scopecontent: label: Scope and Contents
content: This series primarily consists of the Relief Association's Minute Books, financial statements, account books, and compensation records.  The Mutual Relief Association was established in 1907 for the purpose of paying a death or funeral benefit or disability benefit. Fees were typically nominal and associated with earning capacity.  Members were entitled to substantial financial assistance in time of illness or physical problems. The membership was limited to employees of the United Shoe Machinery Corporation.

The Minute Books only cover the period 1906-1938. The annual meeting papers supplement the minutes and provide information such as revisions of by laws, the election of officers, financial statements, and Treasurer's and Secretary's Annual Reports for the years 1915-1951.  Financial statements include  balance sheets, quarterly statements, audit reports, and the Treasurer's Annual Reports.  The account books, ledgers, journals, and cashbooks cover the period 1929-1951.  Compensation records include the Cashbook of the Disability and Death Benefits Fund and a compensation card file from 1907-1951.  The latter, an index card file alphabetically arranged by name, provides information on the illnesses and compensation paid to the Association's members.

Additional items of interest in this series include copies of the association's Charter and several copies of its by- laws.  Also included are a copy of the Constitution and bylaws of the Consolidated and McKay Mutual Relief Association, dated 1902.

The compensation card file consists of index cards documenting employees who were injured, sick or on disability.  The cards provide the name of the employee, the date, the number of days out of work, the  nature of the illness or disability, and the amount of the benefit paid. The cards are arranged alphabetically.