EXTENT: .42 linear ft. (1 container)

ORGANIZATION AND ARRANGEMENT: Four series: I. Ms. record volumes, 1861-1865; II. Reports of Society (printed and ms.), 1862-1865; III. Letters to Society, 1862-1865; IV. Miscellaneous, 1864. Reports and letters arranged chronologically.

HISTORY: Women’s benevolent organization in Concord, Mass.  Established to provide articles of clothing, food, personal comfort, convenience, and entertainment to soldiers fighting in the Civil War.  Formed in 1861, originally to supply the needs of soldiers in the Concord Artillery, Company A, Fifth Regiment Infantry, Third Brigade.  By 1862, the Society was preparing boxes of goods to benefit all soldiers served by the U.S. Sanitary Commission.  Meetings were held at first in the Town Hall and the First Parish vestry, later in the Engine House near the train depot.  The membership consisted of over 150 women and men.  Typically, 60-100 showed up at gatherings.  The Society raised funds through dues, donations, collections at local churches, and benefits (theatrical productions, tea parties, Fourth of July festivals, dances, etc.).  Officers for 1861: President, Mrs. Simon Brown; Vice President, Mrs. Grindall Reynolds; Treasurer, Mrs. Nathan Barrett; Secretary, Miss Harriette Moore.  The membership included individuals from many Concord families, among them Alcott, Bartlett, Brooks, Bull, Cheney, Damon, Emerson, Gerrish, Gourgas, Hoar, Hosmer, Keyes, Prescott, Reynolds, Richardson, Sanborn, and Warren.

SCOPE AND CONTENT:  Records, 1861-1865, as follows.  Three ms. record volumes: one (bound), 1861-1865, primarily in the hand of Harriette Moore, containing membership list with records of dues paid, minutes, records of articles made, boxed, and sent to soldiers, copied letters and acknowledgement and thanks, and printed report for 1862 (pasted in); one (bound), 1861-1863, in the hand of Grindall Reynolds, containing records of meetings and of articles made, boxed, and sent (the latter part of this volume used by Reynolds as a personal/family account book, 1861-1868); one (in paper wrapper), 1861-1863, in the hand of Harriette Moore, containing minutes, records of articles made, boxed, and sent, and membership list.  Printed reports of the Society (1862, 1863, and 1864) and one ms. report (1865).  Letters of acknowledgement and thanks for supplies received from the Society, 1862-1865, including many from the U.S. Sanitary Commission, New England Women’s Auxiliary in Boston; also including letters from the U.S. Army Hospital in Philadelphia, the Massachusetts Military State Agency in Washington, and the Massachusetts Soldier’s Relief Association in Washington.  Miscellaneous items, including a ms. recipe for blackberry cordial and printed materials (1864) issued by the U.S. Sanitary Commission and its New England Women’s Auxiliary.

SOURCE(S) OF ACQUISITION: Partially established.  1861-1863 record volume, in wrapper; gift of J.H. Moore, 1890 or 1891.

SECONDARY SOURCE BASED ON USE OF MATERIAL: Keyes, Alice Reynolds.  Soldiers’ Aid Society, 1861-1865, Concord, Massachusetts [typescript] (1907).

PROCESSED BY: LPW; finding aid prepared 10/30/96.  Prepared for the Internet by Peter K. Steinberg, 10/27/2005.


CONTAINER LIST

SERIES I. MS. RECORD VOLUMES, 1861-1865:
Folder 1:
1861-1865, bound (primarily in hand of Harriette Moore)

Folder 2:
1861-1863, bound (in hand of Grindall Reynolds; latter part of volume used as personal/family account book, 1863-1868)

Folder 3:
1861-1863, in paper wrapper (in hand of Harriette Moore)

SERIES II. REPORTS OF SOCIETY (PRINTED AND MS.), 1862-1865
Folder 4:
Printed report concerning the total number of articles made, dated Oct. 1, 1862
Printed report concerning the number of articles made since Oct. 1, 1862, dated Apr. 1, 1863 (2 copies)
Printed report concerning the number of articles made from Apr. 1, 1863 to Oct. 1, 1864, dated Oct. 1, 1864 (2 copies)
Ms. report on funds raised through donations, collections at local churches, and benefits from Apr. 1861 to Jul. 19, 1865, dated July 19, 1865

SERIES III. LETTERS TO SOCIETY, 1862-1865:
Folder 5:
1862 Apr.-July

Folder 6:
1862 Aug.-Dec.

Folder 7:
1863

Folder 8:
1864

Folder 9:
1865

SERIES IV. MISCELLANEOUS, 1864:
Folder 10:
Recipe for blackberry cordial (ms.)

Folder 11:
U.S. Sanitary Commission and New England Women’s Auxiliary printed material, 1864

c2005 Concord Free Public Library, Concord, Mass. Not to be reproduced without permission from the library.

Mounted 29th October 2005. rcwh.