Vigo County Public Library

Inventory

Knights of Columbus Records
Dates: 1901-1922
Accession Number: 20071128
Donor: Vigo County Historical Society (original donor: John Ragle)
Description: Four document cases

History

The Mother Theodore Guerin Council No. 541, Knights of Columbus was chartered in Terre Haute, Indiana on November 18, 1900 with 72 members. The organization was formed as a means to provide fellowship for and enhance the spirituality of Roman Catholic men.

In December 1900, the Mother Guerin Council established an executive committee and elected Daniel Reagin as their first Grand Knight. Council 541 held their first meeting in May of 1901 in the Hall (auditorium) of St. Joseph's School. Later meetings were held at the Tune Building, at 5th Street and Wabash Avenue.

To attract new members, the Knights participated in the national Knights of Columbus insurance program which assisted widows and orphans of deceased members and helped pay funeral expenses at a time when there were no welfare programs of any kind. Membership increased enough that Council No. 541 was able to purchase the Thomas Kinser residence at 9th and Ohio Streets as its headquarters. The three-story house was remodeled to handle the needs of Council No. 541 and featured a council chamber (meeting room), recreation rooms, a library, an auditorium, and a ballroom. A gymnasium was added during World War I.

Members of Council No. 541 participated in several ways during World War I. According to papers in this collection, 115 members of the Mother Theodore Guerin Council enlisted in the armed services and 56 of those men became commissioned and non-commissioned officers. During this time, the council was also asked to fulfill financial �quotas� to support the United States war effort through the Knights of Columbus War Activities Committees, locally and nationally. The Knights also participated in boosting morale overseas by providing service centers called �K of C Huts�. After the war local councils helped their military veteran members find employment.

Local 541's involvement in the creation and dedication in 1921 of the Gibault Home as a school for �at risk� boys is the last major project covered by materials in this collection. Council No. 541 was instrumental in purchasing the Fred B. Smith estate in Allendale in southern Vigo County for the school. In May 1921, motions to purchase the property and to construct a dormitory were approved at the state convention hosted in Terre Haute by Council 541. The completed dormitory was commemorated with the celebration of a Mass in October 1921 and in May 1922 the Gibault Home was the site of the state convention.

As of 2007, the Mother Theodore Guerin Council No. 541 was located at 1320 Lafayette Avenue in Terre Haute and meets the first and third Mondays of the month.

Content and Scope of Collection

This collection is comprised of minutes, correspondence, membership records and financial records (bills, receipts, and budgets) of the Mother Theodore Guerin Council No. 541, Knights of Columbus from 1901 to 1922.

Of particular note are the materials concerning the Knights' benevolent activities in World War I including letters from soldiers overseas and the local preparations for the dedication ceremonies for the Gibault Home in May 1921, October 1921 and May 1922.

Document Case 1

Folder 1	History		1921

Folder 2	History		n.d.

	Song list:	We Meet Tonight	n.d.

		Onward, Christian Soldiers

		While Borne O'er the Waters

		Sing Ye His Praises


Folder 3	Minutes, resolutions, initiation programs, and committee reports		1902-1919

Folder 4	Budget materials		1910-1912

Folder 5	Membership Lists		1902-1904

Folder 6	Membership Correspondence (A-E)		1911-1913

Folder 7	Membership Correspondence (F-J)		1911-1913

Folder 8	Membership Correspondence (K-R)		1911-1914

Folder 9	Membership Correspondence - James H. Murdock		1913

Folder 10	Membership Correspondence (S-Z)		1910-1913

Folder 11	Membership Records		1913

Folder 12	Membership Dues		1912-1913

Folder 13	Membership Dues		1913-1914


Folder 14	General Correspondence		1901

Folder 15	General Correspondence		Jan 1, 1902- Feb. 12, 1902

Folder 16	General Correspondence		Feb. 15,1902- March 24, 1902

Folder 17	General Correspondence		March 1902- Nov. 1902

Folder 18	General Correspondence		Jan. 1903- Feb. 1903

Folder 19	General Correspondence		June 1903- Dec. 1903

Folder 20	General Correspondence		1908-1913


Document Case 2

Folder 1	General Correspondence		June 1916- Dec. 1, 1917

Folder 2	General Correspondence		Jan. 7, 1918- March 28, 1918

Folder 3	General Correspondence		April 1918

Folder 4	General Correspondence		May 1918- Sept. 1918

Folder 5	General Correspondence		Oct. 1918- Nov. 1918

Folder 6	General Correspondence		Dec. 1918

Folder 7	General Correspondence		Jan. 1919- March 1919

Folder 8	General Correspondence		April 1919- May 15, 1919


Folder 9	General Correspondence		May 16, 1919- June 30, 1919

Folder 10	General Correspondence		July 1919- Nov. 1919

Folder 11	American Committee for Relief in Ireland		1920-1921

Folder 12	American Jewish Relief Committee		1919

Folder 13	Assembly Building (metal plate)		n.d.

Folder 14	Chair of Secular History, Catholic University of America		1901-1903

Folder 15	Midwest Floods		1913

Folder 16	Initiation Programs - other cities		1910-1913

Folder 17	Insurance		1911-1919

Folder 18	State Council, Knights of Columbus		1902-1904

Folder 19	State Council, Knights of Columbus		1920-1921

Folder 20	Knights of Columbus, National		1901-1903

Document Case 3 War Activities

Folder 1	Report of Activities at Camp Rose, Camp Normal, and the Local 541 Clubhouse During World War I		1919

Folder 2	General Correspondence		June 1917- May 1918

Folder 3	General Correspondence		May 1918- Dec. 1918

Folder 4	General Correspondence		Jan. 1919- June 1918

Folder 5	General Correspondence		July 1919- March 1920

Folder 6	Correspondence from Soldiers		Jan. 1918- July 1918

Folder 7	Correspondence from Soldiers		July 1918- Oct. 1918

Folder 8	Correspondence from Soldiers		Oct. 1918- Dec. 1918

Folder 9	Correspondence from Soldiers		Jan. 1919- May 1919

Folder 10	Correspondence from Soldiers		n.d.

Folder 11	War Activity Materials		1917-1922

Folder 12	Overseas Employment Requests		1918

Folder 13	War Camp Fund		1918

Folder 14	Employment Cards, Knights of Columbus, War Activities Committee, Reconstruction and Employment Service		1918-1919

Folder 15	�History of the Knights of Columbus in World War I� project		ca. 1919


Document Case 4 Gibault Home and Financial Records

Folder 1	General Correspondence		May 4, 1921- Sept. 30, 1921

Folder 2	General Correspondence		Oct. 1921

Folder 3	General Correspondence		May 1922

Folder 4	Newspaper Clipping, Dormitory Dedication Program, Indiana State Convention Program		May 1922

Folder 5	History of Knights of Columbus (press release)		1922

Folder 6	Convention Committee Records		1921

Folder 7	Financial Records		1902-1903

Folder 8	Financial Records		1912

Folder 9	Financial Records		1912

Folder 10	Financial Records		1912-1919

Folder 11	Financial Records		1917-1918

Folder 12	Financial Records		1918

Folder 13	Financial Records		1921-1922

Folder 14	Photographs of members Charles M. Fortune and Dr. Joseph Frisz (with biographical information added by archivist)		n.d.

Folder 15	Metal plates of photographs (2 unidentified individuals and 2 pictures of the Gibault Home)		n.d.

Vigo County Public Library One Library Square Terre Haute, IN 47807 (812) 232-1113 Map	Mon-Thurs: Friday: Saturday: Sunday: Labor Day to Special Collections is	9am - 9pm 9am - 6pm 9am - 5pm 1pm - 5pm Memorial Day only closed on Sundays	Email: questions@vigo.lib.in.us Phone: (812) 232-1113
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