Harry J. Dunbar papers, 1899-1964.

  1. Resources
  2. View Resource

ArchivalResource

Harry J. Dunbar papers, 1899-1964.

http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/219718601

This collection contains various materials collected by Harry Dunbar about the railroad unions and the records of the Switchmen's Union of North America Royal Blue Lodge No. 26 and Ivorydale Lodge No. 123. It is divided into two series, Series I. General Files and Series II. Switchmen's Union of North America Lodge Records. The first series and box contains memos, proceedings, clippings, union audits and printed communications from the unions about various rules and agreements. Of special interest is Box 1 folder 4 which contains statements from Dunbar about his attempt to join the Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen in the mid 1950s. He was not successful in his attempt and placed blame on political maneuverings within the union itself. The second series contains the record books of the Royal Blue Lodge No. 26 and the Ivorydale Lodge No. 123 of the Switchmen's Union of North America. Lodge No. 26's records in this collection covers the years 1899-1961. Included in the membership record books are the names of members, the date they joined the union, their addresses and any notes such as information on transfers to another union because of a move, suspensions from the union, retirements or deaths. After this section there is a listing of the officers for each year and a listing of the applicants for the year. The next section of these books lists the dues paid by the members. This is followed by a list of disbursements made by the Treasurer and an overall accounting of their finances. Lodge No. 123's records cover the years 1918-1956 and are mostly membership records. There are only minutes for 1918-1955 for Lodge No. 123. The membership records contain the same information as Lodge No. 26's membership ledgers except they contain a summary of the minutes at the end of the ledger in some cases.

1 cubic ft. (5 boxes)

Cincinnati History Library, Cincinnati Museum Center

Information

SNAC Resource ID: 7023341

Cincinnati History Library, Cincinnati Museum Center

Related Entities

There are 2 Entities related to this resource.

Dunbar, Harry J., 1909-1993.

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6cs3jrs (person)

Harry Dunbar was born in 1909 and was an active member of the Switchmen's Union of North America. He served as the Secretary and Treasurer of the Royal Blue Lodge No. 26. Dunbar died in 1993. Dunbar attended the University of Minnesota Summer Labor Institute in 1955. Some of the general files may have been acquired at the institute. The Switchmen's Union of North America began in 1877 in Chicago as the Switchmen's Mutual Aid Society. In 1886 it was formed into the Switchmen's Association. The As...

Switchmen's Union of North America

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6cr9ndg (corporateBody)

In 1898, Congress passed the Erdman Act, which provided for the mediation and arbitration of disputes in the railroad industry which involved the operating brotherhoods, telegraphers and switchmen. Within a year after its adoption the switchmen, represented by the Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen, invoked the law, which failed when its principles were repudiated by the leading railroad companies involved. The Act provided that when a controversy which could not be solved...