Portuguese Benefit Society original bylaws (1910)
Dublin Core
Title
Portuguese Benefit Society original bylaws (1910)
Date
1910-04-20 - 1910-05-09
Description
Titled "Incorporation Records of the Portuguese Benefit Society of Our Lady of Help of Peabody, Mass., Incorporated." These records include the official document declaring the Portuguese Benefit Society as a corporation within Massachusetts that exists to pay disability and death benefits to eligible members (natives to Portugal and their descendants). Notes regarding the first formal meeting of the newly established corporation are transcribed in the book, along with meeting minutes and officer elections that were witnessed by the Justice of the Peace. All fourteen incorporators (founding members of the society) are listed, including the first president, Frank Aguiar.
The book then describes the bylaws that were adapted during this first meeting. This edition of the bylaws differs slightly in wording from the printed copy that would eventually be published, but addresses the same principles. These cover the organization's name and purpose, membership requirements; admissions fees; the time and place that the meetings will be held; the society officers; the process for nominations, elections and initiations within the society; the duties of officers and committees; rules regarding medical examiners; the social duties and privileges of members; member benefits; withdrawals from the organization; member penalties; the rules of order; ballots, funds and dues of the corporation; additional rules, and the official order of business for meetings.
This book continues by describing the election for Recording Secretary, which nominated Domingos S. Conde, and the oath he took for the position. The remaining officers were elected and recorded in the meeting minutes, and the meeting members then voted on preparing a Certificate of Organization for the state of Massachusetts before the meeting was adjourned.
All pages after the bylaws conclude were left intentionally blank. A scan of the additional letter between Antonio Chaves and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts found on page 33 is included at the end of the PDF.
The book then describes the bylaws that were adapted during this first meeting. This edition of the bylaws differs slightly in wording from the printed copy that would eventually be published, but addresses the same principles. These cover the organization's name and purpose, membership requirements; admissions fees; the time and place that the meetings will be held; the society officers; the process for nominations, elections and initiations within the society; the duties of officers and committees; rules regarding medical examiners; the social duties and privileges of members; member benefits; withdrawals from the organization; member penalties; the rules of order; ballots, funds and dues of the corporation; additional rules, and the official order of business for meetings.
This book continues by describing the election for Recording Secretary, which nominated Domingos S. Conde, and the oath he took for the position. The remaining officers were elected and recorded in the meeting minutes, and the meeting members then voted on preparing a Certificate of Organization for the state of Massachusetts before the meeting was adjourned.
All pages after the bylaws conclude were left intentionally blank. A scan of the additional letter between Antonio Chaves and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts found on page 33 is included at the end of the PDF.
Subject
Coverage
Source
Archives of the Portuguese Benefit Society of Our Lady of Help in Peabody, MA.
Publisher
UMass Lowell, Center for Lowell History
Contributor
Carney, Peter F. J.
Sousa, John S.
Chaves, Antonio
Rights
No Copyright - Non-Commercial Use Only: This Work has been digitized in a public-private partnership. As part of this partnership, the partners have agreed to limit commercial uses of this digital representation of the Work by third parties. You can, without permission, copy, modify, distribute, display, or perform the Item, for non-commercial uses. For any other permissible uses, please review the terms and conditions of the organization that has made the Item available.
Format
PDF
Type
Text
Identifier
PortugueseBenefitSociety_OriginalBylaws1910_reduced
Citation
Conde, Domingos Sousa and Olin, William M., “Portuguese Benefit Society original bylaws (1910),” Portuguese American Digital Archive, accessed July 19, 2026, https://umlportuguesearchives.omeka.net/items/show/4272.
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