This is a finding aid. It is a description of archival material held in the Research Library at the Nantucket Historical Association. Unless otherwise noted, the materials described below are physically available in our reading room, and not digitally available through the internet.
Summary
The Nantucket Relief Association (NRA) was founded in 1873 to relieve the “indigent, aged people in our [the island’s] midst” (as stated in the association’s Preamble) and was incorporated on 2 November 1874. Money for the association was raised through social events, donations, and bequests. In 1978 the NRA merged with, and therefore adopted the funds of, the Union Benevolent Society, which was founded in 1866 to assist in outfitting children so they might attend the Sabbath School. The collection contains minutes from the Nantucket Relief Association’s annual and quarterly meetings, treasurers’ notes and records, newspaper clippings, ephemera, legal documents, correspondence, tax returns, and wills as well as a folder pertaining to the Union Benevolent Society.
Collection Details
- Collection Number:
- MS72
- Title:
- Nantucket Relief Association Records
- Date(s):
- 1873–1999
- Creator:
- Nantucket Relief Association.
- Repository:
- Nantucket Historical Association
- Language:
- Material is in English.
Information for Users
Restrictions to Access: Access to these materials requires permission from the Relief Association.
Restrictions to Use: No usage restrictions.
Copyright Notice: Copyright is retained by the authors of items in this collection, or their descendants, as stipulated by United States copyright law.
Preferred Citation: [identification of item], in the Nantucket Relief Association Records, Nantucket Historical Association.
Acquisitions Information:
Gift of the Relief Association (Acc. 1997.45).
Sensitive Materials Statement:Manuscript collections and archival records may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal or state right to privacy laws and regulations. Researchers are advised that the disclosure of certain information pertaining to identifiable living individuals represented in this collection without the consent of those individuals may have legal ramifications (e.g., a cause of action under common law for invasion of privacy may arise if facts concerning an individual’s private life are published that would be deemed highly offensive to a reasonable person) for which the Nantucket Historical Association assumes no responsibility.
Related Collections
- MS60 Benevolent Societies’ Records, Nantucket Historical Association.
Subject Headings
-
Corporate Name
- Nantucket Relief Association.
-
Topical Term
- Charities--Massachusetts--Nantucket.
- Women in charitable work-- Massachusetts--Nantucket.
Biographical Information
The Nantucket Relief Association (NRA) was founded in 1873 to relieve the “indigent, aged people in our [the island’s] midst” (as stated in the association’s Preamble) and was incorporated on 2 November 1874. Money for the association was raised through social events, donations, and bequests. The group met quarterly and annually, and on special occasions when the need arose. In 1978 the NRA merged with, and therefore adopted the funds of, the Union Benevolent Society, which was founded in 1866 to assist in outfitting children so they might attend the Sabbath School. The founders of the Nantucket Relief Association were Rebecca Coffin, Clarissa Allen, Mrs. Josiah Macy, Mary B. Winslow, Leonora Mooers, Louisa Mitchell, Mary F. Baxter, and Eunice Coleman.
Scope and Content
The collection contains minutes from the Nantucket Relief Association’s annual and quarterly meetings, treasurers’ notes and records, newspaper clippings, ephemera, legal documents, correspondence, tax returns, and wills as well as a folder pertaining to the Union Benevolent Society.
Contents
Folder 1 Treasurers’ records and accounts, 1873-1879, 1874–1880
Folder 2 Treasurers’ records and accounts, 1923–1935
Folder 3 Record of people helped, 1881–1898
Folder 4 Record of people helped, 1898–1923
Folder 5 Record of contributions, 1917–1931
Folder 6 Minutes, 1873–1875
Folder 7 Minutes, 1888–1908
Folder 8 Minutes, 1909–1925
Folder 9 Minutes, 1926–1939
Folder 10 Minutes, 1939–1955
Folder 11 Treasurers’ records and accounts, 1939–1966
Folder 12 Ballots, 1931–1934
Folder 13 Union Benevolent Society records, 1978–1980
Folder 14 History of the Nantucket Relief Association, 1970
Folder 15 Correspondence, 1882, 1930–1974
Folder 16 Reports filed with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, 1929–1953
Folder 17 Reports filed with the Division of Public Charities, 1954–1963
Folder 18 Return of organization exempt from income tax, 1959–1971
Folder 19 Balance sheets, 1959–1971
Folder 20 Annual report of private foundation (990-ar), 1970–1972
Folder 21 Miscellaneous financial documents, 1967–1971
Folder 22 Wills, 1870–1962
Folder 23 Documents pertaining to the estate of Sarah Rotch Arnold, 1860, 1921–1970
Folder 24 Document pertaining to the estate of Mabel Allen Barrett, 1948–1963
Folder 25 Documents pertaining to 4 Federal St., 1896–1969
Folder 26 Documents pertaining to 1 Gardner St., 1931–1938
Folder 27 Handwritten copy of minutes, 1949
Folder 28 Directory of foundations, 1965
Folder 29 List of names, undated
Folder 30 Relief Association, Inc. of Nantucket records, 1874, 1937–1999
Folder 31 Newspaper clippings, 1880, 1939, 1944, 1960
Processing Information
Processed by NHA Staff.
Finding aid by Thomas Perich, August 2022.
This collection was reprocessed in July 2022.