MS-11 Woman’s Relief Corps, Corps 195 Records

Introduction

The records of the Kyle Corps cover the years 1902-1941. The bulk of the collection consists of the organization’s minute books for 1902-1930. Two ledgers (1909-1933), a cash book (1918-1933), an officer’s register (1912-1941) and a file of miscellaneous loose material comprise the remainder of the collection.

Leonard Pyles, Veterans Services Officer for Auglaize County, transferred the collection to Wright State University in accordance with a pre-arranged dispersal schedule. The collection was accessioned in September 1975.

Linear feet of shelf space occupied: 1
Approximate number of items: 50

The records in this collection may be used for research purposes in the Wright State University Archives. This collection contains no restricted material.

Organization History

Kyle Corps 195 of the Woman’s Relief Corps was organized in 1882 and in July 1883 was voted the official woman’s auxiliary of the Grand Army of the Republic. Reactivated on August 23, 1902, the group met weekly in the G.A.R. Hall in the Auglaize County courthouse, Wapakoneta, Ohio. The corps held annual conventions in conjunction with the G.A.R. encampments.

The membership was open to all loyal women and they supported the G.A.R. in its campaign to imbue the American public with patriotism. One of the societies’ projects was to aid in the movement to place American flags in all the schools and to institute the daily salute to the flag in each classroom.

In 1896 the membership of the Corps was 140,305. By 1968 the membership was 54,000. The headquarter of the society is in Springfield, Illinois and though their original aim was to aid and memorialize the G.A.R. and perpetuate the memory of its dead, they still work to assist veterans of all wars of the United States.

Scope and Content

The Woman’s Relief Corps, no. 195 collection consists mostly of items related to the organization’s required record keeping. The collection covers a period between 1902 and 1941. The five minute books contain information about officers, committees, illnesses and deaths, and new members. In addition to a weekly treasurer’s report, the minutes list the number of members present and absent at each meeting.

The two ledgers contain a member index with some dates of death for deceased members. The rear contains the chapter’s account records, listing credits and debits with specific information and is intended to be used in conjunction with the ledgers. An officer’s register lists all offices held from 1912-1941. It also contains a summary of meeting attendance. There is also one file of miscellaneous loose material.

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