Descriptive Summary
Creator(s)
Access to records created within the last 50 years is restricted; consult repository for details
Biographical Note / Administrative History
The National Temperance Society and Publication House was founded in 1865 in Saratoga Springs, NY. Temperance advocates from all over the country, representing all the religious denominations, gathered in NY, conferred for two days, and at the end of that time established both a National Temperance Society and a National Temperance Publication House. The group appointed two committees which were to work separately but cooperatively toward the two objectives of organizing temperance forces throughout the country to united efforts and of publishing and circulating temperance literature. The two committees decided it would be best to combine their efforts, and thus the National Temperance Society and Publication House was incorporated as one organization, the guiding objectives of which were total abstinence for the individual and total prohibition for the country.
The Publications Committee oversaw publication of tracts, pamphlets, lesson cards, textbooks and books aimed at a broad audience of children, adults, sinners and scholars. It also published monthly papers for both children and adults. The Missionary Committee's work included lobbying Congress for temperance concerns, ministering to freedmen in the South, and attempting to introduce temperance textbooks into public schools.
Collection Overview
Record Group 54 includes correspondence, minutes, articles and manuscripts from the Society, as well as bound minute books and ledgers.
Organization and Arrangement
SERIES 1: MISCELLANEOUS ADMINISTRATIVE RECORDS, 1882-1945
SERIES 2: MINUTE BOOKS, 1865-1937
SERIES 3: LEDGERS, 1876-1943
Administrative Information
The bound volumes in this collection begin with Box 2 Item 5. When requesting bound volumes from Boxes 2-4, researchers should specify box number, item number, title and dates. When requesting the bound ledgers #1-#29, researchers should specify volume #, title and dates.
Catalog Headings
Collection Inventory
| Box | Folder | Description | |
1 |
1 |
Finding Aid to Record Group 54; NTS Constitution and By-Laws |
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SERIES 1: MISCELLANEOUS ADMINISTRATIVE RECORDS, 1882-1945 |
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1 |
2 |
Minutes; Annual Meeting; Executive Committee; Annual Reports (typescript) 1902-42 (some years missing) |
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3 |
NTS Relations with FCC; World Prohibition Federation American Branch): Misc. papers; "Informed Understanding" (of Cooperation): NTS/FCC 12/5/1916 |
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4 |
Minutes; Joint Meetings; NTS; Commission on Temperance of FCC; related papers; (typescript); 1916-20; 1923; 1929(?) |
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5 |
General Correspondence: 1885; 1887; 1896; 1899 |
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6 |
General Correspondence: 1907-25 |
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7 |
General Correspondence: 1926-45 |
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8 |
Sec./Treas. Correspondence; related papers, 1916-20 |
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9 |
Sec./Treas. Correspondence; related papers, 1921-24 |
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10 |
Sec./Treas. Correspondence; related papers, 1925-34 |
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11 |
(Dodge Fund, et al.) Trustees' correspondence; related papers; statements of investment; Financial Summaries; 1916-37 |
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12 |
Estate Funds: Wills, Correspondence |
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13 |
Estate Funds: Published Wills; Background Papers re contested wills; correspondence |
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14 |
Dodge Fund; Instrument of Appointment of Trustees; 1900-37; List of Succession of Trusteeship |
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15 |
Treasurer's Letter book (partially disbound): Accounts; correspondence 1894-1902 |
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16 |
Financial Reports: Annual; monthly: 1882-90; 1902; 1914-17; 1921; 1926-29; 1932-42 |
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11 |
Lincoln Trust Co.: NTS Statement of Account; 1918-21 |
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18 |
"Report of a Survey of the Different Funds controlled by NTS" (1916); Related survey, nd |
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19 |
Historical Review of NTS Trusts, 1917; A History of the Trust Funds, n.d. (1930s) |
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20 |
(List of titles); "Samples of Old Publications of the National Temperance Society and Publication House" |
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21 |
Rev. C. H. Mead: Printed/typed transcript Articles; Speeches (including: St. Patrick's Day tributes to John McKee) mostly undated (@ 1900-10); Obituary Clippings |
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22 |
Misc. papers (scattered) Manuscripts (articles submitted to NTS publications); Obituaries; Printed ephemera; Address lists (potential supporters) |
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23 |
New York State Temperance Society: Secretary's Book: 1829-41 (contents; meeting minutes; Constitution) |
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24 |
Temperance Lesson; Lesson outline: n.d |
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25 |
MS (typescript): "Alcohol and the Effect of Alcohol upon the Development of a Baby" (Dr. Fran S.Gundrun de Oriovac) |
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26 |
Manuscript; Novel re Temperance: (no author, no title, no date) |
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2 |
1 |
MS "The Road to Ruin" (Frank Marsland) (n.d.) |
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2 |
MS Treatises: Biblical references to Wine and matters of temperance: no author, n.d. (incl. typescript copy of one) |
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3 |
NTS vs. Maj. Gen'l Thomas H. Barry, U.S. Army: Misc. papers: 1910 (re: Accusation of Barry as permitting illegal sale of liquor during service in Cuba, 1908) |
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4 |
Lists: vice Presidents; Board of Managers: c. 1884-1916 (some years missing); Lists; officers; Trustees; Board of Managers Life Members: 1935-36; 1938-39; 1943 Note: for other years see Minute Books) |
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SERIES 2: MINUTE BOOKS, 1865-1937 |
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Board of Managers |
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2 |
5 |
September 26-October 31, 1865 (Includes provisional constitution) |
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6 |
November 20, 1865-December 26, 1882 |
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7 |
January 3, 1883-October 5, 1897 |
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8 |
January 20, 1898-October 16, 1918 |
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Executive and Special Committees |
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2 |
9 |
November 20, 1865-January 9, 1868 |
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10 |
June 15, 1904-April 20, 1910 |
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11 |
May 18, 1910-March 21, 1917 |
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Finance Committee |
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3 |
1 |
June 3, 1867-December 16, 1897 |
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2 |
January 20, 1898-June 14, 1900 |
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Publication Committee |
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3 |
3 |
June 30, 1866-December 26, 1882 |
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4 |
January 23, 1883-December 16, 1897 |
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5 |
January 20, 1898-June 19, 1902 |
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Missionary Committee |
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3 |
6 |
September 30, 1881-December 16, 1897 |
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7 |
January 20, 1898-December 15, 1898; January 16- March 20, 1902 |
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Letterbooks (General Correspondence) |
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3 |
8 |
November 27, 1912-November 2, 1914 |
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9 |
November 2, 1914-February 2, 1917 |
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Cash Ledgers |
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4 |
1 |
1879-81 |
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2 |
1892-95 |
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Cash Ledgers (cont'd) |
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4 |
3 |
1895-98 |
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4 |
1898-1901 |
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5 |
1905-10 |
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6 |
1910-14 |
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7 |
1914-16 |
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8 |
Petty Cash Ledger, 1928-37 |
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9 |
Trust Fund Ledger, 1916-18 |
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SERIES 3: LEDGERS, 1876-1943 |
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General Accounts Ledgers |
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Vol #1 |
1893-1907 |
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Vol #2 |
Index to #1 |
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Vol #3 |
1907-16 |
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Vol #4 |
Index to #3 |
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(Balance) Receipts/Disbursements Ledgers |
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Vol #5 |
1915-30 |
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Vol #6 |
1931-43 |
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(Itemized) Receipts/Disbursements Ledgers |
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Vol #7 |
1920-22 |
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Vol #8 |
1922-25 |
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Vol #9 |
1926-28 |
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Vol #10 |
1928-31 |
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Vol #11 |
1931-42 |
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Vol #12 |
Publishing House Disbursements Ledger, 1881-6 |
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Publishing House Sundry Accounts Ledgers |
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Vol #13 |
1892-98 |
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Vol #14 |
Index to #13 |
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Vol #15 |
1898-1916 |
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Vol #16 |
Index to #15 |
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Cash/Charge Orders (Periodicals, Literature, Appeals) Ledgers |
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Vol #17 |
1905-11 |
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Vol #18 |
1911-16 |
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Vol #19 |
1916-22 |
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Vol #20 |
1923-25 |
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Vol #21 |
1926-28 |
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Vol #22 |
1929-35 |
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Vol #23 |
Orders Daybook (Periodicals, Literature), 1910-16 (some 1917-18: see pp. 407-10) |
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Vol #24 |
Publishing House Publication Record Ledger, with index, 1885-97 Publishing Inventory Ledgers |
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Vol #25 |
1889-94 |
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Vol #26 |
1902 |
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Vol #27 |
1913-16 |
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Donation Ledgers (NTS donations of literature) |
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Vol #28 |
1876-80 |
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Vol #29 |
1898-1916 |