Pioneer Aid and Support Association

PA and transition to ILHS

PA was formed on December 15, 1887. It was comprised of members of the Central Labor Union, the Defense Committee, and the Amnesty Association. CLU arranged for the post-death care of Spies, Parsons, and Fischer. NYT later described PA as a compromise from fights between the CLU and the Anarchist Defense Committee. To care for widows and orphans.

CLU was viewed as being very focused on foreigners – the foreign-born and foreign-oriented workers and was sympathetic to the anarchists, and had close connections to the Int. Working Peoples Association. Supported 8-hour as a strategy, but more to the anarchistic side. Was formed in the spring of 1884, under the leadership of the Progressive Cigar Makers Union No. 15. Formed to have a more revolutionary leaning than the Trades Assembly – removed itself from. Claimed a membership of 12,000 in 1885. CLU was first there in May 1886 – they retained Salomon and Zeigler to represent. (their first act?)

1887 article said that CLU might buy a big tract at Waldheim. Subcom. Of DC and AA?

Defense Committee was organized in My 22, 1886. Ernest Schmidt was the leader, and George Schilling was active. and they began to raise money – collected $40,000. It had an air of respectability that won it some acceptance even among critics (Pierce.)

Defense Committee was very proactive. It wanted to make sure that dime museums would not profit from the tragedy – and obtained all the relics, including the clothes the men were executed in and other articles. Defense Committee actually bought the cemetery lots first and then title was transferred to PA after about a year. (or was it specific men?)

Amnesty Association was probably formed in October of 1887, Schilling and DC began the movement for clemency, and the AA was formed to raise funds, arrange meetings, circulate petitions, and try to swing public opinion in favor of a reprieve. Lucy worked to collect signatures and funds. Darrow was active.

PA formed in December 15, 1887. Their minutes start in 88. “Organization founded to assist the families of the executed and imprisoned men.” Expanded to care for the grave site. It was also called “The Pioneer Aid and Relief Association” and the Chicago Pioneer Benefit and Aid Society.” (Alarm)  And maybe Pioneer Benevolent Association- ticket to even in ILHS archives.

Article in Dec 88 indicates that PA is largely composed of women.

PA Monument Committee: Louis Vonierok?, William Urbam, Dr. Ernest Schmidt, Herr Kaune, M. Schnerdinger, and Thomas Grief.

PA money invested in bonds from the beginning (Schaak)

1890 and 91 had a big rift. Two big articles with Lucy/Martin stuff, and also short article in Jan 1891 covers an uneventful meeting of PA and DC – low turnout.

See monument time line. 

On October 28, 1947, the Daily Worker in New York published a letter to the editor from K. Briesemeister, president of Pioneer Aid and Support Association  in Chicago. Briesemeister wrote that the organization was getting smaller every year, and that the few members remaining are getting old and worry that their further activities will be of short duration. They are asking for contributions for a perpetual care fund of $10,000 to preserve and perpetuate the Haymarket Martyrs Monument as a landmark in the history of the American labor movement.

ILHS history

Suhrbuhr writes that ILHS came into existence pretty directly due to the Police Monument. In 68 (?) after WU bombing, Bill Garvey, editor of Midwest Steel Labor, inspired the creation of HWSMC. Told a casual gathering at the Blackstone Hotel that a Chicago union had given money to the PM restoration fund. The group decided to hold a demonstration at Haymarket Square on May Day to help educate the public about the workers’ side of the story in 1886. This group decided to form an ad hoc committee and call themselves the “Haymarket Workers Memorial Committee.” Bring awareness to the public.

March 1969 Statement of Purpose for HSWMC addressing the myths, legends and misconceptions about the tragic events of May 4, 1886. Eloquently – lessons of Haymarket, historical context, legitimacy of social protest, Honor the memory of the struggle for the 8-hour day; ongoing struggle for truth and justice.

The successful demonstration was held on Sunday, May 4, 1969 at the site of the Haymarket incident, on Randolph Street between DesPlaines and Halsted. The publicity flyer, done up in the style of the original broadside, offered that “Good Speakers will be there to explain the meaning of the Haymarket Events in light of the Social Struggles of Today.” Studs Terkel was Master of Ceremonies. It was so successful that people agreed to organize a group to keep the memory alive.

June 1969 correspondence between Irving Abrams and HSWMC /Bill Garvey on letterheads(sole remaining member of PA (double check this in 1969) about cooperation and support.

The charter meeting of ILHS was held on August 5, 1969 at Joe Jacobs office, He was a labor lawyer and the nephew of Les Orear.  Charter and Bylaws were adopted, and Les Orear was elected president and Bill Adelman vice-president. Irving Abrams, attended the first meeting and was a charter member. Garvey opened the meeting by stating that the purpose was to consider the possibility of stimulating among trade unionists, historians, and others an interest in forming a society in Illinois to preserve the state’s labor historical records presently being lost and destroyed for lack of interest and to promote the facts of the state’s rich and colorful labor history.

Founding members were James Hirsh, Stanley Johnson, Morris Davidson, John Schumpp, Ken Appelhans, Joe Grafen, Irving Abrams, Joseph Griganti, Ernest DeMais, Leslie Orear, Robert Kelly, Frank McCallister, Sam Sloan, Joe Norrick, Roger Kapfhammer, Anthony Zanetello, Arthur Weinberg, William Byrne, Nancy Byrne, Staughton Lynd, William Garvey, Norman Roth, Bob Christianson, Clarence Greene, Joseph Jacobs.

Reuben Soderstrom, president of the Illinois AFL-CIO was the first honorary membership given out. The organization’s first acquisition was given by Joe Jacobs, his personal collection of mementos from the  “Chicago Labor College Collection.” The small treasury of dues ($5 per year) was deposited with Amalgamated Bank, a bank with strong union ties that had been founded by the Amalgamated Clothing Workers of America. Still there. 

Arrangements were made with the Illinois State Historical Library in Springfield to act as a perpetual repository of local union and personal records. /labor records retention project. September 69 District 12 Amalgamated Meat Cutters and Butcher Workman passed a resolution applauding the formation of ILHS and urged all other labor unions in Illinois to support and join the society.

In January of 1970, a proposal was made and unanimously passed that the Haymarket Square Workers Memorial Committee be merged with the ILHS. $400 was carried over to ILHS as part of this. In March ILHS was incorporated as a not-for-profit organization. In April, Irving Abrams made a motion which carried that the Pioneer Aid and Support Association be perpetuated to maintain the upkeep of the Haymarket Monument in Waldheim Cemetery.

Interesting that also at this meeting was a reference to the Haymarket Square plaque not being accepted if the word “anarchist(s)” was not deleted from the plaque. In November, Abrams was given honorary life membership.

In March of 1971, a motion was made and passed that transferred title of the Waldheim monument to the ILHS. Member Al Widel was appointed to obtain an estimate of the total cost for restoration of the monument which was noted as requiring considerable improvement at that time. This was reported in Federation News.

Daily News reported that they refurbished the police monument! Les letter refutes.

Significant Commemorations:

1937 – 50^th. Detailed in Abrams memoir.

Check on date of Centennial event vs. Landmark event – when was the sidewalk replaced?