Wednesday, November 28, 2007

Polish Benevolent Society of Hussars


Articles of Association of the
Polish Benevolent Society of Hussars
Of John Sobieski the Third of Calumet
Photo by Ceil Wendt Jensen taken at MTU
Transcribed by Joseph Martin



The following Articles of association have been agreed to and accepted at Calumet, Houghton County, Michigan on the 27th day of October A. D. 1887.

Article 1st
The following persons residing in the township of Calumet and Osceola, Houghton County, Michigan to wit: John Lenz, Stanislaus Kowalski, John Wieczorkienues, Lawrence Wroblewski, and Thomas Jankainiak have with the object of forming a Corporation for benevolent purposes in conformity with an act of the Legislature of the State of Michigan entitled an “Act for the Incorporation of Charitable Societies” approved February Sixth A.D. 1855, accepted the following Articles of Association.

Article 2nd
The Corporation formed in conformity with the above mentioned act, and in consequence of same Articles of Association, shall be named the Polish Benevolent Society of Hussars of John Sobieski the Third, and shall have its office for the transaction of its business located in the Village of Red Jacket, Houghton County, Michigan and shall be incorporated for the period of Thirty years.

Article 3rd
The Society is incorporated for the purpose of affording aid and relief to its members when in need.

Article 4th
The Business of the Corporation shall be managed by Five Trustees. The regular officers of the Society shall be elected by the members thereof, and shall consist of a President, a Vice President, a Treasurer, a Secretary, a Director of the Sick, and a Messenger. These Officers shall be elected at the annual meeting to be held on the first Sunday after the 15th day of June at the Office of the Society in the Village of Red Jacket and shall hold their Office for one year.

Article 5th
No person can become a member of this Society who is under the age of 18 years or above the age of Forty-five years or who belongs to any Society which is forbidden by the Roman Catholic Church or is not free from all bodily diseases. He must be a member of a Polish Roman Catholic Congregation and bear a good moral character and fulfill his duties generally as a Catholic Christian.

Article 6th
Candidates for admission shall be proposed by a Member of the Society and shall be examined by a Committee appointed by the Society, which Committee shall make a report at the next quarterly meeting of the Society. Should this report be favorable and the questions of the President be satisfactorily answered by the Candidate, he shall be legally admitted and declared a member and shall sign the Constitution of the Society.



Article 7th
All changes of the Constitution, Articles of Association or By Laws of the Society proposed by any of the Officers or Members of the Society shall be submitted to its members at a Quarterly meeting and must be approved by the vote of two thirds of the members present to become valid. It is also required that all proposed changes of the Constitution, and all extraordinary undertakings shall be made known to the Priest of the Catholic Church of Red Jacket, and his approval shall be necessary in all spiritual matters.

John Lenz
Stanislaus Kowalski
John Wieczorkiewicz
Lawrence Wroblewski
Jams Yankowiak

Sworn to and subscribed before me the 27th day of October A.D. 1887
D. T. McDonald
Notary Public
Houghton County, Mich.

State of Michigan
Houghton County

On this 27th day of October A. D. one thousand eight hundred and Eighty-Seven before me a Notary Public in and for said County, personally came to me the above named John Lenz, Stanislaus Kowalski, John Wieczorkiewicz, Lawrence Wroblewski and Thomas Jankowiak Citizens of Calumet Township, County and State aforesaid, known to me to be the persons who executed the foregoing instrument and acknowledged the same to be their free act and deed.
D. T. McDonald
Notary Public
Houghton County
Michigan

Received for Record Oct. 31st A.D. 1887 at 1 o’clock P.M.
Peter Premeau
Clerk



Michigan Technological University
State Archives of Michigan Collection
Houghton County
Articles of Incorporation, 1887
RG 89-464, Vol. 10, pp. 129-131