Research: Topics: Health Care: Preliminary Guide to Mental Health Documentary Sources in NY
Preliminary Guide to Mental Health Documentary Sources in New York State
Historical Records Repositories in New York State
ONEIDA HISTORICAL SOCIETY
1608 Genesee St., New York, NY 13502-5425
Uticana Collection. Local Histories, 1897-1981. 8 items
Numbers in parentheses are accession numbers. 'One Hundred Years of Amusement in Utica, 1807-1906', by Carroll T. Waldron (AMU.1); 'The Beginnings of Utica', by T. Wood Clarke (HIS.1); 'Pent-Up Utica', by Williams and Devereux (HIS.1); 'The Story of Utica', by I.P. Bielby (HSK.1); 'Utica and the Sauquoit Valley', by A.J. Norton (HSK.1); reminiscences of Utica by Elizabeth Bell Brown, 1897 (HSK.1); oral history of Oneida Street, 1981 (81); and 'Historical Sketch of the New York State Lunatic Asylum of Utica' by Richard U. Shearman, 1942.
NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY, MANUSCRIPTS AND SPECIAL
COLLECTIONS
Albany, NY
Allen, William W., 1829-1866. Personal documents, 1841-1866. 2 folders.
Forms part of William W. Allen papers. Personal Documents 1841-1866. Included in this series are several items of an exclusively personal nature relative to W.W. Allen. Included are Allen's license to preach, a letter from Allen to Rev. Mr. Smith inviting him marry Allen to Cornelia Niles, account sheets of the accounting the estate of J.O. Allen, the rules of the Flat Brook Literary Society written in Allen's hand, a description of Canaan by Allen written in 1841, a photograph of Allen, the registration paper for Allen's commitment to the NYS Lunatic Asylum, and the bill for Allen's coffin.
Unpublished guide available in repository.
Psychological Association of North Eastern New York. Papers and records, 1971-1984. 2 boxes.
The collection comprises two Hollinger Boxes of material generated by the organization between 1971 and 1984. The kinds of records include minutes of meetings, secretary's notes, correspondence, membership lists, and publicity materials. It was incorporated officially in 1983 as a professional organization for psychologists.
Container listing available in repository.
Schermerhorn, James B. Letters from the Alexander family, 1836-1845. 2 items.
Schermerhorn was a close friend of Jonathan Alexander while he lived at Schenectady, N.Y. Two letters from Jonathan Alexander and his daughter Anna Alexander Muzzy. The letter from Jonathan was written at Carroll, N.Y. and details a state of extreme mental depression that he is going through. The letter provides an interesting example of mental processes of the severely depressed. The letter from Anna related the story of her father's death and discusses her own depression. This letter was also written at Carroll.
Vincent family. Papers, 1873-1890. 1 box.
A family from Trenton, Oneida County, N.Y. A small collection of personal letters between the members of the Vincent family. A majority of the letters are addressed to Sophia P. Vincent, the mother, and were written by her children, Arthur B., Cora W. and Minnie. Arthur moved to Barry, Illinois in 1875. A significant portion of the letters are from Minnie to her mother. Minnie worked in the State Lunatic Asylums in Utica and Buffalo and often discusses her work activities and the conditions at these places. Cora worked as a school teacher, but seems to have been somewhat of a problem for her mother due to her behavior.
The letters describe important current events, weather, travel plans and other matters of a personal nature. They provide an insight into the social life of a small central New York town.
No finding aids are currently available.
NEW YORK UNIVERSITY, ROBERT F. WAGNER LABOR ARCHIVES
Jonas, Gilbert. Papers, 1962-1969. 1.9 linear feet.
Gilbert Jonas was born in 1930 and he began his work in public relations in 1955 in New York City. Jonas's association with AFSCME grew out of his relationship with Jerry Wurf, District Council 37's Executive Director at the time (Wurf later became International President of AFSCME from 1964-1981). Jonas's public relations firm, which began working for DC 37 in 1962, prepared and placed press releases for the union in local and national media outlets.
Jonas's firm again worked for Wurf in 1968-69, to assist with the development of District Council 50. Jonas's work with DC 50 pertained to the State Mental Hospital Workers, who held a strike in November, 1968.
The collection reflects Jonas's various activities related to AFSCME District Councils 37 and 50. The DC 37 materials are primarily from 1962-1963, and the DC 50 materials are from 1968-1969. A large portion of the materials consist of press releases and correspondence with members of the press. Some materials included do not relate to either District Council, but include general materials on labor. A significant body of the collection consists of newspaper clippings relating to the Mental Hospital Workers strike.
Unpublished finding aid available, folder level control. Gift of Gilbert Jonas, June 1987.
Union of State Employees. Local 382 (N.Y.). Records, 1937-1983. 0.66 linear feet.
The Union of State Employees originated among clerks in the Claims, Underwriting, and Actuarial departments of the State Insurance Fund and was first chartered by the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees in February, 1937. It was called the "Jewish" union because the majority of the activists were Jewish. Six months after joining AFSCME, the local joined the State County and Municipal Workers of America, CIO as Local 45. During its first year 500 of 800 employees in the State Insurance Fund enrolled in the union, but subsequent political infighting between Stalinist and Trotskyist minority factions impeded membership gains. The majority, characterized as New Deal Democrats, eventually prevailed with the election of George J. Levine during World War II.
After the war, the SCMWA went into the United Public Workers which combined membership in the State Insurance Fund, Workers Compensation Board and State Department of Labor as one chapter in Local 1099, UPW. Six months before the UPW was expelled from the CIO, the chapter bolted, becoming the Union of State Employees (Independent). When the CIO set up the Government and Civic Employees Organizing Committee, USE received a charter to organize state employees throughout the state of New York as Local 382.
When the AFL and CIO merged, Local 382 joined Council 50 of AFSCME which spearheaded organizing among New York State employees. Council 50 was led by Al Wurf, whose brother Jerry had more success on the municipal level through District Council 37. Council 50 faced strong competition from the Civil Service Employees Association, regarded by AFL-CIO affiliates as a company union. At its height in 1969, Council 50 could claim 15-18,000 members to CSEA's 100,000. When the Taylor Law provided for collective bargaining rights for state employees, five units were established: professional, administrative, operating, correction and mental hygeine. Council 50 (which became AFSCME Council 82) won only Correction; CSEA won the other four. Although the rest of Council 50 withered away, Local 382 continued to exist as an independent despite the fact that CSEA had bargaining rights for the State Insurance Fund. Local 382 worked sub-rosa to represent employees and served as a gadfly to further state employees' rights. The local claims an important role in winning health insurance for state employees.
In 1972 Local 382 began an affiliation drive with the Service Employees International Union with the idea of calling another election to challenge CSEA. The campaign was initiated by John Kraemer, a Department of Labor employee and former president of Council 50. CSEA successfully kept its four units in 1972. SEIU Local 382 was defeated again in 1975 with a closer vote. With the backing of the SEIU and the AFT, it succeeded in winning the professional unit in 1978. It planned to try for the administrative unit, but as a defensive measure, CSEA joined AFSCME in 1979. Local 382 was absorbed by the Public Employees Federation (SEIU) representing professional, scientific and professional employees of the state of New York. Local 382 disbanded in 1982.
The records of the United State Employees reflect Local 382's activities over 45 years, with the bulk of the material spanning 1938-1978. The local's operations with several major affiliates-- the State, County and Municipal Workers of America-CIO (1938-1947), the United Public Workers-CIO (1947-1948), the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (1956-1973) and the Service Employees International Union (1973-1978) as well as its independent phase (1950-1956) are documented through newsletters, leaflets, press releases, clippings, and correspondence. Several of the older papers in the collection are in very fragile condition. Wartime newsletters are scant and dates for many leaflets could only be estimated. There are no documents extant for the critical postwar phase before the union went independent, 1948-1950. In general, correspondence files are thin, while minutes and other routine materials which would document internal union operations are not included in the collection.
Unpublished finding aid available, folder level control. Gift of William Ginsberg, former union treasurer, in October 1985.
ROCKEFELLER ARCHIVES CENTER
The Rockefeller Archive Center, Pocantico Hills, North Tarrytown,
NY 10591-1598
Cohn, Alfred E. (Alfred Einstein), 1879-1957. Papers, 1920-1954. 60 cubic ft.
Restrictions: 16 cubic ft. of the material is processed and open for research; 44 cubic ft. is restricted pending processing. The collection contains administrative records, clippings, correspondence (both personal and professional), manuscripts of 'Minerva's Progress' (1946) and 'Burden of Disease' (1950), notes, photographs and reprints. Alfred E. Cohn, one of the first cardiologists in the United States, became an associate and assistant physician at the hospital of the Rockefeller Institute for Medical Research in 1911. He became a leader of the laboratory and clinical service devoted to the study of heart disease, a position he held until his retirement in 1944. Register available at the Center. Forms part of the Rockefeller University archives.
Laura Spelman Rockefeller Memorial. Archives. 1918-1930. 58 cubic ft.
Restrictions: None. The collection consists of minutes and dockets, financial and administrative material, papers relating to individual appropriations, general information files and correspondence. There is little material after 1930. The Laura Spelman Rockefeller Memorial was formed in 1918 by John D. Rockefeller and was named by his late wife. Intended to contribute realistically to improvements in public welfare, the LSRM operated from the office of John D. Rockefeller, Jr. with a fluid program until 1922, when Beardsley Ruml was named director and developed a long range program. In 1929, the LSRM was consolidated with the Rockefeller Foundation and made a final grant of $10 million to the Spelman Fund of New York to continue still active LSRM grants that the RF could not programmatically administer. The main Advisory Committee
file is in the Rockefeller Family archives, Office of the Messrs. Rockefeller, Boards series. This collection is located at the Rockefeller Archive Center also. Register available at the Center. Card index available at the Center. The LSRM collection was deposited with the Rockefeller Foundation archives in 1929 by the LSRM, processed by the RF archivist in 1969 and transferred to the Rockefeller Archive Center in 1975.
Office of the Messrs. Rockefeller. General files. 1890-1961. 580 cubic ft.
Restrictions: Portions restricted. Consult the archivists. This collection documents the activities and interests of three generations of the John D. Rockefeller family. Photocopy services available for on site researchers. Authorization to publish extended passages must be requested separately. John D. Rockefeller, Jr. joined his father's personal office on October 1, 1897, and became his father's closest associate in the growing philanthropic activities of the office. Although Mr. Rockefeller, Sr. made only occasional visits to the office after 1897, he maintained close contact with it's activities. In 1897, there were seven employees in the office, by 1960, the number had grown to over 200. John D. Jr.'s five sons joined the office during the 1930's. Under the guidance of Rockefeller, Jr. and a small number of close associates, the office supervised a growing number of diversified philanthropies. During his lifetime he gave over $550,000,000 to many charitable projects. Registers available at the Center. Card catalog available at the Center. The General Files were assembled in the Rockefeller Family offices in New York at 26 Broadway and at Room 5600, 30 Rockefeller Plaza. Formally organized in the Rockefeller Family archives in 1954, transferred to the
Rockefeller Family. Winthrop Rockefeller. Papers, 1960-1972. American Microfilm, Kansas City, Missouri, October 26, 1978. 264 reels microfilm.
Restrictions: Record groups 1, 2, 5 and 6 are closed until February 22, 1998. Included in the collection is material on campaigns, intergovernmental affairs, proclamations, Arkansas schools and commissions, counsel files, legislative session files, and state agency files. The Jeanette E. Rockefeller
Rockefeller Foundation. Administration, Program and Policy records, 1913-1989. 194 cubic ft.
Restrictions: Material more than 20 years old is open. This record group of the Rockefeller Foundation archives includes correspondence, memoranda and reports reflecting the decisions made and agendas established by the officers and trustees as well as the day to day details of running the Foundation. The material documents the RF's initial interest in a field and the development of a strategy to support it, including consultant's reports, investigations and surveys. Included is a 21-volume history of the Foundation's programs (1909-1939). Photocopy services available for on site researchers. Authorization to publish extended passages must be requested separately. Register available at the Center. Index available at the Center. Forms part of the Rockefeller Foundation archives. Location: The Rockefeller Archive Center, 15 Dayton Avenue, Pocantico Hills, North Tarrytown, New York 10591-1598
