Massachusetts, U.S., Order Sons of Italy in America, Lodge Records, 1922-1985

This database contains documents from the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts of the Order Sons of Italy in America from 1922 to 1985.

Historical Background

The Order Sons of Italy in America (OSIA) was established in 1905 in New York as a mutual aid society to assist Italian immigrants coming to the United States. The Grand Lodge of Massachusetts was established in 1914 and covers Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Maine. Among its efforts, OSIA has offered members scholarships, help with obtaining citizenship, aid to the poor, and life and mortuary benefits.

What’s in the Records

This database contains a number of different document types from the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts, including the following:

• membership applications
• lodge lists
• reports
• mortuary fund and benefit plan application forms
• monetary fund claims and records
• death notices
• death certificates
• photographs
• benefit insurance death claims

Information included in the records varies widely by document type, but you may find details such as these:

• name
• birth date
• birthplace
• spouse’s name
• father’s name
• mother’s name
• death date
• place of death / city of death
• age at death

Some of the records are in Italian.