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Descriptive Summary
Creator:	Anshey Dowig Association
Title:	Anshey Dowig Association, records
Dates:	1887-1984
Abstract:	The Anshey Dowig Association began in the last quarter of the 19th century, initially as informal meetings for Jews from the region of Dowig, Lithuania, living in the Boston area. The association functioned as a benefit society for its members and in 1898, with the acquisition of burial plots in a cemetery in West Roxbury, it also established itself as a chevra kadisha or burial society. By the 1980s, as membership dropped, it began working towards reviving the organization as a cemetery corporation, its main function being to maintain and provide perpetual care for the graves in the Anshe Dowig Cemetery. The collection includes the constitution and by-laws, minutes, financial records, government documents & correspondence concerning the activities of the landsmanshaft, mostly relating to its cemetery in Dedham, as well as a fiftieth anniversary souvenir booklet with a membership list.
Languages:	The collection is in English.
Quantity:	.5 linear feet (1 manuscript box)
Identification:	I-219
Repository:	American Jewish Historical Society
Location:	Located at AJHS, Boston, MA.

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Historical Note¹

The Anshey Dowig Association began in the last quarter of the 19^th century, initially as informal meetings for Jews from the region of Dowig, Lithuania, living in the Boston area. Often collections were taken up to be sent back to family and friends still living in Dowig. In 1887 they sought official status as a landsmanshaften or immigrant benevolent society, and in 1888 they received their charter name of Anshey Dowig Association.

The association functioned as a benefit society for its members and in 1898, with the acquisition of burial plots in a cemetery in West Roxbury, it also established itself as a chevra kadisha or burial society. By the 1980s, as membership dropped, it began working towards reviving the organization as a cemetery corporation, its main function being to maintain and provide perpetual care for the graves in the Anshe Dowig Cemetery.

• Footnote

• ¹ Information used in this finding aid is from the following sources:
  
  International Jewish Cemetery Project-International Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies. "Daugai." 2010. 6 Dec. 2011. (http://www.iajgsjewishcemeteryproject.org/lithuania/daugai.html)
  
  Materials from the collection.

Chronology
1887	Constitution adopted.
1887	First minutes recorded.
1888	Charter obtained in the name of Anshey Dowig Association.
1898	Deed to a parcel of land in a cemetery located in West Roxbury is passed from Benjamin Miller to Anshey Dowig Association.
1927	A decision was made in arbitration in a dispute with Beth Israel over the right of way access road between their respective cemeteries.
1938	Celebrated its 50th Anniversary at the Aperion Plaza in Roxbury, MA.
1947	Dissolved for not filing reports for 2 years, though still held meetings.
1981	Received certificate for revival of the corporation.

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Scope and Content Note

The collection contains Anshey Dowig Association records (1888-1984) including constitutional by-laws, minutes, financial records, government documents and correspondence concerning activities of the landsmanshaft, mostly relating to its cemetery, as well as a fiftieth anniversary souvenir booklet with a membership list. Of interest is material pertaining to a legal dispute between the Association and the Congregation Beth Israel, the revival of the association, and documents regarding the sale of graves. Materials are organized chronologically.

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Arrangement

The collection is arranged into a single series as follows:

• Records of Anshey Dowig Association, 1887-1984

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Restrictions

Access Restrictions

The collection is open to all researchers by permission of the Director of Library and Archives of the American Jewish Historical Society, except items that are restricted due to their fragility.

Use Restrictions

Information concerning the literary rights may be obtained from the Director of Library and Archives of the American Jewish Historical Society. Users must apply in writing for permission to quote, reproduce or otherwise publish manuscript materials found in this collection. For more information contact:
American Jewish Historical Society, Center for Jewish History, 15 West 16th Street, New York, NY, 10011
email: reference@ajhs.org

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Preferred Citation

Published citations should take the following form:
Identification of item, date (if known); Anshey Dowig Association, records; I-219; box number; folder number; American Jewish Historical Society, Boston, MA and New York, NY.

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Acquisition Information

Gift of Bess Cutler, 1984.

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Access Points

• Subject Organizations:

  • Anshey Dowig Society

• Subject Topics:

  • Burial Societies
  • Cemeteries (Jewish law).
  • Cemeteries--Massachusetts--Boston--History.
  • Landsmanshaften

• Subject Places:

  • West Roxbury (Boston, Mass.)

• Document Types:

  • By-laws
  • Correspondence
  • Financial records

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Container List

The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection.

Records of Anshey Dowig Association, 1887-1984.
English.
Box 1.
Arrangement: Arranged chronologically.
Scope and Content: See Collection Scope and Content Note.
Box	Folder	Title	Date
1	1	Establishment of Anshey Dowig	1887-1888
1	2	Bills of Sale, Deeds, Mortgage	1898
1	3	Sale of Graves and Contracts	1921-1984
1	4	Decision in Arbitration	1927
1	5	Constitution and By-Laws	1932-1941
1	6	50th Anniversary Souvenir Booklet	1938
1	7	Minutes and Financial Reports Book	1941-1957
1	8	Financial Ledger	1949-1971
1	9	Revival of Corporation	1981-1983
1	10	Financial Statements and Annual Reports	1981-1983
1	11	Letters to Members and Relatives	1984

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