EXAMINING PATTERNS OF ITALIAN IMMIGRATION TO ...

for health to refer to in case of illness and a committee for death to deal with cases of
death. 57
Thanks to these organizations workers were able to cooperate in confronting the
problems of the emerging industrial society before social insurance was available. However
the social strength of the ‘village’ or the ‘province’ hardly reached a larger scale. In fact
most of the societies were organized by and included only individuals from a specific part of
Italy, sometimes a province, others even a village.
5.1.1 Societies in Calumet Township
The very first Italian society in Houghton County was established in Red Jacket in
1875, the Italian Mutual Beneficial Society (Società Italiana di Mutua Beneficenza). The
original members numbered eighty-four. The society was established with the aim of
assisting the members and their countrymen in every possible way. As the membership grew
and the society had enough money, it was decided to build a hall. The first attempt failed in
November 1889 when, after construction had begun and it was nearly completed, a
windstorm blew it down. In December of the same year the lodge was incorporated
according to the laws of Michigan. In February 1890 the members purchased a lot on
Seventh Street in Calumet and in the following years Joseph Wilmus, a contractor, erected
the Italian Hall, a three story wooden structure. It lasted until 1908 when, after a celebration,
accidental fire broke out and destroyed everything. 58 Fortunately it was insured with the
Italian Fire Insurance Company 59 for $14,000, but the loss was approximately $ 27,000. The
members of the Italian Mutual Beneficial Society waited for the Italians belonging to other
lodges to join them in the effort to build another hall. Receiving no positive answers, they
decided to go on their own and by October of 1908 the ‘third’ Italian Hall was completed on
the same site as the previous one (see Figure XXIII). The dedication took place on October
57 Many societies, besides announcing the date of meetings, also advertised about these committees on the
Italian newspapers. For example, Ettore Perrone Society of Calumet, advertised in Il Minatore Italiano of
October 13, 1908 that its illness committee was composed of four members: Marta Giuseppe in Calumet,
Massoglia Martino in Hecla, G. Gianoglio in Black Hills, and Domenico Motto in Red Jacket. In case of illness
the members had to notify the representative in their district within three days of the beginning of their illness
or otherwise would lose any right to a claim.
58 The Hall was rented to St. Joseph’s Austrian Society to celebrate its 25 th anniversary.
59 See paragraph 5.4.
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