Col. John Jacob Astor Camp #28 Records
Title: Col. John Jacob Astor Camp #28 United Spanish War Veterans Records
Date: 1924-1933
Collection Number: H041
Extent: 1.0 cu. ft.
Repository: Alfred M. Heston Collection, Atlantic City Free Public Library, 1 North Tennessee Avenue, Atlantic City, NJ 08401, (609) 345-2269.
Preferred Citation: Col. John Jacob Astor Camp #28 United Spanish War Veterans Records, Alfred M. Heston Collection, Atlantic City Free Public Library.
Creator: Col. John Jacob Astor Camp #28, Department of New Jersey United Spanish War Veterans.
Historical Note:
The United Spanish War Veterans (USWV) was founded in 1904. It was formed upon the union of several Spanish-American War groups including: the National Army and Navy Spanish-American War Veterans; the National Association of Spanish-American War Veterans; and the Service Men of the Spanish War. Those eligible to join the organization included all military personnel who served during the Spanish-American War, and had been honorably discharged or continued to serve in the armed forces, and non-military personnel who served honorably during the war. The USWV existed until 1992, when its last member died in Phoenix, Arizona.
At the national level, the group maintained headquarters in Washington D.C. State organizations were called Departments, and at the local level groups were arranged into Camps. Camps were named for significant participants in the War. The Atlantic City group was named for John J. Astor. Astor served as a Lieutenant Colonel of a United States volunteer battalion, which he personally financed, in Cuba. His yacht, the Nourmahal, was also used by the United States government in the War. Astor died in the sinking of the Titanic on April 14, 1912.
Veterans groups such as Camp #28 held meetings and events at the All Wars Memorial Building, located at 814 Pacific Avenue. The building was opened on April 24, 1924 and boasted a 600-seat auditorium and a dining room that seated 280.
IN-DEPTH INFORMATION ABOUT THE COLLECTION
Scope and Content:
This collection consists of two ledgers: one which documents a list of officers and meeting notes, and a second which acts as a membership roll. The first ledger lists Camp #28 officers from 1926-1928 and provides meeting notes from 1926-1933. The second ledger provides the names of members, initiation dates, addresses, status within the organization (suspended, reinstated, expelled, withdrawn, resigned, or deceased), degrees obtained and dues paid.
While it is known that these ledgers were used to record organizational membership and attendance at functions held at the All Wars Memorial building, the full provenance of these ledgers is unknown. The Colonel John Jacob Astor ledgers were discovered within the Heston Collection during a collection inventory in January 2007.
OTHER INFORMATION FOR USERS OF THE COLLECTION
Access Points:
Col. John Jacob Astor Camp #28
Spanish-American War, 1898
Spanish-American War, 1898--Regimental histories
Spanish-American War, 1898—Veterans
Astor, John Jacob, 1864-1912
Related Materials:
The Heston Collection has additional resources related to the topics of veterans groups in Atlantic City and the All Wars Memorial building. These vertical files and archival collections:
Vertical subject files:
Parks/Memorials/Monuments – All Wars Memorial Building
Grand Army of the Republic – 1910 Encampment
Other archival collections:
H009 – Atlantic City Photograph Collection
H015 – Morris Guards Collection, 1893-1977
H073 – Joe Hooker Post #32 GAR Records
Hex002 – 1910 GAR Encampment Collection
Hex006 – And They Marched On: Atlantic City Veterans, a Photograph Exhibit
Processing Note: The collection is processed. Finding aid written by Shannon O’Neill, archivist, September 2011
Copyright Notice: While the Atlantic City Free Public Library owns the collection, the Library may not own the copyright for the collection. Researchers wishing to reproduce materials are responsible for obtaining the proper permission.
ITEM LIST
Box 1
Item 1 Col. J.J. Astor Camp #28 Dept. of NJ USWV list of officers and meeting notes (1924-1933)
Item 2 Col. J.J. Astor Camp #28 Dept of NJ USWV membership ledger
Note: The Colonel John Jacob Astor Camp #28 records are in fragile condition. Advance notice must be given in order to view this collection. At the discretion of the archivist, surrogate copies may be supplied rather than the originals.