Pennsylvania, U.S., Order Sons of Italy in America, Mortuary Fund Claims, 1917-1978

This database contains claims for mortuary benefits (and supporting documents) from Pennsylvania chapters of the Order Sons of Italy in America.

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 Pennsylvania was founded in 1913 and quickly grew to become the nation’s largest. Among its efforts, OSIA offered members scholarships, help with obtaining citizenship, aid to the poor, and life and mortuary benefits.

What’s in the Records

This database contains documents surrounding claims for mortuary benefits from the Pennsylvania Grand Lodge. They can include applications, medical examination certificates, payment vouchers, beneficiary forms, and many files even contain a copy of a death certificate, making them particularly valuable to family history researchers.

Details vary with the forms included with each claim, but you may find the following:

• name
• place of death
• date of death
• place of birth
• date of birth
• father’s name
• mother’s name

If the file contains a death certificate, you may also discover details like these:

• cause of death
• time of death
• mother’s maiden name
• gender
• race
• marital status
• occupation
• residence
• informant’s name
• place of burial
• date of burial
• funeral director and address

Because there can be multiple records associated with a claim, if you find a record, use the arrow keys to examine images before and after it in the database to make sure you find all the documents available for the individual.