Dennis, This was a form of benefit society.? See the Wikipedia article on that topic http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benefit_society More specifically, it was an immigrant mutual aid society.? There is a useful two-part article on that topic at http://www.ancestry.com/learn/library/article.aspx?article=2157?and http://www.ancestry.com/learn/library/article.aspx?article=696 This topic has come up before on the Alsace-Lorraine list.? Take a look at http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/alsace-lorraine/1998-05/0894565842 and the messages in response to it. Robert Behra -----Original Message----- From: Den49co@aol.com To: alsace-lorraine@rootsweb.com Sent: Sat, 14 Jun 2008 4:53 pm Subject: [A-L] Societe' Alsacienne de Secours Mutuels I found this organization invited to the funeral services of my Alsace ancestor's sponsor in Philadelphia in 1901. Any help on this organization? Dennis **************Vote for your city's best dining and nightlife. City's Best 2008. (http://citysbest.aol.com?ncid=aolacg00050000000102) -- Resources for Alsace-Lorraine list members: http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~valorie/Alsace-Lorraine-L.htm ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to ALSACE-LORRAINE-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message