Roseland Mutual Aid Society Collection, 1884-1990 | Heritage Hall, Hekman Library

Folder level description

The Roseland Mutual Aid Society is a burial insurance society. The membership is all persons of Holland birth and descent living in the Chicago area within the borders of the state of Illinois. The collection includes constitution, anniversary booklet, and membership list.

The man credited for starting Roseland Mutual Aid Society was Sander Van Wijngaarden (1841-1912). Wijngaarden immigrated to the United States in 1865 and opened a tin shop in Roseland.  Winjgaarden’s business eventually grew into a hardware store, then into a furniture and funeral business.  Many people could not afford the costs of the funerals so Wijngaarden, along with others from the community, organized the Roseland Mutual Aid Society to assist people with financial aid for burial costs.