New York State Commission on Relief for Widowed Mothers Widow's Pension Legislation Research Files

The series consists of summaries of legislation and copies of reports, speeches, conference papers, articles, newspaper clippings, and other material gathered by the commission to aid its investigation into the issue of providing pension relief to mothers. The commission was empowered by Chapter 588 of the Laws of 1913 to inquire into conditions and statutes throughout the country and to "send for persons or papers" necessary to examine the subject. The series reflects the scope and results of the commission's inquires.

The records include: examples of legislation, drawn from statutes and the testimony of officials who particpated in their enactment, from the states of Missouri (Kansas City and St. Louis), Illinois, Wisconsin, Nebraska, and Michigan; sample reporting forms specifically required under provisions of the Wisconsin law; sample forms (for reinvestigation and for providing children's histories) used by the Children's Bureau of the City of New York's Department of Public Charities; materials (apparently draft statements) prepared by the New York State Commission to Investigate Provision for the Mentally Deficient; and draft typescript of a report by the commission, with manuscript corrections and annotations.

Of special note is a blueprint copy of a chart of information on mothers' pension and allied laws in other states. The chart was compiled by Richard Neustadt, secretary of the New York State Commission to Investigate Provision for the Mentally Deficient. It shows the persons reached and restrictions imposed by the various state laws, as well as the methods used by the states to administer state aid. The chart also lists the states which proposed laws, or for which there was agitation for legislation, during 1913-1914.

Microfilm is available for use at the New York State Archives or through inter-library loan.

There are no restrictions regarding access to or use of the material.