Collections

Correspondence, papers, newspaper clippings, photographs, and postcards of Silas H. Alliton.

The papers provide much first hand information about the 3rd Michigan Cavalry, Company G, in Alliton’s numerous letters to Dora and in his three diaries,1860-1865. Additional general information about the Civil War is found in the newspaper clipping and the GAR materials and photograph, 1865-1916. There are also a few letters to Dora from her sister, Nettie, 1872-1876. The collection is completed by Biographical Materials, including a Bible and family photographs.

Collection of papers of various Stacy family members including: Consider A. Stacy, James A. Stacy, L. Loana Stacy, Marla M. Stacy, and Scovel C. Stacy of Tecumseh, Adrian, and Fenton, Michigan.

The collection includes genealogical materials for the Ward and Ely families of Alma, Michigan; Ward family photographs (19th-20th centuries), including some of Charles O. Ward in uniform and in local bands. The materials of Gerrit S. Ward include correspondence to/from Gerrit S. Ward to/from family, 1860-1897, and about his various business interests including banking, mines, and timberlands, 1886-1916; deeds and correspondence to Alma and Montcalm County lands, 1883-1911; Gerrit S. Ward’s estate records, 1916-1917 (copy, 1940); an annual report of the First Bank of Alma (illustrated with pictures of the bank and its staff and officers), 1916; legal papers, mostly regarding land, 1886-1910; Civil War artifacts and pension materials, 1862-1928; miscellaneous; and correspondence re: the Roanoke Rapids Paper Manufacturing Company, 1907-1910.

Materials for Charles O. Ward include Spanish-American War military certificates, 1898-1899; correspondence, mostly between Charles and Gerrit S. or Hugh E. Ward, 1898-1960; and numerous deeds and related legal papers concerning his real estate businesses in Alma, 1887-1961.

The materials of Josephine Ely Ward include correspondence, 1916-1917; estate records, 1940; and the Ely family genealogy.

Also included is an 1820 certificate of military appointment for Sardis Ward as a cornet player for the 6th New York Cavalry.

Two Oversized scrapbooks complete the collection. Volume 1, 1885-1961, mostly consists of newspaper clippings on the Spanish-American War, 1898. It includes telegrams about Charles O. Ward’s health and hospitalization at St. Joseph’s hospital in Philadelphia, November 1898, with typhoid. Telegrams were sent between T.S. Ward, G.S. Ward, Charles Spicer, Sarah Ward, and Josie Ward.

Scrapbook Volume 2, 1885-1941, includes many articles on Charles O. Ward and his wife, and the Ely and Ward families. Two memorial booklets for William Sisson Turck, (August 7, 1839-September 19, 1912), Mason, Major of the 26th Michigan Infantry Regiment, Alma Supervisor, County Treasurer, Michigan Representative, President of Alma, and member of the Board of Managers of the Michigan Soldiers’ Home in Grand Rapids are also included. Volume 2 also contains an Alma College commencement program, June 22, 1888; Hugh Ward’s recital program, 1918; and a memorial resolution from the Alma Order of the Eastern Star for Electra Brewbaker (died November 20, 1932 at age 81).

Both scrapbooks are quite acidic, but Volume 2 is very acidic, fragile, with detached covers and spine.

The collection includes his scrapbooks, typed notes, notecards, reel-to-reel tapes, a 16 mm film, and slides.

The collection consists of his scrapbooks, typed notes, typed 3x4 and 5x8 inch notecards, reel-to-reel tapes, a 16 mm film, and slides. The vast majority of the collection, particularly the note cards and slides document Michigan historic markers, historic sites, events, counties, townships, Chippewa Indians, and school trips to the Upper Peninsula, the Straits area, and Grayling, Michigan. Also included are the 1884 and 1885 tax assessor’s assessment books for Jerome Township (Midland County). The assessor’s volumes are not records of permanent historic value, but have been maintained as examples in this collection. [Midland County’s Clerk and Treasurer’s historic financial and clerical records are also housed (on deposit) at the Clarke.] Midland County (Mich.) history is well represented in this collection.

The collection is organized by format and size: letter-sized (or smaller) materials in boxes, note cards according to their size, and legal- and oversized materials at the end. Letter-size (or smaller) materials are organized alphabetically by title or topic, and then by size, and /or chronologically as needed.

Overall, the collection is in good shape. The plumber’s account book and copy of the Declaration of Allegiance are quite acidic and brittle and should be used with care. There is a slightly musty smell to the collection, so researchers with allergies or asthma may wish to take precautions while using the collection.

Processing Notes: The collection originally included about 21 cubic feet of material. Of this, maps, books, children’s literature, and textbooks were separately cataloged. Mass-produced out-of-state slides, unidentified reel-to-reel tapes, all duplicates, and out-of-state postcards were withdrawn from the collection during processing. A substantial number of Michigan postcards were merged into the Clarke’s Michigan Postcard collection. Family vacation slides were returned to Mr. Berriman's daughter, Beth DeWitt, as per her request. The collection was donated by Beth DeWitt, on behalf of all of Mr. Berriman's children in their father's memory and honor.

Papers of the starr family Family papers include: biographical materials; correspondence; legal papers; autograph albums; photographs and miscellaneous; school reports; and teaching certificates.

Family papers, 1839-1942, and undated include: biographical materials, 1928-1929; correspondence, 1895-1935; legal papers, 1839-1866; autograph albums, 1878, 1880-1882, 1885-1889; photographs and miscellaneous, 1883-1897 and undated; school reports, 1880-1881; and teaching certificates, 1879-1883 and 1879-1911. Most of the correspondence is to Minnie and Clara Ellen Starr concerning their nephew, Jack. Photographs document several generations of the Starr family, Dennis and Nancy Quick, and the Hamer family, the first African American family in Royal Oak, Michigan. Other materials document Eva, George E., Mary, and the general family, within photographs, a family tree, and some miscellaneous legal papers and correspondence. The collection is organized by family, alphabetical by individual creators’ names, and then chronologically organized.

The papers include family and business correspondence, financial and legal papers related to logs and the lumber business.

The papers include business and family correspondence, financial and legal papers related to his logs and lumber business interests, biographical materials, and miscellaneous.

Family papers include correspondence, financial, business and legal papers, photographs, daguerreotypes, photograph albums, biographical materials, scrapbooks, genealogical materials, poetry, publications, and miscellaneous.

The Thurston Family Papers, ranging from 1823 to 1974, consist of correspondence; a diary; financial, business, and legal papers; photographs, daguerreotypes, biographical materials, and a scrapbook of advertising cards. The papers fall in to six groupings, Genealogy, The John Gates Thurston Family, The Francis H. Thurston Family, The George Lee Thurston II Family, George Lee Thurston III, and Visual Images. The folders in each grouping are arranged alphabetically.

Genealogy contains genealogical material and several drafts of The Thurston Chronicle, a history of the Thurston family, by George Lee Thurston III.

The John Gates Thurston Family material includes legal papers and records from the Massachusetts House of Representatives, an 1824 letter describing Lafayette’s visit to Alexandria, a 1836 diary of John’s trip to Chicago, Civil War letters from his son George L. Thurston I and Henry Nourse, and a passport from a trip to Europe in 1839.

The Francis H. Thurston Family material includes articles by Francis on such topics as Michigan trivia, Civil War memories, building a canvas canoe, and descriptions of the excellence of Michigan. Letters from his mother (1862, 1963) include Civil War news, details of his brother’s death following the war, and marriage advice. In an 1897 letter from his son, George, Francis learns that George had to put in a telephone because the competing lumber mill had one and was getting more business. A letter (1907) to Francis’ recently widowed daughter-in-law Lenore gives her nearly word for word financial advice given to him in 1886 by his friend E. H. Russell when William McNeil had a breakdown and nearly financially destroyed Francis.

The George Lee Thurston II Family material is more eclectic than the rest of the collection because of the variety of people and materials in this grouping. Included is correspondence of the Mohrmann family (George married Lenore Mohrmann) written in German and a German report card as well as both the original and transcript copies of William’s suicide poem “Pallida Mors.” George Lee Thurston II’s publication, the Intermediate Valley contains facts about Michigan, ads, and humorous stories. Letters from his Uncle Dud (1879, undated) are humorous and encourage George to develop his writing--both style and content. Letters written in 1879 from his boyhood friends in Ohio talk of the yellow fever epidemic and of the diphtheria epidemic in Michigan. Frederick Crandall Thurston’s (George’s son) correspondence includes letters he wrote to his family while he was looking for work in New York, 1930-1931, describing railway travel and his negative reaction to radios. The copies of the 1934 editions of the Remington News (Culpepper, Va.) indicate depression-era prices and an unusually progressive attitude (for the South) towards blacks which contrasts with an 1856 receipt for the sale of Hannah (a Negro) for $50 (the connection with the Thurston family is unclear).

Visual Images include photographs, photograph albums, daguerreotypes, and a scrapbook of advertising cards. Identified daguerreotypes and photographs include many family members and friends whose names appear in the Thurston papers. Among these are E. H. Russell, William McNeil, and Mary B. Thurston Nourse. The unidentified daguerreotypes include two images of a man with his dog and one image of a woman kissing a baby. The unidentified daguerreotypes are labeled with a number; the same number followed by a letter (ie 5a, 5b), indicates different daguerreotypes of the same person. A folder with a photograph of a Lee Thurston is in the Clarke’s Biographical Photographs File. The scrapbook includes only one Michigan advertising card, the rest being from New York (State) or other states.

A significant manuscript collection of Michigan and the Old Northwest Territory. The major series of the collection are Manifests, American Fur Company, Circulars and Correspondence of the U.S. Treasury Department and Collector of Customs with subseries of Marine Hospital Money Returns and Registry of Vessels; Miscellaneous, U.S. Payment Vouchers, Bids for the Construction of Lighthouses with subseries Bois Blanc Lighthouse, Chicago River Lighthouse, St. Joseph Lighthouse, South Manitou Island Lighthouse, Miscellaneous Lighthouses, Treasury Circulars, and Pottawattamie Lighthouse; Light Boat Reports and Scrapbooks.

This is a significant manuscript collection of Michigan and the Old Northwest Territory. The collection consists of some 928 individual items and 20 volumes, 1802-1971, and relating to the conduct of the fur trade and commerce at Michilimackinac and Sault Ste. Marie, and lighthouses and maritime activities on the Great Lakes.

The collection is organized chronologically and alphabetically. The major series of the collection are Manifest, American Fur Company, Circulars and Correspondence of the U.S. Treasury Department and Collector of Customs with subseries of Marine Hospital Money Returns and Registry of Vessels; Miscellaneous, U.S. Payment Vouchers, Bids for the Construction of Lighthouses with subseries Bois Blanc Lighthouse, Chicago River Lighthouse, St. Joseph Lighthouse, South Manitou Island Lighthouse, Miscellaneous Lighthouses, Treasury Circulars, and Pottawattamie Lighthouse; Light Boat Reports and Scrapbooks.

In the descriptions, few changes have been made in spelling although for the sake of clarity some consistency has been imposed. Variant spellings of names have also been entered. However, when the identification of a particular name was in question, the spelling as recorded by the file clerks at Michilimackinac or Sault Ste. Marie (and usually cited on the verso of the document/letter) is given.

Titled “Manifests,” Boxes 1-2 actually consist of manifests, bills of lading, clearance papers guaranteeing protection for vessels bound to and from Canada (particularly St. Joseph=s Island, cited herein as St. Joseph), documents certifying duties paid on entering goods, and other papers relating to commodities entering or departing from Michilimackinac. Since Box 1 includes pre-War of 1812 documents, they are of particular value because many of the commodities entered or shipped out were done so on behalf of the American Fur Company through their various agents. In addition, these documents also prove valuable for information on the numerous schooners, sloops, and brigs traveling the lakes, in particular the “Hunter,” “Thames,” “Nancy,” John Jacob Astor,” “Saguina,” “Contractor,” “Ranger,” “Adams,” and “Montreal.” Names of individuals and companies which frequently occur are Rocheblaue and Portier, Isadore LaCroix, Daniel and David Mitchell, Jr., Tousaint Pothier, Giasson and Berthelot, Lafromboise and Schindler, Josiah Bleakley, George Gillespie, and The Michilimackinac Company.

Dating from 1838 to 1847, the American Fur Company papers which make up the remainder of Box 2 complement the numerous collections, in original manuscript or on microfilm, which the Clarke holds relating to the company. Certainly from the perspective of commerce, domestic and foreign markets, domestic manufacturers, transportation, and the problems encountered by American Fur Company agents in the field, these papers provide detailed information. The majority of them relate to incoming and outgoing correspondence from John R. Livingston, head of the St. Mary’s Outfit at Sault Ste. Marie, and deal with various accounts, problems incurred by agents in the field, transportation of supplies, and concern over a decreasing market. Market problems, both domestic and foreign, relating to furs and fish are well covered in the correspondence from Ramsay Crooks and George Ehninger in the New York central office to Livingston. Early mining efforts in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and problems of transporting goods to and from their sites are also to be found in the letters of the Union Mining Company and the Eagle Harbor Mining Company to and from Livingston.

The circulars and correspondence between the U.S. Treasury Department and the Collectors of Customs (usually Abraham Wendell at Michilimackinac) contained in Box 3 are divided into four major subseries: marine hospital money returns; registry of vessels; general information sent to the collectors; and miscellaneous documents. The section on hospital money returns is important for the detailed information on the number of men on board the various great Lakes vessels, their names and time of service, and the amount of hospital tax paid by each. The material relating to the registration of vessels in general tends to be printed documents communicating Congressional acts concerning registry, registry forms, duty rates, etc. Several of the items are actual registration documents filed with the Collector by masters of the various vessels. The third section, general information and communications, deals with duties, laws covering the Collectors, and problems with certain imports. The three miscellaneous documents relate to land transactions.

Box 3 also contains circulars and correspondence from the Treasury Department to the Collectors of Customs and communications with the Superintendents of Lighthouses (usually Abraham Wendell). This series is divided into four subseries: miscellaneous materials; circulars and correspondence from the Treasury Department to and from the Superintendents of Lighthouses; U.S. payment vouchers; and bids submitted for construction of lighthouses. The miscellaneous materials include questions regarding duties and annual and quarterly reports, and certain treasury notes. The superintendents of Lighthouses material deals with reports submitted, questions relating to these reports, allocation of funds, and general instructions to Superintendents and Keepers. Payment vouchers are included for wages paid to the various Deputy Collectors, Aids to the Revenues, and government suppliers. The materials on construction bids include those submitted to the Superintendent for the proposed lighthouses at White Fish Point, Detour, and Copper Harbor as well as several bids to furnish supplies and fuel for various light boats.

The Bois Blanc and Chicago River Lighthouses material in Box 3 is particularly important as it concerns both daily operations of these lighthouses and quarterly inventories of property and supplies on hand as well as those expended during the period in question. Various procedures, storms and requisitioned supplies, are discussed in the letters.

Similar information is in Boxes 3 and 4 which deal with the Saint Joseph River, South Manitou Island, miscellaneous lighthouses, Pottawattomie Lighthouse, Light Boat reports, Thunder Bay Island Lighthouse, Presque Isle and Bois Blanc lighthouses, and the schooner “Sparrow.” Boxes 5-7 contain scrapbooks on such subject as Alcona, Iosco, and Presque Isle Counties, Mackinac Island, and the Rogers City centennial.

Researchers are encouraged to consult other collections in the Clarke. Since a majority of the Trelfa Collection originates from the period of Abraham Wendell’s tenure as Collector of Customs and Superintendent of Lighthouses, the Abraham Wendell Papers should be used to gain a more comprehensive picture of commercial and maritime life on the Lakes. Similarly the collections of the American Fur Company (in original or on microfilm) and the Henry Rowe Schoolcraft Papers, the Henry Hastings Sibley Papers, the George Johnston Papers, and the Lawrence Tafiaferro papers (all of which are on microfilm) should be used. There is also a Fred R. Trelfa Photograph Collection of photographs relating primarily to Alpena and Alpena County history.

Photographic materials collected by the Trelfas, documenting a wide range of Michigan and national people, places and events.

This collection, 6.25 cubic feet (in 14 boxes) 1849-1925, and undated, was donated over a period of time by one or both of the Trelfa brothers and is divided into six series. The series were established by accession number and topic matter. For a more detailed listing see the Box and Folder Listing. Overall the collection is in good physical condition.

Series 6 consists of 1 cubic ft. (in 2 boxes) Acc#3072, Sepull Glass Negatives. The identity of Sepull is unknown. Box 1 includes 49 glass-plate negatives #1-55, undated, circa 1902-1904. Each plate measures approximately 5x7 inches. Topics include Alpena, Stubbs Long Lake and Ox-box, streets, buildings, lake, canoe, car, engine house, lighthouse, mill, dock, snow, logs, train, river, dam, animals, homes, fire damage. Box 2 includes 55 glass-plate negatives #56-140, 1892-1906 and undated. Each plate measure between 4x3 inches and 5x7 inches. Topics include Alpena, St. Clair River, Thunder Bay River, Middle Island, Partridge Point Bluffs, Horseshoe Falls, Niagara Falls, Belle Isle, Bear Island, Grass Isle, and Barr Isle, streets and buildings, people, boats, life saving station, river, logs, farm, animals, homes, etc.

Photographic materials collected by the Trelfas, documenting a wide range of Michigan and national people, places and events.

This collection, 6.25 cubic feet (in 14 boxes) 1849-1925, and undated, was donated over a period of time by one or both of the Trelfa brothers and is divided into six series. The series were established by accession number and topic matter. For a more detailed listing see the Box and Folder Listing. Overall the collection is in good physical condition.

Series 5 consists of 0.75 cubic ft. (in 2 boxes) Acc#2643, Spanish-American War images. Box 1 includes 52 and Box 2 contains 19 film negatives in homemade glass casings, #807-1740, #1742-1760, all undated, each measures approximately 5x4 inches. Topics include views of Washington, D.C., war camp, streets and buildings, camp, officers, soldiers, horses, tents, two unidentified African-American girls, three unidentified African American boys, an unidentified native man with a mule cart full of furniture, parade ground, railway, people, animals, etc.

Photographic materials collected by the Trelfas, documenting a wide range of Michigan and national people, places and events.

This collection, 6.25 cubic feet (in 14 boxes) 1849-1925, and undated, was donated over a period of time by one or both of the Trelfa brothers and is divided into six series. The series were established by accession number and topic matter. For a more detailed listing see the Box and Folder Listing. Overall the collection is in good physical condition.

Series 4 consists of 0.50 cubic ft. (in 1 box), Acc#3073, Crowe Glass Negatives. The collection consists of 92 glass-plate negatives #1-96, undated, circa 1913-1916. Most of the plate measure 5x7 inches. Topics include views of Alpena, Crescent Island, Grand Lake, Presque Isle Bay, Misery Bay, Whitefish Point, Hubbard Lake, Fort Mackinac, Thunder Bay Island, Sulpher Island, and Partridge Point, streets, buildings, a circus, parade, elephant, cage, clown, animals, boats, swimming, river, Iroquois Hotel, and homes.