Collections : [University of Michigan Bentley Historical Library]

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Collection

Wystan Stevens papers, 1961-1973

2 linear feet (in 4 boxes) — 1 oversize folder

Ann Arbor, Michigan, local historian; collector of leaflets and photographs on local history topics.

The collection consists of leaflets, newsletters, and other miscellanea relating to activist organizations and events in Ann Arbor and at the University of Michigan during the period of the mid-1960s to the early 1970s. Other materials were added to the collection by staff members of the Michigan Historical Collections, 1969-1973. The collection, arranged alphabetically, provides an overview of the activities, personalities, and political debates of the time. Included is a small series of historical Ann Arbor photographs, either originals or photo prints of originals, collected from different sources.

Collection

William Harold Payne papers, 1853-1933

2 linear feet

Professor of pedagogy at the University of Michigan; chancellor of University of Nashville and president of Peabody Normal College. Correspondence and other papers concerning his activities in education and family matters.

The collection has been arranged into two series: Correspondence and Other papers. The correspondence dates from 1853 to 1933 and includes many letters addressed to his second wife Elizabeth Clark prior to their marriage. The Other Papers series concerns his activities as an educator and college president. Materials in this series include addresses, lectures, autobiographical and biographical volumes, personal account books, visual material, and other miscellaneous notebooks.

Collection

Washtenaw County Historical Society records, 1827-2014

17.5 linear feet (in 18 boxes) — 1 oversize folder (UBPl)

Local historical society for Washtenaw County, Michigan Organizational records and collected historical materials.

The Washtenaw County Historical Society records include collected historical documents and photographs relating to the people, events, and history of the county, its cities and townships. There are also administrative records of the organization, including minutes of meetings, subjects relating to Society programs and projects, and financial miscellanea.

Collection

Walter Sanders papers, 1929-1971 (majority within 1937-1970)

1.3 linear feet (in 2 boxes) — 1 oversize folder

Architect, professor of architecture at the University of Michigan. Biographical information; subject files relating to his professional activities, his involvement with the International Congress for Modern Architecture, his interest in architectural education, and his own design work; photographs and architectural drawings. The collection includes correspondence exchanged with Buckminster Fuller and Walter Gropius. There is also a letter from Lewis Mumford.

The Walter Sanders collection consists of architectural drawings and photographs, correspondence, and subject files dating from the mid-1930s to his death in 1972. The collection begins with a folder of biographical material followed by a series of folders arranged alphabetically by topic or type of material. Judging by the fullness of his career, it is apparent that these materials represent but a fragment of the documents created and accumulated by Walter Sanders during his professional lifetime. The materials extant in this collection provide a sampling of Sanders' designs, his architectural philosophy, his professional associations, and his teaching career.

The richest portions of the collection include those files of correspondence with other architects and his association with CIAM (the Congrès Internationaux d'Architecture Moderne) or the International Congress for Modern Architecture. Some of Sanders' correspondents include Buckminster Fuller, Walter Gropius, and Lewis Mumford. There are few materials in this collection relating to Sanders' own designs. Except for photographs and drawings of his Ann Arbor residence, the most interesting drawings are for the Pencil Point Home Competition (undated) and for the Chile Pavilion at the 1939 New York World's Fair. Course and class material is also limited though something of Sanders' views on architecture will be found in the "Talks" folder.

Collection

Twichell Family papers, 1831-1975 (majority within 1844-1975)

3.5 linear feet — 1 oversize folder

Hamburg, Livingston County, and Ann Arbor, Michigan, family. Correspondence, newspaper clippings and photographs of the Lohmiller, Twichell, and Hollister families.

The papers of the Twichell family document three generations of the extended Twichell families. It includes extensive correspondence files, reminiscences of life on turn-of-the-century Michigan farm and of student life the University of Michigan, files relating to the family businesses including boardinghouses in Ann Arbor, and photographs of family members, towns in Michigan, and University of Michigan students. The collection has been arranged into the following series: Correspondence, Alphabetical Files, Photographs, and Sound Recordings.

Collection

Tuomy Family papers, 1840-1966 (majority within 1905-1945)

3 linear feet — 1 oversize folder

Pioneer Ann Arbor, Michigan family, involved in farming, then real estate, developed the Tuomy Hills area of the city. Papers include personal and business correspondence of Cornelius and Kathryn Tuomy and of other family members; ledger books, 1868-1890, 1911-1938, and diaries, 1920-1921, 1925, 1926, 1936 concerning business and personal affairs; also papers of Kathryn G. Tuomy as president of the Michigan Federation of Business and Professional Women; and photographs.

The Tuomy Family papers document the daily life of three generations of a pioneer Ann Arbor area family. The three linear feet of papers span the years 1840-1966 with the bulk of the material falling within the decades bound by 1905-1945. The papers have been divided into four series, a small set of documents with biographical information, a larger set of personal and business correspondence, and family material arranged as a set of topical files. There is also a box of unidentified family portraits

A strength of the Tuomy Family papers is the documentation of daily life for a prominent Ann Arbor family from 1900 until the 1960's. Kathryn G. Tuomy's materials provide good exposure to the life of an Ann Arbor woman who has a university education and a family business to maintain. The papers are weaker in their coverage of the Tuomy and Tuomy real estate business. There is only marginal documentation regarding Cornelius W. (Bill) Tuomy's time in political office as drain commissioner. The photographs are not strongly backed up by the written documentation regarding the Tuomy and Tuomy real estate office and properties.

Collection

Theophil Henry Hildebrandt Papers, 1887-1978 (majority within 1930-1960)

7 linear feet

Mathematician, professor of mathematics at the University of Michigan. Correspondence and other papers relating to professional and family matters, to his association with the Bethlehem Church in Ann Arbor, and to his involvement with the American Mathematical Society, especially regarding the controversy over loyalty oaths in the 1950s; also letters from family members, notably sister Martha, a school teacher, who comments on her career and her life as a single woman; and letters from son Paul during World War II; and photographs.

The papers of T.H. Hildebrandt consist of seven linear feet of materials spanning the years 1887 to 1978. The bulk of the collection falls between the years 1930 and 1960. The papers have been arranged in ten series: Biographical Material, Bethlehem Church, Compositions, Correspondence, Lectures, Notes, Organizations, Universities, Writings, and Visual Materials.

As Hildebrandt was fairly well known in his field, he corresponded with other eminent mathematicians of his time, including Eliakim Hostings Moore (with whom he had studied) and Maurice Frechet. The Hildebrandt papers are also valuable for other topics: the development of mathematical ideas and the various pressures placed on academics during the Cold War to name both two examples.

Collection

Stuart Hoffman Perry papers, 1874-1966

2 linear feet — 53 oversize volumes

Publisher of the Adrian Telegram at Adrian, Michigan. Scrapbooks containing newspaper editorials primarily on political subjects; and miscellaneous correspondence and articles concerning his newspaper work; notes, 1899-1950, relating to his foreign travels, papers, 1935-1955, concerning his interest in meteorites; and photographs.

The collection has been arranged into the following series: Adrian Telegram, Correspondence, Speeches and Articles, Other activities and interests, Programs of meetings and annual dinners, Newspaper clippings, and Photographs.

Collection

Sam Sturgis photograph collection, 1860s-1970s

10 linear feet (11 boxes including 1 oversize box)

Photographs collected by Sam Sturgis and Hazel Proctor of Ann Arbor, Michigan; including businesses, street scenes, buildings, people, and activities in Ann Arbor, Brighton, Chelsea, Dexter, Dixboro, Manchester, Saline, and Ypsilanti, Michigan. (Copy negatives and copy prints.)

The Sam Sturgis collection consists of photographic prints and copy negatives of Washtenaw and Livingston County life from the 1860s through the 1970s. Collected by Ann Arbor photographer Sam Sturgis and Ypsilanti banker Hazel Proctor from a variety of known and unknown sources, the collection represents many aspects of life in Ann Arbor, Brighton, Chelsea, Dexter, Dixboro, Manchester, Saline and Ypsilanti. Main subject categories include churches, schools, businesses, buildings, University of Michigan buildings, staff, students and campus life, streets, panoramic views, rivers, recreation and family life, including residences, men, women, and children. Evolving modes of transportation, such as railroads, interurban streetcars, automobiles, and airplanes are also depicted.

Prints and negatives are divided into two parallel series, with negative use restricted to Bentley staff for preservation and security purposes. Each series is arranged alphabetically by city or town and, within each geographical grouping, in the order in which Sturgis collected the items. Sturgis began donating his collection to the Bentley in 1966, and, as items continue to be received, numbering is continued within each geographical grouping, in the original collecting and numbering order established by Sturgis. While some numbers were originally intended by Sturgis to designate the origins of the item, if known, this information has also been added to the item description under the heading "source" to facilitate patron and staff use. The Bentley does not hold a complete set of prints and negatives. Information on the current availability of both prints and negatives is included in each item listing.

Each photograph has a unique identifying number. The "Sturgis Number" consists of a one or two-letter series code, followed by a numerical number with decimal or alphanumeric number, such as AA 267.21 or AA 35A. the collection is arranged by city as follows

City Sturgis Code Number of Images
Ann Arbor AA ca. 1500
Brighton BB 148
Chelsea C 156
Chelsea-Manchester CM 119
Dexter D 124
Dixboro DI 45
Manchester M 123
Saline S 57
Ypsilanti Y 150

An item list of all photographs with description, date (if known), source and photographer, if known, follows the summary contents list on page three of the introduction.

Information on whether the photograph has been published and therefore has further information provided elsewhere is also included in each item description. Unless otherwise noted, all photographs listed as "published" have been published in a series by the Ann Arbor Federal Savings Bank (AAFSB), with editorial supervision by Sam Sturgis and Hazel Proctor. Availability of the respective print and negative concludes each item entry.

The following books, published by the AAFSB in the early 1970s, are annotated with Sturgis' photograph numbers and may be used as a partial guide to the collection. While two copies of each publication are available for consultation in the reading room, only one of each set has annotations. Descriptive captions in these publications as well as the annotated numbers may differ from actual photograph numbers and other information about the photographs. Any reference to these annotations should be verified with the item lists and vice versa to assure accuracy because of occasional inconsistencies. The AAFSB publications with Bentley call numbers are listed as follows:

  1. Proctor, Hazel. Old Ann Arbor Town. 1974. Copy 1 annotated. EC 2 A216.5 P964
  2. Sam Sturgis. Memories of Old Ann Arbor Town, 1967. Copies 1 and 2 annotated. EC 2 A613.5 S935
  3. Proctor, Hazel. Old Brighton Village. 1974. Copy 1 annotated. EC 2 B856.3 P964
  4. Proctor, Hazel. Old Chelsea Village. 1972. Copy 2 annotated. EC2 C516.5 P964
  5. Proctor, Hazel. Old Dexter Village. 1973. Copy 1 annotated. EC 2 D526.5 P964
  6. Proctor, Hazel. Old Manchester Village. 1974. Copy 2 annotated. EC 2 M268.5 P964
  7. Proctor, Hazel. Old Saline Village. 1975. Copy 1 annotated. EC 2 S165.5 P964
  8. Proctor, Hazel. Old Ypsilanti Town. 1974. Copy 2 annotated. EC 2 Y86.5 P964
Collection

R. M. Wenley Papers, 1879-1931

11 linear feet — 1 oversize folder

Professor of philosophy at Glasgow University and University of Michigan. Extensive correspondence, scrapbooks, lecture notes, addresses, newspaper clippings and other papers relating to questions of philosophy and to his activities at University of Michigan; diaries, 1896-1927, relating to his European travels and career at the University; and photographs.

The Wenley papers have been divided into the following series: Correspondence; University of Glasgow/Queen Margaret College; Biographical and personal; Notes from University of Michigan and other courses and lectures; Speeches and addresses; Miscellaneous; and Scrapbooks.

Collection

Rinsey family papers, 1856-1950 (majority within 1913-1928)

1 linear foot

Ann Arbor, Michigan family, proprietors of Rinsey & Seabolt grocery store. Papers of David Rinsey, Ann Arbor, Michigan, grocer; also papers of his son George, a bank teller, and of George's wife, Ina Alexander Rinsey; including correspondence, legal documents, and photographs.

The collection includes correspondence and legal documents of David Rinsey, his son George, and of George's wife, Ina Alexander Rinsey. There are also photographs and photograph albums of the Rinsey family's home and place of business in Ann Arbor. The photographs consists of both formal and informal portraits; interior and exterior photos of their homes on North Division St., Ann Arbor, Michigan; interior and exterior photos of Rinsey & Seabolt grocery on E. Washington St.; and photographs of family events and activities.

Collection

Raab family papers, circa 1830-1969

1 linear foot

Michigan family from Adrian and Flint, Michigan. Family papers, sound recordings, and photographs.

The collection is arranged by family name: Tomlinson, Pomeroy, and Raab. The earliest item is an account maintained by Alexander Tomlinson of Sherwood, Michigan. Within the Raab family papers are diaries, 1891-1892, of Florence Raab concerning her life in Adrian, Michigan. In addition, the collection includes papers and audio-tapes of Irving T. Raab reminiscing about his student life at the University of Michigan in the years before 1900. These tapes also concern his life in Flint and career as Presbyterian clergyman. The photographs in the collection are of family members.

Collection

Peter Yates photograph collection, 1978-1990

5200 35mm negative strips (in 3 boxes; approximate)

Ann Arbor, Michigan photographer. Photographic images taken to accompany articles in the Ann Arbor Observer. Images include Ann Arbor businesses, buildings, neighborhoods, parks, landmarks; also photos of local personalities, politicians, business people, and University of Michigan faculty and staff members.

The Peter Yates collection is made up of approximately 5200 negative strips, or 26,000 images, of photographs taken for the Ann Arbor Observer between 1978 and 1990. The collection documents both the ordinary and the eccentric in Ann Arbor, as photographs of politicians, professors and business people are interspersed with images of local "characters" and unusual events. Neighborhoods, parks and buildings are also represented in the collection. The negatives are stored in chronological order, according to the date of the issue in which they appeared.

The index is arranged in alphabetical order by subject, and each entry includes the date of the Observer issue in which the photograph was published. The index is not comprehensive, but provides access to photographs of notable people, institutions and trends in Ann Arbor. For example, not every restaurant review photograph has been indexed, but "institutions" such as the Fleetwood Diner and the Gandy Dancer do appear on the list.

For further subject access to the Ann Arbor Observer, please consult the Index to the Michigan Alumnus, LSA Magazine and Ann Arbor Observer in the Bentley Library reading room.

Collection

Patrick Mullaly photograph collection, circa 1971

1 item

Patrick Mullaly (born circa 1946) was a Michigan resident. One photograph of houses along Murray Ave., part of Ann Arbor's Old West Side.

The Patrick Mullaly photograph collection consists of one photograph of houses along Murray Ave., Ann Arbor (Michigan), which was part of the Old West Side.

Collection

Palmer Family Architectural Drawings, 1950, 1963-1964, 1980

3 oversize folders

Ann Arbor, Michigan family. Architectural drawings and renderings for their Ann Arbor, Michigan home designed by Frank Lloyd Wright and his associates.

The Palmer Family collection consists of three oversized folders located in the basement blueprint cabinet. The folders contain topological maps of the property, a complete set (10) of blueprints for the house, an oversized floor plan, blueprints of perforate block, hand-colored drawings of the garden plans and a colored house plan signed by Wright. The collection also contains the first rendering of the Tea House with two pages of revisions, furniture design details for the Tea House and an outside lantern.

Since coming to the library in 1992, photocopies and photographic copies have been made of some of the more fragile items in the collection. The researcher is encouraged to consult these before inquiring about access to the originals. The number in parentheses at the end of each description is an identifying number assigned by the donor for individual drawings or a group of related drawings.

For an extensive selection of photographs of the Palmer house, the researcher should consult The Wright Style by Carla Lind (1992).

Collection

Milton Kemnitz Papers, 1932-1995 (majority within 1960-1990)

3 linear feet

Ann Arbor-based artist specializing in images of local businesses and sites. The collection has been arranged in three series. The Artwork series includes drawings of buildings and other projects, publications containing reproductions of his work, and files relating to galleries, exhibits, auctions, and art fairs. The Supplemental Materials series concerns the art organizations and associations of which Kemnitz was a member, correspondence, and files pertaining to other activities, notably the Bird Hills Park controversy. The third series, Southern White Migration to Detroit in the 1930s, consists of research materials and reports resulting from Kemnitz' research as a member of a University of Michigan sociology seminar on metropolitan community organization. A portion includes Elmer Akers' research on the Black Legion.

The papers of Milt Kemnitz have been divided into three series. The first series, ARTWORK, focuses on the artwork itself, and its reproduction and dissemination. This includes the following subseries: Drawings of Buildings, Other Projects, Publications and Galleries, Exhibits, Auctions & Art Fairs. The second series, called SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIALS, has three subseries, Art Organizations & Associations, Correspondence and Miscellaneous Personal Material. Much of this material concerns his career as an artist but relates less directly to the actual artwork than the material in the first series. The third series, SOUTHERN WHITE MIGRATION TO DETROIT IN THE 1930s, consists of research materials and reports resulting from Kemnitz' research as a member of a University of Michigan sociology seminar on metropolitan community organization.

Collection

Martha Cook Building (University of Michigan) records, circa 1913-2016

22.65 linear feet (in 23 boxes) — 12 oversize volumes — 1 oversize folder

The Martha Cook Building (MCB) opened in the fall of 1915 as the second all-women's dormitory on the University of Michigan campus. It was a gift of Mr. William Wilson Cook, a lawyer-philanthropist from New York City who was born and raised in Hillsdale, Michigan. The Martha Cook Building records are dated from circa 1913-2016 and include blueprints; chronological files; clippings; correspondence; financial records; minutes, particularly of both the MCB's Board of Governors and House Board; publications; reports; scrapbooks; subject files; and visual materials, such as negatives, photographs, and photograph albums.

The Martha Cook Building records (circa 1913-2016) document the activities of those involved with the Martha Cook Building and include blueprints; chronological files; clippings; correspondence; financial records; minutes; reports; scrapbooks; subject files; and visual materials, such as negatives, photographs, and photograph albums.

Significant people and groups featured in this collection include William. W. Cook; various House Directors, such as Sarah Rowe, G.J. Diekema, Olive Chernow, Josette Allen, and Rosalie Moore; the building's Board of Governors and House Board; and Martha Cook Building students and alumnae. Other notable topics include the construction, furnishing and remodeling of the Martha Cook Building; various scholarships; and activities, such as various anniversary events and the Messiah Dinner.

Collection

Margaret Keal Knowles photograph collection, circa 1860-1920

0.25 linear feet

Family photographs accumulated by Margaret Keal Knowles.

The collection consists of portraits and other photographs of Washington Irving Keal, Nellie Annetta Keal, Thomas Keal, Lucy Ann Wyman Smith, and other members of the Keal, Crandell, Smith, and White families of Ann Arbor and Dexter, Michigan. Apart from portraits, the collection also includes photographs of buildings in Dexter, Michigan, the store of John L. Crandell in Rochester, Michigan, and the Orin White house in Ann Arbor.

Collection

Lucy E. Chapin papers, 1834-1910

1 linear foot — 2 oversize volumes

Ann Arbor, Michigan, resident and local historian. Collected Washtenaw County historical documents and scrapbooks of clippings, programs, photographs, and memorabilia.

The Lucy Chapin collection includes collected letters and manuscripts, most notably papers of James Kingsley, Washtenaw County public figure and member of the Board of Regents of the University of Michigan. Of great importance are the scrapbooks maintained by Lucy Chapin on the people and events of Ann Arbor and Washtenaw County. These scrapbooks document life in the nineteenth century from the 1840s to 1900. The volumes include clippings, programs, photographs, and memorabilia.

Collection

Letty M. Wickliffe papers, circa 1860-1992 (majority within 1960s-1976)

0.5 linear feet (in 2 boxes)

Teacher; Ann Arbor, Michigan, community activist; member of the North Central Property Owners Association in Ann Arbor. Articles written for the local newspaper, awards, scattered correspondence, biographical information, and photographs.

The Letty M. Wickliffe collection documents the life of a devoted educator, Ann Arbor community activist, and active member of the Republican party. The collection is divided into two series, Topical and Visual. Folders are arranged alphabetically within each series and the items inside the folders are in chronological order. Collections also includes Wickliffe's 1924 University of Michigan diploma.