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Collection

Ferdinand Northrup Menefee Papers, 1913-1962

4 linear feet

Professor of engineering mechanics at the University of Michigan. Materials concerning his interest in the St. Lawrence Seaway, his work with the American Concrete Institute's investigation of precast floor systems, and his activities with the American Society of Civil Engineers' Committee on Water Diversion; also subject files on prohibition and immigration policy in the 1920's; and photographs.

The Menefee papers documents his professional career as a teacher and as a specialist in engineering mechanics. Following a single folder of Biographical Material, the collection divides into the following series: Correspondence, Speeches, Subject Files, and Photographs.

Collection

International Organization of Good Templars records, 1855-1970

25.5 linear feet — 9 oversize volumes

International fraternal temperance lodge. Records of the National Grand Lodge and local lodges in Illinois, New York and Washington (including numerous Scandinavian-American lodges) containing correspondence, minute books, financial ledgers, scrapbooks, newspaper clippings, pamphlets, proceedings, and periodicals; also photographs.

Although the record group does include some correspondence, the bulk of the records consist of minute books and financial ledgers, mainly from the 1880s up to 1920. Many of these are for lodges in Illinois and Washington State. In addition, there are published materials, such as temperance books, pamphlets, and issues of periodicals. The proceedings of annual meetings are from many more states and provide detailed information on the national importance of the organization. The photographs are mainly of various group meetings.

Collection

John Tanton Papers, 1960-2007

25 linear feet — 1 oversize folder

Environmental, population control, and immigration reform advocate; organization and litigation files relating to his various interests and activities; includes correspondence, legal documents, memos, topical files, and miscellaneous photographs.

The papers of Dr. John Tanton consist of materials documenting his work as a political and environmental activist from 1960 through the 2000s. The portion of the collection open without restriction is divided into the following series: Personal/Biographical; Population and Immigration Organizations and Issues; Conservation Organizations and Issues; Topical Files and Activities; Correspondence; Politics and Government; and Social Issues. The portion of the collection closed to research until 2035 includes the continuation of several series: Correspondence; Personal/Biographical; Population and Immigration Organizations and Issues; Conservation Organizations and Issues; and one new series, Public Interest Organizations and Issues.

Collection

Louis C. Cramton Papers, circa 1865-1966 (majority within 1916-1965)

8 linear feet — 2 oversize volumes — 1 oversize folder

State Representative from Lapeer, Michigan; U.S. Congressman, 1913-1931, and special attorney to the Secretary of the Interior, 1931-1932; correspondence, speeches, newspaper clippings, scrapbooks, photographs, campaign materials, and other items relating to his advocacy of the national park system, the concept of historic preservation, fair employment practices legislation, increased support for Howard University and all other aspects of his career.

The Louis C. Cramton papers came to the Bentley Historical Library in three separate accessions (1948-1950; 1971; 1987). The collection has been arranged into six series: Correspondence, Miscellaneous Papers, Topical Files, Newspaper clippings/Scrapbooks, Photographs, and Louis Kay Cramton Papers.

Collection

Satakunta Region immigrant letters, 1880-1964

25 microfilms (positive)

The Institute of General History at the University of Turku, Finland (Turun Yliopisto. Yleisen Historian Laitos) microfilmed thousands of letters from Satakunta region in 1964. The letters were written by Finnish emigrants to their families and friends in Finland.

There are about 6000 letters in this collection. Most of the letters have been written by emigrants who used to live in Satakunta but there are also some from persons who lived in other provinces before emigrating. There are also post cards, diaries and passports in the collection. The letters were written to residents of Satakunta from 1880 to 1964. Although most of the letters were sent from the United States and Canada, there were a few letters from South America, Australia, New Zealand and Soviet Union.

The collection was arranged by towns (also known as parishes or municipalities). Within each town series the letters of each recipient were kept together. The owners of the letters are in chronological order according to the emigrating year of their correspondents.

Every collector of letters filled out a questionnaire for each writer. The questionnaire is at the beginning of the sender's letters. In the upper right corner of the questionnaire there is a code that includes the abbreviation of the town and the location of the sender.

Questionnaire used in collecting America letters:

  1. The owner of the letters (name and address)
  2. The writer of the letters (name and last address)
  3. The relationship between the owner and the writer
  4. When left for America
  5. Who were they visiting in America
  6. Why left
  7. Home town in Finland
  8. The occupation of the parents
  9. How large was the family of the parents of the emigrant
  10. Was the emigrant married when he left Finland
  11. Did the wife and children emigrate, too
  12. Did the emigrant get married in America
  13. What year
  14. The nationality of the spouse
  15. The occupation of the emigrant when emigrated
  16. Had the emigrant ever been working outside the home town before emigrating
  17. How did the emigrant go to America (route and vehicle)
  18. The first workplace in America
  19. What kind of work
  20. Where did the emigrant live the longest time in America
  21. What kind of work
  22. Other members of the group who emigrated at the same time: name, hometown, return to Finland
  23. The later life of the emigrant: did/did not return to Finland
  24. If applicable, why did the emigrant return
  25. Return route and vehicle
  26. Occupation after return
  27. The number of the letters (photos, diaries etc.) in the enclosed questionnaire envelope
  28. The owner donates the letters/loans them only for microfilming
  29. The collector of the letters (name and address)
  30. To be filled by the Institute of General History

Documents in this collection contain the following abbreviations for the names of the town or parish from an immigrant came:

  1. AHL = Ahlainen
  2. ALAS = Alastaro
  3. EURA = Eura
  4. E-KI = Eurajoki
  5. HIN = Hinnerjoki
  6. H-KI = Honkajoki
  7. H-TI = Honkilahti
  8. HUIT = Huittinen
  9. HAM = Hämeenkyrö
  10. IKA = Ikaalinen
  11. JAM = Jämijärvi
  12. KAN = Kankaanpää
  13. K-KU = Karkku
  14. KAR = Karvia
  15. KIH = Kihniö
  16. KIIK = Kiikka
  17. KNEN = Kiikoinen
  18. KOK = Kokemaki
  19. KUL = Kullaa
  20. KOY=Köyliö
  21. LAP = Lappi Tl.
  22. LAV = Lavia
  23. LOIM = Loimaa
  24. MEL = Mellilä
  25. MER = Merikarvia
  26. MET = Metsämaa
  27. MOU = Mouhijarvi
  28. NOOR = Noormarkku
  29. PAR = Parkano
  30. POM = Pomarkku
  31. PORI = City of Pori and rural parish of Pori
  32. PUN = Punkalaidun
  33. RAUM = Rauma: city and rural parish
  34. SIIK = Siikainen
  35. SUOD = Suodenniemi
  36. SAK = Säkylä
  37. TYRV = Tyrvää and Vammala
  38. VAMP = Vampula
Collection

Sligh Family Papers, 1842-2012

36 linear feet (in 41 boxes) — 31 oversize volumes — 1 oversize folder

Online
Grand Rapids, Michigan family, involved in furniture making and other businesses, also active in local state and Republican Party politics and businessmen's associations. Papers include family papers and correspondence, business records, scrapbooks and visual materials.

The Sligh family collection consists of the personal and business papers of the four generations of Slighs mentioned in the biographical introduction: James W. Sligh, Charles R. Sligh, Charles R. Sligh, Jr., and Robert L. Sligh. Although there is some overlap, the files have been arranged into seven series, one for each of these three Slighs, one for the Sligh Furniture Company and related family businesses, and one each for Newspaper clippings and Scrapbooks, and Visual Materials.

Collection

Suomi College Finnish-American collection, 1880-1972

100 microfilms

The Finnish Collection consists of 100 reels of microfilm concerning Finnish-American Churches, Labor Societies, Temperance Organizations, and other materials from the United States and Canada. The collection is the result of a joint project between the Bentley Library, Suomi College (now Finlandia University), and the University of Turku, Finland, coordinated in 1974-75.

The Suomi College Finnish-American Collection is comprised of 100 reels of microfilm containing records from 151 separate organizations (68 of which are located in Michigan). These organizations are comprised of the following kinds of records:

  1. Church materials: 62 record groups (32 from Michigan)
  2. Labor societies: 9 record groups (0 from Michigan)
  3. Temperance materials: 61 record groups (26 from Michigan

Other organizations, including educational, relief, musical, athletic, national, historical societies, publishing companies, and some personal: 19 record groups (10 from Michigan)

Because the materials have been filmed in a random order, an index at the end of the container listing has been prepared to guide the researcher to specific kinds of records: church, temperance, etc.

Collection

Varsinais-Suomi Region immigrant letters, 1880-1966

16 microfilms

The Institute of General History at the University of Turku, Finland (Turun Yliopisto. Yleisen Historian Laitos) microfilmed thousands of letters from Varsinais-Suomi (Southwest Finland) region in 1964. The letters were written by Finnish emigrants to their families and friends in Finland.

The Varsinais-Suomi Region immigrant letters consist thousands of letters written by Finnish emigrants from Varsinais-Suomi (Southwest Finland) region to their families and friends in Finland between 1880 and 1964. There are also post cards, diaries and passports in the collection. Many letters originate from the United States and Canada, but there are also others from South America, Australia, New Zealand and the Soviet Union. The Institute of General History collected the letters between February 1 and October 31, 1966. The collected letters were organized and microfilmed in the fall of 1966.

The collection was arranged by town (also known as parishes or municipalities). Within each town the letters of each recipient were kept together. The owners of the letters are in chronological order according to the emigrating year of their correspondents.

Every subseries of letters includes a questionnaire that was completed by the letter recipient. In the upper right corner of the questionnaire there is a code that includes the abbreviation of the town and the location of the sender.

The questionnaire for collecting these America letters contained the following questions:

  1. The owner of the letters (name and address)
  2. The writer of the letters (name and last address)
  3. The relationship between the owner and the writer
  4. When left for America
  5. Who were they visiting in America
  6. Why left
  7. Home town in Finland
  8. The occupation of the parents
  9. How large was the family of the parents of the emigrant
  10. Was the emigrant married when he left Finland
  11. Did the wife and children emigrate, too
  12. Did the emigrant get married in America
  13. What year
  14. The nationality of the spouse
  15. The occupation of the emigrant when emigrated
  16. Had the emigrant ever been working outside the home town before emigrating
  17. How did the emigrant go to America (route and vehicle)
  18. The first workplace in America
  19. What kind of work
  20. Where did the emigrant live the longest time in America
  21. What kind of work
  22. Other members of the group who emigrated at the same time: name, hometown, return to Finland
  23. The later life of the emigrant: did/did not return to Finland
  24. If applicable, why did the emigrant return
  25. Return route and vehicle
  26. Occupation after return
  27. The number of the letters (photos, diaries etc.) in the enclosed questionnaire envelope
  28. The owner donates the letters/loans them only for microfilming
  29. The collector of the letters (name and address)
  30. To be filled by the Institute of General History

Documents in this collection are identified with the following abbreviations indicating the name of the town or parish from which the immigrant came.

  1. ALAS = Alastaro
  2. AURA = Aura
  3. B-DÖ = Brändö Al.
  4. D-FJÄRD = Dragsfjärd
  5. HAL = Halikko
  6. HIIT = Hiittinen
  7. HOUTS = Houtskari
  8. JOK = Jokioinen
  9. K-KERTA = Kakskerta
  10. K-TI = Kalanti
  11. K-LA = Karjala Tl.
  12. K-NA = Karuna
  13. KEM = Kemiö
  14. K-KO = Kisko
  15. K-JOKI = Kodisjoki
  16. KORP = Korpoo
  17. K-KI = Koski-Tl.
  18. K-VI = Kustavi
  19. K-TO = Kuuisto
  20. KUUS = Kuusjoki
  21. L-LA = Laitila
  22. LEMU = Lemu
  23. L-TO = Lieto
  24. LOIM = Loimaa
  25. L-TI = Lokalahti
  26. MAAR = Maaria
  27. M-LA = Marttila
  28. M-KU = Masku
  29. MERI = Merimasku
  30. MIET = Mietoinen
  31. MUUR = Muurla
  32. M-KI = Mynämäki
  33. NAAN = Naantali
  34. ORIP = Oripää
  35. PAAT = Paattinen
  36. PAIM = Paimio
  37. PAR = Parkano
  38. PER = Perniö
  39. P-LI = Pertteli
  40. PYHÄ = Phyämää
  41. RÖY = Pöytyä
  42. RYM = Rymättylä
  43. S-VO = Sauvo
  44. S-RO = Somero
  45. SUOM = Suomasjärvi
  46. T-LO = Taivassalo
  47. T-JOKI = Tarvasjoki
  48. T-KU = Turku
  49. USK = Uskela
  50. VEH = Vehmaa
  51. VEL = Belkua
  52. VÄST = Västanfjärd
  53. Y-NE = Yläne