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Papers include business correspondence, legal and financial papers of Houghton's while a partner in Houghton and Hubbard, regarding the real estate business in southern Michigan, 1830-1841, correspondence regarding the incorporation of St. Paul's Church, Detroit, Michigan, as well as seven volumes of field survey notes of Michigan, 1837-1840, six folders of survey maps of Michigan, 1830s, undated, and three miscellaneous volumes, one of which is field survey notes, 1845..

These papers are of interest to anyone interested in early surveying of Michigan, the early development of Michigan, what Michigan was once like, and the life of Houghton. It consists of field survey notebooks (7 volumes.), 1837-1840, undated, of Michigan places, township survey maps of Michigan, undated, 1995 copies of transcriptions of the miscellaneous 1845 notebooks labeled by Houghton as No. 1-2 and the Index of Names (note: these volumes are listed as Volumes 8-10 in this finding aid) and a letter from Frank E. Stead re: his research and transcriptions, business correspondence, legal and financial papers of Houghton’s while a partner in Houghton and Hubbard regarding the real estate business in southern Michigan, 1830-1841, correspondence re: St. Paul’s Church, Detroit, Michigan, 1842, regarding its incorporation, and miscellaneous notebooks (3 volumes.), 1845, undated. The collection is organized alphabetically and chronologically. The collection is also available on microfilm (Micro 686). Most of the collection is in good physical condition, but some materials are acidic, have edge and/or fold damage. White acid-free paper was inserted on either side of more acidic, ripped, or separated pieces, or related pieces to show context/relationship by the archivist. Researchers may also be interested in other Clarke Historical Library resources by and about Houghton. Stead also transcribed the Lower Peninsula Field Survey Notebook for July 15-August 13, 1837, a copy of which is in the Clarke.

The majority of the papers are the correspondence, tax receipts for Michigan and Illinois, deeds, indentures, and mortgages of Clark’s wife, Mary E. Clark.

The majority of the papers are the correspondence, tax receipts for Michigan and Illinois, deeds, indentures, and mortgages of Clark’s wife, Mary E. Clark. There is also a sketch of a bronze memorial tablet honoring Clark by the Michigan Engineering Society for his work as a Deputy U.S. Land Surveyor. Mary’s correspondence to family and friends describes family affairs and her farm business, 1838-1870. Correspondence, 1832-1837, is to Mary from Robert. It is affectionately written with brief notes about his work. Mary’s estate is detailed in a notebook, 1867-1898, in John M. Clark’s Papers.

Robert Clark’s papers also include an oversized certificate appointed him Quartermaster of the 11th Regiment, Michigan Militia in 1833, signed by Lewis Cass, and one folder of correspondence and a notebook documenting his supplies and duties as Quartermaster, 1829, 1832-1834, and undated.

Item-level index cards are available to assist researchers.