Collections : [University of Michigan Bentley Historical Library]

Michigan Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution; minutes of the state executive board, proceedings of the Michigan state conferences, publications, reports, and scrapbooks; also papers concerning their genealogical work, record of activities during World War I and II; historical files for individual chapters of the Michigan DAR; and photographs.

The records of the Daughters of the American Revolution of Michigan document its organization, history, and activities. As the state society of the DAR, the organization also collected material on the activities of the various local chapters. The records have been arranged into the following series: State Executive Board Minutes; State Conference Proceedings (original and published); Reports; Various Records of DAR State Historian; Miscellaneous; Chapter Records (original materials, collected material, and membership yearbooks); Publications; Scrapbooks; Topical files; and Photographs.

The Goebel family of Grand Rapids, Michigan. Scrapbooks, correspondence, photographs, and printed materials related to Paul G. Goebel Sr., his wife, Margaret E. Goebel, and their son, Paul G. Goebel Jr. Materials primarily document the senior Goebel's student athletic career as a University of Michigan football player, mayor of Grand Rapids, and U-M Regent as well as the Goebel Jr.'s unsuccessful run for Michigan's 5th Congressional District.

The Goebel family papers are comprised of scrapbooks, correspondence, photographs, and printed material documenting two generations of the Goebel family. The collection primarily documents Paul G. Goebel Sr. (1901-1988) including biographical materials, photographs from Japan during World War II, and scrapbooks and newspaper clippings from his athletic career including captain of the University of Michigan football team, Mayor of Grand Rapids, and U-M Regent. Of note are a small number of personal letters from President Gerald R. Ford, with whom the Goebels were friends.

The Margaret E. Goebel materials (1942-1987) include a scrapbook of her writings and biographical files. The papers of Paul G. Goebel Jr. (1970-1974), document his two unsuccessful bids for public office including the University of Michigan Board of Regents (1970) and United States Republican Congressman from Michigan (1974).

The photo albums series (1971-1987) includes three volumes that contain the Goebel family photographs; as well as personal letters from President Gerald Ford and his wife Betty Ford, photographs, programs, clippings, and ephemera related to various events at the White House.

Genealogical collection for the Houck, Kibler, and Smith families, whose ancestors settled Michigan between the 1840s and 1900s. Includes correspondence, estate records, diaries, photographs, scrapbooks, war records, and other materials.

This genealogical collection traces the roots of three Michigan families. The papers include correspondence, estate records, visual materials, and war records.

Pacifist, participant in World War I peace movement and later peace activities, member of Fellowship of Reconciliation, Women's International League for Peace and Freedom, and Women Strike for Peace. Papers include Correspondence, newspaper clippings, pamphlets, periodicals, reports, photographs, and other materials relating to the International Congress of Women, 1915, the Ford Peace Ship, the American Neutral Conference Committee, the Emergency Peace Federation, and the People's Council of America.

The papers of Rebecca Shelley (1887-1984) were donated by Shelley in several accessions between 1964 and 1984. The papers make up twenty-one linear feet of materials and cover the years 1890-1984, though only a few photographs and printed items predate 1910. Her anti-war activism, legal battles, writing career, and courtships with Franz Willman and Felix Rathmer are all well-represented. In addition to her personal papers, there are groups of material belonging to Emily Balch, Richard Olsen, Felix Rathmer, Paul Shelly, and William A. Shelly.

Many peace organizations are also documented in these papers through flyers, pamphlets, periodicals, newsletters, and correspondence. These include the American Neutral Conference Committee, Emergency Peace Federation, People's Council of America, Fellowship of Reconciliation, Women's International League for Peace and Freedom, Women Strike for Peace, and many others. As Shelley served as an officer in the Michigan Fellowship of Reconciliation (F.O.R.) through the 1950s and 1960s, many of the organization's official papers came to be in her possession. Therefore, an effort was made to remove most of these official papers to the separate Michigan F.O.R. collection.

The collection is arranged in eleven series: Biographical; Newspaper Clippings; Correspondence; Topical Papers; Miscellaneous Papers; Papers Of Other Individuals; Printed; Periodicals; Diaries And Notebooks; Photographs; and Writings.