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Collection

YMCA of Metropolitan Detroit, Metropolitan Offices records, 1877-2012

11 linear feet (in 13 boxes) — 21 oversize volumes — 1 oversize folder — 1.1 GB (online)

Online
Branch of the YMCA; Annual reports, clippings, correspondence, financial records, minutes of meetings, photographs, press releases, published materials, rosters, and scrapbooks; also includes collected branch records for the Railroad branch, 1877-1890, and the Downtown branch, 1890-1909; and publication, Detroit Young Men, 1911-1922.

The records of the Metropolitan Offices of the YMCA of Metropolitan Detroit consist of annual reports, correspondence, financial materials, minutes (Secretary's records), photographs, published brochures and pamphlets, and scrapbooks. The materials document, somewhat unevenly, the efforts of the YMCA to tend to the spiritual, physical, and social needs of the young men in Detroit. The strengths of this record group are in its minutes (Secretary's records) and photographs, each of which provides detailed and telling insight into the development of Detroit and the YMCA from the nineteenth century to 2006. The scrapbooks created by the YMCA, 1936-1973, are also of interest in that they accurately reflect all newspaper coverage of YMCA events and activities for this decade.

The records have been arranged in four series: Administration, Secretary's Records, Visual Materials, and Scrapbooks.

Collection

Williamson family collection, 1862-1918

0.5 linear feet

The Williamson family collection is made up of 9 bound volumes pertaining to Clara Gurley Williamson, her daughters Ruth and Mary, and other members of the Williamson family of New Brunswick, New Jersey. The items include diaries, financial records, a newspaper clipping scrapbook, and a photograph album.

The Williamson family collection is made up of 9 bound volumes pertaining to Clara Gurley Williamson, her daughters Ruth and Mary, and other members of the Williamson family.

The D. Abeel Williamson Diary, composed in a pre-printed pocket diary, contains David Abeel Williamson's daily entries about his life in New Brunswick, New Jersey, from January 1, 1862-May 25, 1862, and about his experiences with the 7th New York Militia Regiment from May 26, 1862-August 27, 1862. His early entries mainly record the weather and his social activities; he mentioned his admission to the bar in his entries of May 21, 1862, and May 22, 1862. A newspaper clipping about the surrender of Fort Donelson is pasted into the entries for February 16, 1862, and February 17, 1862. During his time in the army, Williamson noted the hot weather near Washington, D.C., and Baltimore, Maryland, and mentioned other aspects of military service, such as guard duty, marching, and reviews. A commuter's ticket for the "New Jersey Rail Road" is laid into the volume's pocket.

The Hattie S. Williamson Memorandum Book contains financial records of collections that the Second Reformed Dutch Church Sunday School of New Brunswick, New Jersey, received from November 26, 1865-June 16, 1867. The amount of each donation is recorded next to the donor's name. Other records pertain to the Sunday school's accounts with the Novelty Rubber Company and the church's efforts to raise money for an organ.

The Clara Gurley Account Book, kept from July 9, [1875]-April 16, 1880, contains accounts for Gurley's purchases of items such as books, ribbon, fabrics, and buttons. A piece of fabric is pinned onto the book's final page.

The first Clara Gurley Williamson Diary, written in a pre-printed Excelsior volume, covers the year 1905. Williamson began writing in Dresden, Germany, where she had lived with her children since late 1903, and recounted her daily activities and news of acquaintances. In April, she and her children took an extended tour of Europe, including Austria, Switzerland, Italy, France, and Holland, where Williamson remarked on visits to museums and other points of interest. The entries from August concern the family's return to the United States on the Holland-American Line steamer Ryndam and their first months back in New Brunswick, New Jersey, and Indianapolis, Indiana. Williamson kept a record of letters written and received and acquaintances' addresses in the volume's memoranda section. She laid newspaper clippings, a letter, calling cards, small photographs, stamps, and other items in the volume. The final page of the diary contains a newspaper clipping about the Williamsons' return to the United States and intention to relocate to Indianapolis.

The Mary Williamson Diary recounts the author's travels through Europe from April 10, 1905-August 11, 1905. Williamson described her daily activities and sightseeing in cities such as Prague, Munich, Venice, Rome, and Paris, as she visited museums and places of historical importance with her mother and sister. The diary includes a list of books Williamson read from 1907-1908 and a list of addresses of European hotels.

The Ruth A. Williamson Diary pertains to the author's experiences and travels in England from June 7, 1909-September 3, 1909. She spent most of her time in London; some later entries mention travels around southern England and to Edinburgh, Scotland. Williamson most frequently wrote about sightseeing and visiting famous landmarks, but also commented on other activities, such as shopping. Ruth A. Williamson's calling card is laid into the volume.

The second Clara Gurley Williamson Diary, also in a pre-printed Excelsior volume, contains daily entries about Williamson's life in Indianapolis, Indiana, from January 1, 1918-April 2, 1918. Williamson commented on her social activities, her health, and news of her friends and family members, especially her children. She occasionally mentioned news of the war, such as the signing of the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk (February 22, 1918). Financial records and instructions for knitting a "Kitchener sock" are written in the back of the volume. Items laid in include a calling card for Charles G. Williamson containing his military address, a cloth United States flag mounted on a small wooden dowel, and clippings about the deaths of Henry Janeway Hardenburgh and Douw D. Williamson. A postcard with a painting of Waikite Geyser in New Zealand, addressed to A. Parsons in London, England, is also laid into the diary.

The Scrapbook (1860s-1880s) is comprised of newspaper clippings about numerous topics, including biographies of William Gurley and biographical notices about other members of the Gurley family, such as Clara Gurley Williamson and Esther Gurley Cook. Some clippings feature prominent individuals such as Ulysses S. Grant, Charles Dickens, and Louisa May Alcott. Items report national news, news from Troy, New York, and stories about Emma Willard and the Troy Female Seminary. Additional topics include poetry, international travel, and stamp collecting.

A Photograph Album contains 42 carte-de-visite photographs, 2 lithographs, and 1 tintype print. Most of the photographs are studio portraits of men, women, and children, including many members of the Gurley family and related families. Most of the pictures are dated 1866-1880, though the album includes a 1902 photograph of Charles G. Williamson in a military uniform.

Collection

Charles David Williams papers, 1878-1923

3 linear feet

Bishop of the Michigan Diocese of the Episcopal Church, 1906-1923, and advocate of the "social gospel" views of Walter Rauschenbusch. Papers consist of correspondence, notebooks on labor and social issues, and biographical material.

The papers of Charles D. Williams, Episcopal bishop of Michigan, include correspondence concerning personal and church affairs and the social gospel movement, including correspondence with Walter Rauschenbush, Samuel Mather, and Lucretia Garfield; also sermons and addresses, 1885-1923, journals of European trips, 1896, 1917, and 1921, notebooks on social and labor problems, material on the 1908 forest fire at Metz, Michigan (Presque Isle County), and material on the Trinity Cathedral, Cleveland, Ohio in 1898; biographical writings by his sons, Benedict Williams, his wife Lucy V. Williams, and his secretary, Charles O. Ford; letters of condolence from fellow clergy, including Reinhold Niebuhr; also photographs.

Collection

Horace L. Wilgus Papers, 1878-1935

4.5 linear feet — 1 oversize folder — 14.3 MB (online)

Online
Professor of law at University of Michigan, and specialist in corporation law. Correspondence, speeches, newspaper clippings, notes, and manuscripts of books and articles, relating to his professional career, Ann Arbor, Michigan organizations and issues, particularly progressive political movements and prohibition, including the Michigan Anti-Saloon League, the anti-trust movement, and the 1912 Progressive Party; also photographs.

The Horace L. Wilgus papers include correspondence, speeches, clippings, notes, manuscripts of books and articles dealing with his professional career, the many Ann Arbor organizations and issues in which he was interested: particularly progressive political movements and prohibition, including the Michigan Anti-Saloon League, the anti-trust movement, and the 1912 Progressive Party. The collection also includes University of Michigan Law School course materials, family genealogical information, and a small series of photographs, many of them of his home on Washtenaw Ave. in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Collection

Malcolm K. Whyte papers, 1917-1926, 1964

1 volume — 3 folders

Online
Member of 310th Engineers, U.S. Army who served in the Allied intervention in Russia, 1918-1920, the "Polar Bear Expedition." Collection includes correspondence relating to his military service, "Final consolidated report of the 310th Engineers, Archangel, Russia" (1919) which describes the construction and other activities of the unit, photographs, and miscellaneous items.

Correspondence relating to his military service, "Final consolidated report of the 310th Engineers, Archangel, Russia" (1919) which describes the construction and other activities of the unit, photographs, and miscellaneous items. The photographs chiefly depict Engineer projects but also scenery, miscellaneous buildings, informal portraits of officers, troops marching, and Russian people.

Collection

Charles Adam Weissert papers, 1893-1947

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

Journalist, historical researcher from Kalamazoo, Michigan; Correspondence, research articles and notes, and photographs.

The Weissert collection includes correspondence, 1893-1947, including letters from Joseph Bailly, Clarence M. Burton, Gurdon S. Hubbard, Chase S. Osborn, Albert E. Sleeper, and George Van Pelt. There are also speeches, and writings mostly on Michigan history topics, including Indian history and the history of Kalamazoo and Barry County. The series of research notes illustrates the variety of Weissert's interests: historical personalities, forts, Michigan cities, and early state history. The photographs and snapshots pertain to Weissert's interest in Michigan history, especially homes, churches, mills, hotels, businesses, and other sites primarily in western Michigan, but also including Sault Ste. Marie and Mackinac Island. There are also photographs of Michigan pioneers, particularly from the Hastings, Michigan area.

Collection

Elsie F. Weil collection, 1897-1926 (majority within 1913-1926)

1.5 linear feet

This collection contains incoming correspondence and other items related to Elsie F. Weil of Chicago, Illinois, and New York City, including many passionate letters from Weil's close friend Gertrude Emerson, who wrote about her foreign travels, life in New York City, and her deep bond with Elsie. Other friends and, to a lesser extent, family members, wrote to Elsie about their daily and social lives in New York City, Chicago, and Boston. Additional materials include two of Elsie's diaries, articles written by Elsie F. Weil and Gertrude Emerson, and ephemera.

This collection (1.5 linear feet) contains incoming correspondence and other items related to Elsie F. Weil of Chicago, Illinois, and New York City, including many letters from Weil's close friend and fellow writer Gertrude Emerson. Other friends and family members wrote to Elsie about their daily and social lives in New York City, Chicago, and Boston. Additional materials include two of Elsie's diaries, articles written by Elsie F. Weil and Gertrude Emerson, and ephemera.

The bulk of the collection is comprised of Elsie F. Weil's incoming correspondence. The first group of items consists of letters that Elsie's father Jacob, brother Leo, and mother Pauline sent to her from 1897-1907. Jacob and Leo Weil offered advice, and Pauline Weil provided family news from Chicago while Elsie lived in Lafayette, Indiana, around 1904. In 1913, Elsie received letters about her career as a writer, often mentioning specific articles. Additional professional correspondence appears throughout the collection.

Gertrude Emerson began writing to Elsie Weil in January 1914, and remained Weil's primary correspondent through the early 1920s. Her early letters pertain to her life in Winnetka, Illinois, where she taught at the Girton School. Emerson encouraged Weil to pursue a career in writing, discussed her own work, and shared news of her family. In the spring of 1914, she described a trip to New York City. During their periods of separation, Emerson expressed her desire to reunite with Weil and proposed plans for their shared future. Her letters include passionate declarations of her love for Weil and her devotion to their friendship, and she often referred to her desire to hold Weil, offering a birthday kiss in her letter postmarked April 26, 1915. She also spoke of her wish to travel around the world, though her mother prohibited transatlantic travel in 1915 on account of the growing threat from German submarines ([May 7, 1915]).

Weil and Emerson traveled together to Korea, Japan, and China in 1915 and 1916, and the collection includes a series of typed letters that Weil addressed to an unspecified group in early 1916. She described their travels between locations, shared observations about local cultures, and reported on their daily activities. A newspaper article about their trip, printed in Japanese, is filed in with the correspondence (December 15, 1915, 3 copies). Weil later received letters and postcards from acquaintances in Asia, particularly in late 1916. Gino Merchiorri, a soldier, wrote two letters to Weil about his experiences in the United States Army during World War I.

Gertrude Emerson moved to New York City in late 1916 after being hired by Asia magazine, and often wrote to Weil, who remained in Chicago, about her life there. She commented on her social life and her friends, who included the writer Ernestine Evans and the naturalist William Beebe. In 1919, she traveled to British Guiana (present-day Guyana), stopping shortly, mid-voyage in the Virgin Islands and Barbados. Before her arrival in South America, she described her sea travel and the Caribbean cities and islands she visited. While in Guyana, Emerson described the scenery and everyday life, particularly with regard to Indian "coolie" workers and their culture. After her return to New York City that fall, she discussed her social life, Elsie's articles for Asia, and their shared New York apartment.

Emerson wrote another series of travel letters while visiting Japan, the Philippines, Malaysia, and India in 1920 and Mexico in 1924. While in India, she met with Mohandas Gandhi and commented on Indian politics. Though she consistently voiced her love for Weil throughout her correspondence, other topics came to dominate her correspondence. By the mid-1920s, Emerson had fallen in love with a man named Kim, whom she considered marrying. Some of her later letters, including several undated items, are written on long sheets of thin, illustrated paper. Other illustrated items include a brief typed essay with a watercolor depiction of a Flemish portrait (enclosed with her letter of February 9, 1914) and a sketch of the view outside of her window in Winnetka (undated).

Elsie Weil received smaller groups of letters from other friends from the mid-1910s to mid-1920s, including Rose Wilder Lane, who described her life in Mansfield, Missouri, in the late summer and early fall of 1919. She shared her fondness for the scenery of the Ozarks, discussed her career as a writer, and told anecdotes about her experiences. She later wrote about travels in Europe and her life in Paris, France, where she briefly described international relations between the Allied powers just after World War I. She also commented on female involvement in political issues. Blix Leonard of Boston, Massachusetts, and Elmer Stanley Hader of New York City frequently illustrated their letters; some of their sketches and drawings are humorous and cartoonish. Weil also corresponded with Kenneth Durant and Ernestine Evans. Some of Weil's New York correspondents expressed their support for the Bolshevik Revolution in 1919.

The collection includes 3 diaries. The first, which has the title "My Trip Abroad" and "Elsie F. Weil" stamped in gold on its front cover, was intended for use during a trip abroad; Weil used it only to record the name of her ship, the SS Manchuria, and the date of her departure, September 19, 1922. The other two diaries contain brief entries respecting Weil's daily activities for 1920 and 1925, with some significant gaps between entries. These diaries often refer to Weil's social acquaintances, including Gertrude Emerson, "Rose," and others.

The collection's 6 photographic prints include 3 views of Gertrude Emerson on horseback and 1 of Emerson posing outdoors. The other pictures show an unidentified man posing outdoors in a suit and a Buddha statue in a Tokyo temple.

Additional items include magazine and newspaper articles by Gertrude Emerson, Elsie F. Weil, and Ernestine Evans, largely concerning travel to Asia; instructions related to creating flower arrangements; and unused bookplates belonging to Elsie F. Weil, bearing an Asian-style illustration of boats on water. Other visual materials include picture postcards from East Asian countries and a series of postcards from Wisconsin. The final items are a Christmas card and an advertisement once inserted in a newspaper.

Collection

Keith F. Weiland papers, 1946-1950

1 folder — 1 oversize folder

Letter, flyer, and clippings relating to his design for the National Ski Hall of Fame, and photographs.

Photographs (negatives only) of Alpha Rho Chi initiation and other activities (1946) including photos of Alden Dow; football games and homecoming decorations (1948); and the College of Architecture and Design (1948) including photos of classrooms and studios. Also photograph, undated, of the Star Cornet Band of Ishpeming, Mich., and photograph, 1918, of "the human U.S. shield" formed by 30,000 officers and men at Camp Custer, Battle Creek, Mich.

Collection

William Christian Weber Papers, 1858-1940

28 linear feet (in 30 boxes) — 15 oversize volumes — 15 oversize folders

Detroit, Michigan businessman and civic leader. Business correspondence relating to Weber's activities as a dealer in timber lands, his role as a member of the Art Commission in the development of Detroit, Michigan's Cultural Center, his involvement in the construction of the Detroit-Windsor bridge and tunnel and his activities during World War I; and correspondence and class notes of his sons, Harry B. and Erwin W. Weber, while attending University of Michigan; also photographs, including family portraits, aerial views of Windsor, Ontario, and Detroit, photographs of the construction of the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel and Ambassador Bridge, and glass negatives of family vacations in Upper Michigan, Ontario, and Quebec; and maps of land and timber holdings

The William C. Weber papers cover 28 linear feet (30 boxes), outsize folders, and 15 outsize volumes. Besides information on timber and mineral lands in Michigan, the important aspects of the Weber papers include information on the development of the Cultural Center of Detroit and Weber's very controversial role in it, items on the Detroit-Windsor bridge and tunnel and the development of the Border Cities, and the papers of his two sons, especially the letters they wrote as students at the University of Michigan and their class notes and examinations.

There is one foot of materials related to the Cultural Center (Box 19 and outsize folders) and another of the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel and Ambassador Bridge (Box 20 and outsize folders).

Architectural site plans and property maps of the Detroit Cultural Center are also found in the outsize unbound material.

The collection includes maps relating to Weber's his land holdings in northern Michigan and Windsor, Ontario, including maps of land survey, of timber estimates, and tax and title status for Michigan lands, maps of Windsor subdivisions, maps of coal mining region around Caryville, Tennessee and property maps of the Detroit Cultural Center.

Collection

Washtenaw County (Mich.) records, 1824-1946

14 linear feet (in 16 boxes) — 16 oversize volumes — 1 oversize folder

Correspondence files of the county clerk, register of deeds, county treasurer, and other county offices; also township poll lists, political party enrollment books, list of Civil War volunteers, record of county soldiers and sailors during World War I, and miscellaneous welfare records.

The record group consists of records of some of the elected officials and departments of the government of Washtenaw County, Michigan. These include the county clerk, register of deeds, and the county treasurer. There are other records relating to elections and to the political party enrollments and to the work of county government in caring for the poor. Of interest are records pertaining to the service of Washtenaw County residents serving in the Civil War and in World War I.

Collection

Lee J. Ward letter, January 22, 1919

1 folder

Online
Soldier from Numa, Iowa, served in the Allied intervention in Russia, 1918-1920, the "Polar Bear Expedition." Collection includes letter written from Archangel to his wife describing cold weather, daily routine, and hopes of returning home.

The letter, a photocopy, describes the weather in Archangel, his daily routine, and his hopes of going home. The original is owned by Roger L. Heiple, South Lyon, Mich.

Collection

Louis Carlisle Walker papers, 1881-1963

5 linear feet — 1 oversize folder

Muskegon, Michigan equipment manufacturer. Correspondence, scrapbooks, printed materials and miscellanea concerning student activities at University of Michigan, the Shaw-Walker Company of Muskegon, Michigan, unemployment during the Depression, State Republican Party affairs, political conservatism, the Muskegon Red Cross, Liberty Bond drives and the United States Shipping Board during World War II, and his activity as an author and patron of conservative writers.

The Louis C. Walker papers have been divided into the following series: Correspondence, Miscellaneous, and Scrapbooks. The container listing describes more fully the subject content of the Correspondence series. Appended to the finding aid is a selective index to some of the more significant correspondents within the collection. Miscellaneous is an amalgam of collected materials and non-correspondence manuscripts mainly arranged by topics of interest to Walker or relating to organizations or projects in which he was involved. Of note here are materials relating to a strike at his company and various other material pertaining to his ideas on job sharing. The collection is largely an accumulation of personal materials and contains very little on the company which bears his name.

Collection

Clara Hadley Wait papers, 1893-2001 (majority within 1893-1919)

19 volumes (in 2 boxes) — 89.8 MB

Online
Member of the Michigan Daughters of the American Revolution; scrapbooks, journals, photograph albums, and genealogical material.

The Clara Hadley Wait collection includes scrapbooks, notebooks on art, travel journals, DAR materials, photograph albums, and genealogical material. The scrapbooks contain newspaper clippings, correspondence, copies of her articles, and other materials relating primarily to her civic activities, including description of her activities with the D.A.R. during World War I. The genealogical material consists of information gathered by Clara Wait about her ancestors. The collection includes a European travel diary, 1893, of her husband, William H. Wait.

Collection

Chauncey C. Wade papers, 1917-1932

0.5 linear feet — 2 oversize photographs — 744 digital files

Online
Papers of a soldier with the 339th Infantry in the Allied intervention in Russia, 1918-1920, the "Polar Bear Expedition."

Includes Wade's correspondence mainly to his family, during his service at Fort Sheridan, Illinois Battle Creek, Michigan Camp Mills, New York and Russia (primarily Bakaritsa and Archangel). Wade's papers also include his detailed response to a questionnaire from a student studying the North Russian Expedition and a roster of the Supply Company. Also, photographs and a photograph album. (The photograph album is available in digital form only.)

Collection

Claude Halstead Van Tyne papers, 1885-1930

3.5 linear feet

Professor of history at University of Michigan; scholar of America's revolutionary era. Correspondence concerning the historical profession, publishing, current events, and personal matters; lecture notes, newspaper clippings concerning personal matters and travels in Europe and India; papers concerning his activities during World War I, particularly with the National Security League.

The Van Tyne collection includes correspondence concerning the historical profession, publishing, current events, and personal matters; lecture notes, newspaper clippings concerning personal matters and Van Tyne's travels in Europe and India. The papers also include material concerning his activities during World War I, particularly with the National Security League. The papers are organized in two series: Correspondence and Professional and Personal Papers.

Collection

Arthur H. Vandenberg papers, 1884-1974 (majority within 1915-1951)

8 linear feet (on 11 microfilm rolls) — 25 volumes — 20 phonograph records — 1 film reel — 1 audiotape (reel-to-reel tapes)

Online
Republican U.S. Senator from Michigan; advocate of the United Nations and bipartisan foreign policy. Correspondence, scrapbooks, diaries, and visual materials.

The Arthur H. Vandenberg collection consists of 8 linear feet of materials (available on microfilm), 25 volumes of scrapbook/journals, and assorted audio and visual materials. The collection covers Vandenberg's entire career with a few folders of papers post-dating his death in 1951 relating to the dedication of memorial rooms in his honor in the 1970s. The collection is divided into four major series: Correspondence; Speeches; Campaign and Miscellaneous Topical; Clippings, Articles, and Scrapbooks; Miscellaneous and Personal; Visual Materials; and Sound Recordings.

Collection

College of Engineering (University of Michigan) records, 1860-2014

118.5 linear feet (including 207 reels of microfilm) — 3 oversize folders — 1196 GB (online)

Online
Records of the University of Michigan College of Engineering include histories, correspondence and topical files of deans; minutes of the executive and other committees; faculty records, including minutes of meetings and faculty biographies; miscellaneous student and alumni records; photographs, microfilm, digital files, and archived website.

The College of Engineering records date from 1860 to 2014 and measure 118.5 linear feet, 3 oversize folders, and 1,196 GB. The records document the internal activities of the College of Engineering, both administrative and academic, the role of the college as a unit of the University of Michigan, and research developments and trends over the years. Correspondence, meeting minutes, reports, financial records, and other material reflect changing research interests within the field of engineering as well as the curriculum development that has accompanied technological advances. Of particular interest are the files relating to outside work by faculty members, a question of enduring concern within the college. The records reflect the relations of the College of Engineering with private industry, especially through the documentation of funding from outside sources and the involvement of professors in outside research.

Collection

United States Army Signal Corps photograph collection, 1918-1919

1 linear foot

Online
Photographs taken during the Polar Bear Expedition to northern Russia, and accumulated by several veterans; include scenes of American soldiers in camp and on patrol, of life in Archangel and in Russian villages, and of battlefields, fortifications, armored trains, ships, airplanes, burial rites, and graves. Also includes a list of photographs and their captions.

About 185 photographs. The photographs include scenes of life in Archangel, armored trains, villages, port facilities, rural life, men in barracks, fortifications, prisoners, group portraits, men on patrol and in camp, the railroad, an airplane, burials, and graves. Also included is a "List of official U.S. photographs illustrative of the activities of the North Russian Expeditionary Force" which contains descriptions, including names and locations, of ca. 575 Signal Corps photos, arranged by photo number.

Collection

119th Field Artillery photographs, circa 1917

1 folder

Michigan field artillery unit. Consists of group photographs of the officers and men of the 119th Field Artillery Regiment stationed at Camp MacArthur, Waco, Texas. Also included is a photograph of the officers of the 32nd Division.

The collection consists of group photographs of the officers and men of the 119th Field Artillery Regiment stationed at Camp MacArthur, Waco (Tex.). Also included is a photograph of the officers of the 32nd Division, of which the 119th was a part.

Collection

Historical files of the American Expeditionary Force, North Russia, 1918-1919

2 microfilms (positive)

Microfilm of reports, studies, memorandums and other records from the Records of the American Expeditionary Forces (World War I), 1917-23, record group 120 in the National Archives.

Creation of Historical Files

The Historical Branch, War Plans Division, 1918-21, and its successor, the Historical Section of the Army War College, 1921- 42, created the Historical Files of the AEF, North Russia. These historical units collected, preserved, indexed, and published documents of historical value relating to the American effort in World War I. In the course of its duties the Historical Branch began collecting and classifying documents of the North Russian intervention about 1920. The first page or cover sheet of many of the documents in this series bear the stamp "HISTORICAL BRANCH" and immediately below the stamp the file designation "57" and another number. The Historical Section of the Army War College continued to add to the Historical Files of the AEF, North Russia, during the 1920's and 1930's. The records comprising the Historical File came from two major sources: Headquarters of AEF, North Russia, and the Military Intelligence Division of the War Department General Staff. In addition, records from several other War Department agencies are included in the series reproduced on this microfilm publication.

Arrangement

The present arrangement of these documents is according to the so-called War Department historical decimal classification scheme, a filing system devised by the Historical Section of the Army War College, which despite its name lacks certain basic elements of a true decimal classification system. According to this scheme each file designation consists of two numbers separated by a hyphen. The number before the hyphen, the master number, represents the organizational entity to which the document was assigned; the number following the hyphen, the subject number, denotes the subject matter of the document. For example, the report of the Chief Surgeon of AEF, North Russia Jonas R. Longley, on the work of the Medical Department in North Russia bears the file designation "23-43.8." The number "23" is the master number for AEF, North Russia, and "43" is the subject number for the Medical Department. The number "43.8" is the designation for Medical Department history and reports. A descriptive list of folder contents and their file designations follows these introductory remarks.

Security Classification

None of the documents reproduced on this microfilm publication are now security-classified, but at one time or another many of them were. Some documents were classified as secret or confidential at the time of their creation and had security-classification markings stamped, typed, or written on them. The Adjutant General's Office reviewed the security classification of this entire series in March 1947 and marked each folder, file cover, or document with a rectangular stamp "CLASSIFICATION CANCELLED" or "CLASSIFICATION CHANGED TO CONFIDENTIAL." Between 1947 and 1970 National Archives and Records Service (NARS) staff members reviewed and declassified a few documents as a result of specific requests made by researchers. The remaining documents were declassified in preparing this microfilm publication.

Description of Records

Among the records included in this series are the following: reports of officers of the American Military Mission to Russia concerning the morale, efficiency, and operations of the AEF, North Russia; compilations of correspondence and issuances of Allied Headquarters and of Headquarters, AEF, North Russia, documenting conditions and events occurring in the Archangel-Murmansk area; British daily and weekly intelligence summaries pertaining to military and political affairs in Russia, Siberia, Germany, and Eastern Europe; and strength reports and returns, orders of battle, and maps and charts showing the strength and deployment of Allied and Bolshevik troops in North Russia.

Collection

Joseph Patrick Tumulty papers, 1913-1948 (majority within 1913-1924)

4.5 linear feet

Personal and professional correspondence of Joseph P. Tumulty (1879-1954), Private Secretary to Woodrow Wilson from 1911-1921.

Personal and professional correspondence of Joseph P. Tumulty, Private Secretary to Woodrow Wilson from 1911-1921.

The collection is made up of retained copies and typescripts of correspondence, and appears to have been thoroughly sorted through, with all of the letters to or from Wilson having been removed. What remains provides insight into political patronage during the Wilson administration and a variety of other political issues.

Collection

Edward Trombley papers, 1918-1920

1 folder

Online
Soldier from Bay City, Mich., member of Co. A, 339th U.S. Infantry who served in the Allied intervention in Russia, 1918-1920, the "Polar Bear Expedition." Collection includes diary, correspondence and newspaper clipping relating to his military life with the Polar Bear Expedition.

The papers include a diary, July 1918-Jan. 1919, describing patrolling, foraging for food, and fighting at Shenkursk, Oct. 1918, and Nijni Gora, Jan. 1919. Also included is a letter, Feb. 26, 1920, from T. B. Kernan, expressing his anger at news that the Bolsheviks had taken Archangel, and a roster of the 2d Platoon, Co. A.

Collection

Dausie W. Trammell papers, 1915-1934

1 volume — 68 digital files

Online
Papers of a soldier in the Allied intervention in Russia, 1918-1920, the "Polar Bear Expedition."

Trammell's collection consists primarily of photocopies of records from the National Archives documenting the search and retrieval of Trammell's body from Russia. Also, photocopies of photographs of Trammell and his grave.

Collection

Laurence Todd papers, 1902-1957

1 linear foot

Michigan-born newspaperman; correspondence and diaries relating to his professional career.

The collection is comprised of two series: Correspondence and Diaries. The letters are to members of his family describing his journalistic activities and political events of the day. There are letters with observations about Governor Hiram Johnson of California (1910-1917), comments about suffrage for women, 1911-1920, impressions about the two World Wars, and the Progressive Party campaign of Henry Wallace in 1948. The diaries, 1934-1936, discuss his daily life, American politics during the New Deal, and international relations particularly with the Soviet Union.

Collection

Calvin Thomas Papers, 1838-1940 (majority within 1872-1919)

3 linear feet — 1 oversize folder

Professor of German at the University of Michigan and Columbia; mostly correspondence of Thomas with his family, professional colleagues, publisher, etc.; also some correspondence of his wife after his death; speeches, lecture notes, biographical sketches; papers include material on language studies at Michigan and Columbia, attitudes of academia toward Germans in World War I, accounts of European travels in 1877, 1896, and 1900; Civil War letter of Steven Thomas, Calvin's father.

The collection has been arranged into the following series: Biographical/personal material; Correspondence; Lectures and addresses; Journals/diary; Scrapbooks; Other family members papers; and Publications.

Collection

Leon R. Swihart collection, 1863, 1918-1960s (scattered dates)

0.5 linear feet — 1 oversize folder

Online
Collected materials include Civil War diary (1863) of William Harts, soldier with Co. B, 1st Michigan Infantry; also papers of Leon Bell, member of 339th Infantry (Polar Bears) sent to northern Russia after World War I.
Collection

George W. Stoner papers, 1917-1919

0.5 linear feet — 1 oversize folder — 339 digital files

Online
1st Lieutenant, Co. M., 339th Infantry, sent to northern Russia at the end of World War I. Diary (with transcription) describing war-time activities, 1917-1919; scrapbook of clippings from Detroit and Toledo newspapers describing the "Polar Bear" expedition; orders received; photographs; and CD-ROMs of selected items.

Diary (with transcription) describing war-time activities, 1917-1919; scrapbook of clippings from Detroit and Toledo newspapers describing the "Polar Bear" expedition; orders received; photographs.

Collection

Ralph Stone papers, 1882-1956

4 linear feet — 3 oversize volumes

Detroit banker, alumnus and regent of the University of Michigan; contain correspondence and other papers largely concerning University affairs, including athletics, the Development Council, alumni activities, regental affairs; also papers concerning Detroit city government, Detroit Street Railways, affairs of the Alien Property Custodian in World War I, recollections of University life in 1890's,articles on Hazen S. Pingree and Chase S. Osborn; also scrapbooks, speeches, manuscripts, and genealogical material.

The Stone collection is arranged into the following series: Correspondence; Speeches and Articles; Subject Files; and Clipping and Scrapbooks.

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

Stark family papers, 1913-1929 (majority within 1920-1923)

0.75 linear feet

The Stark family papers are comprised largely of the newlywed correspondence of lithographer Eugene R. and Catherine Dehn Stark of Brooklyn, New York, and Springfield, Massachusetts. The couple lived apart during the three years following their 1919 marriage so that Eugene could take a job in Springfield. During that time, the couple wrote deeply affectionate, sometimes sexually explicit letters expressing longing for one another and discussing finances, family updates, and the birth and infancy of their son John Eugene Stark.

The Stark Family Papers are comprised largely of the newlywed correspondence of lithographer Eugene R. and Catherine Dehn Stark of Brooklyn, New York, and Springfield, Massachusetts. The couple lived apart during the three years following their 1919 marriage so that Eugene could take a job in Springfield. During that time, the couple wrote deeply affectionate, sometimes sexually explicit letters expressing longing for one another and discussing finances, family updates, and the birth and infancy of their son John Eugene Stark.

The collection also includes a small number of letters from Eugene Stark's World War I service, letters from Charles Brant of Middle Village, New York, and correspondence with brother Gus, uncle John, and aunt Mamie.

Collection

Durand William Springer photograph collection, ca. 1860s-ca. 1930s

0.5 linear feet — 1 oversize folder

University of Michigan faculty member and administrator, Educational Director of the Y.M.C.A. at Camp Custer, Michigan during World War I, and principal at Ann Arbor High School in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Album of photographs taken at Camp Custer, showing classroom scenes and other aspects of camp life; also portraits of family members.

Album of photographs taken at Camp Custer, showing classroom scenes and other aspects of camp life, panoramic views of grounds and structures, and portraits and photographs of soldiers; also portraits of members of the Springer and Lazelle families.

Collection

Jay Earle Spaulding papers, 1917-1920, 1940

1 digital files (55.4 MB)

Online
Papers of a soldier with the 310th Engineers in the Allied intervention in Russia, 1918-1919, the "Polar Bear Expedition."

This collection contains digital reproductions; the original papers and/or photographs are owned by the donor. The digital items in this collection were digitized from originals by the individual donors before being received by the Bentley Historical Library. Preservation copies of these files with their original file names and CD-ROM file structures intact have been submitted to Deep Blue. Access copies of these digital files can be viewed by clicking on the links next to the individual folders in the Content List below.

In this finding aid, the files have been arranged into one series, Papers. Within each series, files are listed numerically according to the file arrangement they were given by the donor. The file in this collection is in PDF format.

Includes a file containing the digitized diary and narrative reminiscence of Spaulding's service; file also contains a brief biographical note with photographs, written by his son.

Collection

Walter C. Smith photo album, 1917-1919, undated

1 volume

Member of the 339th Infantry, Supply Company who took part in the Polar Bear Expedition in Northern Russia. Photo album contains group and individual portraits of the 339th Infantry Supply Company members, street views of Archangel, Russia, photos of barracks and other structures; newspaper clippings depicting return of the recovered bodies of the fallen Polar Bears Expedition soldiers to Detroit; and several portraits of Walter Smith taken later in his life.

Photo album contains group and individual portraits of the 339th Infantry Supply Company members, street views of Archangel, Russia, photos of barracks and other structures; newspaper clippings depicting return of the recovered bodies of the fallen Polar Bears Expedition soldiers to Detroit; and several portraits of Walter Smith taken later in his life.

Collection

Gordon W. Smith diary, 1918-1919

1 volume

Online
Member of Co. D, 339th U.S. Infantry who served in the Allied intervention in Russia, 1918-1920, the "Polar Bear Expedition." Collection includes daily account of his activities as a member of the expeditionary force; also includes maps, clippings, and roster of Co. D, 339th Infantry, United States Army.

The diary, July 1918-July 1919, is a photocopy of a typescript, and describes his voyage to Russia, the movements of Co. D, and fighting at Seltso, Sept. 1918; Kodish, Oct. 1918; Toulgas, Nov. 1918; Vistafka, Feb.-March 1919; and Tooting[?], April-May 1919. Also included are sketch maps of Vistafka Half Way Post and Shegovaya and a clipping, May 25, 1930, from the Detroit Free Press titled "The Forgotten Regiment," in which Smith describes his experiences in Russia. The article is based on the diary.

Collection

Emmett M. Smith photograph album, 1914-1919

approximately 790 photographs and 6 pieces of ephemera in 1 album

The Emmett M. Smith photograph album contains approximately 790 photographs and 6 pieces of ephemera related to the experiences of American soldier and engineer Cpl. Emmett Merle Smith while he served with the United States Army Air Service’s 800th Aero Repair Squadron in France during World War I.

The Emmett M. Smith photograph album contains approximately 790 photographs and 6 pieces of ephemera related to the experiences of American soldier and engineer Cpl. Emmett Merle Smith while he served with the United States Army Air Service’s 800th Aero Repair Squadron in France during World War I.

The album (28 x 37 cm) has black cloth covers with “Postal Souvenirs” stamped on the front; the covers and spine are in poor condition, as are a relatively small number photographs (some of which bear signs of insect damage).

On the inside of the front cover is a tipped-in copy of A History of the 800th Aero Repair Squadron, an official unit history account of the squadron published by its members in 1919. A small group of 10 loose photos and 6 pieces of ephemera are also present, including postcards, snapshots, YMCA guides to Paris and Marseilles, and two programs related to jointly held French and American Mother’s Day celebrations in Paris in May 1919 that were organized by L’Association des French Homes.

The first pasted-in photographs in the album are a series of 24 panoramic views showing Parisian scenery and famous landmarks. This section ends with another YMCA guide to Paris and a matriculation card for the Université de Paris Faculte des Sciences 1918-1919 for Emmett M. Smith that includes a portrait. Smith appears to likely have been the compiler of this album as he appears in numerous other photographs throughout. He was a member of the 800th Aero Repair Squadron’s Flight A, who were stationed at Camp de Souge near Bordeaux.

From pg. 15 through to the end of the album photographs are individually numbered from 1 to 781. While a typescript index describes photographs #25-28, there is no overarching index for the entire series. Numerous photos have captions (including manuscript captions), though the majority do not. Images come in a range of sizes and appear to have originated from numerous sources including German and French photographers as well as snapshots possibly taken by Smith himself. “AR” also appears on several photographs, possibly indicating that these images were taken by 800th Aero Repair Squadron photographers. However, by and large photographers are not identified for specific images.

In general, this album contains frontline scenes of battlefields, dead soldiers and animals, trench views, and ruined structures as well as images documenting camp life, military bases, and aerial reconnaissance views. Numerous photographs of military equipment, weaponry, airplanes, tanks, warships, soldiers, and street scenes showing cities/towns and civilians are also present. Post-war scenes include documented stays in Paris, southern France, Italy, and Spain.

Images of particular interest include:
  • #3 (image showing charging soldiers, some in gas masks, with one man appearing to be clutch his throat while falling; captioned “Actual photo of action at Verdune”)
  • #7, 651 (800th Aero Repair Squadron group portraits)
  • #12 (shot of Kaiser Wilhelm talking with German officers)
  • #15, 17 (aerial views of Albert, France, in November 1916)
  • #48, 70.1 (pictures of German tanks)
  • #73, 76 (view of citadel with German signage and view showing street signage by ruins; amongst other views that appear to be in Belgium)
  • #109 ("Toul - French plane ready for a flight")
  • #110, 111 (images showing the French and American sections of the 1918 panoramic painting Panthéon de la Guerre)
  • #142, 143 (two images of a train wreck by “Chiljian,” possibly Armenian American photographer Pvt. Henry B. Chiljian)
  • #146, 148 (two images showing plane crash wreckage)
  • #167 (French observation balloon being inflated)
  • #209 (Georges Clemenceau visiting aviation field)
  • #219 (clipping showing aftermath of the Halifax explosion with inscription reading “Spent 10 day aboard ship here right after explosion was supposed to have been here just before explosion but was delayed”)
  • #374 (post-war image captioned “U.S.A. bound” which precedes series of naval voyage images)
  • #451+ (images from Italy and Southern France)
  • #525 (railroad scene with “Chicago Opera Association” sign in view)
  • #631 (view of three men at typewriters working in an office with maps and aerial photographs pinned to the wall)
  • #638 (aerial view captioned “My aviation camp. Camp de Souge - North of Bordeaux from the 2nd Artillery Aerial Observation Island 1917-1918-1919”)
  • #649 (view showing surgery being performed on a man in operating room captioned “Hell - without [anesthesia]”)
  • #699 (view showing a queue outside of a YMCA in Bangor, Maine)
  • #712, 715 (two portraits of young women captioned “My Italian fiancée” and “My Spanish fiancée”)
Collection

Charles S. Smith papers, circa 1875-1923

6 microfilms — 4 linear feet — 1 oversize folder (Ac)

A bishop in the African Methodist Episcopal Church and founder of the denomination's Sunday School Union

The papers of Charles Spencer Smith measure 4 linear feet and date from ca. 1875 to 1923. The correspondence, sermons, speeches, articles, and printed material in the collection relate primarily to Smith's work in the African Methodist Episcopal Church as secretary and treasurer of the Sunday School Union, and as a bishop. Of particular value is a manuscript history of the A.M.E. Church in the 1840's and 1850's written by Bishop Daniel A. Payne, D.D., LL.D, and edited by Smith. These manuscript chapters from A History of the African Methodist Episcopal Church point out that Smith may have eliminated some of the original manuscript's detail to make Payne's work more concise. Smith himself wrote A History of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, Vol. 2, which was printed by the Book Concern of the A.M.E. Church, Philadelphia, in 1922. This volume covers the history of the church during the years 1856-1922 and was intended as a sequel to Bishop Payne's work. The Bentley Library has reprints of both of these volumes.

Biographical information has been placed at the beginning of the collection. It is followed by Smith's correspondence; his speeches, articles, sermons, pamphlets, and other writings; and material pertaining to the Methodist Ecumenical Conferences he attended in London in 1901 and 1921. Then there are materials relating to the A.M.E. Church, both printed and manuscript, followed by newspaper clippings, memorabilia, and topical files. Papers of Christine Shoecraft Smith and Charles S. Smith, Jr. follow. Books (non-Smith) and photographs have been placed at the end of the collection.

The correspondence and writings of Smith pertain to the A.M.E. Church, to his visits to Africa, settlement of Liberia by American Blacks, the education of Blacks, and related topics. Minutes of annual conferences of the A.M.E. Church in districts served by Smith are included with the printed material.

In addition to Smith's papers, the collection contains papers of his wife, Christine Shoecraft Smith, and of their son, Charles Spencer Smith, Jr. Christine Smith's papers consist of condolence cards and letters upon the death of her husband, two autograph books, and copies of selected pages of a scrapbook which has been returned to the donor. The papers of C. S. Smith, Jr., consist of correspondence, notebooks, and technical material compiled by Smith while he served as a lieutenant in the U.S. Army during World War I.

Due to the rare and fragile nature of many of the materials in the collection, everything has been microfilmed except for the non-Smith books. The aforementioned book by Smith, Glimpses of Africa, and scattered issues of The Child's Recorder and Our Sunday School Review for the years 1889-1891 had been microfilmed previously. The microfilm is the only copy the Bentley Library has of these publications.

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

Kenneth A. Skellenger papers, 1918-1919

1 folder

Online
Soldier from Detroit, Mich., member of Co. A, 339th U.S. Infantry who served in the Allied intervention in Russia, 1918-1920, the "Polar Bear Expedition." Collection includes diary, letter, memorabilia, and notes concerning his part in the Polar Bear Expedition.

The papers include a diary, July 1918-July 1919, describing the voyage to Archangel, his movements in Russia, his longing for home, and the voyage back to the United States. Also found in the diary are a transcript of an address by Americans to the Bolshevik soldiers and a statement describing an explosion at Shenkursk in January 1919. A separate journal, dated January-February 1919, describes fighting at Ust Padenga, Nizhnyaya Gora, and Vysokaya Gora, and includes a sketch map of the area. Also included are a letter describing army food and his longing for home, and a chronology of his military service, July 1918-April 1919.

Collection

Charles A. Simpson papers, 1910-1932

1 linear foot — 2 oversize folders

Online
Soldier from Grand Rapids, Mich., member of 337th Ambulance Company who served in the Allied intervention in Russia, 1918-1920, the "Polar Bear Expedition." Collection includes diaries and reminiscences of his service in Russia and training at Fort Custer, Michigan; also his diaries of life in Grand Rapids, photographs, motion pictures, and miscellaneous.

The collection includes diaries and a reminiscence of his service in Russia, at Obozerskaya and Archangel, and his training at Fort Custer, Mich.; also clippings and miscellanea. The collection also includes views of Fort Custer, Mich., and photos taken in Russia (both U. S. Signal Corps photos and snapshots) of American and allied soldiers, cities and towns, Russian people, battle scenes, and means of transportation; also a motion picture (16 mm original with DVD and streaming file use copies) containing miscellaneous scenes of American troops in Archangel. Also included Smith's diaries dated 1910 and 1914-1916.

Collection

James B. Sibley papers, 1918-1919

2 boxes — 2 folders

Online
Soldier from Detroit, Mich., member of Co. E, 339th U.S. Infantry who served in the Allied intervention in Russia, 1918-1920, the "Polar Bear Expedition." Collection includes diary of service in Russia, Nov.7, 1918-Jan.14, 1919 and other war-related papers.

The papers include a diary, Nov. 1918-Jan. 1919, describing daily life, monotony, the weather, and fighting at Kodish, Dec. 1918. Also included are newspaper clippings, miscellanea, and photographs. Also artifacts: helmet, shell casing trench art (75 mm), 37 mm shell, VFW Post 436 cap, and uniform insignia. (The photographs and artifacts have not been digitized.)

Collection

Gilbert T. Shilson papers, 1919, 1929

1 folder

Online
Member of Co. K, 339th U.S. Infantry who served in the Allied intervention in Russia, 1918-1920, the "Polar Bear Expedition." Collection includes citation from French government for bravery in combat in 1918; and photographs.

A photocopy of a citation for bravery from the French government and photographs taken at the ceremonies at White Chapel Memorial Park Cemetery during which the bodies of American soldiers returned from Russia were reinterred.

Collection

Rebecca Shelley Papers, 1890-1984

21 linear feet — 1 oversize folder

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.

Collection

Winifred B. Shaw correspondence, 1916-1918

7 items

This collection is made up of letters that a soldier named Jody sent to Winifred B. Shaw of Fishers Island, New York, while serving with the United States Army in Hawaii from 1916-1918. Jody described Honolulu's Chinese and Japanese residents, discussed his leisure activities, and commented on his friendships.

This collection is made up of 7 letters that a soldier named "Jody" sent to Winifred B. Shaw of Fishers Island, New York, while serving with the United States Army in Hawaii. Jody wrote 3 letters from Fort De Russy between January 14, 1916, and October 15, 1916. He described Honolulu's Chinese and Japanese districts in detail, commenting on the city's Asian residents, Asian shops, and his visit to a Japanese tea house with other soldiers. He described a military march and discussed his leisure activities, which included swimming and a trip on an outrigger canoe. His letter of September 5, 1916, contains diagrams of an outrigger canoe and a surfboard, as well as a small cartoon of an outrigger canoe riding a wave. His letter of October 15, 1916, includes drawings of an obi, a shamisen, and a bachi. Jody's final 4 letters, written from Fort Ruger, Hawaii, between December 8, 1917, and June 9, 1918, largely pertain to social activities with friends and romantic interest in a woman named Hazel. His letter of June 9, 1918, includes a copied poem, "Afterward" by Channing Pollock. A brief parody newsletter, "The Tropic Scandal," with a misspelled letter purportedly written by a soldier serving in the trenches in Europe, is enclosed in his letter of December 8, 1917.

Collection

Demas Lindley Sears papers, 1916-1983 (majority within 1942-1946)

1.5 linear feet

This collection is made up of 158 letters, 8 speeches and writings, 36 documents, 25 ephemeral items and currency, 5 pamphlets or booklets, 43 newspaper clippings, 26 lithographs, and 99 photographs by or related to Lieutenant Colonel Demas Lindley Sears. The bulk of the collection pertains to his service as a mid-level intelligence officer in the U.S. Army's 37th Infantry Division during World War II. A small portion of the collection reflects his service in the 8th Ohio Infantry Regiment during the Punitive Expedition of 1916 and in the First U.S. Cavalry during World War I.

This collection is made up of 158 letters, 8 speeches and writings, 36 documents, 25 ephemeral items and currency, 5 pamphlets or booklets, 43 newspaper clippings, 26 lithographs, and 99 photographs by or related to Lieutenant Colonel Demas Lindley Sears. The bulk of the collection pertains to his service as a mid-level intelligence officer in the U.S. Army's 37th Infantry Division during World War II. A small portion of the collection reflects his service in the 8th Ohio Infantry Regiment during the Punitive Expedition of 1916 and in the First U.S. Cavalry during World War I.

The Correspondence begins with a telegram and four letters respecting the death of Demas and Lura Sears's child in August 1918. The remainder of the correspondence is made up of original and contemporary carbon copies of letters by Demas L. Sears between 1942 and 1946. The bulk of one hundred and forty three letters are personal letters from Demas "Pop" to his wife Lura "Mother" and daughter Frances "Baby," or from Demas to others, between January 1944 and December 1945.

Lt. Col. Sears was an engaging writer and he described everyday experiences with thoughtful attention to detail. Within the restrictive confines of military censorship, he was unable to share what he called "real news," but wrote about his living quarters, food, plans for his return home, requests for letters and photographs, and generally about life in the South Pacific. He sent his wife souvenirs, such as a Japanese rifle and an entrenching shovel. His descriptions of combat and war atrocities are vivid (see, for example, his letters from late February 1945, as the 37th fought to capture Manila).

Between April 2 and July 4, 1943, Demas Sears wrote a 46-page letter to his wife in a diary-like form. He kept the letter as an uncensored account of his time on the Fiji Islands and Guadalcanal (before departing for New Georgia). It is accompanied by a typescript of the letter, titled "From the Fiji Islands to Guadalcanal with the 37th Division."

Between March 8 and September 14, 1945, Demas also composed 10 diary-like letters, producing multiple carbon copies for Lura to distribute to particular family members. In the margins, Demas identified (by hand) March 8 and September 14 as the first and last of these "family bulletins," and provided his wife with lists of intended recipients.

A series of Writings and Speeches include one war date essay and eight postwar speeches. From the Solomon Islands after November 14, 1942, he reflected thoughtfully on the war as a "young man's war" (he was able to identify a total of 22 men out of 14,000 who had served in World War I) and the importance of maintaining U.S. military strength in peacetime. His speeches relate to his war experiences and his audiences included a Congregational Church Men's Club, a Memorial Day gathering at Bucyrus, an American Legion group, and others.

The collection's 36 Documents, 1917-1946 (bulk 1942-1946), include certificates and orders related to Demas Sears's commendations and awards; training materials; intelligence (G-2 Reports, copies of a captured and translated Japanese Sergeant's diary, summaries of the interrogations of General Tomoyuki Yamashita, a Japanese map of the Pacific, etc.), and other similar papers.

Seventy-one Printed Items include ephemera and currency, booklets and pamphlets, and newspaper clippings. Among the ephemeral items are three unique World War I-era holiday menus; a menu for a 1945 banquet in honor of Maj. Gen. Robert S. Beightler; admission and transport tickets; Japanese currency; two World War I-era record of service posters, and a manuscript note in Japanese. The two posters are located in the Graphics Division, and more information can be found in the Separated Materials section. The five booklets and pamphlets are each listed in the box and folder listing below. Forty-three newspaper clippings pertain to Lt. Col. Sears's World War II service.

The printed items also include 26 lithographs of pencil sketches by Edward "E. J." Dollriehs of the headquarters battery of the 37th Division. His illustrations include buildings, airfields, military headquarters, portraits, and the wreckage of Japanese planes. Dollriehs identified each with captions; most of the images are from the Luzon provinces of Bulacan, Pampanga, Pangasinan, and Tarlac.

The Sears papers contain 99 Photographs. Fifteen images from the period of Sears's service in World War I include two panoramic photographs of the First Cavalry Regiment, one panoramic photograph of the headquarters staff of the 37th Division, and 12 snapshots and portraits. The collection also contains 84 photographs from Sears's World War II service in the Pacific, including individual and group portraits, snapshots depicting camp life; a series of aerial snapshots taken from a C-47 on a leaflet-dropping mission over the Philippine Islands; five photographs of a Kava Ceremony in the Fiji Islands; and a selection of confidential Signal Corps photographs.

Collection

Frank Henry Schultz photograph collection, Circa 1909-1919

1 folder

Corporal in Company B, 310th. Engineer Regiment during the Allied intervention in Russia, 1918-1920, the "Polar Bear Expedition." Collection includes photographs of Schultz and Schultz's family.

The collection consists of three photographs. One is a photographic postcard of Frank Henry Schultz, taken in Archangel Russia during the expedition. One is a photocopy of a Schultz family photo, which includes Frank's mother, Frank's sister Minnie Schultz Chromasta and neice Hazel Chromasta, and Frank's father. The third is a photocopy of another family photo, including Frank's mother, Frank's neices Grace Vierheilig and Hazel Chromasta, and nephew William Vierheilig.

Collection

Jay Handler Schmidt papers, 1918-1968

0.4 linear feet

Alumnus of University of Michigan, and secretary of the University of Michigan Club of Suburban New Jersey. Correspondence and other materials relating to his alumni activities and his continuing interest in University affairs; and photographs.

The Schmidt collection consists of 0.4 feet of papers covering the years 1918-1968, though concentrating in the period since 1944. There is a small folder of materials detailing his World War I service and a few letters concerning his interest in perfumes and fragrances. The collection also contains two folders and several letters relating to Schmidt's work as board member and fund-raiser on behalf of the University of Michigan Committee, Thomas E. Dewey for President, during the 1944 and 1948 elections. Much of the collection concerns other alumni activities, including a sample of letters relating to recruiting prospective students for the University of Michigan.

Collection

Carl Ernest Schmidt papers, 1892-1935

15 volumes (in 3 boxes) — 1 oversize volume

Detroit German-American business; scrapbooks containing a variety of printed material, photographs, handwritten accounts of sentiments and occasions, and hand-drawn ink illustrations.

The Carl E. Schmidt collection consists of sixteen volumes of scrapbooks documenting the wide scope of Schmidt's interests. These scrapbooks were compiled and numbered by Schmidt himself, although some of the explanatory text was added by a friend, Dr. Tobias Sigel, who was himself a German immigrant and prominent citizen of Detroit. The scrapbooks are filled with a variety of printed material, photographs, handwritten accounts of sentiments and occasions, and hand-drawn ink illustrations. Much of the scrapbooks' text is in German, including many clippings from German language newspapers. The illustrations in Volume II are particularly attractive. They are hand-drawn red and black ink illustrations of fanciful, legendary themes relating to Walhalla.

The following inventory is a general guide to the contents of each volume. For those scrapbooks that were paginated by Schmidt, specific sections of special interest have been noted in the inventory. Volume 2 also has its own, original index. There is one corresponding folder for each of thirteen of the volumes. These folders contain loose items removed from volumes one through eleven, thirteen, and fourteen.

As the inventory shows, Schmidt was most thorough in documenting his recreational and farming interests, and his political activity in Detroit, at the state level, and in the German-American community. There is, however, very little information about his tannery business.

Collection

Clarence G. Scheu diary, 1918-1919

2 volumes

Online
Member of Co. B, 339th U.S. Infantry who served in the Allied intervention in Russia, 1918-1920, the "Polar Bear Expedition." Collection includes record of combat experiences against Bolshevik troops.

The diary, July 1918-July 1919, describes his journey from Camp Custer to Russia, patrolling the countryside, his uncertainty and bewilderment over the objectives and purpose of the campaign, fighting at Seltso, Oct. 1918, and Toulgas, Oct. and Nov. 1918; the defense of Toulgas, Jan.-Feb. 1919; fighting at Kurgomen, March-April 1919; and his return to the United States.

Collection

Howard S. Saunders papers, 1919 and undated

2 oversize photographs

Two oversize photographs (original and copy) depicting Company A, 339th United States Infantry, which served in the Allied intervention in Northern Russia, 1918-1919, also known as the "Polar Bear Expedition." The original photograph was taken in June 1919 in Brest, France when the Company returned from Russia.

Collection

Hugo K. Salchow papers, 1919, 1971

15 items — 3 audiocassettes — 1.52 GB

Online
Member of Co. G, 339th U.S. Infantry who served in the Allied intervention in Russia, 1918-1920, the "Polar Bear Expedition." Collection includes partial transcript of interview recounting his experiences with the Polar Bear Expedition; and miscellanea collected at the time of the expedition.

The tapes contain two interviews conducted in Dec. 1971 by Sheldon Annis, in which Salchow describes his general memories of the campaign, the Russian people, Archangel, relations with British and French troops, his experiences at Camp Custer, machine gun training, army food, the mutiny of Co. I, and the morale of the troops. A partial transcript of one of the interviews is included in the papers, along with issues of The Trident, published aboard the U.S.S. Von Steuben while returning from Russia, six post cards of Archangel scenes, and some Russian money.