The McDonald Family series includes ledgers, correspondence and other papers of James McDonald's ancestors. This series also includes personal and professional papers of James McDonald regarding his studies at the University of Michigan and his relationship with family members. The McDonald Family series contains two subseries: Early and Miscellaneous papers and James McDonald's papers.
2.4 linear feet — 2 oversize folders — 1 oversize volume
The McDonald papers contain personal and business papers collected by James Henry McDonald and by his wife Christine Jewell McDonald. The collection includes correspondence, ledgers, genealogical material and family histories, business records and photographs. Topics and activities documented in the collection include James McDonald's education at the University of Michigan and law practice in Detroit; genealogy of the McDonald, Hallock, McLellan and Jewell families; business papers of William Jewell, including some relating to his founding of the Detroit Business University in 1864; correspondence of Emma Jewell's life as a Christian Scientist; Ogden Jewell's experience as a University of Michigan Student and his enlistment in the Spanish-American War; and correspondence of Christie Jewell concerning her activities in the Democratic party, including a term a vice-chair of the state Democratic Party Central Committee in 1937-1938.
The collection contains five series: McDonald Family, the Martha Wells McLellan Family, Christine Jewell Family, Miscellaneous Files, and Photographs.
The Early and Miscellaneous papers include ledgers, correspondence, and land deeds from James McDonald's grandparents and great-grandparents. Included is William McDonald's ledger documenting his work as the treasurer for Mt. Clemens from 1840 to 1848. This series also includes a family history compiled by Christine Jewell McDonald in the early 1900s.