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Civil War and Spanish-American War letters, family photographs, and other materials relating to the Buckbee and Church families from Illinois and Michigan.

The Buckbee Family Papers includes a variety of material but is most significant for its documentation of the Civil War service of Julian E. Buckbee and for the many letters exchanged with his sons Henry Cheever and Julian Edward, Jr., who served in the military during the Spanish-American War. These later letters provide a unique look into daily life during the war and at home in Illinois at the turn of the century. The letters contain both original and photocopied letters, along with transcriptions, to and from Julian Edward Jr. and Henry Cheever Buckbee during their service from April to September 1898. The photocopies all have matching original letters except for letter dated August 21, 1898, and those that were small notes probably sent with packages.

Other files in the collection include newspaper articles, genealogical information, and other various materials related to the Buckbee family from 1859 to 1999; photographs (duplicates and originals) of family members, scenes from the Spanish-American War, and of the family-owned Winnetka Inn located in Winnetka, Illinois; various letters to and from Julian Edward Buckbee Sr., military documents, and other materials relating to E.J. Buckbee's service in the Civil War; and later family papers which include reminiscences of Julian Buckbee Sr., and letters from Cheever D. Buckbee during his military service in 1942. There are also letters of William L. Church written during the Civil War and relating to his visits to various Illinois regiments. Of special note is a letter he received from Colonel William Gamble describing the operation of Illinois troops at the Battle of Gettysburg.

Settlers in Englishville, Michigan. Family correspondence, diaries, legal papers, newspaper clippings and other materials relating to farm life, personal affairs, and the Civil War.

The Buck family collection includes correspondence, diaries, legal papers, newspaper clippings, and other materials relating to farm life, personal affairs, and the Civil War. Included are letters of Curtis Buck and Andrew Buck relating to the Civil War. Also of interest is a letter of John Bettis, June 10, 1864, regarding his running a saw and grist mill in Chattanooga during the war. Other family members represented in the collection are Charles W. Buck and Myron and Susan Field Buck.

This collection contains 3 groups of letters between members of the Burbank family of Medford, Massachusetts. William Henry and Edwin C. Burbank wrote to their mother and siblings while serving in the 5th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment in Washington, D.C., Alexandria, Virginia, and New Bern, North Carolina, from 1861-1863; Edwin C. Burbank wrote to his mother and sisters while living in Paris, France, in 1867; and Ida Burbank wrote home about her life on Cumberland Island, Georgia, during the winter of 1882-1883.

This collection (86 items) consists of 3 groups of letters between members of the Burbank family of Medford, Massachusetts. William Henry and Edwin C. Burbank wrote to their mother and siblings while serving in the 5th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment in Washington, D.C.; Alexandria, Virginia; and New Bern, North Carolina, from 1861-1863 (42 items); Edwin C. Burbank wrote to his mother and sisters while living in Paris, France, in 1867 (11 items); and Ida Burbank wrote home about her life on Cumberland Island, Georgia, during the winter of 1882-1883 (31 items). The collection also includes a personal letter to Edwin Burbank (June 8, 1867) and an unsigned letter (November 22, [1882]).

William Henry Burbank wrote 33 and his brother Edwin wrote 9 of the 42 Civil War-era letters (April 28, 1861-June 17, 1863). William's first letters pertain to his service with the 5th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment in and around Washington, D.C., in 1861, including his observations about martial law in and the desertion of Alexandria, Virginia, and his recollections of the First Battle of Bull Run (July 23, 1861). Both brothers' later letters concern their experiences with the 5th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment in and around New Bern, North Carolina, from 1862-1863. The Burbanks described New Bern and its black population, reported casualties, and discussed the possibility of finding their brother Oscar a military job. Some of their letters, particularly Edwin's, recount Confederate attacks, Union Army expeditions, battles during the Goldsboro campaign, as well as attempts to relieve Confederate pressure on Washington, D.C. William's letter of March 16, 1863, contains a manuscript map of Union lines and encampments around New Bern. A few of the letters are addressed to the Burbank sisters.

The remaining correspondence includes 11 letters that Edwin C. Burbank wrote to his mother and sisters while traveling to and living in Paris, France, from March 29, 1867-September 29, 1867; his first letter is dated at Glasgow, Scotland. He commented on his travels, his life in Paris, and the Exposition Universelle. The final group of letters concerns Ida Burbank's leisure activities on Cumberland Island, Georgia, and her travels to Brunswick and other nearby locales. She provided news of the relatives she stayed with during her time in the South, discussed life in Georgia, mentioned ships traveling to and from the mainland, and described visits to the beach. Three of her letters enclose newspaper clippings and dried flowers.

University of Michigan unit established in 1871 to accredit secondary schools. Consists primarily of accreditation inspection reports, 1871-1992, representing over 1,000 public and private high schools in Michigan. Reports include information on demographics, facilities, finances, curriculum, staffing, and reviewers comments. Some early reports were completed by John Dewey. Files are arranged by school alphabetically by city. The state assumed accreditation responsibility in 1992.

The records of the Bureau of School Service are comprised of 166 linear feet spanning the dates 1871 to 1992. The record group has been divided into three series: Administrative Files, Accreditation Inspection Reports, and Detroit High School Study Commission.

Burrows-Avery-Smith families of New York, Connecticut, and Michigan. Correspondence and business papers of Lorenzo Burrows, New York Congressman, 1849-1853; George L. Burrows, Saginaw, Michigan, banker and speculator; material concerning the Whig Party and New York state politics, 1848-1860. Correspondents include: Millard Fillmore, Washington Hunt, and John Young.

The Burrows / Avery / Smith collection was brought together and preserved by Emeline Burrows (daughter of Lorenzo Burrows) and Julia Smith (granddaughter of the elder Roswell Burrows).

The collection has been arranged into the following series: Correspondence and other papers of family members (arranged chronologically); Family records; Topical files; Visual Materials; and Financial materials.

The Burwell-Guy collection yields a revealing slice of antebellum plantation life on a North Carolina tobacco plantation. It portrays a social and domestic setting which emphasized family and hospitality, the tobacco economy that supported such a lifestyle, and the slave system that enabled it to function.

About one third of the 120 letters in the Burwell-Guy collection are business correspondence to John A. Burwell from grocers, dry goods merchants, and the commission merchants who handled the sale of his tobacco, corn, and flour. The latter deducted a percentage of sales income and the costs of transport and storage of produce, then paid Burwell his profits both in the form of goods and money. Letters and invoices from John Jones's Richmond, Va. company and the Petersburg, Va.-based firm of Martin and Dormans generally comment on the tobacco market and its prospects, and advise Burwell on how to cure and pack his tobacco in order to obtain the best prices. A letter dated December 9, 1844, from John Eaton, who was also a planter and probably a relation of Burwell's, offers interesting commentary on North Carolina politics and public improvements.

Thirteen letters from Burwell to his son, Thomas, in Norfolk are full of advice on proper moral and business behavior. In December of 1854, he warns the young man at length about fashionable women with "paint on their cheeks, cotton in their Bosoms, & wading on their hips and they pretend to be smart but none hardly have any more sense than to reverse the order of nature..." His fatherly advice is to "[l]ook aloof, & let alone the women, & you will do well." The following month he expresses agreement with Thomas that it is better to "gallant the Young Ladies to Church on Sunday than to 'sit back' in Hotels, & Coffee & Oyster Houses 'puffing segars.'" He adds, however, that while church attendance instills good morals, "you are not obliged to take all you see & hear at a church as right & good . You have sense enough, if you will, to cull the good from the bad." Burwell's comments reflect his rather casual attitude toward religion -- that it was good for a person, but not in excess, and that it need not occupy a central role in life. Women seemed to place a greater emphasis on attending church, but their letters have little to say about religion. Church-going obviously fulfilled a social function as well as a spiritual one.

Plantation children's education was frequent commented upon in correspondence. Some teachers ran their own small schools, while others were hired to instruct the children of an individual family or related families. Children occasionally went away to nearby boarding schools. Boys appear to have attended school more consistently than girls, although both were instructed in a range of academic subjects. John Burwell went through a succession of teachers; one was dismissed for being too "mean," another for being "an abominable fool" who tried to assume an "arbitrary & dictatorial sort of power" over his sons, who would not stand to be treated in this way. Burwell desired his sons to be respectful but not docile: "... never give an insult & never take one. With this motto you avoid difficulty... as well as the finger of scorn & contempt that every gentleman must have for the coward."

In three letters to his sister-in-law Elizabeth T. Guy, John A. Burwell writes at length on the life of the plantation, as viewed through his proprietary eyes. He describe illnesses, births and deaths, his sons' intelligence and his daughter's beauty, the success of his crop and the luxuries bought with its profits, and the superiority of Virginia land. In July, 1846 he brags of having "left my own neighborhood entirely out of sight" in this year's tobacco production, which, with the addition of other produce sales, has brought in $2,224.00. A letter of April 30, 1847 offers chilling commentary on attitudes toward slaves. Burwell writes with amusement that daughter Lizzie Anna has a black maid, Fanny, of whom she is very fond, but that when Fanny made her angry the little girl asked her father to "cut Fanny's ears off & get her a new maid from Clarksville." A more businesslike expression of the status of slaves as profitable chattel is displayed in a June, 1848 letter which details the expenses and profits due Elizabeth from the hiring out of her five slaves.

John E. Burwell, at home on the plantation, wrote six letters to his brother, Thomas, between 1854 and 1857. These comment largely on hunting, which seems to have been a favorite male pastime. He also notes attending a wedding and enjoying "waiting on" two young ladies. When the railroad went through nearby, he amused himself by building a handcar to ride up and down the tracks. The young man appears to have had little in the way of work expected of him; or perhaps he did not consider chores worthy of comment.

The remainder of the Burwell-Guy letters consists of social correspondence, largely between women. Aunts, nieces, sisters, and cousins wrote of domestic life, social events, fashion, gardening, and illnesses. The collection includes 9 letters that Elizabeth Guy wrote to her sister, Lucy Burwell; letters that Elizabeth Guy received from the women of the Townes and Rawlins families; and letters that Elizabeth Guy and Lucy Burwell received from their aunt, Mary Williamson of Kentucky. These letters frequently include news of slaves. Elizabeth Guy also received letters from her brother-in-law, Edward Rawlins, and from his brother William, who discussed their social lives in New Orleans.

After Anna Guy's marriage to Edward Rawlins, she and her sister Elizabeth had their slaves insured and sent to them in New Orleans; in a letter dated December, 1846, Elizabeth Guy claimed, "they shall be always well treated." In order to bring in income, Guy hired some of her slaves out in New Orleans. Anna Guy Rawlins also continued to update her sister on her social life in New Orleans, which included parties and attendance at the opera.

After her sister's hasty marriage to Cousin Edward during their visit to Aunt Mary in Kentucky, Elizabeth Guy developed a passion for Cousin Perry DuPuy and sought permission to marry him. When Lucy disapproved, her ardor cooled. On June 12, 1844, William Rawlins wrote to his cousin, Elizabeth Guy, describing the previous winter social season in Norfolk, with its "courting scrapes and engagements and discards." In September 1855 Mary L. Burwell, who had a "a fondness for young widowers," asked her cousin Thomas Burwell whether Dr. Robert, an acquaintance of his whose wife had recently died, had "thrown aside the weeds of mourning yet."

The collection winds up with the intriguing story of John and Lucy Burwell's divorce, an ugly tale which depicts the underside of their seemingly stable, convivial plantation life. Letters from John Burwell to son Thomas written in March, 1857 lament that his wife has moved out, and that his sons are taking her side, telling things which "should never go out of the family" in court, after saying previously that they would have no part in their parents' quarrels. Unhappy domestic relations had evidently come to a head when Burwell became violent toward his slaves; he was accused of "runing the negroes about with guns & sticks." Burwell asserts that he was doing it "out of fun," that no one was shot or struck, and that a good marksman like himself "knows too well which way his guns were pointed to have done mischief." The court decided otherwise, and granted Mrs. Burwell, who had just given birth to a new son, a divorce. Her husband entreated her to return, vowing never to give "another cross word," and declaring that the decree was "a pack of foolishness." She evidently did not return. The few later letters in the collection do not touch upon the matter.

The Burwell-Guy collection yields a revealing slice of antebellum plantation life. It portrays a social and domestic setting which emphasized family and hospitality, the tobacco economy that supported such a lifestyle, and the slave system that enabled it to function.

The Busbey papers contain the personal and professional correspondence of William H. Busbey and many of his family members. Of note are letters to and from William and his brother during the Civil War; letters between William and his wife Mary after the war; and a letter from Ann Busbey, William's mother, which documents her 1894 trip west from Chicago, with vivid descriptions of the scenery in Kansas, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, and California.

The Busbey papers collect the personal and professional correspondence of William H. Busbey and several generations of his family. Included are 1,259 letters, 6 documents and receipts, 117 writings, 9 photographs, 134 newspaper clippings, and additional printed materials.

The earliest item in the Correspondence series is a letter from William's grandfather, Hamilton Busbey in Coles Country, Illinois, to his son Thomas (November 9, 1839). Included in the early letters are 33 items of schoolwork from the Busbey children in the late 1840-1850s, such as several essays, notes, and small decorated name tags. The collection also contains letters to and from William and his brother Hamilton during their service in the Civil War. The letters describe events at war, including the Battle at Stone River and watching gun boats patrolling the Tennessee River, as well as the brother's health and daily activities. Letters from Ohio report on deaths in the family back home and how the town and family are coping with the war. In one particularly poignant letter from a member of the Botkin's family, the author reports on local boys who have died and been discharged from the war, then writes:

"I have seen the tears trickle down the cheeks of old and young, while conversing on the subject of this unholy war. Secession, was their pet idol and it has ruined thousands, utterly bankrupt those who were wealthy, happy, and prosperous under the old flag. The new, has brought them nothing, but poverty and wretchedness -- well yes, I might say, it has brought swarms of Yankees, to bask in the salubrious rays of the glorious sun far down in the land of cotton..."

Approximately 70 letters were written by Mary (Molly) Busbey and William to each other, most of them in the months prior to their wedding in 1868. They wrote extensively about love and the health and welfare of their friends and family. Before their wedding, several letters were exchanged between Mary’s parents and William, regarding William's request for permission to marry their daughter. William's work as managing editor of the Inter Ocean is documented through letters to the editor and inter-office communication.

The Busbey family papers also collect letters to Mary from her family and friends, letters to their daughters Grace and Mabel, and letters to William from both his parents. Of note are three letters (23 pages) from Ann Busbey, William's mother, which document her 1894 trip west from Chicago, with vivid descriptions of the scenery in Kansas, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, and California. Mary's mother, sisters, and friends wrote about 70 letters to Mary, with news about the family’s health and economic well-being.

The Documents and Receipts series contains 5 business receipts and a document related to estate of Ezra P. Jones of Ohio.

The Photographs series is composed of 8 photographs of various members of the Busbey family.

The Writings series is comprised of copies of William Busbey’s published works and rough drafts of articles, stories, and speeches from his career in the newspaper business. Topics include the newspaper business, the press and the Cuban question (1898), the Monroe Doctrine (1905), family and genealogy, and a biographical sketch of William H. Busbey.

The Printed Material series is composed of miscellaneous printed items such as poems, advertisements, invitations, programs, and other items. Of note is a list of members of the 1st Kentucky Infantry, Company C (of which Busbey was a Sergeant), and a fairwell card to Elwyn A. Barron of the Inter Ocean signed by other 23 employees.

The Newspaper Clippings series consists of 134 newspaper clippings, including several copies of the Inter Ocean's tribute to William's personal and professional achievements after his death. Miscellaneous items, such as ribbons, children's cards, and empty envelopes, conclude the collection.

This collection represents three generations of the Bush family in Michigan. Includes genealogies and biographies of the Bush and Willard families; correspondence; a portrait of F. Willard Bush; papers of Sumner O. Bush and Charles Sumner Bush; unidentified financial records, pamphlets and circulars; and a computer disk containing transcriptions of the letters in the collection.

The collection represents three generations of the Bush family in Michigan. The arrangement reflects this, as it moves from the oldest generation to the youngest.

The first folder provides genealogical information on the Bush and Willard families (The Willard family was the family of Cynthia Melissa Willard Bush.). There are also two clippings from the Battle Creek newspaper containing biographical information on Sumner Orlando Bush and his son, Charles Sumner Bush. The next folders contain letters of Frederick Eli and Cynthia Melissa (Willard) Bush. This includes correspondence with the Bush sons, Bush family members, Willard family members, and friends.

Materials documenting Frederick Willard, Edwin Alvarez, Henry Eli, and Sumner Orlando follow the letters of the Bush parents (Frederick and Cynthia). The bulk of these are correspondence. The letters are grouped in folders according to recipient and arranged in order from the eldest son (Frederick Willard) to the youngest (Sumner). A tintype of Frederick Willard Bush (1858) is also included, (Box 2, Folder 1). The collection then moves to the next generation. Papers of Charles Sumner Bush, son of Sumner, are present toward the end.

Common subjects include family news (e.g., births, deaths, marriages, new jobs, college graduations), business and financial concerns (e.g., mortgages, family farms, insurance, possible career paths), current events (e.g., elections, slavery, the Civil War), health, the weather, and crop conditions. There are also reflections on spiritual concerns and on living life as a Christian.

The collection includes letters that the Bush sons and several others wrote while attending college. Frederick Willard, Henry and Sumner Bush all attended Olivet College and wrote of their experiences there. Willard also attended Marietta College in Marietta, Ohio. The brothers received letters from friends and relatives in other colleges. The collection also contains a folder of letters to Frederick and Cynthia Bush from an Olivet College student identified as “Amanda.” (The precise nature of Amanda’s relationship to the Bushes is unclear. The letters do indicate that the family partially funded her scholarship to Olivet.) The college letters describe student life (e.g., classes, rooming conditions, and teachers).

The materials of four soldiers might be of interest to military researchers. Frederick and Samuel Willard (brothers to Cynthia Melissa Willard Bush) and Edwin Bush served in the Civil War, while Charles Sumner Bush served in World War I.

Frederick Willard was stationed in Louisiana during the Civil War. In his letters, he describes troop movements and morale and relates some general thoughts on the war (He describes Copperheads as “traitors” and writes of “defending our beloved country from slavery, disunion and tyranny.”). He also discusses the local environments, and in one letter (February 10, 1864), he describes the affects of the war on Louisiana. There are also two pre-War letters from Frederick. One is dated 1841 and the other is dated 1859. In the 1841 letter, he discusses a recent move and reflects on the recent death of President William Henry Harrison. In the 1859 letter, he reflects on the death of his sister, Lucena.

Samuel Willard enlisted sometime in 1862. He saw action at Gettysburg in July 1863. Afterward, he suffered poor health and seems to have been hospitalized for the remainder of the war. He stayed in hospitals in Annapolis, Maryland; Louisville, Kentucky; and Madison, Indiana. In his letters, Samuel relates war news (the 1864 surrender of Fort Sumter, for example), and discusses troop movements and morale. He often comments on the hospitals in which he stayed. In one letter (July 30, 1863), he describes his experience at the Battle of Gettysburg. In another (October 30, 1863), he mentions a funeral for Confederate prisoners. There is also one post-War letter, dated 1867. In it, Samuel describes the weather and discusses some family news.

Edwin Bush enlisted in Company E, 17th Michigan Infantry on August 12, 1862. He saw action at Antietam and at Mississippi, Tennessee, and Kentucky. His unit returned east in 1864. Edwin was shot during the siege of Petersburg, Virginia and died of his wounds on June 18, 1864. In his letters, Edwin describes marches, guard duty, troop morale, the food and various aspects of Army life. He comments on battles and on other troops and some officers (including Generals McClellan and Burnside). He mentions war news and other current events (e.g., Congressional elections).

Charles Sumner Bush, son of Sumner Orlando and Vernellie Daley Bush, was a World War I veteran. Bush, who enlisted at Camp Custer on November 26, 1917, served in the Motor Transport Corps 373, and was promoted to sergeant within a few weeks of enlisting (December 3, 1917). In April, he was transferred to the American Mission Reserve Mallet, American Expeditionary Force. He served overseas in France from February 27, 1918 to June 19, 1919. Bush mustered out of the service on June 25, 1919. His papers contain a black and white photograph of Mrs. Sarah (Rector) Hyslop, whom Charles Sumner married in 1923. The diary, kept by Charles Sumner Bush in 1918, documents his battlefield experiences in France, soldier camps, traveling in Army truck convoys, the weather and terrain, local reaction to American troops, and the Spanish flu epidemic. Also included is a copy of Special Orders No. 50 dating December 3, 1918. This order is signed by Frank O. Robinson, 1st Lt., MTC, USA, Comdg” and lists battles in which Robinson’s unit engaged. While individual names are not listed in the order, it appears that Bush engaged in the 1918 battles outlined by Lieutenant Robinson (e.g., Second Battle of the Somme, Second Battle of the Marne, Third Battle of the Somme, etc.)

The collection ends with a folder of ephemera and a computer disk. The ephemera date from the 19th century and include leaflets and some unidentified handwritten financial information. The disk contains electronic copies of seven transcriptions of letters in this collection. (Printed copies of these transcriptions are filed in the collection with their respective original letters.)