Collections : [Central Michigan University Clarke Historical Library]

Collection consists mostly of diaries, papers, and financial accounts of Mrs. Robinson, some papers of Mr. Robinson and their sons, and family photographs and correspondence, mostly about family concerns.

The collection includes mostly diaries, papers, and financial accounts of Mrs. Robinson, some papers of Mr. Robinson and their sons, family photographs, and family correspondence, mostly about family concerns.

This is an extended family collection collected by Ken "Casey" Carstens, documenting his Carstens, Ranney, Bloch, and Wicke family members.

This is an extended family collection collected by Ken “Casey” Carstens, documenting his Carstens, Ranney, Bloch, and Wicke family members. The collection is in original order, divided by series by the names of families, couples, or individuals and then by size, alphabetically, and chronologically. Materials in the collection include textual and photographic materials. Textual materials include letters and emails, vital records, family trees, reunion materials, information from Ancestery.com, and U.S. service members’ documents. Books in the collection include family Bibles with family history written into them, religious texts, family histories, and books documenting the history of non-Michigan areas and people related to the family’s history. Photographic materials include photographs, negatives, photograph albums, scrapbooks, and audio and video recordings in several formats. There are also drawings by family members, including children. Some of the materials are in German, which is noted in the folder labels.

Series in the collection include: Anna and William Carstens Scrapbooks; Calvin and Dottie Carstens Scrapbooks and Photograph Albums; Calvin Z. “Cal” Carstens papers; William John Carstens, Jr. papers; Ranney and Bloch families materials; William and Anna Carstens and their family papers: Anna Wicke Carstens papers; Ernestine Wicke papers; Rev. Heinrich Wicke papers; Marie Wicke papers; and Elizabeth Vandevoord papers.

Anna and William Carstens Scrapbooks:

There are three volumes of scrapbooks, 1986-1992. Each volume contains family photographs primarily of their children Calvin, Robert, Aldor, William, Delores, Marjorie, and Edwin; of World War I and early twentieth century baseball, newspaper clippings, postcards, and other topics. Photographs are well documented and identified. Volume pages were removed from binders and foldered during archival processing.

Calvin and Dottie Carstens Scrapbooks and Photograph Albums

There are four volumes of scrapbooks and three volumes of photograph albums. The scrapbooks span 1920 to 1960. Each volume contains family photographs primarily of Cal and Dottie and their children Mike, Ken (Casey), and Diane, with newspaper clippings, postcards. The photograph albums span 1985-1986 and 1996-1999. These volumes contain family photographs in Michigan and Cal and Dottie’s travels in the U.S., to Washington University (where Ken earned his master’s and Ph.D.), the Grand Canyon, and the Pacific Northwest. Photographs in scrapbooks and albums are well identified and annotated by Ken Carstens and family. Volume pages were removed from binders and foldered during archival processing.

Calvin Z. “Cal” Carstens papers:

Many materials in this series relate to the history of Cal’s life and the family histories he created in the late 1990s, with related materials. This series includes four diaries, 1939-2016, with the exception of most of 1944. The diary entries are mostly daily, but become more scattered in later years, and describe Cal’s daily life. These diaries were later turned into a multi-volume family history about Cal and Dottie’s lives with many photographs from throughout their lives. Other compiled histories include one volume about Cal’s parents, a three-page history of Pinconning railroads, and a history of Jonathan “Zeno” Theodore Carstens’ life given to Cal by his children. Digital copies of some of these compiled histories are in Box 7. There are copies of news clippings about Cal’s fiftieth mission, the opening of Sportsmen’s Airfield, Cal rescuing ice fishermen from an ice float, photographs of Carstens veterans, a photograph of Cal Carstens, his siblings, and classmates at Rhodes School, and Al Hoffman, a Michigan pilot and good friend of Cal. The series also includes several other bibliographic materials for several people. These include a copy of Cal’s Baptismal record, two church records for Wilhelm Johann Carstens in German, Edwin “Jack” John Carstens’ obituary and a church bulletin from the funeral, and Michael “Mike” Robert Carstens’ obituary and a police report about his death. There is also correspondence to Cal and Dottie, including letters from the Carstens’ old family friends from Rhodes, giving recollections of the 1920s and 1930s to help Cal with his research and from a Norwegian friend who visited Pinconning in 1965, recalling her visit with the Carstens. This series also contains two CD audio recordings of conversations between Cal and his parents. There are also many family photographs, primarily 1980s-1990s. Additional photographs are on the VHS tape.

The 1989 VHS videotape of 1950-1989 Carstens family slides includes color slides of Dottie, Cal, Ken (Casey), and Mike from San Antonio, Texas, the base, planes, family activities, swimming, parades, hunting, fishing, canoeing, archery, caverns, parties, picnics, holidays, local events, and the birth of their sister, Diane, who is then documented in the rest of the slides. The rest of the slides are mostly in Pinconning with lots of snow scenes and winter activities, with extended family, family and local events, including church, Christmas, birthdays, First Communion, high school graduation, CMU Commencement and images inside CMU Museum, Ken’s archaeology presentation display, family trips to Mackinaw, Tahquamenon Falls, Niagara Falls, Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox, Hartwick Pines in Grayling, and Detroit Tigers games. The video ends with the boys’ dates, engagements, weddings, and grandbabies. Additionally, there is a 2-volume CD set recording of the VHS tape.

The June 2024 addition to the collection includes wedding CDs, Kenneth “Casey” Carstens’ sister, Diane, and his son, Jason. Diane’s CD is an audio recording and Jason’s CD is still photographs.

William John Carstens, Jr. papers:

Materials in this series are mostly related to William John Carstens, Jr. and some to Ken and David Carstens. There are several handmade and printed school graduation bulletins from William’s middle and high schools. His World War II service is documented by a photograph album and honorable discharge card, several individual photographs, and many items in the oversized scrapbook. His Flight Record and Log Book are a record of his flight dates and locations as a private pilot and contains a photograph of a biplane. Materials documenting his time playing baseball as a pitcher in the NEML, include several photographs, a newspaper clipping, and many items in the scrapbook. In 1964, William was temporarily stranded on an ice float in Saginaw Bay. There are a few newspaper clippings about the event and it is retold in his Magline employee of the month article. There is a photograph of William’s son, David Carstens, while in military service. There is a newspaper clipping about Ken Carstens, nephew of William, and his involvement in the creation of an archaeology program at CMU. A letter from Casey [Ken Carstens] to Uncle Bill [William] from July 19, 1992, contains two stone projectile points.

Ranney and Bloch families materials:

This series contains materials related to the Ranney and Bloch families. Many of the materials were found and compiled by Ken Carstens, who was researching genealogy of his mother’s maternal family line, that of Marie (Bloch) Ranney. Some of the materials in this series are print offs from genealogical research websites such as Ancestry.com and Find A Grave.

For Dottie’s 90th birthday, Ken and his siblings gifted her a Ranney Family History. It covers 11 generations back to Thomas Ranney (1578-1650). The History contains an opening letter from Ken, a history of English Puritans and their relocation to North America, a chronology and genealogy of the Ranney line, a history of several American Revolutionary War battles (Bunker Hill, White Plains, and Saratoga) that a Ranney ancestor fought in, a history of the ship Oliver Cromwell on which Amos Ranney served as the assistant carpenter, a history of the 23rd Michigan Infantry in which William E. Ranney (Dottie’s paternal great grandfather) served, newspaper clippings about Clyde E. Ranney (Dottie's father) being in trouble for illegal gambling in 1940, and annotated family photographs, which may be copies from Cal’s compiled family history books.

Dottie Carstens material in the series are her high school yearbook, a copy of her diploma, a booklet from her fiftieth-year high school reunion, and materials related to her Daughters of the American Revolution application and membership. Ken spent several years applying for membership for Dottie using Amos Ranney (Sr.) as her ancestral link to the war. A letter from Ken to Dottie showed excitement at the prospect of the application being accepted soon and noted that they were the first from Amos’ lineage to apply (in other words, Amos Ranney was new to the D.A.R.’s records). Ultimately, Dottie gained membership through her ancestor Moses Hawley. There are also family photographs of Dottie, Marie, Emil Bloch, and their families.

Marie (Bloch) Ranney materials include a letter from Arnie and Marion to Dottie and Cal about how Marie’s U.S. citizenship was obtained and the family’s connection to Germany and Kurland, a brief history of Marie written by Dottie, a CD and Cassette recordings of Marie playing the piano, her death certificate, obituary, and a funeral card. The CD recording can be accessed with Windows Media Player Legacy.

Bloch family genealogical materials are a copy of a ship manifest from the vessel Emil Bloch, Marie’s father, traveled to the United States on and a couple CDs containing Bloch family photographs and the emails they were sent with from Micheal Field to Cal and Ken Carstens. The files on these CDs are Outlook files and can be accessed with Outlook.

Ranney family genealogical materials include family print outs from the Find A Grave website about Thomas Ranney I, Thomas Ranney II, John Ranney I, and Amos Ranney (Jr.); a copy of the obituary for George E. Ranney who was a prominent doctor in Lansing, MI, three records from Ancestry.com about Nathaniel Ranney, records from Ancestry.com on Amos Ranney (Sr.) including basic genealogical information from family histories, birth records, and federal census data, several Revolutionary War service records of his involvement with Connecticut’s first battalion state regiment and the fifth company in the ninth Connecticut battalion, a death record for his wife listed as “Mrs. Ranney,” copies from Ancestry.com of correspondence between Charles Adams and The Bureau of Pensions concerning Amos’ war pension, and genealogical information about Andrew Ranney, the son of famous painter Willaim Ranney, from Ancestry.com and the 1880 federal census. The series also contains parts A and B of ‘Middletown Upper Houses’ by Charles Collard Adams which contains genealogical information about the Ranneys which was used by Ken during his research.

Five books about the artworks of famous painter William Ranney (1813-1857) and a CD of Lisa (Carstens) Slater playing Christmas Carols on a piano in 1983 and 1985 complete this series. The CD can be accessed using Windows Media Player Legacy.

William and Anna Carstens and their family papers:

This series contains materials related to William and Anna Carstens and their family. Biographical information about them comes from their funeral cards, William’s obituary, Anna’s written recollections of her youth from birth to young adulthood, and a 1914 postcard she wrote to her mother in German. There are newspaper clippings about William and Anna’s 50th wedding anniversary and William’s bowling association. There are several photographs of the pair, William’s General Store, his World War I medals, his baseball team, and Anna’s childhood home. There is a genealogy of their family, compiled by their grandson Ken Carstens, with materials he gathered in creating it. Among these materials are: a plat map of William’s father’s 80-acre farm, genealogical information about William and Anna’s son, Jonathan “Zeno” Carstens, family history forms that relatives mailed to Ken, a letter to Ken from a German researcher about the Carstens family’s history in Germany, a family tree and several photographs of the Bloch family that were emailed to Ken’s mother from her cousin, a Wicke family tree, Fred Rohr’s obituary, family wedding invitations and baby announcements, newspaper articles about William’s brother Otto and William’s grandson Mike, and family photographs with people in them identified. There is also correspondence to Ken from relatives about family history and creating a bench memorial for William and Anna Carstens in Pinconning.

Anna Wicke Carstens papers:

This series documents Anna Wicke Carstens and her husband, William (Bill) Carstens Sr. Photographs of Anna, William, Marie Ranney, Grandfather William with Grandmother Ida, daughter Ida, and the old Rhodes schoolhouse are included. Personal correspondence to Anna are written in German. Additional correspondence concerns a park bench memorial for both Anna and William Carstens in their native town of Pinconning, planned by their grandson, Ken Carstens. Anna’s obituary and memorial guestbook, William Carstens’ obituary, and selected pages from Bentley Township Centennial 1892-1992 about the Carstens family home, Carstens store, Rhodes schoolhouse, and registered Carstens voters in the 1892-1919 period complete the series. A CD of the full Bentley Township Centennial 1892-1992 is in Box 7.

Ernestine Wick papers:

This series contains the drawings and poetry collections of Ernestine Wicke, her Im Kreise der Kinder book, and writings. Also included are Wicke family, Merle family, and Keller family photographs and a marriage license for Gustav Keller and Anna Martha Wicke Keller.

Rev. Heinrich Wicke papers:

This series documents the Reverend and his family via Bibles, journals, letters, poems, and assorted writings. Materials that are in German are so noted on the folders. The series is organized alphabetically and chronologically. The books, Die Bibel and Die heilige Schrift, both contain family history. His Writings and Muses was translated from the original German into an English booklet by his great-grandson Ken Carstens, as a gift to Ken’s father, Cal Carstens. A CD of Wicke/Merle family history provides more insight into the family. Some of the Bible Passages booklet pages are covered in tape and very acidic.

Marie Wicke papers:

Materials in this series mainly relate to Marie Wicke, with some folders documenting her daughters, Elizabeth and Ernestine, as well as more general family information. This series includes Marie’s Obituary and Memorial Guestbook, a Carstens’ family Forget-Me-Not book (in German, and a German Hymn book given to the family by a friend. The majority of her papers are in the form of letters written in German by her brother, Fritz Merle. Also included in this series are other Wicke family letters, photographs, books, obituaries, memory cards, and memory books.

Elizabeth Vandevoord papers:

This series contains Elizabeth (Wicke) Vandevoord’s correspondence with her mother, other scattered correspondence, a photograph, handwritten prayers, obituaries, memory cards, and a family photograph.

Processing Notes:

During processing approximately 3 cubic feet of peripheral and miscellaneous material, duplicate photographs, and objects were withdrawn from the collection and transferred to the CMU Museum. Nine titles were separately cataloged. Books which related to non-Michigan family history were retained within the boxes of the collection.

The family papers, 18801-1969 (Scattered) and undated, documents the lives of Anna, Julia and Mary M., all of whom were Michigan teachers, with a focus on Mary's nursing experience, during which she served as a Red Cross and U.S. Nursing Corps member with the American Expeditionary Forces in France.

The family papers, 18801-1969 (Scattered) and undated, documents the lives of Anna, Julia and Mary M., all of whom were Michigan teachers, with a focus on Mary's nursing experience, during which she served as a Red Cross and U.S. Nursing Corps member with the American Expeditionary Forces in France. The collection is organized by format: Papers including obituary of Mary’s mother, also named Mary who died in 1944, various correspondence, pins, poem, and Mary’s AEF card from Siberia, vaccination record and wallet in the front of Box 1. Amongst the pins is a 1908 President Taft brass campagna swastika, to attach to a watch fob. Photographs of men, women, school children at schools where Mary or her sisters taught, nurses, nursing, nursing school, an operation, family, friends, colleagues, families, animals, some buildings, and vacations fill the rest of Box 1 through Box 3. In the 1940s-1960s Mary vacationed in Florida where she and friends and family visited various tourist cities including Tarpon Springs and Orlando. There are photographs of diverse animals and birds including elephants of an unidentified circus. Mike the cat predominates in the animal photographs. There are photographs of a man and woman in wheelchairs. There is an oversized folder of teaching and nursing certificates and high school diplomas and two oversized volumes of Mary’s nursing experience in France in World War I, one of which is very artistically organized with AEF on the front cover made from photographs of AEF nurses and soldiers. Most of the materials are undated.

The papers consist mostly of Louise Parkhill MacGillivray's family correspondence, and family diaries, a journal of vacations at Lake Superior, legal papers, examples of necrophotography, and other materials. Also included is a scrapbook about the affair of King Edward VIII and Wallis Simpson, 1936. Oversized folders include Mount Pleasant High School diploma of Louise E. Parkhill, 1918, and sixteen pages from Louise E. Parkhill MacGillivray’s photograph album, 1913, 1918-1920, undated [1913-1919, 1923] with one page containing the 1960 obituary of Eleanor Parkhill, Louise’s mother.

The collection consists mostly of family correspondence to and from Louise, concerning family news and social or business matters, 1879-1979 and undated; diaries of Louise and other relatives, 1875-1960 (scattered); a journal of vacations at Lake Superior, 1971-1974; legal papers; genealogical materials; photographs, some of which document dead relatives in their coffins (necrophotography); and miscellaneous. The Letterbook of Burt L. Parkhill, 1894, was later made into a scrapbook of information about the affair between King Edward VIII and Wallis Simpson in 1936. Oversized folders include Oversized Folder 1 Mount Pleasant High School diploma of Louise E. Parkhill, 1918, measures 16 x 21 inches on paper, signed by George E. Ganiard, Hannah S. Vowles and C.S. Larzelere, among others. The lower left edge is damaged. Oversized folder #2 includes sixteen pages from Louise E. Parkhill MacGillivray’s photograph album, 1913, 1918-1920, undated [1913-1919, 1923] with one page containing the 1960 obituary of Eleanor Parkhill, Louise’s mother.

The scrapbook pages are in chronological order. Each page measures approximately 12x16 inches. All pages have edge damage and some acidification. Each page has numerous black and white photographs glued on and handwritten notes. Some people, locations, and dates are identified. Undated photographs were dated from CMU publications. The 1913 photographs include identified members of the all-girl MGG Club, including Louise. Two pages of Spring-Summer 1918 photographs she titled “Up the Chippewa” are of friends, and family, including her identified sister, Vera, canoeing and enjoying the Chippewa River and each other’s company. There is one page of photographs of family and friends dated March 29, 1919. There is one page of photographs of family and friends dated April 3, 1919 titled “Down on the Farm,” meaning at home. No farm specific photographs are included. There is one page titled The [Ice] Storm of April 23, [1919] which refers to a well-documented local area ice storm. There is only one photograph of the ice, while the rest on the page are of family and friends. One photograph is titled “Mama and Bunty (the rooster), showing a woman holding a rooster. There is one page of the CNS Operetta “Little Snow White”, in which Louisa starred as Little Snow White, feature portraits of the cast in full costume, with several individual identified individual portraits, all identified. Louise was described as having “endeared herself to all with her pleasing voice and manner” (Central Normal Bulletin, May 1919). There are two pages of August 27, 1919 photographs showing Louise and friends, or family, visiting and swimming at Epworth Heights, a private Methodist summer community located near Ludington. There is one page of the Normalonians, a CSN performance group, presenting “A Night in Romany” with Louise and company in costume. This performance was announced in Central Normal Life, January 29, 1920 with Louise noted as a returning member, and it was performed on March 5, 1920 (Central Normal Life, March 9, 1920). There is one page of “a Rose” pageant with several of Louise and company in costume. “The Rose Maiden,” in which Louise had a solo role, was announced in Central Normal Life, December 8, 1920.) Based on the summery outside photographs, it was likely performed in late May 1920. There is one page that is a mix of undated photographs. There are several of Louise in mortarboard and gown. She is listed in the CNS commencement program of June 1920, thus dating those photographs. The remaining photographs are of young men and women, some in costumes, who are identified. Their names match those who performed the Music Dept.’s “Chimes of Nomrandy” opera in June 1919, thus dating those photographs (CN Bulletin, June 1919). Three pages of undated [1923] photographs show Louisa in a commencement mortarboard, gown, and academic robe in Ann Arbor. There are photographs of the Washtenaw County Court House and the University of Michigan’s Hill Auditorium and Angel Hall. There is one photograph of Woodward Avenue, Detroit, Michigan. The obituary is for Louise’s mother, Mrs. Eleanor Parkhill who died at age 97 in Mount Pleasant in July 1960. The widow of the late Burt L. Parkhill, Eleanor was survived by her children: George B., Louise P.[arkhill] MacGillivray, and Miriam P. Affeldt.

The collection includes various Michigan history small collections, most of which are one folder or one volume in size, largely consisting of property records, but may include biographical information, correspondence, stock certificates, and other material. About half of the collection is records of [Jordan School] School District No. 6 (Isabella County, Mich.).

Box one is a cubic foot box. Folder 1: Bennett House / George H. Day, Papers, 1898, 1920 and undated include: Two pages of petitioners recommending Day for the position of Deputy U.S Marshall at Mount Pleasant, acidic, undated; and a letter from Committee on the District of Columbia, U.S. Senate, Sept. 13, 1897 from James McMillan, Chairman, to George H. Day re: Day’s appointment as Deputy Marshal at Mount Pleasant; and the deposition of Fred C. Whitney that on Dec. 21, 1900 in the Bennett House-Annex in Mount Pleasant, George Hunt said to George H. Day that he would kill Day and moved to do so, signed by Whitney and sworn before Notary Public Eugene S. Brown, March 28, 1901. Printed stock certificate No. 103 for Mount Pleasant Sugar Company, that George H. Day owns 10 shares worth $10 each, decorated with eagle, Lady Liberty, and gold company seal (1901), Feb. 6th, 1903, signed by secretary and president of company. Bennett House (Hotel) materials include: 1) Land contract Dec. 1, 1919 George H. Day and wife Henrietta sell Lot 10 in Block 13 in Mount Pleasant, and its buildings and land described as the “Bennett House and Annex” described in the inventory, Exhibit A, for $12,957.50 to Ralph G. Fisher and wife, Anna E., to be paid in installments through 1927, except an outstanding mortgage of $8542.50, signed by all named and two witnesses. Not recorded. Acidic with two staples. 2) Deed to all personal property not of the George H. Day and his wife, Henrietta, in the Hotel Bennett, Mount Pleasant, Mich., as inventoried (15 p. inventory attached), sold by Ralph G. Fisher and wife, Anna F., to David T. Foley and wife, Mary, for $1, Oct. 2, 1920, signed by Fisher and two witnesses. 3)For $1 Ralph G. and Anne E. Fisher sell their right, title, interest and equity in the attached land contract and personal property, Exhibit A, Oct. 1, 1920, signed by Fishers and two witnesses, witnessed by Notary Public Arthur M. Gilman, with financial notes. 4) Exhibit A. (copies) 3 pages (2 are front and back) listing goods in Bennett Hotel. 5)Note, March 18, 1919, received from George H. Day $500 in part payment for purchis [sic] of Bennett House and Annex Property on East Broadway Block 10 Lot 13, Mount Pleasant, and I agree to pay all other bills except a certain mortgage held by Isabella State Bank as of April 1, 1918. Not signed. 6) Agreement between George H. Day and wife, Henrietta, and Ralph G. Fisher and wife, Anna E., about payments to be made 1920-1927 and about keeping buildings and mortgage, April 29, 1920, signed by all named and two witnesses. Acidic. 7) Agreement between George H. Day and wife Henrietta and David T. Foley and wife, Mary, about payment and interest and about mortgage, Oct. 2, 1920, signed by all named and two witnesses. 8) Promissory note, George H. Day promises to pay Henrietta Day $399 with interest at 6%, note secured by chattel mortgage, Jan. 15, 1898. 9) Note of conveyance of property Lot No. 20 of Block No. 5 and Lot No. 22 of Block 11 of Mount Pleasant, valued at $225 and a note for $399, secured by chattle mortgage, consideration of four notes of $100 each made to Henrietta Day eight years ago which was stolen, Jan. 15, 1898, signed by Henrietta and witness. Green and white printed stock certificates (8) for Transport Truck Company, Mount Pleasant, Mich., received of George H. Day, Bennett House, five certificates each for $62.50 for 25 shares, and 1 for $125 for 25 shares, purchased Jan. 30, May 29, July 9 (2), Sept. 10, Nov, 17 and Dec. 17 and 18, 1917, signed by the secretary (name varies). Also a typed letter from the company on letterhead to George H. Day withdrawing stock certificate No. 536, July 14, 1919.

Folder 2: Cooper, William J., Papers, 1913, 1977, and undated, includes: Biographical materials including his obituary (copy), 1957; Certified copies of: his birth certificate (b. 1871), copy 1941; his death (1957) certificate, 1958; his wife’s death certificate, Nella Moss Cooper, 1945. Printed stock certificate for Houghton Heights Corporation, Mount Pleasant, Mich., for Houghton Heights Lake Resort (his idea), No. 4 for 25 shares for $25 for Wallin Russell, 1915. Legal and property records include: 1) Abstract of title and letter from Roscommon County Abstract Company, 1913 (cover is acidic), and related Warranty Deed for multiple properties in Roscommon that Wm. Houghton sold to Chas. J. Myers, N.J. Brown, Fred Russell, and Wm. J. Cooper, for $5,000, Sept. 1913, signed by Houghton and witness before Notary Public Arthur W. Ladd, recorded by Roscommon Register of Deeds Wm. J. Houghton in liber 45 Deeds, p. 233, Oct. 1913. 2) Quit-claim deed James S. Bellis and wife sell Lot 6 in Block 3 of Partridge’s addition to Mount Pleasant and additional land for $100 to William H. Cooper and wife, registered on Nov. 1933 by Isabella County Register of Deeds Clyde V. Showalter in v. 160 Deeds, p. 522 on Nov. 1933, with three appearance papers for Marie G. Bellis of Illinois before Notary Public Martha Petner, March 26, 1936; for James S. Bellis and wife, Mary, before Washington (State) Notary Public Florence Ethington, March 17, 1937; and Arthur E. Bellis and wife, Iva, before Colorado Notary Public Fred B. Robinson, Oct. 18, 1933. 3) Release of Part of Mortgaged Premises Isabella Co. State Bank land in Broomfield Twp., Isabella County, for $1 to Jesse Courser, signed by bank reps and witnesses, before Notary Public J. Elmer Graham, Dec. 1948, registered by Isabella County Register of Deeds Ray H. Zingrey in liber 114 of Mortgages p. 628, Aug. 1945. 4) Warranty deed, William J. Cooper sells lands in Roscommon County for $1 to Arthur H. Cooper Jan. 1947, signed by William and witnesses before Notary Public Walter E. Myers, Nov. 1949, registered in liber 146 Deeds p. 146 by Roscommon Register of Deeds, Zachary Smith Jr., Feb. 1957. 5) Land Contract (Gleason form), Clifford E. Russell sells to Hazen A. Bunting and wife, Mildred, for $325 land in Mount Pleasant, March 1948, signed by all named and witnesses, not recorded. 6) Land Contract (Gleason form), Arthur H. Cooper (son of William J. Cooper) and wife, Mary, and Elleda Hubel sell property in Mount Pleasant to Elza E. Ducan and wife Martha for $6,500, signed by all named and witnesses, not recorded, noted as paid in full with interest, May 1954. 7) Warranty Deed, William J. Cooper sells land in Lincoln Twp., Isabella County to Arthur H. Cooper for $1, signed by William and witnesses Dec. 1950, acknowledged before Notary Public William W. Russell, Feb. 1952, with note from County Treasurer Elmer Kirkconnell of no tax liens or titles and taxes paid for 5 years as of Jan. 1957, recorded in liber 272 Deeds p. 399 by Isabella County Register of Deeds Roy H. Zingery. 8) Warranty Deed, William J. Cooper sells land in Mount Pleasant to Arthur H. Cooper for $1, signed by William and witnesses Dec. 1951, acknowledged before Notary Public Mary S. Johnson, March 1954, with note from County Treasurer Elmer Kirkconnell of no tax liens or titles and taxes paid for 5 years as of Jan. 1957, recorded in liber 272 Deeds p. 400 by Isabella County Register of Deeds Roy H. Zingery. 9) Quit-claim deed, Arthur H. Cooper (first party) sells land in Roscommon County to Arthur H. Cooper and wife, Mary (second party), for $1, signed by Arthur and witnesses, March 1957, acknowledged before Isabella County Notary Public Ann L. Kirkconnell, March 1957, not recorded. 10) Quit-claim deed, Arthur H. Cooper (first party) sells land in Broomfield Twp. Isabella County to Arthur H. Cooper and wife, Mary (second party), for $1, signed by Arthur and witnesses, March 1957, acknowledged before Isabella County Notary Public George J. Marks, April 1957, recorded in vol. 273 Deeds p. 418 by Isabella Register of Deeds Roy H. Zingery, April 1957. 11) Agreement between Peter J. Gruss and wife, Martha, sell property in Lot 15 Block 1 Mount Pleasant to Arthur H. Cooper and wife, Mary, for $6,500, signed by all named and witnesses, June 5, 1961. 12) Letter from Harold D. Tift, president of DeTray Realty Company, Houghton Lake to Mr. Mrs. Arthur Cooper, May 5, 1977, with an offer from Russell A. Post III to purchase their furnished cottage for $7,500, with pink buy/sell agreement form, signed by Post, Coopers and broker, May 3, 1977, note on back about personal property Coopers will remove. 13) Papers turned to Trustee (copy) lists mortgage and contracts, names and amounts and total, undated.

Folder 3: Davis, L. Leonard “Lindy”, Central State Teachers College Scrapbook, at least 1925, 1931?-1932?,possibly later?. Scrapbook cover with red, brown, blue, and yellow woven pattern, circle on front with “Central State Teachers College Mount Pleasant, Mich. 1931?-32? (dates partially missing) and “Lindy”, tied with black ribbon, acidic pages. Scrapbook includes black and white photographs, postcards of Central students, buildings, including the Dec. 17, 1925 Central Michigan Normal School Fire, the grounds including basketball court and alumni field, the McCarthy log cabin, band sitting and marching, various events, students, a priest, athletes especially football team, includes team photograph of 1932, baseball and basketball players, and women playing lacrosse, man with tripod camera, men with a line of fish, a chemistry set and geyser (presumably related to oil fields), portraits, band director, three group portrait. Nobody is identified, some images are faded, mostly undated. Some of the photographs of the 1932 homecoming festivities are also in the 1932 Chippewa yearbook. Some images are cropped and there are three pages of heads (photographs cropped so all that exists is the head). Included is a biographical note about L. Leonard “Lindy” Davis.

Folder 4: Dexter Family Papers, 1878, 1930, and undated, include: Papers of Ransom Dexter include: 1) Letter from S. R. Thompson of Tilden, Ill., 1894. 2) Receipts of taxes paid Marion Township, Saginaw County, Mich., 1911, 1913, 1915-1916. 3) Legal papers include Ransom’s Naturalization certificate from Washington Co., Ill., 1878 (he was originally from England), Chattel Mortgage to him, 1888. 4) Farmer’s Mutual; Fire Insurance Co. policy, 1897. 5) Mortgage, assignment and discharge thereof, Dexter to Amanda L. Curtis, 1901-1917, Last Will and Testament of Ransom Dexter, naming his wife, Mary Ursula, sons, Ernest and Walter, and daughter Ivah May, to inherit his 80 acre farm in Marion Twp. (Ransom died June 19, 1916), the will was probated Nov. 11, 1925, and related probate court records naming Ernest executor, Aug. 9, 1924, a letter from Ernest to the court, Nov. 6, 1925, with financials, and two related receipts, 1925. Papers of Ernest R. (Ransom) Dexter of Mount Pleasant, Mich., include: 1) A small note with some Dexter family members of Clare, Mich., written on it, undated. 2) Obituary of Mary Ursula Crane Dexter, written by her son Ernest, 1924. 3) Letters, one from Ernest to his brother, Walter and wife, mostly about agreeing to sell the farm, March 19, 1928 (a handwritten copy), a letter from his sister, Ivah, to Ernest mostly about the farm, 1930. 4) Receipts of taxes paid in Marion Twp., Saginaw County, 1913, 1915-1916, 1924. 5) Political career materials: include his card and newspaper advertisement as he runs for county clerk, undated (1903-1907?). 6) A delinquent tax record, 1903 with a newspaper article on it recording that he voted as a member of the Board of Supervisors of Saginaw County, 1903 7) A Clerk’s bond/oath he signed as Township Supervisor, 1907. 8) Three certificates of nomination at primary election, Isabella County, Mich. that E.R. Dexter won the most votes for nomination to Representative in the State Legislature by the Republican Party, 1922, 1924, 1926, all three with gold seals of the Circuit Court of Isabella County. 9) Ancient Order of Gleaners insurance receipts, 1928-1931 and 1933 and a AOOG South Brant Local Arbor No. 846 insurance receipt booklet of Ernest of Brant, Mich., 1904-1915. 10) A memorandum book of miscellaneous accounts and notes, and what appears to be horse breeding notes, 1905-1907.

Folder 5: Francisco Family Papers, 1908, 1978, includes: 1) Holy Baptism certificate of Harrison Alexander Francisco, born Aug. 14, 1911, baptized May 26, 1913. 2) Legal records include: Death Certificate, certified copy, for Harry H. Francisco, died Aug. 14, 1944. 3) Warranty deed Charles Francisco and wife Mabel sell to Harry Francisco, property on Lot 2 of Block six, in Hall’s addition to Mount Pleasant, for $300, recorded by Register of Deeds, Isabella County, March 1908, Liber 97 Deeds, p. 251, signed by all named and witnesses before Isaac R. Jameson, Notary Public. 4) Bill of Sale of Smith’s Photograph Gallery on Broadway, Mount Pleasant, sold by Hannah Francisco to Harry Francisco for $1, April 14, 1913, signed by Hannah and two witnesses, not recorded, her copy, 5) Warranty Deed, Susie M. Orr sells property in Lot 2, Block 11, in Bentley’s Addition to Mount Pleasant, to Harry H. Francisco for $1, recorded by Register of Deeds, Isabella County, Jan. 1929, liber 148 Deeds, p. 86. 6) Letter from City of Mount Pleasant Building Inspector Ken B. Croll about dividing property in Bentley Addition Block 11 Lots 1 and 2 to Harry Francisco, Aug. 31, 1978 with a property survey, done by Registered Land Surveyor William B. Ruddell on May 25, 1978.

Folder 6: Hunter, John, Family Papers, 1899, 1909, all related to property and mortgages following the death of John Hunter, include: 1) Mortgage loan of $250 of Samuel Jones of Hamburg, Livingston County, Mich., owed to John Hunter, March 2, 1899 with interest paid noted on back. 2) Mortgage John Hunter and wife to Samuel Jones for Lots 3-5 in Block 1 of Leaton’s addition to Mount Pleasant for $250, signed by Hunters and witnesses before notary public, recorded March 3, 1909 in liber 61 Mortgages p. 492 by Isabella County Register Matthew Morrison. 3) Assignment of Mortgage of Samuel Jones, deceased, to pay debt by Executor to Rebecca Jones, for mortgage executed by John Hunter and wife, recorded in Isabella liber 61 of Mortgages, p. 492, Dec. 26, 1899, signed William J. Jones, Executor, and witnesses, recorded by Isabella County Register Matthew Morrison, Jan. 1900, liber 62 Mortgages, p. 142, and two related notes assigning part of the mortgage to William Shippler and part to William J. Jones both of Hamburg, Mich. Both were assigned and recorded on Dec. 18, 1902 in liber 68 Mortgages p. 213 by the Isabella County Register of Deeds. 4) Affidavit of Bruce Hunter, verifying who the adult children of John Hunter, deceased, and his wife Margaret A. Hunter, were including: Bruce Hunter of Mount Pleasant, Anna Burnett, formerly Anna Hunter, of Buchannan, Mich., Milford Hunter and John S. Hunter of Manitoba, Emerson B. Hunter of Creelman NW Territory, and Theodore Hunter of Toronto, Canada, recorded in liber 92 of Deeds p. 370 by Isabella County Register of Deeds A.L. Young, Bruce, James and Theodore before Notary Public Isaac R. Jamerson, July 1907. 5) Appearance verifications for 1) Anna Burnett, formerly Anna Hunter, County of Berrien, Dec. 3, 1907 before John C. Dick, Notary Public, and for 2) John S. Hunter and wife, Ethel M. Hunter, Manitoba Province, Canada, Sept. 19, 1907 before a Notary Public. 6) Quit-claim deed, Emerson B. Hunter and wife, sell for $1 to Margaret A. Hunter Lots no. 3-5, 7-8 in Block 1 Mount Pleasant, signed by them and witness, recorded Dec. 1907 in liber 90 Deeds p. 610 by Isabella County Register of Deeds. 7) Quit-claim deed, Theodore Hunter, sells for $1 to Margaret A. Hunter Lots No. 3-5, 7-8 in Block 1 Mount Pleasant, signed by Theodore and witness, recorded Dec. 1907 in liber 90 Deeds p. 611 by Isabella County Register of Deeds. 8) Quit-claim deed, Bruce Hunter and wife and Anna Burnett, sell for $1 to Margaret A. Hunter Lots No. 3-5, 7-8 in Block 1 Mount Pleasant, signed by Bruce, Mary and Anna, and witnesses, recorded Dec. 1907 in liber 90 Deeds p. 612 by Isabella County Register of Deeds. 9) Quit-claim deed, Milford Hunter and wife and John S. Hunter and wife, sell for $1 to Margaret A. Hunter Lots No. 3-5, 7-8 in Block 1 Mount Pleasant, signed by all named and witness, recorded Dec. 1907 in liber 90 Deeds p. 613 by the Isabella County Register of Deeds. 10) Discharge of Mortgage executed by John and Margaret A. Hunter to Samuel Jones, as recorded in Sept. 1909 before Notary Public William A. Sheffer. 11) Warranty deed, Margaret A. Hunter sells to Colin A. McCall and wife, for $2,000 Lots 3-5, 7-8…signed by Margaret and witnesses before Notary Public Alfred L. Young, recorded in liber 101 Deeds p. 310 by Isabella County Register of Deeds Martin Meneey, Oct. 1909.

Folder 7: Order of Knights of the Maccabees, Caldwell Tent No. 648 warranty deeds (2), 1903, 1932, for the same piece of property. 1) Deed 1, land originally purchased for $100 in 1903 in Deerfield Township, Isabella County, from Henry D. James and wife, Alma, by Thomas Hogg, Sir Knight Commander and Samuel Ash, Sir Knight Record Keeper, for the KOTM. On back, signed by all named, April 25, 1903, witnessed by Henry G. Bacon, Justice of the Peace, and recorded July 3, 1903 in Isabella County Deeds liber 86 Deeds, p. 251 by the Register of Deeds Hovey. 2) Deed 2 notes Samuel Ash, now Sir Knight Commander and Frank E. Phillips Sir Knight Record Keeper successors of prior two officers purchased the same land from them for $1. On back, signed by all named, witnessed by two women, one is the Notary Public of Isabella County, Mildred Koyl, and recorded June 11, 1932 in Isabella County Deeds liber 156 Deeds, p. 590 by the Register of Deeds, Clyde Showalter.

Folder 8: Saylor, Harrison H., Materials, [1914], 1998, and undated, includes: 1) Biographical note on Harrison H. Saylor (1896-1981) WWI veteran, optometrist, musician, and Shriner originally from Mount Pleasant, provided by Barbara S. Schwemmin, a cousin by marriage in 1998. 2) Photographs, 4 of Harrison, one with his bugle in his American Legion uniform, one with his buddies immediately after being inoculated prior to being sent to France in WWI, one each of his parents, one of his two sisters with two friends, undated, [ca. 1880-1918], 1917 Republic Band of Alma, Mich. includes Saylor with cornet, members identified, by Harrison’s cousin, 1980, and two formal portraits of Harrison, one dated 1930, the other, matted, taken by K. K. Spellman in 1936. 3) Harrison’s WWI dog tags (2) tied to a strip of material (linen?), undated [1914-1918]

[Jordan School] School District No. 6 Isabella County (Mich.), Records, 1880-1920, folders, includes: Teachers Daily Attendance records (various titles). These volumes list teacher’s name, dates, pupils’ names, ages, and grades, and may include other information such as names of visitors or reports. 1) Teachers Daily Register (1 volume in 1 folder), 1902-1904; 2) Teacher’s Class Attendance and Summary Record (1 volume in 1 folder), 1927. School Board or Director’s Books of Records and Accounts under various titles, includes annual meeting minutes, acceptance of office, assessor’s bonds, orders and warrants upon township treasurer to pay school bills, certificates of district board, notices of annual meeting, and receipts: 1) The Economic Series School Blanks, published by G. H. Slocum, Caro, Mich. (1 volume in 1 folder), 1894-1901; 2) Economic Series School Officers’ Blanks, published in Caro, Mich. (1 volume in 1 folder), 1906-1917; 3) Director’s Book of Records and Accounts, published by Henry R. Pattengill, Lansing, Mich., also includes treasurer’s bonds and accounts and annual school census with names, birthdays, parents and addresses of pupils (1 volume in 1 folder), 1908-1920; 4) Director’s Account Book, printed by Emerich of Pittsford, Mich., includes information listed above except census (1 volume in 1 folder), 1920-1930; 5) Director’s Book, School District Accounting and Records, published by Mich. Education Company, Lansing, includes information listed above except census (1 volume in 1 folder), 1926-1934. School District Treasurer’s and Assessor’s Accounts [various titles] volumes includes: 1) Assessor’s Cash Account Book, receipts and expenditures [some pages loose from spine] (1 volume in 1 folder), 1875-1925; 2) Treasurer’s Account Book, published by Hillsdale School Supply and Publishing Co., Hillsdale, Mich., receipts, expenditures, reports (1 volume in 1 folder), 1921-1926; 3) Treasurer’s Account Book, published by Hillsdale School Supply and Publishing Co., Hillsdale, Mich., receipts and expenditures, [back cover separate from volume], (1 volume in 1 folder), 1926-1931. Loose papers, 1879, 1946, and undated, include: 1) Note about the provenance of the records through three generations of the Robert family, Edward Robert and his son, Lawrence Robert, both having served on the school’s board. Larry Robert notes the school merged with Rosebush school in 1947 and the records were stored in a house that was Edward’s, then belonged to Lawrence, and, later, his son, Larry. 1) Annual Financial Report, 1926; 3) Annual Statistical Reports, 1927, 1929-1932; 4) Annual Statistical and Financial Reports to the Superintendent of Public Instruction, 1937-1940; 5) Annual Summaries of Registration and Attendance, 1945-1946; 6) Articles of Agreement between D. M. Browning, Commissioner of Indian Affairs and Directors of Public School District No. 6, Isabella County, Mich. for ten Indian pupils (they are not named), 1895-1896, contract approved Oct. 25, 1895, signed by directors, stamped by Commissioners of Indian Affairs as “received Sept. 7, 1895”, and related Dept. of the Interior Office of Indian Affairs letter to School District No. 6 Directors, that a bill for $28.41 will be paid, signed by Assist. Commissioner, April 23, 1896; 7) Bond for John Gefford (sp?), as School District Treasurer for School District No. 6, $1,000, Gefford signed, before Notary Public John A. Kennedy, July 1913; 8) Teacher’s Contract, Miss M. B. Richmond to teach and do janitors work for four months beginning Nov. 1909, for $30/month, signed by teacher and directors of Isabella School District No. 6, Oct. 22, 1902 (copy); 9) Warranty Deed, Lana Butch sells property to the School District No. 6 Isabella Township, Isabella County, Mich. for $70, Lana made her mark X, signed by witnesses, acknowledged before Notary Public John R. Robinson, recorded in liber 30 Deeds p. 80, Oct. 1879 by Isabella County Register J. M. Houer (sp?)

Oversized Materials: McCarthy, Dennis, Farm and Family History Scrapbook, 1911, 1986 and undated (1 Oversized Volume in 1 folder). Gold Hallmark cover with words “Photos: and “Photographs” in various, decorative fonts. Masking tape on cover states “Kevin Farm and Family History Keep This.” “Farm” is written on the cover in green marker. Black and white photographs, acidic newspaper articles, and notes about Dennis McCarthy’s log cabin, the family’s first home, which was bought by CMU Alumni Association and moved to campus in 1928, later taken apart by CMU. Also includes postcards and photographs (black and white and color) of various McCarthy family members and farm life and animals, a Ferris Institute pennant, and a Centennial farm certificate.

Oversized Materials: Native American Land Patents, 1872, 1891 (1 Oversized folder). Both patents re: treaties of 1855 and 1864, land given to members of Saginaw, Swan Creek and Black River tribes, Michigan: 1) Land patent for land selected for Shaw-wa-nis, Aug. 20, 1872, with orange seal, signed by president, assistant secretary, and recorder of General Land Office, recorded in Chippewas of Saginaw, Swan Creek and Black River v. 3, p. 2621. Noted on back, received by Isabella County Register of Deeds, recorded in lib. 10 Deeds, p. 429, C. Bennett. Acidic. 2) Canceled patent with letter, land selected for Waw-no-quay-wa-shaw-we-no, Aug. 20, 1872, no seal, signed by president, assistant secretary, and recorder of General Land Office, recorded in Chippewas of Saginaw, Swan Creek and Black River v. 3, p. 313. Parts of patent are crossed out in red ink and noted as canceled Sept. 26, 1874. Letter attached with green ribbon in two parts, on either side of the canceled patent, notes the patent is a true copy from the General Land Office, Oct. 30, 1891, signed by the Commissioner of the General Land Office. The second page of the letter blank.

[Jordan School] School District No. 6 Isabella County (Mich.), Records, 1880-1920, Oversized loose papers and Oversized volumes, include: 1) Annual Statistical Reports with School Census on the back (loose papers in 1 folder), 1913, 1918-1923, and 1925; 2) Teacher’s Term Report to Director (loose papers in 1 folder), 1925-1926. Teachers Daily Attendance Records Volumes (various titles). These volumes list teacher’s name, dates, pupils’ names, ages, and grades, and may include other information such as names of visitors or reports. 1) [Teacher’s] School Register (Oversized Volume), 1918-1920; 2) Teachers Attendance and Scholarship Records and Reports designed for rural and small graded schools (8 Oversized Volumes), 1929-1930; 1930-1931; 1931-1932; 1932-1933; 1933-1934; 1934-1935; 1935-1936; 1936-1937; 5) Teachers Attendance and Scholarship Records and Reports designed for rural and small graded schools (different size and format) (4 Oversized Volumes): 1940-1941, 1941-1942, 1942-1943 (no 1943-44 or 1944-45) and 1945-1946. School Board or Director’s Books of Records and Accounts under various titles, include: 1) Director’s Book, School District Officers’ Record Account Books (Oversized Volume), 1933-1937 2) [Director’s Book (Oversized Volume, no covers, in folder), 1938-1941. School District Treasurer’s and Assessor’s Accounts [various titles] Volumes includes: 1) [School Treasurer’s Record of] Receipts and Disbursements (Oversized Volume, no covers, in folder), 1941-1943; 2) School Treasurer’s Record of Receipts and Disbursements (Oversized Volume, no covers, in folder), 1947-1954.

The 2018 Addition to the collection in Box 2 (.25 cubic foot letter-size box) includes: Education survey of Isabella County, Michigan School District No. 1 in 1929 by L. E. Johnston, 1929 (copy) [2018]; Lincoln Township, Isabella County School District No. 1 Teacher’s Daily Register from 1887 and 1897-1900 (copy), 2018; a class memento with a ribbon from Lincoln Township, Isabella County School District No. 2 in 1907-1908; copy of a Lincoln Township, Isabella County Irishtown school list from School District No. 2 in 1870-1940 (copy), 2018.

Photographs include: a photograph of children in Isabella County at Rolland Township School [1938-1939] with related ancestry documents, 2018; photographs of children and teachers in Isabella County at Blanchard School, Bowen School and Demlow School in 1911, 1925, 1930, 1936, undated; photographs of children and teachers in Isabella County at Hulse School, Jordan School and Lincoln Center School in 1939, 1941-1942, 1960, undated; photographs of children and teachers in Isabella County at Maple Hill School and N. Rosebush School in 1898, the 1920s, undated; an aerial photograph of Central Michigan University’s football field and the surrounding area, undated; photographs of men (two are of Hon. Patrick H. Kelly, 1922, undated), and a group photograph of identified township and county officials in the old Isabella County Courthouse,1941(copy), [2018].

Also included in Oversized Folder 5 is one oversized aerial photograph of the southeast side of Mount Pleasant, Michigan taken from River and Bradley roads, 36x52 inches, [1950s-1960s].

The 2024 Addition to the collection in Box 3 (.25 cubic ft.) includes: Mount Pleasant High School (Mount Pleasant, Mich.) Commencement program booklet, tied with red ribbon, 1905. Official Directory of Isabella County, as compiled by A.C. Rolader, County Clerk, 1907-1908. Abstract of Title for Langdon Bentley’s Addition to the Village of Mount Pleasant, tracing property from 1867to 1929, November 29, 1929. Abstract of Title for Lot 2 Block 19, Original plat to the Village of Mount Pleasant, by the Isabella County Abstract Company (Mount Pleasant, Mich.), March 4, 1948. This abstract traces the property from first owner, lumber baron David Wart in 1856, through 1934. Other major owners were the Morton Bros. and Cornelius Bennett. Attached to the typed 1948 abstract are two handwritten, acidic, taped, and ripping abstracts, one dated May 30, 1893, the other September 17, 1934. To prevent further damage, the damaged abstracts were photocopied and the copies retained in the collection for researchers to use.