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Family papers include miscellaneous materials of Abbie, Ben, Faith, and Russell Johnston.

The Family Papers include miscellaneous materials of various Johnston family members. Family members well represented in the collection include: Abbie Johnston, Ben Johnston, Faith Johnston, and Russell Johnston. Abbie Johnston was the daughter of H. D. (Hugh Day) Johnston, who was the eldest brother of John Yates Johnston. Russell Johnston was the grandson of H. D. through his son, Ben.

Of particular interest in the collection is Faith Johnston’s Reminiscences of Central, 1944, which describes Central Normal School’s professors, including Professor Larzelere, Miss Woldt, Dr. Rowe, Mr. Grawn, and Mr. Warriner, as well as the burning of the Administration building, known as Old Main, on December 7, 1925. Also of interest is her My Golden School Days, 1919-1922, which is a scrapbook (copy) of her days at Mount Pleasant High School.

Faith also wrote several books, copies of which may be found in the Clarke Historical Library, including Anchor Post, which details the lives of Faith and John Y. Johnston. (This information is from the collection.)

An Addition, added in 2013, includes a thank you note to Mae K. Woldt of the CMU Department of Biology from C.C. McDermid, with five black and white, some tinted, photographs of his garden, a letter to Faith from K.M. Fox, in Vienna, including Italian postcards, 1930; and six cards of lovely dried, pressed flower arrangements from Jerusalem, undated.

Engineer-manager of the Ionia County (Mich.) Road Commission. Speeches, articles, correspondence, press releases, newspaper clippings, photographs, and miscellanea relating to his work as county engineer; also contains material concerning the Ionia County Free Fair and the American Road Builders' Association.

The Allan M. Williams Collection includes much material dealing with Williams' professional interests and concerns. There are papers relating to the American Road Builders' Association and Michigan organizations, including articles and speeches written by Williams. In addition, there are materials relating to his unsuccessful primary campaigns for State Road Commissioner in 1941 and 1943 and for State Senator in 1962. Finally, materials relating to the Ionia County Free Fair are quite rich, including correspondence, financial information, and publicity dealing with far range planning and the day-to-day operations of the Ionia County Free Fair and its governing board.

The collections has been arranged into the following series: Biographical/Personal; Ionia County Free Fair; Speeches and writings; American Road Builders' Association; Other Organizations; Projects and related; Political file; Community projects; Photographs.

The collection includes Edith Ellison Williams family papers, mostly of the World War II letters of her father, Max Ellison, to his wife (Edith's mother), Florence. Also included are Civil War letters of Chauncey J. Bunyea, his friends and relatives who mostly served in Michigan units, and family history materials.

The collection consists of family information of Edith Williams, 1859, 2018, 1.75 Cubic Feet (in 4 boxes). The collection is organized into three series: Civil War, World War II, and Family Materials, and within each series by size and format, chronologically, and then alphabetically. General family history information includes: a family tree, affidavits, ledgers, letters, biographical information, ancestry information, naturalization records, and death certificates.

Civil War correspondence includes accounts from Chauncy Bunyea, Daniel Chapin, Edward Trembley, and some Union soldiers who were friends or neighbors (see Miscellaneous Correspondence folders). This series includes letters and war accounts spanning the entirety of the Civil War. There are accounts of Gettysburg, the Second Battle of Bull Run, the Siege of Petersburg-Richmond, fighting in eastern Tennessee, and letters talking about home life in Michigan. Topics mentioned include enlistment, witnesses of a court-martial and execution, life as a Union soldier, troop movements, generals McClellan, Butterfield, and Pope, and the occupation of forts and camps.

World War II correspondence includes accounts from Max M. Ellison, a soldier in the 1st Cavalry Division of the Michigan Seventh Cavalry, about his experience fighting in the Pacific Theatre of war. This portion of the collection includes letters to Ellison’s wife (Florence), daughter (Edith), and Nortons (in-laws). The main themes of the letters are about the life of a soldier, fighting on the front line, and the liberation of the Philippines, Admiralty Islands, and New Guinea. The letters also contain experiences about interacting with the local population, cutting hair for soldiers, the cigar trade between soldiers, entertainment, local wildlife, and the local food. Furthermore, Ellison writes about President Franklin Roosevelt, dead Japanese soldiers, and prizes of war. The tone of his letters are more serious after October 20, 1944, following the invasion of the Philippines. He sees combat until March 6, 1945, after he is wounded and placed in the hospital. Additionally, Ellison writes extensively about his Michigan hometown of Bellaire, training horses, and building a future home and life. Some of the letters include church service pamphlets, hospital pamphlets, newspaper clippings, and drawings.

Processing Note: During processing .25 cubic feet of peripheral materials and envelopes were removed from the collection and returned to the donor as per the donor agreement. Acidic materials were photocopied and the originals were withdrawn from the collection.

Archivist and historian; collection of photo prints and photo negatives, made by various state agencies, and relating primarily to rural landscapes, road construction projects, and the construction of state buildings.

The Leroy Barnett collection consists of ten series of photographs: Michigan State Agriculture Department, Michigan State Highway Department, John C. Mackie, Lloyd Clair Hulbert, Construction Projects (1947-1965), Postcards, Michigan National Guard, Michigan Department of Conservation, Libraries, and Events and Monuments.

Primarily consists of fifty letters (1862-1864) written to his wife, Elise, while Comte was serving in Company C, 5th Michigan Cavalry. Many of the letters are written in a humorous vein as he tells of camp life, food, army clothing, picket duty, scouting and bushwhackers. He is much in earnest as he expresses his attitude toward slavery, foraging from destitute Southern families, and re-enlisting. There is an account of the battle of Gettysburg and the casualties among Michigan regiments, and also of Williamsport and Falling Waters where four Michigan cavalry regiments engaged eight infantry regiments of Lee's retreating army. Also includes a marriage certificate, miscellaneous items, and photographic portraits (tintype original and copy print).

Alpena, Michigan, resident. Correspondence, including a letter from Thomas Wentworth Higginson and a letter describing Goodrich's Civil War experience in the 115th New York Volunteers at the Battle of Morris Island, South Carolina, genealogical material, recipe book, and miscellanea; also photographs.

Fred Stanley Goodrich papers consist of correspondence, including a letter from Thomas Wentworth Higginson and a letter describing Goodrich's Civil War experience in the 115th New York Volunteers at the Battle of Morris Island, South Carolina, genealogical material, recipe book, miscellanea and individual and group photographs of Goodrich family members. The collection is noteworthy for a detailed description of the Battle of Morris Island in South Carolina during the summer of 1863.

This collection includes Abstracts of Title and related papers for the Michigan counties of Antrim, Arenac, Clare, Iosco, Kalamazoo, Lake, Manistee, Missaukee, Newaygo, and Osceola, some Title Opinions for property in Michigan counties re: oil and gas leases, and an obituary for Tope.

The collection consists mostly of Harry E. Tope, Sr.’s Abstracts of Title, 1902, 1986 [bulk late 1930s and early 1940s] for ten Michigan counties (10 folders) and Title Opinions, 1935, 1969, regarding oil and gas leases for several Michigan counties (1 folder). Also included is an obituary of Harry E. Tope, Jr. and related newspaper article, July 3, 1990 (copies).

The collection includes records of Amos, Ebenezer (Civil War correspondence), and Fred H. Gould of New York (State) and Owosso (Michigan).

The collection includes a variety of family records.

Amos Gould’s records include: personal correspondence, 1828-1872, family correspondence, 1875-1912, Civil War correspondence mostly from Ebenezer to Amos or Ebenezer’s wife and children, 1862-1864, railroad business records, 1852-1881, lumber business correspondence and papers, 1867-1882, business correspondence, 1849-1915, receipts of business transactions, 1830-1883, legal papers, including briefs, trail records, contracts land contracts, mortgages, agreements, indentures, and deeds, 1832-1885 from New York and Michigan, and more legal records and tax receipts, 1848-1932, book receipts, 1870-1879, trial records of cases Amos and his associates tried, 1842-1877, railroad receipts, 1857-1864, and letter books, day books, and account books, 1839-1935. Also included are five eagle buttons. Additional Amos Gould buttons are in the Display Items collection.

Papers relating to Ebenezer include: Civil War correspondence mostly from Ebenezer to Amos or Ebenezer’s wife and children, 1862-1864, courtship and marriage correspondence from Ebenezer to his wife Irene Beach, 1845-1866, and business correspondence and miscellaneous, including a scrapbook of obituaries and family news, 1868-1936.

Papers relating to Fred H. Gould include his diaries, 1892-1931, and personal correspondence to/from Fred, 1870-1872, and undated.

Overall the collection provides a good look at life in a small Michigan town (Owosso), multiple business interests, especially land and lumber, and personal life before, during, and after the Civil War. There are also letters from Gould’s brother-in-law, Dr. J. N. Graham, on early medical practices, such as the use of chloroform in Michigan.

Processing Notes: Due to size differences among the boxes, some boxes are shelved out of numerical orders. Boxes # 74-75, 108-120 are cubic foot boxes, the rest are .5 cubic foot boxes. Folder level processing was completed, but the inventory is at box level. Some materials are still tri-folded in their original wrappings, not in folders, or in unlabeled folders.

The papers include biographical materials, family correspondence, diaries, genealogical materials, civil war unit records, Woman's Relief Corps materials, Spanish American war letter, family photographs, and realia of the Hampton and Stark families.

The Hampton Stark Family Papers consists of five major series, the papers of the Hampton family, the papers of the Stark family, a collection of Miscellaneous Papers (documents which were included with this collection but do not relate to either family), Family Photographs, and the Realia acquired by the Hamptons and the Starks. The overall collection contains Civil War correspondence, documents and diaries; family records, journals, and correspondence, genealogical information, and newspaper clippings, which reflect family and military life during and after the Civil War.

The Hampton Family papers include the papers of Charles, Emma, Charles Jr., and Arthur, as well as the Brearleys, Harry, Rachel, and William. The most important items in the Charles Gardiner Hampton series are the Civil War diaries and documents. The diaries cover his early life at Brooks Collegiate Institute, his enlistment, early prison confinement and release, battles of Bull Run, Middleburg and Gettysburg, capture and imprisonment at Libby Prison and his return to civilian life. His enlistment and discharge papers, promotion certificates and a listing of rations issued to him for one month are included. The veterans affairs folder contains a handwritten copy of the speech delivered to civic groups about the flag incident in Libby Prison, a printed copy of the speech (abridged) delivered before a California veterans group, and photographs of Captain Hamp H. Todd who provided the celebrated flag. The documents relating to Hampton business activities contain a letterpress book of correspondence relating to the sale of cider presses. The letters and documents relating to Myron H. Knapp are included here because Knapp worked for Hampton at some point in time. The newspaper clippings include obituaries which provide a good overview of Hampton's life and career.

The Emma Stark Hampton series contains family items such as a guest book, autograph album, a journal of inspirational words, and diaries and writings about the Woman's Relief Corps (WRC). The diaries are interesting because, while fragmented and covering only brief periods of time, they reflect Emma Hampton’s view of the changing world and her changing personality in addition to her activities in the WRC. The items in the WRC folder are from various Corps publications and numerous writings, including those of Emma Hampton, which reflect the interests of the organization. A large number of photographs of the major leaders of the movement may be found with her photographs. Additional information about the Corps can be found in the Hampton family correspondence series. The newspaper clippings included provide an overview of her life and importance to her community.

The major items in the Charles Glazier Hampton, Jr. papers are the extensive, early "Report On Asbestos" compiled in 1923.

The Hampton Family Correspondence includes a large number of Civil War letters. An extensive amount of correspondence written by Charles G. Hampton from Cuba in 1899 (only a few months after the end of the Spanish American War) reflects living conditions and social customs, the hostility toward the Americans, and the withdrawal of the troops of the 31st Michigan and the 6th Ohio from the island. This series also contains letters relating to Charles Hampton's involvement with the Grand Army of the Republic and Emma Hampton's correspondence relating to the WRC. Of special note are the letters signed by Clara Barton in 1886, General Mosby in 1901, and Maria Young Dongall and Clarissa Young Spencer (daughters of Brigham Young) in 1909. The series is arranged chronologically,

The Arthur Stark Hampton papers include a poem, canceled checks and a small account book.

William H. Brearley papers include a diary about his experiences with Company E, 17th Michigan Volunteers in Tennessee and Washington, D.C., 1864 1865. (Most of his papers are in the Detroit Public Library.)

Please note that the spelling of the name Stark is in question throughout this collection. Family members, printed sources and documents use the name Starks and Stark indiscriminately, often when related to the same person. For the sake of simplicity, Stark has been selected for use in this finding aid.

The Stark Family Papers features extensive genealogical information dating back to the English family roots. A detailed family tree beginning in 1685 and continuing through 1935, found in the collection, is invaluable to understanding the family relationships documented in the Hampton Stark collection. Also included with this material is a Stark Family history written by Israel Stark and a second copy transcribed by Emma Stark Hampton.

The Civil War papers found in this collection includes the diary of Milo L. Stark written near Falmouth, Virginia in 1863, and the diary of his father, Israel Buell Stark, written near Washington after Milo’s death in 1864. Also included (in Oversized folder) are the clothing and equipment records, muster rolls and ordinance reports for Milo’s "A" Company, 140th New York Volunteers, 1862 1863.

The Stark Family Correspondence includes family letters exchanged primarily between Israel, Milo, Maurice and Emma and describe family, social matters, and the war.

Also included is the eulogy is for Maurice Stark, read by J. K. Batchelder at the dedication of a monument in 1901, marking the passage of General John Stark and his troops in 1777 while enroute to the Battle of Bennington.

Mary Stark Cook’s papers include her last will and testament and a letter written in Chinese without a translation. No explanation is available as to why it was located with this material.

Miscellaneous Papers include documents which do not seem to relate to either the Hampton or the Stark families but which were included with the collection. Included here are Civil War and personal documents of Michigan men which may have been acquired as part of a larger collection of materials, the bulk of which did relate to the Hampton Stark families. Most of the men were born in New York and discharged in Michigan. Relationships are unclear but the items have been retained with this collection in the hopes of establishing connections to members of either family at some time in the future. Most of the documents are discharge papers, equipment and inspection reports, pension certificates, land deeds, and marriage certificates. A number of documents relate to Walter Durkee and to Romanzo M. Buck, both of Paw Paw, Michigan.

Family photographs include numerous family portraits, photographs of the Hampton homes on Blaine Avenue and on Woodward Avenue in Detroit (interior and exterior shots for both locations), and family poses. Of special interest is the photo of an early dentist office in 1900. Portraits of members of various branches of the extended families are included. Most of the photographs are identified but few are dated. Tintypes, daguerreotypes, postcards, and early positive prints are included.

The Realia in the collection includes a wooden rattle made by Charles Hampton in Libby Prison, two printing blocks (one with the likeness of Emma Hampton and one of the Hampton house in Detroit), a metal address plate with "Lt. Col. C. G. Hampton Co. D. 15th N.Y. Cav. Detroit, Mich.", a piece of wood addressed to C. G. Hampton, Detroit with a U.S. Grant stamp, a delegate badge from the 1888 Woman's Relief Corps convention, and Confederate money.

The collection, 1908-1953, and undated, includes personal and professional papers of a teacher from northern Michigan.

The collection, 1908-1953, and undated, includes personal and professional papers of a teacher from northern Michigan. The collection includes: a portrait of Roxie Mary Mahoney Higgins complete with vital dates, photographs, diploma from Presque Isle County Normal, final exams, student teaching final exams, student teacher lesson plans, teacher created and collected teaching aids, teacher created activities and worksheets for 1st-7th grade students, and State of Michigan Health Education pamphlets,1912-1945. Magazine clippings (copies) include racist depictions of Native Americans. Also included are various teaching publications such as Educator, Instructor, and Children’s Activities for Home and School, and a single issue of American Observer from December 8, 1941. The publications within this collection are retained due to the completeness of the issues as well as the excellent condition. The collection was organized according to size and alphabetically by topic.

Roxie fits within the trend of young rural female teachers, where she would only teach for a year or two. The County Normal training offered reading, handwriting, spelling, composition, arithmetic, and geography courses for future teachers, but not the full four year curriculum training offered by Normal Schools. For most Michigan County Normal students tuition was waved if the student agreed to teach the next year in the county. (This information from Clarke Historical Library’s web page on One-Room School-teachers https://www.cmich.edu/library/clarke/ResearchResources/Michigan_Material_Statewide/One_Room_Schools/Pages/Teachers.aspx accessed on June 28, 2016).

Within the collection are final examinations in courses beyond those subjects she would teach to the young students, such as Rural Sociology. Roxie’s own coursework in preparation for teaching was of a practical nature where she learned lesson planning and classroom management. Roxie’s student teaching evaluation shows that teachers were graded on everything from comportment to appearance as well as execution of lessons (Box 1, folder 1). Within Roxie’s student teaching materials there is a full page example of shorthand script (Box 1, folder 6). Her visual materials are in excellent condition and offer a sampling of beautiful, popular images from the 1930s-1940s, cut from magazines and mounted on construction paper.

One particular addition to this collection is the attendance records for the year Roxie’s sister, Faith, taught and attended Presque Isle County Normal in 1936. This glimpse into the teaching life of Faith T. Mahoney reveals an additional path for female educators.

Processing Notes: Approximately 1 cubic foot of duplicate and acidic materials was withdrawn from the collection. Issues of four journals were separately catalogued. Some material exhibits a strong flavor of patriotism within American History lessons of the 1940s and racist depictions of Native Americans. Boxes 1-2 are .5 cubic ft. letter-sized boxes, Box 3 is .5 cubic ft. legal-size, and Box 4 is a larger, oversized box.