Collections : [Central Michigan University Clarke Historical Library]

Papers of Nellie Finley, as a student and a teacher, and her family of Parma, Michigan.

Family Papers, 1881-1978, and undated, measures 25 cubic ft. (in 25 boxes, 1 Oversized folder). It consists of the papers of Nellie Finley and her family, including correspondence, teaching materials she used as a student and a teacher, notebooks, scrapbooks, published materials, photographs, and miscellaneous. The correspondence, in Boxes 1-21 and 25, includes letters, notes, telegrams, greeting cards, and postcards, and may include newspaper clippings and/or photographs, mostly exchanged between Nellie and her friends and relatives, 1881-1934, and undated. It is not always possible to determine the relationships between the correspondents, but this has been noted, when possible. The collection is mostly organized in alphabetical and chronological order with published and miscellaneous items after correspondence. There are also receipts, speeches, miscellaneous materials, certificates, recitation and student notebooks, and a few miscellaneous scrapbooks and recipes. Box 21 consists entirely of greeting cards organized by holiday or occassion. Published items in Boxes 22-24 include pages of partial directories of Michigan teachers, 1886-1903, and a directory of superintendents and principals, 1890-1891. Of note among the published volumes are Michigan poet Will Carleton's Everywhere, January-December 1911, Christoforo’s Method for Mandolin (Music Instruction Book, Copyright 1897 - John Church Co.), and the 77th Annual Report of the Superintendent of Public Instruction of the State of Michigan w/ Accompanying Documents for the Year 1913-1914.

Note: The abbreviations ND stands for Nellie May Davis and NDF for Nellie D. Finley.

Box 25 (Acc# 72943) includes family correspondence, some of Nellie’s early school materials she created as a child, and materials documenting Masonic organizations such as the Order of the Eastern Star, Michigan State Normal School, and Michigan insurance companies.

The Oversized folder includes Nellie and Theron’s marriage certificate, 1912, and Nellie’s Parma High School diploma, 1904. Also included is an oversized, undated, post-Civil gravure print of Orlando H. Moore holding a bugle and wearing a cape in civilian clothes. He does not appear to be related to the Finleys.

Processing Note: Prior to 1997, students and perhaps Clarke staff simply foldered this collection and likely maintained its loose original order. The original finding aid is no longer accessible on the computer due to software changes. Due to other priorities it was decided not to re-process the collection or individually cataloged published materials. Box 25 was a late addition in 2011 which was processed by the Archivist. A formal finding aid with biographical section and scope notes were not created until 2011 by Archivist Marian Matyn.

Processing Note: Eight oversized Masonic certificates of Edgar A. Guest were donated with Acc# 72943. These were added to the existing Guest papers.

The collection includes Dr. Clarke’s biographical materials, papers, memorabilia, and his collection on the heart and his research interests.

The collection includes Dr. Clarke’s biographical materials, papers, memorabilia, and his collection on the heart and his research interests. The papers include certificates of appreciation, membership, degrees earned, an autobiographical manuscript, correspondence, materials related to his collecting interests, Polyclinic, professional papers he presented at conferences and associations, and published articles that he wrote. Correspondence includes both personal and professional correspondence, some of which relates to CMU and the CHL. The memorabilia includes plaques of appreciation, mason paraphernalia, and an academic hood, probably from CMU. His collection of publications and information about the heart, ethylene diamino tetraacetic acid (EDTA), endate, and chelation therapy reflect his research and professional interests. Also included are audiovisual materials, mostly cassette tapes, of research topics of interest to Dr. Clarke and a tape of an award dinner where he was honored for his long service to Providence Hospital. Photographs and other visual or illustrative materials are found throughout the collection.

A 2023 addition includes 1 folder of family photographs of Dr. Clarke, Sr. and his parents, Hannah Grove Clarke and James George Clarke, a veterinarian, and photographs of the veterinary office and livery stable, where he worked, and the family home. Other family photographs are of his wife, Lucile C. Hogan (1892-1968), and her extended Proud family, and a Vermont one-room school in Vermont where a Proud relative attended or taught. The photographs have tape and edge damage. Information taped to them about the images was removed and photocopied and a photocopy is found immediately after each related photograph.

In an oversized folder is Lincoln Land Times Special Edition, May 4, 1865, Springfield, IL, v. 1 No. 47, pages 1-4, Berniece McClure Doyle, Editor. The content focuses on the aftermath and impact of President Abraham Lincoln’s assassination, the impact on the city, preparing the city for his funeral, Mrs. Lincoln’s grief, his life, some of his speeches, and related information. This illustrated newspaper measures 16x12 inches, is acidic with some edge damage.

For additional correspondence and information related to Dr. Clarke’s donation of his collections to the CHL, see the CHL Organizational Records collection.

The collection includes miscellaneous township records of Nottawa and Vernon townships (Isabella County, Mich.) and Shepherd, Mich.

The collection includes Township records for Nottawa Township, Shepherd Village, and Vernon Township Isabella County, Michigan. The Nottawa Township records are school records and include Annual Reports and Census statistics.The Shepherd Village records include a School District Record Book. The Vernon Township records are very incomplete and there are large gaps in years when it was received by the Clarke. The Board of Review papers include minutes. Board of Township papers include meeting minutes, letter to the Board, Resolutions, and Agreements, etc. The Election papers mainly consist of election returns and other related materials. The Highway Commission papers include petitions to, a resolution with map, map of road districts, contracts, correspondence, order for traffic signs, etc. The Miscellaneous papers include a proof of publication, a voided bond from Vernon Township, original bids to build the township hall (which is still standing and in use in 2012) and work on the hall, etc. Oaths of Office papers include oaths and bonds with oaths attached. The Township Clerk papers include letters to, valuation of lands, financial records, minutes, etc. Schools papers Miscellaneous include maps of school districts, a postcard with names of teachers from Vernon Township 1880, Isabella County Teachers Directory, 1907-1908, etc.

Processing Note: During processing, 5 cubic feet of loose papers and 53 Oversized Volumes were withdrawn from the collection as per Michigan local and township records schedules. Publications from the State of Michigan, donated with the collection, are separately cataloged.

Some treasurer’s and tax records were retained as 20th century examples.

Organizational records include: annual president and chairperson reports, treasurer reports, meeting minutes, officer guidelines, photographs (black and white and color), scrapbooks and correspondence documenting the Division's activities, history, Annual International Tea and national and council meetings.

The collection, 1926-2014, and undated, approximately 12 cubic feet (in 21 boxes, 1 legal-size folder, 4 Oversized Volumes) documents the organizational records and history of the Michigan Division of the Woman’s National Farm and Garden Association (WNFGA). Organizational records include: annual president and chairperson reports, treasurer reports, meeting minutes, and officer guidelines. Photographs (black and white and color), scrapbooks and correspondence illuminate the Division's activities and provide additional insight into its history. Photographs provide images of Annual International Tea and national and council meetings.

Included in the collection are Cranbrook Branch of WNFGA scrapbooks, 1963-1968 and 1983-1988 (Box 6 and Oversized scrapbooks). The scrapbooks and related newsletters and miscellaneous were created by Barbara Van Buren. The Cranbrook Branch no longer exists.

The Annual International Tea records, 1996-2008, were originally composed annually in binders. Due to materials becoming loose, the contents were transferred into archival folders. However, their original order was maintained. These reports include correspondence, photographs and newspaper clippings.

The organizational records generated during the tenures of two presidents, Louise Shoksnyder (Boxes 18-19 and Oversized scrapbook, 2007-2008) and Ila Leonard Wermuth (Box 21), were separately identified as such, and this original order was maintained during processing.

Several fairly complete newsletters and historical publications were separately cataloged during processing.

The collection is in good physical condition and is organized by size and alphabetically by series. The Cranbrook Scrapbooks have weak or damaged binding. Scotch tape was also found in scrapbooks and the Annual International Tea folders. In both cases, materials in these series may become loose over time. Acidic materials have been replaced with copies. All of the boxes are .5 cubic foot boxes except Box 21, which is .25 cubic foot.

Researchers may also be interested in the collection of Mrs. (Francis) Louisa King, 1902-2000, and other Woman’s garden club collections which are also housed at the Clarke.

Processing Notes: During processing .75 cubic foot of material, consisting of duplicates, miscellaneous financial records, and generic correspondence, were removed from the collection.

The collection documents the club's history and finances.

The collection includes meeting minutes, organization history, financial records, insurance records, newspaper clippings, publications, and miscellaneous materials documenting the club.

The collection consists of the organizational records of Central Michigan University Clarke Historical Library.

The collection documents in text and images all aspects of the history and functions of the Clark Historical Library since its founding. Photographs are mostly in Boxes 7-8, but other images may be found in various publications and scrapbooks.

An addition to the collection in 2021, Board Meeting Minutes (Boxes 12-17), 1962-2006, undated, may include agendas, attachments, reports, and board packets, and 1 box of board member correspondence and photographs.

Another 2021 addition is the Charles H. Wright addition, 1959, 1978, 1 cubic foot (in 2 boxes) features official government documents from African countries. Most folders are official Parliamentary Debates of the Eastern House of Assembly of Nigeria. Each packet includes who attended, the information discussed, and relevant recorded dialogue. Other materials included in the collection are an Official Gazette from the Republic of Nigeria, as well as multiple Monthly Digest of Statistics from Zambia. Multiple titles were separately cataloged.

The 2021 addition, No Acc#, Boxes 20-36 (7.75 cubic feet in 17 boxes) focuses on the Clarke Historical Library, though other materials include Frank Boles' professional correspondence and materials about the Park Library, Mid-Michigan Library League, Michigan Historical Review, and Clarke Historical Library Board of Governors 1954-2019. The Mid-Michigan Library League is one of Michigan's eleven library cooperatives and as of 2021, includes 36 libraries in 15 counties located in Michigan's lower peninsula. The Michigan Historical Review is a scholarly publication about Michigan history and joint venture of the Clarke and CMU's History Department. Some materials are in Spanish. The 2021 addition was arranged to match the organization of previous accessions to the collection. Some of the addition was interfiled into Boxes 10-11.

In 2024 the Clarke’s official Accession Books and one Deaccession book, 1956-2022, were digitized for internal staff use only. The original paper and microfilm are in Boxes 37-38 of this collection. These boxes are closed to researchers. The collection is ongoing.

The collection includes financial records, photographs, and reports of the Ormsby dairy farm.

The collection includes mostly financial reports, such as: expense and income reports, 1957-1964; comparison of annual farm business reports, 1930-1938; inventory reports, 1964-1975; and farm account books, 1930-1948, undated. Two aerial photographs of the farms are also included. Many of the financial records and forms are from Michigan State University’s Cooperative Extension Services or Main-In program.

The collection documents several generations of the Parker family of Frankfort, Grand Rapids, and Ann Arbor, Michigan, focusing on N. A. and Dora B. Parker.

The collection documents the Parker family of Frankfort and Grand Rapids, Michigan, particularly captain and lawyer N.A. Parker, and his daughter, Dora B. Parker, later of Los Angeles, California. Most of the collection consists of various types of family photographs in a variety of media, correspondence, legal documents, genealogical materials, publications, verse and poetry, and other materials. Dora’s life and that of women of her period and education are documented by photographs of activities, such as biking and trips, travel journals, and by the Woman’s Lakeside Literary Club (Frankfort, Michigan), Annual Programs, 1896/1897, 1919/1920-1925/1926, of which she was a member. N.A. Parker’s life is documented mostly in photographs, notably in a fine photograph album of the Civil War, mostly of the 20th Michigan Infantry, with carte de visites of officers of the unit, and one composite image of President Lincoln. Many of the photographs are autographed or have annotations on them concerning the officer’s death. N.A. Parker is also documented in post-war GAR reunion materials and in family genealogical materials. Two published books were retained in the collection because of the additional materials and personal dedications in them to Dora. Copies are separately cataloged in the Clarke. Although Mary E. Parker’s obituary notes her early activities as a suffragette, there is no documentation of these activities or interests within the collection.

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 consists of personnel files of Central Michigan University, 1926-1977.

These are the Personnel Files of Central Michigan University (CMU) faculty and staff who died, retired, or otherwise separated from the university at least thirty years ago. According to the CMU Records Schedule, the records are kept by CMU. Faculty Personnel Services for thirty years, and then they are transferred to the Clarke. All social security numbers, health, and personal information have been removed as per agreement with FPS in June 2007.

A Personnel File may include: appointment letters/contracts; approvals/denials relating to personnel matters, reappointment/promotion/tenure, sabbatical/leave records, salary notices, reduced assignments; commendations (CMU related); curriculum vitae (resume); disciplinary documentation; personnel transaction forms; transcripts; clippings (copies); obituary notices; or photographs. The collection is physically in very good condition. In some cases acidic copies of materials were photocopied and the originals were withdrawn from the collection.

The Personnel Files are filed alphabetically by surname, and then by first name. There are three groups of records here as of 2008. The first and largest group is in Boxes 1-60 and comprises the oldest set of records, those who retired by 1977. Some of the records are as current as 1998, if the person died or left, but the majority end in 1977 or early 1978. The next group of records, filed after the first, in Boxes 60-68 includes those who retired by 1978. Boxes 68-70 include a miscellaneous group of retirees' files. Again, the vast majority of the records end by 1978.