Collections

Papers and photographs collected by Robert D. Aldrich relating to the history, people and institutions of Concord village in Jackson County, Michigan; include correspondence, diaries, account books and other papers of Concord residents; records of Concord social organizations, businesses, schools, and church and governmental bodies.

The Robert D. Aldrich collection consists of materials--manuscript, printed, and photographic--documenting the history of Concord, Michigan, in western Jackson County. The collection spans the period from the arrival of the first settlers in 1831 to the 1980s. There are a few items dating back into the eighteenth century (as early as 1783) since the papers of some pioneer families predate their arrival in Concord. The bulk of the collection, though, falls in the period since the Civil War.

The collection documents every facet of life in Concord. Included are the papers of numerous Concord citizens consisting of personal correspondence, diaries, account books and newspaper clippings about them. In addition, Aldrich collected the records of various Concord businesses and organizations, as well as some church, school, and governmental records.

The collection has been divided into two series: Manuscript and Printed Materials, and Visual Materials. Both series are arranged alphabetically either by personal name or name of organization, or by general subject area, such as Circus, Underground Railroad, etc.

Papers of the Upjohn family of Hastings and Kalamazoo, Michigan, collected by Dr. E. Gifford Upjohn. Papers and genealogical materials of Upjohn and related families, especially the Mills family, Kirby family, and Clough family; include materials concerning family activities, medical practice, and daily life; also papers concerning the work of Clough family members as missionaries to southern India; and selected Upjohn Pharmaceutical Company historical records; and photographs.

The Upjohn family papers, collected and preserved by Dr. E. Gifford Upjohn, consist of materials brought together by various family members primarily for genealogical purposes. More than a "family archive" because of the importance of the Upjohns as founders of the Upjohn Pharmaceutical Company in Kalamazoo, the collection includes material spanning the period from the early 1800s to the present. The Upjohn Collection consists of three feet of manuscripts, two feet of family related books and bound manuscripts, and two feet of photographs.

Because of its diversity, the collection has been divided into five series of papers: Upjohn family; Families related to the Upjohns; Upjohn Company; Printed Materials; and Photographs.