Collections : [University of Michigan Bentley Historical Library]

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Collection

Herman Lunden Papers, 1896-1929

5.5 linear feet

Timber manager of the Kneeland Bigelow Company of Bay City, Michigan. Autobiography; correspondence, 1899-1924 (scattered); Kneeland-Bigelow Company records, 1912 and 1923-1929; subject files relating to his interest in conservation, reforestation, forest fire prevention, local Republican party affairs, road improvement, and the development of the northern Lower Peninsula as a tourist and recreational region.

Documenting his business and public service activities, the Herman Lunden papers cover the period from the late 1890s to 1929. The collection includes Biographical/Personal material; Correspondence; Kneeland-Bigelow records; and an Alphabetical File.

Collection

Homer Ferguson Papers, 1939-1976

26 linear feet — 1 oversize folder — 35 phonograph records — 769 MB (online)

Online
Republican U.S. Senator from Michigan, U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines; files relating to his various career responsibilities, photographs, sound recordings.

The Homer Ferguson collection has been divided into eleven series based primarily upon the important phases of his public life: Personal; Circuit Judgeship; Senate Career; Interregnum: November 1954 - April 1955; Hoover Commission; Philippine Ambassadorship; United States Court of Military Appeals; Inter-Parliamentary Union; Photographs, Sound Recordings, and Myrtle Ferguson Papers.

Collection

Howard Cyrus Lawrence Papers, 1916-1966

25 linear feet — 2 oversize volumes

Grand Rapids, Michigan businessman and Republican politician. Correspondence, business records, speeches, and other papers relating to state politics, charitable and civic interests, banking issues, the Grand Rapids Varnish Corporation, the Michigan Trust Company of Grand Rapids, and the Ypsilanti-Reed Furniture Company of Ionia, Michigan; also materials on Albion College, the Methodist Church, the Ionia Free Fair, and Republican Party politics, especially the campaign of Arthur H, Vandenberg for the presidency in 1940.

The collection documents the business, civic, and political interests of Howard C. Lawrence. The series in the collection are: Correspondence; Speeches and speech material; Financial; Business Interests; Charitable and Civic Interests; Clippings; Miscellaneous; Photographs; and Notebooks.

Collection

James K. Pollock papers, 1920-1968

87 linear feet — 3 oversize folders — 2 film reels — 6 phonograph records (oversize) — 16.3 GB — 19 digital audio files

Online
University of Michigan professor of political science, special advisor to the U.S. Military Government in Germany after World War II, participant in numerous government commissions; papers include correspondence, working files, speeches, course materials, and visual and sound materials.

The James K. Pollock papers represent an accumulation of files from a lifetime of academic teaching and research and an extraordinary number of public service responsibilities to both his state and his nation. The files within the collection fall into two categories: types of document (such as correspondence, speeches and writings, visual materials, etc.) and files resulting from a specific activity or position (such as his work as delegate to the Michigan Constitutional Convention or his service with the Office of the Military Government in Germany after World War II).

The collection is large and of a complicated arrangement because of Pollock's many activities. When received in 1969, the files were maintained as received; very little processing was done to the collection so that an inventory to the papers could be quickly prepared. The order of material is that devised by James K. Pollock and his secretarial staff in the U-M Department of Political Science. Recognizing the anomalies within the order of the collection, the library made the decision to list the contents to the collection while at the same time preparing a detailed card file index (by box and folder number, i.e. 16-8) to significant correspondents and subjects. While there was much to be said for this method of preparing a finding aid expeditiously, it also covered up some problems in arrangement. Thus series and subseries of materials are not always grouped together as they were created by Pollock. Files on the Hoover Commission and the Michigan Constitutional Convention, for example, come before Pollock's work in Germany after the war. In 1999, effort was made to resolve some of the inconsistencies and obvious misfilings of the first inventory but because of the numbering system used in 1969 and the card index prepared for the files, there are still some problems. Researchers should be alert to these difficulties and take time to examine different parts of the collection for material on a similar topic.

Collection

James McMillan scrapbook, circa 1900-1902

1 volume — 1 oversize folder

James McMillan (1838-1902) was a Republican Senator for Michigan. Consists of copies of clippings concerning politics, his career, and personal affairs. Also included is a photographic portrait.

The collection consists of copies of clippings concerning politics, his career, and personal affairs. Also included is a photographic portrait.

Collection

J. Joseph Herbert Papers, 1880s-1956 (majority within 1940-1956)

8 linear feet — 1 oversize folder

Manistique, Michigan, attorney, Republican regent of University of Michigan, and counsel to Michigan State Medical Society. Correspondence and other materials relating to his legal and university career, his interest in the National Music Camp at Interlochen, Michigan, and Republican politics, 1942-1956; and photographs.

The J. Joseph Herbert collection has been arranged into the following series: Correspondence, Regents Files, Michigan State Medical Society, Other Activities; and Miscellaneous and personal.

Collection

John B. Bennett papers, 1928-1964

2 linear feet — 0.98 GB

Online
Republican Congressman from Ontonagon in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. Correspondence, campaign materials, copies of bills introduced in Congress, and files concerning congressional reapportionment and the problems of the Upper Peninsula.

The John B. Bennett collection has been arranged into the following series: Correspondence; Election and political materials; Congressional papers; Biographical; Photographs; and Sound recordings.

Collection

John Butlin Martin papers, 1948-1965

6 linear feet — 1.38 GB

Online
Republican state senator, 1948-1950, from Kent County, Michigan, state auditor general, 1950-1954, unsuccessful candidate for the U.S. Senate nomination in 1952, and member of the Republican National Committee. Correspondence, newspaper clippings, speeches and printed material relating to his political career, particularly his activities on the Michigan Commission on Aging, the Michigan Constitutional Convention of 1961-1962, and the Michigan Senate campaign of 1952.

The John B. Martin papers consists of correspondence, memoranda, clippings, and subject files relating to his political and organizational activities. The series in the collection are: Correspondence; Newspaper clippings; Political and Campaign Materials; Auditor General, 1950-1954; Aging organizations; Michigan Constitutional Convention, 1961-1962; Michigan Crime and Delinquency Council; Scrapbooks; Sound Recordings; Visual Materials; and Miscellaneous.

Collection

John C. Patterson papers, 1843-1910

18.5 linear feet — 1 oversize folder

Marshall, Calhoun County, attorney, Republican state senator, 1878-1882; contain correspondence, legal files, diaries and financial records concerning business and family affairs and the history of Marshall; also family papers, including Civil War letters of brother, Philo D. Patterson, student letters from the University of Michigan of son, Frank D. Patterson, 1892-1894, and records of business partner William H. Brown.

The John C. Patterson collection is divided into the following series: Correspondence; Letterpress books; Legal files; Diaries; Miscellaneous business records; John C. Patterson personal; and Other family members and miscellaneous. Much of the correspondence is addressed either to Patterson or to William H. Brown and pertains to their law practice. Other correspondence relates to family matters, politics, and Hillsdale College. Included in the correspondence are nine letters of Philo D. Patterson written while he was serving in Company H, Ninth Michigan Infantry, February-September 1865. Two of the letters reflect on the assassination of President Lincoln. There are also letters from Frank Dean Patterson, 1892-1894, when he was a student at the University of Michigan.

Collection

John Engler Papers, 1968-2003

435 linear feet — 1 oversize folder — 2.1 GB (online)

Online
Republican member of the Michigan state legislature (House and Senate, 1971-1990); governor of Michigan (1991-2003); active member of the Republican Governors' Association and the National Governors' Association. The Engler collection consists primarily of materials created and maintained by Governor Engler and his staff during the period when he was governor, 1991-2003. Other records include papers from his several terms in the Michigan House and the Michigan Senate. The collection includes papers files, photographs, sound recordings, videotapes, memorabilia, and some electronic files. The gubernatorial files are arranged mainly by unit or functional responsibility within the governor's office. These series are Executive Office, Communications Division, Legal Division, State Government Affairs, Legislative Affairs Division, Operations Division, External Affairs, Scheduling, Washington DC Office, and Office of the First Lady. Topics extensively documented include state welfare and school funding reform, reorganization of state boards and commissions, notably the restructuring of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, and Republican party politics.

The John Engler papers are the most important source available for the study of Michigan's state government from 1991 to 2002. The collection is particularly strong on the topics of welfare and school funding reform, state government reorganization and the rising impact of the National Governors' Association in state and national politics. Engler's efforts to attract commerce to Michigan are also well-documented. The materials are arranged into two main subgroups: Pre-gubernatorial Papers and Gubernatorial Papers. The bulk of the material relates to Engler's gubernatorial career, therefore, the analysis that follows focuses primarily on this subgroup.

The materials in the "Gubernatorial Papers" subgroup are arranged according to the offices and subdivisions of the governor's office that created them. This means that the governor's speeches and press releases, for example, may be found within a grouping or "series" called "Communications Division," within the "Gubernatorial" subgroup, while legislative histories for various public acts may be found within the "Legislative Affairs" series.

While some kinds of documents were produced uniquely by one division, other kinds were produced in several divisions of the governor's office. The governor's correspondence, for example, was drafted and approved by several different staff members. Letters to important business and political leaders may be found within the "Executive Office" series, the "State Government Affairs" series, and the "Washington DC Office" series in particular. There no comprehensive chronological correspondence file.

In using the collection, the researcher should think functionally and ask who would have created the information sought. For example, the policy advisors in the State Government Affairs Division created individual topical files which gathered together correspondence and research materials to support briefing memoranda which they presented to the governor, while the speechwriters in the Communications Division often gathered different types of materials to help them shape the presentation of the same policies to the public.

Collection

John Judson Bagley papers, 1830, 1847-1900

1 linear foot — 1 oversize folder

Detroit businessman, Republican governor of Michigan (1873-1876) and candidate for the US Senate in 1881; correspondence, speeches, newspaper clippings, and other materials concerning politics, business interests, and state government.

The Bagley collection includes correspondence, speeches, newspaper clippings, and other materials concerning politics and his various business interests. There are also subject files relating to the Centennial Exposition at Philadelphia in 1876 which took place during his gubernatorial administration. The clipping files are of value for articles on Isaac P. Christiancy and Zachariah Chandler and for newspaper coverage of his term as governor and his unsuccessful campaign for senator.

Collection

John P. Espie papers, 1902-1950

0.5 linear feet — 1 oversize folder

Farmer and businessman in Eagle Township, Clinton County, Michigan; thirteen-term (1923-1933, 1935-1949) Republican member of the Michigan House of Representatives; Chairman, Ways and Means Committee (1939-1949). Correspondence, newspaper clippings, diaries, photographs, and miscellanea concerning his life and legislative career.

This collection presents material concerning the life, business affairs, and legislative career of John P. Espie (1881-1949). The first folder contains copies of three biographical sketches and some handwritten genealogical information concerning Espie's 19th century forebears. Subsequent folders contain correspondence, newspaper clippings, miscellaneous items, and photographs.

Collection

John R. Dethmers papers, 1923-1970

11 linear feet

Prosecuting attorney, attorney general of Michigan, 1945-1946, and justice on the Michigan Supreme Court, 1946-1970. Correspondence and campaign material relating to his political interests, court agendas and topical files, and papers relating to the operation and activities of the state supreme court; also photographs.

This collection of John R. Dethmers papers, in addition to a few folders of correspondence and campaign materials from the 1930s, is comprised mainly of files from his service on the Michigan Supreme Court. Within the Correspondence series, there are letters from William W. Blackney, Mar. 19, 1942; Fred Bradley, Mar. 4, 1942; Albert J. Engel, Mar. 2, 1942; Bartel J. Jonkman, Mar. 6, 1942; Earl C. Michener, Mar. 2, 1942; Chase S. Osborn, Mar. 16, 1942; and Arthur H. Vandenberg, Mar. 4, 1942.

Collection

John Warner Fitzgerald papers, 1952-1982

12 linear feet

Attorney, Michigan State Senator, and Judge; correspondence and other papers primarily from the period when he served in the Michigan State Senate, 1959-1964.

The collection is arranged into the following series: Correspondence; Michigan State Senate, 1959-1964; University of Michigan Law School; Photographs; Campaign Materials; Michigan Supreme Court; and Press files.

Collection

John Wesley Longyear Papers, 1837-1875

2 linear feet — 2 oversize folders

Republican congressman and U.S. district judge from Lansing, Michigan. Correspondence, business and legal papers, manuscript addresses, photographs, and miscellaneous items; include material concerning Michigan politics and his Civil War activities as a member of Congress; journal, 1871 containing a few brief entries on business matters.

The papers of John Wesley Longyear spans the period from 1837 to 1875. The bulk of the collection covers two periods of Longyear's life: his two terms in the U.S. House of Representatives (1863-1866) and his service as U.S. district court judge (1870-1875).

Collection

Junius E. Beal Papers, 1869-1946

15.3 linear feet

Ann Arbor, Michigan, businessman, publisher of Ann Arbor Courier, Republican politician, and regent of University of Michigan. Correspondence, letter books, speeches, newspaper clippings, and photographs; papers (1909-1920) of Michigan Public Domain Commission, of which Beal was a member; papers (1877-1904) concerning Port Huron Gas Light Company; and printed material and miscellanea (1885-1905) concerning League of American Wheelmen and his interest in bicycling.

The Junius E. Beal papers include correspondence, papers accumulated from his various interests and organizational activities, subject files, speeches, newspaper clippings, and photographs. The series in the collection include: Correspondence, Michigan Public Domain Commission, Topical Files; and Other Materials. Most of the files in the collection relate in some way to Beal's life in Ann Arbor, either as a student, a businessman, a public figure, as someone who took civic responsibility seriously and was determined to serve his community and the university that he loved.

Collection

Kennedy family papers, 1860s-1982

3 linear feet

Ann Arbor, Michigan family; papers, 1904-1928, of James A. Kennedy, Sr., Presbyterian clergyman; papers, 1925-1969, of James A. Kennedy, Jr., Ann Arbor, Michigan attorney, largely concerning organizational activities; and papers of Mrs. James A. Kennedy (nee Elizabeth Earhart), 1950-1956, concerning her activities in Ann Arbor civic and social organizations and miscellaneous Earhart family materials.

The collection has been arranged into three series: James A. Kennedy, Sr.; James A. Kennedy, Jr.; and Elizabeth Earhart Kennedy. The correspondence of James A. Kennedy Jr. includes letters from Charles H. Cooley, 1926, Edward H. Litchfield, 1938, Chase S. Osborn, 1926-1927 and 1937, and James K. Pollock, 1938. His papers also detail his work with such organizations as the Ann Arbor Rotary, the First Presbyterian Church of Ann Arbor, the Michigan League for Planned Parenthood, the Michigan Merit System Association, the Michigan Civil Service Commission, the Ann Arbor Chamber of Commerce, and the local Republican Party. The papers of Elizabeth Kennedy detail her work with the Ann Arbor Council of Social Agencies and the Community Chest, and other organizations. The photographs in the Elizabeth Kennedy series date back to the mid-nineteenth century and are of the Kennedy, Beal, and Stockdale families.

Collection

Lawrence B. Lindemer papers, 1954-1977, 1981-1982 (majority within 1964-1976 and 1981-1982)

3 linear feet

Chairman of the Michigan Republican Party, Regent of the University of Michigan, Michigan Supreme Court justice. Political files include activities as Republican State Chairman and his involvement in the presidential campaign of Nelson Rockefeller (1964) and George Romney (1967-1968); also files from his service as regent of the University of Michigan (1969-1975) and justice of the Michigan Supreme Court (1975-1977).

The Lawrence Lindemer Papers contain correspondence, memoranda, official reports, newspaper clippings, photographs, and an audio tape documenting the political and legal career of Lawrence B. Lindemer. While the entire collection spans from 1954 to 1982, the bulk of the records date from 1964 to 1976 with an additional cluster of records dated 1981-1982.

The collection has been divided into four series: Political files; Regent of the University of Michigan; Legal Career, including Michigan Supreme Court; and Other materials. The Lindemer files are especially valuable for their documentation of Lindemer's activities within the Republican Party, as state chairman, as chair of the Midwest Nelson Rockefeller campaign for President in 1964, and his involvement in the presidential candidacy of George Romney for President in 1968.

Collection

Lorraine Beebe Papers, circa 1920-1981

2.2 linear feet — 1 oversize volume — 1 oversize folder

Republican state senator, state coordinator of the Anderson for President campaign in 1980. Papers and photographs relating to her public career and to her interest in women's issues, especially abortion and the Equal Rights Amendment; also relating to her involvement with the President's Committee on Mental Retardation, her political activities and in the state senate; and scrapbook, 1966-1970, detailing political career.

The collection concerns Beebe's public career and her interest in women's issues, especially abortion and the Equal Rights Amendment Also documented is her involvement with the President's Committee on Mental Retardation, her political activities and in the state senate. The papers of Lorraine Beebe have been arranged into biographical files; career files - private; career files - public; organizational files; speeches; correspondence; honors and awards/miscellaneous; and photographs.

Collection

Louis C. Cramton Papers, circa 1865-1966 (majority within 1916-1965)

8 linear feet — 2 oversize volumes — 1 oversize folder

State Representative from Lapeer, Michigan; U.S. Congressman, 1913-1931, and special attorney to the Secretary of the Interior, 1931-1932; correspondence, speeches, newspaper clippings, scrapbooks, photographs, campaign materials, and other items relating to his advocacy of the national park system, the concept of historic preservation, fair employment practices legislation, increased support for Howard University and all other aspects of his career.

The Louis C. Cramton papers came to the Bentley Historical Library in three separate accessions (1948-1950; 1971; 1987). The collection has been arranged into six series: Correspondence, Miscellaneous Papers, Topical Files, Newspaper clippings/Scrapbooks, Photographs, and Louis Kay Cramton Papers.

Collection

Louis H. Fead papers, 1900-1948 (majority within 1918-1942)

6 linear feet — 2 oversize volumes

Associate justice of the Michigan Supreme Court; correspondence, speeches and other materials relating to Michigan politics, Republican Party affairs, and his judicial career.

The Louis Fead collection includes correspondence, scrapbooks, biographical information and other materials relating to his political and judicial career. Some of the files relate to the view from Michigan of the proposed reorganization of the US Supreme Court in 1937. There are also materials concerning the Newberry State Bank of which Fead was an officer. Also of interest are those materials relating to his service with the American Red Cross in France during World War I.

Collection

Lucia Isabelle Voorhees Grimes Papers, 1900-1977

4 linear feet — 1 oversize folder

Suffragist, leader of the Michigan Branch of the National Woman's Party, and candidate for the Michigan legislature in 1924. Correspondence, newspaper clippings, pamphlets, periodicals and other materials concerning her activities in the Michigan Equal Suffrage Association, the Legislative Council of Michigan Women, the National Woman's Party, and the Republican Party; and photographs.

The Grimes papers have been arranged into the following series: Correspondence; Other Papers (non-correspondence); Subject files; Bills introduced in the Michigan legislature; Newspaper clippings; Printed material; Scrapbooks; and Miscellaneous.

Collection

Marion L. Burton Papers, 1895-1925 (majority within 1921-1925)

22.3 linear feet — 1 oversize folder

College educator and president; president of University of Michigan, 1920-1925. Administrative correspondence, speeches, articles and scrapbooks detailing his years at University of Michigan; also his speech nominating Calvin Coolidge for the Presidency in 1924; and photographs.

The collection, although defined as personal papers of Marion Burton, is in fact the correspondence files of the office of president of the University of Michigan (1920-1925). Complementing these files are scattered personal items from the period prior to Burton's coming to Michigan. The collection has been arranged into the following series: Correspondence Files (President's Office); Miscellaneous President's Office Files; Personal Materials; Speeches and Articles; Scrapbooks/Newspaper clippings; University of Minnesota Topical Files; and Photographs.

Collection

Oliver Lyman Spaulding papers, 1861-1921

3 linear feet — 1 oversize folder — 1 oversize volume

Online
Soldier from St. Johns, Michigan who served in Co. A, Twenty-third Michigan Infantry during the Civil War, later Regent of University of Michigan, teacher, lawyer, Republican member of Congress from Michigan, and U.S. Assistant Secretary of the Treasury. Correspondence, letterpress books; scrapbooks; genealogy, speeches, memoirs, and miscellaneous items; also scattered papers of his wife's family (Mary Cecilia Swegles Spaulding).

The Oliver Lyman Spaulding papers consists of correspondence, letterpress books, scrapbooks, genealogy, speeches, memoirs, and miscellaneous items; also scattered papers of his wife's family (Mary Cecilia Swegles Spaulding). The collection has been arranged into the following series: Correspondence; Topical Files; Letterpress books, scrapbooks, diaries, etc.; Swegles Family papers; Photographs; and Masonic artifacts. Portions of the collection covering the years, 1861-1865, have been microfilmed and are available for inter-library loan.

Three diaries (1862-1865) tell of the everyday routine of army life, military operations in Kentucky, and comment on the weather, on the freeing of the slaves, and on other officers. Spaulding's "Military Memoirs" give a complete account of his army activities from the organization of his regiment through the Kentucky and Tennessee campaigns to his discharge. A testimonial (June 22, 1865) from officers of the 2nd Brigade, written at Salisbury, N.C., orders, official correspondence, and miscellanea regarding Morgan's Raid are also included. Also included in the collection are three letters from civilians in Charleston, S.C., describing the attack on Fort Sumter and other events of the beginning of the war. Two letters (Mar. 22 and Apr. 9, 1861) are from W. T. Adams, and the other (Oct. 24, 1861) is from Richard D. Tuttle.

Collection

Owen J. Cleary Papers, 1944-1959

10 linear feet — 2 oversize volumes — 1 oversize folder

Owen J. Cleary was an attorney, president of Cleary College in Ypsilanti (1940-1960), Michigan secretary of state (1953-1954), and chairman of the Republican State Central Committee (1949-1953). The collection includes correspondence, scrapbooks and clippings, organizational files, and Republican Party files.

The collection documents the later period of Cleary's life, mainly from 1945 to 1959. The series include Correspondence; Scrapbooks and clippings; Organizational interests; and Political files.

The great bulk of the collection consists of correspondence dated from 1945 to 1959 and documenting his work as Republican State chairman (1949-1953), his tenure as Michigan secretary of state (1953-1954), and his various other civic, political, and business involvements. There is included with this finding aid a selective index to Cleary's correspondents.

Collection

Patricia Hill Burnett papers, 1967-2002 (majority within 1967-1987)

12.5 linear feet — 1 oversize box — 1 oversize folder

Detroit portrait painter and feminist activist. Correspondence, printed material, newspaper clippings, photographs, reports, speeches, articles and other papers documenting her career as an artist, and with the Michigan Women's Commission, the National Association of Commissions for Women, the National Organization for Women (NOW) and other civic, Republican, and feminist organizations.

While most of the material relates directly to Patricia Hill Burnett, the papers also relate to the more general women's movement during the 1970s and early 1980s.

Collection

Paul C. Hillegonds Papers, 1964-1996 (majority within 1978-1996)

12 linear feet

Republican member of the Michigan House of Representatives, 1979-1996; press/publicity files, correspondence, speeches, political campaign files, legislative files.

The Paul C. Hillegonds collection concerns the political and legislative career of Paul Hillegonds, a long-term member of the Michigan House of Representatives from western Michigan. The collection documents Hillegonds' campaigns for office and his activities within the state Republican Party as well as his duties within the legislature and his interest in certain key pieces of legislation.

Collection

Paul Gordon Goebel papers, 1942-1964

11 linear feet — 1 oversize folder

Businessman and Republican mayor of Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1950-1954 and 1956-1958, delegate to the 1961 constitutional convention, and regent of University of Michigan. Correspondence, mayoral topical files, campaign materials, and scrapbooks concerning his activities in opposition to the political leadership of Frank D. McKay and George Welsh, the Republican National Convention of 1960, the work of the constitutional convention, and the founding of WZZM-TV and photographs.

The Paul G. Goebel papers include correspondence, mayoral topical files, campaign materials, and scrapbooks concerning his activities in opposition to the political leadership of Frank D. McKay and George Welsh, the Republican National Convention of 1960, the work of the constitutional convention, and the founding of WZZM-TV. A small file of photographs consists of portraits, campaign photographs, and photos of Goebel at public functions The series in the collection include Correspondence; Mayoralty Papers; Personal and Political; Scrapbooks; Constitutional Convention; and Photographs.

Collection

Peter White Papers, 1848-1915

30 linear feet — 15 oversize volumes

Marquette, Michigan businessman, Democratic state senator, and Republican regent of the University of Michigan. Letterbooks and correspondence relating to activities in the Democratic Party in Michigan, particularly in the Upper Peninsula, to his service within the state legislature, and to state and national elections, 1876-1896; also correspondence and other records concerning his extensive business interests that include Northern Michigan iron, insurance, banking, and general investments.

The collection documents the development of the economy of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan from the perspective of one of its pioneer entrepreneurs. Through correspondence and other business records, there is documentation of White's extensive business interests in Northern Michigan iron, insurance, and banking. Other portions of the collection concern his service in the state legislature and his involvement in state and national elections, 1876-1896.

Peter White's correspondence, the largest portion of the collection, has been divided into two series: correspondence/business papers and insurance correspondence. The papers for 1850-1853 deal with White's activities as clerk for Robert Graveraet. Also discussed in this early period are legal matters with some material on his work as postmaster and various family matters. The correspondence for 1854-1862 deals with early mining companies with whom he had association and provides some information about the financial aspect of various organizations. White acted as a marketing agent for several companies and this aspect is covered well. The term served by White in the state legislature is covered very sparsely.

Beginning in 1863 White activities expand to encompass insurance and banking concerns. While the iron interest is well represent in the papers for 1863-1873, insurance and banking occupy an increasingly important place. After 1874, White's insurance business is heavily represented in the correspondence. Banking also continues to occupy an important place but the iron companies are far less frequently a subject of discussion. Local politics is also discussed in the correspondence for 1874-1891. As someone who had been actively engaged in politics and public service, White commented on state and national election campaigns from the 1870s to the 1890s. Most notable are letters exchanged pertaining to the campaign of Williams Jennings Bryan in the presidential election of1896. Beginning in 1902, the insurance correspondence decrease and the investment phase of White's career make itself evident. After 1900 correspondence with the University of Michigan and its history department becomes more important.

The remainder of the collection consists of Business Records, divided between folder records and bound records. Each of these series includes records of specific companies with whom Peter White was associated. These include the Phenix Iron Mining Company, the Michigan God Company, the Manhard-Jopling Company, the Lake Superior Leather Company, and the Schoolcraft Iron Company.

Collection

Ransom Dunn papers, 1796-1900

10 linear feet

Free Will Baptist minister, professor and acting president of Hillsdale College. Correspondence and other materials concerning the Free Will Baptists, Hillsdale College and its predecessor, Michigan Central College at Spring Arbor, with mention of Dunn's anti-slavery and Republican Party activities; also Civil War letters from his sons, Francis Wayland Dunn and Newell Ransom Dunn.

The Ransom Dunn collection includes both his own papers and those of other family members, including his father John Dunn and Ransom Dunn's wife Cyrena Emery Dunn. The bulk of the collection consists of correspondence received by Ransom Dunn in the period of 1835 to 1900. These letters concern the Free Will Baptist Church and the growth and development of Hillsdale College and its predecessor, Michigan Central College at Spring Arbor. Some of the letters concern anti-slavery and Republican Party activities; others relate to personal and family affairs. Importantly, there are letters from his sons Francis Wayland Dunn and Newell Ransom Dunn, as students at Hillsdale and as soldiers serving in the Civil War. One of the letters in the collection is from Austin Blair (Feb. 23, 1853) discussing the legality of an injunction on Michigan Central College, Spring Arbor. Other portions of the collection include Dunn's writings on theological topics, sermons, diaries, and a few photographs.

Collection

Raymond J. Smit Papers, 1960-1977

20 linear feet

Republican member of the Michigan House of Representatives. Legislative files, 1967-1974, concerning in part his interest in water pollution legislation; political files concerning election campaigns, and involvement in Ann Arbor and Washtenaw County, Michigan, Republican Party activities; and photographs.

The Raymond Smit collection consists entirely of materials generated during his eight years in the Michigan House of Representatives, 1967-1974. The series in the collection are Legislative files which consists of subject files and bills files; Personal Materials; Political Files (1960-1975); Legislative Special Topics Files (1967-1974); and Photographs

Collection

Regina Hay papers, 1930-1966

2 linear feet — 2 oversize volumes — 1 oversize folder

Republican Party official from Romeo, Michigan, National Republican Committeewoman, secretary of the Republican National Convention, 1948. Correspondence, scrapbooks, political miscellanea and photographs largely relating to the Republican National Convention held in Philadelphia and the election of 1948.

The Regina Hay collection documents her work with the state and national Republican Party. The correspondence relates primarily to her work in the election of 1948, especially in the period leading up to the party's national convention. The scrapbooks provide excellent documentation of her entire political career beginning in the 1930s and culminating in the election of Dwight Eisenhower.

Collection

Robert H. Brucker papers, 1914-1967

4 linear feet

Saginaw, Michigan, attorney, aide and political advisor to his brother, Governor Wilber M. Brucker. Diaries, notebooks, correspondence and photograph albums concerning in part the political career of his brother.

The collection includes the following series: Diaries; Notebooks containing letters exchanged between Robert and Wilber Brucker; Photograph albums; and Miscellaneous notebooks and other volumes.

Collection

Rollo G. Conlin Papers, 1948-1966

5 linear feet

Republican state representative from Tipton, Michigan, 1945-1967; member of the House Ways and Means Committee; chairman of the Committee on General Taxation; the State Tax Study Commission, 1957-1959; and the Joint House and Senate Committee on Constitutional Implementation. Correspondence, reports, subject files, sound recordings, and other papers largely relating to problems of state taxation in the administrations of G. Mennen Williams and John B. Swainson.

The collections has been arranged into the following series: Correspondence; Speeches and press releases; Taxation Legislation and related background information; Other Legislative Matters; Committee on Statutory Implementation of the Constitution; Visual Materials; and Sound Recordings.

Collection

Roscoe O. Bonisteel Papers, 1903-1972

13 linear feet (in 14 boxes)

Ann Arbor, Michigan, attorney, Republican regent of the University of Michigan. Correspondence and other materials relating to state and local Republican party affairs, particularly the election of 1944 and the Constitutional Convention, 1961-1962; organizational files, primarily concerning activities with the Rotary Club, the Free and Accepted Order of Masons, the National Music Camp at Interlochen, the American Bar Association, the First Presbyterian Church of Ann Arbor, the Historical Society of Michigan, Cleary College, Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, and the Wayne State University Board of Governors; and photographs.

The Roscoe Bonisteel collection dates largely after 1950, when Bonisteel had already reached an age at which most men retire. Because of this, many of Bonisteel's activities are either poorly documented or altogether absent from his papers. Despite this, the papers do contain some illuminating material.

The collection is divided into ten series: biographical and personal, colleges and universities, financial, historical organizations, legal, Masons, political, Presbyterian Church, Rotary, and Photographs.

Collection

Roy Dikeman Chapin Papers, 1886-1945 (majority within 1910-1936)

32 linear feet (in 33 boxes) — 7 oversize volumes

Online
Lansing, Michigan businessman, founder of the Hudson Motor car Company, Secretary of Commerce in the Hoover Administration, leader of the "good roads movement" and the Lincoln Highway Association. Collection includes correspondence, speeches, business papers, clippings and scrapbooks and photographs.

The Roy D. Chapin papers include correspondence, speeches, articles, interviews, business papers, receipts, scrapbooks, photographs, and miscellaneous notes and files of Chapin's wife, and his biographer, John C. Long, concerning family matters, highway transportation, the automobile industry, general economic conditions, foreign trade, World War I, national defense, state and national politics, the Republican Party, and the University of Michigan. The collection also contains extensive papers concerning the Hudson Motor Car Company, including information on management policies, production, and labor organizing.

Collection

Samuel D. Pepper Papers, 1893-1952

3 linear feet — 1 oversize folder

Port Huron, Michigan attorney; officer in the Michigan National Guard beginning in 1905, later Judge Advocate with the U.S. Army during World War I. After the war, Pepper was chief law officer of the MNG where he was advisor during the Flint Sit-Down strike of 1937. Biographical material; correspondence with family and friends concerning in part current events and politics in pre-World War I Canada; correspondence with wife Katherine while serving in France 1918-1919; papers relating to his official responsibilities with the Michigan National Guard, as Judge Advocate, and as member of veterans organizations; include files relating to the Copper Miners' Strike of 1913 and to the Flint Sit-Down strike; also diaries, 1916-1919, of his experiences serving on the Mexican border and in France during the First World War; papers relating to Republican party activities in 1920 and 1924; and photographs.

The Samuel D. Pepper papers cover Pepper's military service and legal career, as well as his relationships with family and friends. The collection provides particularly strong documentation of the impact which Pepper's Michigan National Guard (MNG) service had on personal and professional aspects of his life. The papers are divided into four main series: Personal, Military Activities, Professional and Political Activities, and Photographs.

Collection

Sligh Family Papers, 1842-2012

36 linear feet (in 41 boxes) — 31 oversize volumes — 1 oversize folder

Online
Grand Rapids, Michigan family, involved in furniture making and other businesses, also active in local state and Republican Party politics and businessmen's associations. Papers include family papers and correspondence, business records, scrapbooks and visual materials.

The Sligh family collection consists of the personal and business papers of the four generations of Slighs mentioned in the biographical introduction: James W. Sligh, Charles R. Sligh, Charles R. Sligh, Jr., and Robert L. Sligh. Although there is some overlap, the files have been arranged into seven series, one for each of these three Slighs, one for the Sligh Furniture Company and related family businesses, and one each for Newspaper clippings and Scrapbooks, and Visual Materials.

Collection

Thomas M. Cooley Papers, 1850-1898

9 linear feet — 1 oversize volume

Professor of Law and American History at the University of Michigan, Michigan Supreme Court Justice, and chairman of the Interstate Commerce Commission. Papers include correspondence, diaries, lectures, notes and photographs.

The Thomas McIntyre Cooley papers document the life and career of an attorney, jurist, teacher, scholar, and public official. The bulk of the collection consists of correspondence received. A comprehensive calendar of these letters has been compiled by Virginia Ehrlicher in her doctoral thesis Thomas McIntyre Cooley : a calendar of his papers, 1846-1898. This three volume calendar is an important tool in accessing names of correspondents and topics covered. The remainder of the collection includes diaries, speeches, scrapbooks, course notes from some of his classes taught at the University of Michigan, and a scattering of photographs.

Collection

Thomas M. Spaulding papers, 1901-1969

2 linear feet — 1 oversize folder

The Thomas M. Spaulding collection has been arranged into the following series: Correspondence and other materials; Biographical and Personal; Organizational Affiliations; Political Materials; Topical Files; Writings; Stephen Tucker Spaulding Materials; and Photographs. The correspondence is of interest for its mention of current affairs, national politics, and the Cosmos Club of Washington, D.C. Of special interest are two volumes of diaries, covering the period of 1941-1944, with detailed comments on the conduct of World War II as viewed from Washington, D.C.

Collection

Virginia R. Allan papers, 1932-1995

8.5 linear feet — 1 oversize folder

Wyandotte, Michigan, businesswoman, chairwoman of the President's Task Force on Women's Rights and Responsibilities during the Nixon Administration, later deputy assistant secretary of state for public affairs. Papers and photographs relating to her interest in women's rights, the equal rights amendment, Republican Party politics, the activities of International Women's Year, 1975, and the National Federation of Business and Professional Women's Clubs.

The Virginia R. Allan Papers have been grouped both according to types of documents covering her entire career (biographical, correspondence, writings and speeches, etc.). These are followed by three series of files pertaining to Allan's activities and organizational affiliations within specific time periods in her career. These chronological divisions (with some overlapping of dates) are 1950s-1972, 1971-1977, and 1977-1985. Although each of these chronological series documents Allan's life-long interest in women's issues, there are obvious highlights to each. The first chronological series - 1950s-1972, is especially solid with material relating to Allan's association with the Michigan and the National Federation of Business and Professional Women, and her service on the President's Task Force on Women's Rights and Responsibilities. The second of these series - 1971-1977 - obviously documents Allan's work at the State Department, her role with the International Women's Year and her participation in the Mexico City Conference in 1975. And the third chronological series - 1977-1985 - contain files pertaining to her participation in the second and third United Nations International Women's Conferences and to her faculty responsibilities at George Washington University.

The collection concludes with a small series -- Groups and Activities -- which contains both material dated after 1985 as well as earlier materials, a series of Personal materials, and a series of Audio-Visual materials that includes photographs, a videotape, and sound recordings.

Collection

Walter H. Sawyer papers, 1900-1931

5 linear feet — 1 oversize folder

Hillsdale, Michigan physician, regent of the University of Michigan. Correspondence, notes, reports, addresses, and other papers relating to board of regents activities and state medical issues.

The Sawyer papers contain a mixture of papers relating to his political and regental activities, and to his medical practice and association with professional medical groups. The collection has been arranged into three series: Correspondence and other papers (arranged chronologically); University of Michigan Board of Regents; and Addresses and Miscellaneous. Sawyer's regent's papers are significant for information on those individuals who were considered for the presidency of the University of Michigan in 1909, 1920, 1925, and 1930. As a heavily involved regent, Sawyer maintained communications with his fellow regents, with university presidents and other administrators. These letters and other documents will be found throughout the Correspondence series. These individuals include James B. Angell, Harry B. Hutchins, Marion L. Burton, Clarence C. Little, and Alexander Ruthven.

Collection

Wendell E. Hulcher papers, 1959-1971

35 linear feet — 1 oversize folder

Ann Arbor, Michigan, Republican city councilman, 1960-1964; mayor, 1965-1969, and deputy director of the U.S. Office of Intergovernmental Relations; councilman and mayoralty files; also materials concerning his activities with several U.S. government agencies and Florida Southern College.

The Hulcher collection consists primarily of files created while serving as city councilman, 1960-1964, and as mayor of Ann Arbor, Michigan, 1965-1969. Some of the topics confronting city government at that time included the Fair Housing Ordinance and the work of the Human Relations Commission, revision of the zoning ordinance and the sign ordinance, Police-Community Relations, and relation with the University of Michigan.

Collection

Wilber M. Brucker Papers, 1877-1968

54 linear feet — 2 oversize folders — 22 GB (online)

Online
Prosecuting attorney of Saginaw County, Michigan, attorney general of Michigan, 1929-1931, governor, 1931-1932, general counsel to the Department of Defense during the Army-McCarthy Hearing, 1954-1955, and Secretary of the Army, 1955-1961. Correspondence, speeches, tapes, appointment books, scrapbooks, photograph albums, newspaper clippings, and other materials concerning his political career.

The Wilber M. Brucker Collection consists of correspondence, subject files, scrapbooks, tape recordings, visual materials, political ephemera, and other materials from a lifelong career in public service. The collection provides significant, though not always extensive, material on his activities as state attorney general, governor, and secretary of the army. In addition, the papers include documentation from Brucker's private career: his law practice, his involvement in the preparation of a plan for the reapportionment of the Michigan Legislature, his devotion to Republican Party causes, his activities with the Knights Templar of Michigan, and as a member of the World War I Rainbow Division. With some exceptions, the early phases of Brucker's life are not as well represented as one might hope. There is really no body of Brucker gubernatorial materials extant. What remains are scattered items, largely concerning the election campaigns of 1930 and 1932.

The collection has been arranged into twelve series: Biographical; Correspondence; Family Papers; Subject Files; Knights Templar; Rainbow Division; Appointment Books; Speeches; Secretary of the Army; Newspaper Clippings; Personal: Albums, Scrapbooks, etc.; and Visual Materials.

Collection

William B. Cudlip papers, 1922-1985

8.5 linear feet

Detroit, Michigan, attorney, Republican regent of University of Michigan; regent’s files; political materials; and personal miscellanea.

The Cudlip collection contains files relating to his activities as regent of the University of Michigan, 1963-1972, to his work as delegate to Michigan's Constitutional Convention, 1961-1962, and as general counsel for the Michigan Bankers Association, 1932-1953. In addition, there is personal and political correspondence, 1922-1985, detailing in part with his involvement in Republican Party affairs, especially his friendship with Michigan Senator Arthur H. Vandenberg and his support of Vandenberg's candidacy for the Republican nomination for president in1940. Other files include speeches relating mainly to banking during the depression; an essay, entitled, "Pages from the diary of a lumberjack"; and notebooks from his University of Michigan Law School classes, 1923-1926.

Collection

William E. Brown papers, 1923-1972

11 linear feet — 3 oversize volumes

Republican mayor of Ann Arbor, Michigan, 1945-1957. The collection consists of topical files on Ann Arbor municipal issues, business records from his real estate and automobile sales ventures, scrapbooks, and photographs

The Brown papers have been arranged into the following series: Topical files; Other mayoralty papers (relating primarily to off-street parking); Scrapbooks; Business records; and Photographs. The Topical files are the largest portion of the collection and include correspondence, reports, newspaper clippings, and miscellanea concerning such issues as housing, the new city charter, off-street parking, the new Veterans Administration Hospital, planning for a new city hall, Brown's election campaigns, and the support given by Brown to Albert E. Cobo in his campaign for governor of Michigan in 1956. The scrapbooks, 1945-1962, contain newspaper clippings and other materials relating to his mayoralty.

Collection

William H. McNitt papers, 1968-1976

5 linear feet

Ann Arbor, Michigan, archivist; collected materials relating to local Democratic Party politics; student papers; and photographs.

The McNitt papers consist of materials collected relating to his interest in, and activities with, the local Democratic Party. Included are newsletters, leaflets, campaign materials and newspaper clippings concerning state, county, and municipal politics, particularly the presidential campaigns of Eugene McCarthy in 1968 and George McGovern in 1972, Ann Arbor City Council and school board elections; the New Democratic Coalition of Michigan; the Human Rights Party; the state presidential primary in 1972; Democratic state conventions; state elections in 1968, 1970, 1972, and 1974; and the election campaign of Congressman Richard F. VanderVeen in 1974.

The collection also includes copies of student papers on topics relating to Michigan history. The titles of these papers are "The Library Extension Movement in Grand Rapids", "Journalism and the Republican Party of Michigan, 1890-1920; A Study of the Michigan Republican Newspaper Association", and "Peace and American Society : Rebecca Shelley and the Peace Movement."

Finally, there are many hundreds of photographs taken by McNitt relating to the construction of the Bentley Library and to the accessioning of the papers of Gerald R. Ford.

Collection

William H. Withington papers [microform], 1853-1909

2 microfilms

Civil War officer, banker, Republican State Representative and Senator from Jackson, Michigan. Correspondence, special orders, notes, business papers, and miscellaneous items, primarily relating to his Civil War service as Colonel of the Seventeenth Michigan Infantry, and to a possible appointment to the U.S. Senate in 1894; also notes on the management of the Withington & Cooley Manufacturing Company, 1895-1903, diary of a European trip, 1897, and photographs.

The papers of William H. Withington consist of correspondence, special orders, notes, and miscellaneous items relating to his Civil War service as Colonel of the Seventeenth Michigan Infantry; business records of the Withington & Cooley Manufacturing Company, correspondence and other material concerning his political career as Republican state legislator and state senator.

This collection is divided into four series: Civil War Activities, Personal Papers, Withington & Cooley Manufacturing Company Records, all of which are arranged chronologically, and Newspaper Clippings.

Collection

William L. Clements papers, 1920-1933

3 linear feet — 1 oversize folder

Bay City, Michigan, industrialist, Republican member of the University of Michigan Board of Regents, 1909-1933, and founder of the William L. Clements Library. University and regental files concerning selection of university presidents and other university affairs; and photographs.

The collection consists of regental papers arranged alphabetically by correspondent. There is also a smaller series of photographic portraits. Clements' correspondents include University of Michigan presidents, administrators, faculty, as well as other members of the board of regents.

Collection

William Lucas Papers, 1965-1986 (majority within 1975-1986)

34 linear feet — 1 oversize folder — 25.2 GB (online) — 7 digital audiovisual files

Online
Wayne County sheriff, 1969-1982, Wayne County Executive, 1983-1986, and Republican candidate for governor of Michigan, 1986. Correspondence, subject files, clippings, videotapes, and photographs primarily concerning his work as sheriff and county executive, and his gubernatorial campaign.

The William Lucas Papers consist of manuscript and audiovisual materials which primarily document economic and social affairs in Wayne County, when Lucas served as county executive, and Lucas's campaign for governor in 1986. There are few materials on Lucas's career prior to his service as Wayne County executive. His gubernatorial campaign is documented in a somewhat piecemeal fashion, and study of it would be enhanced by the use of oral interviews. Media coverage of the campaign, however, has been preserved quite thoroughly. The Lucas Papers (34 linear feet) are comprised of six series: Personal, Wayne County Offices, Political, Clippings, Videotapes, and Photographs.