Collections

The collection, 2011-2016, includes accreditation materials, brochures, handbooks, webpages, and posters documenting the history of CMU. CMED.

The collection, 2011-2016, includes accreditation materials, brochures, handbooks, webpages, and posters documenting the history of CMU. CMED. This collection is not the official organizational records of CMED. The collection is organized by size and then alphabetically. The collection is ongoing.

Essays by Hepler.

The collection consists of fourteen essays written by Hepler between 1937 and 1980, as well as correspondence relating and reactions to the essays. These essays range in content and style from academic to newspaper feature articles. Topics including ROTC, educational philosophy, Michigan authors, nineteenth century periodicals, and Zimbabwe received serious attention from Hepler. Topics such as fairs in Saginaw (Michigan), the Grand Rapids and Indiana Railroad Company, pioneer life in Leelanau (Michigan), the steamer Beeghly, as well as his own life, are well researched but less thorough. Photographs of Zimbabwe and research material are also included in the collection.

The papers include photographic materials, and papers about Norm Lyon's personal and family life, his work as an oil field reporter and photographer for the MIchigan Oil and Gas News (MOGN), and his work as a photographer for the Mount Pleasant Daily Times News.

The collection consists of two main types of formats, photographic materials and papers. The photographic materials include: film negatives, strip negatives (multiple images on 35 mm film negatives), single image negatives, photographs, photograph and negative albums, transparencies, and paste-ups (for MOGN publications). The papers include: correspondence, reports, articles, newspaper clippings, obituaries, maps, and other materials.

The collection has materials from 1929-1930, 1933-1956, 1959-1977, 1979-1985, 1987-1989, 1991, and undated materials of this time period. Many undated negatives can be dated to the 1930s by the size and format of the negative material. Other papers in the collection that predate 1929 are in reality either later (ca.1960s) copies of pre-1929 materials or later (ca. 1950-1960s) notes about times prior to 1929.

The smallest part of the collection documents Norm Lyon’s family, mostly in negatives. Documented here are his wife, Phyllis, children, JoAnn and Dick, their pet dog, “Rip”, relatives, friends, and home life. The children are well documented as infants, at Christmas, 1937, 1940-1941, in Halloween costumes, on family vacations, particularly to Niagara Falls, 1941, and Leonidas (Mich.), while camping, playing with little friends and Rip, in the snow, or with their favorite toys. Phyllis is documented with the children, particularly when they were babies and toddlers, with lady friends working on craft projects, on vacation, and in general sitting and knitting. Norm is rarely photographed except for when he broke his leg and a few portrait shots, all undated The whole family is documented on vacations, camping or at Leonidas (Mich.), at Christmas, playing cards, and while visiting with friends and relatives. Most of the images are negatives and date from approximately 1935 to 1945. A few photographs, probably of the Lyon family or their friends and relatives also are included in the collection, notably in weddings, graduations, or anniversary photographs. None of these photographs are identified.

Civic and other organizations in which Norm was active, particularly the Mount Pleasant Kiwanis Club and the Pere Marquette Club, are documented in both negatives and photographs.

Norm’s work with the Mount Pleasant Daily Times recorded life in Mount Pleasant and the surrounding central Michigan area. Most of the images are negatives and include downtown Mount Pleasant parades, Christmas and Halloween decorations, downtown events and sales, politics, juries, veterans, meetings of various boards, the Indian Hall Dedication of July 7, 1940, Isabella County Fairs, 1947-1948 and 1956, the dedication of the new airport, the opening of Island Park swimming pool, paving streets, city offices, police (both state and local), accidents, fires, various clubs and civic groups particularly the Boy and Girl Scouts, American Legion, Archery Club, Elks Club, 4-H and FFA, Jaycees, Kiwanis, and Lions Club, as well as the local schools and sports teams, and the widening of US-127.

Other Michigan localities documented in negatives include the Pre-Edenville Dam, 1941, Reed City, 1940 (?), Ithaca, 1935, 1937, the Arenac Salt Plant, 1940, and Barrier Salt (Armada), 1966.

Central Michigan University (CMU) is documented as well. Negatives of the Cornerstone Ceremony at Rachel Tate Hall, 1956, the Construction of the Arts and Crafts Building, 1947, are included. Other images of note include the College Hop, 1936, Doc. Sweeney’s Gym[nastics] Troupe, 1942, the Football Team, 1934 and ca.1930s, Homecoming, including football players and a parade, 1935, as well as practice session negatives of both men’s baseball and women’s basketball, and the team image of the Men’s Basketball Team, 1942 are included. Photographs of CMU document most notably the Central State Training College Training School Fire of January. 8, 1933, general building images, and people, including the men’s baseball team, undated

Other unidentified negatives, probably documenting Mount Pleasant and the related area, include: suicides, squatters, farmers, agricultural scenes and products, and farm animals, hot air balloons, vehicles, trains, voting polls, buildings (interior and exterior shots), fires in general, and the Wolscheid Fire, 1948, in particular. Related photographs also mostly of the Mount Pleasant area, document children, buildings, the Kiwanis Club, street paving, snow storms, city vehicles, and the Chippewa Centennial Queen and Runner-up, 1967.

The largest group of negatives, as well as some of the photographs, documents oil exploration and production businesses in Michigan, 1930s-1980s.

Within the oil topics, a large number of negatives and photographs, 1930s-1970s, document men, most of whom are in groups wearing suits, usually holding drinks and cigarettes. While most of these men are unidentified, some are partially identified and other photographs or negatives are dated. It is highly likely that they all are attending Association meetings. One particular set of negatives shows men at the Mount Pleasant Country Club, watching a couple of go-go dancers, 1966.

Other negatives show groups of men who were probably connected with the oil industry relaxing, at meetings, playing cards, fishing, golfing, or hunting. A funny negative shows a group of men dressed up as women golfers. Numerous other images show men in groups either working in or visiting oil fields. The negatives of men in groups span 1935 through 1975, and undated. The photographs of men in groups span the 1960s.

There are also a smaller number of negatives of men who are working in fields unrelated to the oil business, such as in general stores.

Lastly, there are a number of negatives, 1930s-1970s, and some photographs, 1960s, of individual men in the Men-Portraits folders, some of which are identified either by surname or date. While a number of the men may be well known in the oil industry, the most famous central Michigan names associated with the Purple Gang are Isaiah Leebove, circa 1937, and Jack Livingston, undated, circa 1930s, both documented in photographs. Another famous Michigander is Spikehorn [John E.] Meyer (d. 1956) of Harrison, Michigan, 1940s, undated (photographed with his pet deer and bear, and people, including children). Spikehorn is documented in negatives and a few photographs.

A few Michigan politicians are also found in the collection, probably while campaigning, and include governors Soapy [G. Mennen] Williams and Kim Sigler (in negatives) and George Romney (in photographs).

The largest and arguably the most important part of the collection documents the oil exploration and production business throughout the state of Michigan, 1930s-1970s. A few images of the oil business in Texas, Florida, Ohio, and Illinois are also included.

The collection documents in detail the entirety of the oil business, from maps, drilling, core samples, construction of rigs, storage tanks, shipping oil, fires and other disaster, to seismology. Changes and developments in field equipment are recorded, from horse-drawn vehicles, wooden derricks, and using tractor-powered vehicles to sink well pipes to diesel-powered equipment and full-scale production refineries.

Major topics related to the oil exploration and production business in Michigan are well documented by negatives in the collection. These topics include the Association meetings, parties, and other outings, usually baseball or golf, 1940-1974, undated, and Buildings and Plants, most of which are identified, including non-Michigan locations. Plants with a large number of images include: Gaylord, 1967-1971; Gulf-Bateson, 1935, 1940-1942, undated, Gulf-Bay City, 1939-1941, undated and Gulf-General, 1941; Hilliard’s in Roscommon County and Vogel Centre, 1941, 1967; Kalkaska, including Shell Oil Co., 1969-1972, 1974; McClure (various locations), 1966, 1969-1971 and 1975; Porter fields, 1933, 1936, 1939-1940, undated; Pure Oil Co., 1930s, 1936, 1939-1940, undated; Reed City (MI), 1941, Roosevelt Refinery, Mount Pleasant, 1940, 1943, 1947, undated; Saginaw, 1937, 1941, 1975, undated; Shell Oil Co., 1970-1974; Sun Oil Co., 1940-1941, 1965-1966; Tekonsha, Michigan,1966-1967, 1969; and Wise Township (Isabella County), 1940-1941, undated.

Other oil business subjects well documented by negatives include Derricks, both identified and dated, 1930s-1970s, and those neither identified nor dated, including rigs blown down, destroyed, off-shore, and tilting. Fires are also well documented, particularly the Roosevelt fire, 1933, Six Lakes fire, 1974, Struble Well fire, 1934, and the Woods Well fire, circa 1930s. Gas and Gas Plants, Gushers, and Land Leases, Sales, and Landsmen are fairly well documented. The Oil Expos[itions] of 1935-1937 are well documented, showing various exhibiters, their equipment, signs, salesmen, and attendees. Oil Scouts, Pipes, Pumps, and Storage Tanks are also documented. Negatives of refineries, mostly undated, which are well documented included McClanahan Refinery, Toledo Pipe Refinery (Ohio), 1935-1936, and Total Refinery (probably located in Alma. Well sites are well documented in Buckeye, 1936-1938, Durbin, 1935, and Sherman Rocks, 1937.

Brine and gas exploration, laying of lines or pipes, plants and gas stations are also documented, mostly by negatives.

The oil business is also documented in photographs, which mostly dated from the 1960s. Buildings and Plants documented here include Bay Refining Co., and Belle River Gas, 1967, Simrall Pipeline Corp., and Durbin Station. Other topics covered include: Core Samples; Derricks, including Hilliard and McCloud for 1961; Fires, 1961-1963, Florida (Orange County), 1965; Gushers; McClure Drilling Co., Equipment on a Ferryboat, 1961, Pumps; Sinkholes, Storage Tanks; and Wells Sites, including Off-Shore sites.

The Transparencies also document the oil business in Michigan. The Slides nearly all document the oil business in the early 1970s, including the Crawford Well Fire, 1976; Derricks; Kalkaska; seismology, rigs, equipment, fires, core samples, pumps, storage tanks, various people, McClure, equipment, etc.

The partial reels of 35 mm film all are labeled in some form. One partial reel found in Box 11 appears to be personal. Otherwise, all the partial reels in Box 12 document an oil hearing, 1971-1973, McClure, Natural Resource Commission, etc.

The Oversized Folders include photographs (2 folders) and paste-ups (1 folder), all related to Norm’s publishing work with the oil industry.

The Papers are a small part of the collection. Found here are articles and reprints of articles about the Michigan oil business; an oil drilling notebook reports, maps, and other oil related materials. Pigeon River, and the blowout at Williamsburg, 1973-1974 are specifically documented here. The rest of the Papers documents Norm Lyons in biographical information, including correspondence, obituaries notices (of Norm and Phyllis), newspaper clippings, notes, and speeches, and information about the Mount Pleasant Kiwanis Club, particularly their 50th Anniversary in 1983. Other people, probably his friends or oil associates are documented briefly in correspondence and newspaper clippings.

Processing Note: This was a challenging collection to process for several reasons. First, it arrived in a state of complete disorder. Many of the images, negatives and positives, were without any form of identification. Secondly, a number of negatives were often in one wax-paper sleeve with either little or no identifying information or a lot of information that did not always seem to apply to the contents. For example one sleeve might have 15 negatives of different men and the names of only two men on it. Norm’s writing was often difficult to read, particularly when he used his own style of abbreviations. Students and Marian tried mightily to identify and read his notations. Also, some of the photographs were identified by Norm as belonging to various years. As we could, we maintained that grouping. That is why there are photographs in a folder 1965-1967 (we do not know which individual photographs date from which year) and other photographs in a folder strictly labeled 1967 only. Simply sleeving the collection took nearly three months while sorting it took longer. Some items were identifiable only using a lightbox and loupe.

The collection consists of correspondence, reports, minutes, photographs and negatives, publications, and newspaper clippings (copies) of units within the Council.

The collection consists of correspondence, financial and membership reports, and meeting minutes relating to Summer Trails Council, Saginaw Bay Area Council, and Lake Huron Area Council. Much of the correspondence and related materials concerns issues related to the merger of Summer Trails and Valley Councils in 1961 and the consequent transfer of ownership of Bear Lake Scout Camp. Also included are copies of newspaper clippings regarding scouting activities, 1936-1976 (scattered) and a nearly complete run of Saginaw Bay Area Council Scouter (later Lake Huron Area Council Scouter) (newsletter), 1961-1972. The Articles of Incorporation for both Bay City (Summer Trails) and Valley Trails Councils are also included. There is also an entire box containing photographs of camp activities and buildings as well as of general Scouting events. Oversized photographs, which are glued onto cardboard for an exhibit, document the organizational meeting of the council on June 29, 1971 at Delta College.

Part of the pre-merger troops are documented in the records of the BSA. Paul Bunyan Council No. 259 (Midland, Mich.), which is also in the Clarke.

The family papers contains biographical materials, photographs, letters, postcards, travel papers, scrapbooks, photograph albums, and a leather wallet.

The Horn Family Papers, 1914-2022, and updated, contains biographical materials, photographs, letters, postcards, travel papers, scrapbooks, photograph albums, and a leather wallet. There are nine boxes of varying size, totaling three cubic feet. The papers are organized by size and alphabetically. Materials are in English and German. The majority of the collection consists of photographs of four generations of the Horn family. There are photographs of Wilhelm Horn in the German army in WWI and in the Stobs POW Camp in Scotland. Many folders contain Wilhelm and Anna’s immigration and citizenship documents for the United States and letters from the Horn Family in Germany sent to family members in Michigan. Wilhelm’s war service booklet, Wilhem and Anna’s German passports, and postcards are in German. Three folders contain educational materials from Frances Horn while she was in school. “My Wedding” by Frances Horn is a portfolio she made while in school of her ideal wedding. Wilhelm Horn’s military record is in German. Box 6 contains 2022 paper copies of digital documents that were originally contained on a CD. Box 4 is the only legal-size (.25 cubic foot) box with birth certificates, estate papers, immigration papers, and a membership paper for the Order of the Eastern Star. Five oversized photograph albums and scrapbooks complete the collection. The scrapbooks, mostly 1940s-1950s, were created by Elsie and Frances Horn. Besides photographs, these include programs from Saginaw concerts, Arthur Hill High School (Saginaw), the Saginaw Bears (a minor league baseball team), Detroit Lions and Tigers games, Central Normal School Homecoming, Saginaw sporting events, including track meets in which Fran competed, and Job’s Daughters (of which Fran was a member) photographs and programs, souvenirs from programs and dances, and newspaper clippings.

Processing Note: During processing 1.5 cubic feet of materials were withdrawn and returned to the owner as per the donor agreement, including duplicates, miscellaneous letters, blanks, reading materials, out-of-scope material, and miscellaneous publications. Five publications titles were separately cataloged, including four books and a newspaper.

The collection documents Shorts' business and insurance acumen, career, and interests, with numerous materials, 1914-1975, and undated.

Most of the collection documents R. Perry Shorts’ business and insurance career, acumen, and interests, particularly in his Articles, Speeches, Photographs and Insurance Decisions, which are typed notes on cards. His social activities and interests, including: education, patriotism, CMU and U. of M., youth groups, and charitable organizations, are documented in same series, as well as in Biographical Materials and Miscellaneous Materials.

Shorts’ banking interests, particularly the history of the Second National Bank of Saginaw and the National Bank of Detroit, American business history, interests, and views, are well documented in his speeches and articles.

The only personal material is found in Shorts’ limited correspondence with his family and friends, and in some photographs. There is no material about his wife and children.

Additionally, the Clarke Historical Library has two publications by Shorts. Currently, the Clarke has no tape-to-tape players or 16 mm film projectors available to listen to the recordings.

See CMU Photograph Files for pictures of Kelly/Shorts (formerly known as Perry Shorts) Stadium. For more information on Hannah Mary Shorts Vowles, see her biography, as written by Jane P. Cole, which is available at Clarke Historical Library. Also of interest are the papers of James S. Symons, which include a memorial resolution that was signed by R. Perry Shorts, among others. These papers are also available at the Clarke.

The collection includes correspondence, scrapbooks, publications, miscellaneous, lists of officers, newspaper clippings (copies), convention programs, and other materials.

The collection includes Bulletins (newsletters) of the Saginaw chapter, 1921-1933, and Michigan chapter, 1923-1926; By-laws, undated; correspondence between the state and Saginaw chapters, 1922-1935, undated; miscellaneous; information on various topics of interest to the chapter, 1919-1930s, undated; lists of officers, undated, and activities, 1928-29 and 1932; meeting minutes, mostly of the Executive Board, November 1, 1925-April 26, 1935; newspaper clippings (photocopies of individual clippings and scrapbook pages), 1924-1945. A few photographs are also in the scrapbooks.

A few LWV Michigan items are also included, such as Annual Convention Programs, 1926, 1938, and 1942; miscellaneous; list of officers, undated; and scattered meeting minutes of the Board of Directors, 1933-1935 and 1941.

Processing Note: Duplicates and publications of the LWV (U.S.) were withdrawn. The Scrapbook on Suffrage was extremely acidic and nearly its entire contents were loose and brittle. All clippings were photocopied and the contents were removed from the volume and placed into folders. Other loose newspaper clippings from other scrapbooks were also photocopied.

The collection consists mostly of personal Sovereign family materials rather than Aladdin company records. Formats include paper, photographs, negatives, slides, films, oversized scrapbooks, blueprints, homework, some business records, and court and legal documents. MOLD/ALLERGY ALERT: Please note that the collection was treated in spring 2012 for mildew and mold and then deacidified. Some of the materials retain an unpleasant odor. Researchers with allergies should be careful when using the collection.

MOLD/ALLERGY ALERT: Please note that the collection was treated in spring 2012 for mildew and mold and then deacidified. Some of the materials retain an unpleasant odor. Researchers with allergies should be careful when using the collection.

Aladdin Company is organized by size and then into the following sub-series, which are organized alphabetically and chronologically:

Aladdin Advertising, 1920-1969, and undated, in 1 box, 1 Oversized folder (.25 cubic ft.). This is advertising about Aladdin products. Oversized items include a Dog and house drawing with text,“I, too own an Aladdin…”, undated, and “Good houses never grow old”, undated.

Aladdin Business Dealing, which includes business agreements, correspondence, reports, employee records and photographs, 1918-1980, and undated, in 2 boxes, 1 Oversized folder (1 cubic ft.).

Aladdin-Founders of Aladdin, 1911-1975, undated, which consists mostly of Will J. Sovereign’s journals, 1927-1963, a few of these are Will F. Sovereign’s diaries. The series also includes photographs, legal correspondence, accounts, death information, stock certificates, and other certificates and information about the founders, in 4 boxes (3.25 cubic ft.). There is correspondence from “Nig” (Nigel) a friend in Box 6. Of special interest is “Transcript to Lewis, Edmond, and Watkins vs. United States, Filed February 1923,” a transcript to a court case regarding the theft of founder of the Aladdin Company, Will J. Sovereign’s yacht, the “Aladdin,” by rum runners from Canada during Prohibition.

Aladdin Housing, 1911-1983, undated, which documents some of the houses Aladdin sold, customer communications, and 1826 McKinley House, in a variety of formats including memorabilia (a tool belt and Aladdin lamp), various photographic materials, articles in 2 boxes (.75 cubic ft.).

Aladdin Miscellaneous, 1921-1989, undated, with manuals, articles, and reports from Hattiesburg, Mississippi, Bay City, Michigan, Portland, Oregon, and Wilmington, North Carolina in 2 boxes (.75).

Aladdin Oil [business interests], 1927-1972, and undated in 2 boxes (.75 cubic ft.) including photographic materials, advertising, legal records, information on the Roscommon Well and Pere Marquette Railway Company.

The Divorce Case, 1951-1970, and undated in 3 boxes (2.25 cubic ft.). The series, documenting the very long, acrimonious divorce case between Mary and Will F. Sovereign which resulted in Michigan’s No Fault Divorce Law, is notable for the amount and types of information. This series contains a vast amount of spy and detective information in regards to the two parties involved in the case, transcripts from the detectives’ notes and from recorded phone calls, photographs, lawyer correspondence and memoirs, and court documents.

Family papers are organized by size and subdivided by names of the creator, and include:

Billy Sovereign Papers, consists of Awards and Certificates and photographic materials, 1955-1958, and undated, in 1 box (.5 cubic ft.). Of interest here is “Billy’s College Career, 1966, 1971,” which includes notes and homework from Central Michigan University. See Sovereign Youth/Academic and Divorce Case series for more information on Billy.

Jeanette Lempke Sovereign Papers, 1916-1980, and undated, in 2 boxes (.75 cubic ft.). Her papers include photographs, articles, awards and various certificates about her career, material documenting her marriage, crash, death [not from the crash], and estate.

Sally Sovereign Papers, 1928-1970, and undated, in 2 boxes (.75 cubic ft.). Her papers include correspondence to/from Sally, photographs, and miscellaneous.

Will F. Sovereign Papers, 1922-1981, and undated, in 1 box (.5 cubic ft.) include business and personal correspondence, including personal correspondence from someone named “Tiny”, 1972-1976, accounts, awards and certificates, and photographs.

Will F. Sovereign War/Military Papers, 1941-1947, and 1957, and undated, in 2 boxes (.75 cubic ft.) include a diary, correspondence, photographic material, government and military documents, propaganda, and a diary, 1942-1943. Will tried several times to enlist and eventually served in 553rd Army Air Force Base unit from July 15, 1944 to January 24, 1946.

Sovereign Youth/ Academic, 1906-1971 (scattered), and undated, in 2 boxes (.75 cubic ft.) includes homework, certificates, degrees, birthday information, childhood letters and memorabilia, awards, and information on the academic careers of Billy, Sally, and Will F.

There are seven Oversized folders, the contents of Advertising, Business Dealing, and Family papers are described in the series description above.

The last three Oversized folders include various types of architectural records. See the Box and Folder Listing for more detail. Folder #5 is Miscellaneous, 1909-1952 (scattered) and undated, and includes company charts, plans for furniture and Aladdin home parts, and various properties. Folders 6 and 7 consist mostly of blue-line prints of houses, notably Residence for Mr. and Mrs. W.F. Sovereign, Bay City, the yacht “Aladdin”, and land plots in Bay City, Midland, and Saginaw, Michigan.

Oversized volumes. Four of these oversized volumes are acidic scrapbooks about the company and family, three are dated 1929, and one is dated 1929-1932. The two others oversized volumes include a lovely, published, undated volume entitled Industrial Housing in a velvet cover (in box), and a business volume entitled Cars Forwarded which documents the shipping of Aladdin products in railroad cars, 1937-1941.

Other formats include films and slides. There are eleven films, #1 is of Aladdin ranch homes being built, undated; #2 is of a St. Patrick's day parade in Bay City, 1959; and #3-11 are of an air show at James Clements Airport, Bay City, 1972. Also, there is a slide box of slides on Aladdin finished products, a mill building, church construction, and family, mostly Billy Sovereign (See Box Listing for more detail.)

The collection includes: personal and business correspondence, financial statements, contract information, certificates, sales reports, Christmas cards, Saginaw social club information, World War I information, and other materials.

The collection was process by different groups of student processors over years. Series 1 Papers, 1833, 1976, undated, 3.5 cubic ft. (in 7 boxes, 2 Ov. v.); Series 2 Papers, 1833, 2009, undated, 6.5 cubic ft. (in 13 boxes, 3 Ov. v.); Series 3 Sections 1-4 Papers, Approximately 6.25 cubic ft. (in 14 boxes, 3 Oversized Folders, 1 folder).

Series 3 includes materials mostly in English, but some are in German, which is noted in the Box and Folder Listing.

Section 1 consists primarily of business correspondence, 1903, 1940, and a few are undated. Boxes 1-3 are letter-size boxes, Box 4 is legal-size, and all are .5 cubic foot boxes.

Box 1 consists primarily of business correspondences, with a slight deviation from Abbie Glaize, even though her correspondences are business related, and from responses to job advertisements. The business correspondences primarily date from 1905 to 1910, with a sudden deviation at the end with late a folder consisting of 1916-1917 materials. The Abbie Glaize materials bring about a peak of interest, as later on her husband ends up filing for bankruptcy and the correspondence she sends out afterwards have a different tone to them.

Box 2 contains material from 1903 to 1917. While the box consists primarily of personal and family correspondences, there is one folder containing financial correspondence. But even the personal and family letters tend to have their own twists to them. Some folders consist of largely single-family subjects or persons of interest, such as the correspondence folders between Edward and Paul Morley.

Box 3 contains material from 1903 to 1918. The box contains a variety of materials, including continuing correspondences, financial statements, miscellaneous items, contract information, certificates, sales reports, and even a sarcastic response to the Women’s Rights movement by Walter Morley himself. The Sales Report folder consists of a sampling of reports that were saved, in which roughly 20% of the original documents were recovered.

Box 4 contains material from 1905 to 1918, with one item from 1940. This box contains a variety of materials, including correspondences, financial statements, and mixed materials. There are a few notable pieces to mention, however, including a special piece of correspondence from the mayor of Saginaw, William B. Baum, and a list of members of the Board of Trade.

Section 2 consists primarily of Business and Personal correspondence by Paul F.H. Morley in 1909, and 1911-1914. There is also one box of 1909 correspondence from Edward W. Morley. The collection is arranged chronologically and alphabetically.

Paul’s correspondence varies from personal letters to his wife, to a confrontation with Charter Features regarding one of their employees and his attempt to scam the Morley family (in box 6). Paul also corresponded frequently with John Prindle Scott, a composer from New York who would periodically visit Saginaw and teach voice lessons. He also received a poem written by Edwin L. Sabin, a poet from Clinton, Iowa (in box 2). This poem is not duplicated in the collection on Edwin Sabin at the University of Iowa. It is a witty piece commenting on advertising in the twentieth century.

Bert also sent his brother a series of sketches attributed to a D. Nelson (in box 6) demonstrating theater fashion. Bert’s letter indicates the artist wished to become a costume designer and hoped the Morleys would help him in this endeavor. No further correspondence with Bert or the artist regarding this matter was found in the collection.

Paul also seems to have been particular about the nationality of individuals in his household employ. Throughout 1914, he requested the service of an agency specializing in the procurement of German governesses as well as soliciting for the position himself. He seems very particular in his letters (in box 6) that he wants a governess of German origin who also spoke English extremely well. Some of these letters are in German. Paul also enjoyed having a Japanese cook and butler, and advertised for the positions when his old employees resigned (in box 3).

In 1911, Paul hired the Mooney and Boland Agency to send an “operative” to observe employees in the Saginaw Hardware store. The reports (in box 3) detail the actives in the store while the operative was there. The reports do not include any incidents of stealing, but there are a few references to employees work ethic and wasting time.

Section 3 includes Personal and Business Correspondence, 1914-1915, and 1920. In Box 1 (Box 11 in the encoded finding aid) are the following: Folder 1. Among the Business Correspondence there is a copy of a letter from a Mr. Smith, Register of Deeds suggesting that A.J. Morley list his wife on his personal property deeds.

Folder 2. Mr. A.J. Morley’s business correspondence shows him to be a rather amiable person. His business related letters often include personal anecdotes and personal inquiries after his employees and business partners. This is most apparent in A.J. Morley’s communication with his Secretary, Charles C. Rose, which he often signs as “Your Sincere Friend.” For further reference see Morley’s telegram to the Rose family in the Holiday Letters folder.

Folder 3. Among the Christmas Cards are many selections of non-denominational holiday greetings. Included in this folder is a card from a business associate, E.C. Atkins and Company Inc. Also included is an invitation to a holiday ball from the Gray Harbor Shriners Club. Another item of note is a card showing a racist rendering of an African-American “Mammy” looking after some affluent Caucasian children.

Folder 4. The Holiday Letter correspondence also includes interesting insights into the Morley family. Again we see A.J. Morley mixing personal and business correspondence in his holiday letters to family as well as business partners. Most of the letters give an update to the family’s status, such as where the children are attending schools and what achievements they have accomplished. Included is an interesting letter written by Mr. Morley to Headmistress A.G. Hensley regarding the grades his daughter, Helen, received. The report card is included. There are also several letters that A.J. Morley writes to his mother-in-law, Mrs. Hicok, referencing sending her to Hinsdale Sanitarium of Illinois. Additional letters regarding his wife, Elizabeth/Bessie/Betsy remark upon her ill health and “slight derangement” during the holiday season.

In Box 2 (Box 12 in the encoded finding aid)are found the following: Folder 1. Among the General Business Correspondence are several letters regarding the Wright, Stone and Wells Estates.

Folder 2. The Club Member Materials were kept of note to indicate the level of involvement Paul Morley had within his community as part of the Um-Zoo-Ee Dance Club, Saginaw Country Club and the Saginaw Canoe Club.

Folder 3. Paul Morley’s Hotel Requests indicate the high manners of the time period and the high status that his position demanded.

Folder 4. The correspondence between Paul Morley and his brother, Walter Morley, often reference the events of World War I, including an inquiry by Paul as to whether a war film would be made about the incident. There is also a mention of the scarlet fever. We also learn that Walter Morley had his car stolen in Detroit.

Folder 5. Paul Morley’s correspondence with George F. Schreiber is extensive. Paul supported George financially both during and after his college education, the reason for which is unknown. Included are a voluminous number of letters written by George as he traveled across country and by sea to Alaska. The two men wrote often in regards to World War I. Their correspondence revealed that Paul Morley Jr. contracted stipe anterior poliomyelitis, also known as polio. (For more information on George F. Schreiber refer to Elizabeth Edward’s Morley Finding Aid.)

Folder 6. There are also a significant number of letters written between Paul Morley and John Prindle Scott. Scott was a voice teacher in Saginaw before becoming the famous author, lecturer, educator, singer and composer. A photograph of Mr. Scott is included in the collection. (For more information on John Prindle Scott refer to Elizabeth Edward’s Morley Finding Aid.)

Folder 7. The correspondence of lawyer Wallis C. Smith includes several colorful anecdotes, such as the mention of a “German nobleman episode” as well as business with Improvement Co. and Consolidated Coal Co.

Folder 8. There is a very intriguing set of letters from the Morley children’s governess, Sophie Theilheimer, who accounts her life story as a Jewish girl from Germany raised to be a Presbyterian.

Folder 9. The various correspondence from landscape designer Aubrey Tealdi is worthy of note. The descriptions of the garden plans give the reader an idea both of how the grounds of the original state were arranged and the amount of wealth the Morleys had at their disposal. Blue prints of the original estate are included (See Oversized Folder 1).

Folder 13. This is a selection of letters regarding purchases paid from Tiffany’s Co. of New York. Included are several letters in which Paul Morley dictates, extensively, the manner in which his Christmas cards should be made.

In Legal Folder 1 are found the following: Of note are the contents of the Stocks and Statistics Folder. There is a listing of the persons employed by the company for the 1920 year. The listing is extremely detailed and broken up into statistics by month and occupation. There are also two information packets on stock that the company bought in the Heinz Company, of Heinz Ketchup, and Canadian Gold Bonds. This use of company resources to branch out into the world of finance is exemplary of the expanding finance market of the early 1920s. Also included in this section is a pamphlet regarding a status report of trade and goods of America and foreign markets. This is indicative of a growing awareness of global finance and was possibly a contributing factor to the Morley Company’s success.

Section 4 consists primarily of business correspondences, 1915-1919, and 1925. Box 1 (Box 13 in the encoded finding aid) has a variety of notices from several insurance companies (Aetna, the Guarantee Company of North America, and the New England Casualty Company) concerning at-work accidents, including a suspicious case, where a Geo. Gollifer was injured after running a thistle into his foot (1915- New England Casualty Co.). Account ledgers from 1918, list all of the businesses that owed money to the Morley Brothers, as well as reasons why the accounts were not paid. There is a letter from the Michigan Public Utilities Commission stating that the delay in receiving commodities shipped by railroad was caused by railroad car shortages, due to the retention of loaded cars full of coal, which had a poor market in Michigan. Plans on how and when to load cars to maximize efficiency are also included.

Other letters of interest are: a letter from a dissatisfied business, F.J. Reader and Sons, concerning barrels full of rotten apples, and one from the Michigan Inspection Bureau concerning improvements recommended for the sprinkler system.

There are correspondences with the Otis Elevator Company also. Morley hired the company to remove their old elevator and install a new one in the shop. Blueprints and design guidelines were attached and are located in the oversize folder.

A sampling of applications from 1919 has been retained in the collection to show skills and talents that were desired for employees of the Morley Brother’s Company. It appears that Morley Brothers was a popular company for young men, who had just returned home from service in WWI, to seek employment at.

Morley’s proof of membership to the Gateway Movement for the years 1916-1917 is also included. According to the membership form, the Gateway Movement was created to ‘combat Socialism.’

Box 2 (Box 14 in the encoded finding aid) contains materials from the years 1919 and 1925.

Internal notices that were circulated within the company include, one asking employees to stop leaving their bicycles in the storage room, and a reminder that the store closes at 5:00 pm, and, therefore, no one should leave to wash-up before then.

An inspection of the company was made in 1919 by the Standard Accident Insurance Company. Numerous repairs were required for the elevator.

Subscriptions to different labor magazines and to the Bay City Times Tribune to promote the “Buy in Bay City Campaign” of 1919, and the order of one hundred copies of Chet Williams’ book, “The Knack of Getting Ahead” are also included.

The letters from the American Bankers League in 1925 are indicative of the Revenue Act passed in 1926 by President Coolidge. The Revenue Act of 1926 reduced inheritance and personal income taxes, cancelled many excise imposts, eliminated the gift tax and ended public access to federal income tax returns, while also levying a rate of 13.5% on the net income of corporations. In the letters, leaders of the organization are arguing for support from members for a tax reduction and the elimination of the Capital Stock Tax.

The bank notices from 1925 announce multiple bankers’ decisions to charge for collections following the “laborer is worthy of his hire” ideology.

Other interesting correspondences include a letter from the Saginaw County Tuberculosis Association, asking the company to donate money for the Christmas season, and an invitation to the Annual Meeting of the Retail Merchants Credit Bureau.

A sampling of business receipts is also part of the collection and include one to the Detroit Police Dept., for shells, and the Adjustment Bureau.

Processing Note: Materials that were withdrawn from the collection include duplicates, peripheral mateirals, and acidic materials, which were copied and the copies then added to the collection, receipts, acknowledgements of payment, and other documents regarding finances. Five cubic feet total of material was withdrawn from Series 3 Sections 1-4 during processing.

Musical collection, 1901-1927, documents the music a Saginaw, Michigan, dance band played, and Michigan publishers, distributors of music, and/or composers, and some Michigan tunes.

This Musical Collection, 1901-1927, undated, 3.5 cubic ft. (in 7 boxes, 1 Ov. folder), consists mostly of published, copyrighted dance band music. This collection documents Michigan music publishing companies and distribution companies used by dance bands prior to 1930, and, to a lesser extent, some individual Michigan publishers and/or composers, including Susie Adams, Joseph H. Hughes, and R. Harry Richardson. The smaller publishers may have been Michigan town newspaper publishers. There are also some examples of tunes with Michigan or a Michigan town in the title. Overall the music is in good condition, but some of it is becoming acidic. There are some songs which are incomplete, missing, for example, a trumpet or viola part. All of the music is letter-size except for the one folder of oversized music.

Most of the music was published by the Detroit branch of New York publisher Jerome H. Remick. Other publishers include: Jos. H. Hughes, Saginaw, and Michigan Music P.C. [Publishing Company], Saginaw. [Joseph H. Hughes is listed in OCLC as a composer who worked with arranger R. Harry Richardson. They composed a patriotic song, “I love my home land,” which was published in Saginaw in 1917.]

The collection is organized as follows: Basic dance band music from these three publishers, organized alphabetically by title (Boxes 1-5); 2-sided, dance band music with one song printed on the front side, and a second song printed on the back side of the same piece of music, organized alphabetically by title (Boxes 6-7). The last two folders in Box 7 include Advertising Materials from the Jerome H. Remick Company, Detroit, 1913-1917, undated; and manuscript music for the tune “She Rests…,” composed by Susie Adams, stamped R. Harry Richardson Co., W. Bay City, 1901. Oversized materials (in 1 Oversized folder) include five songs, three published in Saginaw, two by Jos. H. Hughes and one by Williams Song P.C. The last two songs include one published by the Grinnell Bros., Detroit, 1908, and the song “Ypsilanti,” published by a Chicago firm, undated. For each piece of music the folder label includes: title, composer, publisher name and location, and date. All boxes are letter-size .5 cubic foot, except Box 5 which is letter-size .25 cubic foot.

Processing Notes: During processing approximately 5 cubic feet of materials were withdrawn from the collection and returned to the donor, as per the donor agreement. This material included duplicates, concertina music, published music journals and catalogs, and miscellaneous, peripheral items. A few Michigan business fliers or brochures were added to the Michigan vertical files.