Collections

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

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

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

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

Collection includes copies of French documents re: Detroit military and Indian relations history, letters from a French Register in Quebec, documents in English on same topics, probably copied from Gen. Thomas Gage's papers, and later additions of miscellaneous Detroit history documents in English.

This collection includes nineteenth century copies of French documents concerning early military and Indian relations history, 1698, 1738, and some 1743/1747 letters copied from a French register in Quebec in 1842. Most of these documents were numbered and compiled in a specific order.

There are also documents in English concerning the same topics, 1763, 1766, probably copied from Gen. Thomas Gage’s paper. Gage’s papers are housed at the Clements Library in Ann Arbor.

Lastly, later additions to this collection include various miscellaneous documents in English about Detroit history, 1672, circa 1868? These papers were in the State Papers Office, Military Correspondence Series.

Many variations in spelling are evident throughout the collection.

Lewis Cass (1782-1866) supposedly ordered a copy of documents relating to early Detroit history from France during his years as Governor of Michigan (1813-1831). It is unknown whether or not some of this material could have eventually been purchased at auction for the Clarke.

Special thanks goes to Barbarah Saungweme who translated some of the French language materials.

The papers include Robert Troup's accounts, land papers for New York counties, legal papers,correspondence, miscellaneous, genealogical materials, and materials of his children, Louisa and Robert.

The collection consists mostly of Robert Troup’s Accounts, 1790-1831, undated; Land Papers for New York counties, 1759-1826, undated; Legal Papers, 1812-1831; Correspondence, 1793-1831, undated; Miscellaneous, 1763-1851, undated; Genealogical Materials; and the Papers from two of Robert’s children, Louisa and Charles Goelet Troup. Of note are land documents re: the Puteney Estate, Phelps-Gorham Tract, and the Holland Purchase. Originally, this collection had been split into two separate collections.

The family papers include mostly business and financial records of this early French Detroit, Michigan, and an account of St. Anne's Catholic Church with Campau.

The papers include mostly business correspondence and financial records, including accounts with St. Anne’s Catholic Church (Detroit, Michigan) in 1770, taxes, and accounts relating to the administration of the estates Joseph Campau, administered by Theodore J. and Denys (Denis) J. Campau, and Nic(h)olas Campau, administered by Louis, Joseph, and Barnabas Campau. Other materials include wills, inventories, baptismal certificates, deeds, and a copy of the Campau genealogy. Some of the business correspondence is related to his sons’, Jacques, Nicolas, and Louis, business or financial interests. There is also a document concerning the capitulation of Detroit, 1812. Materials are written mostly in French up to 1849, and, afterwards, in English.

The papers include correspondence, diaries, journals, accounts books, tintypes, prayerbooks, sermons, hymns in Ojibwa, a New Testament in English and Seneca, and photographic images.

Family papers, 1765-1964, and undated, include: correspondence relating to Rev. Bingham's associations with the Baptist Missionary Society, Boston, his ministry at the Tonawanda Indian Mission in New York State, the Baptist Indian Mission at Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, and his social activities in Grand Rapids, Michigan; diaries of Bingham and his wife, journals, account books, and tintypes. Also included are prayer books and hymns in Ojibwa, Bingham's sermons, in English, and a New Testament in both English and Seneca. Among his correspondents is John Claude Buchanan, his son-in-law, whose letters relate to Buchanan's service with the 8th Michigan Infantry during the Civil War, 1861-1864. Three boxes of photographic images complete the collection.

The collection includes correspondence relating to Bingham’s associations with the Baptist Missionary Society, Boston, his ministry at the Tonawanda Indian Mission in New York State, the Baptist Indian Mission at Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, and his social activities in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Correspondents include John Claude Buchanan, Bingham’s son-in-law, relating to his service with the 8th Michigan Infantry during the Civil War.

The collection is also available on 19 reels of positive microfilm Acc# 359 (Section 4, 1 reel) and 444 (18 reels). Some letters are available on 2 reels of positive microfilm Acc# 614 of the American Baptists Foreign Mission Society, 1800-1900, American Indians and 1814-1900, France.

Papers include correspondence, accounts, pension papers, estate papers, bills, receipts, contracts, land and legal records, and miscellaneous of Isaac Bronson.

The collection includes Isaac Bronson’s correspondence, 1792-1839, undated; accounts, 1818-1838, undated; pension papers relative to Isaac Bronson’s claims of service in the Second Regiment of Light Dragoons of the Connecticut Line during the American Revolutionary War, 1828-1846, undated; estate papers, 1842; bills, receipts, contracts, land, legal, and miscellaneous papers, 1792-1861, undated.

The Clarke also has the original papers of Frederic and Arthur Bronson, Isaac’s sons, and the Bronson Family Papers (See those finding aids.). These collections include some additional papers of Isaac Bronson.

On microfilm, the Clarke has the Bronson Family Papers deposited at NYPL (Mss. Micro F-40, 30 reels of positive microfilm). Here, amidst papers of numerous Bronson family members, are found Isaac’s letters, 1802-1838 (reels 1-2), 1820-1832 (reels 11-12), 1833 (reel 19), 1760-1838 and 1814-1836 (reels 20-21). Also available at the Clarke on microfilm are selected papers of Isaac Bronson which are deposited at NYPL (3 reels of negative microfilm, no Acc#). These papers were filmed at the NYPL in 1970 and donated by Dr. John Hager.

The records include circulars regarding business and shipping operations for the Port of Detroit, Michigan, 1790-1827.

The records include 90 letters and 35 printed circulars regarding business and shipping operations for the Port of Detroit, 1790-1827. The records relate to the leveling of duties on goods and merchandise imported on foreign ships and vessels; rules regulating the receipt and distribution of fines, penalties, and forfeitures of foreign vessels; and rules regulating the registration and enrollment of U.S. vessels.

Correspondence regards the appointments of Inspectors of Revenue David Duncan at Michilimackinac, 1803; Matthew Ernest at Detroit, 1800; and William Woodbridge (1780-1861), Inspector and Collector at Detroit, 1814 [later Michigan Governor and U.S. Senator].

Other important Michigan correspondents include Reuben Atwater (1768-1831), Collector of the Port of Detroit [later acting Governor, 1811-1812, and Secretary of the Territory of Michigan, 1808-1814]; Peter Audrain; and A. Gallatin.

Other correspondence concerns the schooners Wilkinson on March 16, 1804; the Eagle and the Champion on April 24, 1816; the Fair American on March 19, 1816; and the Hornet, November 27, 1818.

Most of correspondence is between the Port of Detroit inspectors and the U.S. Treasury Department’s Comptroller’s Office. The collection is arranged in chronological order.

The papers include personal and business papers of seven members of the Bronson and Brinckerhoff families.

The collection includes personal papers and business papers of various members of the Isaac Bronson Family, including: Ann Bronson (1810-1840), Isaac’s daughter; Anna Eliza (Bailey) Bronson (dates unknown), Arthur’s wife; Anna (Olcott) Bronson (d.1850), Isaac’s wife; Charlotte (Brinckerhoff) Bronson (1818-1861), Frederic’s wife; Harriet Bronson (1798-1835), Isaac’s daughter; Laban Bronson (dates unknown); and Oliver Bronson (1799-?), Isaac’s son.

Also included are six volumes, letter books, and scrapbooks of Frederic Bronson (1850-1900), son of Frederic Bronson (1802-1868), while he lived at Verna Farms. The volumes deal with horse and stock breeding.

For additional information, see the Isaac, Arthur, and Frederic Bronson Papers, and the Troup and Brinckerhoff Family Papers.

Bronson Family Papers, 1760-1865, housed in other institutions are available on 30 positive reels of microfilm. (Micro Mss F-40).

Additional reels concerning Isaac, Arthur, and Frederic are noted in their finding aids.

The papers include family correspondence about life in Sherburne, New York, and Marion, Michigan. Civil War correspondence of the New York Infantry 61st Regiment Company G reveals feelings of soldiers and civilians about the war and various battles. Also included are family photographs, obituaries, an autobiographical sketch, and an account book.

The collection includes family correspondence relating to farming and life in New York and Michigan, and the correspondence of Bullock and his comrades of the New York State Infantry 61st Regiment Co. G, revealing feelings of soldiers and civilians on the war, superior officers, the armistice, with descriptions of Fredericksburg, Virginia, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, Harpers Ferry West Virginia, and Sharpsburg, Maryland. Also included are family obituaries, photographs, autobiographical sketch of Bullock, and an account book, 1813-1820, of a carding mill, possibly owned by S. Bullock at New Hartford, Connecticut.

The collection documents the history of Saint Charles, Michigan, the Bad and Shiawassee rivers, canals, steamboats, sawmills, public waterways and routes, coal mines, river restoration, and the Greve family.

This is an excellent local history collection of Saint Charles, Michigan, 1800-2011, collected, researched and created by a local historian and researcher, Dale Greve, from 1980 through 2011. The collection documents the history of Saint Charles, Michigan, the Bad and Shiawassee rivers, canals, steamboats, sawmills, public waterways and routes, coal mines, river restoration, and the Greve family in research notes, scrapbooks, maps, reminiscences, photographs, newspaper clippings, reel-to-reel tapes, videos, archaeological surveys and studies, articles, and mitigation plans and project reports.

The collection is organized first by size with oversized materials placed at the end of the finding aid. Letter-size materials are in Boxes 1-23 and legal-sized materials are in boxes 24-27 and 29.Boxes 1-18 are each cubic foot boxes, 19-28 are .5 cubic foot and Box 29 is .25 cubic foot.

After size, the collection is organized by topic and format, and then alphabetically. Boxes 1-18 consist of materials previously in binders, documenting Saint Charles, the Bad and Shiawassee rivers route, canals, steamboats, and sawmills. Boxes 19-22 document the river route from Saginaw to Saint Charles, canals, coal mines, the Bad and Shiawassee rivers, the Greve family, houseboats, motor boating, fishing, the Saginaw Valley waterways, and river and steamboats charts, graphs, and history documented in a variety of formats. Box 23 consists mostly of river studies. Box 24 consists mostly of Greve’s original notes on his research. Boxes 25-26 include most of the Saint Charles history photographs, although some are found also in Box 19. Boxes 26-27 consist mostly of reminiscences on reel-to-reel tapes and videos.

The oversized Saint Charles materials include a volume on the Coal Mine Era in Saint Charles. The first two oversized folders include folder 1) mostly oversized photographs and other oversized related materials; and folder 2) mostly oversized maps and related materials.

2021 Addition: In 2021, boxes 28-29 and four oversized folders were added to the collection. These materials are arranged alphabetically. Box 28 contains St. Charles materials gathered by Dale Greve, including: interviews, maps, certificates, research notes, articles, a report, and a CD, Up River from Saginaw to St. Charles, a forgotten history, 2019. The majority of the collection is a gathered history report of St. Charles, 1822-2020. Additionally, there is a detailed report of the history of coal mines in St. Charles with location, details, and images of almost all the coal mines there. There are two typed transcriptions of 1982 oral history interviews of Aldo Hulien (1905-1986), probably conducted by Dale, and of Jeannette Mason (1890-1986), conducted by Aldo’s wife, Lillian Hulien (1907-1995), who adds her memories. (Their vital statistic dates from Social Security Death Index.)The interviewees tell their story and experience of what it was like living in St. Charles. There are no permission/release forms for these interviews in the collection. There are also maps and research notes composed by Greve of the Bad and Shiawassee Rivers.

Box 29 has legal-sized materials that include Abstracts, a letter, a list, and a story. The letter was written by Dale Greve and sent to Bob Przybyzski. The letter outlines all of Greve’s research on St. Charles mines, and his offer to help Przybyzski if he ever needed it (see Letter to Bob Przybyzski, 2017). The list is items compiled by Greve that were lost from the past and present in St. Charles (See Items Lost to the Village of St. Charles, Past and Present, 016). The story is nine pages long and is about the life of a St. Charles coal miner in 1929 (see St. Charles Coal miner’s life, 1929).

The four oversized folders, #3-6, include St. Charles architecture blueprints, maps, abstracts, a certificate, a graph, and a panorama. Folder 3) is a Certificate of First-Aid Training by the Bureau of mines for Charles Krause. Folder 4) has two blueprints, one of an engineer’s office from a mine and the other being the complete 1946 St. Charles sewer system. Folder 5) has a panoramic picture of Shiawassee Lake, a chronological timeline of St. Charles coal mines, and abstracts. Folder 6) has a map of the Bad and Shiawassee rivers routes and park plan for St. Charles.

Organizational records include a constitution, correspondence, membership materials, meeting minutes, publications, financial records, scrapbooks, charter, convention material, historical research, and miscellaneous.

The collection includes a constitution, undated; correspondence, 1922-1963, undated; membership cards and papers, undated; meeting minutes, 1912-1939; publications, various; photographs, undated; receipts, 1924-1956; records (minutes and financial reports), 1930-1932; reports, 1940-1945; resident membership books, 1933-1944; treasurer’s books, 1912-1933; scrapbooks, 1912-1956; a charter, 1912. Various other materials document state and national conventions; historical research on Michigan ancestry; and programs of the DAR, Isabella Chapter. A 100th year tea program, 2012, is included, as well as a framed edition of the Jan. 14, 1800 Ulster County Gazette.

Processing Notes: General Michigan material was merged into other collections where it would be most apt to be used. Most publications were merged with the appropriate serials and cataloged.

A significant manuscript collection of Michigan and the Old Northwest Territory. The major series of the collection are Manifests, American Fur Company, Circulars and Correspondence of the U.S. Treasury Department and Collector of Customs with subseries of Marine Hospital Money Returns and Registry of Vessels; Miscellaneous, U.S. Payment Vouchers, Bids for the Construction of Lighthouses with subseries Bois Blanc Lighthouse, Chicago River Lighthouse, St. Joseph Lighthouse, South Manitou Island Lighthouse, Miscellaneous Lighthouses, Treasury Circulars, and Pottawattamie Lighthouse; Light Boat Reports and Scrapbooks.

This is a significant manuscript collection of Michigan and the Old Northwest Territory. The collection consists of some 928 individual items and 20 volumes, 1802-1971, and relating to the conduct of the fur trade and commerce at Michilimackinac and Sault Ste. Marie, and lighthouses and maritime activities on the Great Lakes.

The collection is organized chronologically and alphabetically. The major series of the collection are Manifest, American Fur Company, Circulars and Correspondence of the U.S. Treasury Department and Collector of Customs with subseries of Marine Hospital Money Returns and Registry of Vessels; Miscellaneous, U.S. Payment Vouchers, Bids for the Construction of Lighthouses with subseries Bois Blanc Lighthouse, Chicago River Lighthouse, St. Joseph Lighthouse, South Manitou Island Lighthouse, Miscellaneous Lighthouses, Treasury Circulars, and Pottawattamie Lighthouse; Light Boat Reports and Scrapbooks.

In the descriptions, few changes have been made in spelling although for the sake of clarity some consistency has been imposed. Variant spellings of names have also been entered. However, when the identification of a particular name was in question, the spelling as recorded by the file clerks at Michilimackinac or Sault Ste. Marie (and usually cited on the verso of the document/letter) is given.

Titled “Manifests,” Boxes 1-2 actually consist of manifests, bills of lading, clearance papers guaranteeing protection for vessels bound to and from Canada (particularly St. Joseph=s Island, cited herein as St. Joseph), documents certifying duties paid on entering goods, and other papers relating to commodities entering or departing from Michilimackinac. Since Box 1 includes pre-War of 1812 documents, they are of particular value because many of the commodities entered or shipped out were done so on behalf of the American Fur Company through their various agents. In addition, these documents also prove valuable for information on the numerous schooners, sloops, and brigs traveling the lakes, in particular the “Hunter,” “Thames,” “Nancy,” John Jacob Astor,” “Saguina,” “Contractor,” “Ranger,” “Adams,” and “Montreal.” Names of individuals and companies which frequently occur are Rocheblaue and Portier, Isadore LaCroix, Daniel and David Mitchell, Jr., Tousaint Pothier, Giasson and Berthelot, Lafromboise and Schindler, Josiah Bleakley, George Gillespie, and The Michilimackinac Company.

Dating from 1838 to 1847, the American Fur Company papers which make up the remainder of Box 2 complement the numerous collections, in original manuscript or on microfilm, which the Clarke holds relating to the company. Certainly from the perspective of commerce, domestic and foreign markets, domestic manufacturers, transportation, and the problems encountered by American Fur Company agents in the field, these papers provide detailed information. The majority of them relate to incoming and outgoing correspondence from John R. Livingston, head of the St. Mary’s Outfit at Sault Ste. Marie, and deal with various accounts, problems incurred by agents in the field, transportation of supplies, and concern over a decreasing market. Market problems, both domestic and foreign, relating to furs and fish are well covered in the correspondence from Ramsay Crooks and George Ehninger in the New York central office to Livingston. Early mining efforts in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and problems of transporting goods to and from their sites are also to be found in the letters of the Union Mining Company and the Eagle Harbor Mining Company to and from Livingston.

The circulars and correspondence between the U.S. Treasury Department and the Collectors of Customs (usually Abraham Wendell at Michilimackinac) contained in Box 3 are divided into four major subseries: marine hospital money returns; registry of vessels; general information sent to the collectors; and miscellaneous documents. The section on hospital money returns is important for the detailed information on the number of men on board the various great Lakes vessels, their names and time of service, and the amount of hospital tax paid by each. The material relating to the registration of vessels in general tends to be printed documents communicating Congressional acts concerning registry, registry forms, duty rates, etc. Several of the items are actual registration documents filed with the Collector by masters of the various vessels. The third section, general information and communications, deals with duties, laws covering the Collectors, and problems with certain imports. The three miscellaneous documents relate to land transactions.

Box 3 also contains circulars and correspondence from the Treasury Department to the Collectors of Customs and communications with the Superintendents of Lighthouses (usually Abraham Wendell). This series is divided into four subseries: miscellaneous materials; circulars and correspondence from the Treasury Department to and from the Superintendents of Lighthouses; U.S. payment vouchers; and bids submitted for construction of lighthouses. The miscellaneous materials include questions regarding duties and annual and quarterly reports, and certain treasury notes. The superintendents of Lighthouses material deals with reports submitted, questions relating to these reports, allocation of funds, and general instructions to Superintendents and Keepers. Payment vouchers are included for wages paid to the various Deputy Collectors, Aids to the Revenues, and government suppliers. The materials on construction bids include those submitted to the Superintendent for the proposed lighthouses at White Fish Point, Detour, and Copper Harbor as well as several bids to furnish supplies and fuel for various light boats.

The Bois Blanc and Chicago River Lighthouses material in Box 3 is particularly important as it concerns both daily operations of these lighthouses and quarterly inventories of property and supplies on hand as well as those expended during the period in question. Various procedures, storms and requisitioned supplies, are discussed in the letters.

Similar information is in Boxes 3 and 4 which deal with the Saint Joseph River, South Manitou Island, miscellaneous lighthouses, Pottawattomie Lighthouse, Light Boat reports, Thunder Bay Island Lighthouse, Presque Isle and Bois Blanc lighthouses, and the schooner “Sparrow.” Boxes 5-7 contain scrapbooks on such subject as Alcona, Iosco, and Presque Isle Counties, Mackinac Island, and the Rogers City centennial.

Researchers are encouraged to consult other collections in the Clarke. Since a majority of the Trelfa Collection originates from the period of Abraham Wendell’s tenure as Collector of Customs and Superintendent of Lighthouses, the Abraham Wendell Papers should be used to gain a more comprehensive picture of commercial and maritime life on the Lakes. Similarly the collections of the American Fur Company (in original or on microfilm) and the Henry Rowe Schoolcraft Papers, the Henry Hastings Sibley Papers, the George Johnston Papers, and the Lawrence Tafiaferro papers (all of which are on microfilm) should be used. There is also a Fred R. Trelfa Photograph Collection of photographs relating primarily to Alpena and Alpena County history.

The collection contains biographical materials, correspondence, field notes, legal documents, receipts of the Sylvester Sibley family, along with a Speech of Hon. H.H. Sibley on the Territories and Our Indian Relations.

The collection documents Sylvester Sibley’s life in the personal and surveying correspondence, legal documents, and various surveying materials. Additional Michigan and Massachusetts Sibley relatives are documented in the Biographical Materials, Personal Correspondence, Legal Documents, Receipts, and Speech folders. A cataloged copy of the speech of Henry H. Sibley is available in the Clarke. Several books on Henry H. Sibley are separately cataloged in the Clarke and Park libraries.

The family papers consists of his family genealogical research notes and materials.

The collection consists of family genealogy notes and copies of records for the Brown, DeLong, Folger, and Hayden families, mostly in Ohio.

Collection of wide variety of research and reference materials on Native Americans, mostly Potawatomi, Ojibwe and Ottawa, mainly in Michigan and Kansas, but also includes Wisconsin, Canadian, and other Native American tribes. The main series are: Clifton personal, research, reference, and academic materials, Bay Mills Indian Community Court Case materials, Canadian Potawatomi research materials, Kansas Potawatomi research materials, Keweenaw Bay Indian Community vs. the State of Michigan court case materials, Michigan tuition waver project materials, [Native American] Removal documents, reprints, Saginaw Chippewa Tribe court case materials, and Wisconsin vs. Baker court case materials.

Abbreviations: Due to the size of this collection, the following abbreviations have been used to cut down on the size and of the finding aid. Abbreviations used include the following: ABCFM for American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions (ABCFM was used by Clifton in many of his notations in the Reprints series). ARSMPIS for Annual Reports of the Superintendent of the Mount Pleasant Indian School. AG for Attorney General. BIA for Bureau of Indian Affairs. COIA for Commissioner of Indian Affairs. ICC for Indian Claims Commission. IL for Illinois. IN for Indiana. JL for journal. KN for Kansas. KUPS for University of Kansas Potawatomi Survey. MAG for Michigan Attorney General. MI for Michigan MHS for Minnesota Historical Society. MN for Minnesota. MO for Missouri. MS for Mississippi.i NAM for National Archives Microfilm. NEB for Nebraska. NY for New York. NWT for Old Northwest Territory. OK for Oklahoma. PA for Pennsylvania. Qly for quarterly. Re: for regarding. SD for South Dakota. US for United States. W for West WI for Wisconsin

Spelling Note: The spelling of Indian words, such as villages, tribes, bands, and the names of individuals, varies greatly among and within nineteenth century documents and articles. I copied the spelling [errors] or phonetic pronunciations used in these older documents for this finding aid.

Series Description: Overall, Clifton’s collection documents his academic papers, large research projects, and his reference collection. It also includes a small amount of biographical material on Clifton.

The collection consists almost entirely of photocopies or photo-static copies of published and unpublished articles or drafts of articles, speeches, complete or partial books, correspondence, contracts, curriculum vitaes, government documents, treaties, grant proposals and related materials, faxed information, lists, notes, and various other reference materials, maps, a small number of duplicated black and white photographs, mainly from the Smithsonian Institute, and other materials, including a few overheads.

The originals in the collection include some Clifton’s correspondence and some of his notes and notecards. Many of his notes, particularly in the KUPS series are typed.

The collection is first divided by the size and format of the material into three groupings. First, (mostly) letter-sized material (with some legal-size material). Second, note cards, and, third, oversized material.

The letter-size material is then organized into a number of series. Each series is then organized alphabetically by subject, and then within each series alphabetically and chronologically by the folders’ headings, as appropriate. As much as possible, the archivist used Clifton’s headings, or an expanded version of them, as needed, for ease of use by researchers. In cases were there were no folder headings, or indeed no folders, the archivist sought to organize and label materials as simply as was possible for reasonable easy use by researchers.

The following letter-size series (a total of 18 cubic ft.) are found in this collection: 1) Clifton Materials-Biographical and Academic Papers; and his large research projects and reference collection are documented in the following series: 2) Bay Mills Indian Community (BMIC) Court Case Materials; 3) Canadian Potawatomi Research Materials; 4) Kansas Potawatomi Research Materials; 5) Keweenaw Bay Indian Community vs. the State of MI Court Case Materials; 6) MI Tuition Waver Project Materials; 7) [Native American] Removal Documents; 8) Reprints; 9) Saginaw Chippewa Tribe Court Case Materials; and 10) WI vs. Baker Court Case Materials.

Most of the remainder of the collection consists topical 5x7 inch handwritten Notecards (15 cubic ft. in 19 boxes). Oversized materials (approximately 3 cubic ft.) include an oversized folder of some Isabella County (MI) plat maps (copies), 1891; and an oversized volume of various pages from multiple nineteenth century Tract Books of the General Land Office (Ionia, MI).

1) Clifton Materials, 1963-2000 (total approximately .5 cubic foot), includes his Biographical Material, 1987, 2000 (1 folder), with his Obituary, 2000; and his Academic Papers, 1963, 1972-1989, 1990, 1993, 2000, consisting of Clifton’s bibliography on Old Northwest Indian removal, 1825-1855; copies of book reviews, introductions to books and articles, his coursepack for a class; papers for publication and presentation, published articles, reports for the WI Dept of Justice for WI vs. Stockbridge [Mohican] Munsee Community (Case No. 98-C-0871), a case he researched for the WI Attorney General’s office, some of his research materials, and notes.

The Judicial Update website of Morisset, Schlosser [who specializes in federal litigation, natural resource and Indian tribal property issues], Jozwiak and McGaw (http://www.msaj.com/papers/WIcases.html), on Nov. 18, 2004, describes the WI vs. Stockbridge Munsee Community Case No. 98-C-0871 67 F Supp. 2 d 990 (E. D. Wisc. Sept. 30, 1999) as follows: “[The] State [of WI] brought action seeking to prevent the tribe from operating Class III electronic games of chance at a casino located outside boundaries on [the] Indian reservation. Upon [the] state’s motion for preliminary injunction, the district court held that: (1) [the] state demonstrated a reasonable likelihood of success of their claim that Act of 1871 resulted in diminishment of [the] tribe’s reservation, and (2) other factors warranted granting preliminary injunction. Motion granted.”

This series documents various aspects of Clifton’s academic, publication, and research interests and activities. The rest of the collection documents his large research projects, particularly those regarding Native American court cases in MI and his Kansas University Potawatomi Survey research project.

Personal information on Clifton, aside from that found in his obituary, is not available in this collection.

2) Bay Mills Indian Community (BMIC) Court Case Materials, 1936-1998 (Scattered) (approximately 1.5 cubic ft.), which documents two court cases. The court case for which there is the most material is the BMIC vs. Western United Life Assurance Co., et al. Documenting this court case are copies of court records, correspondence and email, reference and supporting documentation, 1936-1937, 1974-1975, 1992, and, mostly, 1997-1998, collected and notated by Clifton, who worked for the MAG. The Peninsula Legal Services, P.C., served as the tribe’s legal counsel.

BMIC vs. Western began in 1996 as a land claims settlement case. The BMIC had a claim to over 100 acres of land in what is now Charlotte Beach (MI). The land was to be held in trust for ancestral bands of the BMIC by the Governor of MI. Eventually the land was sold for delinquent taxes, without BMIC’s knowledge or consent. The court case resulted in the severe decrease of the value of the Charlotte Beach property and the inability of the current owners to verify their deeds. The tribe desired the land back or an equitable settlement. The case continued with various compromises being offered and not accepted by the BMIC for ten years. Part of the continuance, documented by a smaller amount of copied material (three folders), is the BMIC vs. the State of MI, et al. court case, 1998.

The Judicial Update website of Morisset, Schlosser [who specializes in federal litigation, natural resource and Indian tribal property issues], Jozwiak and McGaw (http://www.msaj.com/papers/WIcases.html), on Nov. 18, 2004, describes BMIC vs. Western United Life Assurance Co., no. 99-1036, (6th Cir. 2000) as follows: “Plaintiff Bay Mills Indian Community filed a complaint Asserting an interest I a parcel of property within the county [Charlotte Beach, MI]. Bay Mills alleged various federal constitutional and statutory violations in connection with the 1884 ouster from the property of its predecessors in interest, two aboriginal Chippewa bands, and sought either equitable title to the property or damages equal to its value and damages for the loss of the use and enjoyment of the land since 1884. The defendants, individuals and entities currently possessing various interests in the property, moved to dismiss the action under Federal Rules of Civil Procedure 12 (b)(7) and 19 for failure to join an indispensable party,the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians. The district court granted the defendants’ motion and dismissed the plaintiff’s complaint. Affirmed.”

In 2002 the US Senate proposed a bill to offer property in Sault Ste. Marie (MI) to the tribe, on which they could operate a casino. The committee on Indian Affairs heard the bill’s supporters and detractors and adjourned, declining the proposed bill. [Information from US. Congress. Senate. Committee on Indian Affairs. BMIC Land Claims Settlement Act. Hearing before the Committee on Indian Affairs, US Senate, 1077th Congress, 2nd Session on S. 2986 Oct. 10, 2002, a e-copy of which is available in the Park Library.]

3) Canadian Potawatomi Research Materials, 1835-1975, and undated (Scattered) (7 folders). This small series includes copies of acts, treaties, and constitutions of the Prairie Potawatomi in Kansas, 1936; materials relating to the Caldwell Band of Point Pelee, Pelee Island, and Malden, Ontario, Canada; Potawatomi Agency Correspondence, 1837-1870-1878; and Potawatomi Study Correspondence, 1973-1975; and Correspondence to/from Clifton, and Reference materials.

4) Kansas Potawatomi Research Materials, 1880-1883, 1886 1932, 1940, 1948, 1952, 1962-1965, 1973-1974, mainly 1962-1965 (approximately 2 cubic ft.)

General Kansas Potawatomi materials, mostly copied reference materials, 1880-1883, 1886 1932, 1940, 1948, 1952, 1973-1974, (9 inches, or approximately .5 cubic foot), are open to researchers. This includes correspondence, miscellaneous notes, and genealogies (family trees), as well as a large amount of reference materials, including newspaper clippings, bibliographies, and copies of articles. Also included are instructions for coding field notes and research materials for the Kansas University Potawatomi Survey (KUPS) Clifton led.

Of particular note here are the KUPS materials, mostly 1962-1965. The KUPS materials include: field notes, cross reference notes to field notes, and other research or reference materials, such as citations and maps. These materials were accumulated and categorized by Clifton, his wife, Faye, and his research assistants, Bob Bee and Ann Searcy, during their interviews with and observations of Kansas Potawatomi, also called the Prairie Band of Potawatomi, from 1962 through 1965. Many of these Potawatomi lived in the Mayetta (Kan.) vicinity. Notes and reference materials were filed within an extensive, coded KUPS folder arrangement. Many of the folders were found to be empty during processing, so researchers will notice gaps in the numerical sequence of the KUPS folders.

The FIELD NOTES of the KUPS (approximately 1.5 cubic ft.) are CLOSED TO RESEARCHERS for 70 years until 2045 [1965+70], because of the personal information in the detailed field notes, including: medical and psychiatric patient case records, alcoholism, the use of peyote, criminal records, sexual orientation, marital status, perceptions of those who were thought to practice witchcraft, sexual or physical abuse some people in the study suffered or received, and the detailed information about their financial states, as well as governmental support received, the field notes are closed.

6) Keweenaw Bay Indian Community vs. the State of MI Court Case Materials, were collected and annotated by Clifton for the State of MAG, 1988-1989 (approximately 3 cubic ft.). The Reprints in this series include copies and typed transcripts of materials sent to the MAG, which are organized either chronologically by the date of the event documented in the information, or alphabetically by topic, and include materials from 1820 through 1946 (Scattered), 1957, 1960, 1965-1966, 1972, 1979, 1982, 1985, and 1992. Types of materials in this series include: copies of depositions, notes, evidence copies of newspapers, magazines, and academic articles, books, maps, land patents and deeds, government documents, and correspondence, usually between the COIA and various Indian Agents.

According to the Michigan Indian Gaming website’s section documenting newsworthy events of 1998 (url is http://www.michigangaming.com/IndGame/IGNews-98-html), this court case is described as follows: “On Feb. 12, 1998 Judge David McKeague issued a decision stating that the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community statellite[sic] casino is operating illegally because the tribe did not adhere to IGRA [Indian Gaming Regulation Acts] in opening these facilities.” “On Aug. 21, 1998 the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa Indians launched a media campaign to gather support to prevent the closing of its Turtle Creek Casino in Acme, MI. The United States Attorney General’s office filed for a preliminary injunction to shut down the tribes[sic] casino because it claims that the casino is operating illegally. This came after the U.S. 6th Circuit [Court] overturned a decision in Keweenaw vs. MI. The Court is expected to hold a hearing on the issue in November of this year.”

7) Michigan Tuition Waver Project materials, (8 folders), includes copies of materials compiled or created in 1996 by Clifton. This project resulted from the demands of MI tribes for free tuition at the University of MI, which they believe was granted to them in old MI treaties. Materials found here include: reference materials, notably several articles written and published by Alice Littlefield about Native American education and the US Indian Schools, 1989, 1993, and 1996; Mount Pleasant Indian School (Mount Pleasant, MI) documents, 1934-1996 (Scattered); some legislation, 1968; Clifton’s report, correspondence, and contract with the MAG, 1996; and the MAG’s conclusion, Dec. 1995. Clifton contracted with the MAG to collect materials to defend their side of the case.

The MI [Indian] Tuition Waver was adopted by the MI Legislature in 1976 as an entitlement descending from old federal treaty rights. The program had a long beginning, which will be briefly described here.

In 1934, the federal government dissolved the federal Indian school program, transferring the buildings, property, and care of Native American students to the state of MI. For thirty years thereafter the state of MI did not meet its obligations of providing equal treatment and education to Native American children. Student activism in the 1960s led a University of Michigan (UM) student, Paul Johnson, to sue the UM in 1971. He believed the UM should provide free tuition to Native Americans based on Article 16 of the Treaty of Fort Meigs, 1817. Ultimately, his suit failed. However, the students who worked on the lawsuit contacted members of the state legislature for support. Rep. Jackie Vaughn carefully constructed a bill based on MN’s existing tuition waiver program. In the summer of 1976, his bill, know as Public Act 174, 1976, created the MI Indian Tuition Waiver Program.

The Waver, which was amended in 1978, allows students to have their tuition paid if they are one-quarter North American Indian and have been a MI resident for at least one year. [This information is from the Clarke website (url is http://clarke.cmich. edu/ tretytuition.htm), on Dec. 3, 2004, and CMLife, p. 1 and 4A, Fri., Oct. 29, 2004.]

Ultimately, the tribes’ demands developed into the court case Children of the Chippewa, Ottawa and Potawatomy Tribes, et al., vs. Regents of the University of MI, a case which the tribe lost. However, the University of MI agreed to offer Native American students scholarships, which amounted to free tuition. (For further information on the case, see the Elmer White’s collection which is also housed at the Clarke. White acted as the attorney for the tribes.)

8) [Native American] Removal Documents, created or compiled in 1982-1983, and undated (2 cubic ft.).

The removal research project was funded by a grant from the NEH, and resulted in Clifton’s bibliography Old Northwest Indian removal, 1825-1855: a bibliography, a copy of which is found in Box 1 of this collection. A tiny part of this series includes three folders of materials relating to the grant, including: Illustrations…, undated; Notes and Correspondence, 1982; and NEH Microfilm Work reports of James McClurken to Clifton, 1982-1983.

The bulk of the series, however, consists of copies of published articles and historical Removal Documents, and some notes from Clifton, which were compiled by Clifton for reference purposes.

The published articles are in alphabetical order by author’s surnames.

The Removal Documents are in chronological order, 1807-1855, with a small amount of post-1855 materials, 1856-1980 (Scattered). Commonly found examples of historical Removal Documents in this series include: the Dept. of War, Office of Indian Affairs officials’ correspondence, journals, reports, disbursement accounts, and regulations regarding the removal of Native Americans; records of annuity payments; correspondence and other papers regulating the functions of the Superintendency, agencies, and sub-agencies; a journal of treaty negotiation, 1833; treaties and lists [sometimes censuses] of [members of] tribes or bands either remaining in their area or removed to west of the Mississippi [which have been noted specifically in the box and folder listing]; petitions of various Native Americans to the President of the US; maps; published journals of the US House and Senate; and personal correspondence.

Finally, there are a few topical Removal Document folders, which are in alphabetical order, 1839-1888 and undated [copies made in 1982 or 1983].

9) Reprints, a caption used by Clifton, (6.5 cubic ft.) is the largest series in this collection. It includes copies of general reference and/or research materials, 1820-1992 and undated, regarding various aspects of Native Americans, Africa and Africans, African-Americans, slavery, and other native peoples around the world, as well as anthropological articles. However, the majority of the series documents Native American history, including, but not limited to: Indian treaties, Indian agents, Indian removal policies, reservations, missions and missionaries, wars, captivity or travel accounts, as well as other topics. A sizable section of this series is various articles and documents from multiple issues of the WI Historical Collections. Types of materials in the series include: dissertation abstracts; parts of or complete academic or popular articles and books; reference articles, such as biographies from encyclopedias; reprints of academic articles; student papers; drafts of academic papers; papers for presentation at conferences; correspondence; notes; maps; statistics; and other materials. These materials were collected by Clifton during his academic career.

10) Saginaw Chippewa Tribe Court Case Materials, includes materials created or compiled, 1991-1992, (2.5 cubic ft.) by Clifton. Clifton was under contract with the MAG to collect materials to defend their side of the case.

Compiled materials include copies of historical documents and reference sources about the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe, including: court records, reprints of articles, treaty journals, annual reports of the Mount Pleasant Indian School, Indian Claims Commission records, the amended Constitution and By-Laws of the Saginaw Chippewa Tribe, 1986, and other documentation, as well as Clifton’s correspondence, agreements, other information he exchanged with MAG and other associates,1797-1992 (Scattered).

Two court cases are documented in this series, mostly the US et al., vs. State of MI, et al., 1992 and, very minimally, the US vs. the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe of MI, et al., 1990-1991, 1997.

The case for which there is the most material, that of the US et al., vs. State of MI, et al., dealt with tribal fishing rights. There is a long history of lawsuits in MI over Native American fishing rights. In brief, this particular lawsuit, which began in 1973 and was tried in 1978, was eventually settled out of court on March 29, 1985. In the case, the Native Americans attorney strongly argued three points. First, that the tribes involved had historically fished in the Great Lakes. Second, that they had retained the right to fish under treaties signed in 1820, 1836, and 1855. And, third, that they had actively participated in commercial fishing after those treaties and thus could logically assume that they should be allowed to continue to do so. In May 1979, the judge settled the case in favor of the tribes, however various issues remained that had to be agreed upon by both parties.

Finally in 1985 an agreement, called the Sault Ste. Marie agreement, was reached. As part of this agreement, the Great Lakes were divided into zones. The MI tribes were allowed to fish unrestrictedly to a defined maximum catch, mostly in the northern zones, and sports fishing was relegated mostly to the southern zones. The Bay Mills Chippewa community was unsatisfied with the agreement and vetoed it. After a brief trial, the agreement was put in place with the force of law until 2000. [This information is from the Clarke website (url is http://clarke.cmich.edu/treatytuition.htm), on Dec. 3, 2004.]

11) WI vs. Baker Court Case Materials, includes copies of materials created or compiled in 1976 and 1978 (1.5 cubic ft.) by Clifton, who served as an expert witness for the tribe. Materials in this series include: records of related court cases, correspondence, Clifton’s expert testimony, and published articles, mostly about removal from the WI Historical Collections, date from 1830s-1934.

The State of WI vs. Baker, et al., was predated by the Voigt decision in WI. The Voigt Decision recognized the rights of the tribal hunting, fishing, and gathering activities of the Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Chippewa in WI as they were granted to the tribe in the treaties of 1837 and 1842.

In 1978, the Federal District Court granted summary judgment in favor of the state. In 1983 the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals reversed the District Court ruling. At that point, the State of WI petitioned, in vain, the US Supreme Court to review the case. Five other WI Chippewa Bands then joined the case, which continued in District Court. There were three phases: I: Declaratory; II Regulatory; and III: Damages. (A Guide to understanding Chippewa treaty rights: WI edition, 1994, pp.2-3, a copy of which is in the Clarke.)

The WI vs. Baker case was brought by the State of WI against the chairman (Ordie Baker) and all of the officers of the Lac Courte Oreilles Tribal Governing Board. As documented here in the Opinion and Order [by Judge James Doyle], Sept. 20, 1978 (76-C-359), the state’s contention was that the tribe’s enforcement of its established codes for fishing on its reservation, which mandated that people who were not members of the tribe to purchase fishing licenses from the tribe, was illegal and interfered with the rights of the state’s citizens. The tribe’s interpretation of its treaty rights were that the tribe, as a sovereign nation, had the sole right to hunt and fish within the borders of its reservation. The state contended that this had not been the intent of the agents of the federal government who created the treaties which led to the creation of the reservation. Clifton and Judge Doyle, however, believed otherwise.

When Judge Doyle died in 1987, the case was assigned to Judge Barbara Crabb. After denying the state’s request to appeal Judge Doyle’s ruling, “she held that tribes held the authority to regulate their members and that effective tribal self-regulation precludes state regulation.” on Aug. 21, 1987 (ibid, p.3). Later, Judge Crabb decided that the tribes were self-regulating regarding the state’s walleye and muskellunge harvests held in October (1989), and in regards to the state’s deer population (1990). In 1991, Judge Crabb also ruled that while tribes did not have treaty rights to harvest timber commercially, they did have treaty rights to gather other forest products (ibid, p. 4).

12) Notecards. There are 19 card boxes (15 cubic ft.) of topical 5x7 inch handwritten notecards, documenting the removal of various Native American tribes, Clifton’s bibliography and biographical index, as well as related Native American topics. There are organized alphabetically by topic, and then either chronologically (if notes about removal documents) or alphabetically (if names or sources).

13) Oversized Materials, include an oversized folder of some Isabella County (MI) plat maps (copies), 1891; and an oversized volume of copies of various pages from multiple Tract Books of the General Land Office (Ionia, MI), 1800s.

Processing Notes: I have tried to observe Clifton’s topical and organizational scheme as much as possible. A number of items in many boxes were without folders and identifying information. These items have been placed in the most likely series or, when a topic and therefore a location was otherwise undeterminable or multiple, into the general Reprints series.

Items withdrawn from this collection include all published books, periodicals, maps, and court records, which were separately cataloged.

Also withdrawn were duplicates, illegible materials, blank sheets of papers, binders, photocopying instructions, forms for requesting copies (from many institutions), generic correspondence and post-it notes without informational value, cover sheets, and the “This article is not available.” notices from inter-library loan departments. All post-it notes with notes of substance were removed after they had been copied and a copy put in the folders.

The papers include mostly transcripts of Ward family correspondence, 1807-1875, and undated, genealogical notes, and memoirs of Emily Ward, both undated.

Except for one original letter dated Aug. 23, 1850, the Family Papers consist of typed transcripts of family genealogical notes, family correspondence, and the undated memoirs of Emily Ward, sister of Eber B. The correspondence, 1807-1875 and undated, is mostly between Ebe B.r; his father; his sister, Emily; and business associates. The correspondence discusses family news, business, traveling, fishing, and other business interests of Eber B. Ward and his son, Eber Ward, Jr.

The Clarke also has the published remonstrance concerning Eber B. Ward’s will (1875) and an account book from Jos. S. Stearns Lumber Company. Stearns worked early in life as an errand boy for Eber B. while the latter was President of the Pere Marquette Railroad. Eventually, Stearns married Catherine Lyon, Eber’s sister-in-law.

The papers include mostly correspondence, reports, and notes on Isle Royale, notebooks, biographical information, an autograph album, and family correspondence.

The collection includes Dustin’s articles, correspondence, reports and notes on Isle Royale, notebooks, and personal items, such as biographical information, newspaper clippings (copies) by/about him, an autograph album, and family correspondence. A number of his publications and another collection on George A. Custer are also housed in the Clarke Historical Library.

Family papers include: biographical materials, correspondence, genealogical materials, photographic materials, indentures, a physician's account book, oversized certificates and diplomas.

The collection includes: Biographical Materials, Family and Professional Correspondence, Genealogical Materials; Family Photographic Materials, including photograph albums, tintypes, and daguerreotypes; Sample’s Physician’s Account Book, 1885, 1923; Indentures for property in Seneca County (New York), and oversized Medical and other Certificates and Diplomas. Except for the Indentures, everything else was created by or belonged to Sample.

A large framed painting of Mrs. Chester Sample is in the framed art collection.

The papers include documents and transcriptions of papers of and about Frederic Baraga and an engraving.

The collection consists of copies of transcribed documents assembled from originals or photocopies in the U. S., Canada, and Europe by the Historical Commission of the Bishop Baraga Association. The goal of the Association is to the promoted the Cause for Beatification of Bishop Baraga.

An extensive list of the documents includes, for each item: date, name and location of author, and recipient and institution where the document is housed. This list was compiled by the Association in 1954 and is found after the finding aid. Transcripts are filed within the boxes in chronological order.

Most of the documents are letters from Baraga to other clergy about his mission work and aspects of Catholicism. Some letters are to his siblings. Material after his death includes a eulogy and letters from clergy about Baraga.

Photocopies made from 2 reels of microfilm of company related materials including correspondence (copies), index card, and finding aids (copies) of other, related collections.

This is an artificial collection of related materials, pulled together by topic. Included in the records are correspondence to/from Samuel Abbott, who served as the Collector at Michilimackinac (1812-?) and as manager for the Company, 1812-1848 (and longer?). Some of the correspondence is from James Abbott, Samuel’s brother, who was also a manager for the Company in the Detroit, Michigan, area. (There is no further information available on the Abbotts.) Other records include expense accounts for transportation to the Council in the summer of 1825. The Shipping / Receiving book provides good information of prices paid per pelt, for everything from mink to rat skins. There is an Indenture of Mortgage signed by John Jacob Astor, 1827, in the Mortgage Records, and a Capital Stock certificate of the Mackinac, Lake Superior Copper Company, 1845, in the Correspondence. These materials are all photocopies made from 2 reels of microfilm.

Additionally, there are index cards to assist researchers using the records. The related American Fur Company business records of Mackinac Island, Michigan, to Montreal, Quebec, Canada, 1817-1834, are available on microfilm at the Clarke, as are books about the Company.

See also numerous related reels of microfilm on the American Fur Company, the Mackinac Island Collection, and the Abraham Wendell Collection.

On April 13, 2001, the paper collection, which had been on deposit at the Clarke, was returned to Mackinac State Historic Parks as part of the Sault Sainte Marie Collection. The microfilm of this American Fur Company Collection is at the Clarke, Reels 1-2, Microfilm MSS F-52.

Newton family correspondence, last will and testament of William Newton, miscellaneous, and an essay on New York religious settlements.

The collection consists almost entirely of family correspondence, 1812-1924, and undated. The correspondence discusses news of family and friends, and social conditions in England. Later letters, 1902-1924, are to Fannie Newton from her parents, William and Emily J. Newton of Henrietta (New York), discussing the death of William’s son-in-law, Frank Hinds and other family news. A letter from G. Ambrose, a member of Company B, 85th Indiana Infantry discusses the hardships of being a Civil War Soldier, January 19, 1863. The last Will and Testament of William Newton, February 18, 1924 of Henrietta (N.Y.), miscellaneous, and an undated essay on New York religious settlements complete the collection. The will mentions William’s dead daughter, Martha N. Short, and living relatives, son-in-law, Richard B. Short, son, Harold C. Short, and daughters Carrie D. Hindis, Ella N. Mellers, and Alice N. Dewitt.

The papers include biographical materials, financial records, correspondence, legal documents, miscellaneous, poetry, sketches and drawings, and material relating to the Michigan Soldiers' Monument Association, William Austin Burt, and a company of Iowa Militia.

The collection included biographical materials, financial records, correspondence, legal documents, miscellaneous, poetry, sketches and drawings, and material related to the Michigan Soldiers’ Monument Association, William Austin Burt, and a company of Iowa Militia, 1839. The collection is organized chronologically and then by types of materials. The materials relating to William Austin Burt are filed at the end of the collection.

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

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

The collection includes mostly photocopied correspondence, court case testimony, articles, and biographical materials from various Strangite sources. A users copy is available to researchers.

The collection includes mostly photocopied correspondence, court case testimony, articles, and biographical materials from various Strangite sources. A users copy is available to researchers.

The papers include accounts, land papers, correspondence, miscellaneous, and printed materials.

The collection includes Arthur Bronson’s Accounts, 1817-1843 and undated; Land Papers, 1833-1844, for Illinois, Florida, Indiana, Michigan, North Carolina, New York (State) and Kings County, and Wisconsin; Legal Papers, 1828-1849; Correspondence, 1820-1848 and undated; Miscellaneous, 1825-1843 and undated; and Printed Materials, including maps, laws, land sale fliers and advertisements, etc., 1815-1867 and undated. Companies documented include the Peru Iron Company, Union Bank of New York, and the Ohio Life Insurance and Trust Company.

Some of Arthur’s papers are found in the collections of his father and brother, Isaac and Frederic Bronson, and in the Bronson Family Papers. Bronson papers housed at other institutions are available at the Clarke on 30 reels of positive microfilm (Micro. Mss. F-40). These include Arthur’s letters, 1825-1838?, 1815-1844 and accounts, 1823-1844 (reels 3-5); letters, 1822-1834 (reels 9-10); letters, 1838-1844 (reels 13-16); legal cases, undated (reel 19); letters, 1835-1836 (reel 22); and accounts, 1846-1865 (reel 23).

For additional letters of Anna Eliza (Bailey) Bronson, see the Bronson Family Papers finding aid.

Letters to Arthur Bronson may also be found in the Charles Butler Papers (3 reels of positive microfilm, Mss. Micro. F-79).

correspondence, papers, divorce decree, and sermons of Morris Brown.

The collection mainly consists of Brown’s correspondence to his future wife, Maria Smith, and cousin, Emoline M. Whitmore of Hamburg (New York). There are a few letters addressed to Brown from the ladies. The correspondence discusses Brown's legal work, family news, and daily life. Also included is the family correspondence of Eleanor Fitzgerald of New York (NY), which concentrates on the graduation of Eleanor and her sister, Irene, from Smith College in 1908. Other family members represented in the papers include her mother, Daisy, father, Frank T., brother, Gerald, and sister, Edith, as well as cousins, uncles, and aunts and Esleek family members. There are also two sets of divorce papers, 1878-1895, and sermons by an unknown author, 1815-1834.

The papers include biographical materials, legal and financial papers, correspondence, maps, ephemera, and diaries.

The John Ball Family Papers consist of legal and financial records, correspondence, essays, ephemera, and diaries, largely but not entirely dated after John Ball moved to Michigan. The topically grouped material is arranged alphabetically. The legal and financial records contain certificates allowing John Ball to practice law in New York. A large portion of the correspondence is between John, his wife, Mary, and their daughter, Lucy, which consists mainly of family affairs and travel to Europe, especially Switzerland and France (1869-1894). Earlier letters cover family matters and Michigan social conditions (after 1836). A letter of 1 March 1883 describes travel conditions and Indians at Fort Vancouver and a letter of 29 November 1838 expresses John Ball’s anti-abolitionists sentiments. The diaries written by John Ball tell about a trip to Lansingburgh (New York), 1878, and a trip to New York and New Hampshire, 1883. Mary Ball’s diaries describe traveling abroad, 1872, and her daily life in 1874.

Copies of several books on Ball are in Clarke, as are the papers of Ball and McKee. McKee’s diary of his student years in Massachusetts and Vermont are in the Bentley Historical Library.

A portrait of John Ball is housed in the Clarke as well. The note on the back reads as follows: “John Ball. Portrait painted while he was a student at Dartmouth. Ball became one of Michigan’s most famous pioneers. He was the first to teach west of the Mississippi.” The portrait is in a small, oval frame.

His papers consist mainly of his research and genealogical files on Native Americans, particularly those in Michigan, notably 350 files (copies) from the National Archives, and also include his client files, diaries, and other materials. Box 26 is closaed until 2030 re: donor agreement.

The collection is composed of his accumulated reference files, client files, and writing, as some personal materials.

The reference files include copies of Probate Court files, commonly referred to as “350 files” from the National Archives, which are used extensively to prove tribal genealogy, lineage, and membership. The 350 files are in the original order that they were given to Keller by researcher Guy Fringer in 1994. A listing, by Fringer, precedes the files in the box. Additional reference files, largely photocopies, follow the 350 files in alphabetical order and concern the Keweenaw Bay and L’Anse Native American communities. Box 8 of the collection consists of user copies of all the 350 files. These files total 8 boxes of various sizes (4.5 cubic ft.).

A tape recording of oral interviews with Norman Landosky and Ron Douglas on August 1995, was used to create the report, A Micro model of leadership among the Ojibwa of south east Michigan and their descendants, 58 p. [89 p.].

Keller’s Native [American Research] Files, as he referred to them, consist of 4 boxes (2 cubic ft.) of copies of information which are organized by state and by topic. They largely relate to Michigan tribes, their issues and heritage, and Native American casino issues in general, although a variety of Native American topics both historic and current are covered. Most of these materials were compiled between 2000 and 2007 from newspapers, magazines, and Internet articles. Two publications (copies) of note by Charles Cleland-Report of the 19th Century History of the Saginaw, Black River, and Swan Creek Chippewa, 1992, and Theodore Karamanski-Isabella Indian reservation: A History of Allotment and Saginaw Chippewa, 1870-1934, 2007, the latter created for the Michigan Attorney General, are found in Box 21. There are also some research materials related to Caro local and church history. There are also some research materials related to Caro local and church history.

Also related to both his research and Native Files are a number of large binders of materials including Michigan tribe allotments, rolls, and research, New York tribes, partial copies of topical books, and genealogical reference materials, 3 boxes (3 cubic ft.).

His client files, 3 boxes (1.5 cubic ft.) include notes, emails, correspondence for genealogy research he conducted for his clients, mostly Native American genealogy for individuals to attain tribal membership. Correspondence in Box 26 is closed until 2030.

Keller’s diaries, 1969-2007, and his biographical materials folder, 5.5 boxes (approximately 2.5 cubic ft.) provide background on his life and interests. He later annotated the diaries covering his years at Albion college, 1969-1972, and that is found in a binder in Box 26.

Processing Notes: Various and numerous financial records, miscellaneous notes, duplicates, blanks, and out of scope published materials were removed from the collection (3 cubic ft.). Additionally, with the original Acc#72362, approximately 15 cubic ft. of publications, mainly out of scope genealogical newsletters were originally donated to the Clarke. Following his wishes, some publications were cataloged separately at the Clarke, some were transferred to specific genealogical research institutions, and the rest were disposed of.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Papers include mostly correspondence, some from Michigan politicians, autograph album, and a scrapbook. Also included are the papers of Wilber M. Brucker.

John P. Schuch’s papers, mostly correspondence from 1920 to 1951, are chronologically arranged. They document his work as sheriff, hotel owner, National Guardsman, Michigan Representative, and Michigan Senator. Of particular note are congratulatory and other letters from Michigan and national politicians, including: Michigan Governor Fred W. Green, Herbert Hoover (signed), and Franklin Roosevelt (signed), all from 1928, and two letters from Michigan Senator Arthur H. Vandenberg, from 1930. Three autograph albums; 1882-1890; a Scrapbook, 1918, 1926, (1 Oversized volume), of newspaper clippings documenting his campaigns for sheriff in 1922 and 1925; and miscellaneous items, including a partial typed transcription of the treaty of 1819; are also included.

There are two folders of scrapbook materials, mostly relating to Wilber M. Brucker, dating, 1920-1930s. Included are newspaper clippings, photographs, campaign brochures, Christmas cards from Bruckers to Schuch, and invitations.

Item-level index cards are available to assist researchers.

The family papers, 1819-1979 and undated, include materials from the late 1880s to the 1950s and contain photographs, calling cards, genealogical materials, scrapbooks, newspaper clippings, and personal writings.

The family papers include photographs, calling cards, genealogical materials, scrapbooks, newspaper clippings, and personal writings. Many of the photographs are of immediate family (Campbell and Davenport) as well as more distant family members (Wells, Turk, Bliss, Allen, and Brehm). There are tintypes, daguerreotypes, and ambrotypes, in addition to later photographs. Many photography studios are represented in the collection. Also included is the Campbell Family Bible, published by Geo. W. Ogilvie in Chicago, 1892. The collection is organized by size and alphabetically. There is a small box containing a small wooden desk, that has no reference in any of the papers or photographs but was included with the collection. This is a homemade piece, perhaps for a doll. It is not professionally crafted.

The 2021 addition includes: Helen Brehm account book, undated and insurance card, 1939; correspondence of Elizabeth J. Humphrey to Earl Campbell, 1898-1899, with a 2021 transcription; Helen Campbell correspondence, 1932-1969 (Scattered); Campbell genealogical information; and Earl Campbell’s membership card for the Organization of Railroad Telegraphers, 1939, and two related pins, a moose emblem, and mother of pearl pocket knife, all undated.

A white cotton table scarf with the letter F, and a white linen table cloth with the letter C embroidered into it have been transferred to the Central Michigan University’s Museum of Cultural and Natural History.

The papers consists of business, personal, and legal papers related to land deals in Flint, Michigan, area.

King’s papers include personal and business correspondence, and legal papers relating to land deals in the Flint, Genesee County, Michigan, area.

The papers include papers of Charles O. and Gerrit S.Ward, and the Ward and Ely families.

The collection includes genealogical materials for the Ward and Ely families of Alma, Michigan; Ward family photographs (19th-20th centuries), including some of Charles O. Ward in uniform and in local bands. The materials of Gerrit S. Ward include correspondence to/from Gerrit S. Ward to/from family, 1860-1897, and about his various business interests including banking, mines, and timberlands, 1886-1916; deeds and correspondence to Alma and Montcalm County lands, 1883-1911; Gerrit S. Ward’s estate records, 1916-1917 (copy, 1940); an annual report of the First Bank of Alma (illustrated with pictures of the bank and its staff and officers), 1916; legal papers, mostly regarding land, 1886-1910; Civil War artifacts and pension materials, 1862-1928; miscellaneous; and correspondence re: the Roanoke Rapids Paper Manufacturing Company, 1907-1910.

Materials for Charles O. Ward include Spanish-American War military certificates, 1898-1899; correspondence, mostly between Charles and Gerrit S. or Hugh E. Ward, 1898-1960; and numerous deeds and related legal papers concerning his real estate businesses in Alma, 1887-1961.

The materials of Josephine Ely Ward include correspondence, 1916-1917; estate records, 1940; and the Ely family genealogy.

Also included is an 1820 certificate of military appointment for Sardis Ward as a cornet player for the 6th New York Cavalry.

Two Oversized scrapbooks complete the collection. Volume 1, 1885-1961, mostly consists of newspaper clippings on the Spanish-American War, 1898. It includes telegrams about Charles O. Ward’s health and hospitalization at St. Joseph’s hospital in Philadelphia, November 1898, with typhoid. Telegrams were sent between T.S. Ward, G.S. Ward, Charles Spicer, Sarah Ward, and Josie Ward.

Scrapbook Volume 2, 1885-1941, includes many articles on Charles O. Ward and his wife, and the Ely and Ward families. Two memorial booklets for William Sisson Turck, (August 7, 1839-September 19, 1912), Mason, Major of the 26th Michigan Infantry Regiment, Alma Supervisor, County Treasurer, Michigan Representative, President of Alma, and member of the Board of Managers of the Michigan Soldiers’ Home in Grand Rapids are also included. Volume 2 also contains an Alma College commencement program, June 22, 1888; Hugh Ward’s recital program, 1918; and a memorial resolution from the Alma Order of the Eastern Star for Electra Brewbaker (died November 20, 1932 at age 81).

Both scrapbooks are quite acidic, but Volume 2 is very acidic, fragile, with detached covers and spine.

Miscellaneous collection of his research materials, drafts of books, speeches, biographical materials, and photographic materials of John Cumming.

The collection reflects Cumming’s many interests and activities as Director of the Clarke, historian, author, researcher, bibliophile, printer, and collector. The collection document Mount Pleasant, Isabella County, Auburn, and Oakland County (Michigan) history, as well as his special interests, including Abel Bingham, the Gold Rush, and (Strangite) Mormons. There are drafts of his books and articles, speeches, and biographical materials. Photographic materials are also included. Most of the material in the collection is undated. Materials have been processed by Acc# to facilitate research by the donor. Boxes 1-6, Oversized folder, Acc#5261, 52991, 71-41; Boxes 7-8, Acc# 53561; Boxes 9-10, Acc#67488 and 67600; Box 11, unaccessioned materials from January 2007; Boxes 12-16, Acc#72398.

Processing Note: Duplicates were removed from the collection. A list of items merged into other, existing collections, where they were more apt to be used by researchers, is in the donor’s file.

Published items were separately cataloged and housed in the Clarke.

Additional materials generated in his capacity as Director of the Clarke are found in the Clarke Historical Library Organizational Records.

A collection of slides from Cumming is separately cataloged.

Papers include notes and papers written about the early history of Detroit, biographical materials, and correspondence.

The collection includes many undated notes and papers Campbell wrote about the early history of Detroit, Michigan. Some Correspondence, 1823-1881, undated (2 folders), and one folder each of Deeds, 1852 (not Campbell’s) and Biographical Material (copy), undated, complete the collection. Among the more noteworthy Mich. correspondents are Governor K. C. Bingham (April 22, 1857 letter to Campbell re: the position of Justice of the Michigan Supreme Court), and Charles C. Trowbridge, (letters to Campbell August 21, 1877 and September 7, 1881 re: the safekeeping of historical documents).

There is also an 1870 copy of a 1823 letter by John R. Williams to Fr. Gabriel Richard criticizing Richards for “meddling with political affairs.”

The papers include family and business correspondence, financial and legal papers related to logs and the lumber business.

The papers include business and family correspondence, financial and legal papers related to his logs and lumber business interests, biographical materials, and miscellaneous.

Family papers, photographic images, promotion papers, and medical writings of Joseph Rowe Smith, Jr., letters to/from his brother, Henry Smith, military and medical papers of Joseph Rowe Smith, Sr., and miscellaneous family materials.

The papers of Joseph Rowe Smith, Sr., 1823-1859, and undated, document his diary of his military career, 1823-1835, which traces his traveling, survey work in Florida, illnesses, births, and deaths of children, his affection for his wife, and conversion to Christianity following exposure to several severe cholera epidemics are particularly interesting. His faith comforted him through the loss of two babies. Also of interest are medical reports on his injured elbow, and estate papers.

The papers of Joseph Rowe Smith, Jr., 1848-1910, and undated, include his promotion papers, photographic images, and his medical writings. Also found in Box 1 are letters from Henry Smith to his brother Joseph R. Smith, Sr., and a journal, 1870-1878, and several folders of miscellaneous materials of Horace Smith, 1870, 1920.

Miscellaneous family papers and photographic materials, mostly undated, complete the collection. Item-level index cards are also found in Box 3. Note: The Clarke also has two portraits of Smith: one is a small. framed, damaged water color portrait probably from his West Point graduation, circa 1823;the second is an oversized, framed, painted portrait of Smith in uniform with his arm in a sling, undated. For more information about the portraits, please refer to the Framed Art Inventory binder.

A letter Smith wrote on November 13, 1862 to President Abraham Lincoln recommending Rev. S. T. Carpenter of Polo, Illinois for chaplain at the Washington Park Hospital in Cincinnati. Note by Surgeon General W. A. Hammond concurring is housed in the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum. A link to the finding aid describing the letter is found at https://illinois.as.atlas-sys.com/repositories/2/resources/2557.

Papers of the Wells family of New York (State) and Saginaw, Michigan, include business records, correspondence, diaries, genealogy notes, photographs, oversized materials, and Eclipse Motor Car Company vouchers.

The Wells Business Records, almost all legal-size (2 cubic feet in 5 boxes), is divided into Eclipse Motor Car Company Vouchers, 1906-1911 (3 boxes), and Traverse City Iron Works Estimates, 1931-1942, except for 1940. Eclipse Motor Car Company was an automobile company based in Saginaw and operated by the Smith family that was later purchased by General Motors Company. It ordered iron supplies from Traverse City. Also included is one folder of letter-size business correspondence requesting catalogs and information on machinery of the Brady Cooperage Machinery Company, which was located in Manistee and Traverse City, Michigan, 1911-1916. This was apparently a company that supplied machinery to make barrels. Apparently, Brady Cooperage Machinery Company made round wooden tire spokes for the Eclipse Motor Car Company.

The Wells Family Correspondence, 1823-1947 (Scattered), and undated (5 cubic feet in 10 boxes), is composed almost entirely of letter-size correspondence between Wells family members and their extended relatives, Cochranes, Smiths, Wadhams, and Wells, and their friends and some business associates. Correspondence is filed alphabetically by surname, then first name of the writer of the letters, and chronologically within each folder. Additional miscellaneous items that do not fit elsewhere in the collection, such as locks of hair, report cards, etc. are also filed with correspondence. It is clear that for the most part the families through the generations cared about each other. Most of the letters concern family news of birth, deaths, marriages, news of illness and social events. Letters that may of particular interest to researchers include: A letter to Mrs. Wallis Craig Smith (nee Jean Wadhams Wells, daughter of C. W. Wells) from Mrs. Jefferson Davis, 1905, with an undated clipping of Jefferson Davis’ signature; Civil War correspondence of C. W. Wells to his parents, siblings, and friends, 1861-1865, particularly a letter discussing a battle with Confederate General James Longstreet’s troops, April 23, 1863; Correspondence from California discussing earthquakes, business, and gold mining, from Chester (Chet) Wells to his parents and siblings, 1853-1886; To Wells, Ermina, from William and Col. Luman Wadhams (cousin) and L. Wadhams (nephew), mostly in San Francisco, 1850-1882 (scattered). The Wadhams operated a general store in San Francisco; Correspondence from Wells, Jane A., to Benjamin and Charlie (sons) and Charlie’s wife, Mollie, June 3 and 14, 1876 re: death of their daughter Mattie of Scarlet; a letter from Mollie Wells to Mr. Paxson regarding Women’s Temperance, November 11, 1870; a letter from C. W. Wells to daughter, Jean W. Wells, October 10, 1893 while at the World’s Fair in Chicago; and Correspondence from Cochrane, John to Jane Cochrane (mother), James C. (brother), and sister, 1848-1862 (This includes an 1849 letter from Vera Cruz, Mexico, 1850 from San Francisco, and an 1851 letter from Panama.)

Diaries, (.5 cubic foot in 1 box), include those of Mrs. E. J. (Mrs. W. V.) McLean, 1854, 1871 (2 v.) and 1867 (1 v.); her husband, W. V. McLean, W.V., 1855, 1863, 1865, 1869, 1875 (5 v.); possibly Mrs. Henry Prindle?, 1886 (1 v.), and G. W. Smith, 1883 (1 v.). There are also six unidentified diaries, 1862, 1865-1866, 1872, 1884, and 1891. The link between G. W. Smith and Mrs. Henry Prindle and the Wells is undetermined.

Genealogy Notes, 1894-1945 (Scattered), and undated, (1 cubic foot in 2 boxes), are grouped roughly by surname of family members. These notes were definitely generated and gathered by Jean Craig Smith and include a number of her correspondence regarding her ancestry and for admittance into the DAR.

Photographs, 1860s-1915, and undated (1 cubic foot in 2 boxes), consists of various sizes and types of photographic materials, including cabinet cards, albumen image in a case, cartes-de-visites, stereoscopic views, and a variety of other 19th and early 20th century family photographs. Many of the images are partially identified if not both identified and partially dated. Photographs are grouped by type, size, and family groups. Of particular interest to researchers will be the Civil War Cabinet Card Portraits, includes C.W. Wells and Maj. Gen. Joe Hooker (39 total) and Stereoscopic Views, two of the Civil War, and one of C.W. Wells’ House.

Oversized Materials include Legal Documents, 1872-1901 (Scattered) mainly related to the Last Will and Testament of C.W. Wells, deeds, and guardianship legal documents (.5 cubic foot in 2 boxes), Oversized Photographs,1910-1916, and undated (.25 cubic foot in 1 box), and Oversized Miscellaneous including notes, obituaries, undated (.25 cubic foot in 1 box).

Oversized Folders include: blueprints, drawings, and proposals related to the Battle Creek Pump Station 8, 1941; Battle Creek Sewage Plant, 1938, the Midland Chemical Warfare Plant, 1942, and the Traverse City Pump/Lift Station, 1941, and an undated partial map of Essex County, New York State, showing the AuSable River, home of the Benjamin Wells family. The map was probably cut out of a magazine.

Lastly, Oversized Volumes, are the account ledgers of Jean Wells Smith, 1893-1901, and 1898-1906.

Family papers include correspondence, financial, business and legal papers, photographs, daguerreotypes, photograph albums, biographical materials, scrapbooks, genealogical materials, poetry, publications, and miscellaneous.

The Thurston Family Papers, ranging from 1823 to 1974, consist of correspondence; a diary; financial, business, and legal papers; photographs, daguerreotypes, biographical materials, and a scrapbook of advertising cards. The papers fall in to six groupings, Genealogy, The John Gates Thurston Family, The Francis H. Thurston Family, The George Lee Thurston II Family, George Lee Thurston III, and Visual Images. The folders in each grouping are arranged alphabetically.

Genealogy contains genealogical material and several drafts of The Thurston Chronicle, a history of the Thurston family, by George Lee Thurston III.

The John Gates Thurston Family material includes legal papers and records from the Massachusetts House of Representatives, an 1824 letter describing Lafayette’s visit to Alexandria, a 1836 diary of John’s trip to Chicago, Civil War letters from his son George L. Thurston I and Henry Nourse, and a passport from a trip to Europe in 1839.

The Francis H. Thurston Family material includes articles by Francis on such topics as Michigan trivia, Civil War memories, building a canvas canoe, and descriptions of the excellence of Michigan. Letters from his mother (1862, 1963) include Civil War news, details of his brother’s death following the war, and marriage advice. In an 1897 letter from his son, George, Francis learns that George had to put in a telephone because the competing lumber mill had one and was getting more business. A letter (1907) to Francis’ recently widowed daughter-in-law Lenore gives her nearly word for word financial advice given to him in 1886 by his friend E. H. Russell when William McNeil had a breakdown and nearly financially destroyed Francis.

The George Lee Thurston II Family material is more eclectic than the rest of the collection because of the variety of people and materials in this grouping. Included is correspondence of the Mohrmann family (George married Lenore Mohrmann) written in German and a German report card as well as both the original and transcript copies of William’s suicide poem “Pallida Mors.” George Lee Thurston II’s publication, the Intermediate Valley contains facts about Michigan, ads, and humorous stories. Letters from his Uncle Dud (1879, undated) are humorous and encourage George to develop his writing--both style and content. Letters written in 1879 from his boyhood friends in Ohio talk of the yellow fever epidemic and of the diphtheria epidemic in Michigan. Frederick Crandall Thurston’s (George’s son) correspondence includes letters he wrote to his family while he was looking for work in New York, 1930-1931, describing railway travel and his negative reaction to radios. The copies of the 1934 editions of the Remington News (Culpepper, Va.) indicate depression-era prices and an unusually progressive attitude (for the South) towards blacks which contrasts with an 1856 receipt for the sale of Hannah (a Negro) for $50 (the connection with the Thurston family is unclear).

Visual Images include photographs, photograph albums, daguerreotypes, and a scrapbook of advertising cards. Identified daguerreotypes and photographs include many family members and friends whose names appear in the Thurston papers. Among these are E. H. Russell, William McNeil, and Mary B. Thurston Nourse. The unidentified daguerreotypes include two images of a man with his dog and one image of a woman kissing a baby. The unidentified daguerreotypes are labeled with a number; the same number followed by a letter (ie 5a, 5b), indicates different daguerreotypes of the same person. A folder with a photograph of a Lee Thurston is in the Clarke’s Biographical Photographs File. The scrapbook includes only one Michigan advertising card, the rest being from New York (State) or other states.

Papers include biographical materials, correspondence, journals, writings, including essays and poems, and item-level index cards.

The collection includes Pitezel’s correspondence mostly to family and friends (with notes and related materials), journals, and writings (essays and a poem), many of which later became books.

Most of his letters are to his mother, brother, Joshua, and sisters, Caroline and Mary. They detail his religious activities, beliefs, the people and situations in which he traveled, preached, and lived, family news, the weather, and illnesses. He was strongly anti-Catholic and reported often on Catholic missionaries and their missionary efforts. The letters are pasted together with related documents, which makes organizing them a challenge.

His journals span September 1846 through September 1851 and detail his life and work in Adrian, Marshall, Sault Ste. Marie, and at Kewanenon Mission, Michigan, and note his visits to Indian chiefs, councils, and medicine men, as well as stories told to him by Indians.

The writings include six autobiographical and religious essays.

Item-level index cards are included at the end of the collection to assist researchers.

The Shaker collection includes a wide variety of materials written by or about Shakers.

The collection consists mostly of photocopied material written by or about Shakers. Most of the collection was copied from materials found either in the Clarke Historical Library or ordered via inter-library loan. The only materials which are originals in the collection are the Journal of Shaker Studies issues, (the) Clarion, the Correspondence, and Duffield’s Notes.

Materials are organize into the following topical series: Bibliographies, Broadsides, Correspondence (Duffield’s with Shaker organizations), Fiction, Fiction-Tangental (materials that appeared to be about Shakers but was not), Narratives, Nonfiction, Notes (Duffield’s), Periodicals, Poems, Vital Statistics, and Shaker Journals. The series are organized alphabetically, except the Shaker Journals, which are filed last as they require a larger box than the rest of the collection.

Within each series, materials are organized alphabetically by author’s last name or by title, if the author is unidentified. Periodicals include mailing lists and related materials for the Journal of Shaker Studies, various issues of the Manifesto, The Shaker, and (the) Clarion. The Shaker Journals are photocopied manuscripts of journals written by Shakers.

A later addition (Acc#67521) includes articles (copies) with typed transcripts and miscellaneous materials, such as photographs, brochures, postcards, sewing instructions (patterns), and other materials.

Processing Note: All published books and periodicals in the collection have been separately cataloged.

Papers include articles, poems, and stories by Stebbins,correspondence, notably a letter from Stebbins to Horace Greeley, 1847 re: the presidential election, general store ledgers, a post office letter book, school notebooks, and miscellaneous.

The collection includes a number of articles, poems, and stories by Stebbins. The correspondence between Stebbins and his children mostly describes family news and business travels. Of note is a letter from Horace Greeley, dated 1847, concerning the presidential election. His work is documented through surviving oversized store ledgers and a post office letter book. A number of school notebooks and miscellaneous items complete the collection.

Papers include correspondence, notebooks, legal documents, essays, and photographs.

The Chaney Family Papers include correspondence, notebooks, legal documents, essays, and photos, which are arranged alphabetically by topic. The correspondence spans almost 120 years and consists of correspondence between family and friends. A letter from L. W. Caryl to Henry Chaney, dated 29 July 1832, describes a method for early diagnosis and cure of cholera. Between May 1837 and January 1838, Isabella Caryl (then living in New York) received letters from several of her former school mates (who called themselves “The Hill Girls”) who had moved to Detroit. Among the notebooks is one of Willard Chaney’s medical notebooks. Of the seventeen photos in the collection, only one, Marjorie Chaney Bow (Henry’s granddaughter), is identified.

The papers include family correspondence, journals, notebooks, a photograph, and miscellaneous, mostly concerning Dr. Blackwood's medical career and gold mining experiences in California during the Gold Rush of 1849.

The Papers include personal correspondence, mainly between Dr. and Mrs. Jane Blackwood, describing journeys to California and Nevada, the uprising of Negroes (June 16, 1827), and a cholera epidemic (from Jane Blackwood, 1849). There is a diary of Mrs. Blackwood, and her notes on mathematical calculation, kept while living in Ovid (New York), 1827. Dr. Thomas Blackwood is also documented by a medical notes book, 1827-1832, including the diagnosis and treatment of his patients, receipts, payments, and births, August 1832-September 1833; his certificate of entrance to the Washtenaw Medical Society, June 1832; and his travel journal, 1850, while aboard the Loo Choo. Lastly, there is a copy of his first letter published in the Washtenaw Whig, September 12, 1849.

The collection contains accounts, insurance papers, land papers, legal forms, and letters of Frederic Bronson.

The collection includes Frederic Bronson’s correspondence, 1832-1863, undated; accounts, records of loans, mortgages, 1828-1863; deeds, maps, and other land, business, and personal papers, 182?-1861, undated. Lands covered include those in Chicago, Michigan, Somerset County (New Jersey), western New York counties, New York (city), Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.

The Clarke also has the original papers of Isaac and Arthur Bronson, Frederic’s father and brother, and the Bronson Family Papers (See those finding aids.). These collections include some additional papers of Frederic Bronson.

On microfilm, the Clarke has the Bronson Family Papers deposited at NYPL (Mss. Micro F-40, 30 reels of positive microfilm). Here, amidst papers of numerous Bronson family members, are found Frederic’s letters, 1825-1861, 1863 (reel 6, 17-18, 23, 25); miscellaneous, 1829-1854 and accounts, 1839-1863 (reels 26-27), and Bronson land and miscellaneous papers (reels 7-9, 18, 25, 29-30). Frederic’s Land Book, 1840, covering Michigan, Wisconsin, and Illinois, is part of the Arthur Bronson Papers in the Newberry Library. The negative microfilm of this book (Acc#565) is also available at the Clarke. The Land Book, 1840, was filmed by the Chicago Historical Society in 1978 and donated to the Clarke.

The collection consists of family photographs, correspondence, drafts of her children's stories, correspondence, and accounts.

The collection documents the life, research, and writing career of Frances Margaret “Madge” Fox. The collection only lacks copies of her outgoing correspondence to friends and business colleagues.

Physically, the collection is in very good condition. Items that were very fragile or acidic have been photocopied and the originals removed from the collection. Except for Box 53 which has legal-size materials in it, the collection consists of letter-sized or smaller materials.

The collection is divided into the following series: Biographical Materials, 1886-2008 (Scattered) and undated, 1 box (.5 cubic feet). This includes originals and photocopies of census records, newspaper articles and magazine clippings, library cards, and printouts of e-photographs, documenting Madge’s life, literary career, death, education, research, and homes. Art by Walt Harris, the illustrator of Little Bear is also found here.

Photographs, 1877-1953 (Scattered), and undated, 3 boxes (1.5 cubic feet), consists of one folder of negatives, the rest all being various pre-1960 forms of photographs including a stereographic view, tintypes, cartes-de-visites, and snapshots, all black and white, in various shapes and sizes. Many of the images are unidentified and undated. Identified photographs are filed alphabetically by the name of the person, and by topics and date when possible. There are photographs of Marge, her family and friends, animals, birds, and various research topics.

Business Correspondence, 1899-1953, 1955, and 1958, and undated, 6 boxes (3 cubic feet). Most of the Business Correspondence consists of communications from editors, thank you notes, rejection letters, commentary and suggestions, as well as royalty checks. This is filed chronologically. Of particular note in this series are decorative notes with art from Walt Harris, who sketched a bear and porridge on his note of October 2, 1923. He was the artist of Little Bear. Additional art by Harris is in the Biographical Materials box.

The vast majority of Personal Correspondence is letters and postcards from her friends and relatives to her. Correspondence with her closest relatives and friends, 1912-1952, and undated, composes 3 boxes (1.5 cubic feet). It is filed alphabetically by surname. These are the people with whom she corresponded often and regularly. Here are letters from her Aunt Annie, distant relatives of her father’s, and many friends from Washington, D.C. and Mackinaw, as well as the Joslyns. There are a number of letters from associates in the publishing business, notably Madge’s friend Mrs. Jessica Mannon of Bobbs-Merril Company’s Editorial Board. These letters discuss health issues, their shared history, family news, her publications, travel plans, and research ideas, as well as the last and next time Madge and the letter writer met or will meet, and friends and relatives common to both. There is also one folder of correspondence from Madge Fox to various people, 1883-1952, and one folder about damage and repairs to her home, 1926.

More generic letters from a wider span of friends, fans, and children with whom Madge corresponded more rarely, or perhaps once or twice, compose the remaining personal correspondence. Some of these letters are as simple as Dear Miss Fox, I love your books. When possible, correspondence is filed alphabetically by surname, 1920-1950s. There are also folders for people who signed only with their first names or initials that could not be matched to or with any of the other correspondence. This section of the correspondence totals 2 boxes (1 cubic foot).

Research Notes, 1901-1943 and undated, 1 box (.5 cubic feet). This includes a bibliography, reference and photographic material organized alphabetically by topics.

Stories, include the actual story, drafts, they may by typed, handwritten, or published, and may include related materials such as notes, drawings, photographs, letters of rejection from an editor, an index to a book, or a cover page. The stories, which cover a plethora of topics in each subseries, are arranged alphabetically by title. Sometimes the title varies on different items in the folder. If so, square brackets are used on the folder heading. In one case, there is no title, so I created a title based on the topic and put it in square brackets. Many of the stories are based on factual documentation. The stories, particularly the drafts, show the development of her stories and are the core of the collection.

The Stories are subdivided into the following subseries: Handwritten Stories, 1921-1943, and undated, 5 boxes (2.5 cubic feet); Published Stories, 1899-1952, and undated, 2 boxes (1 cubic foot), includes advertisements, lists of her published stories, and the stories themselves. Typed Stories, which are subdivided into the following subjects:

Activities, Greeting Card Suggestions, Plays, and Poems, also includes models for paper dolls and other easily made toys and games for small children, 1934, 1944 (Scattered), and undated, 1 box (.5 cubic feet). Madge wrote ideas for babies and small children’s games, activities, paper dolls, as well as various plays for children to act in, poems for children, and a few ideas for greeting cards.

Animal Stories, includes animals, insects, and Uncle Sam’s Birds book, 1917-1948, and undated, 6 boxes (3 cubic feet), includes a list of all the stories, and then the stories. There are many stories regarding a wide array of animals, notably bears, birds, U.S. Army mules, cats, and dogs, including Owney, the well traveled U.S. mail dog, and Balto who delivered diphtheria serum to Nome, Alaska, during an epidemic of the disease, among others.

Buildings, Countries, Events, and Places Stories, 1912-1947, and undated, 3 boxes (1.5 cubic feet). The United States, England, Bermuda, and other countries are documented here.

Famous People Stories, 1923-1952, and undated, 3 boxes (1.5 cubic feet) includes stories of royalty, politicians, inventors, explorers, soldiers, American heroes, but not Indians nor saints.

Indian Tales, Famous Indians, and Captivity Stories, 1928-1950, and undated, 2 boxes (1 cubic foot) documents famous leaders, incidents, tales, and captivity stories.

Michigan Stories, 1914-1945, and undated, 1 box (.5 cubic foot), includes stories of important and common Michigan people and events, based mainly in and around Mackinaw City. Here are a number of stories and experiences of some of Madge’s Michigan friends.

Miscellaneous Stories, 1910-1952, and undated, 6 boxes (3 cubic feet) covers a plethora of topics, including American and foreign, current and historic trees, plants, statues, art, inventions such as sewing machines and fly paper, and common everyday items such as bells and beads.

Religious, Holidays, Saints, Christmas Stories, 1917-1946, and undated, 2 boxes (1 cubic foot) includes information on a variety of Catholic saints, many Quakers, history of many holidays and holy days, and many religious themes, as well as Christmas stories.

Volumes, 4 boxes (2 cubic feet) include: Accounts, 1901-1947 (27 v.); Address books, 1919, 1931, 1940 (3 v.), Diaries, 1917-1952 (14 v.), Quotations, 1898, 1943 (1 v.), and Story Notes, 1915-1949, and undated (34 v.). Her Accounts note which stories Madge sent to publishers, which were published, and what she was paid for them. Her Diaries consist of brief, sometimes intermittent notes, mainly about health, travel and social plans and events, and her research and writing work. They vary in detail and completeness. All the volumes vary in size and shape.

Legal-size Materials, 1 box (.5 cubic feet) consists of her Publishing Contracts, 1902-1951, some partial Research Notes on Paw Paw (Mich.), undated; and a Scrapbook, 1897, 1945, made in a Beckman and Mechelson, Inc., Bay City (Mich.) Stock Certificate Book.

Index Cards to Madge’s personal and business correspondence, 4 boxes, 1899-1944, complete the collection. Noted on the index cards is the name of the writer, recipient, date, address, and number of pages. The cards are arranged chronologically. [Note: the cards existed prior to Marian processing the collection. It is unknown if Madge or earlier Clarke staff created the index cards.]

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

The collection includes a variety of family records.

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

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

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

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

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

Papers include original correspondence to Whittier, typed transcripts of the same, poems, writings, biographical materials, memorials, and correspondence by Whittier, and miscellaneous.

The collection includes approximately .75 cubic feet of original correspondence, mostly to Whittier 1829-1890, undated, approximately .5 cubic ft. of typed transcripts of the same, about 20 folders of Whittier’s poems, writings, biographical material, memorials, correspondence by JGW, 1835-1889, and miscellaneous, 1840-1892, undated. Of particular note are correspondence with Charles A. Dana, Ralph W. Emerson, Oliver W. Holmes, Lydia Maria Child, Dorothea Dix, Henry W. Longfellow, Henry B. Stanton, and Frances E. Willard regarding poems and abolition. There are also 10 letters to Whittier from his brother, Matthew F. Whittier and several letters from Elizabeth Whittier (?) and other relatives. Signatures are listed as signed. There is also an incomplete item-level index in Box 3.

The collection is also available on one reel of positive microfilm Acc#443 and the index is available on positive microfilm Acc#359 (section 2). The Clarke also houses books and poems by or about Whittier.

The majority of the papers are the correspondence, tax receipts for Michigan and Illinois, deeds, indentures, and mortgages of Clark’s wife, Mary E. Clark.

The majority of the papers are the correspondence, tax receipts for Michigan and Illinois, deeds, indentures, and mortgages of Clark’s wife, Mary E. Clark. There is also a sketch of a bronze memorial tablet honoring Clark by the Michigan Engineering Society for his work as a Deputy U.S. Land Surveyor. Mary’s correspondence to family and friends describes family affairs and her farm business, 1838-1870. Correspondence, 1832-1837, is to Mary from Robert. It is affectionately written with brief notes about his work. Mary’s estate is detailed in a notebook, 1867-1898, in John M. Clark’s Papers.

Robert Clark’s papers also include an oversized certificate appointed him Quartermaster of the 11th Regiment, Michigan Militia in 1833, signed by Lewis Cass, and one folder of correspondence and a notebook documenting his supplies and duties as Quartermaster, 1829, 1832-1834, and undated.

Item-level index cards are available to assist researchers.

Papers include business correspondence, legal and financial papers of Houghton's while a partner in Houghton and Hubbard, regarding the real estate business in southern Michigan, 1830-1841, correspondence regarding the incorporation of St. Paul's Church, Detroit, Michigan, as well as seven volumes of field survey notes of Michigan, 1837-1840, six folders of survey maps of Michigan, 1830s, undated, and three miscellaneous volumes, one of which is field survey notes, 1845..

These papers are of interest to anyone interested in early surveying of Michigan, the early development of Michigan, what Michigan was once like, and the life of Houghton. It consists of field survey notebooks (7 volumes.), 1837-1840, undated, of Michigan places, township survey maps of Michigan, undated, 1995 copies of transcriptions of the miscellaneous 1845 notebooks labeled by Houghton as No. 1-2 and the Index of Names (note: these volumes are listed as Volumes 8-10 in this finding aid) and a letter from Frank E. Stead re: his research and transcriptions, business correspondence, legal and financial papers of Houghton’s while a partner in Houghton and Hubbard regarding the real estate business in southern Michigan, 1830-1841, correspondence re: St. Paul’s Church, Detroit, Michigan, 1842, regarding its incorporation, and miscellaneous notebooks (3 volumes.), 1845, undated. The collection is organized alphabetically and chronologically. The collection is also available on microfilm (Micro 686). Most of the collection is in good physical condition, but some materials are acidic, have edge and/or fold damage. White acid-free paper was inserted on either side of more acidic, ripped, or separated pieces, or related pieces to show context/relationship by the archivist. Researchers may also be interested in other Clarke Historical Library resources by and about Houghton. Stead also transcribed the Lower Peninsula Field Survey Notebook for July 15-August 13, 1837, a copy of which is in the Clarke.