Collections

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.

The records consists of the company's historical files, library records, and bookplates.

The records are organized into Alert Fire Engine Company records (financial records, meeting minutes, lists of members) and the Adrian Fireman’s Library Association records (constitution, by-laws, donor lists, financial records, and book plates), on which are printed the rules and fines of the Library.

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.

The collection includes financial and legal records, correspondence, and stock certificates of the Arivaca Mill Company (Arivaca, Ariz.).

The collection includes legal records, correspondence, telegrams, stock certificates, and other materials related to the AMM and C Co. Correspondence and legal papers concerning other business interests of both Witherells are also included.

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).

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.

This collection includes correspondence, track blueprints, various schedules, financial accounts, and other materials.

The collection originally was in small packets of related materials which accounts for overlapping chronological sequences. It is organized by format, location, and date into Correspondence, some with Track Blueprints, Movements of Trains, Track Schedules, and various Financial Account Books, 1846-1960.

The collection contains, biographical materials, mortgage, personal correspondence, and poetry.

The collection consists mainly of poetry Cecilia wrote and collected correspondence she received from family and friends. Biographical materials include copies of census records documenting her life and a mortgage.

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.

Collection consists of correspondence, diaries, meeting minutes, records, printed matter and miscellanea of the church, microfilm of legal cases, and images.

This is one of the finest collections in the U. S. of Strangite Mormon material in the world housed in a public institution. A large number of publications from Strang’s Beaver Island printing press are included. More significant is an excellent collection of letters and diaries of his Strangite followers. Also, there is a strong photographic collection of Strangites.

Topics covered include Strangite Mormonism, the Beaver Island colony, various Mormon controversies, the question of succession, etc. The papers of James J. Strang, the Strang Family, and Strangite followers (disciples): Mark A. Strang, Lorenzo Dow Hickey, Warren Post, Wingfield Watson, Lloyd A. Flanders, Stanley L. Johnson, and Alexandre Roger Caffiaux complete the collection.

U.S. District Court vs. James J. Strang, cases 9-22 records, 1851, are microfilmed and in the Mark Strang papers in Box 4. Additional related letters are in the James J. Strang papers in Box 1.

Some materials are microfilmed while many materials are photocopied from other institutions. Additionally, small additions to the collection may be found in the Strangite Miscellaneous Collection, Lorenzo Dow Hickey, and Watson Wingfield collections.

The collection is also described on the Clarke’s webpage.