Collections

Back to top

Search Constraints

Start Over You searched for: Level Collection Remove constraint Level: Collection Names William L. Clements Library , University of Michigan Remove constraint Names: William L. Clements Library , University of Michigan
Number of results to display per page
View results as:

Search Results

Collection

William Abbatt collection, 1927-1931

5 items

The William Abbatt collection contains correspondence related to Abbatt's authorial and editorial work about the American Revolution.

The William Abbatt collection contains correspondence and a newspaper clipping related to Abbatt's scholarly work about the American Revolution. The four letters in the collection represented Abbatt's efforts to ensure historical accuracy throughout his work. Specific subjects addressed in the collection included the historiography of the American Revolution and of Benedict Arnold's invasion of New York, archival records of two members of the Continental Army, the proper use of military titles for retired officers, and Return Jonathan Meigs' involvement in Montgomery's attack on Québec. The newspaper clipping, mounted on the back of a printed petition from George Wilkes to the House of Representatives (December 10, 1848), commemorated a site related to Benedict Arnold's Québec invasion, which was flooded following the completion of a local dam.

Collection

Abbot family papers, 1887-1905

2 linear feet

Online
The Abbot family papers consist of letters written to Charles Abbot from his wife and family members in Warren, Rhode Island, describing their lives and the development of Abbot's daughter, Grace.

The Abbot family papers consist of letters written to Charles Abbot from his family in Warren, Rhode Island. The majority of the letters are from his wife Marcia, but letters from his parents and friends are also part of the collection.

The letters primarily describe the lives of Marcia and others living in Warren, including news and events, parties and entertainments, and social gatherings with friends and the local elite. What is best documented in this collection is the development and education of the Abbots' daughter Grace. Marcia writes about her involvement as a parent (such as what to read to Grace), and Grace's activities, and sends her daughter's drawings or short notes with many of the letters. Abbot's service and the news about the United States Army are occasionally mentioned.

Included with the correspondence in this collection are numerous drawings by Grace, a few newspaper clippings of local interest, and 6 cyanotypes. The theme of most of the photographs is a Fourth of July parade, two of which include Grace (with letters of Apr. 11, 1903 and July 10, 1898). Also included are two faded images of Grace with a violin (with letter of May 29, 1903).

Collection

Hattie A. Abbott expense book, 1880

1 volume

In 1880 Hattie A. Abbott used this "Common School Writing Book" produced by Cheney & Clapp, Booksellers and Stationers, of Brattleboro, Vermont, for penmanship exercises and to record her personal expenses. Only the first page was used for brief penmanship exercises. Abbott recorded purchases of clothing and fabric, jewelry, writing supplies and postage, sewing and cleaning supplies, a valentine, candy and ice cream, tintypes and pictures, car fare and other travel expenses, and other items.

In 1880 Hattie A. Abbott used this "Common School Writing Book" produced by Cheney & Clapp, Booksellers and Stationers, of Brattleboro, Vermont, for penmanship exercises and to record her personal expenses. Only the first page was used for brief penmanship exercises. Abbott recorded purchases of clothing and fabric, jewelry, writing supplies and postage, sewing and cleaning supplies, a valentine, candy and ice cream, tintypes and pictures, car fare and travel expenses, and other items.

A two-page colored advertisement for "Meteor Set Everblooming Roses" copyrighted in 1889, with illustrations of roses and a front veranda and garden, is laid into the volume.

Collection

John Stevens Cabot Abbott autograph book, 1851-1860 (majority within 1851-1853)

1 volume

The John Stevens Cabot Abbott autograph book contains short notes and autographs from Abbott's acquaintances, particularly from Brunswick, Maine.

The John Stevens Cabot Abbott autograph book contains notes and autographs from a number of Abbott's acquaintances. Most contributors included short, inspirational quotations or poetry. Of particular interest is a letter from Senator Charles Sumner, dated March 29, 1860, in which Sumner gave his opinion on one of Abbott's recent books. Many of the contributions came from Abbott's acquaintances in Brunswick, Maine, and include notes from several family members, including Abbott's brother Jacob. An anonymous party drew a pencil sketch of a man and woman, seen from behind, on the first page of the volume.

Collection

Abbott family papers, 1881-1922 (majority within 1912-1922)

0.75 linear feet

Online
The Abbott family papers consist primarily of the correspondence of Bessie Abbott, an aspiring singer and stage performer, written to her family during the early 20th century.

The Abbott family papers consist primarily of the correspondence of aspiring vocalist Bessie Abbott, written to her parents and other family members in the early 20th century.

The Correspondence series makes up the bulk of the collection, and covers the years 1881-1922. The earliest letters in the collection originated from a variety of Abbott family members and acquaintances. Of particular interest is an item describing Bessie and Stanley's time in a tent city in Coronado, Mexico (June 19, 1907). After 1912, Bessie was the primary correspondent, and in her letters she discussed aspects her life during her late 20s. In the personal, richly detailed letters from 1912-1914, Bessie described her time in Brooklyn, New York, where she studied with a vocal coach. In 1913, she took a vacation to Washington, D. C. for the Wilson inauguration, and, while there, injured her hand and, as a result, initiated an unsuccessful insurance dispute. After her return to California in 1914, Bessie wrote more frequently about her health and, after a subsequent move to Hawaii, her continued professional success. Following her stint in Hawaii, Bessie's correspondence focused more heavily on business interests, and, in a late series of letters written in the early 1920s, she wrote about her travels throughout southeast Asia, including visits to the Philippines and to Saigon.

Other correspondents represented in the collection include Will Abbott, Bessie's brother; Stanley Howland, Bessie's husband; and Tracy and Linnie Abbott, Bessie's parents.

The Photographs and miscellaneous series includes the following three items:
  • A photograph of an unidentified man, taken by Eduard Glaubach in Greifswald, Germany, on March 10, 1880
  • A Christmas card, signed by Billy Warren
  • A program from a music recital in Honolulu, Hawaii
Collection

Garret Abeel papers, 1792-1827

259 items

The Garret Abeel papers are made up of the correspondence and business papers of New York City iron merchant Garret Byvanck Abeel and the firms G. B. & J. Abeel and Abeel & Dunscomb.

The Garret Abeel papers are made up of the correspondence and business papers of New York City iron merchant Garret Byvanck Abeel and the firms G. B. & J. Abeel and Abeel & Dunscomb.

The correspondence exclusively pertains to business matters, such as prices and price comparisons, plans for picking up or shipping merchandise, settling of accounts, and other issues regarding sales and purchases. The business papers consist of orders, invoices, shipment notifications, receipts, accounts, and other commercial documents. The Abeel papers mention many items handled by the company, including bars, bands, hoops, rods, anchor parts, nails and spikes, knives, wagon tires, and many other iron goods.

Collection

Abraham Bell papers, 1812-1901 (majority within 1830-1854)

1.5 linear feet

The Abraham Bell papers contain correspondence and financial documents related to Abraham Bell & Co., an early 19th-century New York City shipping firm owned by Abraham Bell.

The Abraham Bell papers contain correspondence and financial documents related to Abraham Bell & Co., an early 19th-century New York City shipping firm owned by Abraham Bell. The majority of material in the Correspondence series is addressed to either Abraham Bell or to his company, and relates to various business affairs, often concerning payment or delivery of goods. Many of the letters originated from European firms, including a letter from Collman, Lambert & Co. in Liverpool, written on stationery that includes a printed list of current prices for cotton and related goods (February 8, 1837).

The Receipts and financial papers series consists of non-correspondence items related to the operation of Abraham Bell & Co. throughout the early and mid-1800s. These include records of payment and lists of cargo carried aboard Bell's ships, as well as several documents relating to loads of street manure in 1839. Several early items within this series pertain to the ship Josephine.

Fifteen Account and receipt books provide information about Bell's financial endeavors throughout the period in explicit detail, covering the years 1840-1868. A letter book contains copies of letters written by Abraham Bell between October 16, 1833, and August 15, 1834.

Miscellaneous items in the collection include an indenture for land in New Jersey belonging to the Budd family (December 25, 1812), and a record of fiscal accounts between Abraham Bell & Co. and [Malionson] Bell & Co. (June 30, 1836).

Collection

Andrew Adams papers, 1763-1797

45 items

The Andrew Adams papers consist primarily of letters addressed to Adams, an attorney and politician, by his legal clients and colleagues.

The Andrew Adams papers consist primarily of letters, contracts, and bills addressed to Adams by his legal clients and colleagues. Letters come from Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York, New Hampshire, and Vermont. Among the letter writers are country store owner Samuel Sheldon, concerning the transfer of land through a deed; lawyer and Connecticut politician Elizur Goodrich, with a request to appear as John Blackburn's attorney; and legal correspondence from fellow Yale graduate and Continental Congress member Jedediah (Jedidiah) Strong.

Collection

Mrs. H. C. Adams diary, 1901-1916

1 volume

This pocket diary contains entries written by Mrs. H. C. Adams between 1901 and 1916. Most of the volume is Adams' narrative of her visit to the 1901 Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo with her friend Alice, describing buildings and exhibits of the Exposition as well as their excursions into the cities of Buffalo and Syracuse.

This pocket diary contains entries written by Mrs. H. C. Adams between 1901 and 1916. Most of the volume is Adams' narrative of her visit to the 1901 Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo with her friend Alice, describing buildings and exhibits of the Exposition as well as their excursions into the cities of Buffalo and Syracuse.

Mrs. Adams recorded what she saw in many of the buildings, including the "living villages" of the Exposition. They included "genuine" homes of people from the Philippines, Africa, and Japan, as well as Inuit (called Esquimaux Village) and Indigenous North American tribes. In the Japanese Village (called Fair Japan) Mrs. Adams observed a band consisting mostly of women and made note of a theater purported to be the finest in the world. She saw more singers, dancers, and theater productions in the Philippine Village, mentioning some religious practices happening there.

Below is a partial list of exhibits and attractions mentioned by Mrs. Adams:
  • A chair made of horns
  • A list of fish present in the Fishery Building
  • The largest tanned elephant hide in the world (500 pounds)
  • A gold bed
  • A statue representing a Quaker
  • Moveable wooden feet
  • A bear made of raisins
  • An elephant made of English walnut
  • Wood from each U.S. state and from some foreign countries
  • A theater named The Land of the Midnight Sun
  • A house made of butter

During her trip, Adams also visited the Temple of Music, where President William McKinley (1843-1901) was shot. Following Mrs. Adams' diary entries are several lists of names. One is attributed to the Teachers' Institute in November 1906, containing women's names, cities, and states. A similarly formatted list, dated October of 1909, is titled "Institute," but has Xs beside the names. The final list, titled "[Bonnie?] Beach Sandy Creek NY" and dated December 1913, appears to have signatures of individual people.

At the end of the volume is a single-page entry dated January 1927: a list of baked goods with amounts and apparent prices listed.

Collection

Mrs. H. C. Adams diary, 1901-1916

1 volume

This pocket diary contains entries written by Mrs. H. C. Adams between 1901 and 1916. Most of the volume is Adams' narrative of her visit to the 1901 Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo with her friend Alice, describing buildings and exhibits of the Exposition as well as their excursions into the cities of Buffalo and Syracuse.

This pocket diary contains entries written by Mrs. H. C. Adams between 1901 and 1916. Most of the volume is Adams' narrative of her visit to the 1901 Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo with her friend Alice, describing buildings and exhibits of the Exposition as well as their excursions into the cities of Buffalo and Syracuse.

Mrs. Adams recorded what she saw in many of the buildings, including the "living villages" of the Exposition. They included "genuine" homes of people from the Philippines, Africa, and Japan, as well as Inuit (called Esquimaux Village) and Indigenous North American tribes. In the Japanese Village (called Fair Japan) Mrs. Adams observed a band consisting mostly of women and made note of a theater purported to be the finest in the world. She saw more singers, dancers, and theater productions in the Philippine Village, mentioning some religious practices happening there.

Below is a partial list of exhibits and attractions mentioned by Mrs. Adams:
  • A chair made of horns
  • A list of fish present in the Fishery Building
  • The largest tanned elephant hide in the world (500 pounds)
  • A gold bed
  • A statue representing a Quaker
  • Moveable wooden feet
  • A bear made of raisins
  • An elephant made of English walnut
  • Wood from each U.S. state and from some foreign countries
  • A theater named The Land of the Midnight Sun
  • A house made of butter

During her trip, Adams also visited the Temple of Music, where President William McKinley (1843-1901) was shot. Following Mrs. Adams' diary entries are several lists of names. One is attributed to the Teachers' Institute in November 1906, containing women's names, cities, and states. A similarly formatted list, dated October of 1909, is titled "Institute," but has Xs beside the names. The final list, titled "[Bonnie?] Beach Sandy Creek NY" and dated December 1913, appears to have signatures of individual people.

At the end of the volume is a single-page entry dated January 1927: a list of baked goods with amounts and apparent prices listed.

Collection

Samson Adams papers, 1767-1794

108 items

Online
The Samson Adams papers are the estate and business documents of Adams, a free African American man living and working in Trenton, New Jersey in the late 18th century. Adams worked as a carpenter and laborer, and produced and traded in a variety of items, including soap, milk, corn, and construction materials.

The Samson Adams Papers is comprised of over one hundred items that offer a rare glimpse into the economic and personal life of a free African-American resident of the mid-Atlantic states during the last quarter of the 18th century. The collection is divided into two series, the first consisting mainly of materials dating between 1780 and 1792, with a few earlier items, and the second containing all materials specifically related to the settlement of Adams' estate. The first series is arranged chronologically, but the second is arranged with the intention of representing the progression of the estate settlement, in an attempt to reconstitute the order placed on the materials by the executors.

The first series of Adams' papers (folders 1-11) contains bills and receipts issued by and to Adams for items ranging from milk and soap to building materials. Also included in this series are a work pass for his sister, Violet, and two important and highly unusual subscription letters seeking assistance for Adams in completing the building of his house. The second series (folders 12-30) includes Adams' will, an inventory and a complete breakdown of the distribution of his estate, bills submitted to the estate with numbered receipts showing their payment, and numerous other estate-related items. This series appears to contain nearly complete documentation of the progress of the estate, and the inventories, evaluations, and itemized list of the distribution of the estate offer an extremely detailed portrait of Adams' financial holdings and personal and business relationships

Collection

John Adlum papers, 1794-1808

16 letters, 9 volumes, and 1 publication

The Schoff Revolutionary War Collection contains the papers of John Adlum, private in the Revolutionary War, Major in the Provisional Army, Brigadier General in the Pennsylvania Militia, surveyor, and viticulturalist. The collection includes 16 items written between 1773 and 1784, and 2 drafts of his memoirs, 1773-1784.

The Schoff Revolutionary War Collection contains the papers of John Adlum, private in the Revolutionary War, Major in the Provisional Army, Brigadier General in the Pennsylvania Militia, surveyor, and viticulturalist. The collection includes 16 items written between 1794 and 1808, and 2 drafts of his memoirs, 1773-1784.

Of the letters, three deal with Adlum's activities surveying the upper Susquehanna River in 1794. The ten items from 1799 relate primarily to his service with the Provisional Army, 11th Regiment. In these letters, Adlum describes his meetings with the Seneca Chief, Cornplanter, who insisted that if the Seneca did not receive annuity payments due them, they would have to resort to hostilities. The 1807 and 1808 items are personal letters from Abel Marple and the undated/unidentified letter discusses relations between whites and Indians.

The memoirs, composed during and shortly after the Revolutionary War, are an account of Adlum's early years and of the period during which he was an active soldier in the war. Writing as a young private taken prisoner at the fall of Fort Washington, he describes British-held New York City from November 1776, until his parole in late 1777. The memoirs also offer glimpses of Nathanael Greene, George Washington, Wilhelm Knyphausen, Ethan Allen, and Hugh Gaine.

Collection

Edward Adolphus correspondence, 1842-1843

8 items

The Edward Adolphus correspondence contains seven letters and a receipt pertaining to commercial interests in New York and Boston in 1842 and 1843.

The Edward Adolphus correspondence contains seven letters and a receipt pertaining to commercial interests in New York and Boston in 1842 and 1843. The collection includes five letters from Warriner, a New York City-based merchant, one receipt for goods shipped on the Florida Blanco, and two letters from A. J. Cameron. In his letters, Warriner wrote Adolphus regarding business in New York, and focused particularly on the trade in indigo and mahogany. In one letter, Warriner mentioned the recent death of his son: "I was at the time much afflicted having that morning lost my youngest boy, who died suddenly of dropsy in the brain … I never knew a real trouble before and shall improve by this one by a firmer faith and determination to place my mind on nothing in the hope of retaining it here" (April 1, 1842). Cameron, based in Boston, also discussed commercial matters. His letter of November 1, 1843, provided his opinions on the prospective education of the Adolphus children and on dentistry.

Collection

A. & H. Jenkins collection, 1847-1851

10 items

The A. & H. Jenkins collection is made up of incoming correspondence to this Baltimore, Maryland, furniture manufacturing/undertaking firm, headed by Anthony H. and Henry W. Jenkins. These letters contain requests for contracts and details about prices, bills, and accounts for various types of furniture.

The A. & H. Jenkins collection is made up of 10 incoming letters (1847-1851) to this Baltimore, Maryland, furniture making/undertaking firm (headed by Anthony H. and Henry W. Jenkins). The correspondence contains requests for contracts and details about prices, bills, and accounts for various types of furniture. The collection offers some insight into the business' clientele, such as their particular furniture needs and specifications about materials and design, their geographical locations (from as far away as Charlestown, Virginia), and various circumstances respecting bills and overdue payments.

Short excerpts from two letters illustrate content. One regards delayed payment from a Charlestown, Virginia, Episcopal Church for a desk and pulpit: "The loss of our beautiful church with all its furniture has been a distressing dispensation to us & compelled us to delay, longer than we desired … " (May 7, 1849). Another, from Revered E. C. McGuire at Fredericksburg, Virginia, provides specifications for the construction of a table ($25.00) and chairs ($24.00 each) made with "crimson plush" rather than "crimson damask" (January 29, 1849).

Collection

Marcus Ahlenfeld papers, 1825-1876

0.75 linear feet

The Marcus Ahlenfeld papers contain correspondence, documents, notes, and other material related to Ahlenfeld's medical education in Germany and to his medical practice in the United States.

The earliest letters in the Correspondence series date to Ahlenfeld's time in Germany, though the series spans most of his time in the United States. Material in this series is written primarily in German, but also includes items in Hebrew and in English. The correspondence series contains incoming correspondence relating to Ahlenfeld's 1832 journey to America and contains many letters of recommendation from various acquaintances, as well as a letter certifying his graduation from the University of Maryland (April 6, 1835). Later items in the series include several personal letters and a certificate of Ahlenfeld's citizenship (June 13, 1845). Items in the series postdating Ahlenfeld's death are addressed to his wife Esther.

The Documents and Receipts series consists of documents related to Ahlenfeld's education in Germany, as well as several receipts related to his life before emigrating to the United States.

The Manuscript prescriptions series contains 8 undated items.

The Medical notes series includes items in English, German, and Hebrew (much of the German and Hebrew writing is written with Yiddish script). The English language notes consist of 34 pages discussing "...Salubrity, Longevity, Mortality and prevalence of diseases in the principal Countries and cities of the civilized world" (undated).

The Notes, fragments, and miscellaneous series includes material written in both German and Hebrew (again, the German and Hebrew texts are written largely with Yiddish script).

Printed items (7 items):
  • Rules for official medical examinations in Berlin (December 1825)
  • French pamphlet regarding cholera (1831)
  • Two reprinted letters of recommendation for Marcus Ahlenfeld ([1835])
  • Rules for "die Königliche Bibliothek" in Berlin (undated)
  • Pages from a German instructional book, possibly in history (undated)
  • Pages from a German medical text (undated)

The German medical textbooks series has 5 items: two books on human anatomy, a medical dictionary, a chemistry encyclopedia, and a Latin dictionary and grammar.

Collection

James Akin collection, 1805

4 items

The James Akin collection contains four items related to an engraving made by him in 1805. The material includes two personal letters and two testimonies.

The James Akin collection contains four items related to an engraving made by him in 1805. The material includes two letters and two testimonies . Both letters, written in the summer of 1805 by John McKown, relate to an engraving of "a very handsome Stone Horse on type metal," requested of Akin by McKown (June 3, 1805). The two testimonies contain statements made by Moses Moody and William Hooker to the Court of Common Pleas reflecting McKown and Akin's dispute about the proper price for the completed plate.

Collection

Isaiah L. Alden diary, 1867-1869

1 volume

The Isaiah L. Alden diary contains the reflections of a medical student and doctor in Michigan and Maine from 1867-1869. Alden provided detailed, near daily accounts of his studies at the University of Michigan and at the Medical School of Maine (now the School of Medicine at Bowdoin College), and described his work at the U. S. Marine Hospital in Portland, Maine.

The Isaiah L. Alden diary contains the reflections of a medical student and doctor in Michigan and Maine from 1867-1869. Alden provided detailed, near-daily accounts of his studies at the University of Michigan and at Bowdoin College, and described his work at the U. S. Marine Hospital in Portland, Maine.

Alden commenced the diary on December 1, 1867, while he was studying medicine at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan. In his early entries, he reflected on his life as a student, and often included descriptions of lectures given by several professors at the university, as well as accounts of medical cases he saw at various clinics. He also made note of various religious meetings he attended during this time, particularly at Ann Arbor's Methodist church. Alden left Ann Arbor for his native Maine in March 1868, and began working at the U. S. Marine Hospital in Portland, Maine, shortly after his arrival in April. He continued to describe his medical work during the period, as well as a lengthy vacation he took in the summer of that year. Upon his return, he experienced chronic discomfort caused by the complications of tuberculosis, and he tried to obtain a life insurance policy in late September, but was rejected. He left the hospital, and resumed his medical education in mid-February 1869. The remainder of the diary contains accounts of his time at the Medical School of Maine (now the School of Medicine at Bowdoin College), including notes about various professors, lectures, and examinations, and about his deteriorating health. The volume's final entry is dated May 11, 1869.

Collection

Gideon Aldrich collection, 1849-1855 (majority within 1850-1852)

71 items

The Gideon Aldrich collection contains material related to Aldrich's time at the Friends' Boarding School in Providence, Rhode Island, in the early 1850s, the bulk of which consists of his incoming correspondence from family and friends.

The Gideon Aldrich collection contains material related to Aldrich's time at the Friends' Boarding School in Providence, Rhode Island, in the early 1850s. His mother Phebe and several of his siblings, particularly Mary, wrote many of the earliest letters in the collection. In their letters, they updated him on the events that colored their daily lives, and often alluded to their devout Quaker beliefs; several of the letters from December 1850 relate to a measles outbreak reported at the Friends' School. Gideon's friends wrote most of the later letters, in which they expressed their affinity for a variety of personal interests, including baseball (March 17, 1852), sleighing, and other leisure activities. One letter from Huldah H. Sawyer paints a picture of early San Francisco, extolling the weather but lamenting the frequency of death in the city and the questionable morality of local women (February 11, 1853). Together, the letters represent the concerns and daily happenings of Quaker life in mid-19th century Massachusetts. In addition to the correspondence, the collection also holds three books used by Gideon Aldrich while at school; these include two penmanship exercise books and a composition book, which contains essays on topics such as a Quaker quarterly meeting, a description of Uxbridge, and a "Skating Party" (1851). Other material within the collection includes an 1853 valentine, several quotation cards, and a newspaper clipping.

Collection

Levi Aldrich scrapbook, 1841-1849

1 item

This "Scrapbook bound by L. A." contains handwritten final drafts of editorial pieces written by Dr. Levi Aldrich of Shrewsbury, Vermont, as well as several clippings and copies of poems by other authors. The writings occupy 57 of 59 numbered pages in a lengthier blank book. The majority are final drafts of written pieces for The Universalist Watchman (Montpelier, Vermont) and The Rutland Herald (Rutland, Vermont), and other publications. He contributed obituaries, essays on faith, articles on medicine, and editorials on society and technology.

This "Scrapbook bound by L. A." contains handwritten final drafts of editorial pieces written by Dr. Levi Aldrich of Shrewsbury, Vermont, as well as several clippings and copies of poems by other authors, dating between 1841 and 1849. The writings occupy 57 of 59 numbered pages in a lengthier blank book.

The majority of Aldrich's writings are submissions to The Universalist Watchman (Montpelier, Vermont), including obituaries and essays on faith. He also wrote several essays for The Rutland Herald (Rutland, Vermont) under the pseudonym "Philomath," concerning "animal magnetism," intemperance, and other subjects. The remaining editorials cover a range of topics including medicine (The Boston Medical and Surgical Journal), technology (Bellows Falls Gazette), and social critiques (Boston Investigator). A smaller selection of poetic works, including two clippings titled "Woman's Love" and "Man's Love," are also present.

Collection

Alexander family papers, [1863]-1969 (majority within 1894-1927)

1 linear foot

Online
The Alexander family papers document the family, life, and early career of pianist Margaret June Alexander (also known as Vonya Alexandre) throughout the early 1900s. The collection is made up of two journals kept by her mother, Myrilla M. Anderson, plus letters, writings, artwork, family photographs, printed programs, sheet music, and other materials related to this Decatur County and Indianapolis, Indiana, family.

The Alexander family papers document the family, life, and early career of pianist Margaret June Alexander (also known as Vonya Alexandre) throughout the early 1900s. The collection consists of two journals kept by her mother, Myrilla M. Anderson, plus approximately 1 linear foot of letters, writings, artwork, family photographs, printed programs, sheet music, books, newspaper clippings, and other materials related to this Decatur County and Indianapolis, Indiana, family.

Margaret's mother, Myrilla Anderson Alexander, wrote two journals during Margaret's early life and stages of her musical career. The first, kept between 1894 and 1896, documents Myrilla's experiences during Margaret's infancy and a list of musical lessons, associated fees, and required books. The second journal covers 1907 to 1917, and focuses primarily on Margaret's musical performances, complemented by enclosed newspaper clippings, correspondence, and programs.

The Alexander family papers include Myrilla M. Anderson Alexander's sketchbook of ink, watercolor, and charcoal illustrations. A hand bound book appears in the collection, written for Myrilla Alexander by R. E. Sylvester, which contains poetry and sketches.

The collection includes 4 letters by Myrilla Alexander, picture postcards, calling cards, 2 blank living wills from the state of Florida, and a 1945 marriage certificate for Carl F. Grouleff and Vonya Kurzhene. A typed document titled "Remembrances of Anna Stover and Edith Surbey" recounts the friends' lives from their early education through their ongoing religious charity work. Other items include a handwritten description of Margaret June Alexander's 1913 performance at Carnegie Hall, a list of quotations, and a certificate regarding the eligibility of Mary Alexander Tarkington and Caroline Anderson Haugh to join the Daughters of the American Revolution.

Approximately 110 photographs depict Margaret June Alexander, her performance partner Mischel Kurzene, and members of the Alexander, Anderson, and Tarkington families. An address book kept by Myrilla Alexander includes addresses and birthdays of family and friends.

The collection's printed items include programs for musical events, sheet music, newspaper clippings, and two books. Approximately 50 programs reflect Margaret June Alexander's musical career between 1907 and 1927. Obituaries for members of the Alexander and Tarkington families appear within the collection's newspaper clippings. Multiple copies of an undated, printed advertisement for "Dr. Alexander's Effervescing Headache Powders" are also present. The collection's 2 books are G. W. H. Kemper's A Medical History of the State of Indiana (Chicago: American Medical Association Press, 1911) and Joseph Tarkington's Autobiography of Rev. Joseph Tarkington (Cincinnati: Curts & Jennings, 1899).