Collections : [University of Michigan Bentley Historical Library]

Ann Arbor, Michigan, resident and local historian. Collected Washtenaw County historical documents and scrapbooks of clippings, programs, photographs, and memorabilia.

The Lucy Chapin collection includes collected letters and manuscripts, most notably papers of James Kingsley, Washtenaw County public figure and member of the Board of Regents of the University of Michigan. Of great importance are the scrapbooks maintained by Lucy Chapin on the people and events of Ann Arbor and Washtenaw County. These scrapbooks document life in the nineteenth century from the 1840s to 1900. The volumes include clippings, programs, photographs, and memorabilia.

Ann Arbor, Michigan family. Ledger, of Elijah W. Morgan, attorney and businessman, compiled in the 1840's containing his comments and evaluations of business and professional abilities of early businessmen of Washtenaw County, Michigan; correspondence, autobiography, and other miscellaneous business papers and deeds; also correspondence, drawings, and writings of his wife Lucy Stow Morgan, including letter describing life and customs in Ann Arbor, Michigan, in 1831; and other papers of Elijah's parents, including autobiographies of Elisha Morgan and Polly Babcock Morgan.

The Morgan family collection consists primarily of the personal and business papers of Elijah W. Morgan, one of Ann Arbor's pioneer citizens who had a distinguished career as an attorney and banker; letters and other materials of his wife Lucy Stow Morgan; and autobiographies and scattered papers of Elijah's parents, Elisha and Polly Babcock Morgan of Watertown, New York.

The bulk of the collection consists of the personal and business papers of Elijah W. Morgan. This includes correspondence (1821-1889), autobiographical material, essays on religion and temperance, and a large section of business and financial papers generated as a result of his law practice or his various business dealings.

Dean of the College of Engineering of the University of Michigan; correspondence, letter books, appraisals and reports, lectures, blueprints, newspaper clippings, photographs, and other materials concerning his activities as dean of the College of Engineering, engineer for the U.S.S. Yosemite in the Spanish American War, chairman of the Block Signal and Train Control Board, Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate in 1924, and coordinator for the P.W.A. in Michigan in 1933-1935; also genealogical materials on the Cooley family.

The Mortimer E. Cooley papers consists of correspondence, subject files, personal materials, and photographs detailing the professional career and activities of a distinguished engineering educator. The collection has been arranged into the following series: Correspondence; Topical Files; University of Michigan and College of Engineering materials; Genealogical and Miscellaneous; Arbitration, appraisal, and consultation files; Photographs; Naval Logs; and Testimonial and celebratory materials. Box 47 was eliminated during 2001 reprocessing.

Williamston, Ingham County, Michigan, family. Financial records, clippings, and correspondence relating to Mullett Farm and John Mullett, surveyor; extract, 1864, from Meridian Township Register Book; letterpress book, journal, and correspondence, 1852-1893, of John H. Forster, surveyor, agent for Pewabic Mining Company, Hancock, Mich., and later owner of Springbrook Farm, Ingham County, Michigan; diary, 1840-1841, of Catherine Hall; and map, 1859, of Mullett Farm; and photographs.

The Mullett family collection contains many useful descriptions of the state, and is a good source of information for some of the state's economic and topographic conditions during the 19th century. The papers, 1825-1936, are broken down into four series.

Lansing and Ann Arbor, Michigan families; correspondence, photographs, clippings, and other family documents.

Although titled the Pattengill family papers, this accumulation is also the records of the Foster, Sharpsteen, and Woodward families. The historian of the family was undoubtedly Theodore G. Foster and his wife Margaret Foster (née Pattengill). Through these donors, the library received different family collections that have been separately cataloged, although they obviously contain inter-related materials. These other collections, also housed at the Bentley Historical Library are Theodore Foster papers (1835-1862); Henry R. Pattengill papers (1861-1939); and the Margaret Pattengill Foster papers (1903-1961).

This grouping of family materials is actually more about the Foster line of the family than Pattengill or Sharpsteen. The papers have been arranged by name of family: Foster, Pattengill, and Sharpsteen, with an additional series of various family members and miscellaneous. Within each family, the materials have been maintained as arranged by the donor into separate files for individual family members. Of particular interest are the papers of Seymour Foster who was postmaster of Lansing and active in preserving the memory of his brother Charles T. Foster who was killed during the Civil War. The Grand Army of the Republic named one of its veterans post in Charles T. Foster's name. Also included is a volume of transcribed correspondence of Theodore Pattengill Foster, describing his time as a soldier during World War II.

The collection is also of value for the genealogical research materials accumulated on the Foster, Pattengill, Springsteen, and Woodward families.

The Pittsfield Township (Washtenaw County, Mich.) records contain school district records for districts 1 through 8 and 8 fractional from 1860-1930, with occasional records dating back to 1830. The collection also contains a wide range of types of township records dealing with assessments, elections, finance, and legal activities, dating from 1832 to 1980. Township Board proceedings (1834-1965, with some gaps) and road records (1835-1887) are also available in digitized versions.

The collection consists of the following series: Pittsfield School Districts records, Miscellaneous Township Responsibilities, Township Administration, Treasurer's records, Assessment Rolls, Tax Rolls, Rolls of Lands Upon Which Taxes Were Unpaid, and Other Assessments.

Ann Arbor, Michigan and Chicago, Illinois family. Correspondence of Elihu B. Pond, editor of Michigan Argus, his sons, Chicago architects, Irving Kane and Allen Bartlit Pond, founders of firm of Pond & Pond, and other family members; include materials concerning family affairs, architectural projects, Jane Addams and the work of Hull House, European travels, politics especially as relates to period of the Civil War and the election of 1896; also photographs, architectural drawings and other visual materials.

The Pond Family papers consist primarily of correspondence and other materials of architects, Irving Kane (1857-1939) and Allen Bartlit Pond (1858-1929) documenting family matters, European travels, their involvement in the civic and social life of Chicago, and professional activities. The collection has been divided into four subgroups: Allen B. Pond papers; Irving Kane Pond papers; papers of other family members and miscellaneous; and visual materials.

Correspondence comprises the bulk of both the Allen and Irving Pond subgroups. This correspondence consists almost exclusively of exchanges between the brothers when they were separated because of travel, and with their parents and sister. There is little correspondence with clients, professional associates, or others outside of the family. The letters, however, are often detailed and revealing of the thoughts and activities of the Pond brothers. In addition to the usual descriptions of landscapes and social events when traveling abroad, their letters contain many comparisons of European and American trends in architecture, housing, the development of cities. To their family and with each other, the brothers also wrote of their non-professional interests: Chicago politics, social settlements in the city, humanitarian causes, and their involvement with various literary groups. Of note in the Allen Pond papers are letters containing references to Jane Addams and her work at Hull House. There are also accounts they received from family about Jane Addams and her talks when visiting Ann Arbor. Letters concerning Jane Addams are dated Sept. 1896; Jan. 1898; Sept. 18, 1898; Jan. 22,1900; Mar. 1901; May 28,1901; June 15,1901; undated 1901; Apr. 21,1902; July 7,1902; Aug. 18,1902; Feb. 16, 1903; Jan. 12,1904; Jan. 23,1905; Feb. 1905; May 29,1907; Mar. 1908; and Apr. 1908.

Their sister, Mary Louise and their mother, Mary Barlow (Allen) Pond wrote weekly of family affairs and the social and cultural events of Ann Arbor. Both comment extensively on the ideas and activities of many of the leading intellectual and literary figures of the day - William James, John Dewey, Kipling, Wharton and Shaw - as well as on their daily interactions with Angells, Cooleys and other prominent Ann Arbor families. Unfortunately, there are few surviving letters from Allen and Irving to the family in Ann Arbor. Much of the information in the collection about their work is therefore by indirect reference only.

Businessman, of Washtenaw County, Michigan, publisher of Ann Arbor Courier, and chairman of Executive Committee, Michigan Republican Party. Correspondence, account books, business records, receipts, deeds, and other financial records.

The Rice Aner Beal collection has been arranged into the following series: Correspondence; Political and Legal papers; and Financial records. Among Rice Beal's correspondents were such personages as James B. Angell, Henry P. Baldwin, Zachariah Chandler, Isaac P. Christiancy, Omar D. Conger, Thomas M. Cooley, Charles M. Croswell, Byron M. Cutcheon, Thomas W. Ferry, James F. Joy, James McMillan, Thomas W. Palmer, John T. Rich, Moses C. Tyler, Henry Waldron, Edwin Willits, and Alexander Winchell. Within the Political and Legal papers series there are materials relating to litigation with Alvin W. Chase and Silas Douglas. His political career is partially documented in ledger volumes that he maintained while attending the Republican State conventions in 1878 and 1880. In these volumes, Beal listed the names of delegates with comments on their candidate preferences and abilities.

Ann Arbor, Michigan family, proprietors of Rinsey & Seabolt grocery store. Papers of David Rinsey, Ann Arbor, Michigan, grocer; also papers of his son George, a bank teller, and of George's wife, Ina Alexander Rinsey; including correspondence, legal documents, and photographs.

The collection includes correspondence and legal documents of David Rinsey, his son George, and of George's wife, Ina Alexander Rinsey. There are also photographs and photograph albums of the Rinsey family's home and place of business in Ann Arbor. The photographs consists of both formal and informal portraits; interior and exterior photos of their homes on North Division St., Ann Arbor, Michigan; interior and exterior photos of Rinsey & Seabolt grocery on E. Washington St.; and photographs of family events and activities.

The records include minutes of meetings, the annual reports to the Grand Chapter Royal Arch Mason of Michigan, pocket registers of membership, and a financial ledger.