Collections : [University of Michigan Bentley Historical Library]

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 Slatford Bird families were residents of Ann Arbor, Michigan. Correspondence and family papers, including letters, 1851-1853, of John Slatford written from the California gold fields describing his activities.

The Slatford and Bird family papers were collected by Julia Bird Martin, who was the great grand-daughter of Job Slatford and grand-daughter of Jane Slatford Bird. The collection consists of family correspondence from various members of both the Slatford and Bird families. The collection not only relates to family matters, but also includes letters of John Slatford written from the California gold fields, 1851-1853. In addition there are clippings, photographs, postcards, and family memorabilia.

Ann Arbor German-American family, owners of the Allmendinger Organ Company which later became the Ann Arbor Organ Company. Correspondence, scrapbooks, family genealogy, photographs concerning family affairs, materials on Helene Allmendinger's radio show, examples of spirit messages received by Helene Allmendinger from deceased family members; information pertaining to the Ann Arbor Organ Company, and family members still living in Germany.

The collection is divided into the following series: Family records and correspondence; Helene Allmendinger papers; Ina Allmendinger papers; Ann Arbor Organ Company; Harriet Birch papers, Other family members; Miscellaneous, and Photographs.

Local historical society for Washtenaw County, Michigan Organizational records and collected historical materials.

The Washtenaw County Historical Society records include collected historical documents and photographs relating to the people, events, and history of the county, its cities and townships. There are also administrative records of the organization, including minutes of meetings, subjects relating to Society programs and projects, and financial miscellanea.

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.

The records of the city of Ann Arbor, Michigan include council proceedings (1834-1919); assessment rolls (1830, 1839, and 1958-1959); scrapbooks relating to city government (1904-1951); and records and photographs detailing the city's waste management and recycling program beginning in the 1980s. Miscellaneous materials include plats of the wards, 1912; election returns, 1847-1852; records of the former city of East Ann Arbor and the Village of Ann Arbor (Lower Town); and minutes of the Ann Arbor Park Commission (1905-1956). Also of interest are files concerning the Ann Arbor Railroad and the city's street railway and interurban system.

The series in this record group include: Election returns; Bonds; Assessment Rolls; Miscellaneous; City of East Ann Arbor; Council proceedings; Scrapbooks; Ann Arbor Park Commission; Village of Ann Arbor (Lower Town); Photographs; Recycling and Environmental Issues; and Other City Records.

Bishops files, records of executive and administrative bodies and of diocesan organizations, staff files, parishes and mission's materials, and visual materials and sound recordings.

The records of the diocese of Michigan have been arranged into the following series: Bishops' files, Executive and administrative bodies, Diocesan organizations, Diocesan programs, Diocesan staff, Parishes and missions, Clergy, Audio and visual material, and Miscellaneous.

The record group is most valuable for its documentation of the history of the diocese and the individual churches within its administration, with a lesser amount of material pertaining to religious functions performed and to the operation of diocesan administrative groups and departments. For a number of reasons, there is scant material pertaining to the administration of the diocesan office or to the special programs that have been initiated by it over the years. Some of this material may be found in the papers of individual bishops whose papers have also come to the library and are separately cataloged. These include Samuel McCoskry, Samuel Smith Harris, Charles D. Williams, Herman Page, and Richard Emrich.

Hamburg, Livingston County, and Ann Arbor, Michigan, family. Correspondence, newspaper clippings and photographs of the Lohmiller, Twichell, and Hollister families.

The papers of the Twichell family document three generations of the extended Twichell families. It includes extensive correspondence files, reminiscences of life on turn-of-the-century Michigan farm and of student life the University of Michigan, files relating to the family businesses including boardinghouses in Ann Arbor, and photographs of family members, towns in Michigan, and University of Michigan students. The collection has been arranged into the following series: Correspondence, Alphabetical Files, Photographs, and Sound Recordings.

Formerly the Bethlehem Evangelical Church. Minutes of annual congregational meetings, church council and board of trustees meetings, and treasurer's reports; records of the Frauen Vereines, or Ladies Aid Society, and Verein, or the Bethlehem Brotherhood, and the Jugend Vereins, or Youth Fellowship; fundraising materials, miscellaneous printed programs and newsletters, correspondence and clippings; treasurer's book, 1909-1916; and photographs.

The Bethlehem United Church of Christ of Ann Arbor records span one hundred and forty years, from 1833 to 1973. The materials, partially in German, provide a good view of the congregation's history. Included are minutes and constitutions of the congregational annual meetings which span the period, 1855 to 1922. There are also records of the church council complete from 1897 to 1919, and financial records and treasurer's reports, and fund raising materials. There are records of several church organizations and photographs of church buildings and activities.

History, administrative and financial records, files of church organizations, publications, and papers of individual pastors; also record books (prior to 1875) of Frederick Schmid, formerly pastor of the Bethlehem Church, now Bethlehem United Church of Christ; and photographs.

The records of Zion Lutheran Church of Ann Arbor span the years 1875-1981. Those records in the collection which date before 1875 were kept by the Rev. Frederick Schmid probably when he was minister of the Bethlehem Church. These record books (in box 12) include two volumes of baptismal records, a family register, and a record book of marriages performed. These four volumes date from 1833 to approximately 1875 when Zion was established. The volumes are in German.

Except for these volumes, the records in the collection are of Zion Lutheran Church. Included are historical materials, administrative and financial records, records of church organizations, church bulletins and newsletters, membership records, and sermons and collected materials of the church's pastors. The earlier records of the church are usually in German.