Collections

This collection documents the activities, contributions, influence, and interests of women in the First Presbyterian Church (Mount Pleasant, Michigan) 1868-2000, as well as the church's history, activities, events, and members, in meeting minutes, financial records, and materials.

The Trustees of the First Presbyterian Society, Book of Minutes and Accounts, 1868, 1874-1899 (1 volume), documents the activities of the men who tried to build the First Presbyterian Church. The Meeting Minutes, a Constitution, adopted in 1868, and List of Members for 1868 and 1873 are noted as having been copied from earlier and other materials. The volume also includes Meeting Minutes, 1874-1899, and Accounts, 1873-1875, as well as the original subscription list of people interested in paying for the first Presbyterian Church building and land it was built upon, 1873.

The Ladies Aid Society is document in the Records Books, 1869-1934 (6 volumes). The first volume, 1869-1906, includes Society information from 1869 to 1889 which was copied for preservation purposes in 1889 into a new volume, and later recopied on Jan. 8, 1896. The copied records include the revised Constitution of 1889, a summary of total earned money, 1867-1882, a summary of financial accounts, 1882-1895, Lists of Officers, 1869-1898, Treasurer’s Accounts, 1889-1891, and Annual Meetings Minutes and Accounts, 1892-1895. From 1896 through 1906 there are more complete Accounts and Meeting Minutes in the Record Book.

Additionally, the Society is documented in Record Books, 1906-1934 (5 volumes). The 1912-1917 Record Book includes loose 1915 correspondence between the A.B. Felgemaker Organ Co. of Erie, Pennsylvania, and Mr. Ralph O. Doughty of the First Presbyterian Church, concerning the purchase and installation of the church’s second pipeorgan. According to the correspondence of October 2, 1915, the Ladies Aid Society paid $700 cash towards the $2,560 purchase price. [Additional, related correspondence is found in the Ralph O. Doughty Correspondence, 1915 collection, which is also housed in the Clarke.]

The Woman’s Christian Missionary Society (WCMS) is documented in its Book of Receipts and Expenditures, 1877-1883 (1 volume), which includes the dues members paid and the names of the members, as well as brief Accounts of money and the types and number of purchased and crafted gifts which were distributed to needy, local families, at least some of whom were church members.

The Women’s Home and Foreign Missionary Society (WHFMS) is documented by its Record Book, 1906-1912 (1 volume), which includes: Meeting Minutes, Accounts, Programs, a Constitution, a List of Members, and some loose Correspondence.

The Missionary Society is documented by its Record Books, 1920-1927 and 1927-1934 (2 volumes). The Record books include Meeting Minutes, Accounts, and Lists of Members. The first volume also includes By-Laws and completed annual report forms for the Local Report, March 1, 1929, to the Board of National Missions/ the Board of Foreign Missions, of the Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A.

The Women’s Association is documented by its Record Book, 1934-1941 (1 volume), which includes its Constitution, By-Laws, Meeting Minutes, and Accounts, Treasurers’ Annual Reports, which include social, service, and membership activities as well as financial information, 1955-1957, 1961, 1964, 1966-1968, 1970-2000, with loose Correspondence, 1971, and Clippings, 1964, 1972 (copies), and Treasurers’ Books, 1925-1962 (2 volumes).

The first of the women’s circles at First Presbyterian Church was the Sylvia Hawkins Society, which is documented through a Memory Book (Scrapbook), 1941-1950 (including Programs, 1941-1949); Record Books (Meeting Minutes, Accounts), 1939-1951 (2 volumes). The first volume includes the Constitution and By-Laws, while the second includes Lists of Members. Also documenting the Sylvia Hawkins Society are a Secretary’s Books of Meeting Minutes and Attendance Lists, 1951-1971 (1 volume), and a Treasurer’s Book, 1941-1951 (1 volume).

The Brooks Circle is documented in its Meeting Minutes Books, 1953-1958 and 1959-1976. Both sets of minutes consist of loose papers.

The Bishop-Brooks is documented by one brief set of Meeting Minutes, January 1978-May 1980 (1 volume).

The Cutler Circle is documented by one set of Meeting Minutes, January 26, 1960-May 27, 1980 (1 volume). The last set of meeting minutes notes that May 27th was the last meeting of the circle and that a new name for a new circle was to be decided in fall 1980.

The Dewitt Circle is documented by three sets of Meeting Minutes, 1951-1954 (1 volume), 1955 (1 volume), and 1956-1966, which consists of loose pages.

The Doughty Circle is documented by two sets of Meeting Minutes, 1951-1952 (1 volume) and 1953-1966, which consists of loose pages.

The combined Doughty-DeWitt Circle is documented by Meeting Minutes, for January-June and October-November 1967 and the 1967 List of Members, which consists of loose pages.

The Junke Circle is document by one book of Meeting Minutes, with correspondence from the missionaries in Wooten, Kentucky, and a List of Members, 1951-1952 (1 volume).

Organizational records include reports, meeting minutes, legal papers, birth records, programs, and materials related to the establishment of the church.

The collection includes reports and meeting minutes of the Board of Trustees and the Quarterly Conference, various legal papers, the pastor’s quarterly reports, birth records, 1839-1880, and other materials related to the establishment of the church.

The collection contains mostly his research about the Chippewa, Ottawa, and Potawatomi versus the Regents of the University of Michigan, county history, biographical materials, maps, and papers of students.

The collection consists mostly of Dain’s materials relating to the Children of the Chippewa… versus the Regents of the UM trial, 1971-1980, including briefs, transcripts, orders, exhibits, depositions, his sworn statement, 1978, other legal documents, and newspaper clippings (copies); materials for county or city events he collected or helped create; papers of students or other people related to Michigan history; biographical materials; and some miscellaneous maps (copies). Other materials relating to the trial may be found in the Elmer White papers and in cataloged materials.

the following collections contains bicycle safety materials, bylaws, correspondence, drunken driving information, minutes, project materials, scrapbooks, and vehicle safety checks.

The collection includes bylaws, 1965-1967; correspondence, 1954-1978; list of members, undated; meeting minutes, 1953-1957; publicity and related correspondence,1959-1977; scrapbooks, 1959-1965; and various financial records, reports, and miscellaneous.

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.

The collection consists of copies of photographs (in which most actors are identified), slides, posters, Daily Times-News (Mount Pleasant, Michigan) newspaper clippings, inventories of these copies, media files of the reunion events of August 14, 16, 2009 held in Mount Pleasant, alumni invitations, questionnaires, and an attendance report. The only original format item is the McDonalds place mat advertising the Central Michigan University Summer Repertory Company, [1977]. Media Player, Excel, and Windows are necessary to play or view all the electronic files in this collection. Additions includes reunion sound recordings on 3 SOny DVCams, digital copies of the DVCams on a hard drive, 2013, and 1 microcassette, 2009.

The collection consists of copies of photographs (in which most actors are identified), slides, posters, Daily Times-News (Mount Pleasant, Michigan) newspaper clippings, inventories of these copies, media files of the reunion events of August 14, 16, 2009 held in Mount Pleasant, alumni invitations, questionnaires, and an attendance report. The only original format item is the McDonald’s place mat advertising the CMU Summer Repertory Company, [1977]. An addition to the collection includes reunion sound recordings on three Sony DVCams, 2009, and one microcassette, [2009]. Media Player, Excel, and Windows are necessary to play or view the 15 CDs and small 2009 external hard drive. A later addition includes a digital user copy of the 3 DVCams on an external hard drive. The digital copy was created in May 2013 by CMU. FACET, now CETL. Also on the hard drive are transfers with reformatted code to allow playback on non-proprietary software. The digital copies play with VLC media player and occupies 213 GB. The digital 1970s Theatre Reunion Folder includes: Fri open mike night, 2 hours 6 minutes, 31 seconds of open mike discussion; Sat night dinner, 52 minutes, 1 second of assorted piano and singing by reunion attendees and their memories; Sat round table 1 (2 hours, 13 minutes, 41 seconds) and 2 (5 minutes, 15 seconds) of alumni discussing their experiences at CMU and in CMU theatre; State of theatre, 51 minutes 57 seconds of discussion by Steve Berglund, CMU Theatre Director talking about what CMU theatre provides in experiences and opportunities for students; and Thrs setup, 8 minutes, 35 seconds, of background noise of people literally setting up the space, moving chairs, laughing and talking.

Other Clarke collections with CMU. Theatre materials in them include the CMU Vertical Files, Theatre Scrapbooks, CMU Public Relations and Marketing (CMUPRM) Videotapes and CMUPRM Posters.

The collection includes Dawson's research, writing and related correspondence, mostly about his research and manuscript drafts for materials on Henry Whiting, Hezekiah G. Wells, Della T. Lutes and minstrel / vaudeville performer Billy Clark.

The collection includes Dawson's research, writing and related correspondence, mostly about his research and manuscript drafts for materials on Henry Whiting, Hezekiah G. Wells, Della T. Lutes and minstrel / vaudeville performer Billy Clark. Boxes 1-3 are .5 cubic foot boxes and Box 4 is .25 cubic foot. The collection is organized alphabetically and chronologically.

Box 1 includes: Dawson’s research, writing, and related correspondence, 1970-1999 and undated. Most of the collection consists of Dawson’s research, photographs, drafts of manuscripts, and correspondence about republishing Della T. Lutes’ Country Kitchen cookbook. The same types of materials exist from his efforts to publish an article about Billy Clark, a Michigan minstrel. There is also a typed, 45-page paper with a variety of U. S. Centennial poetry from Michigan newspapers, compiled by Dawson. The Clarke Historical Library also houses the Lutes papers and three scrapbooks about Clark and minstrel shows.

Boxes 2-4 include: Dawson’s research, writing, and related correspondence, 1911-2007 and undated, on Della T. Lutes, Henry Whiting, Hezekiah G. Wells, and English poet Felicia Hemans (1793-1835). Also included are research materials on Michigan history, especially Michigan territorial verse, roads and taverns; the Mount Pleasant public library; Henry Rowe Schoolcraft; Mount Pleasant Woman’s Club; including the Mount Pleasant Saginaw Chippewa Indian Reservation and the Battle of Lake Erie.

This collection includes materials by and about Les O. Carlin, materials by and about his wife, Marguerite "Margo" R. Carlin, and CMU materials they collected from others.

This collection is organized into three series: materials by and about Les, materials by and about Margo, and CMU materials they collected from others.

Box 1 (.5 cubic foot) includes: Les’ materials include six folders of his biographical materials, honors, retirement, papers, and family trees, 1940-1999 (scattered); and Margo’s materials include biographical information, her B.S. degree and case, an alumni photograph, and a resolution of appreciation, 1958-1991 (scattered).

Box 2 (.5 cubic foot) includes mostly photographs and photograph albums. The Carlins are in a few folders including family photographs and some homecoming court photographs, 1992-1993. They are also in the group photographs of CMU students on European tours, 1964 and undated. Photographs include CMU homecoming court, parades, alumni events, the dedication of the Peace Grove in 1995. Photograph albums include two nice leather bound volumes, one inscribed to Norvall C. Bovee, [after 1964], the other without an inscription [before 1968]. The albums are dated based on the construction or replacement of certain buildings in each album. The only non-photographic item in Box 2 is a list (copy) of girls (meaning female CMU students) rooming at C.E. Russell’s, 1910-1916 (copy, 2014).

Oversized materials (approximately 1 cubic foot) include the very interesting CMU SATC (Student Army Training Corps) Photograph Album, 1984. This includes mostly copies of portraits and group photographs of CMU students enrolled in the SATC at CMU practicing with guns, attacking targets, one with a bugle. Three of the group photographs are laminated and identified as the entire company (four platoons of 250 men) and one image is of the 4th platoon. These photographs are identified by Private Carl W. Dalrymple of the 4th Platoon. The album also includes two 1984 color photographs of senior men who were once SATC members. Also oversized are Les Carlin’s coat of arms in oval frame with glass, by V.R. Nickerson, 1984, and his Retirement Scrapbook, 1991.

Related Collections: Related Clarke collections documenting the Carlins include Marguerite R. Carlin’s Papers, 1954, 1979, and Al G. Tennant’s Collection, 1951, [2013]. A catalog subject search for Central Michigan University. Student Army Training Corps will retrieve catalog records for all relevant collections with SATC materials in them.

Processing Note: Duplicates (many photographs) and a few peripheral items were withdrawn from the collection during processing. Acidic items were copied and the originals were withdrawn from the collection. A total of less than .25 cubic foot was removed from the collection. The Carlin materials were originally housed in storage with alumni events and meeting minutes, now in the separate CMU Alumni collection.

The following collection contains certificates, invitations, news releases, organization chart, passes, permits, tickets, pendants, coins, and Brothers of the Brush and Queen Contest rules of the Mount Pleasant Area and Chippewa Indian Centennial Association, Inc.

The collection includes news releases; memorabilia; an organizational chart; contest rules; materials documenting From These Forests, and miscellaneous.

The collection includes copies of reports, clippings, published sources, manuscripts and notes on the school.

The collection consists almost entirely of photocopied newspaper clippings, notes, primary and secondary source materials, and reprints of photographs. The Clarke does not hold copyright for the secondary source material and photographs. Most of the primary source material was copied from the National Archives. Other materials come from the Clarke’s collections and various published sources, while the photographs were copied from originals in the Cumberland County Historical Society (Pennsylvania). Some notes by Jennifer Wood are included.