Collections : [University of Michigan Bentley Historical Library]

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Collection

Florence Howlett photograph collection, circa 1890s, 1959

1 envelope

Chelsea, Michigan school teacher. Photographs of Howlett's home and photos of individuals involved in celebration of Chelsea's 125th anniversary in 1959.

The Florence Howlett photograph collection includes a photo of Howlett's home in Chelsea, and photos of individuals involved in celebration of Chelsea's 125th anniversary in 1959.

Collection

Albert A. Stanley papers, circa 1890s-1932

3 linear feet (in 4 boxes)

Professor of music and director of the University Musical Society at University of Michigan. Correspondence, articles, lectures, speeches, autobiography, and photographs.

The Stanley collection consists mainly of manuscripts of his articles, lectures, and speeches on musical topics. There is, in addition, Stanley's research material, including musical notes and analyses, notes intended to accompany illustrations of musical instruments found in the Stearns Collection of Musical Instruments at the University of Michigan, and scrapbooks containing concert programs featuring Stanley and his work. Stanley's autobiography, "Echoes of a busy life or reminiscences of a professor emeritus" is a valuable source of personal information.

Collection

Lilabel Lemon Weaver photograph collection, circa 1890s

1 folder

Member of the University of Michigan Class of 1899. Photos of Weaver and other women, campus monuments, and the Michigan Central Railroad Depot in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

This collection consists of photos of Weaver and other women, campus monuments, and the Michigan Central Railroad Depot in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Collection

Andrew Jackson Warren photograph collection, circa 1890s

1 envelope

Publisher of Saline Observer, in Saline, Michigan. Portrait of Warren and his wife, Edith Parsons Warren; and photograph, taken by Warren, of Saline, Michigan children beside school building.

The Andrew Jackson Warren photographs include a portrait of Warren and his wife, Edith Parsons Warren; and a photograph, taken by Warren, of Saline, Michigan children beside school building.

Collection

Leo A. Burns photograph collection, circa 1890-circa 1915

0.2 linear feet

Battle Creek, Michigan, resident; glass negatives of houses and house interiors, of children, women, boating scenes, and a railroad car, possibly taken in the Battle Creek, Michigan area.

The collection is arranged into a single series of glass negative with two subseries for different sizes (4"x5" and5"x8"). The negatives are unidentified, but they are probably of a Battle Creek area family or families, perhaps the family of Burns's wife, Betty Hoyt.

Collection

Chrystal G. Tibbs papers, circa 1890-2015 (majority within 1960-2013)

9.2 linear feet — 1 oversize box — 1 oversize folder — 7.6 GB (online)

Online
The Chrystal G. Tibbs Papers comprise over a half-century of documents pertaining to Tibbs's membership in various chapters of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority and to the history of the sorority at large. Founded at Howard University in 1908, A.K.A. was the first sorority established by African-American women and currently has approximately 250,000 members. The collection's four series contain papers pertaining to Tibbs's personal participation in sorority activities (including those related to her tenure in various administrative posts), materials from several Michigan chapters, sorority publications, and audiovisual materials. In addition, the collection contains work done by Tibbs and family members to document the Powell, Webster, and Winchester family history.

The Chrystal G. Tibbs Papers comprise materials accumulated through Tibbs's participation in Alpha Kappa Alpha conferences, chapter meetings, and special interest groups at the local, state, regional, and national level over a span of fifty years. The activities of Michigan-based chapters are particularly well represented. Materials also include personal and professional documentation directly related to Tibbs and her immediate family. The collection is divided into four series: Personal Papers, Professional Career, Powell Family Papers, and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority.

Collection

Robert P. Briggs Papers, circa 1890-1981 (majority within 1942-1981)

3.5 linear feet — 5 oversize volumes — 1 oversize folder

University of Michigan professor of economics and accounting, businessman, U-M regent; papers include biographical material, topical files, correspondence, publications and speeches, audio-visual material, and scrapbooks.

The papers of Robert P. Briggs document aspects of his career as educator and administrator at the University of Michigan, and his experience as businessman and advocate for business. The papers are arranged in seven series: Biographical/Family Material; Topical files; Correspondence; Publications, Speeches, and Addresses; Audiovisual Material; and Scrapbooks.

Collection

Reed Wallace Teed photographs, circa 1890, 1942-1946

1 linear foot (20 folders and 1 v.) — 1 oversize volume

Physician of Ann Arbor, Michigan. Teed family portrait album, ca. 1890; color slides of U.S. military base, airplanes, people, and activities in the Mariana Islands during World War II, especially on the Island of Tinian; and scrapbook documenting Teed's military service.

The Reed collection consists mainly of colored slides taken during his service in the Pacific Theatre during World War II. The slides are of different sites, though many of them are of Tinian, especially military facilities, battle damage, recreational interludes, and groups of individual. There is also a scrapbook from the period of his wartime service.

Collection

Ralph M. Hodnett papers, circa 1890-1937

0.4 linear feet

This collection consists of reminiscences (written about 1919?) of Hodnett's experiences in France during World War I; a diary (1913-1918) of his father (name unknown), an army clerk in the Philippines and later along the Mexican border, a genealogical notebook of the Oram family, and photographs. The photographs are portraits, some of which are in uniform.

Collection

Charlotte LeBreton Johnson Baker photograph collection, circa 1890-1923

1 envelope

Dr. Charlotte LeBreton Johnson Baker was a University of Michigan alumna (M.D., class of 1881) and San Diego, California physician who specialized in obstetrics and gynecology. Widely regarded as San Diego's first female physician, Baker was a prominent suffragist who also participated in numerous San Diego organizations. Consists of individual and group photographs of Baker and family members.

The collection consists of individual and group photographs of Baker and family members.

Collection

Arthur Robertson Cushny photograph collection, circa 1890-1920

1 envelope

Arthur Robertson Cushny (1866-1926) was a Scottish pharmacologist and physiologist who taught at the University of Michigan as professor of materia medica and therapeutics from 1893-1905. The collection consists of portraits.

The collection consists of portraits.

Collection

Paul Allured photograph collection, circa 1890-1920

1 envelope

Resident of Evart, Mich., Presbyterian minister for Cass City, Mich. Family photographs as well as photographs of the First Presbyterian Church of Evart, Michigan.

The Paul Allured photograph collection consists of family photographs as well as photographs of the First Presbyterian Church of Evart, Michigan.

Collection

Bernice G. Maynard photographs, circa 1890-1910

0.4 linear feet

Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti, Michigan resident. Glass negatives and prints of photographs of unidentified family groups and other people, of Palmer's Drugstore in Ann Arbor, Michigan, of people with bicycles, of a military unit and band, and of the Homoeopathic Hospital at the University of Michigan.

The collection consists of a single series of glass negatives relating to people, places, and events in Ann Arbor and at the University of Michigan. The glass negatives have been arranged into the following broad categories: Businesses and public places; Casual views of unidentified individuals - Ann Arbor area; Military scenes and marching bands; and Casual views of unidentified individuals. There is no information about the photographer of these images.

Collection

William Shadford photograph collection, circa 1890-1901

1 folder

Ann Arbor, Mich. resident. Consists of interior and exterior photographs of various Ann Arbor, Michigan, businesses.

The collection consists of interior and exterior photographs of various Ann Arbor, Michigan, businesses.

Collection

Carrie Ducharme photograph collection, circa 1890-1899

1 envelope

Owner of Marquette, Michigan's Brunswick Hotel. Consists of photographs of the Winchester Hotel in Au Sable, Michigan, and the Brunswick Hotel in Marquette, Michigan.

The collection consists of photographs of the Winchester Hotel in Au Sable, Michigan, and the Brunswick Hotel in Marquette, Michigan.

Collection

Anonymous Ann Arbor, Michigan photograph collection, circa 1890-1899

1 envelope

Images of the interior of University Hall at the University of Michigan, the Frieze Memorial Organ, and an unidentified house, probably in Ann Arbor, Mich.

Two circular negatives, 1.1 inches in diameter (with modern prints). One photo shows the interior of University Hall at the University of Michigan, taken from floor level and showing the Frieze Memorial Organ, the other shows an unidentified house, probably in Ann Arbor.

Collection

W. H. Tipton photograph collection, circa 1890

1 envelope

William H. Tipton (1850-1929) was a Gettysburg, Pa.) photographer known for documenting the aftermath of the Battle of Gettysburg, monument dedications, and veteran reunions. Consists of photographs of monuments commemorating Michigan military units at the Gettysburg battlefield.

The collection consists of photographs of monuments commemorating Michigan military units at the Gettysburg battlefield.

Collection

P. B. Greene photograph collection, circa 1890

1 envelope

Photographer from Chicago, Illinois. Photographic series, "Views of the National Park: Mackinac Island, Michigan", containing "promenade" views of Mackinac Island.

The P. B. Greene photograph collection contains the photographic series "Views of the National Park: Mackinac Island, Michigan", containing "promenade" views of Mackinac Island.

Collection

J. Cummer & Son photograph album, circa 1890

1 envelope

J. Cummer & Son was a Cadillac, Michigan, lumber manufacturing company. Consists of views (by B. D. Jackson) of Cadillac and of the different Cummer business enterprises: J. Cummer & Son, lumber manufacturers, Cummer Lumber Co., lumber manufacturers, Cummer & Gerrish, planing mill, and Wellington W. Cummer, saw mill.

The collection consists of views (by B. D. Jackson) of Cadillac and of the different Cummer business enterprises: J. Cummer & Son, lumber manufacturers, Cummer Lumber Co., lumber manufacturers, Cummer & Gerrish, planing mill, and Wellington W. Cummer, saw mill.

Collection

Otto Scherer papers, circa 1885-1886

1 volume — 1 envelope

Student in the College of Pharmacy at the University of Michigan (Class of 1886). Notes taken on lectures in organic pharmacy by Theodore J. Wrampelmeier (later known as Theodore J. Swift); portraits of University of Michigan College of Pharmacy Class of 1886; photograph of the J. C. Scherer drug store in Detroit, Michigan.

The Otto Scherer papers include notes taken on lectures in organic pharmacy by Theodore J. Wrampelmeier (later known as Theodore J. Swift) at the University of Michigan. There are also photographs including individual and group portraits of the U-M College of Pharmacy Class of 1886, as well as a photograph of the J.C. Scherer drug store in Detroit, Michigan.

Collection

John J. Abel photograph collection, circa 1885

1 folder

John J. Abel (1857-1938) was a University of Michigan graduate (Class of 1883), professor and pharmacologist best known for his epinephrine and insulin research. Portraits.

The collection consists of portraits.

Collection

Edwin C. Goddard papers, circa 1884-circa 1940

1.5 linear feet

Professor of mathematics and later of law at the University of Michigan., papers include addresses and essays, family genealogies, class notebooks, and a draft manuscript and source materials for a history of the U-M Law School.

The Edwin Charles Goddard papers consist of addresses and essays on various subjects by Goddard and his wife Lillian; miscellaneous letters; notes and letters on European trip, 1908-1909; family genealogy; outline of an algebra course; University of Michigan law thesis; original manuscript and manuscript material for his history of University of Michigan Law School; Ann Arbor High School and University of Michigan student notebooks on courses by Henry C. Adams, James B. Angell, Isaac N. Demmon, John Dewey, Henry S. Frieze, Charles M. Gayley, Richard Hudson, Elisha Jones, Andrew C. McLaughlin, George S. Morris, Albert B. Prescott, Jacob E. Reighard, Volney M. Spalding, and Victor C. Vaughan. Also included are portraits of Goddard and of his mother, Mary Blodgett Goddard, and her family.

Collection

[Freshman-sophomore rush posters, University of Michigan], circa 1883-1941

37 items (in 2 oversize folders)

Posters and broadsides concerning competition between freshman and sophomore classes at the University of Michigan

The collections consists of 37 poster (21 freshman class and 16 sophomore class) ranging in date from the sophomore class of 1886 to the sophomore class of 1944. The posters are listed by class year--the year a freshman class would graduate. Thus the class of 1910 poster marks the Black Friday event of the Fall of 1906.

Collection

Athletic Department (University of Michigan) Individual Files, circa 1880s-2013 (majority within 1940-2008)

191 linear feet

Files on individual University of Michigan varsity athletes, coaches and staff compiled by the Media Relations staff and its predecessors. Files may include biographical information, statistics, clippings and photographs. Files for an individual may range from a single item to several folders. Not all U-M athletes are represented in the records.

The Athletic Department Individual Files consist of three series: Coaches and Staff, Athletes -- Men, and Athletes -- Women. The files in each series contain background information, news articles, and photographs of individual University of Michigan Varsity athletes, coaches, and staff members from the University's athletic department. It should be noted that some files do not contain photographs. Also, some files contain compact discs (CD's) containing digital images. The bulk of the files date from around 1960 to 2002, but included are files from as early as the mid to late 19th century, to as recent as 2005. The files do not include members of the club sports teams. The number and extent of files varies by sport and over time, in part reflects varying degrees of effort by the Media Relations staff. Sometimes referred to by Media Relations staff as the "star files", the Individual Files are most extensive for football and basketball, but all varsity sports are represented. Beginning in the 1970 coverage all sports becomes more extensive. After 1982 when women's sports began competing in the Big Ten and management of publicity efforts became more fully integrated in the Media Relations office, the coverage of women's sports becomes more extensive.

The files in each series are arranged alphabetically. (Files have ben received at various times ad are physically arranged in several alphabetical run, but are listed in a single alphabetical run for coaches/administrators, men, and women athletes.) Each of the athlete entries is followed by a code for the sport(s) in which they participated.

Men's Sports Women's Sports
bb – baseball bk – basketball
bk—basketball cc – cross country
cc -- cross country fho – field hockey
fb – football go – golf
go – golf gy – gymnastics
gy – gymnastics row – rowing
iho –ice hockey soc – soccer
soc – soccer sb– softball
sw - swimming-diving sw – swimming-diving
te – tennis sy – synchronized swimming
tr – track te – tennis
wr -- wrestling tr – track
vo – volleyball
wp – water polo

Collection

Joseph A. Bursley papers, circa 1880s-1950 (scattered dates)

1 linear foot

Correspondence, photographs, directories, lists of members and other material concerning reunions of the University of Michigan class of 1899; and an article on student loan funds at the University of Michigan, 1927-1928. Correspondents include James B. Angell (July 17, 1909) and William A. Comstock. Visual materials include images of Bursley, and a childhood photograph of Bursley's wife, Marguerite Knowlton Bursley.

This collection documents the personal and business activities of Jospeh A. Bursley. Materials include correspondence--notably, with the University of Michigan president James B. Angell and Michigan Governor William A. Comstock,-- directories, information regarding reunions of the class of 1899, an article on student loan funds at the University of Michigan, and a selection of photographs which include a childhood photograph of Marrguerite Knowlton Bursley. The material spans from the 1880s to 1950.

Collection

Roy Stanley Swinton photograph collection, circa 1880, circa 1900, circa 1950

1 envelope

Roy Stanley Swinton (1886-1956) was a University of Michigan alumnus and professor of engineering mechanics. Consists of photographs of Calumet, Michigan; the Calumet and Hecla Mining Company and hoisting equipment at the mine; and a stamp mill in Lake Linden, Michigan. Also included are portraits.

The collection consists of photographs of Calumet, Michigan; the Calumet and Hecla Mining Company and hoisting equipment at the mine; and a stamp mill in Lake Linden, Michigan. Also included are portraits.

Collection

Mary Ellsworth papers, circa 1880-1983

0.5 linear feet — 1 oversize folder (UAm)

Naturalist and historian at the Nankin Mills Nature Center near Westland, Michigan. Nankin Mills was also used by Henry Ford in the manufacture of automobile parts. Nankin Mills files including notebook with research notes and jottings about the Nankin Mills area, newspaper clippings, and deeds; collected historical material including child's diary, 1902-1903, and Pontiac, Michigan family papers containing essay about women's suffrage, 1881; photographs of the Nankin Mills and related areas in western Wayne County, Michigan; copy prints of Pike's Peak, Colorado, 1887.

The Mary Ellsworth papers consist of two types of materials: 1) papers which relate specifically to Nankin Mills and to her work as naturalist, and 2) historical materials collected or received by Mary Ellsworth.

Collection

Alumni Association (University of Michigan) Individual Photographs, circa 1880-1960s

8 linear feet

Photos of University of Michigan alumni, faculty and staff collected by the University Alumni Association.

Alumni Association (University of Michigan),Individual Photographs forms part of the larger University of Michigan Alumni Association record group. As a convenience, it is described here in greater detail than in the finding aid for the full record group. The Individual Photographs includes portraits and activity photos of celebrities and other figures associated in some way with the University, including students (especially athletes), alumni, faculty, staff, and prominent visitors (especially honorary degree recipients).

Collection

[Miscellaneous brochures, pamphlets, etc.], circa 1880-1950

1 linear foot (in 2 boxes)

Publications produced by or for the Battle Creek Sanitarium founded by John Harvey Kellogg in Battle Creek Michigan.

The collection consists of pamphlets, brochures, articles and other printed material on the history, philosophy and dietary practices, and treatments of the Battle Creek Sanitarium.

Collection

William Wilson Cook photograph collection, circa 1880-1939 (scattered)

1 envelope

William Wilson Cook (1858-1930) was a University of Michigan alumnus and New York attorney, author, and philanthropist whose financial contributions to the University of Michigan funded the construction of the Martha Cook Building and Law Quadrangle. Consists of a portrait engraving of Cook and photographs of Cook's sculpture on display in the Martha Cook Building.

The collection consists of a portrait engraving of Cook and photographs of Cook's sculpture on display in the Martha Cook Building.

Collection

Michigan Photographers Society photographs, circa 1880-1925

0.3 linear feet — 1 oversize folder

Organization of Michigan photographers; collected copyprints of historical images.

The collection consists of copyprints (with some negatives) of historical images collected by members of the Michigan Photographers Society. The photographs are arranged alphabetically by name of city where the collector lived. This is followed by descriptions of the images. The strength of the collection is for its visual documentation of various Michigan cities, including street scenes, businesses, private residences, views of ships, railroads, lumbering activities, and local customs.

Collection

Beutler family photograph collection, circa 1880-1915

1 folder

Family of German immigrant Daniel Beutler, of Sharon Township, Washtenaw County, Michigan. Consists of family photographs, most of which are unidentified.

The collection consists of family photographs, most of which are unidentified.

Collection

Herbert Slauson photograph collection, circa 1880-1912

1 envelope

Herbert M. Slauson (1853-1936) was a University of Michigan alum who served as the superintendent of the schools of Ann Arbor, Mich. in 1898-1920. Consists of portraits of Slauson and his wife, Clara Conover Slauson, as well as a photo of the Slauson home on South Fifth Avenue in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

The collection consists of portraits of Slauson and his wife, Clara Conover Slauson, as well as a photo of the Slauson home on South Fifth Avenue in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Collection

Gibson's Photographic Gallery photograph collection, circa 1880-1889

1 folder

Michigan photography studio. Consists of a photograph of a boy's band (probably from Ann Arbor) as well as a group photgraph from a military encampment (probably of the 1st Regiment, Company A, Michigan State Troops).

The collection consists of a photograph of a boy's band (probably from Ann Arbor) as well as a group photgraph from a military encampment (probably of the 1st Regiment, Company A, Michigan State Troops).

Collection

Barr family photograph collection, circa 1880-1889

1 envelope

Ann Arbor and Saline, Michigan family. Consists of portraits of a husband and wife, John Henry Barr and Catherine Traver Barr.

The collection consists of portraits of a husband and wife, John Henry Barr and Catherine Traver Barr.

Collection

O. W. Stone photograph collection, circa 1880-1889

1 envelope

O. W. Stone was a Pentwater, Michigan, photographer. Includes photos of the Sault Sainte Marie Canal as well as Pentwater, Michigan, business enterprises and shipping.

The collection includes photos of Pentwater, Michigan, focusing on business enterprises and shipping. Also included are photos of the Sault Sainte Marie Canal.

Collection

E. S. Conrad photograph collection, circa 1880-1889

1 envelope

E. S. Conrad was a Reed City, Michigan, photographer. Consists of photographs relating to the activities, people, and buildings of a nearby lumbering camp.

The collection consists of photographs relating to the activities, people, and buildings of a nearby lumbering camp.

Collection

Otto R. Garber photograph collection, circa 1880-1889

1 envelope

Employee of J. R. Hall Shingle Mill and Salt Block, Essexville, Michigan. Consists of photos of workers and the exterior of J. R. Hall Shingle Mill and Salt Block.

The collection consists of photos of workers and the exterior of J. R. Hall Shingle Mill and Salt Block.

Collection

Herman Stiver photograph collection, circa 1880

1 envelope

Herman Stiver (1920-2017) was a Muskegon, Michigan, resident. Consists of copy print photos of Civil War veterans from Cleon Township (Manistee County, Michigan) and records identifying them.

The collection consists of copy print photos of Civil War veterans from Cleon Township (Manistee County, Michigan) and records identifying them.

Collection

Harriet Billings DeClaire photograph collection, circa 1880

1 envelope

Harriet Elizabeth Billings DeClaire (circa 1836-1927) was a resident of Saint Johns, Michigan. The collection consists of a portrait attached to newspaper clippings.

The collection consists of a portrait attached to newspaper clippings (obituary and reminiscence).

Collection

Charles S. Smith papers, circa 1875-1923

6 microfilms — 4 linear feet — 1 oversize folder (Ac)

A bishop in the African Methodist Episcopal Church and founder of the denomination's Sunday School Union

The papers of Charles Spencer Smith measure 4 linear feet and date from ca. 1875 to 1923. The correspondence, sermons, speeches, articles, and printed material in the collection relate primarily to Smith's work in the African Methodist Episcopal Church as secretary and treasurer of the Sunday School Union, and as a bishop. Of particular value is a manuscript history of the A.M.E. Church in the 1840's and 1850's written by Bishop Daniel A. Payne, D.D., LL.D, and edited by Smith. These manuscript chapters from A History of the African Methodist Episcopal Church point out that Smith may have eliminated some of the original manuscript's detail to make Payne's work more concise. Smith himself wrote A History of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, Vol. 2, which was printed by the Book Concern of the A.M.E. Church, Philadelphia, in 1922. This volume covers the history of the church during the years 1856-1922 and was intended as a sequel to Bishop Payne's work. The Bentley Library has reprints of both of these volumes.

Biographical information has been placed at the beginning of the collection. It is followed by Smith's correspondence; his speeches, articles, sermons, pamphlets, and other writings; and material pertaining to the Methodist Ecumenical Conferences he attended in London in 1901 and 1921. Then there are materials relating to the A.M.E. Church, both printed and manuscript, followed by newspaper clippings, memorabilia, and topical files. Papers of Christine Shoecraft Smith and Charles S. Smith, Jr. follow. Books (non-Smith) and photographs have been placed at the end of the collection.

The correspondence and writings of Smith pertain to the A.M.E. Church, to his visits to Africa, settlement of Liberia by American Blacks, the education of Blacks, and related topics. Minutes of annual conferences of the A.M.E. Church in districts served by Smith are included with the printed material.

In addition to Smith's papers, the collection contains papers of his wife, Christine Shoecraft Smith, and of their son, Charles Spencer Smith, Jr. Christine Smith's papers consist of condolence cards and letters upon the death of her husband, two autograph books, and copies of selected pages of a scrapbook which has been returned to the donor. The papers of C. S. Smith, Jr., consist of correspondence, notebooks, and technical material compiled by Smith while he served as a lieutenant in the U.S. Army during World War I.

Due to the rare and fragile nature of many of the materials in the collection, everything has been microfilmed except for the non-Smith books. The aforementioned book by Smith, Glimpses of Africa, and scattered issues of The Child's Recorder and Our Sunday School Review for the years 1889-1891 had been microfilmed previously. The microfilm is the only copy the Bentley Library has of these publications.

Collection

Andrew Wheaton photograph collection, circa 1875

1 envelope

Resident of Nahma, Michigan. Consists of group and individual portraits of Ojibwa (also referred to as Ojibwe, Chippewa, or Anishinabe) residents of Nahma, Michigan.

The collection consists of group and individual portraits of Ojibwa (also referred to as Ojibwe, Chippewa, or Anishinabe) residents of Nahma, Michigan. Materials are copy prints.

Collection

George Washington Merrill photographs, circa 1874-1918

0.1 linear feet — 78 MB (online)

Online
Engineer on various Great Lakes steamship, photographer and collector of photographs; includes photos and some glass negatives depicting Grand Army of the Republic encampment in Detroit in 1891; photographs of war bond rally in Detroit, ca. 1918; photographs of downtown Detroit buildings and street scenes; some of the photographs of Belle Isle other water views.

The Merrill collection consists of photographs (with some glass negatives) depicting public events associated with a meeting of the Grand Army of the Republic organization in Detroit in 1891; photographs of war bond rally in Detroit, including patriotic displays, ca. 1918; photographs of downtown Detroit, including views of commercial buildings, modes of transportation, and people on the street; and some of the photographs of Belle Isle other water views.

Collection

Arthur Brown family papers, circa 1873-1945

1 linear foot

Ann Arbor, Michigan, family. Correspondence, other papers and photographs of Arthur Brown, Ann Arbor attorney and mayor, and officer and director of the Washtenaw Abstract Company; also papers of his wife, Cora Pulcipher Brown, largely concerning work with Americanism Committee of the Daughters of the American Revolution during World War II.

The Brown family collection is unfortunately a fragment of materials with very few of the papers created by either Arthur or Cora Brown surviving. What remains relate almost exclusively to the legal career of Arthur Brown, in particular to his service to various persons as a collector of bad debts, and to Cora Brown's work with the Americanism Committee of the Daughters of the American Revolution during World War II.

Collection

James Henry McDonald photograph collection, circa 1873-1929 (scattered)

1 envelope

Graduate of the University of Michigan (B.A., 1876; Law, 1878), who practiced law in Detroit (Mich.) Consists of portraits and photos of the Ann Arbor High School class of 1873.

The collection consists of portraits and photos of the Ann Arbor High School class of 1873.

Collection

J. V. Smith Davenport House drawings and specifications, circa 1873

1 folder

Online
J. V. Smith was a Detroit architect. The Davenport house was built on East Michigan Avenue in Saline, Mich. in ca. 1872-1874 for Beverly Davenport.

This collection is comprised of drawings and specifications for the Beverly Davenport House, E. Henry St., Saline, Michigan, designed by J. V. Smith.

Collection

Archer H. Brown photograph collection, circa 1872

1 envelope

Member of the University of Michigan Class of 1872 and iron businessperson. Consists of a photo of the Psi Upsilon house and group portraits of students.

The collection consists of a photo of the Psi Upsilon house and group portraits of students.

Collection

J. A. Jenney stereograph collection, circa 1870s-1880s

1 envelope

James A. Jenney was a photographer best known for his stereographs of Michigan logging camps. Scenes of camp life and activities at the L. B. Curtis and Company Lumber Camp in Midland County, Michigan; also views of Mackinac Island, Michigan.

The J. A. Jenney stereograph collection is comprised of scenes of camp life and activities at the L. B. Curtis and Company Lumber Camp in Midland County, Michigan, as well as views of Mackinac Island, Michigan.

Collection

Chase S. Osborn Papers, circa 1870-1949 (majority within 1889-1949)

149.9 linear feet ((in 152 boxes)) — 3 oversize volumes — 1 oversize folder

Governor of Michigan, writer, businessman; papers include correspondence, business records, speeches, writings, visual materials, diaries.

The Osborn collection consists of correspondence, diaries, business papers, scrapbooks, photographs, and other materials accumulated during his life. Materials prior to 1889 are scarce possibly because of a fire which destroyed Osborn's home; thereafter and up to the time of his death in 1949, the Osborn papers are voluminous, documenting each of this man's varied activities. Although his career as elected public official was limited to one term as governor, the collection reflects the importance of his life in areas beyond politics alone. His voice was heard, in letters and speeches and monographs, speaking out on the issues of the day - prohibition, conservation, the New Deal, and of course his life-long interest in the development of Michigan's Upper Peninsula economy and natural resources.

Collection

George Robert Swain photographs and papers, circa 1870-1947 (majority within 1913-1947)

20 linear feet (in 34 boxes) — 1 oversize folder

University of Michigan staff photographer, 1913-1947 and commercial photographer in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Collection includes some manuscript material but is primarily photographic prints and negatives made by Swain. Photo subjects include university buildings, faculty, and student activities, archeological expeditions to the Near East and, Ann Arbor scenes and landscapes form his travels in the western United States and Canada.

The papers and photographs of George R. Swain mainly document Swain's accomplishments as university photographer at the University of Michigan from 1913 to 1947. Researchers should note, however, that this is only a sampling of the photographer's work during these years. The Kelsey Museum of Archaeology at the University of Michigan has an extensive collection of Swain's archaeological negatives and prints, and researchers interested in his full career will want to also look at the Kelsey collection. The Bentley Library material, while including several folders of fine photographs Swain made on his travels with Professor Frances Kelsey, for the most part documents Ann Arbor and the University of Michigan.

The collection at the Bentley Library consists of three series: Miscellaneous Papers; Photographers Log; and Photographs (prints; negatives; and lantern slides. Since the bulk of the collection is comprised of early twentieth century images of Ann Arbor and the University of Michigan, the materials will be of most interest to researchers searching for visual documentation of this part of the state in that time period. There are very few materials beyond the visual, although the lengthy captions attached to many overseas images and the essays, diaries, and letters, are extremely interesting and offer insight into how Swain approached his craft, both as a professional photographer and in his personal work.

Collection

Lucinda Hinsdale Stone photograph collection, circa 1870-1900

1 envelope

Lucinda Hinsdale Stone (1814-1900) was a Kalamazoo, Michigan, activist, educator, feminist, and writer who supported the abolition of enslaved persons, coeducation, education for women, and women's suffrage. She also founded and/or supported numerous Michigan women's study clubs and organizations. Stone's advocacy work also resulted in the enrollment of female students at the University of Michigan, which began in 1870. Consists of one photo of guests at a party hosted by Stone, one photo of Stone's residence in Kalamazoo, Michigan, and portraits.

The collection consists of one photo of guests at a party hosted by Stone, one photo of Stone's residence in Kalamazoo, MI, and portraits.

Collection

Stuart Klein photograph collection, circa 1870-1889

1 folder

Collection of cartes de visite portraits taken by various Washtenaw County, Michigan, photographers. Most of the items are unidentified; those identified are of Rose Kline, Carrie Walker, and Cary (probably Caroline) Schettler.

Collection

Elizabeth Reed photograph collection, circa 1870-1889

1 envelope

The collection includes stereographs (dated circa 1870-1879) of the First Presbyterian Church in Albion (Calhoun County, Mich.) before and after a fire. Also includes photos of members and pastors of the church and photos (dated circa 1880-1889) of Olivet College in Olivet (Mich.).

Collection

Thomas E. Eslow visual materials collection, circa 1870-1879

1 folder

Homer, Michigan farmer. Consists of a tintype portrait and print of Thomas E. Eslow and his wife Mary Delia (Champion) Eslow.

The collection consists of a tintype portrait and print of Thomas E. Eslow and his wife Mary Delia (Champion) Eslow. The print also shows their Homer, Michigan, farm.

Collection

Kathleen E. Bennett photograph collection, circa 1870-1879

1 envelopes (21 photos)

The collection consists of carte-de-visite portraits of young men and women, perhaps University of Michigan students, possibly classmates of Edward Playfair Anderson, A.B. 1879, A.M. 1882, Ph.D. 1886. Sixteen of the photos were made by North & Oswald, Toledo, Ohio.

Collection

Jean Worth Papers, circa 1869-1986

8 linear feet

Escanaba, Michigan, newspaperman. Subject files (including collected materials) relating to his research interest in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, notably in the area of Cedar River, Escanaba, and Menominee; include manuscript of writings, subject files, and photographs.

The papers of Jean Worth consists largely of collected material relating to his research interest in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. The collection has been divided into the following series: Cedar River; Escanaba; Menominee; and Upper Peninsula -General.

Collection

Louis C. Cramton Papers, circa 1865-1966 (majority within 1916-1965)

8 linear feet — 2 oversize volumes — 1 oversize folder

State Representative from Lapeer, Michigan; U.S. Congressman, 1913-1931, and special attorney to the Secretary of the Interior, 1931-1932; correspondence, speeches, newspaper clippings, scrapbooks, photographs, campaign materials, and other items relating to his advocacy of the national park system, the concept of historic preservation, fair employment practices legislation, increased support for Howard University and all other aspects of his career.

The Louis C. Cramton papers came to the Bentley Historical Library in three separate accessions (1948-1950; 1971; 1987). The collection has been arranged into six series: Correspondence, Miscellaneous Papers, Topical Files, Newspaper clippings/Scrapbooks, Photographs, and Louis Kay Cramton Papers.

Collection

Martha Mullett collection, circa 1865-1880

0.2 linear feet

Collection of stereograph images of views of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula in the late nineteenth century.

This collection consists of six envelopes of stereographs published by Bailey & Whitesides, C. B. Brubaker, and A. G. Emergy, and some photographed by B. F. Childs. The images are scenes of Michigan's Upper Peninsula in the late nineteenth century, including Michigamme, Houghton, Hancock, and Sault Sainte Marie, Michigan and the Pictured Rocks.

Collection

Michigan School for the Deaf photograph collection, circa 1865

1 envelope

Founded in 1848 in Flint, Michigan, the Michigan School for the Deaf is a residential public school for Michigan students who are deaf or hard of hearing. The collection includes photographs of buildings and personnel.

The collection includes photographs of buildings and personnel.

Collection

Anna Hoyt Memorandum Book, circa 1864-1950

1 volume (350 p.)

Volume first used for poetry and notes by an unidentified Civil War soldier, then either sold or given to Hoyt's father, who used it briefly for farm accounts. It was then taken up by Anna Hoyt and used for poetry, arithmetic calculations, and various notes and sketches.
Collection

Charles K. Adams photograph collection, circa 1861-1900

1 folder

Charles K. Adams (1835-1902) was a University of Michigan graduate (B.A. 1861, M.A. 1862) and a U-M professor of history. Adams later served as president of Cornell University and the University of Wisconsin. Portraits collected from various sources.

The collection consists of portraits collected from various sources.

Collection

Civil War Portrait Collection, circa 1861-1865

0.2 linear feet

This collection includes individual carte-de-visite portraits of Civil War soldiers that are not part of any manuscript collection. It also includes a few group portraits.

Many other Civil War portraits are found in individual manuscript collections. To find a listing of collections containing portraits and other photographs from the Civil War, please refer to the MIRLYN catalog under the subject United States--History--Civil War, 1861-1865.

Collection

Alfred G. Meyer Papers, circa 1860-1998 (majority within 1930s-1970s)

3 linear feet

Professor of political science at Michigan State University and at the University of Michigan; director of the U-M Center for Russian and Eastern European Studies; specialist in communist ideology and the Soviet political system. The collection is composed of four series. The personal series consists of biographical information including autobiography detailing flight of his family from Nazi Germany, his education, and his academic career; the series also contains files relating to his education and to the history of his family; including extensive family correspondence, partially in German, primarily in the period of 1924-1945. The other, smaller, series in the collection pertain to his career and to his writings.

The Alfred G. Meyer Papers richly document both Meyer's personal and family history and his professional career, while providing considerable insight into the effects of Nazism and World War II on a German-Jewish family. The collection is arranged into four series: Personal (ca. 1860-1998); Professional (1956-1997); Writings (1952-1998); and Audio-Visual (1998).

Collection

Letty M. Wickliffe papers, circa 1860-1992 (majority within 1960s-1976)

0.5 linear feet (in 2 boxes)

Teacher; Ann Arbor, Michigan, community activist; member of the North Central Property Owners Association in Ann Arbor. Articles written for the local newspaper, awards, scattered correspondence, biographical information, and photographs.

The Letty M. Wickliffe collection documents the life of a devoted educator, Ann Arbor community activist, and active member of the Republican party. The collection is divided into two series, Topical and Visual. Folders are arranged alphabetically within each series and the items inside the folders are in chronological order. Collections also includes Wickliffe's 1924 University of Michigan diploma.

Collection

H. Mark Hildebrandt collection, circa 1860-1986

1 linear foot (in 2 boxes) — 1 oversize folder

The Collection includes miscellaneous manuscript material, postcards, posters, and photographs. Subjects include Michigan railroads, the University of Michigan, Michigan history.

The collection includes materials related to Michigan street railroads and the Ann Arbor Train and Trolley Watchers; letter of Ernest Wilby, 1935, describing his career as an architect and his association with Albert Kahn; records of Ann Arbor Pediatric Associates, 1972-1986; and photographs.

Copy prints of photographs relating to the interurban line between Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti and other Michigan street railroads; photos of the electric cars, the power plant and office, and related pictures; collection of turn-of-the-century photographs, perhaps of the Staebler family of Ann Arbor, Michigan; outdoor group activities, circus parade, and exterior views of Staebler business establishments; also collection of glass negatives including photos of potato farming and St. Clair Flats. Postcards include images of the University of Michigan Ann Arbor campus, as well as locations throughout the state.

Collection

University of Michigan Board of Regents Portrait Collection, circa 1860-1970

0.4 linear feet

Portraits of some members of the University of Michigan Board of Regents.

This collection contains portraits of about 65 members of the University of Michigan Board of Regents. Most of the portraits are of regents who served between about 1870 and 1970, although a few earlier regents are also included.

Other portraits of regents are found in the papers of individual regents.

Collection

University of Michigan Faculty and Staff Portraits, circa 1860-1960

4 linear feet

Portrait photographs of University of Michigan faculty, administrators and staff.

This collection contains portraits of about 750 University of Michigan faculty members. It is strongest for people who served on the faculty during the nineteenth century and in the 1930s, although a few portraits as late as about 1960 are included.

In addition to faculty, librarians, and research staff, the collection contains portraits of a few nineteenth-century campus characters, including Robert Howard, the bellringer, Jolly the Janitor, "Doc" Gregor Nagele, the Medical School janitor, and Jimmy Ottley, the campus postman.

The photos are arranged alphabetically. Outsize portraits listed in this finding aid are found in the medium-size photograph collection (UAm) under the name of the person.

Faculty portraits are also found in a number of other collections, including:

  1. Rentschler's Studio (Ann Arbor, Mich.)
  2. Shaw, Wilfred Byron.
  3. Swain, George Robert.
  4. University of Michigan class albums.
  5. University of Michigan. Alumni Association.
  6. University of Michigan. News and Information Service. Series D.

The original negatives of some prints in the Faculty Portrait collection may be found in the Rentschler, Swain, and News and Information Service collections. In addition to these collections, faculty portraits can be found in the records of many schools, colleges, and departments, as well as in the papers of individual faculty members.

Collection

Michigan Historical Collections topical photograph collection, circa 1860-1959

0.5 linear feet (in 2 boxes) — 1 oversize box

The Michigan Historical Collections Topical Photograph Collection offer a broad and varied glimpse into nearly one hundred years of Michigan history, from the 1860s into the 1950s. The provenance of most of the photographs has been lost and therefore these images have been grouped together by subject into an artificial accumulation. Subjects depicted range from industry and transportation to clothing styles and social customs.

The photographs in this collection were received from various sources. Subjects include carriages, automobiles, Great Lakes shipping, railroads, and mass transit, especially street railroads. There are also images documenting activities within the mining, forestry, and lumber industries, mostly in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Also included are photographs of various ethnic groups and their societies, notably of Native Americans (1870s-1930s) of the Manistee and Ludington, Michigan, areas. Some of the images are street views and private residences in various Michigan towns and cities. Of interest are photographs of Michigan units taking part in the Spanish-American War and the "Polar Bear Expedition" of World War I. There is also a series of bookplates, [acquired from?] William H. Bicknell, many of which relate to the University of Michigan.

Collection

University of Michigan student portraits, circa 1860-1950 (majority within 1870-1920)

2000 photographs (in 10 boxes.; approximate)

Portraits of University of Michigan students, ca. 1860-ca.1950, gathered from a number of sources.

The University of Michigan student portrait collection has been brought together from a variety of sources, including the Alumni Office, the Law School, the College of Pharmacy, the Medical School and the Graduate Library. There are approximately 2000 images (formal portraits for the most part), and they have been arranged alphabetically. The dates of the photographs extend back to the 1850s, but the great bulk of the collection consists of cabinet photographs taken from the period of 1870 to 1900. The photographs consist mainly of graduation portraits, although there are also portraits or snapshots taken some time after the period when the individual attended the university. Photographs of this sort are indicated on the container listing by the notation (alumnus).

The researcher should note that this collection represents only one source of portraits of U-M students. The library has other collections with images of individual students. The researcher should first check the Visual Materials card catalog to ascertain whether or not there might be a more comprehensive collection of materials relating to an individual, such as a public figure. These larger collections are cataloged separately, and often contain portraits of individuals from their U-M days. Second, the library has a collection of class albums (cataloged as University of Michigan Class Albums) containing portraits of individuals from various classes in the 1860s, 1870s and 1880s. Not all class years are represented and not every individual in a given class is included in this collection, however. Third, the library has collections of student photographs found within the files of individual schools and departments, notably the Law School and the Medical School. Fourth, the researcher will find individual student portraits as well as class portraits within the library's photographic vertical file (filed under UBImu/F99), in both the regular (UBImus/F99) and oversize folders (UBImum/F99 and UBImul/F99). Fifth, the researcher should consult the library's file of the Michiganensian for more current photographs of students and for photographs of students as part of student organizations such as athletic teams, special interest clubs, and professional and social fraternities/sororities.

Collection

Margaret Keal Knowles photograph collection, circa 1860-1920

0.25 linear feet

Family photographs accumulated by Margaret Keal Knowles.

The collection consists of portraits and other photographs of Washington Irving Keal, Nellie Annetta Keal, Thomas Keal, Lucy Ann Wyman Smith, and other members of the Keal, Crandell, Smith, and White families of Ann Arbor and Dexter, Michigan. Apart from portraits, the collection also includes photographs of buildings in Dexter, Michigan, the store of John L. Crandell in Rochester, Michigan, and the Orin White house in Ann Arbor.

Collection

Florence Ernestine Schleicher Teed papers, circa 1860-1890, 1919-1953

2.3 linear feet

Graduate of University of Michigan and ordained Methodist minister. Correspondence; Sermons and other inspirational writings; Course materials, Published materials; and Photographs.

The collection includes correspondence, student papers, sermon outlines, newspaper clippings, and religious and inspirational writings by Mrs. Teed, Ralph W. Sockman, Seth C. and Paul S. Rees, Joseph H. Smith, and others relating to preaching, the role and activities of women in the church, the holiness movement within Methodism, and personal affairs. There is also information concerning the Women's Society of Christian Service of the Methodist Church, the American Association of Women Ministers, the Detroit Holiness Tabernacle, and the Michigan Association for the Promotion of Holiness. The photographs consist of one ambrotype and four daguerreotypes of Schleicher family children, ca. 1860-1890.

Collection

S. G. Armor photograph collection, circa 1860-1880

1 envelope

Samuel G. Armor (1819-1885) was a Professor of Institutes of Medicine and Materia Medica at the University of Michigan. Consists of portraits of Armor collected from different donors.

The collection consists of portraits of Armor collected from different donors.

Collection

Tyndall-Loree family daguerreotype collection, circa 1860

4 items

The Tyndall and Loree families were of Washtenaw County, Michigan. Consists of daguerreotypes of Tyndall and Loree family members.

The collection consists of daguerreotypes of Tyndall and Loree family members, including Anna Loree as a child, Frank Loree as a baby, and Smith Tyndall and Seymour Tyndall as young men. Genealogical information is also included.

Collection

Grand Hotel (Mackinac Island, Mich.) records, circa 1855-2017 (majority within 1946-2012)

27.5 linear feet (in 29 boxes) — 2 oversize folders — 94.4 GB (online)

Online
The Grand Hotel records comprise documents, photographs, audio and videographic material collected about the hotel by its management. The strength of the collection is in its documentation of the guest experience at the hotel, and the evolution of amenities offered by the hotel during the mid-to-late 20th century. A small number of items also provide a glimpse of the hotel's earliest days as a summer resort.

The Grand Hotel records are arranged in six series: Printed Material, Miscellaneous, Press Clippings and Publications, Photographic Material, Audio Material, and Videographic Material.

Collection

Minnie C. M. Fay collection, circa 1850-1950

1 linear foot

Papers collected by Minnie C. M. Fay of Battle Creek, Michigan. Genealogical, and family records, and photographs.

The Minnie Fay collection consists of genealogical and family records, family photographs, and a diary, 1857-1858 probably of a Henry Chandler.

Collection

Immigration Sources Project (Netherlands) records, circa 1850-1933

1 linear foot

Papers collected in the Netherlands under the auspices of the Immigration Sources Project of the Michigan Historical Collections. Copies of letters and other materials of Dutch immigrants to Michigan written to friends and relatives in the Netherlands.

The collection of photocopied letters has been arranged alphabetically by the name of the city in Michigan which was home to the immigrant family, and thereafter by family name of. Most of these cities were in western Michigan.

Collection

Henry Horatio Northrup photograph collection, circa 1850-1904

1 envelope

Regent of the University of Michigan and Presbyterian minister in various locations, including Dexter, Jackson, and Flint, Michigan. Includes portraits of Northrup, his family, and his descendents as well as a photograph of the Northrup home in Flint, Michigan.

The collection includes portraits of Northrup, his family, and his descendents as well as a photograph of the Northrup home in Flint, Michigan.

Collection

Charles H. Sackrider photograph collection, circa 1850-1859

2 items

Charles H. Sackrider (1833-1881) was a physician who graduated from the University of Michigan in 1856. Includes portraits as well as a daguerreotype and an ambrotype.

The collection includes portraits as well as a daguerreotype and an ambrotype.

Collection

Atwell-Hicks Map Collection, circa 1838-1902

40 items

Ann Arbor, Mich., civil engineering, surveying, and planning firm. Cadastral maps, showing land ownership, of Washtenaw County and Ann Arbor, Mich.; also maps of mill sites on Huron River at Broadway in Ann Arbor. Many of the maps drawn by J. B. Davis.

The maps in this collection were not created by Atwell-Hicks, but were apparently acquired by the firm in the course of its business.

There are four groups of maps in the collection: Plat maps of Washtenaw County (20 maps), Plat maps of Ann Arbor (11 maps), Maps of mill sites along the Huron River at Broadway in Ann Arbor (7 maps), and Miscellaneous (1 map).

Plat maps of Washtenaw County include one map for each township, which show names of initial land purchasers and subsequent landowners through about the 1850s. Plat maps of Ann Arbor are cadastral maps (show property boundaries) and some show land ownership as well. Maps of mill sites along the Huron River at Broadway in Ann Arbor show in great detail the complex of mills, millraces, dams, and outbuildings in the Broadway area. Miscellaneous includes one map of a lake in Lenawee County.

Collection

Blanchard Family Papers, circa 1835-circa 2000

49.5 linear feet (in 50 boxes) — 1400 glass photographic plates (in 10 boxes)

The Blanchard family papers document the lives and careers of several members of the Blanchard, Cobb, and Proctor families from the mid-nineteenth century through the late twentieth century. Includes visual materials, publications, personal writings, and extensive correspondence files.

The Blanchard Family Papers document the professional achievements and personal lives of several generations of a scientifically minded and artistically gifted family. The papers focus heavily upon the eminent plant pathologist and nematologist Nathan A. Cobb, his wife Alice Vara Cobb, their daughter, biologist Frieda Cobb Blanchard, and her husband, herpetologist Frank Nelson Blanchard (the latter two of whom were professors at the University of Michigan). In addition to the photographs, drawings, correspondence, journals, and writings of these four individuals, the collection is rich in family correspondence, diaries, and personal papers from other members of the Cobb and Blanchard families (and their forebears and branches, including the Bigelow, Proctor, Ross, White, and Randall families). The Blanchard Family Papers will be of value to researchers interested in a variety of topics: scientific endeavors and methodologies (and in particular those related to agronomy, nematology, botany, and herpetology); the visual arts and the development of photography in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries; colonial and provincial life in Australia and Hawaii (respectively); and the daily affairs of American (and Michigan) families throughout the twentieth century. The Blanchard Family Papers consist of seven series: Nathan A. Cobb, Alice Vara Cobb, Frieda Cobb Blanchard, Frank Nelson Blanchard, Blanchard and Cobb Family Letters, Other Family Members, and Isaac G. Blanchard.

Collection

Hazel Littlefield Smith Papers, circa 1830s-1979

5.3 linear feet — 1 oversize folder

Resident in China from Farwell, Michigan; papers concern her family life in Farwell, and missionary activities; include letters, diaries, and accounts of father, Josiah L. Littlefield, Farwell lumber dealer and visitor to China, 1916-1917; letters, 1918-1928, of husband, Dr. Dennis V. Smith, medical missionary to China, describing in part Chinese politics and civil war, 1918-1920; letters and other papers of Hazel Littlefield Smith, including materials concerning various European travels, and manuscripts of writings about Irish author Lord Dunsany, her father, and Farwell, Michigan; and photographs. Other correspondents of Hazel Smith include world-renowed scientists (Edwin Hubble and William Beebe), from Chinese Princess Der Ling, and from distinguished European writers and actors (Pierre LaMure, Selma Lagerlof, Brian Aherne, and Ronald Colman).

This collection was accumulated by Hazel Littlefield Smith and consists of materials concerning her career and interests and those of her family, specifically her husband, Dr. Dennis Smith, and her father, Josiah Littlefield (1845-1935), a pioneer lumberman and businessman in Farwell, Michigan.

The collection is particularly valuable for three topics: early days (late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries) in Farwell, Michigan; missionary life in China in the period ca. 1915-1928; and the travels and writings of Hazel Littlefield Smith. The materials include correspondence, compositions and business-related materials of Josiah Littlefield; correspondence and other materials of Dr. Dennis Smith, Hazel Littlefield Smith (and Josiah Littlefield) concerning conditions in early republican China; and correspondence and other materials of Hazel Littlefield Smith concerning her travels in Europe (1920s-1950s), her management of the family farm near Farwell, Michigan (1940s), and her essays, poetry and other publications, including Lord Dunsany: King of Dreams.

The three principal figures in the collection--Hazel Littlefield Smith, Dennis Smith and Josiah Littlefield--were highly perceptive observers of persons and events. Their letters are rich in detail, whether describing travel experiences or everyday life in rural northern Michigan.

The collection is arranged into six series: Littlefield Family, China-related materials, Hazel Littlefield Smith, Miscellanea, Dr. Dennis V. Smith, and Visual Materials.

Collection

Flora Burt Family Papers, circa 1830s-1960s

3 linear feet — 1 oversize folder

Family historian; collected materials relating to the Burt family and other related families.

Historical documents, family papers, and photographs accumulated and maintained by Flora Burt relating to the Burt family and to other family lines. Included are materials and information pertaining to James P. McKinstry, officer in the U.S. Navy in the 19th century, and to John R. Williams, 1st mayor of Detroit. The collection also contains letters, 1839-1846, to William A. Burt from his son Alvin Burt, then doing survey work in Iowa; also letter, 1845, from William Burt to Alvin Burt, describing the solar compass that he patented.

Collection

Ralph W. Muncy papers, circa 1830-1992

15.5 linear feet (in 16 boxes)

Socialist Labor Party member, later member of the League for Socialist Reconstruction. Correspondence, campaign files, audio-tapes, and other materials largely concerning his work with the State Central Committee of the Socialist Labor Party and Socialist Reconstruction, 1928-1992; and collected family materials including letters and memoirs of Levi Muncy, soldier during the Civil War; also photographs.

The Ralph Muncy collection consists primarily of papers relating to his interest in socialist political activities. A smaller portion of the collection documents the involvement of his wife, Lydia B. Muncy, in the socialist cause. Together they also collected materials relating to the history of their families (Muncy-Baird). Included is much original family material dating back into the nineteenth century. The Ralph Muncy papers have been arranged into the following series: Correspondence; Topical Files; and Ralph Muncy and Lydia Baird Muncy Personal.

Collection

Raab family papers, circa 1830-1969

1 linear foot

Michigan family from Adrian and Flint, Michigan. Family papers, sound recordings, and photographs.

The collection is arranged by family name: Tomlinson, Pomeroy, and Raab. The earliest item is an account maintained by Alexander Tomlinson of Sherwood, Michigan. Within the Raab family papers are diaries, 1891-1892, of Florence Raab concerning her life in Adrian, Michigan. In addition, the collection includes papers and audio-tapes of Irving T. Raab reminiscing about his student life at the University of Michigan in the years before 1900. These tapes also concern his life in Flint and career as Presbyterian clergyman. The photographs in the collection are of family members.

Collection

John Stewart Barry land patents, circa 1830-1851

1 oversize folder — 1 folder

John S. Barry (1802-1870) was a Democratic politician who served as Michigan's fourth and eighth governor. Consists of land patents as well as a photographic portrait.

The John Stewart Barry papers consist of land patents as well as a photographic portrait (copy print photograph of a painting).

Collection

Washtenaw Abstract Company records, circa 1824-1954

42 volumes — 1 linear foot — 19 oversize folders

Land title company based in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Abstracts of mortgages, deeds, and other legal papers recorded in Washtenaw County; and plat maps for Washtenaw County additions and subdivisions.

The collection contains two series of abstracts of Washtenaw County land ownership and transaction records and two series of plat maps.

Collection

C. C. Trowbridge papers, circa 1823-1840

0.5 linear feet

Clerk to Gen. Lewis Cass on 1819 expedition among Indians of upper Great Lakes, Indian agent and negotiator, mayor of Detroit in 1834, and later University of Michigan regent. Papers consist primarily of material relating to his early experience among the Indians including reports to Cass and other accounts of Indian life and language. Consists in part of photostats of material held by the Burton Historical Library.

The Trowbridge collection consists mainly of materials accumulated during the early years of his career when he was acting as Indian agent and when he devoted himself to the study of the languages and customs of the native Americans of the upper midwest.

The major portion of the Trowbridge papers are located at the Burton Historical Collection (NUCMC 70-1194)

Collection

Palmer Family (Pontiac, Mich.) papers, circa 1814-1940

2 linear feet — 1.9 GB

Online
Upper-class Michigan family in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries with various business interests including lumbering, mining, and land transactions in Montana, Michigan, California, West Virginia, and British Columbia. The family was also active in the development of the Orchard lake area, especially during in the 1920s through the 1940s. The collection contains both business and personal materials including correspondence, subject files, legal records, maps, blueprints, and photographs.

The Palmer Family papers document the activities of an upper-class family in nineteenth-century and early twentieth-century Michigan. The strength of the collection is its documentation of the growth of early business in Michigan. The Charles Henry Palmer (Senior) series contains the bulk of this information, with papers documenting his activities as an investor in mining and railroads in Michigan's Upper Peninsula from the 1850s through the 1880s. The balance of the collection contains both business and personal materials documenting the lives of various Palmer family members. Materials include correspondence, legal materials, business records, photographs, diaries and journals, and newspaper clippings.

Collection

Henry B. Joy Historical Research Records, circa 1812-1937

27 linear feet — 2 oversize volumes — 2 oversize folders

The Henry B. Joy Historical Research (HBJHR) was an office established and funded by Detroit businessman Henry B. Joy in 1928 to do original research into the life and career of James F. Joy; the series in the collection are James F. Joy Papers, Railroad Enterprises, John W. Brooks Papers, Abraham Lincoln Research, and Office Correspondence.

The materials accumulated by The Henry B. Joy Historical Research organization consist largely of copied documents from historical repositories. The vast bulk of the collection was taken from the James Joy papers on file at the Burton Historical Collection. The source of other copied material is not readily apparent but might have come from the archives of the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad which since 1943 has been at the Newberry Library in Chicago. The HBJHR must have had a considerable budget as the collection consists of many hundreds of photostatic copies (both positive and negative) as well as typescripts for many of the same materials.

Collection

Sault Sainte Marie collection, circa 1802-1930

19 microfilms

Records, 1802-1884, of the American Fur Company at Mackinac Island; records of the collector of customs; records concerning history of Mackinac Island, Sault Ste. Marie, Chippewa County, and Mackinac County, including marriage records for Chippewa County, 1824-1870, minutes of Chippewa County Automobile Association, 1917-1930, and miscellaneous personal diaries.

The strength of the Sault Ste. Marie collection is the records of the American Fur Company at Port Mackinac. These records date as early as 1802 and include shipping documents from the Sault Ste. Marie area and nearby ports from 1802 to 1884. Among these documents are shipping manifests, clearance documents, bills of sale, enrolment bonds, Treasury Department circulars to custom collectors at the Port of Sault Ste. Marie and nearby ports, and personal and business correspondence.

Other portions of the collection are files maintained by Myron W. Scranton. Scranton was a son-law and business partner of Peter B. Barbeau.