Collections : [University of Michigan William L. Clements Library]

This collection is made up of three albums with cabinet card photographs of prominent actors and actresses from the late 19th century, often in costume.

This collection is made up of three albums with cabinet card photographs of prominent actors and actresses from the late 19th century, often in costume. Volume 1 (28cm x 19cm), bound in black cloth with the title "Photographs" on the front, has 48 photographs in windows and one loose item laid in. Volume 2 (23cm x 30cm), bound in thick padded boards covered in dark leather, has 72 photographs in windows and four loose items laid in. This album has a brass clasp with a wheel that increases or decreases the tension of the clasp. Volume 3 (40cm x 30cm), bound in thick padded boards covered in brown leather with two brass clasps, has 99 photographs in windows. At least one card is a lithograph and two cards are hand-colored.

Each of the albums contains portraits of well-known actors and actresses, including both studio portraits and pictures taken in costume in front of painted scenery, sometimes with props. Pictures of men, women, and children are present, with portraits taken both facing the camera and in profile, and some subjects are represented by more than one image. Many types of costume are depicted, such as contemporary and historic formal dress, military dress, Middle Eastern dress, and Elizabethan dress. Some of the photographs show gender cross dressing. Props are most often swords or canes, though some subjects posed with musical instruments such as violins, a piano, and a lute. The majority of the actors and actresses across all three volumes are identified either on the backs of cards, on the albums' pages, or in inventories (housed with the first two volumes).

The Cosner papers document the experience of a middle-aged Union soldier serving with the 21st Ohio Infantry during the Civil War.

Cosner's letters reflect his rather unusual position as a middle-aged soldier. Sixteen of the 18 letters in the collection were written to his wife, Ann B. Cosner, and the other two were addressed to his daughter, Martha, one in 1880. Cosner's handwriting suggests that he was not an experienced letter-writer, nor are his descriptive skills well developed, seldom advancing beyond straightforward comments and never at length. Cosner's letters, however, do reflect the attitudes of many pious, honest soldiers trying to live a Christian life in the middle of a seemingly godless war, and, unusually, display an open reticence about entering combat.

The Pickel papers contain nine letters written by Adam H. Pickel to his parents in Phoenixville and one written to a sister during his enlistment in the 68th Pennsylvania Infantry during the Civil War. His letters provide interesting commentary on the war; in particular, he strongly refuted the rumor that General Joseph Hooker was drunk at the battle of Chancellorville.

The Pickel papers contain nine letters written by Adam H. Pickel to his parents in Phoenixville and one written to a sister. This correspondence suggests that Pickel had received a good education and had more than a minor talent as a writer. It is clear, however, that there are numerous letters no longer present with collection, including, apparently, the letters in which Pickel described his experiences in battle.

Pickel's surviving letters nevertheless provide some interesting commentary on the war. In particular, his letters regarding Chancellorsville, even though they lack a thorough description of the battle, provide a strong feeling of the horror of that engagement. Further, he argues vehemently that, rumors aside, Joe Hooker was not drunk at Chancellorsville. Pickel claims to have seen the General perhaps 20 times during the battle, and that he exhibited no obvious signs of inebriation. He admitted, however, to Hooker's well-known fondness for whiskey. Also worth noting is Pickel's critical response in support of a Dr. Oberholzer, who wrote a letter to hometown newspaper, the Daily Phoenix, pointing out how poorly run the Army was.

Adam Ludewig, an Alpena, Michigan, bookseller's clerk in his early 20s, recorded information about his activities, interactions, and the weather in this pre-printed daily Excelsior diary. He provided very brief notes on his work in the store; documentation of church and Sunday school attendance; remarks on letters, notes, and visits by young women; the books he read; painting lessons; and other subjects. He frequently abbreviated names and other words, occasionally wrote sentences with old German script, and sometimes encoded words with pigpen cyphers.

Adam Ludewig, an Alpena, Michigan, bookseller's clerk in his early 20s, recorded information about his activities, interactions, and the weather in this pre-printed daily Excelsior diary. He provided very brief notes on his work in the store ("All well / Busy in Store"); documentation of church and Sunday school attendance; and mentions of letters, notes, and visits by young women—with occasional afterthoughts such as "poor girl is to have a tooth pulled this morning" or "I do not know what to do. Time will be my best support." He noted the books he read, from "Titcomb's Letters to Young People, Single and Married" to Goethe's "The Sorrow of Young Werther." He painted and studied French. Ludewig frequently abbreviated names and other words, occasionally wrote sentences with old German script, and sometimes encoded words with pigpen cyphers. Seven small pen and ink drawings are scattered within the volume.

Civic and other organizational work mentioned in the diary include financial support for the German Aid Society and the Arbeiterverein, and attendance at evening Masonic Lodge meetings (identified in the diary only as drawings of oblong squares in quotation marks). He became Secretary and noted that he paid $1.00 for life insurance from the Masons (for $1,500 coverage).

Adam R. Barr of Conestoga Township, Pennsylvania, created this mathematics exercise book or cipher book of mathematical operations, rules and theorems, and example problems. Sections labeled with calligraphic lettering include the Single Rule of 3, Double Rule of 3, Simple Interest, Insurance, Commission, Barter, Fellowship, Exchange, Vulgar Fractions, Decimal Fractions, and others.

Adam R. Barr of Conestoga Township, Pennsylvania, created this mathematics exercise book or cipher book of mathematical operations, rules and theorems, and example problems. Sections labeled with calligraphic lettering include the Single Rule of 3, Double Rule of 3, Simple Interest, Insurance, Commission, Barter, Fellowship, Exchange, Vulgar Fractions, Decimal Fractions, and others.

This collection is made up of letters that Minerva Fox Skinner received from and about her husband, Addison D. Skinner of the 8th Michigan Infantry Regiment, in 1864. Skinner's letters describe his travels and discuss his homesickness; the remaining letters pertain to his death and burial.

This collection contains 9 letters that Minerva Fox Skinner of Parshallville, Michigan, received from and about her husband, Addison Dwight Skinner, in 1864. He wrote 6 letters to his wife while serving with the 8th Michigan Infantry Regiment from March 1, 1864-March 29, 1864. He described his travels to Flint, Michigan; Cincinnati, Ohio; Louisville, Kentucky; and Annapolis, Maryland, and wrote of his homesickness and his love for his wife and children. In his letter of March 23, 1864, he complained that he had not yet been paid; on March 29, 1864, he reported on the spread of measles throughout the regiment and confided to his wife that the death of George Griswold, a soldier from his regiment, had been caused by a case of "clap."

Minerva Fox Sinner received 2 letters from her brother, Wells B. Fox, about her husband's failing health and death (April 24, 1864, and May 30, 1864). In his second letter, Fox expressed his sympathy and offered reassurances that Skinner had thought often of his family during his final days. He also noted his resolve for the army to march to Richmond. Helen M. Noye (later Hoyt), a nurse at the Naval Academy Hospital in Annapolis, Maryland, wrote to Minerva Skinner on May 11, 1864, offering condolences for the death of A. D. Skinner, and discussing his burial. Noye, who believed that Minerva Skinner had yet learned of her husband's death, informed Minerva that the remains could be exhumed, but advised against doing so.

This album contains autographs of the acquaintances of Adelaide Harris Davis of Cambridge, Massachusetts, collected between 1859 and 1864. Adelaide was a student at Elizabeth Cabot Cary Agassiz's day school, and received autographs from Elizabeth Cabot Cary Agassiz, Louis Agassiz, and Alexander Agassiz, who taught at the school, as well as friends, primarily female. The volume also has several black-and-white engravings. A circular letter is laid in and a tuition receipt is housed separately.

This album (101 pages) contains autographs of the acquaintances of Adelaide Harris Davis of Cambridge, Massachusetts, collected between 1859 and 1864. The front and back covers are decorated with imprinted artistic details and text reading "Album of Remembrance;" the album was printed by Leavitt & Allen of New York. Charles F. D. wrote a note on the first page celebrating many of Adelaide's virtues and recording his presentation of the album to her on February 22, 1859. Most of the acquaintances who signed the album were female, and some noted their locations or the date. Adelaide collected a majority of the signatures between 1859 and 1861 and one in 1864. Most signers were from Cambridge, Massachusetts, but contributors also came from New York, Vermont, and Iowa, as well as other towns in Massachusetts. Some included short mottos, such as Augusta M. Stevens, who inscribed a Shakespeare quotation (p. 55).

• [Miel] E. Berlancourt (poem in French) (p. 19)
• Alice C. Gates (p. 23)
• Francena Danforth ("Sweet be her dreams, the fair, the young," by Barry Cornwall) (p. 47)
• Lizzie Howe ("Watch and pray! The world deceiving…," by M. A. Dodd) (p. 57)
• "Belle" (p. 61)
• Sarah A. Manoun (p. 63)
• Sarah C. Fisher (p. 67)
• Carrie L. Fisher (p. 75)

• L. E. Agassiz (p. 79)
• E[lizabeth] C[abot Cary] Agassiz (p. 79)
• A[lexander] Agassiz (p. 83)
• Li. Agassiz (p. 93)

Several black-and-white engravings depict women at leisure and other scenes. An undated circular letter laid into the volume appeals to former students of the Agassiz day school to contribute to a gift prior to the school's having to close on June 26, 1862, because of the Civil War. A receipt, housed separately, records Eliphalet Davis's payment of $37.50 for one quarter's tuition at the Agassiz school (June 27, 1861).

This collection contains 15 letters related to Adeline Chase Hart and Matthew Hart of Goshen, Connecticut. The Harts received 12 letters from family members and acquaintances between 1850 and 1859, and Adeline wrote 3 letters to Matthew while he sought gold in California in the early 1850s. The letters concern topics such as religious conversion, family health, local news, and Adeline's widowhood. The collection also includes a deed for land in Sullivan County, New Hampshire.

This collection (16 items) contains 15 letters related to Adeline Chase Hart and Matthew Hart of Goshen, Connecticut. The Harts received 12 letters from family members and acquaintances between 1850 and 1859, and Adeline wrote 3 letters to Matthew while he sought gold in California in the early 1850s. The letters concern topics such as religious conversion, family health, local news, and Adeline's widowhood. The collection also contains a deed between Dorothy Gilman and Emerson Gilman for land in Sullivan County, New Hampshire (April 1, 1837), witnessed by 2 members of the Chase family.

Adeline and Matthew Hart received 12 letters from their parents, siblings, and acquaintances, mostly from Connecticut and from Elmira, New York. Correspondents commented on family and local news, such as health issues, marriages, and funerals; Adeline's sister Lucy wrote about her visit to Hartford, Connecticut, and described a painting she viewed at City Hall (July 16, 1850). Letters from the Chase family often included contributions from several family members. Adeline Hart wrote 3 letters to her husband from October 19, 1850-December 19, 1851, pertaining to her health, their children, and her finances. Several letters in the collection concern religious revivals and conversions, including Adeline's description of her recent conversion to Christianity (October 19, 1850), Lucy Chase's affirmation that the family had become Millerites (February 5, 1851), and Reuben Chase's mention of "spirit rappers" (March 25, 1853).

Following Matthew Hart's death around early 1853, Adeline Hart received a condolence letter and 2 later personal letters from William K. Vaughan, an acquaintance in Big Flats, New York. Matthew Hart's brother, A. P. Hart, also reflected on Matthew's death (March 6, 1853). Another relative, H. E. Cooke, provided a description of her new home (April 29, 1853). Other later letters concern Hattie A. Hart's work teaching at a school and her intention to attend college (August 22, 1857), as well as property in Elmira, New York (October 24, 1859).

These photograph albums contain pictures of scenery, people, and buildings in the Adirondack Region of northern New York and in Washington, D.C.

These photograph albums (19cm x 30cm) contain 49 pictures of scenery, people, and buildings in the Adirondack Region of northern New York. Labeled photographs show buildings, animals, and scenery in and around Ilion, New York; Clifton, New York; Oxbow, New York; Chippewa Bay, New York; the Grass River; the Oswegatchie River; and Washington, D.C. Houses and other buildings shown include a home on "Preston Isle" in Chippewa Bay, the "Old Morris House" (a colonial stone house), an abandoned iron furnace, the White House, and the United States Capitol. Photographs of construction equipment are also present. Of the individuals and groups pictured, only Jack Moffett, a young boy, is identified. Photographs of note include pictures of an encampment, the exterior of a log cabin decorated with pine boughs, game and fish, and replicas of the ships Niña, Pinta, and Santa Maria. Two photographs indicate the photographer's interest in capturing motion: one shows the Empire State Express at full speed and another shows a woman throwing water, captured at a shutter speed of 1/50 second. The albums have black or blue binding with "Photographs" embossed in gold on the covers.

This collection is made up of ten items, mostly correspondence, written by or about Adlai Ewing Stevenson (1835-1914) and Adlai Ewing Stevenson II (1900-1965).

This collection is made up of ten items, mostly correspondence, written by or about Adlai Ewing Stevenson (1835-1914) and Adlai Ewing Stevenson II (1900-1965).

Visual material includes one press photograph by Ed Walston of Adlai Ewing Stevenson II with President Dwight D. Eisenhower and Secretary of State John Foster Dulles, and one woodblock print of Adlai E. Stevenson II by Jacob Steinhardt.

Please see the box and folder listing below for more details about each item in the collection.