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

This collection is made up of materials related to James M. Curtin, including his brother Will's letters about his travels in France in the spring of 1919, photographs taken in France in 1919, a narrative of the Curtin siblings' visit to Europe in 1961, and drafts of a short story.

This collection is made up of 7 items related to James M. Curtin of Marcellus, New York, and his siblings. His brother Will wrote letters to his mother and siblings from Paris, France, on March 13 and May 18, 1919; one is written on stationery of the American Commission to Negotiate Peace. Will Curtin described life and leisure activities in Paris, and recounted his travels around France, including a trip to Saint-Germain-en-Laye. Two photographs taken on May 11, 1919, show "Mr. Curtin" and three women posing with soldiers near Reims Cathedral. The collection contains 2 undated drafts of a short story by James M. Curtin, entitled "A Misadventure on a Spring Holiday" (27 pages and 32 pages, respectively).

The final item is an unsigned manuscript (96 pages) regarding a "European Trip Taken in 1961 by Genevieve, Mary and James Curtin" (August 7, 1961-October 5, 1961). The narrative consists of daily entries about the family's travels in Ireland, France, and Italy, including extensive travel within the Republic of Ireland and visits to Lourdes, Nice, Rome, and Paris. The author recorded many details about the family's Irish ancestors, particularly those who settled in New York and Iowa, and discussed their sightseeing activities in Cork, Galway, the Aran Islands, Connemara, Dublin, and other locations. While in southern France and Rome, the family visited several churches; on one occasion, they witnessed a private speech by the Pope. The Curtins saw many ancient landmarks while in Rome and then flew over the Alps to Paris. While there, they took a trip to the Palace of Versailles. The account ends mid-sentence with the family's return to New York after a transatlantic journey on a Holland-American Line steamer.

The James Mease journal documents two trips taken by Mr. Mease of Philadelphia: the first to eastern Pennsylvania in 1835 and New York State and the second to Washington, D.C. in 1841.

James Mease kept his journal during two separate periods: during a trip through eastern Pennsylvania and New York state, August-September 1835 (pp. 1-62), and during a journey to Washington, D.C., in the summer of 1841 (pp. 63-75). Laid into the volume is a half-sheet containing a partial letter by Mease to one of his sons and some travel notes.

Although the journal is not signed, it has been attributed to Mease because of direct references it makes (pp. 16, 71) to his essay "Description of Some of the Medals Struck..." The handwriting was subsequently shown to match other Mease manuscripts in the Clements Library. Mease's On Utility of Public Loan Offices and Savings Funds by City Authorities (1836) is of interest in that the journeys recorded in the first part of the Clements Library's journal appear to have been taken to gather information for that work.

Two themes run throughout Mease's journal. The first is his strong sense of history. Mease was careful to note historical events which had occurred on sites he was visiting -- making reference both to events which he had witnessed and about which he had read. The second theme is his interest in people, particularly the "common man." Mease enjoyed the friendship and society of some of the most noted persons of his day, yet he was fascinated by a visit with an ordinary citizen, exploring that person's life story, which he would record in his journal.

The James M. K. Reed Collection consists of four undated items relating to Reed's services as an instructor of practical penmanship in mid-19th century Pennsylvania. It includes two calligraphic drawings of American eagles, one of which is holding a ribbon and flying above a feather quill. The other two items in the collection are subscription lists for students. They detail the terms for the penmanship classes and list patron names, the number of scholars, and whether fees were paid. One list identifies the locale of the classes as being in the vicinity of Patterson's Mills, likely in Pennsylvania. The other list provides no location, but notes the classes are co-taught by "Reed & Boyd" and includes several calligraphic drawings of birds and a feather quill.

The James M. K. Reed Collection consists of four undated items relating to Reed's services as an instructor of practical penmanship in mid-19th century Pennsylvania. It includes two calligraphic drawings of American eagles, one of which is holding a ribbon and flying above a feather quill. The other two items in the collection are subscription lists for students. They detail the terms for the penmanship classes and list patron names, the number of scholars, and whether fees were paid. One list identifies the locale of the classes as being in the vicinity of Patterson's Mills, likely in Pennsylvania. The other list provides no location, but notes the classes are co-taught by "Reed & Boyd" and includes several calligraphic drawings of birds and a feather quill.

Informally titled "Schedule of Titles to the real property of James O'Hara West of the Allegheny Mountain", this volume contains 12 pages of O'Hara's Pennsylvanian real property transactions in Westmoreland, Washington, and Allegheny Counties, and "Western Territory." The entries include summary information about specific patents, grants, indentures, deed polls, bills of sale, releases, articles of agreements, and land warrants. In addition, the volume includes seven untitled property maps showing numbered lots in and around the confluence of the Monongahela and Allegheny Rivers, Pittsburgh and Allegheny. The most robust map includes scattered names of owners and renters in Pittsburgh. The volume may have been compiled over a period of time, but the latest portion appears to date after 1798.

Informally titled "Schedule of Titles to the real property of James O'Hara West of the Allegheny Mountain", this volume contains 12 pages of O'Hara's Pennsylvanian real property transactions in Westmoreland, Washington, and Allegheny Counties, and "Western Territory." The entries include summary information about specific patents, grants, indentures, deed polls, bills of sale, releases, articles of agreements, and land warrants. In addition, the volume includes seven untitled property maps showing numbered lots in and around the confluence of the Monongahela and Allegheny Rivers, Pittsburgh, and Allegheny. The most robust map includes scattered names of owners and renters in Pittsburgh. The volume may have been compiled over a period of time, but the latest portion appears to date after 1798.

The James Silver papers consist of 12 letters, each of which is several pages long, composed by Silver during his 1872 visit to New Orleans, Louisiana, recounting his journey from New York, where his family resided, to Louisiana, as well as his time spent in and around New Orleans. Silver included 39 ink sketches of people and scenery throughout his letters.

The James Silver papers consist of 12 letters, each of which is several pages long, composed by Silver during his 1872 visit to New Orleans, Louisiana, recounting his journey from New York, where his family resided, to Louisiana, as well as his time spent in and around New Orleans. Silver included 39 ink sketches of people and scenery throughout his letters. The rough voyage took him past Havana, Cuba, before he entered the Gulf of Mexico and the Mississippi River Delta. In New Orleans, Silver wrote about the sights and sounds in detail, paying particular attention to the peculiarity of hearing French in the French Quarter, of taking a train ride to Lake Pontchartrain, and of seeing the Mardi Gras celebrations. The young traveler frequently mentioned African Americans, and included some ink sketches of them in his letters. Also of interest is Silver's discussion of the city's unique burial practices and the social implications of them (February 7). The 39 sketches, interspersed throughout his letters, show buildings, farms, the streets of New Orleans during Mari Gras, and beaches along the Gulf Coast, as well as portraits. Along with the natural and man-made scenery, Silver drew scenes involving local people of all races, including trips to the market, families, fellow passengers on his railroad journeys, and couples dining in restaurants. Additionally, he sketched different events he witnessed during his travels, such as a man with a gun approaching him, a production of Hamlet that included a severed head, a drunkard being arrested by an African American police officer, a bowler hitting him with a ball, and a cluster of "hackmen" arguing about the price of a ride.

In 1858 James Thompson filled this blank book with notes about the plumbing and water system in the Flass House in Cumbria County, England, which was being constructed circa 1848-1861 by Lancelot and Wilkinson Dent. Thompson wrote about pipes, taps, cisterns and reservoirs, boilers, drains, hard and soft water, hot and cold water, and more. It indicates the use of plumbing, the location of pipes and how they connected to other plumbing equipment, and types of water access in interior spaces including sculleries, bathrooms, water closets, washstands, and butler's pantries. Thompson also noted pipes feeding exterior water supplies like for the cattle's trough, the conservatory, and fountain. Thompson included several pen-and-ink sketches of floorplans and maps of the property to illustrate the location of pipes, as well as a pencil sketch of the house's façade.

In 1858 James Thompson filled this blank book with notes about the plumbing and water system in the Flass House in Cumbria County, England, which was being constructed circa 1848-1861 by Lancelot and Wilkinson Dent. Thompson wrote about pipes, taps, cisterns and reservoirs, boilers, drains, hard and soft water, hot and cold water, and more. It indicates the use of plumbing, the location of pipes and how they connected to other plumbing equipment, and types of water access in interior spaces including sculleries, bathrooms, water closets, washstands, and butler's pantries. Thompson also noted pipes feeding exterior water supplies like for the cattle's trough, the conservatory, and fountain. Thompson included several pen-and-ink sketches of floorplans and maps of the property to illustrate the location of pipes, as well as a pencil sketch of the house's façade.

The volume has a green printed cover with an image of a man and woman standing beside each other in an interior space, labelled "The Squire and his Servant." Various "Arithmetical Tables" are printed on the back cover, including a multiplication table and various conversion tables.

In 1858 James Thompson filled this blank book with notes about the plumbing and water system in the Flass House in Cumbria County, England, which was being constructed circa 1848-1861 by Lancelot and Wilkinson Dent. Thompson wrote about pipes, taps, cisterns and reservoirs, boilers, drains, hard and soft water, hot and cold water, and more. It indicates the use of plumbing, the location of pipes and how they connected to other plumbing equipment, and types of water access in interior spaces including sculleries, bathrooms, water closets, washstands, and butler's pantries. Thompson also noted pipes feeding exterior water supplies like for the cattle's trough, the conservatory, and fountain. Thompson included several pen-and-ink sketches of floorplans and maps of the property to illustrate the location of pipes, as well as a pencil sketch of the house's façade.

In 1858 James Thompson filled this blank book with notes about the plumbing and water system in the Flass House in Cumbria County, England, which was being constructed circa 1848-1861 by Lancelot and Wilkinson Dent. Thompson wrote about pipes, taps, cisterns and reservoirs, boilers, drains, hard and soft water, hot and cold water, and more. It indicates the use of plumbing, the location of pipes and how they connected to other plumbing equipment, and types of water access in interior spaces including sculleries, bathrooms, water closets, washstands, and butler's pantries. Thompson also noted pipes feeding exterior water supplies like for the cattle's trough, the conservatory, and fountain. Thompson included several pen-and-ink sketches of floorplans and maps of the property to illustrate the location of pipes, as well as a pencil sketch of the house's façade.

The volume has a green printed cover with an image of a man and woman standing beside each other in an interior space, labelled "The Squire and his Servant." Various "Arithmetical Tables" are printed on the back cover, including a multiplication table and various conversion tables.

Elements of Navigation, a manuscript adaptation of John Robertson’s work of the same name, provides instruction and practical exercises in arithmetic, geometry, trigonometry, geography, astronomy, and navigational principles (781 pages). The volume is heavily illustrated with mathematical diagrams. It also contains a 1785 copy of a ship log for a 1772 voyage from England to Madeira, (21 pages).

"Elements of Navigation," a manuscript adaptation of John Robertson’s work of the same name, provides instruction and practical exercises in arithmetic, geometry, trigonometry, geography, astronomy, and navigational principles (781 pages). The volume is illustrated with mathematical diagrams. It also contains a 1785 copy of a ship's log for a 1772 voyage from England to Madeira (21 pages). The book is divided into 14 primary chapters, 11 of them preceded by an ink or watercolor illustration of buildings, ships, and places, such as the watercolor drawings "The Desire in a Storm" and "A west View of Islington, old Church." (See below for complete list.) Several chapters are further divided into sections, and most chapters or sections are followed by problems, questions, case studies, answers, and explanations. Please see the box and folder listing below for a table of contents.

The volume begins with explanations of basic mathematical principles, including arithmetic operations, decimals and fractions, roots and powers, notation, and "Tables of English Money, Weights, and Measures" (pp. 9 verso-10 verso). This chapter is followed by theorems and problems of geometry and trigonometry. The subsequent section on geography contains prose explanations of the discipline's foundations, such as the shape of the Earth, the concept of latitude and longitude, and the currently known world. Remarks on the continents are accompanied by tables showing major countries, principal cities, rivers, and mountains. The tables for North and South America are split, and individual states within the United States are identified as "countries," as are California, New Mexico, Old Mexico, Louisiana, Canada, New Britain, New Wales, and others. Introductory geographic material also includes content on winds, tides, and bodies of water. A segment on "chronology" introduces several scales for measuring time, and explains the reasoning behind concepts such as the leap year and the "Golden Number" (pp. 147-147 verso).

The remainder of the work focuses on the art of maritime navigation. Several topics include: the calculation of compound courses, oblique and windward sailing, sailing in currents, and globular sailing. The sections devoted to each topic are comprised primarily of rules or theorems, exercises, and illustrations of practical applicability. A chapter on "spherics" introduces spherical geometry and trigonometry. Two chapters on astronomy explain concepts in "star astronomy," "terrestrial astronomy," and "spherical astronomy," such as the composition of the Solar System, planetary movements, and mathematical applications. The final 80 pages contain information on the art of sailing and expand on principles previously discussed. These pages include instructions on how to calculate the location of a ship at sea, make necessary observations, and correct a ship's course, among other similar topics.

The final 21 pages consist of a log from an unknown ship traveling from England to Madeira in 1772, transcribed by James West in 1785. Between July 2 and July 11, the log contains notes on the weather, wind direction, and general remarks of occurrences on board as the ship prepared for its journey at Deptford, London. On one occasion, the author mentioned a sailor being disciplined for drunkenness (July 3). Between July 12 and July 28, the log documents the weather, wind direction, ship's location, use of various sails, and other information compiled throughout the course of each day. The ship arrived at Madeira on July 28. The log is followed by a brief note by James West concerning the location of Funchal, Madeira.

The non-mathematical illustrations separating the book's chapters are done in ink or watercolor, and depict rural scenes and sailing ships.

• [View of a village, with a man fishing in a river], p. 2
• [View of a river, with a cylindrical building in the foreground and a church in the background], p. 76
• [View of an arched gateway, with attached buildings and bridge], p. 114
• [View of a stone building with a high-peaked roof, alongside a body of water], p. 138
• "The Victor in a calm sea," p. 187
• [Oval-framed view of two persons sitting beside a river, with a ship and fortifications in the background], p. 202
• "The Desire in a Storm," p. 223
• [Oval-framed view of a small sailing vessel on shore beside a stone building], p. 241
• "A west View of Islington, Old Church," p. 267
• "Teneirs House," p. 319
• "At Abingdon 1782," p. 349

The royal coat of arms of the British monarch is imprinted on the volume's front and back covers.

These two daybooks contain the accounts of a general store in Craftsbury, Vermont, operated by Simpson & Smith and by James W. Simpson, 1847-1849 and 1851-1856. Entries include the name of the purchaser, good(s) and quantities purchased, and costs. The goods included foodstuffs, clothing, cloth, sewing supplies, medicines, books, writing materials, household items, and more.

These two daybooks contain the accounts of a general store in Craftsbury, Vermont, operated by Simpson & Smith and by James W. Simpson. Volume one, kept by Simpson & Smith, dates from December 13, 1847, to March 30, 1849 (428 numbered pages). Volume two, kept by James W. Simpson, dates from September 29, 1851, to January 24, 1856 (587 numbered pages). The daybook entries include the names of the purchasers, types and quantities of purchased goods, and costs. In a few cases, the store loaned out small amounts of money.

• Foodstuffs: tea, tobacco, oats, rice, raisins, turkey, fish, eggs, sugar, salt, cloves, licorice, butter, pepper, ginger, beef, molasses, chickens, nutmeg, cinnamon, brandy, wine, rhubarb, and more.
• Clothing, Cloth, and Sewing Supplies: buttons, calico, thread, needles, buffalo robes, buffalo coats, suspenders, lace, edging, blankets, paper pins, ribbon, boots, shawls, mittens, beads, cotton, flannel, shear, silk, gloves, canvas, card hooks, pants, tailoring, agate buttons, and more.
• Books and Writing Supplies: pencils, chalk, pens, quires of paper, "lender" readers, W. H. Wells' grammar, arithmetics, a music book, an almanac, dictionaries, spelling books, small geographies, Smith's Quarto Geographies, "child's novels", blank books, and others.
• Medicines: "Saluatus" or "Salvatus", sulphur, camphor, cherry pectoral (volume 2, page 529), "Moffets Pills", "Bottle Pain Killer" (volume 2, page 98), magnesia, etc.
• Farming and Household Goods: blacking, brooms, lumber, combs, wash tubs, square glass, tallow, screws, door handles, nails, springs, kitchen wares, matches, soap, linseed oil, hairbrushes, chisels, and more.

These two daybooks contain the accounts of a general store in Craftsbury, Vermont, operated by Simpson & Smith and by James W. Simpson, 1847-1849 and 1851-1856. Entries include the name of the purchaser, good(s) and quantities purchased, and costs. The goods included foodstuffs, clothing, cloth, sewing supplies, medicines, books, writing materials, household items, and more.

These two daybooks contain the accounts of a general store in Craftsbury, Vermont, operated by Simpson & Smith and by James W. Simpson. Volume one, kept by Simpson & Smith, dates from December 13, 1847, to March 30, 1849 (428 numbered pages). Volume two, kept by James W. Simpson, dates from September 29, 1851, to January 24, 1856 (587 numbered pages). The daybook entries include the names of the purchasers, types and quantities of purchased goods, and costs. In a few cases, the store loaned out small amounts of money.

• Foodstuffs: tea, tobacco, oats, rice, raisins, turkey, fish, eggs, sugar, salt, cloves, licorice, butter, pepper, ginger, beef, molasses, chickens, nutmeg, cinnamon, brandy, wine, rhubarb, and more.
• Clothing, Cloth, and Sewing Supplies: buttons, calico, thread, needles, buffalo robes, buffalo coats, suspenders, lace, edging, blankets, paper pins, ribbon, boots, shawls, mittens, beads, cotton, flannel, shear, silk, gloves, canvas, card hooks, pants, tailoring, agate buttons, and more.
• Books and Writing Supplies: pencils, chalk, pens, quires of paper, "lender" readers, W. H. Wells' grammar, arithmetics, a music book, an almanac, dictionaries, spelling books, small geographies, Smith's Quarto Geographies, "child's novels", blank books, and others.
• Medicines: "Saluatus" or "Salvatus", sulphur, camphor, cherry pectoral (volume 2, page 529), "Moffets Pills", "Bottle Pain Killer" (volume 2, page 98), magnesia, etc.
• Farming and Household Goods: blacking, brooms, lumber, combs, wash tubs, square glass, tallow, screws, door handles, nails, springs, kitchen wares, matches, soap, linseed oil, hairbrushes, chisels, and more.