Collections

The John G. Claybourn Pictorial Review of the Canal contains 8,276 black and white photographs of the work done to build the Panama Canal, and its locks and infrastructure, under the jurisdiction of the United States government between 1907 and 1947. The photographs, taken by Ernest "Red" Hallen, official photographer of the Canal Zone for 30 years, also include images of workers, officials, foreign dignitaries, and numerous visitors.

The Claybourn photograph collection contains 8,276 black and white photographs of the work done to build the Panama Canal, and its locks and infrastructure, under the jurisdiction of the United States government between 1907 and 1947. The images capture the excavation and dredging of the Isthmus of Panama and the equipment used to accomplish these tasks; the construction of the locks; the development of the cities of Colón, Balboa and Gamboa; dignitaries, administrators, politicians, and visitors such as Samuel Gompers (Volume 12); infrastructure designed to improve the wuality of life; and events such as mudslides and fires. Photographs of barges, dredging boats, tugboats, ocean-going cargo and historical ships, naval vessels and submarines are also documented passing through the locks.

The 24 cloth-covered post binders that comprise the collection contain, in addition to photographs, maps and introductory typescripts written by John Claybourn. Each volume also opens with a "Table of Contents" listing the number of photographs, and brief or detailed caption information. As a supervising engineer, and later, Dredging Division Superintendent for the Canal, Claybourn compiled this material to complement his annual reports to Canal administrators. Despite the fact the Canal was considered complete in 1914, and that year is documented in volume 8, Claybourn continued compiling these binders for the remainder of his career, ending with a total of 24 volumes. Although the Canal was considered complete, for another 16 volumes, the photographs document the neverending tasks of improvements, disaster clean-up, and infrastructure development to handle a growing population.

Most, if not all, of the photographs were taken by the official photographer of the Isthmina Canal Commission, Ernest "Red" Hallen (1875-1947). In addition, there are a number of formerly classified aerial photographs taken by the United States Navy, a number of which show a munitions/armory location along the Canal.

Civil engineer, consultant on marine development and dredging, and superintendent of the dredging division of the Panama canal. Topical files relating to the maintenance and development of the Panama Canal and dredging problems in Burma, Colombia, and other Latin American countries; scrapbook relating to the Spanish-American War; and photographs.

The collection documents the professional life of John G. Claybourn, superintendent of the Dredging Division of the Panama Canal from 1921 to 1948 and a consultant on matters of river and harbor improvement. In addition to the Panama Canal, the collection illustrates the role of the United States in infrastructure development in the Third World.

The papers include materials created and collected by Claybourn in his work on the Panama Canal, materials relating to personal business activities away from his primary work, materials relating to consulting jobs and to Claybourn's activities in professional engineering societies, and personal correspondence, much of it with some business connection.

The collection is not clearly divided by topic: papers relating to a particular topic may be divided among topical files, files arranged by correspondent or company, and the general personal correspondence file. Some of the topics of interest include the following:

Burma: The papers document Claybourn's consulting work in the early 1950s, on contract with the U.S. government, to rebuild commerce on the Irrawaddy River destroyed during World War II and to develop the Dalla Dockyards near Rangoon.

Claybourn, Elsie Greiser: A scrapbook documents her activities as a long-distance swimmer and canoeist. Her retirement years are described in detail in the personal correspondence file.

Claybourn, Leslie W.: Claybourn's correspondence with his brother, an inventor and printing industry executive, provides some documentation of the development of that industry.

Colombia: In the 1920s Claybourn was involved in the development of the Dique de Cartagena, a ship canal serving that city. The papers document his relations with the Colombian government.

Florida: Claybourn was a consultant in the early 1930s for a projected canal across Florida. The collection includes surveys and other papers relating to this project.

Panama Canal: The papers reflect both Claybourn's work on the Canal and his interest in the history of its construction. Most papers on this topic have been drawn together in processing, but many are found under the names of correspondents and in the general correspondence file. The topics documented in the greatest detail are maintenance of the canal, especially clearing of landslides, and planning for additional locks and later for a sea-level canal. Information about dredges used on the canal is also included. A collection of photographs, most of them from official sources, parallels these strengths.

The papers also document Claybourn's moonlighting on private dredging operations during the 1920s. This material is found under the names of companies and projects.

Retirement: Claybourn's retirement years were spent in Ann Arbor. The personal correspondence describes in great detail his and his wife's retirement activities.

Rumania: Correspondence with Bill Arthur includes a copy of Arthur's diary of events during a 1940 rebellion in that country.

World War II: In addition to the Rumanian material described above, the collection contains much relating to defensive activities on the Panama Canal. The Burma project described above includes information about war damage to transportation in that country.

Other consulting activities: Consulting projects in Costa Rica, Guatemala, and Venezuela are documented less fully than those described above.

Papers of John Gantt, microfilming pioneer and head of Photoduplication at the University of Michigan Graduate Library, including reference file on products and equipment used in the microfilming and other reproduction processes.

The John Gantt papers consist of product literature, equipment brochures and manuals, reports, articles, and scattered correspondence. A small amount of material concerns the work of the Photoduplication Service, but the bulk of the collection is a reference file on products and equipment relating to microfilming and other copying processes. Included is information on developing machines, printers, enlargers, film processors, exposure controls, cameras, readers, cabinets, boxes, filters, films, microfiche, and document retrieval systems.

Some of this material is arranged by company and some by subject.

Lawyer at Coldwater, Michigan, Civil War officer, U.S. Marshal of Eastern District of Michigan and Minister to Belgium. Civil War letters describing his service as Colonel of the Ninth Michigan Infantry and other units.

The John G. Parkhurst microfilm collection is comprised of two series: Civil War papers from the Parkhurst collection at the Bentley Historical Library, and Civil War papers from the Parkhurst collection at Michigan State University Archives and Historical Collection. Originals of these papers are available for examination at their respective institutions.

The Gorham collection consists primarily of materials pertaining to the military career of John Gorham in Nova Scotia. Gorham organized a very successful military unit called the Rangers who were known for their unorthodox tactics.

Material in this collection is concentrated in the years 1748-1750, when Gorham was in the vicinity of Halifax, N.S. With the exception of two deeds (dated 1772, from his son, Solomon) and one letter (1749 June) that concern the sale of property, and of the genealogical material, all items in the collection pertain to John Gorham's military career in Nova Scotia. Seven letters relate to his military activities around Fort Sackville in the Fall of 1749, describing his efforts and attempting to gain support among members of the government. Four letters include attempts to get back pay owed the Rangers.

Lawyer at Coldwater, Michigan, Civil War officer, U.S. Marshal of Eastern District of Michigan and Minister to Belgium. Correspondence from family, friends and associates regarding personal and business affairs, military matters, and Democratic politics; miscellaneous other materials and photographs.

The John G. Parkhurst collection consists of correspondence from family, friends and associates regarding personal and business affairs, military matters, and Democratic politics; miscellaneous other materials and photograph. the collections has been divided into the following series: Correspondence; John G. Parkhurst Civil War service; John G. Parkhurst diplomatic and other activities; and Other family materials, business records, and miscellaneous.

The John Simcoe papers are a miscellaneous collection of letters and documents pertaining to Loyalist Colonel Simcoe's career as an officer during the American Revolution and as Governor of Upper Canada (1792-1796).

The John Simcoe papers are a miscellaneous collection of letters and documents pertaining to Colonel Simcoe's military career in the British Army during the American Revolution and his post-war life. The collection contains letters between Col. Simcoe and a variety of correspondents. Most prominent are 23 letters from General Sir Henry Clinton, dated 1782-1792; letters and documents related to the Queen's Rangers, including military orders and returns, dated 1774-1799; nine letters from Col. Henry Caldwell regarding a monument to General James Wolfe, dated 1802-1804; and letters between Simcoe and George Hammond, the first British minister to the United States. Several unofficial documents relate to Simcoe's advancement and the disposal of his Canadian estates. Other miscellaneous letters and documents include one by Margaret Graves, in which she defends the conduct of her husband, Admiral Samuel Graves, in Boston before the outbreak of the Revolutionary War.

The collection contains one "Memorandum Book," which is made up of copies of letters and military orders written for Simcoe by his Secretary, Major Edward Baker Littlehales, dated 1792-1793. Maps from the Simcoe papers have been transferred to the Map Division, including several attributed to John's wife, Elizabeth Simcoe. An unsigned commonplace book and a selection of literary drafts (including one for Simcoe's publishedRemarks on the travels of the Marquis de Chastellux in North America, 1787) and fragments of other works complete the Simcoe papers

Papers include original correspondence to Whittier, typed transcripts of the same, poems, writings, biographical materials, memorials, and correspondence by Whittier, and miscellaneous.

The collection includes approximately .75 cubic feet of original correspondence, mostly to Whittier 1829-1890, undated, approximately .5 cubic ft. of typed transcripts of the same, about 20 folders of Whittier’s poems, writings, biographical material, memorials, correspondence by JGW, 1835-1889, and miscellaneous, 1840-1892, undated. Of particular note are correspondence with Charles A. Dana, Ralph W. Emerson, Oliver W. Holmes, Lydia Maria Child, Dorothea Dix, Henry W. Longfellow, Henry B. Stanton, and Frances E. Willard regarding poems and abolition. There are also 10 letters to Whittier from his brother, Matthew F. Whittier and several letters from Elizabeth Whittier (?) and other relatives. Signatures are listed as signed. There is also an incomplete item-level index in Box 3.

The collection is also available on one reel of positive microfilm Acc#443 and the index is available on positive microfilm Acc#359 (section 2). The Clarke also houses books and poems by or about Whittier.

This volume (7.5"x6") contains John Greenwood's memoirs about his experiences during the Revolutionary War (approximately 163 pages) and about his family and personal life (17 pages). During the war, Greenwood was a fife player with a Massachusetts regiment and served on privateers and other vessels in the Caribbean Sea. He originally composed his Revolutionary War memoirs in 1809; this item is a later copy made by his son Clark.

This volume (7.5"x6") contains John Greenwood's memoirs about his experiences during the Revolutionary War (approximately 163 pages) and about his family and personal life (17 pages). During the war, Greenwood was a fife player with a Massachusetts regiment and served on privateers and other vessels in the Caribbean Sea. Greenwood originally composed his Revolutionary War memoirs in 1809; this item is a later copy made by his son Clark.

After a brief note by Clark Greenwood, who transcribed his father's memoirs, the main narrative opens with John Greenwood's brief account of his early years in Boston and in Portland, Maine, and of the unrest that eventually led to the American Revolution (5 pages). Pages 5-51 consist of Greenwood's detailed recollections about playing the fife in a Massachusetts regiment in the Continental Army, and about his experiences in the military. After page 51, the memoirs focus on the interception of British ships in the Caribbean Sea, during which time Greenwood was captured as a British prisoner of war. In addition to his wartime experiences, he also briefly recounted some stories of his postwar life, such as the beginning of his dental practice (pp. 85-89). The remaining parts of the volume include a note by a Greenwood family member who had recently read the memoirs (January 11, 1894), and an additional 17-page autobiographical account by John Greenwood.

The John G. Spencer collection contains diaries and incoming correspondence of Spencer, a storekeeper in Pennsylvania, on political and business topics.

The John G. Spencer papers contain four letters and two diaries, spanning 1827-1855. The incoming letters date from 1844-1855 and are from friends and colleagues. They mainly concern Spencer's political activities and allegiance. The first letter invites Spencer and other members of the Oxford Clay Club to a pole-raising (September 24, 1844). Two other letters concern Spencer's involvement with political newspapers; one from "J. Brown" requests that Spencer enroll subscribers for the Intelligencer (August 6, 1850) and the other requests several issues of the "Clay Banner", which the writer [Eqi] Justice believed Spencer owned. In the final letter in the collection, Robert Beans advocated a strong antislavery stance in answer to an apparent inquiry by Spencer (September 26, 1855).

The collection's two diaries cover October 30, 1827 to November 23, 1827 and February 27, 1834 to mid-February 1836. The first is a 16-page travel diary entitled "Memorandum of a Voyage to the Falls of Niagara in the Autumn of 1827." In it, Spencer documented his observations on the falls themselves, as well as the places he visited during the journey. On New York City, he noted, "It exceeds Phila. in commercial business, but falls short of it in respect to neatness and elegance" (October 31). He also described rides on several steamboats, and the types of settlements and wildlife he encountered at various stops. After arriving at Niagara Falls on November 9, he gave an account of standing 10 feet from the waterfall, of walking around Devil's Hole, and of an evening trip to a Tuscarora Indian village, where he noted the industriousness of the women. On his return to Pennsylvania, he described travels through Ithaca and Owego. When he arrived home, he observed that the people he met "appear to be ardently engaged in the pursuit of wealth" (November 23, 1827).

The second diary contains scattered entries over a period of approximately two years. It begins with Spencer's marriage to Elizabeth Fetter on February 27, 1834, and his comments upon "giv[ing] up the gay and giddy pleasures of youth for the more solid and mature joys of the married state." Other early entries describe social visits, work in a store, agricultural activities, and health concerns. In the later part of the diary, he described local elections (June 6, 1835) and business activities, including going into business for himself (March 7, 1835).