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Collection

Beauties of The Sea photograph album, [ca. 1895]

1 volume

The Beauties of The Sea photograph album contains five small commercial photographs of scenes on Nantucket along with four alternating sheets of decoratively arranged pressed algae.

The Beauties of The Sea photograph album (12 x 14 cm ) contains five small commercial photographs of scenes on Nantucket (The Old Windmill; Brant Point Light; Harbor and Sailboats; the Town Crier; and Bank and Methodist Church) glued into small album along with four alternating sheets of decoratively arranged pressed algae. The photographs are possibly by Henry S. Wyer. The album's faded green paper covers are tied with gold tasseled string with a wash drawing and inscribed title "Beauties of The Sea" in ink. Album is housed in light green folder.

Collection

Beauty and the Beast manuscript play prompt, [1854]

1 volume

This volume contains a manuscript play prompt for the fairytale "Beauty and the Beast," drawn directly from Julia Corner's 1854 adaptation of the same tale.

This volume contains a manuscript play prompt for the fairytale "Beauty and the Beast," drawn directly from Julia Corner's 1854 adaptation of the same tale.

The text largely corresponds with Corner's adaptation, albeit with abbreviated or simplified stage directions. The text appears to have been written by one hand, with a pencil annotation at the end of the volume in a second hand, crediting the performance of this play to "some of the girls that go to Miss Lacy's School."

Although the location of Miss Lacy's School is unclear, the spelling within may indicate contemporary American rather than British expectations. The roles are for a merchant, the Beast, the merchant's daughters, Beauty, and a beneficent fairy with four attendants.

Collection

Beauty and the Beast manuscript play prompt, [1854]

1 volume

This volume contains a manuscript play prompt for the fairytale "Beauty and the Beast," drawn directly from Julia Corner's 1854 adaptation of the same tale.

This volume contains a manuscript play prompt for the fairytale "Beauty and the Beast," drawn directly from Julia Corner's 1854 adaptation of the same tale.

The text largely corresponds with Corner's adaptation, albeit with abbreviated or simplified stage directions. The text appears to have been written by one hand, with a pencil annotation at the end of the volume in a second hand, crediting the performance of this play to "some of the girls that go to Miss Lacy's School."

Although the location of Miss Lacy's School is unclear, the spelling within may indicate contemporary American rather than British expectations. The roles are for a merchant, the Beast, the merchant's daughters, Beauty, and a beneficent fairy with four attendants.

Collection

Bechtold family papers, [ca. 1847-ca. 1907 scattered dates]

0.3 linear feet

Translations of letters, 1847-1850, of Gotthardt Bechtold describing his trip to, impressions of, and settlement in America; also diary, 1861-1865, of Frederick W. Bechtold, soldier in Co. B, 12th Missouri Volunteers during the Civil War (partially in German); typescript translations of Bechtold's diary and of his letters, 1862-1864; and miscellaneous other family letters (some in German).

Collection

Beebee, Ludlow and Company papers, 1820-1852 (majority within 1846-1852)

0.25 linear feet

The Beebee, Ludlow and Company papers consist of business correspondence and financial documents related to the firm, which operated in New York City and Philadelphia in the mid-19th century. The company traded in bullion and specie.

The Beebee, Ludlow and Company papers consist of business correspondence and financial documents related to the firm, which operated in New York City and Philadelphia in the mid-19th century. The collection holds both incoming and, to a lesser extent, outgoing correspondence related to the company's trade in bullion and specie, which included specie from several foreign countries across Europe and North America, as well as gold from around the world. Most of the letters contain financial figures and account statements between the firm and their business partners, who wrote from locations across the country. Particularly well represented were firms located in Charleston, South Carolina, and Cincinnati, Ohio. Following the Ludlows' departure, the firm represented itself as Beebee & Co, Bullion & Exchange Bankers, after January 1851, but continued to do business with Ludlow & Co. in Philadelphia. The records trace the financial history of the company in its prime and provide insight into the bullion business, and business affairs in general, just prior to the Civil War.

Collection

Beeson family papers, 1765-1956 (majority within 1765-1898)

137 items

The Beeson family papers consist of genealogical notes, travel journals, business documents, and correspondence relating to several generations of the Beeson family, who settled in Uniontown, Pennsylvania, in the 18th century, and later migrated to Michigan and Wisconsin.

This collection consists of 137 items, including: 55 items relating to financial matters -- receipts, bank and stock records, subscription lists, etc.; 39 items relating to Beeson family history and genealogy, including handwritten notes, and a 33-page typed transcription; 11 letters written by members of the Beeson and Lukens family (related to the Beeson family by marriage); 2 travel journals; 1 daily diary; 1 oversized journal, containing entries on family history, genealogy, and travel; 6 maps, including one pasted onto the flyleaf of the oversized journal; 9 newspaper clippings; 6 legal documents; 7 miscellaneous items; and one unidentified photograph.

The majority of the financial documents consist of lists of stockholders and subscriptions for the Union Bank of Pennsylvania. One document, a receipt for glassware dated 9 August 1827, is written on the illustrated letterhead of the glass manufacturer Bakewell, Page & Bakewell, of Pittsburgh.

The history and genealogy notes concern the branch of the Beeson family that was instrumental in the founding and settling of Uniontown, Pennsylvania. Two descendants of this branch, Edward Beeson and Jacob Beeson (b. 1807), contribute diaries and journals to the collection.

Jacob Beeson's 1829-1830 travel journal (with occasional notes in shorthand) relates, in brief but lively entries, a journey from Uniontown to New Orleans, to help an uncle in the mercantile business. While traveling by steamer down the Mississippi, Jacob Beeson gives colorful descriptions of his fellow passengers and shipboard events. "We had scarce went 500 yds. when we were rous'd by the cry of ‘a man overboard'--drop the Stern Boat, etc. I rais'd my eyes from the book & they were immediately fix'd on the face & arm of a Slave who had pitch'd himself from the Bow of the Boat. He was between the Steamer & her boat when I saw him. By the time he got to where I saw him, he appear'd tired of his sport. He gave a piercing scream & sunk amid the Billows. The Boat was dropped awhile for him but twas to no purpose." (27 March 1829) Jacob describes going to the theater in New Orleans (13 May 1829); the landscape and climate of the area east of New Orleans (8 September 1829); a visit to "Crabtown", at Bayou St. John, where Spaniards subsisted solely by fishing for crabs (23 May 1829); battling a forest fire (14 February 1829); and the inadequacy of his boarding house fare: "For dinner, we have the standby dish of bacon, venison, cornbreads and sour milk served in tea cups, handed round on a waiter that for aught I know to the contrary performed the same service prior to the Revolution. For Supper we have the remains of dinner with the addition of coffee that would be better off than on the table." (16 June 1829) He takes several business trips by boat along the gulf coast. The journal ends with a trip North up the Mississippi in early 1830. A later diary kept by Jacob Beeson in 1873 records the business and personal affairs of a now-settled business and family man living in Detroit Michigan.

Edward Beeson provides much of the family history and genealogy in the collection. His handwritten notes, both loose and in a large bound journal, chronicle Beeson family history and lore, and contain names, dates, and narratives of his direct ancestors, and sketchier details of the wider Beeson clan.

Edward Beeson is also the author of two interesting travelogues. The first is included in the journal he kept in an oversized volume, originally intended for shipping manifests for the shipping agent Monson Lockwood, each page headed with an illustration of ships and a lighthouse. In this journal, Edward recounts a trip he takes from Wisconsin west to Kansas in 1866. He describes the towns he visits on the way, and reflects on the scars left by the Civil War. In Aubry, on the Kansas/Missouri border, his Quaker sense of outrage at the violence perpetrated by both sides is aroused by the abandoned and burnt-out homesteads:

"At this place a cavalry camp was maintained during the greater part of the war. From here the lawless Jayhawkers often started on their thieving raids into Missouri and this was also made a place to be retaliated on by the equally desperate and thievish bushwackers and guerillas of Mo. …Here a voice raised for humanity, honor, mercy, justice or freedom of speech was made the occasion for suspicion, persecution, and defamation, often ending in the murder or robbery of the luckless men who dared to think or speak. These scenes of violence, and the always present danger of life and property, had the effect of almost depopulating the country. The graves of the victims of violence are scattered over the country. The bare chimneys of burned houses loom up on the prairie, monuments of vandalism and violence such as the world has seldom seen. They stand there in the desolate silence pointing upward to heaven -- upward ever -- as if to remind the victims of war who sleep in graves nearby, that mercy and justice alone is to be found above." (9 September 1866, p. 78).

Edward Beeson's second travel journal is an account of a trip to Italy, taken by Edward Beeson and his family in 1877-1878. While his daughter, Abbie Beeson Carrington, takes voice lessons, Edward observes Italian life and customs, largely in and around Milan, and is particularly struck by the overall poverty of the region. Edward reports on the Italian diet, domestic arrangements, attitudes toward religion, and local funeral customs. He is present in Rome for the funeral of King Victor Emmanuel II, and attends celebrations commemorating the 1848 Italian Revolution against Austrian rule.

Five of the maps in the collection are hand-drawn survey maps, likely of Uniontown, Pennsylvania, dated from 1830-1850, with one undated. The sixth map, an undated, hand-drawn map of Uniontown, labeling buildings of significance to the Beeson family, is pasted onto the flyleaf of Edward Beeson's oversized journal.

Collection

Bela Hubbard papers, 1837-1893

0.75 linear feet (in 2 boxes) — 1 oversize folder

Pioneer Michigan geologist, assistant to state geologist Douglass Houghton on the Michigan Geological Survey, 1837-1842, completed portions of U.S. Land Survey of the Upper Peninsula begun by Douglass Houghton, 1845-1846. Later active in family's land business and lumber trade. Papers consist of notebooks containing field notes, sketches and maps; private journals covering Michigan geological expeditions and other trips, including the peninsula coast survey, Lake Superior and Upper Peninsula surveys and surveys of Wayne, Monroe and other counties; also weather memoranda, 1835-1864; miscellaneous accounts; and other papers largely relating to geology.

The collection consists primarily of Hubbard's pocket-size field notebooks. The notebooks are arranged, for the most part, chronologically for the period 1837 to 1893. Several notebooks that do not fit the chronological sequence are placed at the end of the series of notebooks. The notebooks for the years 1837 to 1840 have been bound, probably by Hubbard, into larger volumes. For convenience the later notebooks have been grouped into "volumes" by the library. Each "volume" is in a separate case. The notebooks contain personal journals, geological notes, and meteorological registers, along with sketches of landforms, scenery, and people, geological sections, and maps.

A few loose papers are found at the end of the collection.

The most extensive notebooks are those written between 1837 and 1840, when Hubbard was working for the Michigan Geological Survey, and in 1845 and 1846, when he was conducting the combined land and geological survey of the Upper Peninsula. In addition to the main sequence of notebooks for those years (volumes 1-8 and 10-12), that period is represented by separate meteorological registers (volumes 18 and 22), separate geological field notes for the 1840 expedition to the Lake Superior region (volume 21), and three reports on Hubbard's 1846 surveys (volumes 23-24 and loose papers).

This finding aid contains two appendixes. The first, compiled by the initial cataloger of the collection in 1958, specifies where many of the topics indexed in the card catalog for this collection can be found in the series of notebooks. The second contains an inventory of the maps found in the collection.

Several portions of the collection have been published.

The notebooks for May 23-August 8, 1840 (volumes 7-9 and parts of 21) have been published as Lake Superior Journal: Bela Hubbard's Account of the 1840 Houghton Expedition}, edited by Bernard C. Peters. Marquette, Mich.: Northern Michigan University Press, 1983. [MHC call number EA/91/H875/L192]

The "Catalogue of the Geological Specimens, Hubbard & Ives Survey, 1846" (volume 23), the "Report on the Geology &c. of District Surveyed by Messrs. Higgins & Hubbard, 1846, Lake Superior, with Catalogue of Minerals, Sections, etc." (volume 24), and the "Report upon the Geology & Topography of the District on L. Superior Subdivided in 1846 by Hubbard & Ives" (loose material) have been published in Report on the Geological and Mineralogical Survey of the Mineral Lands of the United States in the State of Michigan .., by Charles T. Jackson. Washington, D.C.: Printed for the House of Representatives, 1849. (31st Congress, 1st Session, House Executive Document 5, Part 3) [MHC call number EA/153/U58/M583]

The reports of Hubbard's surveys for the Michigan Geological Survey, based on his notes have been published in Geological Reports of Douglass Houghton: First State Geologist of Michigan, 1837-1845. Lansing, Mich.: Michigan Historical Commission, 1928. [MHC call number EA/153/MG345/G345]

Hubbard's autobiography has been published as Memorials of a Half-Century. New York: Putnam's, 1887. [MHC call number EA/60/H875/M533]

Other Bela Hubbard papers are found at the Burton Historical Collection, Detroit Public Library.

Collection

Bellamy family papers, 1798-1910 (majority within 1812-1852)

0.5 linear feet

The Bellamy family papers consist primarily of the correspondence and financial documents of a Vergennes, Vermont, family whose members moved west during the early 19th century.

The Bellamy family papers consist primarily of the correspondence and financial documents of a Vergennes, Vermont, family whose members moved westward during the early 19th century. The collection includes 54 correspondence items, 12 legal documents, 132 receipts, 7 account books, 1 pocketbook and its contents, five scrap pages, and ephemera.

The Correspondence series contains items written by various correspondents to members of the Bellamy family of Vergennes, Vermont. Early in the 19th century, Rilla Bellamy received several letters from friends and extended family, who provided updates on their daily lives. On December 28, 1813, for example, a member of the Stowell family described a recent bout of illness in some detail. Later correspondence, often addressed to Edward Bellamy and Joseph Bellamy, occasionally concerned diseases, as well as other routine affairs, like farming, particularly in western Michigan. One late item is composed of scribbles, likely made by a child (January 1860).

The Documents series is comprised primarily of legal documents, many of which relate to Aaron Bellamy. In 1816, Andrew Dyer of Vergennes, Vermont, sold "all the land which I…have a right to claim from the Government of the United States by reason of my enlisting as a Soldier in the Army of the United States to serve during the War the 2nd day of March A.D. 1814" to Aaron Bellamy (January 27, 1816), but the documents more often related to Aaron's legal troubles. The series includes two court summonses, as well as a document ordering Bellamy's release from jail following a lawsuit filed by William Mattack (March 1837). This series also includes a deed made between William Pardee and Justus Bellamy, dated June 22, 1804.

Items in the Financial Records series are mostly receipts belonging to Aaron Bellamy, Samuel Bellamy, Edward Bellamy, and Nathan Holmes.

The Account Books series contains seven small receipt books of unknown ownership. The books consist primarily of numerical figures, but occasionally mention the names of merchants or other people with whom the owners made transactions.

The Pocketbook originally contained 28 items, mostly receipts and other financial items. Among its contents was a short note in which Lloyd Norris instructed Bellamy, "Sir I wish you to leave the following Premises now in your occupation…on my farm…Your compliance with this notice within ten days after its service will prevent any legal measures being taken of me to [obtain] possession" (September 7, 1847).

Miscellaneous items in the collection include a small card of a bird's nest and flowers, with a short poem about "Home," and a business card for sugar merchant W. M. Austin on Wall Street in New York City.

Collection

Belle Danforth student map composition book, 1891

1 volume

Belle D. Danforth compiled geography exercises in this composition notebook during 1891, when she was approximately thirteen years old. The volume principally focuses on the United States but also includes entries relating to Africa, Asia, and North America. Belle Danforth's exercises provide information on a standard list of topics, including details on the location, the "race of man" to be found in the area, native animals, vegetable life, resources, industries, productions, cities, countries and capitals, and government. However, Danforth did not always include answers for each in her entries, in particular only noting racial groups when writing about larger regions. She also included a hand-drawn map of the area with descriptive text relating to boundaries, bays and gulfs, capes, mountains, rivers, lakes, and cities.

Belle D. Danforth compiled geography exercises in this composition notebook during 1891, when she was approximately thirteen years old. The volume principally focuses on the United States but also includes entries relating to Africa, Asia, and North America. Belle Danforth's exercises provide information on a standard list of topics, including details on the location, the "race of man" to be found in the area, native animals, vegetable life, resources, industries, productions, cities, countries and capitals, and government. However, Danforth did not always include answers for each in her entries, in particular only noting racial groups when writing about larger regions. She also included a hand-drawn map of the area with descriptive text relating to boundaries, bays and gulfs, capes, mountains, rivers, lakes, and cities. Danforth's notes reflect how students were learning about regions' notable features and populations.

Maps drawn in the volume include:
  • Western and Eastern Hemispheres
  • North America
  • Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Maine
  • New York, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey
  • Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, and Indian Territory (now Oklahoma)
  • Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and Wisconsin
  • Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, and Kansas
  • Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, Idaho, Utah, Arizona, Washington, Oregon, Nevada, and California
  • Michigan
  • Asia (encompassing present-day West Asia, South Asia, Southeast Asia, and East Asia)
  • Africa

A map of West Virginia, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Kentucky appears to be missing, but textual information about the region is provided. Only a partial entry is present for Europe.

Collection

Belle Patterson Rosenberger collection, 1910-1912

41 items

This collection contains letters that Belle Patterson Rosenberger, her husband Absalom, and one other correspondent wrote to Belle's brother, Willard Patterson of Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania, and his family from 1910-1912. They discussed their work at the American Friends Mission in Ramallah, Palestine, and mentioned their travels in Palestine and the Mediterranean region. The collection also includes photographs and an advertisement.

This collection (41 items) contains items pertaining to the work of Absalom and Belle Patterson Rosenberger at the American Friends Mission in Ramallah, Palestine, in the early 1910s. Belle Patterson Rosenberger, Absalom Rosenberger, and an acquaintance named Laura wrote 34 letters to Belle's brother Willard and his family from 1910-1912, many of which are undated. The majority of the correspondence pertains to Belle's work at the mission and her travels in Palestine and the Mediterranean region. She and the Patterson family's other correspondents discussed fellow missionaries and described local customs, such as a funeral (February 12, 1911); they occasionally commented on current events, such as elections in the United States and the sinking of the Titanic (May 5, 1912). In one undated letter, Belle Rosenberger commented on her intention to resume her teaching career. Her letter of May 7, 1911, contains a sketched map of the coastline between Haifa and Acre.

The collection includes a printed facsimile of the handwritten "Bulletin No. 2," a 5-page document concerning missionary work that Absalom Rosenberger issued from the American Friends Mission on November 1, 1911. Five undated photographic prints show scenes from Palestine, such as men in a "gypsy tent," Palestinian women in formal dress, and girls lined up on their way to church. The final item is a printed advertisement for "Thuyoleum," a medicinal remedy.

Collection

Beloit College Class Union Society minutes, 1861-1866

1 volume

The Class Union Society of Beloit College's class of 1866 met irregularly between November 20, 1861, and July 2, 1866. This volume contains the group's meeting minutes and biographical sketches of class members.

The Class Union Society of Beloit College's class of 1866 met irregularly between November 20, 1861, and July 2, 1866. This volume contains the group's meeting minutes and biographical sketches of class members. The society's secretaries filled 81 of 131 numbered pages.

The pages numbered 1 to 57 are comprised of the group's constitution, which it adopted on November 21, 1861, and meeting minutes covering the entirety of the class's time at Beloit College. Secretaries regularly reported on administrative issues, such as the election of officers and the appointment of various committees, and on the group's activities. The class adopted a Greek motto, Νικήσομεν ("we are victorious"); discussed the possibility of procuring class photographs; and circulated a petition to reinstate two dismissed members. They also initiated social activities, such as football games against the other Beloit classes, celebrations of members' birthdays, a visit to the Rockford Female Seminary, and social engagements with women. Later entries concern the organization of a junior exhibition, commencement planning, and the purchase of memorial class trees. A note dated October 29, 1864, explains a large gap in recorded minutes resulting from the enlistment of many class members in the Union Army (pages 30-31).

Brief biographical sketches of 23 members of the Beloit College class of 1866 (including several non-graduating members) are on the pages numbered 101-131. See the additional descriptive data section of this finding aid for the names of members represented in the biographical sketches.

Collection

Benajah Ticknor papers, 1818-1852

3 linear feet — 3 microfilms

Graduated from Berkshire Medical Institute ca. 1810; joined U.S. Navy ca. 1816; first tour of duty in 1818; retired from the Navy in 1852 from post of chief Surgeon of the Boston Navy Yard. Journals, letter book, medical notes, correspondence, and essays of Benajah Ticknor, doctor and surgeon with the U.S. Navy. Of primary importance are the journals which describe journeys made by Ticknor with the Navy to South America, the Far East, and Europe.

The Ticknor collection consists of photocopied and microfilmed papers from various institutions with Ticknor materials. The materials were gathered together by individuals involved in the restoration of Ticknor's Ann Arbor home, now known as Cobblestone Farm. The collection, subsequently donated to the Bentley Historical Library, includes Biographical material, journals, a letter book, writings, letters to his friend Congressman Elisha Whittlesey in Ohio, and State Department records from his diplomatic missions to the Far East.

Collection

Ben East papers, 1935-1980

13 linear feet

Ben East was a prominent Michigan outdoorsman and outdoor writer. The bulk of his career was spent as a writer and editor for Outdoor Life, a nationally distributed outdoors magazine. Additionally, he wrote for a number of Michigan-based newspapers and publications, and was a prominent Michigan conservationist.

The Ben East papers contain material dating from as early as 1935 and spanning the next 45 years of his career as an outdoorsman, writer, and conservationist with the bulk of the materials focusing on his career as an outdoor writer and editor. The collection is divided into five series: Editorial Copy, Personal Papers, Photographs, Publications, and Topical Files.

Collection

Benedict Willis Law family correspondence, 1887-1913 (majority within 1897-1907)

0.25 linear feet

This collection is made up of correspondence between Benedict Law of Erie County, New York, his wife Docia, and members of his extended family. Law wrote to his wife and children about his work along the Wyoming-Colorado border from 1897-1902 and in the later years of the decade. Other family members and acquaintances corresponded about their lives in Texas, New York, and New Jersey.

This collection is made up of correspondence between Benedict Law of Erie County, New York, his wife Docia, and members of his extended family.

In letters to his wife and sons, Benedict W. Law discussed his life and work on mining projects in Wyoming and Colorado, particularly in the area around Dixon, Wyoming, and Fourmile, Colorado. He described the scenery around the border area and discussed aspects of camp life and his work, which involved dredging and digging ditches. In 1898, he shared local news and occasionally commented on the progress of the Spanish-American War, though he also mentioned the general scarcity of news in the area where he lived. His letters to Docia often concern the couple's finances and sometimes contain news about her sister, Grace Graley, who lived in Fourmile, Colorado. Law wrote at least one letter to his son Lito in Spanish (May 24, 1899). Law wrote from Routt County, Colorado, in 1902.

From 1897-1901, Benedict W. Law received letters related to his personal life, his travels, and the western mining work that continued after his temporary return to New York in 1901. A few items from this period pertain to Docia Law. After 1906, Grace Graley wrote to her mother about life in Queen City, Texas, and about her children. After 1909, Benedict Law resumed his correspondence with his wife, who also received late letters from her sister and mother

Collection

Benezet family papers, 1729-1839

19 items

The Benezet family papers consist of scattered documents and letters from the family of Claude Benezet (b. 1737) including items from trips to India and China.

The Benezet family papers consist of scattered documents and letters from the family of Claude Benezet (b. 1737). Among the few items present in this collection are an elaborately detailed marriage contract between James Benezet and Elizabeth Fonnereau, the wills of James and Elizabeth, two letters from Claude's daughter Maria, and two letters from Claude written while in India during the Mysore War. There is also a small series of documents relating to the financial problems of the former British diplomat, Edward Allen, who was seeking a pension from the government. Noteworthy in the collection are three slender volumes of a diary kept by one of the Benezets, probably one of Claude's sons, during a trip to China between March and September, 1780. Though the entries are brief, the journal does give an impression of the emotions and hardships endured in a long ocean voyage.

The most important item is a letter from Claude's first cousin, Anthony Benezet. Anthony, having joined the Society of Friends and emigrated to Philadelphia many years previously, sought to reinitiate correspondence with Claude's family in the hopes of perpetuating the amicable feelings his father felt toward Claude. Benezet continues beyond family matters into a lengthy and powerfully worded argument for the abolition of slavery and the reform of British colonial law relating to slaves.

Collection

Ben Hecht Papers, 1919-1963 (majority within circa 1940s-1960)

1 Linear Foot (1 record center box)

This collection covers writing and correspondence from prominent journalist and screenwriter Ben Hecht, as well as materials related to his daughter, Jenny, and wife, Rose.

The Ben Hecht collection includes materials from the 1940s through 1963 and is divided into five series: Writing, Correspondence, Jenny Hecht, Rose Hecht, and Miscellaneous.

The Writing series, which comprises three-quarters of the collection, contains original manuscripts and notes authored by Hecht. The series is divided by genre into eight subseries: books, essays and articles, notes and treatments, poetry, published writing, scripts, short stories and miscellaneous. As most pieces are undated, materials within each subseries are arranged alphabetically by title as it appears on the piece. While the manuscripts included in the collection are generally for lesser-known or unpublished material, this collection provides a wealth of insight into Hecht's creative process. Particularly in the Scripts subseries, many works contain multiple drafts or include handwritten corrections.

The Books subseries contains a draft manuscript for Hecht's Perfidy (here titled Perfidy in Israel). Published in 1961, this controversial work reflected Hecht's growing anti-Zionism toward the end of his life, a stance that went against his earlier activism for Jewish causes. The Essays and Articles subseries holds five non-fiction pieces, including a letter criticizing the movie of The Diary of Anne Frank, for which Hecht's daughter Jenny was passed over for the title role.

Notes and Treatments includes a number of materials from Hecht's film and television work. Notable among these is a treatment for Miracle in the Rain, which was later produced as a film in 1956. Poetry consists of two poems that reflect some of Hecht's political views. Published Writing features an article Hecht wrote about Marilyn Monroe's death.

The largest collection of writing is contained in the Scripts subseries. It includes draft and final versions of nine separate projects, many with handwritten corrections. Not all were produced as films or plays, so these folders provide insight into some of Hecht's lesser-known work. Particularly interesting items in this subseries are the script for a musical version of Underworld, the screenplay for which Hecht won the first Academy Award for Best Original Story in 1927, and multiple drafts of Hecht's play Winkelberg, based on the life of his friend Maxwell Bodenheim.

Short Stories includes five examples of Hecht's fiction work, including handwritten pages for "Some Slightly Crazy People," which was published in the Saturday Evening Post in 1959. The final subseries in the Writings series , Miscellaneous, has untitled writings and jottings, including one written on a torn piece of cardboard and another on the back of an envelope.

The Correspondence series features materials reflecting Hecht's professional and personal life. Materials within the collection are divided in two subseries, Business Correspondence and Personal Correspondence, and arranged chronologically within each subseries. Spanning the years 1946 to 1963, with the bulk of material from 1958 to 1959, the relatively small Business Correspondence subseries contains a number of letters describing negotiations for projects involving people ranging from Orson Welles to Marilyn Monroe. Several are from Hecht's agent Albert Lewis. This series also includes a letter from the American Broadcasting System announcing the cancellation of Hecht's short-lived television talk show The Ben Hecht Show, which ran from September 1958 to February 1959.

Personal Correspondence spans 1946 to 1963 and is further divided into three subseries. The largest, Fan Letters, includes over 40 letters from fans written between 1956 and 1961. Most were written in support of Hecht's appearance on The Mike Wallace Show in February 1958. Two smaller subseries, Letters to Ben Hecht and Letters to Ben and Rose Hecht, include letters and telegrams from acquaintances, relatives, and family friends.

The Jenny Hecht series includes material related to Hecht's daughter's appearance in stagings of the theatrical version of The Diary of Anne Frank at the Palm Springs Playhouse and the Tappan Zee Playhouse in 1959. The folder includes Jenny Hecht's contracts for the appearances, programs for the productions, newspaper clippings, congratulatory telegrams from family friends, and a card which accompanied flowers from her father. The folder also includes photographs from the productions.

The Rose Hecht series features correspondence to and from Hecht's wife spanning from 1945 to 1959 and arranged chronologically. Several of the letters written by Rose indicate her involvement in her husband's business affairs, including a plea to a congressman petitioning for changes to the tax laws which "unfairly" burden artists.

The Miscellaneous series is comprised of two folders. The first folder contains a list of Hecht's visitors from 1950, featuring such Hollywood personalities such as Kirk Douglas, Otto Preminger, David O. Selznick, and Harpo Marx. The second folder includes publicity materials for several of Hecht's publications, a posthumously awarded certificate for induction to the Chicago Journalists Hall of Fame, two untitled hand-drawn floorplans, and a photograph of a children's band marked "Rhythm Band 1947."

Collection

Beni and Franklin Rosemont Correspondence Collection, 1973-2016

0.5 Linear Feet — One manuscript box — Materials in good condition.

Correspondence between the donor, Beni, and Franklin and Penelope Rosemont, who were surrealist artists, writers, activists, and publishers.

This small collection primarily consists of correspondence between Beni and Franklin Rosemont regarding the collecting of IWW and Surrealist publications. Beni was initially interested in receiving more of the Rosemonts' publications in Arsenal. As their correspondence became more robust, both men collaborated on a search for materials relating to various figures in the history of IWW publications. In the 2000s, their correspondence moved to e-mails that include a network of activists, librarians, and scholars invested in the discovery and preservation of labor history materials. After Franklin Rosemont's death in 2007, Beni continued to collaborate with the curator of the Labadie Collection to acquire rare materials related to the Rosemonts' own activities.

Collection

Benjamin A. Furman collection, 1917-1919

0.5 linear feet

This collection is primarily made up of 1st Lieutenant Benjamin A. Furman's outgoing correspondence during his service as a United States Army surgeon in France and Germany between August 1917 and early 1919, as well as picture postcards that Furman collected during his time in Europe. Furman discussed his voyage to Europe, work at an evacuation hospital, encounters with wounded African American soldiers, and postwar travels.

This collection is made up of 119 letters, most of them written by 1st Lieutenant Benjamin A. Furman during his service as a United States Army surgeon in France and Germany between August 1917 and early 1919; 2 photographs; approximately 290 picture postcards that Furman collected during his time in Europe; and 2 printed items. Furman discussed his voyage to Europe, work at an evacuation hospital, encounters with wounded African American soldiers, and postwar travels.

The Benjamin A. Furman Letters to His Parents subseries contains 97 letters that Furman sent to John A. and Emma C. Furman of Newark, New Jersey, about his experiences in the United States Army between August 1917 and March 1919. His letters form the majority of a numbered series that originally contained at least 87 items, plus additional unnumbered letters and postcards. In his earliest letters, Furman described his voyage from the United States to Europe, which included a close encounter with a German submarine, and his experiences with the 407th Telegraph Battalion. In July 1918, he transferred to the 2nd Evacuation Hospital, where he regularly treated patients suffering from wounds acquired at the front lines. On one occasion, Furman copied a portion of a soldier's letter about injuries sustained from a grenade explosion (August 11, 1918). By October 1918, he reported increased admissions of soldiers with illnesses, which included numerous cases of the mumps and the Spanish influenza. Furman occasionally treated African American soldiers and repeatedly shared his admiration for their bravery and dedication. After the war, he witnessed the plight of released British prisoners of war (November 17, 1918) and discussed his travels in France, which included a visit to no man's land. Furman spent much of early 1919 in Germany, and described trips to Koblenz, Köln, and cities across France.

The Other Correspondence subseries (22 items) is comprised of similar outgoing letters from Furman to other acquaintances, such as his brother John, friends, and a Boy Scout Troop. Several friends wished Furman good luck in a photographic postcard postmarked February 1918; the image depicts a building at Princeton University, his alma mater. Furman received a small number of other letters from friends in the United States during the war.

Two Photographs include a cabinet card portrait of Leon Unger, an American physician who also served in the war, and a snapshot photograph, which apparently depicts Benjamin Furman with his motorized ambulance and driver.

The Printed Ephemera and Map series contains an advertisement for the Hotel Atlantic & Annexe in Nice, France, and a map of the city of Nice.

Throughout his time in Europe, Benjamin A. Furman collected around 290 Picture Postcards of buildings and scenery in France and western Germany. He organized most of the postcards by place or region, and added brief notes.

Collection

Benjamin and William Oliver Vaughan papers, 1774-1830 (majority within 1774-1803, 1816)

144 items

The Benjamin and William Oliver Vaughan papers consist of miscellaneous documents relating to the business affairs of Benjamin Vaughan and a business account book from his son, William O. Vaughan. Benjamin and William were both merchants in Hallowell, Maine.

The collection is comprised of 143 letters and financial documents kept by Benjamin Vaughan and one account book kept by William Oliver Vaughan. The correspondence (19 items) dates from 1774 to 1830 and are related to business matters; many of the letters are fragments. The documents date from 1786 to 1803 and are largely miscellaneous receipts, accounts, and other financial records. The collection contains correspondence and documents respecting business deals, the purchase of goods, and debts; accounts; land agreements; a list of publications; a geometrical drawing; and recipes for industrial goods.

William Oliver Vaughan's account book for 1816 is a record of personal and business expenses. William wrote daily entries, many of which include his expenses. Most notes record only amounts paid or received, with the name of the other party. Some entries some provide information about products such as "Buffaloe skins," clothing, hay, beef, oil, flour, lumber, and various services. Vaughan also kept trip notes, such as for his frequent week-long visits to Boston; he included rates for the stage, food, lodging, and personal items. A few pages in November and October contain written receipts or IOU's signed by various persons to Vaughan.

The account book itself is partially a farmer's almanac for New England with 6 printed pages at the front with information about eclipses, military fines, college vacations, a simple interest table, medical lectures, and lists of local yearly and quarterly meetings of The Society of Friends. An illustrated printed page introduces each month, and displays a list of holidays, a quote about the month, and detailed astronomical calculations.

Collection

Benjamin Brown collection, 1817-2000 (majority within 1829-1844)

Approximately 2 linear feet

The Benjamin Brown collection is made up of correspondence, documents, and artifacts related to the showman's career as a circus owner in the early 1800s. Many of the letters relate to his journey to Egypt between 1838 and 1840, as he attempted to procure giraffes for an American menagerie company; to his other travels; and to the contemporary American circus industry.

The Benjamin Brown collection is made up of correspondence, documents, and artifacts related to the showman's career as a circus owner in the early 1800s.

Letters, documents, and printed materials concern Brown's early ventures as a show owner, including correspondence and financial records pertaining to his travels in the Caribbean and to the northeast coast of South America in the early 1830s. These materials document the difficulties of transporting exotic animals by sea, the type of equipment necessary to run a circus, and other logistical issues.

A later group of letters and documents reflects Brown's experiences in Egypt, where he traveled as an agent of the June, Titus, Angevine & Company, attempting to purchase giraffes. Many of these letters are from Stebbins B. June, who was also in Egypt at the time, and several items relate to George R. Gliddon, United States consul in Cairo. Brown's friend Gerard Crane wrote about Brown's business affairs in New York, and frequently reported the increasingly frail health of Brown's father. Benjamin Brown received a letter from P. T. Barnum, who asked him to find a pair of fortune tellers for Barnum's museum. He also inquired about locating a pony small enough to accommodate his performer Tom Thumb (June 29, 1843). While in London, Brown frequently received letters from his sister, Eudocia Brown Noyes, who wrote of the Brown family farm and provided other news from Somers, New York.

The collection includes playbills and broadsides advertising Brown's circus; Brown's marriage license (March 20, 1841); a pencil sketch of Brown; two passports; and three fragments of an Arabic-language scroll, offering protection to the bearer. Later material includes newspaper clippings from 1879, 1880, and 1931, on Brown's life and career, as well as an audio tape of an interview with his grandson, Benjamin Brown.

Box 2 of the collection includes correspondence, documents, printed items, photographs, and audio recordings related to the history of Benjamin Brown, the circus, and Somers, New York. Principally organized around the career and research of Carrie Brown Rorer (1903-1969), President of the Somers Historical Society and Benjamin F. Brown's great-grandaughter, the material provides insight into public history, memory, and research on the circus. Included is a typed document, "Circus History: Recollections by Benjamin Brown (1877-1962) as told to Carrie Brown Roher, (1903-1969), who was one of his three daughters," which details memories of Benjamin F. Brown and family stories about him.

Benjamin Brown acquired clothing and artifacts, including the following:
  • Two shoes, [1800s]
  • Burnoose, [1800s]
  • Black circus jacket, [1800s]
  • Pipe stem and bowl
  • Two rocks
  • Fragments from an ostrich eggshell
  • Canopic jar lid
  • Two small boxes
  • Ushabti figure
  • Harpocrates figure

The Egyptian figures may date to around 600 BCE.

Collection

Benjamin Bussey collection, 1767-1872 (majority within 1800-1847)

0.5 linear feet

The Benjamin Bussey collection contains letters and financial records related to Bussey's shipping endeavors, loans and philanthropy, land holdings in Massachusetts and Maine, and his estate in Roxbury, Massachusetts. Though the collection reveals little about Bussey's personal life, it is a great source of information on his diverse business interests and his far-reaching network of friends and colleagues such as Henry A. S. Dearborn, Josiah Quincy, William H. Sumner, and Samuel Thatcher.

The Benjamin Bussey collection contains 198 letters, 38 financial records, and one biographical note. These primarily concern Bussey's shipping interests, loans and philanthropy, land holdings in Massachusetts and Maine, and his estate in Roxbury, Massachusetts. The papers document Bussey’s business dealings throughout New England, as well as in New York, Georgia, North Carolina, Philadelphia, Barbados, Jamaica, London, Rotterdam, Naples, and Madeira. The collection reveals little about Bussey's personal life but much about his diverse business interests, his far-reaching network of friends and colleagues, and philanthropy in the first half of the 19th century.

The bulk of the collection consists of letters written to Bussey concerning shipping and commerce and other business matters. Bussey's firm traded salt, pepper, sugar, cotton, cocoa, tobacco, flour, fish, saffron, and wine with various European nations. Many of the letters describe the state of trade with Europe and the challenges of shipping operations in the early 19th century, as well as the locations of the best markets for certain goods and the methods of making the most money off a shipment. For example, Bussey’s associate Jonathan Arnold described the volatility of the markets in New Orleans, Baltimore, and Philadelphia, and recounted many of the difficulties encountered in moving goods between these ports (June 2, 1796). In a letter from 1832, George Kuhn, his friend and partner in the Dedham Worsted Company, discussed the price of clothes (as well as Andrew Jackson's electoral prospects in Pennsylvania). Letters from March 22, 1806, and December 17, 1806, concern attempts to salvage barrels of wine from the wreck of the ship Hercules after it was damaged near Kingston, Jamaica.

The political climate concerning international commerce is also often discussed. A letter from September 20, 1810, is representative of how American traders saw the strained relationship between the United States and Europe. Napoleonic Wars were mentioned in several letters dated between 1807 and 1815, as they pertain to commercial interests, primarily the difficulty of American ships safely reaching European ports. Of particular interest are discussions of the British practice of boarding American ships, imprisoning passengers, and impounding cargoes. In a letter dated London, August 5, 1808, Fred Gebhardt described a British ship that seized and impressed non-American citizens aboard the Tyger, on which he was sailing. He was not impressed, because he held a passport, but he was detained for two weeks. He wrote, "Even private individuals can no longer travel or pass the seas without exposing their personal freedom and safety. In England they have become as arbitrary as on the continent." He also discussed Napoleon's violent invasion of Spain and the impending War of the Fifth Coalition. In another letter, he mentioned a particularly unfortunate confrontation in Spanish waters, where a ship was captured, the crew put in irons, and the captain had to stand for trial before the court of Spanish Admiralty (April 21, 1807). The incident resulted in Bussey and his partner Boardman losing $150,000 worth of goods. Along with the many business letters in the collection are receipts, accounts, inventories, and records of Bussey's business dealings, which list prices and destinations for goods. An 1804 note, for instance, contains information on the value of a shipment of coffee and sugar on board the Sampson.

The collection also represents Bussey's non-shipping interests. These include information on wool and sheep for his wool manufacturing facility in Dedham, Massachusetts (May 21, 1812), and details on the prosperity of the Middlesex Canal, which ran from the Merrimack River to Boston Harbor (January 20, 1816). Other items address Bussey’s interests in public office. In a letter, presumably to Bussey, ,dated January 27, 1841, B. Pierce mentions a meeting with John Quincy Adams regarding a petition to the Committee on Indian Affairs, an upcoming visit of "Tipicanoe and Tyler Too," and notes that he will only send the letter "if he can get Congress to pay for it…it isn't worth his own money for postage."

The collection holds a number of letters from acquaintances, organizations, and even strangers asking Bussey for loans and charity. Bussey belonged to the Unitarian Church in Roxbury but believed that other religious institutions also deserved his support. He donated to the Boston Baptist Church, the Summer Street Methodist Church, the First Church of Belfast, Maine, the First Church of Christ, Bangor's Theological Seminary, and to the Frankfort Village Religious Association. Bussey was not targeted for charity only by religious institutions. He received requests to support the Winslow Blues, a local light infantry unit (June 7, 1817); to give to the Massachusetts General Hospital (April 5, 1814); to fund educational institutions, such as a school under the Synod of New York and New Jersey that trained African American men become schoolmasters in America and in Africa (December 31, 1819); and to invest in Sarah Hale’s “Ladies Magazine” (September 26, 1837). He also gave land to the Congregational Female Academy in Augusta, Maine (June 28, 1827).

Bussey received loan and charity requests from individuals as well. Lucy Knox, widow of General Henry Knox, lobbied Bussey to supply books and money for her son's medical education (December 26, 1813 and January 20, 1822). Edward Robbins also asked for financial assistance for his son who was just starting out in life. Bussey was requested to support the arts by an Italian musician from Naples named Norberto Hadrava, who asked for a $100 loan to support his musical endeavors, such as printing and performing his opera The Island of Capri (March 6, 1812). Bussey was a supporter of multiple societies including the Massachusetts Charitable Mechanic Association (1818), Prison Discipline Society (1830), the Society for Propagating the Gospel among the Indians, Massachusetts Charitable Meetings Association, and was the vice president of the Massachusetts Society for the Encouragement of American Manufacturing.

The collection contains only a few personal letters to Bussey and his family. Five are from Bussey's son-in-law Charles Davis, husband of Bussey's daughter, Eliza. In letters from August 2 and 13, 1816, for example, he gives Bussey an update on the construction progress of his Roxbury estate. The collection contains one lengthy letter from Eliza (married to Enos Stewart), dated September 27, 1837, in which she described her time in Florence, Italy, and mentioned current events in Europe. An letter from September 15, 1823, contains a report from Catherine Putnam about the health of Bussey's sick wife, and after Bussey's death, Josiah Quincy, president of Harvard, wrote a letter to Judith inquiring about the Gilbert Stuart portraits owned by the Bussey family. The collection also holds a few letters from Bussey's friends and acquaintances, including letters of introductions and a letter from Commodore William Bainbridge accepting an invitation for a social call to Bussey's estate (November 1819).

The collection contains many letters concerning prominent Boston citizens: many of Bussey's Roxbury neighbors such as General William Sumner (1780-1861), son of the prominent Roxbury merchant Increase Sumner and grandson of William Hyslop, a prosperous Boston merchant; lawyer philanthropist John Lowell; businessman Ebenezer Thatcher and his brother Samuel Thatcher, congressman from Massachusetts; secretary of war and Massachusetts congressman Henry A. S. Dearborn; and Harvard President Josiah Quincy. Other prominent people represented in the collection include Philadelphia lawyer and author William Rawle (November 5, 1831) and Joshua Bates, President of Middlebury College. While some letters from these men directly concern Bussey, many are only tangentially related in discussions regarding topics such as Boston shipping matters or Roxbury events and development. One notable item is from John Brooks, Governor of Massachusetts, to William Sumner about establishing military defenses stationed on Noddle's Island, Massachusetts (April 17, 1813).

The Benjamin Bussey papers contain a few miscellaneous items including notes for a biography or obituary for Roxbury lawyer, John Lowell, and an invitation to an annual visit for donors to "the African School."

Collection

Benjamin C. Lincoln papers, 1861-1865

437 items (1.25 linear feet)

A fervent patriot and devout Christian, Benjamin Lincoln's strong abolitionist beliefs led him to take a commission with the 2nd U.S. Infantry (Colored). His papers contain 437 letters written by and to him through the course of the Civil War, revealing the effects of war on the relationships of friends, relatives, and lovers.

A fervent patriot and devout Christian, Benjamin C. Lincoln was also a remarkably regular correspondent. The Lincoln papers contain 437 letters written by and to Benjamin Lincoln between 1861 and 1865, including letters to and from his fiancée, later wife, Dora, letters from his brothers, Sam, Alfred, Irving, Ernest and Eugene, and from friends, Fred Gage, H.O. Walker, Charles H. Mann, Sam Hall, Amy Halliday, and Rev. Samuel Winkley, among others. The high literary quality of much of Lincoln's writing is matched by the quality of his friends' writing. Ideologically, temperamentally, and literarily they are a well matched set. There is a gap in letters written by Lincoln between November, 1863 and October, 1864, caused in part by his visits home. This period, however, is represented by letters to Lincoln, through which some of his activities can be reconstructed. The correspondence ends shortly after Ben's death at the Battle of Natural Bridge in March, 1865.

The collection is a valuable resource for examining the effect that the war had in shaping the relationships of friends, relatives and lovers. Throughout the separations imposed by military service, Lincoln remained in close contact with his fellow members of the Pine Street Chapel Association (many of whom served with him in the 39th Massachusetts Infantry), and his relationship with his brothers remained intimate. The early letters between Lincoln and his then-fiancée Dora provide a depiction of the pain of separation and the psychological hardships placed on these devout and devoted people, and the entire correspondence provides a fascinating portrait of the vicissitudes in their relationship up to and following their marriage in November, 1864. Lincoln and Dora discussed their relationship almost obsessively, whether it was going well or poorly, and the frequency of their letters makes for an unusually dense coverage of the course of one war-time love match. Dora's tendency toward depression was a problem throughout their relationship, and culminated in what appears to have been a mental breakdown early in 1865, probably over the stress of renewed separation from her husband. The collection also includes a wrenching letter from Julia M. (1864 November 21), mourning the loss her fiancé, Sam Lincoln, and several letters from Amy E. Halliday (see especially 1864 November 25) coping with the loss of her fiancé, James Schneider, an officer in the 2nd U.S.C.T.

The military content in the Lincoln papers includes far more on camp life than combat, with a few notable exceptions. During Lincoln's time with the 39th Massachusetts, the regiment was stationed in a comparatively calm part of Maryland or in Washington, D.C., and thus lacks first hand descriptions of skirmishes or battles. Lincoln's letters contain speculation on his own religious convictions, as well as on the spiritual and moral condition of his fellow soldiers, and there are comments on the hostile local citizenry, on his duties as a clerk, and occasionally on the war and the military itself. Once Lincoln receives his commission in the 2nd U.S.C.T. in September, 1863, however, the letters contain more of general interest. The collection is a significant resource for studying the attitudes and activities of a white officer in a "colored" regiment, particularly during the six weeks during which the regiment was filling up at Camp Casey, and during the period in which they were stationed at calm Key West. Lincoln was not always immediately forthcoming in his letters with descriptions of his experiences with his African American troops, partly for fear that Dora would think that he was ignoring her if he discussed anything other than their relationship. Lincoln does, however, provide good descriptions of racial tension surrounding the regiment as it was forming, and some spirited accounts of religious attitudes among the troops, along with several good accounts of their Methodist-style worship. In all, Lincoln's correspondence provides an excellent portrait of the motivations of a white soldier for seeking a commission in a colored regiment, his racial attitudes, and his experiences in camp and, to a lesser degree, in the field.

Equally valuable from the military point of view are the numerous letters from friends and relatives in the service, including those from Ben's brother Sam, a private in the 23rd Massachusetts Infantry and later as a civilian employee of the Quartermaster's Department in New Bern, N.C., and from a friend, Samuel Hall, of Co. G, 39th Massachusetts. Sam Lincoln's letters are filled with information about his regiment, and about life in the garrisoned town of New Bern. His position as a former soldier become civilian makes for an unusual perspective on Union-occupied North Carolina. Letters from Lincoln's other brothers create an impression, somewhat less fleshed-out, of the stresses endured by the members of the Lincoln family during the war, the losses they incurred, and their attempts to cope. The 15 letters from Charlie Brown, initially also a member of the 39th Massachusetts Infantry, but later an officer in the 7th U.S.C.T, are particularly noteworthy. Brown was one of Ben's closest personal friends, as was his wife Ellen, and his writing ability combined with his candor make his letters a particularly important resource for the study of one of the most active "colored" regiments in the Union army. Brown provides a description of the rout at the Battle of Olustee, of engagements near Jacksonville, Fla., and the Battle of New Market Heights, and comments throughout on life in the 7th U.S.C.T.

The 22 letters from Lincoln's civilian friend and fellow Bostonian, H.O. Walker, are also uniformly lively and interesting. A fiery abolitionist and an early advocate of arming African Americans, Walker was a man with strong opinions on the war who seldom demurred from expressing himself. Included among his best letters are a long discussion of electoral politics, radical Republicans, Frémont, Lincoln, and Johnson (1864 June 24 and September 8) and a detailed description of a public meeting held at Cambridge on the subject of conscription (1864 July 26). "We must have black troops," he wrote, "and a limitless number of them too -- paid and treated like their white brothers" (1863 September 5). The four letters from Rev. Samuel Winkley provide an interesting insight both into the powerful force that religious convictions held for some soldiers, but also the bonds of friendship and mutual assistance that tied Winkley and his former Chapel Associates, even across the separations of war. Winkley's letter of September 5, 1863, includes a fine discussion of the duties of a Christian chaplain, written with regard to the African American soldier.

Collection

Benjamin C. Stanczyk papers, 1944-1975

3 linear feet — 12 oversize volumes

Judge of Common Pleas. Correspondence and other materials relating to politics and to Polish-American interests.

The collection relates primarily to his interest in the Democratic Party in Michigan and to his involvement in Polish-American activities and organizations.

Collection

Benjamin F. Graves papers, 1815-1950 (majority within 1848-1903)

2.5 linear feet

Circuit court judge and Michigan Supreme Court justice; his wife, Ann Lapham Graves, was a Battle Creek educator and civic leader; their son, Henry B. Graves, was a Detroit lawyer. Family correspondence concerning life in Battle Creek, Michigan, student life of H. B. Graves at the University of Michigan, 1879-1882, Kansas land speculation, 1883-1885, the Spanish-American War and legal affairs; personal journals and circuit court and Supreme Court record books of B. F. Graves; and photographs.

The Benjamin F. Graves papers consist of family correspondence concerning life in Battle Creek, Michigan, student life of H. B. Graves at the University of Michigan, 1879-1882, Kansas land speculation, 1883-1885, the Spanish-American War and legal affairs; personal journals and circuit court and Michigan Supreme Court record books of B. F. Graves; and correspondence of Henry B. Graves and Ann Lapham Graves. The collection has been arranged by name of individual family member: Benjamin F. Graves; Lapham family; Henry B. Graves; and Miscellaneous.

The correspondence of Benjamin F. Graves includes letters from Henry B. Brown, December 26, 1890; Julius C. Burrows, March 17, 1869; James V. Campbell, 1858-1883; Isaac P. Christiancy, June 1868, November and December 1862, February 1873, August 1877; Thomas M. Cooley (throughout); Donald M. Dickinson, undated and December 1883; Alpheus Felch, December 1894; and John W. Longyear, April 1864 and March 1865.

Collection

Benjamin Franklin collection, 1766-1788

22 items

The Benjamin Franklin collection is made up primarily of letters that Franklin wrote to Joseph Galloway, when Franklin was an agent for the Pennsylvania Provincial Assembly in Great Britain from 1764 to 1775.

The Benjamin Franklin collection is made up of 21 letters, 17 of which Franklin, as agent for the Pennsylvania Provincial Assembly in Great Britain, wrote to Joseph Galloway from 1764 to 1775. Franklin addressed numerous political issues, including the Stamp Act, Galloway’s appointment to the Pennsylvania Provincial Assembly, the Currency Act, and other Parliamentary discussions. The letters contain evidence of Franklin’s frustration with British taxation leading up to the Revolution. Four additional letters by Franklin and one document signed by him comprise the remainder of the collection.

The box and folder listing below contains notes respecting contents of each item in the collection.

Collection

Benjamin Franklin correspondence, 1865-1866

120 items

This collection is made up of 120 incoming business letters addressed to Benjamin Franklin of Burlington, New Jersey, in 1865 and 1866, concerning the oil industry in Kentucky and Tennessee. The letters relate to the discovery of new wells and deposits, the purchase of oil fields, the cost and delivery of equipment, and other subjects.

This collection is made up of 120 incoming business letters addressed to Benjamin Franklin of Burlington, New Jersey, in 1865 and 1866, concerning the oil industry in Kentucky and Tennessee. The letters relate to the discovery of new wells and deposits, the purchase of oil fields, the cost and delivery of equipment, and other subjects.

Though Franklin lived in New Jersey, he occasionally traveled south to look after his business affairs. He primarily received letters from business partners in Louisville and Glasgow, Kentucky, who provided him with detailed descriptions of local oil lands, including physical characteristics, anticipated yields, and the interests of other prospectors. Writers frequently encouraged Franklin to consider purchasing various properties. Other correspondence pertains to the progress of Franklin's wells and to the delivery of machinery, such as steam engines. Most letters directly or indirectly concern Franklin's finances, including content about his stock holdings and costs associated with his oil interests. Partial copies of his draft responses accompany a portion of his incoming letters.

Collection

Benjamin F. Ruggles journal, 1859-1861

156 pages

This journal contains daily accounts written by Benjamin F. Ruggles while traveling west on ox-drawn wagons from Salt Lake City, Utah to Red Bluff, California.

The Ruggles journal represents the second of two journals kept by Benjamin Franklin Ruggles, documenting his overland journey from Minnesota to California and covering the portion of the journey from Salt Lake City to Red Bluff. Ruggles made daily entries in his journal and took his time in writing thoughtfully, describing the scenery, route and the numerous groups of travelers they encountered in their crossing. The details at times provide the most interesting reading, as in his discussion of trying to keep a dog and the oxen alive and healthy when crossing the alkali flats in western Nevada, but the value of the narrative lies as much in providing a closely observed, densely written account of an overland crossing by way of the Mormon and Honey Lake routes. In comparatively few words, Ruggles provides a strongly impression of the landscape and the difficulties encountered in desert travel. It is interesting to note the fear with which he viewed Native Americans, the "hateful sight of sneaking Indians" as he wrote, and although he never personally had any negative encounters with Native Americans, he was more than willing to consider them culpable of misdeeds. Lastly, Ruggles' journal also contains some interesting, though briefer entries for his first few months in Red Bluff. These passage sketch out in rough form the life in a northern California town that was in the process of changing from a frontier town to a more mature settlement.

Collection

Benjamin Gilbert letter book, 1780-1783

202 pages (1 volume)

The Benjamin Gilbert letter book (219 pages) contains copies of 83 personal letters written by Sergeant Benjamin Gilbert during his service in the Revolutionary War (1780-1783). The letters provide a picture of a junior officer's perspective on the progress of the war.

The Benjamin Gilbert letter book (219 pages) contains copies of 83 personal letters written by Sergeant Benjamin Gilbert during his service in the Revolutionary War (1780-1783). The bulk of Gilbert's letters are to his father and other family member, living in his home town of Brookfield, Massachusetts. The letters provide a picture of a junior officer's outlook on the war.

Gilbert wrote these letters during his service in upper New Jersey in late 1780; during his stay at West Point in early 1781; and while fighting with the Marquis de Lafayette's troops at Trenton, New Jersey; Wilmington and Christiana, Delaware; Elkton and Annapolis, Maryland; and Yorktown, Virginia. He wrote the letters dated 1782-1783 from West Point and Continental Village, New York, where the army awaited the withdrawal of Carleton's forces from New York. Gilbert discussed Arnold's treason; the revolt of the Pennsylvania Line; the burning of Manchester, Virginia; southern hospitality; the exhilaration of the impending triumph at Yorktown; widespread desertion of Hessians during the evacuation of New York; and severe shortages of pay, food, and clothing. Throughout the volume, Gilbert wrote reflective comments on the progress of the war.

Several letters concern personal matters. Four are love letters, two to an anonymous recipient (October 14, 1780, October 19, 1780) and two that relate to a paternity claim made by a Patience Converse, with whom he was romantically involved (September 30, 1782 and March 24, 1783). Family news and personal finances are mentioned frequently throughout the volume.

For an annotated transcription of the letterbook, with a comprehensive index, see: Winding Down: the Revolutionary War Letters of Lieutenant Benjamin Gilbert of Massachusetts, 1780-1783

Collection

Benjamin Helm & Company account and daybook, 1823-1824

1 volume

This account book (roughly 360 pages) contains financial records for the mercantile firm Benjamin Helm & Company, which operated in Elizabethtown, Kentucky, between 1823 and 1824. Included are 179 pages of accounts with individuals (1823-1824), 6 pages of double-entry bookkeeping accounts (June 1823-December 1824, pp. 180-185), approximately 150 pages of daybook records (July 13, 1824-[December] 8, 1824), and a 25-page list of the inventory of the company upon its dissolution on December 8, 1824. Though the firm dealt primarily in cloth, other textiles, and related goods, it also sold dry goods, alcohol, coffee, tea, and other miscellaneous items.

This account book (roughly 360 pages) contains financial records for the mercantile firm Benjamin Helm & Company, which operated in Elizabethtown, Kentucky, between 1823 and 1824. Included are 179 pages of accounts with individuals (1823-1824), 6 pages of double-entry bookkeeping accounts (June 1823-December 1824, pp. 180-185), approximately 150 pages of daybook records (July 13, 1824-[December] 8, 1824), and a 25-page list of the inventory of the company upon its dissolution on December 8, 1824. Though the firm dealt primarily in cloth, other textiles, and related goods, it also sold dry goods, alcohol, coffee, tea, and other miscellaneous items.

The 179 pages of accounts record transactions between Benjamin Helm & Company and individuals between June 1823 and December 1824. Along with silk, calico, and other fabrics, the firm sold sugar, alcohol, and manufactured goods, such as handkerchiefs, buttons, and paper. Though most customers were men, the company also did business with several women. Accounts for future Kentucky governor John LaRue Helm and his mother Rebecca are included, as well as accounts with other prominent local individuals and with family members, such as John B. Helm. Individuals are recorded in an index preceding the accounts. The following 6 pages are comprised of double-bookkeeping entries for similar transactions with several individuals and firms; each account was later settled.

Approximately 150 pages consist of a daybook covering the company's sales between July 13, 1824, and [December 8], 1824. The entries are arranged chronologically, and most do not overlap with the individual accounts recorded earlier, which primarily end around May 1824. The final 25 pages contain a detailed inventory of Benjamin Helm & Company's goods, taken upon the partnership's dissolution on December 8, 1824. Each line provides a type of item, per-unit price, number of units on hand, and the total value. The items are largely arranged according to type, and include blankets, fabrics, books, and consumable goods.

Collection

Benjamin Kite, Jr. correspondence, 1825-1828

4 items

This collection is made up of letters that Benjamin Kite, Jr., received from his parents and siblings in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, between 1825 and 1828. The Kite family, who were Quakers, shared news of Benjamin's siblings, discussed his father's retirement, and wrote about their religious views.

This collection is made up of 4 letters that Benjamin Kite, Jr., received from his parents, Benjamin and Rebecca Kite (September 28, 1825, and May 1, 1828), and from his siblings Nathan (March 30, 1827) and Mary (June 1, 1828). The Kite family lived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Rebecca Kite expressed her belief that married couples, such as Benjamin and his wife Eliza, shared a common interest; and she provided news of Benjamin's brother Joseph, who was suffering from a grave illness. Nathan Kite wrote a humorous letter of introduction for "W. Kite," remarking that the traveler would be renowned for his trip down the Delaware River.

Benjamin Kite's letter concerns his retirement and his son Thomas's printing establishment; he expected to move in with Thomas, becoming his bookkeeper and errand-man. Mary Kite's letter contains news of each of the Kite siblings and encourages Benjamin to contribute to financial support for their parents. She also wrote about the family's move away from their longtime residence and reflected upon the impermanence of the temporal world.

Collection

Benjamin Latrobe watercolors, ca. 1800-1820

7 watercolors and 1 photocopy of a watercolor, housed in tray case.

The Benjamin Latrobe watercolors collection is made up of seven small watercolor sketches of tropical landscapes and one facsimile of a watercolor sketch of Dickinson College; all eight visuals are attributed to the British neoclassical architect Benjamin Latrobe.

The collection is made up of a single tray case containing eight items: seven water colors, each encapsulated, along with a facsimile of a watercolor.

The collection consists of tropical landscape views attributed to Benjamin Latrobe, possibly in Central America or southern United States, including a sugar mill and huts that are likely slave quarters. The facsimile in the collection is a rendition of the building "Old West" at Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, designed by Latrobe in 1803 and built in 1822.

Collection

Benjamin R. Donaldson Collection, 1925-1934, and undated

.5 cubic foot (in 1 box)

Collection of correspondence to Donaldson as editor of the Dearborn Independent, and some typescripts.

The collection consists primarily of correspondence of Donaldson in his editorial role at The Dearborn Independent from British author, Lady Cynthia Mary Evelyn (Charteris) Asquith (1887-1952); American novelist Homer Croy (1883-1965); Alabama author, Charles J. Finger (1869-1941), winner of the Newberry Award for his Tales from the silver lands; and Margaret Elizabeth Sangster (b. 1894), American poet and novelist. The correspondence mainly discusses articles submitted for publication, works in progress, ideas, and views on contemporary literature. Also included are typescripts of articles submitted by Finger.

Collection

Benjamin Ropes Nichols papers, 1800-1831

17 items

The Benjamin Ropes Nichols papers are letters written home from Nichols as a student at Harvard from 1800-1804, and later as a married man living in Boston from 1824-1831.

The letters comprising this collection fall into two discrete groups representing the periods of time when Nichols was separated from his family: those written while he was at college (1800-1804) and those written from Boston (1824-1831).

Benjamin's college letters give a strong impression of student life at Harvard shortly after the turn of the century. Of particular interest are his father's letter of advice on the proper conduct of a young man preparing to enter college (dated [1800]), Benjamin's apparently sincere apology for not having followed this advice (19 Sept. 1800), two letters describing student unrest following the expulsion of a classmate (1 and 14 Sept. 1800), and a letter regarding vandalism at the chapel (23 Nov. 1802).

Two of the letters written from Boston (11 and 16 February 1829) concern the Nichols' attempts to locate a suitable wetnurse following Mrs. Nichols' giving birth to twins.

Collection

Benjamin Stark, Jr. papers, 1898-1902

31 items

This collection contains 31 letters, telegrams, photographs, and documents related to Benjamin Stark's service in the United States Army during the Spanish-American War and the Philippine-American War.

This collection contains 31 letters, telegrams, photographs, and documents related to Benjamin Stark's service in the United States Army during the Spanish-American War and the Philippine-American War. Stark wrote 2 letters to "Daisy" from an army camp in Fredericksburg, Virginia, in June and July 1898, while awaiting departure for Puerto Rico or Cuba. One document pertains to the estate of Benjamin Stark, Sr., and the appointment of William M. Stark as its administrator (November 25, 1898).

From November 17, 1898-April 20, 1899, Benjamin Stark, Jr., wrote 8 letters to his siblings from Manzanillo, Cuba, where he was stationed with the 4th Volunteer Infantry Regiment ("Immunes"). He discussed various aspects of military life, shared news of other soldiers, and described his duties while filling in for a promoted quartermaster. In the summer of 1899, Stark lived in Washington, D.C., where he attempted to reconcile his debts and other financial affairs. During this time he sent his sister a cedar chest made of wood from an old Spanish fort in Cuba. A telegram ordering Stark to report to the 31st Volunteer Infantry (July 13, 1899) is present, as is a copy of Stark's telegraphed acceptance of the commission. In letters from Fort Thomas, Kentucky, and Presidio, California, Stark described camp life and mentioned the difficulty of transporting horses from the United States to the Philippines.

Stark's remaining 9 letters (February 10, 1900-April 2, 1902) pertain to his service in the Philippines, where he reported on local customs, the possibility of active combat, and his surroundings. Though he had an opportunity to return home in the spring of 1901, Stark decided to remain in the Philippines, where he became superintendent of a military prison and farm at San Ramon. He described the farm, which included two mills.

The collection's 4 photographs depict United States soldiers in uniform, ca. 1898-1902, and an unidentified military encampment.

Collection

Benjamin Stevens letter book, 1781-1808

1 volume

The letter book contains copies of correspondence Benjamin Stevens wrote as Commissary General at Hartford, Connecticut, during the Revolutionary War. The letters document his attempts to secure supplies for the Continental Army.

The letter book contains copies of letters Benjamin Stevens wrote while executing his duties as Commissary General at Hartford, Connecticut, from 1781 to 1784. Several of the letters are addressed to the governor of Connecticut, Jonathan Trumbull. The letters contain frequent requests for items such as salt, meat, flour, and rum. Stevens had to deal with the problems of short supplies, and damaged goods. Following the letters are two stanzas of a poem about a "young Irish Girl" (page 17), and nine pages of work accounts for Stevens and William Kingsbury for the "making of Bricks and Lime" from 1806 to 1808.

Collection

Bennett Weaver papers, 1917-1969

1 linear foot

Professor of English at the University of Michigan. Correspondence; lectures and speeches; and miscellaneous articles, essays, and poems.

The Bennett Weaver collection is comprised of three series: Correspondence; Lectures, speeches, and addresses; and Miscellaneous. Most of the lectures and speeches concern Anglo-American poetry, the Bible as literature, and patriotic themes.

Collection

Benneville Hiester journal, 1853

1 volume

This journal recounts the experiences of Benneville Hiester, a native of Berks County, Pennsylvania, who traveled from Pleasant Township, Ohio, to St. Louis, Missouri, and back to Pennsylvania in the spring of 1853. Hiester recorded the odd jobs he did for local farmers around Pleasant Township and Lancaster, Ohio; his trip westward through Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois by railroad and overland roads; his return journey to Pennsylvania, taken primarily by steamboat; and the labor he did for nearby farmers after his return.

The Benneville Hiester diary contains about 50 pages of short daily entries about his travels from Pleasant Township, Ohio, to St. Louis, Missouri, and back to Pennsylvania in 1853.

In January 1853, Hiester lived in Pleasant Township, Ohio, where he chopped wood and performed other tasks for local farmers. In his journal, he mentioned the names of those for whom he worked, as well as his work at a nearby poorhouse and his labor digging graves and building pig sties. On February 19, he visited Joseph Hiester and his son Daniel in Boylston, Ohio, and on March 7, he left Lancaster for Columbus, Ohio, where he boarded a train for Cincinnati with a companion named Jacob. Hiester noted the cost of his ticket and provided brief descriptions of his journey across Ohio and Indiana, including a stop at Vandala, Indiana, to visit acquaintances. On March 20, he and Jacob traveled on the "National Road" to Illinois, and they arrived in St. Louis, Missouri, on the 22nd. Hiester set out for Pennsylvania on the same day, paying $10.50 for a steamboat ticket on the Elephant, which traveled along Ohio River to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, which Hiester reached on April 4. From there, he went to Harrisburg and then to his home near Bern, which he reached by foot on April 6. The final entries, which Hiester wrote regularly until May 1 and again from June 14 to June 22, concern the daily weather and his manual labor. The entry for June 21 mentions his work with tobacco.

Collection

Bennie Gaylord Oosterbaan papers, 1902-1981

1.5 linear feet — 3 oversize volumes — 1 oversize folder

Athlete and football coach at the University of Michigan. Correspondence, scrapbooks, photographs, and other materials relating to University athletics, especially football.

The Bennie G. Oosterbaan collection documents his career as athlete and coach at the University of Michigan, especially his time as head football coach. The collection is comprised of the following series: Correspondence; Papers collected from different period of his career; Miscellaneous; Scrapbooks; and Photographs. The collection relates to his career at the University of Michigan, especially as football coach.

Collection

Benson J. Lossing collection, 1850-1904 (majority within 1850-1891)

0.25 linear feet

This collection is primarily made up of Benson J. Lossing's incoming and outgoing correspondence concerning his writings about and interest in numerous subjects in American history. Essays, newspaper clippings, and ephemera are also included.

This collection is primarily made up of Benson J. Lossing's incoming and outgoing correspondence (179 items, 1850-1904) concerning his writings about and interest in numerous subjects in American history. Essays, newspaper clippings, and ephemera are also included (18 items, 1849- ca. 1884).

The Correspondence series (179 items) mostly contains incoming letters to Lossing about his career as a historian. Some writers thanked Lossing for sending them copies of his books or otherwise commented on his works, such as his Pictorial Field-Book of the War of 1812. Others offered biographical details on historical figures, notes on family genealogies, and information about historical events. Some older correspondents provided firsthand accounts of events, and other writers shared information about potential primary source material. The American Revolutionary era and War of 1812 were common topics, though at least one letter was written during the Civil War. Historical figures discussed included John André and Oliver Hazard Perry; one man wrote about busts of George Washington at Mount Vernon. Some authors enclosed newspaper clippings in their letters, and two made drawings: one of an unidentified building (June 2, 1851) and one of the grave of James Ross (May 11, 1852). One letter from a publisher postdates Lossing's death.

Benson Lossing wrote occasional letters about his work, and at least one of his letters contains a printed form letter requesting historical information.

The Writings and Biographical Sketches (8 items) are brief essays about historical topics, mostly in Benson J. Lossing's handwriting. Subjects include copied inscriptions from a monument marking the Battle of Red Bank and biographies of Colonel Anthony White, William H. Winder, and Alexander Lillington. One item is a copied "Parole of Honor," with Lossing's added notes on some of its signers. Two signed manuscript drafts of articles include "The British Flag and the American Sailor Boy," which was later published as "Anna Van Antwerp and John Van Arsdale" in the Christian Union, and "Mr. Lincoln A Statesman," which appeared in Osborn H. Oldroyd's The Lincoln Memorial: Album-Immortelles. An essay about William H. Winder is attributed to Mrs. A. W. Townsend of Oyster Bay, New York.

The Printed Items series (10 items) is comprised of programs, newspaper clippings, obituaries, a chapter in a published volume, and engravings. One clipping is a reprint of an article written by Benson J. Lossing.

Collection

Bentley Historical Library Polar Bear Project collection, 1918-2019

0.4 linear feet — 60 MB (digital files)

Online
Documents and correspondence relating to some soldiers in the U.S. 339th Infantry and related units, who fought in northern Russia in 1918-1919, the "Polar Bear Expedition."

Documents and correspondence relating to some soldiers in the U.S. 339th Infantry and related units, who fought in northern Russia in 1918-1919 (known as the Polar Bears). Includes copies of military discharge papers, correspondence between the library and family members about names omitted from the library's online Polar Bear roster, and miscellaneous other biographical documents. The collection includes a small number of digitized images and documents scanned or photographed by donors who have retained the original items

Collection

Bentley Historical Library publications, 1935-2012

3.7 linear feet

The Bentley Historical Library (BHL) houses the Michigan Historical collections, which documents the history of Michigan; and the University Archives and Records Program, which maintains the historical records of the University of Michigan. Founded in 1935 as the Michigan Historical Collections, directors of the library include Lewis G. Vander Velde, F. Clever Bald, Robert M. Warner and Francis X. Blouin, Jr. The publications include annual reports, bulletins, bibliographies, newsletters, and books produced by the BHL using its holdings

The PUBLICATIONS (3.7 linear feet) are divided into two series: Unit Publications and Sub-Unit Publications.

The Unit Publications series contains complete runs of the Bentley Historical Library publications. These include annual reports, 1935-2012 (except for 1989-1990 and 1997-2004, when no annual reports were published). The Unit Publications series also includes brochures, calendars, exhibit programs and manuals such as the University Archives and Records Program Records Policy and Procedures Manual. There is a complete run of topical resource bibliographies including the Bibliographic Series (No. 1-11) dating from 1973 to 1988 and the Guide Series written starting in 1996. In 2001 a guide to holdings relating to Detroit was published. The Unit Publications series includes a comprehensive collection of bibliographies such as the Guide to Manuscripts in the Bentley Historical Library published in 1976 and a bibliography of works derived using the holdings in the Bentley Historical Library, 1935-2010, issued as the Bentley celebrated its 75th anniversary in 2010. The Bulletin Series is a series of booklets largely written on Michigan or University of Michigan topics using Bentley Library collections and record groups as source material. This series began in 1947 and continues to the present.

The Unit Publications series contains monographs published by or in conjunction with the Bentley Historical Library. This eclectic subseries includes a biography of Ann Allen written by Russell Bidlack, a history of the Detroit observatory by Patricia Whitesell, and an updated edition of Howard Peckham's history of the University of Michigan. There have been two newsletters published by the unit, the Michigan Historical Collection Gazette published from 1967 to 1988 and the Bentley Historical Library which began publication in 1989 and continues to the present.

The Sub-Unit Publications series contains undated brochures from the Friends of the Bentley Historical Library.

Collection

Bentley Historical Library records, 1919 - 2023 (majority within 1970 - 2013)

79 linear feet — 2 oversize boxes — 1 oversize folder — 3 drawers — 33.5 GB (online)

Online
The Bentley Historical Library houses the Michigan Historical collections, which documents the history of Michigan; and the University Archives and Records Program, which maintains the historical record of the University of Michigan. Founded in 1935 as the Michigan Historical Collections, directors of the library include Lewis G. Vander Velde, F. Clever Bald, Robert M. Warner, Francis X. Blouin, Jr., and Terrence J. McDonald. The records include administrative files, correspondence, meeting materials, files on exhibits, archived websites, images, audio-visual media, and documentation of special projects such as the Vatican Archives project.

The records of the Bentley Historical Library were received in six main accessions 1991, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2007 and 2014. Together the records comprise 79 linear feet, plus two oversize boxes, and oversize folder, three flat file drawers, and more than 16 GB of data spanning the years 1935-2014. The researcher should consult the summary box list on page vii for a quick overview of the materials in the collection.

Collection

Berdan family papers, 1819-1857

61 items

The Berdan family papers contain the journal of David Berdan, Sr. describing his travels through Indiana, Ohio, and Illinois in 1819-1820 on behalf of the New York Emigration Society, and the correspondence of David Berdan, Jr., while working as law clerk in New York City and on a trip to Europe in the 1820s.

The Berdan family papers contain the journal of David Berdan, Sr. describing his travels through Indiana, Ohio, and Illinois in 1819-1820 on behalf of the New York Emigration Society, and the correspondence of David Berdan, Jr., while working as law clerk in New York City and on a trip to Europe. The collection also contains correspondence and humorous writings of James Berdan and other miscellaneous material. The collection is arranged into four series by author: David Berdan Sr.'s journal, the correspondence of David Berdan Jr, correspondence and manuscripts of James Berdan, and additional material from other authors.

The journal of David Berdan, Sr., is a detailed account of an Odyssean journey through New York, Pennsylvania, and the frontier towns and wilderness of Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois, mostly on horseback. The travelers endured winter blizzards, mud, ice, swollen rivers, and lame horses, all faithfully recorded in Berdan's journal. There were some dramatic moments on the journey, of near-starvation, near-freezing, and near-drowning, all related in Berdan's phlegmatic style.

Because of the nature of the mission, Berdan made diligent notes on topography, soil conditions, timber, and access to waterways of all potential settlement sites. He provides physical descriptions of the towns visited en route, including St. Louis, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh and Erie. In Cincinnati, he stopped long enough to meet with General (later President) William Henry Harrison, who advised him on the route ahead and provided him with a passport, addressed to his Native American acquaintances, to provide safe passage for Berdan's party.

Berdan's journal records his experience when taken to meet Captain Anderson, chief of the Delaware Nations. Anderson had recently sold the Delaware lands to the United States government as part of a treaty agreement, and planed to leave, with his tribe, for the Arkansas Territory. Anderson says to Berdan that the whites "would sometimes bring whiskey among them of which they were very fond and when intoxicated would be very troublesome and revengeful. He had warned his countrymen when hunting to keep on their own grounds and not molest the whites." (p. 62) In St. Louis, Berdan observes a local custom in which a party of townsfolk -- made up of men and boys armed with cow and sheep bells, conch shells, horns, and pots and pans -- proceeds to the residence of a newlywed couple. Making noise until the groom appears, the crowd demands either a "grand ball" or money enough to treat the entire company. Despite having failed in his primary mission, Berdan's account remains as a depiction of the western wilderness of 1819-1820, its nascent settlements, and the harsh realities of early travel.

The correspondence of David Berdan, Jr., to his friend and fellow Union graduate James Marshall, provides a glimpse into the life of an educated, sensitive young man of limited means struggling to find his way in New York City in the 1820s. His letters describe his life of work and study in New York City, with keen observations of the progress (and foibles) of fellow Union graduates. He himself gradually matures from the fond reminiscence of his dissipated days at Union to a growing repudiation of the drinking and gambling lifestyle -- the results of which he observes at first hand.

Another subject in the correspondence is Berdan's experiences (or lack thereof) with women. He fondly remembers female acquaintances at Union, presses James Marshall for descriptions of women he encounters, and relates several instances of his own brief social contacts. David gradually accepts that his pecuniary existence and limited prospects will afford him no opportunity to associate with suitable women, much less to entertain the prospect of marriage in the near future.

"Let me be coldly indifferent or stupidly unconscious of the fascination of refinement in society and I shall spend a few more years in quiet study and in the indulgence of those delicious reveries attendant upon solitude. The pleasures I shall receive from such habits will be less substantial and less productive of excitement but they will be purer and better adapted to my situation. Adieu then to the airy hopes I have in my happier moments encouraged -- my way is plain before me. The road is strewn with thorns that will tear me in my eagerness to advance but philosophy shall cover me as with a garment and protect me from impediments that will be thrown in my path. Henceforward Literature shall be my mistress and in her embraces and in still stronger attachment to my friends I shall be prepared to endure the contention of the world and to commence and continue the arduous work of building up my fortune and my fame." (David Berdan, Jr. to James Marshall, 11, 18 February 1823).

David's letters also describe his time as a teacher at a boarding school. He finds little satisfaction in the work, but paints a colorful and entertaining picture of the working class family with whom he boards, predicaments brought about by the promiscuous behavior of the eldest daughter, and his struggles to resist his attraction to her younger sister.

David's letters reflect his enthusiasm for a trip to Europe suggested by his friend. The prospect of the journey helps him to forget his occasional bouts of "melancholy" and dissatisfaction with his current career, and inspires an almost spiritual longing. He views it "as a light sent down from heaven to illumine the darkness of the path which fate has spread before me...". (David Berdan, Jr. to James Marshall, 25 July 1824). He mentions his illness only in passing, hoping that it does not fasten upon him until after the completion of his journey. He begins his travels with a trip back to Union College, through New York and Ohio to Virginia, and then sails for Gibraltar. Only two letters from Europe are included in the collection. In them David describes the richness of its history and strangeness of the sights. "The Moors are bare legged, wear long grizzled beards and are wrapped in winding sheets so they contrive to look as grim and ghastly as ever Lazarus did." (David Berdan, Jr. to James Marshall, 10 November 1825) He doesn't neglect to report on the charms of the Spanish women at the theater: "But the dancing -- Lord preserve a poor fellow who has been out of sight of women for forty days. The female dancer seemed to exult in the complete exposure of a very handsome pair of legs." David died on the voyage home and was buried at sea. He was 24 years old.

Also included in the collection are 15 satirical pieces, unsigned, but possibly written by David's brother, James Berdan. These sketches, with titles such as "Manifesto of the Ugly Club" and "The Society for the Diffusion of Gumption," parody cultural events of the time -- social clubs, lecture series, and debating societies. Eight letters from James Berdan are also in the collection including three to his future wife Jane Simms.

Additional material consists of various letters and papers related to the Berdan family including the resolution of the New York Emigration Society authorizing David Berdan Sr.'s eplorator trip, a letter describing the death of Margaret Irving and a letter describing David Berdan Jr.'s death.

Also with the additional material is a handwritten manuscript of the eulogy for David Berdan, written by William H. Seward and presented to the Adelphic Society of Union College on July 21, 1828. It contains an account of David Berdan's personal history, excerpts from his letters, and much praise of his character and academic prowess, all in high oratorical style: "...he never spurned from him aught but dishonor, he despised nothing but what was low, he knew not in his own bosom the existence of envy, and affectation never dwelt in a heart so humble as his." (p. 10)

Collection

Berenice Bryant Lowe Papers, 1880s-1980s

0.8 linear feet — 1 oversize folder

Battle Creek, Mich. historian and collector of rare books and manuscripts. Much of Lowe's research was devoted to the life and career of Black abolitionist Sojourner Truth. The collection contains material related to Sojourner Truth and includes biographies and bibliographies, book reviews, clippings, songs, images and photographs, etc. Other materials in the collection include letters of John G. Whittier, George W. Cable, correspondence of Lowe with writer Gerald Carson, diaries of Lowe's 1963 trip to Europe, as well as miscellanea and photographs.

The collection is arranged into two series. The Sojourner Truth (collected material) series includes biographies and compiled biographical information about Truth, bibliographies and book reviews, obituaries, tributes, newspaper articles, images of portraits, photographs, songs, and other information relating to the life of Sojourner Truth. Of special interest is a scrapbook that was kept by Frances Titus, Sojourner Truth's assistant.

Most of the Sojourner Truth files have been microfilmed except for a folder of material which came to the library after the 1965 filming. A few photographs that were microfilmed in 1965 were reported missing. These images are only available on the microfilm.

The Other Materials series contains items concerning Lowe's various activities and interests, including Battle Creek history and personalities, her travel diaries, and materials related to her friendship with writer Gerald Carson. Also included collected autographs and papers of individuals, including authors John Greenleaf Whittier and George Washington Cable. Also of note are letters of D. J. Van Schnell who wrote to members of the Oldfield family that contain watercolor drawings indicative of English life in the late 1930s and the early years of the World War II.

Collection

Berenson Fototeca, 1888-1975 (majority within 1888-1959, 1963-1975)

approximately 150,000 black-and-white photographs

The Berenson Fototeca is a collection of approximately 150,000 black-and-white photographs of Italian artwork, especially paintings and drawings from the 13th to the end of the 16th centuries. Berenson believed in capturing artwork in photograph form so as to enable the study of the creative process and the creation of artwork.

The Berenson Fototeca is a collection of approximately 150,000 black-and-white photographs of Italian artwork, especially paintings and drawings from the 13th to the end of the 16th centuries. Berenson believed in capturing artwork in photograph form in order to enable the study of the creative process and the creation of these works. The photographs are 3.9 x 5.9 inches and include the name of the artist, the subject, and the location of the original artwork, if known. The collection includes the works of artists such as Sandro Botticelli, Leonardo da Vinci, and Michelangelo, as well as, Cavallini, Filippino Lippi, Parmigianino, Sodoma, and many others.

Collection

Berlandier and Chovell, Observaciones Astronomicas and Meteorologic Observations, 1832-1835

3 volumes

This collection consists of three volumes containing astronomical and meteorological observations made in Goliad, Texas, and Matamoros, Mexico, from 1832-1835.

This collection consists of three volumes containing astronomical and meteorological observations made in Goliad, Texas, and Matamoros, Mexico, from 1832 to 1835.

The first two volumes, individually labeled "A" and "B," are titled Observaciones Astronomicas por Berlandier y Chovell. Jean Luis Berlandier and Rafael Chovell recorded astronomical observations made between 1832 and 1835. They entered data on a near-daily basis, with occasional gaps, and included positions of various astronomical bodies and points of interest. The observations, made with a chronometer and sextant, included latitude and longitude readings.

Entries in Volume A, recorded in Goliad, Texas, cover the following dates:
  • December 11, 1832-February 21, 1833
  • May 22, 1833-July 9, 1833
  • May 9, 1834-October 10, 1834
Entries in Volume B, recorded in Matamoros, Mexico, cover the following dates:
  • October 14, 1834-December 31, 1834
  • January 15, 1835-May 30, 1835
  • September 27, 1835-November 6, 1835

The third volume is titled Meteorologie Observations faites a Goliad i devant Bakia del Espiritu, Santo Texas. It is a record of meteorological observations made by the pair at Santo, Texas, between December 1, 1832, and December 31, 1833. Entries included information about wind direction and observations about the sky.

Collection

Bernadine Cimprich papers, 1986-2012 (majority within 1996-2006)

2.5 linear feet

Bernadine Cimprich was a professor and researcher at the University of Michigan School of Nursing. She conducted extensive research on breast cancer patients and survivors, assessing cognitive issues during treatment, survivorship and quality of life, and the role of environment on patient recovery. The collection consists of materials relating to her teaching, research and service.

The Bernadine Cimprich papers (2.5 linear feet) document her work primarily with the University of Michigan. The papers span from 1986 to 2012. The contents are for the most part paper materials which include numerous research proposals, IRB documentation, pilot studies and course materials. The contents are divided into four series: Personal, Service, Teaching, and Research.

Collection

Bernard A. Galler Papers, 1956-1996 (majority within 1960-1986)

28.5 linear feet

University of Michigan professor of mathematics, charter member of the department of computer and communication sciences; papers include biographical information; correspondence, 1959-1993; files relating to his participation on various boards and professional organizations; and files pertaining to his University of Michigan research activities and to his participation in university affairs and governance.

The papers of Bernard A. Galler measure 28.87 linear feet and date from 1956 to 1994. The bulk of the papers document the years 1960 to 1986 and concern Galler's high level of involvement in the information processing profession at the University of Michigan, nationally, and internationally. The papers are arranged in five series: Biographical, Chronological Correspondence, Professional and Other Activities, University of Michigan and Audiotapes.

The materials acquired in 2006 (boxes 28-29) were from Galler's office located in the Center for Information Technology Integration (CITI). These materials (1.5 linear foot, 1957-1996) focus mainly on the Software Patent Institute. There were a few files from early years acquired with this accession and they are described as part of the previously established series Chronological Correspondence, Professional and Other Activities and University of Michigan. The exception was the addition of an Audiotape series that contains reel-to-reel tapes of lectures Alan J. Perlis gave in 1959.

Collection

Bernard Eckloff postcards, 1918-1919

78 items

This collection is made up of 77 postcards that Bernard Eckloff wrote to his family in Washington, D.C., while stationed at Camp Lee, Virginia, between September 1918 and March 1919, as well as 1 postcard addressed to George F. Harbin of Washington, D.C. Eckloff discussed his experiences in camp and his visits to nearby Petersburg.

This collection is made up of 77 postcards that Bernard Eckloff wrote to his family in Washington, D.C., while stationed at Camp Lee, Virginia, between September 3, 1918, and March 17, 1919, as well as 1 postcard addressed to George F. Harbin of Washington, D.C. Eckloff wrote to his mother Catherine and his siblings Genevieve, Thomas and Mary about his trip to Virginia and aspects of his life at Camp Lee. He discussed his participation in drill exercises, his work in the camp kitchen, and the influenza epidemic; he also mentioned his correspondence and listed the contents of the care packages he received. His postcard of September 13, 1918, contains a description of a new uniform, and his postcard of November 22, 1918, includes a satirical poem entitled "In Line." After the Armistice, Eckloff often wrote about his trips to Petersburg, Virginia, and his attempts to apply for a discharge. One item is a postcard to George F. Harbin of Washington, D.C., from Martin & Allardyce in Asbury Park, New Jersey, regarding a family engraving the firm recently acquired and wished to sell (January 25, 1919).

Collection

Bernard Isaacs papers, 1919-1981

1.3 linear feet

Educator and administrator with the United Hebrew Schools of Detroit, Michigan; writer of short stories, essays, and musical plays. Writings; published works; scattered correspondence relating in part to Detroit Zionism, 1919-1921; miscellaneous relating to the United Hebrew Schools of Detroit; and scores and program to musical plays written by Isaacs, entitled, "Samson and Delilah" and "Saul and David."

The collection, a significant portion of which is in Yiddish and Hebrew, consists of a scattering of material over a sixty-year period of time. Of most importance are those files of Isaacs' writings - speeches, short stories, essays and two musical plays (Samson and Delilah and Saul and David) written in Hebrew and given by the pupils of the United Hebrew Schools of Detroit. Except for two volumes of published works, the collection has been arranged alphabetically by topic or type of material.

Collection

Bernard J. Davis letters, 1944-1945 (majority within 1945)

10 items

This collection is made up of letters that Sergeant Bernard J. Davis sent to his wife while serving in the United States Army's 249th Port Company during World War II. Writing from various locations in the Pacific and from Manila, Philippines, Davis commented on his experiences in the army and on the growth of his son.

This collection is made up of 10 letters that Sergeant Bernard J. Davis sent to his wife and their young son, also named Bernard, while serving in the United States Army's 249th Port Company during World War II. Davis responded to news from home, particularly regarding young his son's growth and activities, and expressed his desire to reunite with his family. His letters occasionally include references to his army experiences, such as the rationing of cigarettes (March 25, 1945), Philippine children's efforts to find food (May 27, 1945), and the recreation centers where American soldiers could obtain foods from home (July 28, 1945). Davis wrote 2 letters home after the war ended, eagerly anticipating his return to the United States but encouraging his wife not to get her hopes up for his quick return.

Collection

Bernard M. Baruch collection, 1920-1949

65 items

This collection is made up of letters by Bernard Baruch and Mark Sullivan regarding United States foreign policy, financial policy, national politics, and personal matters.

This collection is made up of 60 letters between Bernard M. Baruch and Mark Sullivan, a testimony and several pamphlets by Baruch, and a signed, dedicated portrait photograph of Baruch. The majority of the collection consists of Baruch's letters to Sullivan. The correspondence addresses United States politics, beginning in the early 1920s with foreign policy, farm policy, and the long term outcomes of the Paris Peace Conference. Later letters contain Baruch's critiques of U.S. fiscal policy, foreign policy, and military preparedness, as well as general thoughts about the U.S. economy and the political environment following the Wilson administration.

Baruch and Sullivan discussed their writings and other works, offering critiques, recommendations, and congratulations. They discussed Sullivan's journalism and historic works, and Baruch's political career and treatment in the media. In one letter, Baruch gave a narrative account of his early education in South Carolina (January 21, 1927). The letters also contain discussions of more personal matters, holiday greetings, and invitations for Sullivan to vacation at the Hobcaw House. At various points in the correspondence Baruch expressed his perception of anti-Semitism in U.S. politics and education. The collection includes one photograph portrait of Bernard M. Baruch, signed and dedicated to Duane Norman Diedrich. See the Detailed Box and Folder Listing for more information.

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

Bernice M. Watson Papers, 1946-1965, and undated

.5 cubic foot (in 1 box)

The collection documents the activities and interests of Bernice Watson before, during, and after serving in the 64th Michigan Legislature, 1947-1948.

The collection documents the activities and interests of Mrs. Watson before, during, and after serving in the 64th Michigan Legislature, 1947-1948.

Collection

Bernice Wenk photograph collection, circa 1939-1941

1 envelope

This collection is comprised of photographs of Ann Arbor, including the 1941 train wreck at Michigan Central depot, an accident at University of Michigan Heating Plant, and views from University Hospital.

Collection

Bert C. Whitney diary, 1918-1919

1 volume

This 132-page diary chronicles the experiences of Bert C. Whitney, of Washington, Michigan, who served with the 304th Sanitary Train in France during World War I. Whitney described his transatlantic voyages, his experiences near the front line at Verdun in late 1918, and his travels around France after the armistice.

This 132-page diary chronicles the experiences of Bert C. Whitney, of Washington, Michigan, who served with the 304th Sanitary Train in France during World War I. Whitney described both of his transatlantic voyages, his experiences near the front line at Verdun in late 1918, and his travels around France after the armistice. The journal is housed in a leather wallet, and has a drawing of a flag on its inside cover.

Whitney began his account in early July 1918, while en route to Brooklyn, New York, where his regiment embarked for France on July 10. During his time at sea, he described the ships in his convoy, submarine scares, and daily life onboard the transport ship Lutetia. Shortly after their arrival at Brest on July 21, Whitney recounted his movements in France until mid-September, when he reached the front lines. Though he did not participate directly in active combat, he described life behind the lines and witnessed artillery barrages, gas attacks, and aerial battles. Near the end of the war, he remarked about the destruction of the area around Verdun and anticipated an armistice, particularly after he saw a German delegation on their way to meet with General John J. Pershing. On November 11, 1918, Whitney counted down the final minutes of active combat, noting the ferocity of the fire until the stroke of 11:00 a.m. After the armistice, he recorded his travels around France and his negative opinions of French soldiers. He embarked for the United States in the spring of 1919 and wrote his final entry on May 30, 1919, as the ship approached the United States. Enclosures include poppies taken from a battlefield (pressed into the volume around October 22, 1918), 2 military documents related to his promotion to sergeant, and a poem entitled "Romeo to Verdun," printed in the Romeo Observer.

Collection

Bert Edwin Quick photograph collection, circa 1910-1913

1 envelope

Bert Edwin Quick (1886-1960) was a Michigan botanist and a University of Michigan alumnus (A.B. 1908, Ph.D. 1916). The collection consists of photos of student activities and campus scenes, including aftermaths of fires at the Old Medical Building and South Wing University Hall.

The collection consists of photos of student activities and campus scenes, including aftermaths of fires at the Old Medical Building and South Wing University Hall.

Collection

Bertha Eugenia Loveland Selmon papers, 1932-1949

2.5 linear feet

Battle Creek, Michigan, physician; correspondence and research materials relating to her history of Michigan women physicians.

The Selmon collection includes biographical material and correspondence dating from 1932 to her death in January 1949. Most of the correspondence is with medical colleagues and concerns professional subjects, including the Medical Women's National Association, early women physicians in Michigan, and birth control. Among her correspondents is Dr. Augusta Thompson. The bulk of the collection concerns Selmon's research and writings on Michigan women physicians.

Collection

Bertha Van Hoosen papers, 1880-1952

3 linear feet — 1 oversize folder

Physician from Rochester, Michigan and Chicago, Illinois. Correspondence, newspaper clippings, appointment books, diaries and miscellanea relating to student life at University of Michigan and her professional activities; also manuscript of autobiography, Petticoat Surgeon; and photographs.

The collection has been arranged into two series. The Van Hoosen - Jones Family series consists mainly of personal family correspondence among members of the Van Hoosen and Jones family. The Bertha Van Hoosen series consists of correspondence and other materials relating to the life and career of Dr. Van Hoosen. Included are materials from her years as a student at the University of Michigan, personal correspondence, and materials relating to her autobiography Petticoat Surgeon.

Collection

Bessie B. Beach notebook, ca. 1898

1 volume

This notebook contains lecture notes on a variety of topics in library science as studied by Bessie Baldwin Beach, who spent most of her career as a librarian for the Bureau of Indian Affairs at Carlisle and Chilocco Indian Schools in the 1900s and 1910s.

This single volume notebook contains lecture notes on a variety of topics in library science as studied by Bessie Baldwin Beach, who spent most of her career as a librarian for the Bureau of Indian Affairs at Carlisle and Chilocco Indian Schools in the 1900s and 1910s.

From the address on the cover and the contents within, the notebook dates to Miss Beach's time as a library science student at the Columbian University (Washington, D.C.) from 1897 to 1899. The only three dates denoted are March 23, March 30, and April 8, 1898. Newly founded in October 1897, the library science program (housed in the Corcoran Scientific School) consisted of a four-year curriculum towards a Bachelor's of Science in the discipline. Headed by Ainsworth Rand Spofford, who had just completed his tenure as Librarian of Congress, the department consisted of two other instructors: William P. Cutter and Henderson Presnell. Courses covered a range of library skills including administration, cataloging, reference, as well as a thesis.

Works referenced within the notebook appear to include the following:

  • Various definitions and entry on "Accession book:" Dewey, Melvil. Simplified Library School Rules. Boston: Library Bureau, 1898.
  • Definition of "Accession book:" Jones, Gardner Maynard. "Accession Department." In Papers Prepared for the World's Library Congress, Held at the Columbian Exposition, ed. Melvil Dewey. Washington: Government Printing Office, 1896, 809-826.
  • Entry on "Classification:" Sixteenth Annual Report of the Board of Directors of the St. Louis Public Schools for the Year Ending August 1, 1870. St. Louis: Plate, Olshausen, and Co., 1871.
  • Entry on "Charging System:" Plummer, Mary Wright. "Loan Systems." In Papers Prepared for the World's Library Congress, Held at the Columbian Exposition, ed. Melvil Dewey. Washington: Government Printing Office, 1896, 898-906.
  • Entry on "Card catalog:" Dewey, Melvil, ed. Library Notes: Improved Methods and Labor-Savers for Librarians, Readers, and Writers. Boston: Library Bureau, 1886.
  • Entries on "Periodical Literature," "Book buying," "Helps to reading," "Character and Requirements of librarian," "Preparation of books for the shelves," "Accuracy," "Order and System," "Liberal and impartial mind," "Books," "Old book stores," "Pamphlets," and "Library History" : Spofford, Ainsworth Rand. A Book for All Readers: Designed as an Aid to the Collection, Use, and Preservation of Books and the Formation of Public and Private Libraries. New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1900.

Collection

Bessie Kucher letters, 1903-1904

0.25 linear feet

This collection is made up of around 37 letters that Bertha Kucher wrote to her sister Ida while living in Seattle and Enumclaw, Washington, from June 1903 to October 1904. She commented on fashion, hearing loss, and her work as a housekeeper.

This collection contains around 37 letters that Bertha Kucher wrote to her sister Ida while living in Seattle and Enumclaw, Washington, from June 1903 to October 1904. She commented on fashion, hearing loss, and her work as a housekeeper. In her first letter, written on successive days after June 20, 1903, Kucher recounted her journey to Seattle and her safe arrival in the city, where she joined her brother Charles and his family. She frequently commented on his wife Elva and their son Ronald, and described Washington fashion and local travels. In 1904, she sought work as a housekeeper, and she was employed by a man in Enumclaw, Washington, by the fall. Many of Bertha's letters to Ida are over ten pages in length. Enclosures include flowers, a ticket from the S. Willey Navigation Company, and cloth samples. A woman named Nellie Van wrote one letter from New York, dated January 29, 1904.

Collection

Bessie White photograph collection, 1912-1915

1 envelope

Bessie White was a University of Michigan alumna (class of 1915). Consists of photographs of University of Michigan activities, organizations, and buildings.

The collection consists of photographs of University of Michigan activities, organizations, and buildings.

Collection

Beth Bashert Papers, 1988-2010

1.4 linear feet — 7.62 MB (online)

Online
Beth Bashert is a local activist, identified with gay-lesbian issues in Ypsilanti, Michigan. She is an outspoken advocate for civil rights and as a campaign organizer, she has impacted local elections in Ypsilanti and other Michigan cities. The collection consists of organizational materials and topical files pertaining to her political and advocacy activities in Ypsilanti and at the state level.

The papers of Beth Bashert document her career as a community activist from 1988 to 2003, with digital material dated . The collection is divided in two series reflecting the arena of activity: Ypsilanti Area Activities and Michigan Statewide Activities.

Collection

Bethel A.M.E. Church (Detroit, Mich.) records, 1897-1990s (majority within 1912-1969)

2 microfilms — 0.2 linear feet — 3 oversize items

Quarterly conference reports; record books with lists of members, baptisms, marriages, and related information; minute books of trustees and various church groups; scattered historical and background information and photographs.

The microfilmed records of Bethel A.M.E. Church of Detroit, Michigan include church record books and reports, minute books of church governing bodies and organizations, and a scattering of issues of the church newsletter, The Bethel Booster. The original materials include published historical and other background information about the church. There is also a scattering of published church materials, such as bulletins, newsletters, and a membership directory. Finally, the church allowed the library to copy selected photographs of church activities, groups, and personalities.

Collection

Beth Israel Congregation (Ann Arbor, Mich.) records, 1938-2016 (majority within 1956-2016)

9.06 linear feet — 3.9 GB (online) — 4 oversize folders

Online
Founded in 1916 by Osias Zwerdling, Philip Lansky, and other members of the Jewish Community, Beth Israel was the first formally established conservative Jewish congregation in Ann Arbor, Mich. The record group chronicles the history and activities of the congregation over a period of 78 years, from 1938 to 2016. The collection includes materials pertaining to the congregation's history, its leadership, as well as the social, philanthropic, and civic endeavors surrounding Jewish history and immigration, education, civil rights, and the advancement of Jewish women in society. The collection also contains historical data on the Jewish population of Ann Arbor.

The records of the Beth Israel Congregation (Ann Arbor, Mich.) document the history, organizational structure, programs, and outreach activities of the congregation between 1938 and 2016. The bulk of the collection dates between the late 1950s and 2016 and comprises of Beth Israel administrative files, materials relating to the Women's League for Conservative Judaism (WLCJ), the Beth Israel Sisterhood, and various publications. This includes board and membership records, materials on committees and WLCJ conferences, correspondence, Beth Israel's Hashaliach newsletter, newspaper clippings, honors from the Jewish Theological Seminary of America and a certificate from the National Women's League of the United Synagogue of America.

The remainder of the collection is dedicated to the history of the congregation, its leaders, civic and philanthropic endeavors, and affiliate organizations. This includes the biography, eulogy, and Last Will and Testament of Osias Zwerdling as well as his digitized audio recording on the congregation's founding. Also included are materials relating to the history of the congregation's locations along Hill Street and Washtenaw Avenue, as well as the first Jewish cemetery in Ann Arbor.

Materials pertaining to the congregation's leadership comprise of but are not limited to the writings and correspondence of the congregation's rabbis. This includes the installation and resignation ceremonies of Rabbi Allan Kensky, and a digitized 1997 video recording of the congregation's first woman president, Gerda Seligson receiving the Jewish Theological Seminary's Second Century Award. Materials regarding civic and philanthropic endeavors cover the reports and background information on the Arab-Israeli conflict, correspondence and programs pertaining to Jewish history and immigration, as well as document acts of vandalism of Jewish institutions.

Materials regarding affiliate organizations highlight Beth Israel's relationships with the B'nai B'rith Youth Organization (BBYO), the Jewish Theological Seminary of America (JTSA), the United Synagogue of America (USA), the National Women's League of the United Synagogue of America, The University of Judaism (UJ), and the United Jewish Appeal (UJA). This includes UJA membership records, a UJA award of honor, BBYO convention materials, JTS and UJ program materials, and USA and National Women's League administrative records. The remainder of the collection's publications encompass several press releases from the Ann Arbor News, and the Detroit and Washtenaw Jewish News, booklets on the history of the congregation, and pamphlets pertaining to the WLCJ and the Beth Israel Sisterhood. Additional materials within this collection include, color slides, standard and oversize photographs, and oversize newspaper clippings, as well as and accolades.

Collection

Beth Israel Congregation Jewish Life in Ann Arbor Oral History Project records, 2013

0.2 linear feet — 7.48 GB (online)

Online
Ann Arbor Congregation founded in 1916. In anticipation of its 100th anniversary in 2016, Beth Israel initiated an oral history project to help tell the story of Jewish life in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Recordings were conducted in April 2013 by StoryCorps, a national non-profit organization dedicated to recording and collecting stories of everyday people. Includes digital recordings of interviews, transcripts, and digital photographs of participants.

The Beth Israel oral history project records consist of 18 interviews of congregation members that were facilitated and recorded by StoryCorps, a national non-profit organization dedicated to recording and collecting stories of everyday people. The interview participants were of a range of ages and experiences with subject matter centered on their experience of Jewish life in Ann Arbor. Common themes ranged from their life stories, their participation in Ann Arbor Jewish life, how they became involved in Jewish communal life, discussions of their Jewish identity, and any anti-Semitism they encountered.

Collection

Bethlehem, Pennsylvania collection, 1741-1784

47 items

This collection contains letters and documents related to the early history and economic development of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.

This collection contains letters and documents related to the early history and economic development of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Most of the items originated in the town itself, though correspondence addressed to Bethlehem locals also forms a significant portion of the material. Examples of documents are a copy of the original indenture for the plot of land that became Bethlehem (July 18, 1741), an order to open a road through the town (June 7, 1755), and a number of receipts and financial documents. Of interest is a petition sent to the Pennsylvania General Assembly on behalf of a group of Bethlehem residents, who wrote, "...the said Brethren are willing and ready, to contribute whatever sums of Money shall be necessary for the Defence of his Majesty's Person and Government in such Proportion, as such sum is usually rated on other Persons residing in the said Northhampton County" (March 30, 1759). Moravian and other religious influences are apparent throughout the collection, which has a minute book kept by an anonymous religious society between 1745 and 1747. Other material includes a significant amount of correspondence focusing on financial matters, as well as a series of affectionate personal letters written by John Okely of Philadelphia to Heartzel Brownfield in Bethlehem. Also of note is a German-language letter from Peter Böhler to an unnamed group of brethren about Native Americans and treatment of Native Americans in Philadelphia at the close of the French and Indian War.

Collection

Bethlehem United Church of Christ (Ann Arbor, Mich.) Records, 1833-1980

7.5 linear feet — 1 oversize folder

Formerly the Bethlehem Evangelical Church. Minutes of annual congregational meetings, church council and board of trustees meetings, and treasurer's reports; records of the Frauen Vereines, or Ladies Aid Society, and Verein, or the Bethlehem Brotherhood, and the Jugend Vereins, or Youth Fellowship; fundraising materials, miscellaneous printed programs and newsletters, correspondence and clippings; treasurer's book, 1909-1916; and photographs.

The Bethlehem United Church of Christ of Ann Arbor records span one hundred and forty years, from 1833 to 1973. The materials, partially in German, provide a good view of the congregation's history. Included are minutes and constitutions of the congregational annual meetings which span the period, 1855 to 1922. There are also records of the church council complete from 1897 to 1919, and financial records and treasurer's reports, and fund raising materials. There are records of several church organizations and photographs of church buildings and activities.

Collection

Bettye Clement letters, 1944-1945

9 items

This collection is made up of correspondence related to the Clement family of Hanford, California, including 8 letters that Bettye Clement wrote to her brother, A. Russell Clement, and 1 letter from Bettye's boyfriend Bill to her parents. Bettye's letters pertain to her life in California during World War II and to her relationship with Bill, a member of the United States Navy.

This collection is made up of correspondence related to the Clement family of Hanford, California. Bettye Clement wrote 8 letters to her brother, A. Russell Clement, from Hanford and Fresno, California, between April 19, 1944, and April 1, 1945. She discussed her work and social activities, and shared news of friends (frequently revolving around their romantic relationships). On at least two occasions, she visited local USO centers, where she, her sisters, and a friend played pool and met soldiers. Clement often referred to her relationship with Bill Harp, an active-duty sailor, commenting on his return from overseas duty in February 1945 and explaining their decision to break up because of his desire to remain in the navy and her desire to settle down and begin a family (March 15, 1945). Bill Harp wrote to Bettye's parents from the United States Naval Hospital at San Diego, California, around February 13, 1944. Harp thanked them for a recent gift and discussed a recent illness that had prevented him from deploying with his former ship.

Collection

Betty Frankel papers, 1958-1993

5.25 linear feet

Betty Frankel was an award-winning writer for the Observer and Detroit Free Press newspapers. The Betty Frankel Papers document her career as a writer for over three decades. The majority of the collection is comprised of Frankel's weekly columns in the Observer and Detroit Free Press.

The Betty Frankel Papers document her career as a writer for over three decades. The majority of the collection is comprised of Frankel's weekly columns in the Observer and Detroit Free Press. Materials are arranged into two series: Personal and Publications. Taken together, the Betty Frankel Papers chronicle the growth and development of gardening and landscapes techniques across the Metropolitan Detroit area from the 1960's through the 1990's.

Collection

Betty Jane Colvin collection, 1900s-1955

1 folder

This collection is comprised of photographs of the exterior of the Anson Brown Building, including staff and company vehicle; also photographs of the interior with employees manufacturing mattresses; and clippings about the company.

Collection

Betty Truxell photograph collection, circa 1950

1 folder

Ann Arbor, Michigan photographer. Photographs of foreign students attending the University of Michigan.

This collection consists of photographs of foreign students attending the University of Michigan in classroom, study and laboratory settings.

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

Beverly Brittain daybook, 1860-1861

1 volume

The Beverly Brittain daybook contains daily records for tin work done in Salona, Clinton County, Pennsylvania, in 1860 and 1861, particularly for items used in the kitchen.

The Beverly Brittain daybook (62 pages) contains daily records for tin work done in Salona, Clinton County, Pennsylvania, in 1860 and 1861. The book, titled "Beverly Brittain. Day Book for 1860," covers July 9, 1860-October 16, 1861, and reflects labor done by the tinsmith for various local residents, including several women, as well as the amount charged for each piece. Much of Brittain's work revolved around kitchen products, and he frequently made and repaired pots, tea kettles, and similar items; wash basins were another frequent product. An 8-page booklet laid in the volume, contains additional accounts with several people, and indicates the purchase of several "glasses of sling," among other alcoholic beverages; the booklet is undated.

Collection

Bev Fisher Manick Women's Movement Collection, 1964-1985 (majority within 1971-1989)

8 Linear Feet (15 manuscript size boxes and 3 oversize boxes)

Files, notes, documents, and print material concerning all aspects of the women's movement of the 1970s. Creator was active in the movement, in Washington DC and NYC organizing demonstrations and workshops. She was also involved with the feminist publication Quest. Files are primarily from 1971-1979, although the collection spans from 1964-1985.
Collection

Beyster Land Company records, 1881-2010 (majority within 1881-1954)

3 linear feet (in four boxes)

This collection primarily includes the Beyster Land Company records and the John Beyster & Sons Company records. Both companies were primarily active in the late 1800s to the mid-1900s. The Beyster Land Company was responsible for developing manufacturing and industry properties in the Detroit, Michigan area. The John Beyster & Sons Company was a business for lumber, lath, shingles, and box manufacturing. Record types include correspondence, tax documents, architectural plans, and business ledgers. The collection also includes a small number of materials related to the Beyster family, such as a family tree, photographs, and estate papers.

This collection primarily includes records from the Beyster Land Company and John Beyster and Sons Company. The records present in the collection begin in the 1880s, shortly after the end of the Industrial Revolution. The Beyster Land Company was involved in land and property acquisition, as shown by the volume of property records in the collection. At least one of the property documents includes a racial covenant, which restricted certain racial groups from buying or occupying land. Other business records include correspondence, tax documents, property information (including deeds and mortgage records), private and business ledgers, audits, patent information, building plans, and automobile records. Along with the business records, the collection encompasses a small portion of family records, including a family tree, photographs, and the will and estate records of John Beyster.

Collection

B. F. Broaddus papers, 1918-1919

12 items

Online
Member of Co. I, 339th U.S. Infantry who served in the Allied intervention in Russia, 1918-1920, the "Polar Bear Expedition." Collection includes newspaper clippings concerning the return of the 339th to Detroit, Michigan; pictures taken in Archangel; Thanksgiving menu and field order and miscellanea concerning activities of the Polar Bear expedition.

The papers include newspaper clippings and a Thanksgiving menu of "Battling Company I."

Collection

B. F. Tarr letters, 1841-1848 (majority within 1845-1848)

12 items

This collection is made up of 12 letters that New England native B. F. Tarr wrote to family members while living in Chillicothe, Missouri, in the 1840s. He described several aspects of life in Missouri, including differences between the South and other regions of the country, the health of his family, and his legal career.

This collection is made up of letters that B. F. Tarr wrote to Moses Lane, his brother-in-law (6 items, October 29, 1841-February 25, 1848); Edward F. Tarr, his brother (3 items, January 25, 1846-July 11, 1848); and 3 other recipients (February 14, 1847-December 7, 1847) about his life in Chillicothe, Missouri.

Tarr's letters contain some of his observations about local farming practices and the differences between life in New England and in the South. His letter of December 10, 1845, contains a passage on the "spirit of improvement" among Northerners and slow industrial progress in the South. He often shared personal news, such as his intention to establish a legal practice and updates about his family's fragile health. His wife Harriet occasionally contributed to his letters until her death in 1847, and he reflected on his loneliness after his children moved temporarily to Wisconsin (April 16, 1847). Though he focused primarily on personal matters, he mentioned giving a speech after the American victory at Vera Cruz (April 16, 1847).

Collection

Bicentennial and Michigan Week collection, 1963, 1989

3 cubic feet (in 3 boxes, 2 Oversized folders)

The collection includes publications, meeting minutes, and photographs related to the American bicentennial.

The collection consists largely of publications regarding the American Revolution bicentennial, the celebration of the bicentennial in Michigan, and Michigan Week before and during the bicentennial, 1963-1968 and 1971-1989. Materials include magazine and newspaper articles (copies), newsletters, reports, a few photographs and meeting minutes, and other materials from federal, Michigan, and local bicentennial councils and commissions. A large, although incomplete, run of the Bicentennial Times [Wash.: American Revolution Bicentennial Administration], 1974-1976 (Scattered) is also included, as are a number of special or collectors’ editions of bicentennial newspapers, fliers, bulletins, a calendar, and an issue of Superman Salutes the Bicentennial, 1976. Most of the materials were mailed to John Cumming, who later donated them to the Clarke.

Processing Note: Numerous, miscellaneous generic advertising fliers were withdrawn from the collection during processing because they were of minimal importance in documenting the bicentennial.

Collection

Biddeford High School (Biddeford, Me.) student compositions, 1850-1851, 1859

1 volume

This volume contains 21 compositions by 12 students (eight girls and four boys) of Biddeford High School, Maine, between 1850 and 1851 (approx. 90 pages). These "prize compositions" pertain to subjects such as nature, morality, happiness, music, comparisons between the country as it was versus how it is now, industry, and intemperance.

This volume contains 21 compositions by 12 students (eight girls and four boys) of Biddeford High School, Maine, between 1850 and 1851 (approx. 90 pages). These "prize compositions" pertain to subjects such as nature, morality, happiness, music, comparisons between the country as it was versus how it is now, industry, and intemperance.

The volume concludes with a one-page letter of thanks from Biddeford High School principal Horace Piper to his students, September 10, 1859, thanking them for the gift of a chair; and a two-page letter from the "Ladies [of] Biddeford" to the Triumph Engine Company (fire brigade), presenting them with an American flag.

Flyleaf: "Prize Compositions Biddeford High School, Fall Term, 1850"
  • Page 1: "Botanical Chart"
  • Pages 3-6: Elizabeth L. P. Adams, "Reading"
  • Pages 7-9: Maria C. Grey, "Advantages of Industry"
  • Pages 11-13: Hannah A. Burnham, "Saco Falls"
  • Pages 15-18: Henri B. Haskell, "Beauties of Nature in Oxford County"
  • Pages 19-24: Elizabeth L. P. Adams, "The Beauties of Nature"
  • Pages 25-27: Robert Russell, "Beauties of Nature"
  • Pages 29-32: Maria C. Grey, "The Beauties of Nature"
  • Pages 33-36: Luther T. Mason, "The Art of Writing"
  • Pages 39-41: Charles Nichols, "Children should obey their Parents"
Page 43: "Prize Compositions of Biddeford High School, Winter Term, 1850 and 1851"
  • Pages 44-47: Maria C. Grey, "Happiness"
  • Pages 48-51: Sarah M. Kendell, "A bad Sholar [sic.]"
  • Pages 51-52: Unsigned, "Intemperance"
  • Pages 56-59: John B. Lowell, "This Country as it was and as it is"
  • Pages 60-64: Luther T. Mason, "This Country as it was, and as it is"
  • Pages 65-67: Hannah A. Burnham, "Happiness"
  • Pages 68-69: Ellen Smith, "Doing Good to Others"
  • Pages 70-74: E. L. P. Adams, "Happiness"
Page 75: "Prize Compositions Biddeford High School, Spring Term, 1851"
  • Pages 76-77: Maria C. Morton, "On The improvement of Time"
  • Pages 78-80: Maria C. Morton, "To a Flower" (poem)
  • Pages 81-84: Julia A. Lord, "Music"
  • Pages 84-89: Maria C. Grey, "Flowers"
Concluding pages of the volume:
  • Horace Piper, "A Card To my Former Pupils who honored me with a present on the ninth instant", Biddeford, September 10, 1859 (1 page)
  • Ladies [of] Biddeford, to "Gentlemen of the Triumph Engine Company" (2 pages)

Collection

Bidwell family scrapbooks, 1909-2015 (majority within 1936-1947)

3 volumes — 0.3 linear feet

Scrapbooks of the University of Michigan students Betty Lou Bidwell Morris (Literature, Science, and the Arts, Class of 1947), and her parents Howard King Bidwell (Engineering and Architecture, Class of 1924) and Ruth Loella Kinney Bidwell, (Literature, Science, and the Arts, Class of 1924). The scrapbooks contain photographs, dance cards, grade reports, identifications, membershipn cards, and registration cards, announcements, certificates, invitations, programs, newsletters, and letters. Also, Betty Lou's scrapbook of alumnae and reunion material having to do with the Betsy Barbour Buds. Materials relate to the Bidwells' student lives, family lives, and social activities, as well as World War II.

Scrapbooks of Howard King and Ruth Loella Kinney Bidwell, 1909-1940; and Betty Lou Bidwell Morris, 1936-2015. Scrapbooks primarily focus on the academic, family, and social lives of Howard and Ruth Bidwell and their daughter Betty. This includes photographs of their family life, close friends and associates, as well as social activities both on and off campus. Also included are dance, identification, grade report, membership, postal, and school registration cards; announcements of births, engagements, and weddings; honors certificates; invitations and programs for commencement activities, special events, and student organizations. The collection also includes several newspaper clippings from the Michigan Daily (primarily focusing on campus activities and World War II); student and alumnae publications; and other ephemera.

Collection

Bigelow-Monks correspondence, 1862-1884 (majority within 1862-1871)

0.5 linear feet

The Bigelow-Monks correspondence contains correspondence from several soldiers serving in the Union Army during the Civil War, as well as a series of letters written by Charles A. Monks to his wife Susannah, when he was staying in Gibbon, Nebraska, in 1871.

The Bigelow-Monks correspondence contains correspondence from several soldiers serving in the Union Army during the Civil War, as well as a series of letters written by Charles A. Monks to his wife Susannah, when he was in Gibbon, Nebraska. Much of the collection consists of the war-era correspondence of several soldiers to Susannah Bigelow and to the Monks family, from friends and family members. Several of Susannah's friends wrote throughout the war, and described in detail their experiences in camp, on the battlefield, and in the hospital. Corporal Jeremiah P. Williams of the 57th New York Infantry Regiment wrote early of his optimism for the Union effort; he drew a patriotic picture of an eagle holding the shield of the United States in his letter of January 23, 1862; he also discussed his impressions of the battle site of First Bull Run at Manassas, Virginia. Lewis Turner, a soldier in the 15th New Jersey Infantry Regiment, served with Charles A. Monks in Company C, and frequently told Susannah of his experiences, including a detailed description of the Battle of Fredericksburg (May 28, 1863). Turner was wounded in the Spotsylvania campaign, but later returned to his regiment. Beverly Post of the 7th New York Heavy Artillery Regiment became a frequent correspondent later in the war, as did his brother Jerry, who often discussed his experiences recuperating from a wound at Stanton Hospital in Washington, D. C. The Posts often referred to Susannah's brother Jonathan, and alluded to his status as a prisoner of war in early 1865.

The collection holds a large number of items written by Charles A. and Sidney N. Monks to their sister Jarrett and to their father William. The pair described the details of camp life during the defense of Washington, D. C., early in the war, but their later correspondence reflects their increasing involvement in the fighting; Charles wrote at one point that he was lucky to have only a bullet through his clothing. Both brothers detailed their battlefield experiences, and both participated in the Battle of Gettysburg. Sidney mentioned enclosing a ring taken from a dead Confederate soldier in his letter of August 15, 1863, and Charles twice provided detailed descriptions of the fighting, in his letters of July 6, 1863, and July 17, 1863. In the second letter, he drew a small map of the Confederate lines. Each of the soldiers provided a rich view of army life, and several wrote on illustrated Union stationery.

A series of letters from 1871 pertains to the experiences of Charles A. Monks as he headed to Gibbon, Nebraska, to assess the possibility of starting a farm there under the Homestead Act. In his letters to his wife Susannah, who remained in New Jersey, he provided detailed descriptions of people, scenery, and everyday life out west. He liked his neighbors and Nebraska, but he returned to his New Jersey home in October 1871.

Collection

Billie Louise Edwards Papers, 1981-1993 (majority within 1987-1992)

1.5 linear feet — 17.4 GB (online)

Online
Billie Louise Edwards was a feminist, activist, lesbian, motorcyclist, co-parent, Metropolitan Community Church preacher, and clinical psychologist; she was also co-director of the University of Michigan Lesbian-Gay Male Programs Office (LGMPO) from 1987 to 1993. The Edwards papers include her educational materials and writings, training materials and correspondence from the LGMPO, audio cassettes from her ministry, and a photographic portrait.

The Billie Edwards papers document her work as a lesbian-gay rights activist and co-director of the University of Michigan's Lesbian-Gay Male Program Office and her work as a minister in Metropolitan Community Church in Oklahoma City. The papers are organized into five series: Miscellaneous Personal Papers, Writings, Research Material, LGMPO Training, and LGMPO Miscellaneous.

Collection

Billings family collection, 1852-1918 (majority within 1879-1895)

2.5 linear feet

The Billings family collection contains correspondence, invitations, ephemera, and other items related to Marcia Billings of Denver, Colorado; Owego, New York; and Brookville, Pennsylvania. Much of the material pertains to her social life in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

The Billings family collection (2.5 linear feet) contains correspondence, invitations, ephemera, and other items related to Marcia Billings of Denver, Colorado; Owego, New York; and Brookville, Pennsylvania. Much of the material pertains to her social life in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

The Correspondence series (551 items), which comprises the bulk of the collection, includes several Civil War-era letters to Mary Pearsall from her friend Emily Jewett, as well as other earlier items addressed to Marcia Billings. Most items concern the social lives of Billings's friends and family members in Denver, Colorado; Owego, New York; and Brookville, Pennsylvania, in the 1880s and 1890s. A series of 5 letters from September 1890 pertains to Colorado travel, including newspaper clippings with information for tourists. Two letters enclose photographs (January 19, 1909 and April 2, 1913) and one picture postcard shows a view of a town (August 14, 1911). Later items include letters by Marcia's husband, Benjamin Thomas, and letters to her mother, Gertrude Billings.

The Diaries series (4 items) is made up of a diary that Marcia Billings kept in 1870, the diary of an unidentified writer covering the year 1909, and 2 books containing records of correspondence and personal finances.

The School Papers series (17 items) consists of a Denver High School report card for Marcia Billings, 4 lists of examination questions from geography and grammar exams, 8 manuscript essays, and a card with the program from a "Friday Evening Club [Soiree]" held at Warren's Dancing Academy on November 30, 1882. The series also contains 3 sets of graded notes by Helen C. Jones, October 5-7, 1896, on arithmetic, history, and physiology.

The accounts and receipts in the Financial Records series (6 items) pertain to the personal finances of Marcia Billings and Benjamin Thomas.

The Photographs (6 items), taken in the early 20th century, show unidentified women. The series includes a group of photographs whose images are no longer discernible (counted as 1 item).

The Illustrations series (3 items) contains a colored drawing of a young girl sewing, a colored drawing of a woman holding flowers, and a sheet with sketches of farm animals and people.

Invitations, Responses to Invitations, Cards, and Ephemera (94 items), mainly addressed to Marcia Billings, concern events such as marriages, birthday celebrations, and casual outings. Ephemeral items include lists of dances from social events.

Printed Items (39 items) include over 30 newspaper clippings, most of which concern social events, elopements, and deaths; others contain poetry, cartoons, and news stories. Other printed items are advertisements, a poem entitled "The Mark of a Man-Child," and a poem entitled "The Type-Writer," which contains a printed illustration of a woman typing.

The Realia items are a ribbon, a sock, and an accompanying poem about a "Sock Social" held by the Ladies Aid Society.

Collection

Billings-Stanton correspondence, 1811-1852 (majority within 1826-1852)

0.25 linear feet

The Billings-Stanton correspondence largely consists of incoming correspondence to Abby Billings Stanton from her family and acquaintances, who wrote about their lives in New York and Ohio. Incoming personal letters to Fanny Stanton of Wethersfield, Connecticut, her sister-in-law, are also present.

The Billings-Stanton correspondence (103 items) largely consists of incoming personal correspondence to Abby Billings Stanton in Trenton and Russia, New York, but also includes incoming personal letters to her sister-in-law, Fanny Stanton of Wethersfield, Connecticut; notes from a book on Christian miracles and prophecy; and genealogical notes about the Stanton family.

Abby Billings Stanton regularly received letters from cousins, aunts, siblings, and friends, mostly female, between 1826 and 1852. Her most frequent correspondents were Gloriana Fosdick, her aunt; Sarah G. Hollister, her cousin; and Frances B. Mason, another cousin. They commented on numerous aspects of their daily lives in towns in Connecticut, New York, and Ohio, and shared news of family members and acquaintances. Some letters pertain to education, marriage, and local travel. Fanny Stanton of Wethersfield, Connecticut, Abby's sister-in-law, also wrote to Abby; her letter of June 24, 1851, mentions a recent visit by P. T. Barnum and the opera singer Jenny Lind's decision to leave his management. Most of the remaining correspondence is addressed to Fanny Stanton, including two partially printed reports of her performance at Hartford Female Seminary in the mid-1830s (October 11, 1836, and October 10, 1837). The final items are 3 pages of notes copied and summarized from Joseph Butler's The Analogy of Religion Natural and Revealed (1736) and 4 pages of genealogical notes about the family of Robert Stanton, beginning with his departure from Lancashire, England, around 1640.

Collection

Bill Shurtliff print collection, circa 1980-1989

1 envelope

Bill Shurtliff (born 1947) is an Ann Arbor, Michigan, artist and University of Michigan alumnus. Consists of reproductions of pen sketches of Ann Arbor and University of Michigan scenes.

The collection includes reproductions of pen sketches of Ann Arbor, Mich. and of the University of Michigan scenes.

Collection

Bill Sliger papers, 1956-1993

1 folder — 1 oversize folder

History of Sliger Home Newspapers, copies of editorials, special editions and sections of Sliger newspapers, and photographs.

Photo of Sliger at his desk and photo of Sliger with Carl Pursell, a Michigan Republican politician.

Collection

Bing Crosby collection, 1943-1971 (majority within 1943-1954)

25 items

The Bing Crosby collection includes 21 letters and documents from Crosby's professional and personal life, three photographs or photograph reproductions, and one autograph musical quotation. Most letters and documents are in regards to Crosby's film projects during the 1940s and 1950s, especially White Christmas (1954).

The Bing Crosby collection includes 21 letters and documents from Crosby's professional and personal life, three photographs or photograph reproductions, and one autograph musical quotation. Most letters and documents are in regards to Crosby's film projects during the 1940s and 1950s. Multiple documents pertain to the film White Christmas, including a letter confirming the early script approval by the Paramount Picture Company, and a planning document for the presentation of names in the credits.

See the box and folder listing below for details about each item in the collection.

Collection

Binney family papers, 1809-1894

57 items

The Binney family papers, compiled by Boston real estate agent Amos Binney in the late 1800s, contain correspondence, documents, newspapers, and photographs related to his ancestors John Binney, Amos Binney, and Horace Binney, Jr. John and Amos Binney served in the War of 1812, and Horace was a lawyer in Philadelphia. The collection also includes a published copy of Genealogy of the Binney Family in the United States, with manuscript annotations and enclosures.

Amos Binney, a Boston real estate agent, compiled the Binney papers (57 items) in the late 1800s. They include correspondence, documents, newspapers, and photographs related to his ancestors John Binney, Amos Binney, and Horace Binney, Jr.

The Correspondence and Documents series, originally housed in a red leather file folder, consists of several thematically distinct groups of material. The first is a series of six letters that Captain John Binney wrote to his brother Amos between 1809 and 1811, about his military service near Wiscasset, Maine. He defended his honor against recent defamations, discussed supplies for the forts under his command, and commented on the international tension immediately preceding the War of 1812. This group also includes an indenture for land Binney purchased in Plymouth County, Massachusetts (October 18, 1813).

The next group of items is a pair of legal documents concerning Horace Binney, Jr., and a transaction involving land in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The documents list payments made between 1844 and 1852. The third group is a set of three letters between the younger Amos Binney and the United States auditor of the treasury concerning the Binney family genealogy. Binney requested information about Amos and John, his ancestors (particularly their military service), and received responses from Samuel Blackwell (August 18, 1894) and F. M. Ramsay (September 5, 1894). The series also holds an undated letter written by John A. Binney and a map showing property bordered by North, East, Bridge, and Short Streets in an unknown town.

The Newspapers series consists of the following items, each related to the elder Amos Binney:
  • Nonconsecutive issues of the Boston Castigator, bound together (August 7, 1822-October 2, 1822)
  • The Independent Bostonian (October 5, 1822)
  • American Statesman and Evening Advertiser, with several additional clippings pertaining to Amos Binney's service as navy agent in Boston (November 18, 1822)
  • Bostonian & Mechanics' Journal (November 23, 1822)
  • Boston Patriot & Daily Mercantile Advertiser (November 25, 1824)

The third series is a printed, annotated copy of Genealogy of the Binney Family in the United States , which includes enclosures compiled by the younger Amos Binney in the 1890s. Several entries, such as those on Amos and John Binney, have margin notes. The annotations and loose items provide additional information on the family's history, and include family trees, letters between the younger Amos Binney and his uncle, and photographs of Binney family residences and graves.

Collection

Biological Station (University of Michigan) records, 1948-2009 (majority within 1979-1989)

0.7 linear feet

The University of Michigan Biological Station (UMBS) was established in 1909 as a teaching and research facility located in the tip of the lower peninsula of Michigan. It preserves several habitats for study. The main areas of research are field biology and ecology. The records of the UMBS focus on evaluations of the program, research, and educational programs.

The records of the University of Michigan Biological Station (UMBS) include materials used to evaluate the benefit of continuing the program during a university budget crisis in the early 1980s, and materials focused more generally on the research and educational programs of the UMBS. The records are divided into six series: Administrative, Program Review, Research, and Education Programs, Publications, and Photographs.

Collection

Bird family papers, 1821-1947 (majority within 1879-1941)

2.25 linear feet

Online
The Bird family papers are made up of correspondence, documents, ephemera, and other materials related to members of the Bird family of East Smithfield, Pennsylvania.

The Bird family papers are made up of correspondence, documents, ephemera, and other materials related to members of the Bird family of East Smithfield, Pennsylvania. A number of letters written between George Niles Bird and Frances Rowe depict their lengthy, occasionally difficult, courtship in the late 19th century. Letters from other friends and family members are interspersed, including a letter from Hope Rowe recounting the funeral of President James A. Garfield (October 9, 1881).

Nancy N. Bird's correspondence consists primarily of incoming personal letters. Nancy's cousins wrote many of the letters, with the family's religiosity influencing much of their writing. The Bird family papers include many of Nancy N. Bird's speeches, including a series of talks delivered to fellow members of the Women's Christian Temperance Union (WCTU) between 1886 and 1912. She discussed temperance, religion, and topics of local interest, including the history of Smithfield, Pennsylvania. Nancy N. Bird's printed materials consist primarily of ephemera, programs, and newspaper clippings, largely related to her work with the WCTU and to the Bradford Baptist Association. Also present are three items written by Nancy: a short book entitled A History of the Sunday Schools in East Smithfield, PA. Since 1822, and two copies of The History of the Baptist Church of East Smithfield, PA. Other materials related to Nancy include journal pages, a photograph, and Sunday School papers.

Helen Bird's letters, written to her mother, chronicle her year at the West Chester Normal School, 1912-1913, and include frequent complaints about the atmosphere, the people, and the food.

Materials relating to George Bird consist primarily of incoming correspondence from friends and from his cousin Geraldine ("Jerry"). Jerry, who financially supported George during his time at Pennsylvania State University, also offered advice and updates on her academic life at Cornell University, while George's friend Eugene Edgar Doll discussed his experiences at the University of Chicago and his patronage of the arts. The collection also includes reports from George Bird's early studies and from his time at Pennsylvania State.

Personal letters from other members of the Niles and Bird families include early letters from Hannah Niles to her husband Samuel, and letters addressed to George N. Bird, his wife Frances, and their daughter-in-law Carrie. Two printed letters from "Robert and Bernie" in Impur, India, describe the country and their educational and missionary work; on January 7, 1921, they mentioned Gandhi's non-cooperation movement.

The collection contains diaries and journals, account books, and albums. The diaries include an 1844 unsigned journal, Hannah Minor Niles' 1866 diary, Nancy Niles Bird's 1851 diary, and Carrie M. Bird's 1921 diary. An account books tracks John Bird's expenses between 1846 and 1858, and a record book kept by Nancy Niles Bird includes the meeting minutes from the Soldiers Aid Society during the Civil War and household accounts. George Bird's autograph album covers the years 1879-1881 and Nancy Niles Bird's scrapbook, kept between 1850 and 1925, contains newspaper articles about her mother Hannah, members of the Bird family, and acquaintances from Pennsylvania and Kansas.

Other miscellaneous items include a printed map, a document related to the military chapel at Ellington Field, Texas, genealogical items, and manuscript poems.

Collection

Bird Family Papers, 1835-1914

1 linear foot

Bird family of Truago (now Trenton) in Wayne County, Michigan, later founders of Clayton in Lenawee County, Michigan. Papers, 1837-1857, of Chauncey Bird, including account of flight in 1811 from Litchfield, Connecticut, to escape persecution by Masons; papers, 1835-1873, of Reuben E. Bird, largely concerning operation of Clayton general store; and diary, scrapbook, and other papers of John E. Bird, state attorney general and supreme court justice.
Collection

Birney-McClear-Hankerd family papers, 1835-1972

5 linear feet — 1 oversize volume

Papers of the Birney, McClear (variant spellings), and Hankerd families collected in part by Marian T. Hankerd of Pleasant Lake, Michigan. Genealogies and family history; correspondence and other papers of James Birney and his wife Bridget McClear, Irish immigrant settlers to Bunker Hill in Ingham County, concerning family matters, his experiences in the California gold fields, politics and Catholic Church activities; letters of Terrence McCleer from the California gold fields; Henry Birney family letters and account books; Henrietta Township, Jackson County, Michigan, materials, including township records and assessments, and records of Henrietta Farmer's Club; Bunker Hill Township, Ingham County, Michigan, assessments; scattered records of SS. Cornelius and Cyprian Catholic Church in Bunker Hill; and related photographs.

The Birney Family collection documents the lives and activities of three inter-related families: the Birneys, McClears (variant spellings), and Hankerds. Covering the years 1835-1972, the collection consists of family correspondence, legal papers, personal and financial ledgers, and clippings; materials relating to Bunker Hill Township in Ingham County and Henrietta Township in Jackson County; and collected materials pertaining to SS. Cornelius and Cyprian Catholic Church in Bunker Hill.

The collection has been arranged into nine principal series: Family / Genealogical James Birney Family, the Henry Birney Family, the Patrick Hankerd Family, Henrietta Township, Bunker Hill Township, SS. Cornelius and Cyprian Catholic Church in Bunker Hill, Photographs, and Robert Stack research papers.

Collection

Bisbee Deportation photographs, July 12, 1917, and undated

1.5 Linear Feet (16 photographs in one oversize flat box)

Materials consist of 17 mounted, black-and-white photographs of deportees during the 1917 Bisbee Deportation.

This collection consists of 17 mounted, black-and-white photographs of deportees during the 1917 Bisbee Deportation.

Collection

Black Action Movement I, II and III select documents, 1970-1987

55.6 MB (online)

Online
Digitized select documents relating to the Black Action Movement (BAM) I, II, and III on the University of Michigan campus, 1970-1987.

The following selection of documents, mostly from the records of the Office of the President with some articles from The Michigan Daily and the University Record, is intended to provide an overview of the Black Action Movement (BAM) demands and the university's immediate response in each of the three phases of the Black Action Movement. It represents a small portion of the documentation of BAM contained in the records of various university units, personal papers, photograph collections, and publications held by the Bentley Historical Library. All the records are open to researchers, subject to some limited restrictions (student records protected by FERPA; personnel records, and certain administrative records subject to review).

Collection

Black Autonomy Network Community Organization records, 2002-2014

1 linear foot — 1 oversize box — 3.41 GB (online)

Online
Organization created by Baptist minister Reverend Edward Pinkney to fight economic and social injustice in Benton Harbor, Michigan. Includes correspondence, news articles, court documents, protest fliers, protest signs, religious writings, website captures, and photographs. Also contains a copy of the 2006 documentary, "What's going on in Benton Harbor? : The Trial of Reverend Pinkney."

The Black Autonomy Network Community Organization records (1 linear feet, 1 oversize box and 3.41 GB) contains correspondence, news articles, court documents, protest fliers, religious writings, and photographs. The collection also includes a box of protest signs supporting Reverend Pinkney and digital files containing email correspondence, website pages and a copy of the 2006 documentary, "What's Going On in Benton Harbor: The Reverend Pinkney Story." The materials focus on the voter fraud charges against Reverend Edward Pinkey and the protests in response to his conviction.