Collections : [University of Michigan Bentley Historical Library]

Back to top
Number of results to display per page
View results as:

Search Results

Collection

Frank D. McKay Papers, 1909-1965

3 linear feet — 2 oversize volumes

Grand Rapids, Michigan businessman and politician; correspondence, business papers; scrapbooks, and photographs.

The Frank D. McKay collection is divided into the following series: Correspondence; Topical Files; Business and financial papers; Newspaper clippings and scrapbooks; and Photographs.

Collection

Fred Dustin papers, 1884-1975

4.5 linear feet — 1 oversize volume

Fred Dustin was a Saginaw, Michigan, building contractor, deputy state oil inspector, 1903-1905, and archaeological surveyor and writer on Michigan archaeology and history. The papers include correspondence, newspaper clippings, sketches, diaries, and record books concerning his interest in the archaeology of Michigan, including the archaeological survey of Isle Royale, 1929-1930, and the survey and mapping of the Ogemaw County Earthworks in 1931; also material relating to the history of Saginaw and to Dustin's interest in the archaeology of the Michigan Indian; and photographs. Correspondents include Wilber M. Brucker, Fred L. Crawford, Woodbridge N. Ferris, William B. Mershon, William A. Smith, Albert W. Tausend, Charles E. Townsend, Arthur J. Tuttle, Arthur H. Vandenberg, and Murray D. Van Wagoner.

The Fred Dustin Papers contain correspondence, diaries, record books, writings, field notes, photographs, and other materials that document Dustin's life and interests in Michigan archaeology and history. The papers consist of seven series: Autobiographical and Biographical, Correspondence, Archaeology, Papers and Miscellaneous, Diaries, Record Books and Ledgers, and Photographs and Scrapbook.

Collection

Fred W. Litzner papers, 1900-1966

1 linear foot

Materials on agriculture, resort property in northern Michigan, tariffs, American neutrality prior to World War II, and Lutheran Church-sponsored resettlement of refugees and displaced persons after World War II; also photographs. Correspondents include: Prentiss M. Brown, Elford A. Cederberg, Fred L. Crawford, Philip A. Hart, J. Edgar Hoover, Resettlement Service of the National Lutheran Council, George Romney, Arthur H. Vandenberg, and Roy Woodruff.

Photos of railroad wreck, steam hauler, and Whittemore house in Tawas City, Michigan. Photographs are dated 1911 and 1963.

Collection

George R. Averill papers, 1928-1969

2 linear feet — 30 oversize volumes

Editor and publisher of the Birmingham Eccentric; correspondence, scrapbooks, and other materials relating to his career.

The collection consists of correspondence, newspaper clippings, scrapbooks, and other materials concerning Averill's newspaper career, his support of Senator Arthur H. Vandenberg, especially in the election of 1934, and his support of other Republican candidates, particularly Wilber M. Brucker and Herbert Hoover. Some of Averill's correspondents include Roscoe O. Bonisteel, Wilber M. Brucker, James J. Couzens, Chase S. Osborn, Frank M. Sparks, and Arthur H. Vandenberg.

Collection

Gerald L. K. Smith Papers, 1922-1976

102 linear feet — 2 phonograph records

Founder of the America First Party, head of the Christian Nationalist Crusade, and outspoken anti-Semite. Correspondence, speeches, oral history transcript, memoranda and other materials detailing his criticism of America's participation in World War II, his Michigan senatorial race in 1942, his campaign for the presidency in 1944, his opposition to the spread of communism after the war, and his support of conservative Christian causes and right wing individuals and organizations; and photographs. Portraits of Smith and his wife, Elna Smith; photographs of meetings and conventions of the America First Party, of picketing and other political activity in support of Smith and his platform, and of Smith's associates and supporters; also photographs and portraits of celebrities, buildings, and activities, which Smith collected, probably for use in his publication The Cross and the Flag.

The papers of Gerald L.K. Smith include correspondence, speeches, oral history transcript, memoranda and other materials detailing his criticism of America's participation in World War II, his Michigan senatorial race in 1942, his campaign for the presidency in 1944, his opposition to the spread of communism after the war, and his support of conservative Christian causes and right wing individuals and organizations; and photographs.

The major portion of the Gerald L.K. Smith papers came to the library in the spring of 1982. Before then, the library had accumulated a smaller group of Smith materials, mainly publications of the Christian Nationalist Crusade, mailings out of the Smith office from the 1960's and 1970's, the tapes and transcripts of an interview conducted with Smith in 1968 by a library staff member, and a few microfilm reels of a very small section of Smith's papers.

With the 1982 accession, the Smith collection now totals 102 linear feet of correspondence, memoranda, clippings, published materials, and photographs and motion pictures. The collection covers the years, 1922-1976, but bulks largest for the period since 1939. Regrettably, only scattered materials for the period before 1939 have survived so there is slight documentation of Smith's activities in Louisiana with Huey Long. What has survived from these years are a few letters from parents, some published sermons and radio speeches, and an assortment of notes, clippings, and meeting materials. It is perhaps surprising that not more of the collection had been discarded or mislaid. As the papers came from storage in Eureka Springs, Arkansas, the earlier files had been shifted about several times as Smith and his organization moved their base of operation: from Louisiana to Detroit, to St. Louis, to Los Angeles, and then to Eureka Springs. Smith seems to have been a careful record-keeper, however, and very little of the post-1939 files needed processing.

Collection

Homer Ferguson Papers, 1939-1976

26 linear feet — 1 oversize folder — 35 phonograph records — 769 MB (online)

Online
Republican U.S. Senator from Michigan, U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines; files relating to his various career responsibilities, photographs, sound recordings.

The Homer Ferguson collection has been divided into eleven series based primarily upon the important phases of his public life: Personal; Circuit Judgeship; Senate Career; Interregnum: November 1954 - April 1955; Hoover Commission; Philippine Ambassadorship; United States Court of Military Appeals; Inter-Parliamentary Union; Photographs, Sound Recordings, and Myrtle Ferguson Papers.

Collection

Howard Cyrus Lawrence Papers, 1916-1966

25 linear feet — 2 oversize volumes

Grand Rapids, Michigan businessman and Republican politician. Correspondence, business records, speeches, and other papers relating to state politics, charitable and civic interests, banking issues, the Grand Rapids Varnish Corporation, the Michigan Trust Company of Grand Rapids, and the Ypsilanti-Reed Furniture Company of Ionia, Michigan; also materials on Albion College, the Methodist Church, the Ionia Free Fair, and Republican Party politics, especially the campaign of Arthur H, Vandenberg for the presidency in 1940.

The collection documents the business, civic, and political interests of Howard C. Lawrence. The series in the collection are: Correspondence; Speeches and speech material; Financial; Business Interests; Charitable and Civic Interests; Clippings; Miscellaneous; Photographs; and Notebooks.

Collection

Interlochen Center for The Arts records, 1927-2005 (majority within 1935-1994)

86.4 linear feet (in 92 boxes) — 51 volumes (scrapbook) — 1 oversize folder — 30.91 GB (online)

Online
Parent organization of the Interlochen Arts Academy and the Interlochen Arts Camp (formerly the National Music Camp) founded by Joseph Maddy. Includes administrative records of the Center, the Academy and the Camp and personal papers of Maddy, photographs, sound recordings, and motion pictures.

The records of the Interlochen Center for the Arts were received in installments over many years. They came from several sources: the Camp office in Ann Arbor, the Tremaine family, an alumni leader, and various administrators at Interlochen, but the greatest proportion was assembled from Maddy's home and Interlochen offices, after his death, by Margaret (Peg) Stace, his long-time assistant.

The Camp files for 1935-1945 comprise the major portion received in their original order, and they were in disarray because of frequent changes in Camp secretaries and the practice of moving the office (along with relevant files) from Ann Arbor to Interlochen and back each summer. Also, Maddy kept many items of a personal and confidential nature at home.

In processing the records, an attempt was made both to preserve the original order, where ascertainable, and to highlight major subjects and individuals, some of whose importance only became apparent with the passage of time. A separate name index is available for major correspondents. Where extant, explanatory historical and background information has been placed at the front of records categories. Because of Maddy's influence on the development of Interlochen both past and present, his correspondence with later administrators has been included if practical, under "Administration" in their papers.

The surviving records have been divided into nine series: Chronological, Subject, Post-Maddy Administrators, Boards, Closed, Printed, Visual Materials, Sound Recordings, and Scrapbooks. The Chronological focuses on Maddy and the Camp until 1966 while the Subject, is composed of two subseries. The first, mainly 1928-1989, though also heavily relating to Maddy, also includes much on developments through the '90s. The second subseries, 1930-2003, Later Acquisition represents a group of files that were acquired in 2005. Many files pertain to the early camp and Joesph Maddy. The Post-Maddy Administrators series begins in the late 1950's when Maddy expanded the staff in anticipation of making Interlochen a year-round institution and continues unto the most recent accession. Boards (governing bodies) starts with the Camp's founding in 1928 and ends in 1989 while the Closed series covers the Maddy, Haas, and Wilson administrations through 1971. Printed offers coverage to the present but is more complete for the early years through the 1980's. While the Visual Materials and Sound Recordings series extend from the 1920's into the 1980's, it offers best coverage from 1924 to 1942 Scrapbooks, with gaps in the early years, documents both Maddy and the Camp, beginning with the National High School Orchestra and ending with the Camp's 50th anniversary celebration in 1978.

Collection

James Frederick Lawton papers, 1908-1969

2.5 linear feet — 3 oversize volumes — 1 oversize folder — 2 sound recording tapes — 4.3 GB (online)

Online
Berkley, Michigan insurance executive, poet and composer, and active alumnus of the University of Michigan; contain papers relating to activities of the class of 1911, to his involvement in the University of Michigan Club of Detroit, and to his interest in Michigan football, especially the career of coach Fielding H. Yost; also scrapbooks, and manuscripts of poetry and song lyrics.

The papers of J. Fred Lawton contain material relating to activities of the class of 1911, to his involvement in the University of Michigan Club of Detroit, and to his interest in Michigan football, especially the career of coach Fielding H. Yost; also scrapbooks, and manuscripts of poetry and song lyrics. The collection has been arranged into the following series: Correspondence; Poetry, musical compositions, and other writings; University of Michigan Class of 1911; University of Michigan Club of Detroit; Topical files; Photographs; Scrapbooks; and Sound Recordings.

Collection

James K. Pollock papers, 1920-1968

87 linear feet — 3 oversize folders — 2 film reels — 6 phonograph records (oversize) — 16.3 GB — 19 digital audio files

Online
University of Michigan professor of political science, special advisor to the U.S. Military Government in Germany after World War II, participant in numerous government commissions; papers include correspondence, working files, speeches, course materials, and visual and sound materials.

The James K. Pollock papers represent an accumulation of files from a lifetime of academic teaching and research and an extraordinary number of public service responsibilities to both his state and his nation. The files within the collection fall into two categories: types of document (such as correspondence, speeches and writings, visual materials, etc.) and files resulting from a specific activity or position (such as his work as delegate to the Michigan Constitutional Convention or his service with the Office of the Military Government in Germany after World War II).

The collection is large and of a complicated arrangement because of Pollock's many activities. When received in 1969, the files were maintained as received; very little processing was done to the collection so that an inventory to the papers could be quickly prepared. The order of material is that devised by James K. Pollock and his secretarial staff in the U-M Department of Political Science. Recognizing the anomalies within the order of the collection, the library made the decision to list the contents to the collection while at the same time preparing a detailed card file index (by box and folder number, i.e. 16-8) to significant correspondents and subjects. While there was much to be said for this method of preparing a finding aid expeditiously, it also covered up some problems in arrangement. Thus series and subseries of materials are not always grouped together as they were created by Pollock. Files on the Hoover Commission and the Michigan Constitutional Convention, for example, come before Pollock's work in Germany after the war. In 1999, effort was made to resolve some of the inconsistencies and obvious misfilings of the first inventory but because of the numbering system used in 1969 and the card index prepared for the files, there are still some problems. Researchers should be alert to these difficulties and take time to examine different parts of the collection for material on a similar topic.