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The papers consists personal and family biographical materials, correspondence, Civil War diaries, photographs, clippings, and publications.

The collection includes correspondence between Charles and his wife and their friends. Charles’ diary and four Civil War era letters describe the weather, military drills, skirmishes with the enemy, the failures of Gen. A. E. Burnside, heavy federal losses, many prisoners being taken, Negro troops, fighting, and marches to Bardston, Lebanon, Jamestown, and Memphis, Tennessee.

Also included is a 2003 CMU student term paper (74 pages) by Kathryn S. Anderson entitled “The 1863 Civil War Journal of Charles Horace Hodskin, 1836-1905,” which is a transcription of his diary.

Records relating to the First Congregational Church of Bay City, Michigan, collected by Ira Butterfield and his father George Butterfield; include correspondence written to wife during World War II while on duty in the Philippines with the Judge Advocate's office; other series concern his activities with the Bay County Council on Juvenile Delinquency, his various campaigns for public office, and his interest in Michigan archaeology; and photographs to be used in political advertisements probably from his campaign for Bay County District Judge in 1974; also photographs taken 1945-1946 while serving in the military with the Judge Advocate's office in the Philippines

The bulk of the collection consists of records pertaining to the First Congregational Church of Bay City, Michigan collected by Ira Butterfield and his father, George Butterfield, over a period of more than 80 years. The rest of the collection consists of the personal papers of Ira Butterfield. These papers relate to his experiences in World War II, his legal career, charitable and personal interests. The majority of these personal papers relate to his various campaigns for public office. The collection is divided into six series: First Congregational Church, Bay City, MI; Military Service; Bay County Council on Delinquency; Campaigns; Archaeology and Photographs. Although the collection contains some records dating from before 1944, the majority date from 1944 to 1990. Some earlier materials may be found in the First Congregational Church of Bay City collection, also held by the Bentley Library.