Collections : [Central Michigan University Clarke Historical Library]

Papers include family correspondence, newspaper clippings (copies), stereographs, and certificates of appointment.

The collection includes family correspondence, newspaper clippings (copies), stereographs, and certificates of appointment as Notaries Public for Frank and Moses. The 1881 correspondence describes Frank and Samuel’s experiences surveying in Colorado and Utah, the physical description of states and Mormons.

One oversized Certificate, appointing Moses as postmaster of Climax Prairie, Michigan, 1850, which was recorded as being purchased with the collection is now missing.

The collection, 1849-1900, 1970-1980, 2021, and undated, .75 cubic foot (in 2 boxes) contains daguerreotypes, tintypes, diaries, a print, a metal name card printing plate, and a scrapbook.

The collection contains daguerreotypes, tintypes, diaries, a print, a metal name card printing plate, and a scrapbook. A folder of biographical information from ancestry.com is found in the front of Box 1. The folders are organized in alphabetical order. Much of the collection contains daguerreotypes and tintypes of the Frank and Kent family dating from the mid-19th century. There are seven daguerreotypes, some have been tinted. The daguerreotype in the “Likely Adeline Kettle Frank Seated, Undated” folder has a lot of emulsion damage and is hard to see. The daguerreotype in the “of a Man in Uniform, Undated” folder is very dark and hard to see. Two daguerreotypes are of children, ranging in age from two to five. There are five tintypes with only one identified person who is Joseph Kent. There is also one tintype of a child. There are two Frank family diaries in the collection, one used by Bell Frank (maybe Kate Bella) in 1876. The other diary creator is unidentified. The collection also contains a photograph album / scrapbook of a fishing trip at the Au. Sable and Little Manistee Rivera, Michigan. The trip lasted three days with Pratt, Bruce, Dr. Hudson, Austin, and one unidentified person. The trip was reported to be enjoyable with great success and good weather. The collection was donated by Al Wildey, whose own processing notes are found in the, Al Wildey’s Processing Notes, 1970-1980.

Processing Note: During processing only a miscellaneous newspaper clipping was withdrawn.

Collection consists mostly of diaries, papers, and financial accounts of Mrs. Robinson, some papers of Mr. Robinson and their sons, and family photographs and correspondence, mostly about family concerns.

The collection includes mostly diaries, papers, and financial accounts of Mrs. Robinson, some papers of Mr. Robinson and their sons, family photographs, and family correspondence, mostly about family concerns.

The collection includes materials on Missaukee County, Michigan, history.

Materials gathered on various historic aspects of Missaukee County, Michigan. There is no Notebook #2 in the collection.

The papers include mostly correspondence, reports, and notes on Isle Royale, notebooks, biographical information, an autograph album, and family correspondence.

The collection includes Dustin’s articles, correspondence, reports and notes on Isle Royale, notebooks, and personal items, such as biographical information, newspaper clippings (copies) by/about him, an autograph album, and family correspondence. A number of his publications and another collection on George A. Custer are also housed in the Clarke Historical Library.

The papers include documents and transcriptions of papers of and about Frederic Baraga and an engraving.

The collection consists of copies of transcribed documents assembled from originals or photocopies in the U. S., Canada, and Europe by the Historical Commission of the Bishop Baraga Association. The goal of the Association is to the promoted the Cause for Beatification of Bishop Baraga.

An extensive list of the documents includes, for each item: date, name and location of author, and recipient and institution where the document is housed. This list was compiled by the Association in 1954 and is found after the finding aid. Transcripts are filed within the boxes in chronological order.

Most of the documents are letters from Baraga to other clergy about his mission work and aspects of Catholicism. Some letters are to his siblings. Material after his death includes a eulogy and letters from clergy about Baraga.

The collection contains accounts, insurance papers, land papers, legal forms, and letters of Frederic Bronson.

The collection includes Frederic Bronson’s correspondence, 1832-1863, undated; accounts, records of loans, mortgages, 1828-1863; deeds, maps, and other land, business, and personal papers, 182?-1861, undated. Lands covered include those in Chicago, Michigan, Somerset County (New Jersey), western New York counties, New York (city), Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.

The Clarke also has the original papers of Isaac and Arthur Bronson, Frederic’s father and brother, and the Bronson Family Papers (See those finding aids.). These collections include some additional papers of Frederic Bronson.

On microfilm, the Clarke has the Bronson Family Papers deposited at NYPL (Mss. Micro F-40, 30 reels of positive microfilm). Here, amidst papers of numerous Bronson family members, are found Frederic’s letters, 1825-1861, 1863 (reel 6, 17-18, 23, 25); miscellaneous, 1829-1854 and accounts, 1839-1863 (reels 26-27), and Bronson land and miscellaneous papers (reels 7-9, 18, 25, 29-30). Frederic’s Land Book, 1840, covering Michigan, Wisconsin, and Illinois, is part of the Arthur Bronson Papers in the Newberry Library. The negative microfilm of this book (Acc#565) is also available at the Clarke. The Land Book, 1840, was filmed by the Chicago Historical Society in 1978 and donated to the Clarke.

The collection includes material created or collected by Halbert about the Michigan PBB disaster and how it affected him and his family.

The collection includes material created or collected by Halbert about the Michigan PBB disaster and how it affected him and his family. Materials he created include: his co-written article with Jackson, an invitation letter from American Veterinary Medical Association and his speaking notes, his Outline for Bitter Harvest, his personal health records, speeches, speaking notes, and his testimony before the Michigan House of Representations (1974) and US House of Representatives (1978). Materials he collected includes newspaper, magazine, and journal articles in which he is cited, thanked, and/or discussed, remarks by Governor William G. Milliken about Toxic Chemicals in Michigan, June 24, 1978 and PBB history/legislative report from Milliken administration, undated [1978], and Remarks by Lt. Governor James H. Brickley about PBB in Michigan, October 4, 1978, and reference materials about PBB. A 1986 VHS videotape of Bitter Harvest was separately cataloged. The collection is organized alphabetically and in good physical condition, with some acidification.

Researchers may also be interested in other PBB research manuscript collections and secondary sources about PBB in the Clarke Historical Library, including the memoir, Bitter Harvest (1978).

Processing Note: During processing social security numbers were blacked out on copies of health records and those pages were photocopied. Extremely acidic materials were photocopied and the originals, as well as duplicates of other materials (1 folder total), were withdrawn and returned to the donor, as per the donor agreement.

Papers consist mostly of business correspondence related to the oil drilling business in mid-Michigan, as well as related plat books, forms, genealogical materials, and miscellaneous.

The collection consists mostly of business correspondence to/from Will Spencer, 1934-1938 (1.5 cubic ft. in Boxes 1-3). Will signed his letters as F.W. Spencer. The correspondence is in alphabetical order by surname or company name. Most of the correspondence is from Will to people who owned property in mid-Michigan inquiring if they would like to lease their land for gas/oil drilling to Phillips Drilling Company of Butler, Pennsylvania. Some of the correspondence is between Will and county officers about land that might be purchased for taxes, inquiries re: ownership of certain property, and requests to the Department of Natural Resources for plat maps. There are also some bills and receipts for maps or mapping. There are also occasionally requests to Spencer for some of his farm products. There is no personal correspondence in the collection.

Plat books in which specific properties are marked are found in Box 4 (a letter-size .25 cubic foot box). Also in this box is a publication on Fringe Wells of the Crystal-New Haven Files and the Beaverton Area, 1936, by C. Roe.

Box 5 (a legal-size .25 cubic foot box) includes miscellaneous materials related to Michigan oil exploration and leasing. Of note are lists of properties owned by Indigenous people in Denver and Isabella townships, Isabella County, which were available for oil or gas leases, 1934, 1936. People listed as holding this land include: Wellington, Joseph, and Israel Collins; Mary Conley; George Corbin; Mary Egleston; Mary Isaac; Johnson Jackson; Emma McClure; Jane Nottawa; Eliza and Mary Ann Pay-she-min-nee; Maria Pelcher; Lucy and E.(Earnest) Pontiac; William and Albert Strong. The 2021 addition is mostly housed in Box 5 and includes: 1934 miscellaneous; typed lists of oil well permits issued by the Michigan Department of Conservation, 1938; materials Spencer collected, created, or signed for Paul Odil including mostly copies of oil and gas leases and agreements, and correspondence, 1931-1933. ALso included are typed English 201 papers that Hazel Spencer wrote while attended Central State Teachers College, now Central Michigan University, in 1934.

The collection includes papers and photographs about Alpena, Michigan, and general Michigan history.

This collection of papers and photographs focuses on the history and people of Alpena, Michigan, although there are other Michigan counties and topics documented in it. Additional related Michigan materials may be found in several other photographic and papers collections of Fred R. and Tom C. Trelfa. Drafts of The Story of the Upper South Branch by Harry S. New are in folder 7 of Box 6.